Chapter Four

Sarah laughed and he stared at her face. My God, she was gorgeous, with those fiery curls and cool blue eyes, that amazing skin and those lush, ripe curves. Her ass in those jeans was a fucking miracle, and her breasts were just begging for him to reach out and touch them. She’d be warm and soft, and his hard body wanted to be close to her so bad, it almost hurt.

“No way, Stud.” Her eyes were dancing. “I want something else.”

“Name it.”

“I want a drink.”

“I thought you weren’t drinking tonight.”

“Yeah, because I don’t drink beer or hard liquor. I do, however, drink Cosmopolitans.”

Jax groaned. “Fruity drinks.”

She smiled. “Yep. Your man here said no-can-do when I asked for one.”

Aidan had been casually standing behind the bar this whole time, listening to their conversation. He grinned at Sarah now, and she was a bit dazzled by him: he was all shaggy blond hair and golden eyes. Bright and beautiful, as shining and stunning as the sun.

“That’s right, ma’am,” he said, his Texas drawl sultry and hot, kicking the sexiness factor up another few notches. “House rules: beer and hard stuff only.” He gestured at Jax. “Take it up with management.”

“Oh, I am,” Sarah told him, and she turned back to Jax, who was looking very entertained. “If I win? I want a fruity drink.”

Jax cocked his head at Aidan. “You know how to make a Cosmopolitan, man?”

“Sure do,” Aidan said. “I had to learn every fucking drink in the book to get my bartending license.”

“OK then, Red, you got yourself a deal. I win, I get a kiss. You win, you get your drink.”

“You’re on,” she said, and walked to the nearest vacant pool table.

Jax turned to Aidan. “You got any of the crap you need to make the damn drink?”

Aidan shook his head. “Nope. I’ve got the vodka, of course, but no triple-sec or cranberry or lime juice.”

Jax waved his hand. “Doesn't matter. No way she’ll beat me, anyway.”

“Ain’t that the truth,” Aidan said.

****

Shane MacIntyre watched as the redhead with the hot ass and amazing breasts pulled a pool cue from the holder and chalked it up. He leaned back against the wall, massive arms crossed, and got ready to enjoy the show. He had the feeling that Jax was going to toy with her a bit – maybe let her sink a ball or two, just to make her feel good – before clearing the table. The man was a fucking pool shark, and the cute redhead had no clue what she had just signed up for.

She caught his eye and he grinned at her.

“Hi,” he said.

“Hi.”

“I’m Mac.”

“Sarah.” She looked a bit embarrassed. “Hey, I’m sorry about Ellen.”

“Who?”

Now she looked indignant. “The woman you were all over less than ten minutes ago?”

Mac looked blank.

Sarah rolled her eyes. “Seriously? You’ve forgotten her already?”

“Haven’t forgotten, sweet thing. It’s just that she told me her name was Cindy.”

She stared at him. “That’s her sister.”

“Ah.” Mac considered that for a second, then shrugged. “Well, no harm, no foul, huh? She walked on out of here with the frat boy, and I’m a free man for the evening.” He winked at her again, and it was pretty damn sexy.

Despite herself, Sarah couldn’t help warming up to Mac a bit. Once you got past the scary-as-hell exterior, you noticed the teasing in the blue eyes, the genuine kindness in the grin. Yeah, he was cocky, but she’d never much minded that in a man. And those shoulders and arms didn’t hurt things, either – the man was undeniably hot.

God, Ellen is an idiot. Choosing a relationship with Cheating Richard over even just one night with this guy?

“Hey,” Jax drawled as he joined them. “You flirting with my opponent, man?”

Mac looked from Jax to Sarah, and back again. “So. What’s the wager?”

“A kiss against a Cosmo,” Sarah said.

Mac blinked. “Come again?”

“A damn fruity drink,” a deep voice said behind Sarah, and she turned to see an absolutely hulking man standing there, looking disapproving. In a room full of big guys like Jax and Mac, this guy with the dark hair and gray eyes and heavy silver rings was, without a doubt, the biggest. “With fruit and shit.”

“Yeah?” Mac knew good and well that Aidan didn’t have anything like that behind the bar, but then again, the chances of Sarah collecting on the bet were nil. “Sounds good. Go ahead, guys. Let’s get this show on the road.”

“Ladies first,” the huge man said to her. “Go on, darlin’. Give it your best shot.” He looked her up and down. “I’m King, by the way.”

“Sarah.”

“Yeah, I know. Aidan told me you accepted a challenge from Jax, and I had to come and see this for myself.”

“So, you want me to break, Red?” Jax asked as he racked the balls. “Or you think you can handle it?”

She flashed him a grin, and suddenly Jax got the feeling that he was in way over his head, in every sense of the term.