Free Fangs But No Fangs by Kathy Love Page B

ass. His first inclination had been to turn and bite her offending hand like a mad dog. Lord, how he had fallen.
    Then he saw Jolee across the room, a wide smile on her lips. The first smile he'd seen since the night he'd insulted her. Suddenly the pinch and the other assaults to his senses didn't seem to matter.
    "What are you smiling about?" he asked as he reached the bar.
    "That a woman just pinched your behind." She smothered a giggle, but her dark eyes danced.
    All annoyance fled at the sight of her amusement. He smiled, too. "Glad I could be of some enjoyment."
    "She came up earlier to see if you were a regular waiter here." She stifled another giggle.
    "Well, that could be arranged." Good Lord, had he just offered to continue working in this hellhole?
    Jolee's smile faded. "No. I do appreciate tonight. But by tomorrow I'll be able to handle things."
    He didn't believe her, but he didn't push the subject either. He was unwilling to ruin the small measure of camaraderie they'd achieved. Instead he nodded and picked up two more drinks that needed to be delivered.
    He finished placing them in front of people who frankly didn't need them, then he returned to Jolee. Anxious to see that smile again. To talk to her. But she was down at the far end of the bar, talking to someone else. He started to clear some of the empty glasses on the tables, giving a wide berth to the she-clown with the roving hands, when he sensed Jolee's agitation.
    Over the haze of all the other emotions and scents in the room, hers found its way to him, sharp and unmistakable. He strolled in her direction, watching her as she spoke to the person at the end of the bar. He couldn't sense fear or panic, only a vivid sense of anxiety and… displeasure. Was this guy giving her a hard time?
    Stepping behind the bar, he walked the length to stand near her— some distance away, but where he could hear what they were discussing.
    "Baby, I thought you'd be happier to see me," the man said.
    "Mark, how did you find me?"
    "Vance."
    "News sure does travel fast."
    "This place is pretty nice." The guy ignored her comment and rose up on the rungs of the barstool to look around.
    Christian shot the man a quick look. Oily brown hair curled up around the edges of his baseball cap. Light brown eyes topped with large shaggy eyebrows. And a mustache. Christian could smell the grease and cigarette smoke clinging to the man's faded T-shirt and jeans.
    "Real nice," Mark said, dropping back on his seat. "You look like you are doing all right for yourself, Jo."
    "Why are you here, Mark?"
    "Can't your old beau stop by for a visit? Maybe a beer?"
    Christian frowned. This unpleasant creature had been a boyfriend of Jolee's? His Jolee.
    He paused. His Jolee. He could hardly call her that. When had he even begun to consider her that? Yet he realized that he didn't want to think of that man touching her smooth pale skin with his dirty hands. Or kissing her lush lips. Why on earth would he care? He knew the fact that he wanted to touch her skin and taste her lips was due to his hunger. No other reason.
    "One beer," Jolee told Mark and turned to go to the tap.
    She saw Christian. She smiled, but not the joyous grin of earlier. She slipped past him, her slender body not making contact with his, but he felt her delicious heat passing over him. A few moments later she slid back by and set the beer in front of Mark. She started to leave him again, but Mark caught her injured arm.
    Christian straightened as she winced.
    "What happened?" Mark asked, still not releasing his hold. A thumb with dirt under the nail rubbed the edge of the bandage on her arm.
    "Just a little accident."
    Christian raised an eyebrow at that description. But she wasn't about to give this guy the whole story; she obviously didn't want to talk to him.
    "Mark, I do have to get back to work."
    To Christian's surprise, he let go of her arm. "Sure. I'm good." Mark drank down half his beer in one swallow.
    She slipped back