Page 69 of Savage

As that first hour flew by, we chatted to a couple of groups of guys and they were all very accommodating. Topping up our drinks each time we’d finished and showering us with compliments. It felt nice and the attention had started to repair that knock to my self-esteem.

Just as I was ready to let my hair down and ask Melody to dance, Chris appeared and stole her off me, leaving me standing there by myself like a proper tool. He whisked her away and she mouthed the word sorry. Sorry, my arse!

I tapped my fingers against the red solo cup I was drinking from, suddenly feeling invisible but still wanting to hide. I was just about to go back to the kitchen to find the couple I had been speaking to earlier when I felt a gentle hand on my shoulder. I turned, my face lighting up, but it wasn’t Jaxon. My heart sank; it was a friend of his from the base. Disappointment soured my stomach.

While I was taking a discreet look around the room he said, “I didn’t know you were here. What have you been up to?” the guy questioned with a bright smile.

“I’ve been trying to blend,” I replied dryly.

“You couldn’t blend if you tried beautiful,” he complimented.

He must have realised his comment was a bit corny as he hastily added. “I’m hoping you remember me, Wynter, it’s Christian? Lieutenant Jacobs. We met at the base,” he coughed, jutting his chin out. He had two shot glasses in his hand and he gave me one, taking the empty cup from me. “You need a top-up.”

We were quite near one of the speakers and so he wasn’t that easy to hear.

I took the shot glass from him and gestured toward the other side of the room where the dining table had been pushed into the corner to make more floor space. The sofas were full of guests and this was the only area which wasn’t full of bodies.

“Fuck me, you’re even prettier than I remembered. Why the hell were you standing on your own.” Christian said, his eyes roaming over my legs. Blatantly a leg man then. I wasn’t tall of course but as I was so slender, my legs had always looked longer than they were.

“My friend bailed on me and thank you. You’re not so bad on the eye yourself,” I replied, watching him through my lashes. God, it was nice to have some attention. Especially after the radio silence from Jaxon and what Dominic had done to me. The cheating swine. I pushed away my inner hypocrite.

“I was going to ask your brother for your number, but he’s been in a foul mood over the last couple of days.” I bit my lip so I didn’t correct him about the fact that Jaxon was so not my brother.

I glanced around the room, but he wasn’t there. Part of me was worried that he’d decided to give Lexi Grafton a sly visit. She gave great head supposedly.

Batting off the painful and useless thought I refocused my attention on Christian; would Jaxon have given this boy my number after what had happened between us? The thought put a metallic taste in my mouth.

“Nice toes,” Christian complimented with a nod and my grin widened. He really was running out of words to successfully hit on me if he was admiring my feet. Or maybe he was a toe sucker. Totally gross.

I placed the full shot glass on the table behind me, not quite ready for it yet.

“When isn’t Jaxon in a foul mood,” I suddenly muttered, wondering how he would reply.

“He’s not so bad. Although he’s less fun than he used to be. Always looks like he’s got the weight of the world on his shoulders. He was one of the best pranksters on the base when I first enlisted.”

“Really?” I couldn’t imagine Jaxon making jokes. I’d seen so little of his sense of humour.

“It’s a shame. I like a few laughs,” I informed him.

Christian necked his shot and then placed it on the table next to mine before leaning into me, his breath fanning my throat. “Look no further. We could have some fun together you and I.” The eyebrow wiggle broke the ice further and I managed to loosen up.

We spoke for a bit longer and I started to enjoy his company but I kept inching a sly look around the room for Jaxon. Christian was quite touchy-feely, tapping my arm at the punchline of each of his crap jokes and playing with my necklace; a birthday present from my mother one year. It was a silver chain with my name on it. She bought it after I explained how much I liked Carrie’s necklace from Sex and the City; a show we both watched.

Christian lingered a bit too close for comfort until the next words, forced him to move back.

“I don’t fancy your chances with Wynter, Jacobs. She lives up to her name,” Jaxon suddenly put in from beside me. My back stiffened and I hooked my chin towards him with a puzzled expression. He came quite close to me, invading my personal space. He looked fucking sensational in a cream jumper and faded jeans and his scent teased my senses.

“In what way?” Christian questioned, shooting a wary look between Jaxon and me. My stepbrother was staring at me and he wasn’t happy. His whole stance suggested he was working himself up for a fight. My heart plummeted to my feet. So, my instincts were correct, we were back to bickering step-siblings again.

Jaxon clicked his neck from side to side before he replied, “She’s like winter. Freeze your dick right off.” That penetrative stare stayed with me and I felt my face heat. Did he mean he didn’t think I was any good in bed, that I was cold? Had he lied to me in the car? His cold contempt sliced through me.

My mouth dropped open. “What?” I blurted. I felt a cocktail of emotions; shock, disbelief, bewilderment, anger. The latter feeling was starting to surge in front of the rest.

Jaxon’s nostrils flared as he glared down at me.

“Is he always such a dickhead?” Christian interrupted courageously. Talk about taking your life in your hands.

Sniffing, I replied with more calm than I was feeling. “Yep, dickhead. Tosser. Take your pick.”

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