From the sidelines, a big burly guy, dressed normally in jeans and a T-shirt, called out, "I've got ten tucks on the blonde."
Talk about insulting.
As I gave another tug, I called back, "Oh, shut up!"
"Hey, no need to get offended," he said. "I'm just saying, she's putting a lot more oomph into it."
I'll give you oomph, I thought.
Still, the guy wasn't lying. Darbie was tugging her little heart out and making some sort of low growling noise as she did it.
As for the brunette, she was edging around the both of us, heading casually toward the V.I.P. door.
Without letting go of my book, I yelled, "Youknowyou can't go in there!"
She laughed. "Oh yeah? And who's gonna stop me?You?"
Shit.They were tag-teaming me. I just knew it. With a low growl of my own, I looked back to Darbie and gave one massive tug.
That did it.Suddenly, the book was free.
I stumbled backward of my own momentum and caught my balance just in time to see the brunette make a mad dash toward the forbidden door.
Damn it.
In a sudden burst of inspiration, I turned and smacked the side of her hip with the oversized book, sending her toppling sideways in the other direction.
As she fell, she made a wild lunge for my blouse and held on tight. With a little yelp, I tumbled forward as a horrible ripping noise tore through the sudden silence.
Together, we both hit the floor – with me on top and the brunette underneath. She pushed.Ipushed. There might've been a slap or two, and soon, we were wrestling side-by-side on the hard tile floor.
I was pretty sure my blouse was ruined.
But that wasn't the thing that filled me with sudden horror. It was the sound of Darbie calling out from the sidelines, "Oh, my God. It'shim. Jack Ward!"
Chapter 23
Becka
I froze. So did the brunette.
Oh, no.
In that brief, horrible moment, I couldn’t help but wonder if there was a chance –anychance at all – that if I could somehow hide my face, Jack might not realize that it was me sprawled across the floor.
I mean, stranger things have happened right?
But of course, that was just desperation talking. So instead, I slowly turned my head toward the door of the private lounge, only to see Jack along with a few other V.I.P.s standing just outside the now-open doorway.
The people around him were watching with expressions ranging from confusion to raw delight.
But not Jack.He didn't look confusedordelighted.No.He looked royally pissed off in his own silent sort of way.And oh yeah. He definitely knew that it was me.
Our eyes locked, and his jaw tightened.
I was just wondering if I should give him a little wave or something when a sudden push toppled me from my side onto my back. It was the brunette, who'd leapt up, and with a squeal of excitement, scurried toward Jack as I shakily got to my feet.
Her effort was a total waste. Wordlessly, Jack sidestepped around her and made a bee-line straight for me. As he moved, I glanced nervously around, wondering just how many people had seen that little skirmish.
