“Ooh, a smooth talker. Play your cards right and I might rub your back when you get home. I have this most amazing oil for sore muscles.”
“Your hands on my body? Yeah, that’s worth manual labor and lots of dances.”
Outlaws was hopping when we showed up at the door, sidestepping some standing water that had left part of the side of the parking lot nothing short of a big, sticky mud puddle. Inside, people filled the tables, but luckily, Brax always reserved seating for the family. As soon as he saw us, he came over. “Hey, you two. Will anyone be joining you? Booker and Aubree are here. Verity and Boone are coming, too. Want to join them?”
“No, it’s just us,” I said, demurring to her.
“We’d love to. Is River coming?”
“She’s home with the boys. I could give her a call. My ma would be happy to watch them. Slipping my hand against Sky’s back as Brax led us to a medium sized table, Aubree smiled and Booker stood up in the age-old Southern gentleman way.
“Hey, Sky, Jake,” he said, Aubree beaming at me. Aubree rose to hug us both, giving Sky a secret girl look. I just grinned.
After a few minutes, Boone and Verity showed up, then twenty minutes after we’d had some drinks and appetizers, River joined us. Brax took a break from the kitchen to eat the most delicious, thick and rich gumbo this side of New Orleans. Maybe anywhere.
“Can I have a vat of that to go?” Sky asked him. Brax smiled and started to rise, but River pushed on his shoulder. “I’ll go check the kitchen, sugar. You relax.”
He chuckled and reached out his hand. “Let’s do a little two-step Cajun-style. I bet you’d be good at it.”
Sky laughed and said, “I know all about two-stepping, so show me what you’ve got. We’ll turn this into afais do do, a dance party.”
I watched her on the dance floor giving Brax a run for his money, but froze when I saw Anna Kate watching her, too, but not with the same look. There was a predatory gleam in her eye.
Verity nudged me, and I turned to look at her. “Don’t pay her any mind, Jake,” she said in my ear to be heard above the music. “That girl has some major bad karma, and it’s going to bite her on her alabaster rear end one of these days.”
After that, I was worried that Anna Kate would make a scene, but when nothing happened, I relaxed and enjoyed myself. Finally the night wore down and I was beat. My muscles now beginning to protest and the fatigue dragging at me.
We had just stepped out the front door. It happened so fast, I was caught flatfooted.
“Really, Jake isn’t worth the time of day. He comes from questionable stock, if you ask me.”
Next thing I knew Sky marched over to her and said something low under her breath. The two women with Anna Kate looked horrified. Anna Kate lunged at Sky and the next thing I knew they were fighting.
With as mean a left hook as I’d ever seen, Anna Kate took it right on the jaw and flew into the mud. With a screech as shrill as a harpy, she catapulted herself at Sky and dragged her in kicking and screaming. Coming out of my stunned paralysis, I waded into the pool and grabbed Sky’s waist as Booker and Boone worked on getting ahold of a slippery Anna Kate.
Both of them were covered from head to toe in mud. Before the sheriff got called and the two of them were hauled down to the town jail, I thought it best we skedaddle. Sky was spitting mad, looking like a drowned mudrat. When she wouldn’t listen to me, I threw her wet, muddy body over my shoulder and headed for my car.
I deposited her onto the leather seat and got in before she had a mind to climb out and go after Anna Kate again. I drove us home and she folded her arms and grumbled under her breath all the way there. Once inside, she headed for the shower and slammed the door. I took off my muddy clothes and put on a pair of gray shorts.
She was in there for some time, the steam and the smell of jasmine and lemon permeating the room as I tried to concentrate on my laptop.
Finally she emerged, looking angry enough to chew glass. She plopped down on the bed and gave me a disgruntled look. “I know. That was juvenile. But, I bet she has a bruise on her jaw.”
I grabbed her chin and turned her face to mine. “Looks like you’ll have a shining souvenir, too.”
“Maybe, but I’ll wear it like a badge of honor. What a piece of work! As if you’re a piece of meat to fight over.”
“What did you say to her?”
“It’s too unladylike to repeat to you.”
“I’ll use my imagination, then.”
“You are incorrigible.”
“I know and you’re quite the scrapper.”
She raised her hands and took a stance. “The Cowgirl Contender.” I raised mine as she jabbed playfully at me. “It’s not funny.” She expelled a burst of laughter.
