Page 2 of Ferocious Protector

Beckett puts his arm around the blonde standing next to him. “And this is my soon to be wife, Jules,” he says, holding up the hand of the woman standing next to him. “And this is one of the ladies’ best friends, Patti.” I’m listening but it’s hard to track while taking in the little blue-eyed blonde named Patti standing next to the friend group.

Her eyes meet mine and her cheeks flush pink while the pulse on the side of her neck rapidly beats. “Nice to meet you, everyone,” I say, without taking my eyes off the woman who without saying a word has managed to capture my attention in this very crowded room.

2

Patti

I swallow through my emotion. Mr. blue eyes and sandy brown hair with all that muscle needs to keep his eyes to himself because I swear my heart’s going to beat right out of my ever-loving chest. But he doesn’t do anything of the sort. Instead, he takes a good long look at my boobs, before heading down my legs and right to my painted toes.

The big, muscled brute’s eyes meet mine and he gives me a sexy little smirk. I swear I may be dressed in shorts and a thin blouse, but somebody needs to turn the heat down in this bar or I am absolutely going to die.

I turn, trying to get away from that insistent gaze, but the minute I do and start following the others, the heat of his gaze on my ass just makes me that much more self-conscious as I walk in front of him.

Damn that man.

The others get situated around the large round table. Blake gives me a smile as he holds a chair out next to PJ who’s given me a set of wide eyes and is trying very unsuccessfully not to grin.

I settle in while he adjusts my chair. “Thank you,” I whisper while giving my friend a well-deserved glare. Sure, she thinks it’s funny now, but it wasn’t so funny when Mason came to town. Besides, this is not going to be like that. She and Mason are made for each other. I on the other hand am sworn off men. Give me a live band, a few dances and drinks, and I’m happy to go home alone. And this one, he’s got womanizer written all over that cute-ass face.

Lettie walks toward us carrying a large tray and Cole and Garrett stand, meeting her across the room to take it from her arms. She turns and heads back to the bar while the guys bring it to the table. Cole and Garrett set it down. “Here, pass the food around and I’ll go get us some drinks,” Cole says.

Krissy starts handing out plates of burgers and fries from the tray that takes up half the table. “Lettie’s going to break her back one of these days if she doesn’t slow down,” she says, watching her husband walk back to the table with a big tray of beers. He sets them down on the now empty food tray and passes them around. “Lettie bet me ten bucks I couldn’t make it back to the table without spilling a beer. You’re all my witnesses,” he says, grinning as she swishes across the bar heading our way.

Lettie eyes the beer tray with open suspicion. “Pretty good. You did a lot better than I thought you would. I had visions of you sloshing it all over the place and falling on the floor. It was really quite a mess.”

He shakes his head laughing at her. “You owe me ten bucks.”

Lettie laughs. “I think we’ll let it ride. Next time, you’ll probably land on the floor.” Everyone laughs at Cole who grins good humoredly. “Are you almost done for the night? Pull up a chair and join us.”

She wipes her hands on her apron. “Good lord, I wish. We need to hire some more people, especially on Thursdays and Fridays. Lately, we’ve been getting just as much business on those days as we do on the weekend.”

Krissy puts her hand on Lettie’s arm. “You don’t work so hard. Tell Kenny he needs to get some more help. I’d come in and work, but those babies keep me busier than you’d know. Today’s the first day we’ve been able to slip off by ourselves for a while. We’re looking forward to the wedding reception. Babysitters all lined up for the entire weekend and everything.”

Lettie smiles. “I’ll be back to check on you. In the meantime, PJ, you know where the beers are. Help yourself if I’m in the back.” She eyes Cole. “Don’t let Cole carry anymore tonight. His luck probably won’t hold up. Then we’ll be down a best man.”

At the mention of best man, Damian holds up a beer. “Cheers everyone. Who would have thought we’d be at so many weddings in Deadwood when Cole came out to see Kenny that first year? Cole, you started a chain reaction my friend.”

Damian looks at Blake. “Drink beer my friend, do not go near the water.”

Blake laughs as I watch the dimple on the right side of his face. “Thanks for the warning. I’m staying far away from the water then,” he says, confirming exactly what I tracked him for. Just another free spirit playboy, the type who likes to get in your pants and then jump in his truck and run.

His eyes meet mine and lower to my chest.

Not in your dreams, asshole.

3

Blake

A couple more beers in and the table starts loosening up. Someone selects a popular dance song from the old timey jukebox and couples start moving to the floor, while Damian and Dereck head to the bar leaving me all alone with the blue-eyed angel who looks as sexy as sin.

I stand and hold out a hand. “Care to dance?”

Patti looks up at me from her seat with those wide eyes. “Hard to say no when you’re already halfway there.”

It’s hard not to grin. “You’ve caught onto my plan. Don’t worry though. I won’t bite, at least for the first dance. Besides it’s broad daylight. Harmless, right?”

Her eyes narrow but she puts her hand in mine and allows me to guide her to the dance floor where her friends are laughing, and all make room for us to join next to them.