Page 11 of Between Two Thorns

It was his first thought, and it made his neck even redder. And he’d just cooled down from seeing Sam again.

He’d never been struck by someone on first sight before—hell, it even took a while before he looked at Sam in a way that he shouldn’t.

But she was beautiful.

Freckles dotted the high points of her exposed skin, along her arms and dusting her cheeks. She had long red hair that waved down to the middle of her back, and below that—well, staring at her ass just made his face heat even more.

Del cleared his throat and tried to keep his eyes back on his own drink. He was almost done with it, and some dude edging off the dance floor and eyeing him.

Like he was debating whether to make a move. Del sipped at his whiskey, draining the glass slowly. He wasn’t gonna make a sale if he tried too damn hard.

When he set his glass down…he saw the girl was up at the bar.

And she was even prettier up close.

She placed both wrists down on the shiny wooden top, then looked up at the drinks like she didn’t have a hope of understanding. Del felt a strange urge to come to her rescue. Maybe recommend a sangria or mojito, something she might like.

But their eyes met, and he quickly ducked his head back to his own drink.

“You gonna order somethin’ that’s on the menu, honey?” He heard Bonnie’s voice over the thump of another track picking up. “That tall drink might just be a little much for you.”

Del rolled his lanky arms, turning just as two bodies blocked out the light.

When Del had offloaded the remains of the supply in his pocket on the students—for three times the price, as Jaxon instructed, he sat finishing his drink and watching the dance floor.

He didn’t dance. He never had danced, and he wasn’t about to start now. But, the girl was pretty easy to spot from her bright red hair, like a buoy swaying in the ocean, buffeted back and forth by the waves.

Del sipped his drink, just watching curiously. Wondering what it would like to be dancing with her. Hell, to dance with anyone. Could he keep up…or would they expect him to lead?

Del gave a little scoff at that thought, shaking his head at his glass as he set it down. He stood up as a wave of bodies came between him and the girl, hiding her red hair from sight. Reminding him that he had other things he wanted to do tonight than watch and day dream.

A flash of hair caught his attention as he threw some cash down on the bar to cover his drink and give Bonnie a nice tip for letting them do business in her bar.

The redhead was shoving at her dance partner’s chest like she was trying to push him away.

But the fucker wasn’t getting the less than subtle hint.

Then, the girl was on the ground. Flat on her ass. And she was about to be trampled.

And Delcan Reddick sure as hell wasn’t about to another woman be hurt in front of him. Not when he was big enough to do something the fuck about it.

Mr. Charming & In Charge

Rosecurledintoherself,trying to protect her throbbing ankle but also throwing her arms over her head.

Suddenly, like a record scratching, the music all stopped. And the impenetrable wall of bodies became permeable.

Through the forest of legs, she saw a pair of baggy jeans and steel-toe boots.

Mr. Strong and Silent ducked down, offering her a rough hand—it was calloused, nails bitten completely off, what even looked like a burn on his wrist—Rose grabbed onto like it like a lifeline.

He pulled her onto her feet like she weighed nothing at all. And he’d swept her up into a world of their own. The crush of bodies was gone, and everything was out of focus. Except for his grass green eyes.

The cliche was the first thing that came to Rose’s head, but it really was the right green. Of actual grass, not the sage scrub bushes here that dried out and turned to tumble weeds. Like beautiful, vibrant, well-watered grass.

“You alright, girl?” he asked, with the thickest southern accent she’d heard in a damn long time. Even thicker than Mr. Charming and in Charge outside.

And suddenly found it even more attractive.

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