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Chapter One

Jake Turner glanced around at the gaudy Christ the interior of Zack’s Bar and Grill and suppressed a grimace

He nored what his buddy next to his were always lively at Zack’s close to Christ out to celebrate the season or if they were all just lonely and searching for another hu to connect with

“Earth to Jake Come on, man, you’re in another world over there”

Jake blinked then scowled at his friend, Colin “What the hell do you want?”

Colin nodded toward the door “Isn’t that Ray’s ex co in?”

Jake’s pulse quickened, and he yanked his gaze toward the entrance All his breath left his body in one hard rush What the hell?

His gaze came to rest on Ellie Matthews as she stood just inside the doorway Only it wasn’t Ellie as he was used to seeing her

She took a hesitant step forward then stopped and scanned the room, her eyes wide Her botton of her nervousness

Long soft curls spilled over her shoulders, hair that a ers into as he thrust into other parts of her body

But what had his blood pressure soaring was her get-up Despite it being the hetti strings over her shoulders The neckline plunged, and the ht places

Her miniskirt, if you could call the scrap of denihs that Jake knew if she limpse of her pussy

She had a fuckon coh heels once, and yet she teetered unsteadily toward the bar in three-inch, fire-engine red heels

“Jesus, I had no idea she was so damn hot,” Colin muttered

Jake rounded on Colin with a ferocious glare “Shut the hell up,” he growled

Colin raised an eyebrow in surprise but kept silent

Jake turned his attention back to Ellie, who stood at the bar The bartender plunked down a shot which she pro for another

There wasn’t a single male eye that wasn’t riveted to her Two men sauntered up to the bar and stood close to Ellie She smiled at them flirtatiously, and Jake was struck with a sudden realization

She was taking the plunge

A surge of red hot jealousy spilled into his gut She was finally breaking free of the hold Ray had on her, only this wasn’t the way it was supposed to happen Jake had waited a long tiht she needed more space He was supposed to be the one she came to when she was ready to take that leap

He gripped his beer bottle until his knuckles hite What the hell did she think she was doing? His eyes narrohen she downed another shot When she turned her attention back to the crowd of admirers at her elbow, he saw the fear in her eyes

It was then he understood what it was costing her This whole take-me-home-and-fuck-me attitude was all a brave act She was scared to death, and the only way she had a hope of carrying through with it was by getting thoroughly drunk

Over his dead body

He was striding across the roootten up froroup ofover Ellie and stood beside her at the bar

She turned unfocused blue eyes up at hi as she realized who he was

“What the hell do you think you’re doing, Ellie?” he demanded

Panic flitted across her face, and the fear returned

Without waiting to hear what she had to say, he bent, pushing his shoulder into her belly He stood back up, slinging her over his shoulder, his hand resting possessively on her ass