by C. A. Szarek
“Tell Nikki I said hello.” Jared offered one last wave and watched Crane jog out of the bar.
Love?
Kids?
No thank you.
He liked kids all right—his partner’s boys were a blast to play with. Jared had got stuck with babysitting duty once or twice, but he’d enjoyed hanging out with five-year-old Ethan and sixteen-month-old Micah. However, he was grateful he got to return them to their parents.
That kind of responsibility wasn’t for Jared.
And diapers?
Ew.
He blew out a breath and surveyed the local cop hangout.
McAuley’s had been in Antioch before Jared was born. The boys in blue of the small Texas city had adopted it when a retired detective, Mike McAuley, had opened the doors back in the sixties. It was an Antioch Police Department institution.
He swept his gaze along the walls full of police paraphernalia, from antique to modern day. There were pictures of cops everywhere, too. A framed one of McAuley himself was mounted over the bar. He’d passed away when Jared was a kid. His three sons ran the place nowadays.
The girl laughed yet again. Jared’s eyes rested on the four women, but none of them were looking his way.
He grabbed his shot glass and gulped the Scotch, even though he didn’t need a fortifying drink to approach a woman. Never had problems with that. Perhaps that was the problem.
Oh shut up and do your thing.
“Ladies.”
Silence reigned as four sets of eyes looked up at him.
The blonde flashed a smile. Yeah, she was the hottest one at the table. Slender. Tight clothes. Pouty lips with bright red painted on them.
Red winked. She was cute, too. The brunette obviously checked him out, eyes roving his jeans and blue button-down before she smiled, too.
The last woman—the one Jared wanted to stare at him—looked away, breaking the quick eye contact.
He begged for her to look his way again.
She finally did after he cleared his throat.
Blue. Her eyes were like blue crystal.
Jared flashed his signature smile. The one old girlfriends had told him melted them on the inside and made them fall into his bed.
Even in the dim light of the bar, her pink cheeks were obvious. His stomach fluttered. Her beauty stunned him as much as the color on her cheeks pleased him. Her hair was more brown than blonde. Full of waves he wanted to run his fingers through. High cheekbones, creamy skin and plump lips. If she was wearing makeup, it was minimal, and she didn’t need it.
“Can I buy you a drink?”
She didn’t look away, but she grabbed the full bottle of beer in front of her. Didn’t tell him no, but her eyes did.
Jared swallowed a groan and shifted in his combat boots.
Since when are you uncomfortable in front of a woman?
Deeper crimson stained her cheeks. Endearing, but his gut told him she was uncomfortable. For some reason, he wanted to make her feel better.
She looked around, as if she wasn’t sure if Jared had been talking to her.
Odd, considering the eye contact.
“I’m Jared.” He shoved his hand out.
Show her you’re talking to her.
Her blue eyes widened.
He’d expected a smile. Not the look of abject horror she was wearing now.
The redhead to her right not-so-subtly jabbed her side and Jared’s intended jumped.
“Umm…hi.” Her voice was as enticing as her laugh.
He wanted to drag a chair over and sit next to her. His voice took a hike and he chided himself not to stare.
“Well, it’s getting late,” someone said.
Jared’s gaze shot to the blonde, just as she exchanged a look with the brunette.
The other woman nodded.
Blondie pushed her chair back and swung a Coach bag the size of Texas over her shoulder.
Brunette and Red also stood. “Yeah, I think I need to get home, too,” the redhead said.
The brunette agreed, grabbing her jacket. The shuffling of belongings and chairs combined with the clopping of high heels happened fast.
Jared blinked and they were headed to the door without a word to their abandoned friend.
But now we’re alone.
He looked down at her, but his smile stalled.
Betrayal dominated her expression. She glared when the blonde paused at the door of McAuley’s. The woman flashed a smile and wave that was obviously lost on the woman before him.
Jared cleared his throat. “Can I sit next to you?”
Her head whipped back around. “Why?”
He rocked back on the heels of his shitkickers.
Why?
Charm. Focus on being charming.
“I like to keep the company of a beautiful woman.” Jared smiled.
She frowned.
He stared. He couldn’t help it.
She frowned at a compliment?
Jared quirked an eyebrow and slid onto the chair next to hers, because she was never going to invite him to sit. And that made him want to join her even more. Intrigued the hell out of him. “What’s your name?”
Cocking her head to one side, she studied him. “Uh…Ren.”
“Wren like the bird? Cool name.”
“No.” Her cheeks reddened again and she looked away. “Umm…it’s…short for Renee.”
He watched her fidget before she’d meet his gaze again. His stomach churned at the thought of her being uneasy with him. He forced words out. “Can I call you Renee?”
Those eyes met his and he swallowed hard. Crystal blue, like a morning summer sky. Jared had never seen anything so beautiful in his life.
“O-o-o-kay. I mean, sure.” More shifting, so he reached for her hand.
Touching her resulted in a zing of energy shooting up his arm. Their eyes locked. Her lips parted and his mouth went dry.
He wanted to kiss her.
No. Jared needed to kiss her.
Before he could even lean in, Renee gasped and moved away.
“Which one of them put you up to this?” she demanded. The suspicion in her voice made him rear back.
He blinked.
Wanting to kiss a woman two seconds after meeting her was fast…even for him.
Get it together, seriously.
“Excuse me?” His voice cracked.
She looked away. “Never mind.”
Jared studied her. She was nervous. No…uncomfortable. Why? “Renee.”
When she met his eyes, his heart skipped.
“I want to have a nice evening. A drink. A dance. With you.”
She cleared her throat and Jared wanted to kiss it.
“With. Me.” It wasn’t a question.
He nodded. “With you. Is that a problem?”
Renee’s pale blue gaze raked his face. “No. I guess not. My friends are always telling me I need to loosen up.”
“Are they now?” He flashed his best charming grin. “Just so happens I’m pretty good at helping that along.”
“I don’t doubt that.” She looked him up and down and something in her eyes made him want to squirm. “Okay, rules.”
“Rules? How can you relax if there’re rules?” He reclined in the chair, fighting a smile.
“No small talk.”
“Really?”
“Really. None of that Where do you work? Do you like your job? What’s your family like? What do you do for fun? Blah blah blah.”
Jared laughed. “So, no politeness?” He had some ideas if she didn’t need him to be polite.
“I didn’t say don’t be polite. Just…let’s keep this in the here and now.” She looked away again, something flashing in her eyes, but it was gone by the time she turned back to him. A slight smile curved her luscious mouth.
Jared didn’t buy it. He grabbed her hand. “You okay?”
“Nope. Not going there. That breaks the rules.”
“Already? Well then, I’m sorr
y, ma’am.” He grinned until she smiled back and Jared inclined his head. “I think the jukebox needs a coin or two and I need a dance.”
“But no one’s dancing.” She gestured to the small area of McAuley’s that passed for a dance floor.
“Not a problem for me. Let’s help you loosen up.” He stood, extending his hand.
“Why the heck not?” Renee chugged the beer and slammed the empty on the table. When she looked up at him, she flashed a lopsided grin that made his insides wobble.
Jared arched an eyebrow and chuckled.
It’s gonna be one hell of a night.
Renee’s one drink melted into three…four…or five?
Shit, he’d lost count, but had only had one more shot of Scotch himself. He had to drive home, not to mention be at work earlier than normal
They danced until it was almost eleven and the place was pretty cleaned out, given it was a week night.
The youngest McAuley, Brian, kept throwing Jared knowing looks from the bar. The guy was paying more attention to them than the counter he was supposedly cleaning.
Yeah, I know, I’m thinking what you are, dude.
Jared wanted Renee. Wanted to take her back to his place, throw her down on his bed and give her the time of her life.
She’d have no problem relaxing.
He pulled her closer and swayed to some random country song about long lost love. It could’ve been any one of the greats crooning as they danced, but it didn’t register. He couldn’t keep his mind off the gorgeous woman in his arms.
Soft, curvy. Perfect.
Jared wanted to taste her. All of her. His cock twitched as her pelvis brushed his. He tried to tell it now wasn’t the time, but let’s get out of here was on the tip of his tongue.
“Hard,” Renee whispered, lifting her head from his shoulder.
He stilled and their eyes met. God, he’d die if she realized he was half-aroused.
Then again, it’s a good way to see if she’s on the same page.
“What?” he croaked.
“Your chest. It’s so hard.” She poked his right pec. Her cheeks went rosy for the hundredth time, but Renee was adorable.
Most of the flush was alcohol related. He needed to remember that. Pin it to his brain. He got the feeling she didn’t drink much, but he hadn’t lost track of all the beer she’d downed. His conscience chided, Put her in a cab. Send her home.
He couldn’t. Jared wanted her. If she was willing, he’d have Renee.
You are such a sleaze.
She peered up at him as if she was waiting on him to say something.
Right. Hard.
Heat crept up his neck. “Uh. Yeah. I work out.”
Renee blinked then giggled. “Guys who look like you don’t notice girls who look like me.” She backed out of his embrace, gesturing to her body. The movement of her arms made her skirt play at her knees. A tease.
Jared’s dick jumped and he almost groaned. He wanted to see more. But her words sank in and he cupped her face. “You are absolutely gorgeous.”
She scoffed, rolling her eyes. “Right. Me.”
Lowering his head, he took her mouth, swallowing her surprised squeak. Beer and sweet, sweet woman greeted his tongue when Jared forced her to open for him.
God, she tastes good.
Like a sugary treat mixed with the stout lager she’d consumed, her kiss was a drug he had to have more of.
Renee stepped into him, wrapping her arms around his neck. She moved her mouth under his, kissing him back, giving when Jared took. Her hips against his made him granite, and when she rocked into him, his body took over and pressed right back.
He kissed her long and hard, until his cock threatened to blow in his jeans. Considering the three shots of Scotch and at least three beers, he was pretty damn impressed.
Jared needed to get her to his place. Now.
Panting, he made himself end their lip-lock before he wrapped her legs around his waist and pushed her skirt up right there on the dance floor just to get inside her faster. “Wanna get out of here?”
Large, perfect breasts rose and fell against his chest. Purple fabric shifted as she struggled to breathe evenly, giving more than a mere hint at cleavage. Her blue eyes were hazy, but she nodded.
“Yeah?” His heart kicked into overdrive and he chided himself to calm down. They were both inebriated, but this isn’t a good idea went unheeded. He wasn’t exactly thinking with his big brain.
“Yes.” The word was breathless and made him groan.
“My place or yours?”
Her hesitation made him cringe.
Please don’t change your mind.
“Yours.” Renee nodded, as if she was trying to convince herself so he kissed her again, cupping her ass and pushing his erection into her pelvis.
“I want you,” he breathed.
No way was he sleeping alone tonight.
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About the Author
C.A. is originally from Ohio, but got to Texas as soon as she could. She’s married and has a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. She works with kids when she’s not writing.
She’s always wanted to be a writer and is overjoyed to share her stories with the world.
Email: [email protected]
C.A. loves to hear from readers. You can find her contact information, website and author biography at http://www.totallybound.com.
Also by C.A. Szarek
Crossing Forces: Collision Force
Crossing Forces: Chance Collision
Crossing Forces: Calculated Collision
Crossing Forces: Collision Control