Suddenly, a familiar voice cut through the noise. “Ember Carter? Is that really you?”
I turned to see Jake Miller, leaning against the bar with that same cocky grin he’d worn in high school. I haven’t seen him in years, but it was obvious he was still a flirt, and maybe still a bit of a goofball. And tonight, under the influence of liquid courage, he was… intriguing.
“Jake Miller,” I purred, batting my eyelashes dramatically. Averysnickered beside me, clearly amused by my liquid courage.
He chuckled as he sidled closer, his eyes scanning me from head to toe. “Wow, you look… amazing. Haven’t seen you since graduation. Last I heard, you went off to college to study… uh… Agriculture or something?”
I raised an eyebrow, tilting my head. “Close. It was actually marketing and business.” I paused, then leaned closer, my voice low and husky. “But enough about me. Tell me, Jake… what haveyoubeen up to?”
As I spoke, my gaze drifted past Jake, and my heart did a little drunken stumble. Colton. He was standing in the doorway, his eyes narrowed, his jaw clenched.Oh, this is getting interesting,my tipsy brain thought. A little grin spread across my face. An idea, reckless and impulsive, bloomed in my slightly inebriated mind. If he wanted to play games, fine. I could play too.
I turned back to Jake, my hand resting lightly on his arm. “So, you were saying…?” I purred, my voice laced with playful invitation. That little voice inside my head, I knew I shouldn’t listen to, telling me to make a certain brooding soldier a little jealous.
Jake, clearly delighted by my sudden interest, moved closer. “Ember,” he mumbled, his gaze dropping to my lips. He leaned in, his lips hovering just above mine. I could feel his breath on my skin, the scent of beer and something vaguely… masculine. I closed my eyes, anticipation bubbling inside me.Here we go…
His lips finally met mine, tentative at first, then growing bolder. His hands slid down my back and I felt a thrill course through me. One hand dipped lower, finding its way beneath my shirt, his fingers ghosting my skin, sending shivers down my spine. They continued theirdescent, lower, lower… until one hand found its way to my ass cheek. He gave it a firm squeeze, and my breath hitched.Well, okay, Mr. Smooth,my tipsy brain slurred. Talk about being a little grabby.
But before the other hand could join in the fun, Jake was suddenly… gone.
I opened my eyes, blinking in confusion. Where had he…?
Then I saw Colton. He was standing there, his face a mask of angry and jealous possessiveness. His eyes were blazing, his jaw tight, his entire body radiating a silent, dangerous warning.Well, hello there, possessive soldier,my tipsy self giggled internally.Looks like someone’s not happy.
Jake, meanwhile, looked utterly bewildered, his eyes darting between Colton and me, clearly trying to decipher the sudden shift in atmosphere. I couldn’t help it, a giggle bubbled up from my chest. Avery, perched on her barstool, was clearly enjoying the show, a wide, entertained grin plastered across her face.
“Take a hike, Miller,” Colton growled, his voice low and dangerous, never taking his eyes off me. “She’s off limits.”
Jake’s eyes widened at the fury in Colton’s voice. He took one last, panicked look at me, mumbled a hasty, “Uh, yeah, Ember, call me sometime?” before practically tripping over his own feet in his haste to escape.
‘Yeah, I’ll definitely do that,’I thought.‘Right after I teach my pet unicorn to dial.’
I tried to muster some semblance of seriousness. I jabbed Colton in the chest with a wobbly finger. “What the hell do you think you’re doing? You can’t just waltz in here and ruin my fun!” I slurred slightly, my indignation battling the lingering buzz of the tequila.He just stood there, a smirk playing on his lips, clearly amused by my inebriated outrage.
Before I could launch into a full-blown, tipsy tirade, Colton bent down with surprising swiftness, scooped me up, and threw me over his shoulder in a fireman’s carry. “Say goodnight, Ember. Time for you to go home,” he said, his voice firm but with a hint of something else… something that made my stomach do a little flip despite my annoyance.
“Goodnight, Ember,” I mumbled to his back.
His hand suddenly connected with my backside in a sharp, playful slap. “Watch it, Firefly,” he said, a chuckle rumbling in his chest.
My eyes widened in surprise, the alcohol momentarily forgotten. “Hey!” I exclaimed. “Put me down, you… you overly possessive jackass!” I yelled, slapping his back with all the drunken force I could muster. The world spun with each of his steps. Behind us, Avery raised her glass in a mock salute. “Well, that was certainly…efficient! Don’t forget to call me tomorrow!” she called out, her laughter echoing through the bar as Colton carried me out into the night.
Chapter 16
Colton
“…you overly possessive…jealous…jackass,” Ember mumbled, as I gently placed her in the passenger seat of my truck, a faint smell of tequila and something fruity clinging to her breath. I couldn’t help but chuckle. She was a beautiful, fiery mess, and despite the jealousy that had surged through me back at the bar, a reluctant smile tugged at my lips. My little Firefly was funny, even when she was three sheets to the wind.
Her head lolled against the headrest as I gently buckled her seatbelt, my fingers lingering on her soft skin for a moment longer than necessary.God, she feels good,I thought, my gaze lingering on her flushed cheeks and parted lips. I had to physically restrain myself from brushing a stray strand of hair from her face. I needed to get her home and out of my truck. Fast. Before I did something stupid.
Climbing into the driver’s side,“You’re a real piece of work,”I mutteredas I buckled my seatbelt. The scent of Ember filled the cab. It was a sweet, intoxicating mix of perfume and something uniquelyhers. Hearing Ember groan beside me, I looked over to check on her. She was already halfway to unconsciousness.
I sat there for a moment and took in her slumped form, the soft curve of her cheek, the way her dark lashes rested against her skin. It had been so long since I’d been this close to her, this aware of her. Too long since I’d held her, even if it was to carry her out of a bar like a jealous jackass, as she put it.
Scooping her up had been an automatic reaction. Ember, even drunk and fighting me, was intoxicating. Her feistiness, the way her body fit against mine, the memory of that brief, playful slap on her backside flickered in my mind. Just the feel of her had sent a jolt of desire through me. It had been a long time since I’d been with a woman - years, in fact. I hadn’t even thought about being with anyone else. Sure, I’d had a couple of girlfriends in high school, but nothing serious, and they never lasted more than a couple of weeks. Once Ember caught my attention, trulycaughtit, there was no one else. I only saw and wanted her. Even if I wanted to, which I didn’t, there had been no time for fleeting connections or casual encounters. My life had been too stark, too dangerous, to even entertain the thought of someone else. But suddenly, sitting here, inches away from the one woman I ever loved, had my dick hard, a physical reminder of a yearning I’d suppressed for so long.Get it together.I thought, reaching down to adjust myself before I forced my attention to the road.
The windows were down, allowing the fresh, clean, scent of the mountains and the creek to fill the cabin as I pulled out of the bar’s gravel parking lot and onto the main road. Within minutes of driving, Icould faintly hear the soft breathing sounds coming from Ember, letting me know she was out cold. Just the sight of her stirred something deep within me.
I was still feeling the adrenaline from my confrontation with that Miller guy. Thinking about how he slid his hand under her shirt sent a fresh wave of visceral anger through me and made me regret not punching the guy back there.
