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In an effort to prove not only to the girls but also toSale o, I put ured I could do this for one night I could fake ht of her didn’t undo me from the inside I just had to reer knew She was just a randooddess covered in some of the prettiest, most detailed ink I had ever seen I was a pro with the ladies and Sale and slick I could be engaging and friendly, and hopefully that would put her at ease and I would feel a little less like she was here in Denver to bring every terrible ht it was a rock-solid plan I thought I was going to pull it all off with no trouble, but then I hit the entrance The first thing et Jet to two-step with her to "Fa with heads bent close together, or Ro his little pixie around the side of the bar to where I knew his office was back behind all the liquor storage, or Nash and his pretty Saint pretending to play a game of pool while they really justaze clapped on to was Salely when she leaned over the bar as Asa beckoned her closer

Of course the first thing that slaed her backside and hps as she leaned over on those crazy tall heels she liked to wear Right on the tail end of that thought was the notion that Asa was probably getting one hell of a show if she had a low-cut top on, and for so iether and I literally saw a hot red haze when she tossed back her head and laughed at so the blond southerner said Her dark hair swished across the curve of her ass and her husky laugh ht Before I could think about what I was doing, I foundtoward the bar with hasty steps

I saw Asa notice ly as he purposely uy, he had killer taste in women More often than not, now that he and I were the only unattached ood-naturedly fighting over the sa serious and airl first Considering both of us were blond and had our fair share of charisma, it was always a crapshoot to see ould win He had the southern draorking in his favor, but I had the fact that I was rocking plenty of ink and a retro-cool vibe a lot of ladies couldn’t seeht Asa set in front ofto ask for it I narrowed o from friendly to speculative

"What’s up, Rowdy?"

He always sounded like he had just stepped off of a farm in Kentucky Ayden’s accent was hardly noticeable unless she was ainst all unsuspecting wo to look at nored her and focused on Asa

"Not much"

"You haven’t been around much lately" Now that all my friends were either married, practically married, or involved with their one true love, I tended to spendthe shit with hi under a rock covered in my own fear and uncertainty for the last month or so I went tothe competition around, when I heard Sale too close to her because she made rabbed her the other day I had been driven by panic and fear, not out of a sudden need to touch her However, being this close, seeing the ht-sky color of those eyes and the way her mouth was always painted in a perfect, sexy pout, had blood rushing to parts of my body I didn’t want to be happy to see her The way that ruby sitting at the corner of her mouth winked at me like it wanted me to bend down and lick it had me so that I suddenly couldn’t remember why I didn’t want to be close to her The way her raven-dark brows danced up as I stared at her suddenly et as close as I could

"I’ve been busy" I answered Asa’s question offhandedly while I continued to stare at this stranger that I had once known better than I knew myself

"Busy hat?"

I jerked rin on his face The fact that I was dumbstruck by this woman was obviously apparent and he had no quale

I picked up the beer to have so to do with my hands and tilted my head to one side as Sale at her like she was going to attack at any second I watched her like she was going to pounce and pull away all the good stuff I surrounded myself with now and all I would be left as a blanket of threadbare awfulness that covered a life I didn’t want to re at me like I was the toy inside a Cracker Jack box Her eyes shone like she had just found so for and it was sos of beer and told her flatly, "I want to knohy you’re in Denver, Sale pink that sy and sweet, and took a sip She pushed her heavy fall of hair over her shoulder and I looked down Yep, Asa had gotten an eyeful She had on a red lacy top that was cut low over the swells of her brsts and it looked like if she leaned in just the right way, the entire thing would fall down and expose her entire chest She dressed provocative and alluring, but it was always sophisticated and very pulled together She really did ee

"I’m here because Phil wanted me here He knew this here I was supposed to be if I wanted to be happy"

I wasn’t expecting that answer, in fact I felt kind of like a dope for thinking she was going to say it had soo surprised ed "It means I’ve moved around a lot since I left Loveless I never stay in any one place for very long and I’ve never ht that ypsy, but Philfor a safe place to land, a place to call home I have never had that before"

"Denver is your safe place? You want this to be ho in a disgusting tattoo parlor in Oklahouy that wasor teaching me how to tattoo Phil had a friend of a friend that er to learn, and legitimately loved art Hehoould play out, Phil Donovan had rescued ht me what I needed to know to have a successful career and how to ht me into the fold of his fa that at first I didn’t recognize what any of it was Phil made Denver my safe place andabove her lip winked at s belowall kind of notice of her against my will

She told me coyly, "Sort of My home is a littleto ask her what in the hell thatwoman sauntered in I heard Asa suck in a breath from across the bar and heard Saint call out "Royal" as she waved to the new arrival from where she was still wrapped around Nash by the pool table The auburn-haired beauty gave a general wave and then glided across the floor like it was her own personal catwalk as she went to join her friend Just like that, Nash was in the center of a sexy redhead sandwich as the two girls hugged and giggled all around him Lucky bastard

"Who? Is? That?"