Page 16 of Loving Justice

Jinx waited for her then laid his hand on the small of her back, sending anticipation dancing along her skin.

They chose a spot on the floor as far away from the other dancers as possible.

Jinx stood tall above her, a wall of olive skin and broad, lean muscles. He looked down at her, his gaze warm. “I thought you might need some help or a shotgun.”

“Was it the look of torment on my face or my death grip on my glass that tipped you off?” She laid her hands on his shoulders and felt the strong muscles flex under her fingers.

“I’d say it was more of Downs’ shit-eating grin.”

She nodded. “That’s a staple expression for him.” She inhaled deeply, dragging in Jinx’s scent. A perfect combination of leather and sage wood. His hands pressed against her waist and surrounded her with his powerful arms, making her feel something she hadn’t felt in a long time. Comfort.

“He seems fixated on you,” Jinx said next to her ear.

She didn’t dare look. “He seems to have an obsession for all the Roses, and our land, of course.” She tilted her chin and looked up at Jinx. The neon light above them caught his eyes, turning them into twinkling orbs.

His hold tightened at her waist. She thought she should put distance between them, but she craved closeness. She liked the way he moved smoothly and deftly.

She shook her head slightly. Was she thinking clearly? These thoughts were as prohibited as her interactions with Kent. Her posture straightened involuntarily.

“I didn’t need to be rescued,” she said. She needed to put her walls back into place.

“I didn’t rescue you. I found the perfect time to ask you to dance,” Jinx said easily. “If anyone was being saved, it definitely was Downs because I saw that look in your eye.”

“A look?”

“That look that said you were ready to take him down like a calf fit for branding.”

“Oh? You talk like you’ve been witness to that ‘look’ a few times.”

“I think I might be both turned on and amused if it were directed at me.”

Those words targeted her inner thighs. He was remarkably charming. She pressed her fingers into the soft fabric of his faded shirt, feeling more relaxed as a second song started. “What’s your story, Jinx?” They might as well get to know each other better while they were arm in arm.

“What’s there to say? You know the hand’s life. Working sunrise to sunset. There’s no room for anything else in between.”

She pulled her head back slightly. “There must be something or someone who occupies the other five percent of your time.”

He gave a casual shrug, and the T-shirt clung to his broad chest. “I guess you could say there is. She’s a fiery jalapeño and seems to enjoy turning my hair gray.

Something bugged Justice. So he had someone special? He'd been dancing with Lanah earlier. Was she his girl? If he had a girlfriend, then why was he always watching Justice? She didn't want to deal with anyone's mind games. "Where is she?"

“In Catskills. This wouldn’t be the life for her. I’m a workhorse and would never see her.” His jaw tightened.

“And she finds that acceptable? You know, never seeing you?”

He chuckled. “I think she likes it to a certain extent. I try to get back home a few weekends a month to see her. We occasionally talk on the phone, but she’s busy, at least that’s what she says. She has a large circle of friends.”

“That sounds like a very…open relationship.” She let her hands slip, feeling like she should put more space between them.

“It hasn’t been a good one, especially here lately. It seems everything I say turns out to be a battle cry. I’m not cut out for this. What I know about women I could fit into a thimble. Aunt Ness suggested I read books, and I did, but no book can teach you to communicate better with a female.”

“Does Aunt Ness get along with her?” Justice was very curious.

“Ness has a lot more patience than I do with Ilene. She has an open mindset. She thinks I need to relax and stop being so damn uptight. I love Ilene, I do,” he gritted out. “Sorry. I guess I got carried away.”

“I get it. Maybe time will fix what’s broken.” She cleared her throat. She had totally misread their attraction.

“How about you? Who occupies your time?”

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