His to Take (Wicked Lovers 9)

Deke shook his head. “Kitten, I think he meant me.”

When she glanced at him for confirmation, Jesse sent her a half grin. “Yeah, man to man. Or something like that.”

His answer clearly surprised her. “Oh. Sure.”

While it was no secret that Deke had never been a fan of his, and Jesse really had no right to ask for even a word from the man, he was thankful Kimber’s hulk of a husband seemed willing to give it.

“Sit.” He waited until Jesse complied. “I get it. Good times and fast women are easy to come by and hard to turn down.” Deke sat back and took Kimber’s hand. Though the overhead lights cast a glow on his golden hair, no one would ever mistake him for an angel. “But you’ve got to stop acting your age in rock star years.”

“Rock star years?” Jesse frowned. What the hell was he talking about?

“Cut your age in half and add one.” Deke cracked a smile.

Jesse shook his head. “I’m not fifteen.”

“Then don’t act like it. Life isn’t about getting high or laid. Obviously, you’ve got an incredible career. It’s your character everyone is questioning. Stop behaving like a douche. Start being a man. It’s not complicated.”

Well, he’d asked for it, and Deke had never been one to candy coat.

“I’ve been sober for a year. Actually, almost thirteen months.”

“That’s great!” Kimber praised.

The other man simply cocked his head and leveled him with a hard glance. “Women?”

Jesse didn’t want to answer with Kimber in the room. His wandering penis had only been one of the reasons she’d left him. He hated to admit how little he’d changed since their breakup. “I’m no saint.”

“Hmm,” Deke mused. “Last bed partner?”

He hesitated. “A couple of cities ago.”

“You remember her name?”

“No.” Jesse grimaced.

“So she didn’t mean anything to you?” Deke quizzed.

“Nothing.”

“Then why did you do her?”

She’d been eager and pretty and willing and… “I don’t know. I didn’t have a reason not to.”

“If you want your life to have meaning, you have to treat all the parts of your life as if they’re meaningful.”

Deke’s advice surprised Jesse. His words had almost sounded philosophical. Kimber’s husband had always struck him as being long on intimidation and short on principles. Clearly, Jesse hadn’t looked past the brawn.

His former fiancée wore a scowl. “Deke’s right. When was the last time you wrote music? And recorded it? That used to mean everything to you.”

He sucked in a breath and winced. “Longer than I’d like to admit.”

“Your new album doesn’t sound like you. It’s great. Catchy and fun. Edgy. Clever.” Kimber flushed. “That came out wrong. I know you can be fun and clever and all that. It’s just…some of your best hits were soulful ballads about finding yourself and following your heart. You wrote those before you hit it big, and I haven’t heard a song like that from you in forever.”

She was right. Between the two of them, Jesse heard the message loud and clear that he’d lost his way, personally and professionally. This sabbatical away from the limelight had to be about becoming a whole new him. He couldn’t wait. Getting the opportunity to change his partying, sex-god image—and himself—couldn’t come soon enough.

“You’re right. And I needed the honesty.” Jesse stood. “Let me know when you have that baby. Thanks.”

Chapter Two

Texarkana, Texas

“How have you not committed double murder?”

Bristol Reese stared into her beer, then glanced at her best friend. “They’re not worth twenty-five to life. But don’t think it hasn’t crossed my mind.”

Jayla scowled, her dark, expressive eyes both disapproving and dismissive. “Girl, that’s restraint. He’s a player and she’s batty as hell.”

“Which is why they deserve one another. I’m sure they’ll have a short, miserable life together,” she shot back, then chugged some of her brew, ignoring the clapping and laughter from the group gathered at the large table in the center of the restaurant.

Her friend’s expression softened, her mocha skin glowing under the muted amber lights above the bar. “What about you? You gave that man sixteen months of your life. I really thought he intended to propose to you.”

“I did, too. But I guess Hayden decided that Presleigh is better wife material.”

Jayla snorted. “No, he thought having Miss Lafayette County on his arm would make him look like the shit with his buddies. That beauty pageant skank might look good in Victoria’s Secret, but she’s not you.”

Bristol nodded. “Actually, I think that’s something Hayden appreciates about her. And she’s not a skank. It pains me to admit it, but she’s sometimes sweet.”

“She stole your man!”

“I don’t think she had to try very hard,” Bristol pointed out. “Hayden was dazzled by her short skirts and her adoration…and that was that.”

Jayla pulled what she would have called her stank face. “His bitch ass needs to be taught a lesson.”

Her friend was probably right, but Bristol had to take part of the blame. Her pride stung when she realized she’d buried her head in the sand and ignored her instincts about Hayden because she’d wanted him to be everything he wasn’t—sweet, helpful, caring, capable of compromise. God, why was she so idealistic? A sweeping, romantic gesture bowled her heart over every time. She wanted Mr. Darcy to move heaven and earth to marry her, sought an Edward Lewis who was willing to conquer his fear of heights to rescue her so she could rescue him right back, hoped for her own Johnny Castle to tell her parents that nobody puts Bristol in a corner, ached for an Edward Cullen who knew his soul well enough to take one look at her and realize she was “The One.”

She was a hopeless romantic, and it hadn’t brought her a damn thing but misery.

“I’m not sure he’s worth the effort.” Bristol sighed.

“And Presleigh has no spine.” Jayla was getting indignant on her behalf, slamming a fist on the bar.

“Another fact Hayden appreciates, I’m sure. I wouldn’t conform enough for him. He always tried to change the way I dress, and all but bullied me to shut down my ‘silly’ business. He would have much preferred that I teach Sunday school at the church, maybe sell some Mary Kay on the side, and be blissfully happy to be Mrs. Hayden Vincent the third.”

Jayla looked disgusted. “That’s not you. You’re too passionate about life to do nothing but keep a clean house, spit-polish up the kids for Christmas photos, and scrapbook your life away.”

“Agreed.” She drank more of her beer, then lowered the mug to the nearly empty bar with a sigh. “But you basically described Presleigh. Hell, maybe they are a perfect match.”

“Ugh. He’s falling for an empty package.”

Bristol shrugged. “But he doesn’t have much depth, either. I let myself be dazzled by a few roses and charming words from the most eligible guy in town. I mean, he’s Lewisville, Arkansas’s version of a Kennedy. I had a crush on him in high school something fierce. And he looked good in his football pants.”

Jayla tilted her head. “I’ll give you that.”

“I appreciate you being mad on my behalf, but honestly…I’m more humiliated than heartbroken. I’m over him.”

For the foreseeable future, no more entanglements of the heart. Flings only. If she kept the length of her relationships to a night—a weekend, tops—she couldn’t make the same mistake again.

Bristol simply wished she didn’t have to see Hayden and Presleigh together all the damn time. But in a town of twelve hundred people, avoiding them wouldn’t be easy. Even if she moved away, she’d come home to visit and run into them eventually.

“A toast,” Corey, one of Hayden’s football friends from high school said, standing in front of the rest of the gathering. “Raise your glasses

, everyone. To Presleigh, the most beautiful girl in Lafayette County. May you always follow your heart and be happy. To Hayden… Cheers, man. You’re one lucky bastard.”

As the crowd laughed, Bristol looked on with a sigh…then spotted her mother bustling over, her Pepto-Bismol pink suit looking more suited to Easter Sunday services than an engagement party.

“You’re being rude,” her mother chastised. “This is Presleigh’s event, and you’re sitting at the bar, sulking. Come give her your love and support. After all, she is your sister.”

Bristol tightened her grip on her mug. “I closed my restaurant early and drove forty-five minutes down the road to celebrate her upcoming nuptials to the man who dumped me for her. I think the fact that I’m here at all is enough.”

“You sound bitter,” her mother tsked, her hair not blowing at all as the air conditioner kicked on.

She wasn’t. She and Hayden hadn’t been a good match, and she hadn’t wanted to admit it. In truth, he’d done her a favor by falling for someone else. Bristol just wished that someone hadn’t been her younger sister. At nineteen, Presleigh was too young to get married and too pampered to know what the word compromise meant.

“Mama, leave it. Please. I’m not making waves. I’m still speaking to her. And to him. Anything more will take time.”

Her mother frowned. “At least come sit with the group. Food will be served soon, and the rest of the family is asking questions.”

Because keeping up appearances with her Aunt Jean, a distant cousin, and the rest of the townsfolk was far more important than any potential heartbreak or misery her own daughter may have suffered.

Beside her, Jayla rolled her eyes. She and Linda Mae Reese had never gotten along. Her best friend had always sworn that her mother favored Presleigh. Bristol had never experienced that as vividly as she was right now.

“We’ll be there in a few minutes, Mama. I’m just waiting for a friend.” Maybe the others would be done eating before she had to admit that her “friend” hadn’t shown up—what a shame—and she joined the party as it wound down for the evening.

“Who?” Her mother frowned. “We didn’t invite anyone else, Bristol.”

In her mom’s vernacular, that meant that Bristol asking someone new to join the party without her knowledge bordered on unacceptable.

Jayla gave Linda Mae a sweet-as-pie smile. “Her new boyfriend.”

Bristol whirled on her barstool. “Are you crazy?”

What the hell was she going to do when no new man showed up except look more pathetic?

Her pal gave her an apologetic grimace. “It slipped out.”

Quickly, Bristol scanned the few men nearby to see if any might be suitable fake boyfriend material. Maybe she could bribe him with a few drinks to play nice for an hour. But no guy fit the bill. Predictably, most folks in a restaurant near the five p.m. mark were at least old enough to be social security eligible or were married with children.

“Oh.” Her mother reared back, obviously surprised. “I didn’t know you were seeing someone. Who is he? Where did you meet? What does he do? Where does he live?”

The more her mother asked questions, the more suspicious she sounded—with good reason. It wasn’t as if Lewisville had a huge pool of eligible bachelors, and Bristol didn’t make the trip west to Texarkana often.

She shot Jayla a glare. Her friend shrugged in silent apology. She appreciated Jayla wanting to prevent her mother from continuing the bitter-hag routine, but this lie simply didn’t help.

“Mama…” Bristol sighed, knowing she needed to swallow a choking bite of humble pie and admit that she was totally single. But damn, she wished she didn’t have to.

Behind her, she heard a shuffle and turned to see an absolutely gorgeous guy emerge from the shadows. His tight black tank framed an amazing set of muscled shoulders, one of which was covered by a tribal tattoo. He had a strong jaw, wore a black skullcap and a pair of expensive-looking sunglasses, along with a smile that made her breath catch.

When he removed the shades to stare at her, his dark eyes danced with amusement. “Hi, honey. Sorry I’m late.”

* * * *

Jesse knew he should have resisted butting in, but the cute little brunette had clearly been through hell with her sister and the ex-asshat. Her mother’s haranguing only seemed to make her sink down on her barstool more, as if she wanted to escape. He knew what it was like to have shit coming at him from all directions. That lesson felt particularly fresh now.

He had sneaked a peek at the entertainment news on his smart phone when he’d wandered into town a few hours ago…and wished he hadn’t. If he could go back in time and stop Ryan from tragically ending two lives, he’d be eternally grateful. Sadly, a miracle wasn’t in the cards for him, but he kind of hoped the girl at the bar saw him as one. She wasn’t crying in her beer yet, but if he couldn’t give her some breathing room soon, she absolutely might.

When he spoke, her green eyes, tucked under the sun-kissed fringe of her bangs, bounced from the bar, up to his face. She blinked, stared. Jesse worried that covering his shorn hair, shaving the scruff, removing his earrings, and not wearing leather wouldn’t be enough to disguise him. He knew damn well he’d taken a big, impulsive risk by showing himself in public—but who could resist a dive called Bubba Oink’s Bone Yard?—and jumping in to Bristol’s situation. Thankfully, he didn’t see recognition on her face, merely confusion.

“I’m not too late, am I?” he prompted.

She swallowed, and her pretty African-American friend discreetly nudged her ribs with an elbow. The brunette slid off the stool. “Ah…no. We haven’t eaten yet.”

“What’s your name, young man? My daughter hasn’t mentioned you.” Her mother, who had a serious case of helmet hair, sent him a frown somewhere between puzzled and disapproving.

He stuck out a hand and improvised. “My name is James, ma’am. Most of my friends call me Jamie. Nice to meet you.”

Her mother took his hand. Her soft skin felt cold. “James. I’m Linda Mae.”

“I’m Jayla,” Bristol’s friend added with a friendly handshake. “So glad I finally get to meet you.”

“Pleasure.” He nodded at the women, then took the pretty brunette’s hand in his. “It’s good to see you, Bristol.”

Surprise widened her eyes even more. He liked the way she wore her emotions on her face, the way freckles dusted her nose, the way her pouty lower lip shimmered under the lights.

“Um…you, too, Jamie.” She sent him a stilted smile.

Linda Mae shook her head suspiciously, then huffed back to the others.

“We should join the party,” her friend suggested and grabbed her by the elbow, hauling her toward the gathering. She gazed past Bristol to him with a wink. “Thanks for joining us.”

He grinned back and followed. “You’re welcome.”

The long table around which everyone else sat looked fairly cramped, and Jesse didn’t think Bristol wanted to get cozy with these folks anyway. So he pulled up seats at the empty table directly behind it. He placed Bristol between him and her friend, then looped a casual arm around the back of her chair, brushing her long ponytail as he did. He’d enjoy his knight-in-shining-armor routine for an evening, then he and Bristol could have an amicable “breakup” before he continued down the road in search of somewhere to spend the next couple of weeks. But for tonight, she’d have a reason to thumb her nose at her mother and sister.

On the far side of the party’s table, a blonde wearing too much makeup and a gaudy engagement ring made googly eyes at a twerp with light brown hair and a condescending expression. Bristol had dated him?

The rest of the party sent him glances ranging from curious to suspicious. He waved. “Hi, everyone. I’m Jamie, Bristol’s new boyfriend.”

After a brief round of introductions, he settled back into his