Chapter Two

“Because she angry-drunk texted him about twenty minutes ago," the redhead said. "Told his cheating ass that she’s here, dancing with sexy bikers and downing tequila shots, and that he can just deal with it.”

Jax groaned. “Yeah?”

“Yep.” She glanced at her watch. “I figure he’ll be here in about ten minutes, so if Mac wants to go home with Ellen, he’d better move fast.”

“Goddamn it,” Jax said. “So she’s looking to make him jealous, is that it?”

“Yeah, I think so. He did cheat on her – again – and I guess she’s just had enough. I think she really wanted to go home with some guy at first, but as soon as she texted Richard, I knew that she wasn’t serious about it anymore… she’s just trying to make him come running. I guess it’s a messed-up power play. Or maybe she’s hoping that he’ll realize what he has with her, and that’ll straighten him out.”

“You think it will?”

She shrugged. “I doubt it. The guy can’t keep it in his pants to save his life.”

Jax laughed. “So would you do this if your man cheated on you, Red? Dance and flirt with strangers, and then tell your boyfriend about it?”

She shook her beautiful head. “No. I’d dump him for good.”

“Yeah? How can you be so sure?”

“Because that’s exactly what I did do when my ex cheated on me.”

“Sorry, Red. That sucks.”

But maybe this means she’s single… maybe I can get my hands on her after all. All of her, all over her.

“Yeah,” she said. “But it’s OK, Stud.”

He laughed again, surprised at how relaxed he was around her. She looked over at him, and her lips curved up a bit. It was the closest thing to a smile she’d given him so far, and he was encouraged.

Just then, the door flew open and a guy came rushing in, looking around wildly.

“Oh, man,” Red said. “Get ready for the drama.”

Jax got to his feet. “That’s him?”

“Richard. Yeah.”

“Be right back, doll.”

She nodded. “Good luck.”

“It’s my place, Red. Luck I don’t need.”

****

Sarah Matthews watched the drop-dead-sexy guy walk across the room to Richard. Her eyes lingered on the guy’s back and shoulders with appreciation; the man had tight, huge muscles over his entire body, she could tell. He was tall and strapping and holy Lord, was he ever gorgeous, in a smoldering, dangerous kind of way. His black hair was a bit messy, and her fingers itched to smooth it down, lay it flat. She wondered how he’d feel to touch: hot and hard, she thought.

He was talking to Richard now, motioning at Ellen. To his credit, Richard looked like he was actually listening instead of shooting off his big mouth, but then again, Stud was way bigger, and it was clear that the room was with him. Mac and two other guys were standing right behind him, silently backing him up, and even Richard – a rich-boy jerk who lived with his entitled head up his own ass – couldn’t miss their size and demeanor. They looked scary as hell, for damn sure, with all those tattoos and their no-bullshit stares.

Richard nodded and said something. Ellen came over to him, and they stood a few feet apart, surveying each other warily. Sarah was sure that they’d be leaving together, and soon, and she sighed in relief.

She hadn’t wanted to sit in Dangerous Curves all night long, but no way was she leaving Ellen alone with these guys. She wasn’t totally sure who the bar patrons were, but she knew that at least some of them were very bad news: the word around Denver was that Curves attracted a rough element, and Sarah had never set foot in the place before.

Richard looked around the bar now, and he saw Sarah sitting there. He started, and Ellen looked over at her too. They said something to each other, and Ellen made her way over to Sarah. Richard nodded at the other men, walked back out the door.

“Hey, I’m going to go now,” Ellen said. “Richard and I have a lot to talk about. You’ll be alright on your own?”

“Sure,” Sarah said. She’d driven them there, so it wasn’t like she was stranded. She’d finish her drink, give the happy couple a bit of a head start, and then get home and into bed as soon as possible.

“Thanks, Sarah.” Ellen gave her a hug. “I’ll call you tomorrow, OK?”

“OK,” Sarah said. “I hope it all goes alright with Richard.”

“I’m sure it will.” Ellen’s sky-blue eyes were shining. “Maybe this little episode has shown him how much he loves me, and what it’d be like for me to be with someone else.”

Sarah almost rolled her eyes. “Maybe. Goodnight.”

“Bye.” And Ellen was gone in a swirl of white and gold, barely glancing at Mac on her way out the door.

Stud came back to her now, and sat on the stool again. “You aren’t going with them?”

Sarah shook her head. “No. I have a car. But even if I didn’t have a way home, I’d never get in a car with those two… I don’t want to get in between whatever’s about to happen.”

“Yeah, I can see that.” His deep, husky voice was as sexy as the rest of him, and despite herself, she glanced at him again. His green eyes were staring at her intently, and she saw heat there. “So, maybe I can buy you a drink, then?”