Free Kellan by Jayne Blue

others look like they won’t have any trouble finding a ride home.”  
    Kellan walked toward me, his eyes darkened and narrowed. “It’s late, Mallory. It’s dark out there.”  
    I laughed. “You afraid the big bad wolf is going to follow me home?”  
    “He just might.”  
    My heart froze in my chest for a fraction of a second, then started to hammer. Kellan froze too. I think what he said had just kind of slipped out. But now that it had, it was out there. If either of us took another step toward each other, if we said anything, I didn’t think I could ignore the rising heat between us. Every inch of my body cried out to touch his.  
    “I should go,” I said, but my voice sounded so far away like it came from someone else.  
    “I’m walking you to your car,” he said. It wasn’t a request.  
    I nodded. “Thanks.”  
    I downed the last of the water and tossed the bottle into the blue bin by the door. Kellan stood stock still as I brushed past him and gripped the door handle. I kept my eyes straight ahead and walked out into the parking lot. I could feel him behind me, his body heat prickling my spine.  
    “Thanks,” I said again. God, this guy had me nervous, like some teenage girl. He’d done nothing but act like a gentleman so far. Tonight anyway. Somehow though, that made it even worse. I didn’t want him to act like a damn gentleman. I wanted him to press himself against me and pick up where we left off. I knew what happened the last time we’d been alone together like this on a moonlit night. The memory of the way he touched me simmered my blood. When I turned to face him and say goodnight, I saw the glint in his eyes and knew in an instant he was thinking the same thing.  
    He threaded his thumbs through his belt loops, but from the corner of my eyes, I saw his fingers twitching. The air seemed to crackle between us.  
    “I’m glad you did what you did,” he said. “But I don’t ever want you to do it again. That dickhead at the back of the bar could have hurt you too easily. He was bigger, stronger, and faster. I don’t care what happens in the bar, as long as you’re safe.”  
    I ran a hand through my hair and tried to focus on anything other than Kellan Carter’s sexy mouth. “I’ve done things like that a thousand times, Kellan. It’s part of the job when you play gigs like this.”  
    “Not in my house,” he said, his voice stern. “I mean it, Mallory. If I can’t keep you and the other girls who work for me safe from creeps like that, I might as well shut the doors right now.”  
    “We are safe. Nobody got hurt. I was just in a position to see what was about to go down first. That’s all. And you’ve got something good going on here. I don’t think I really appreciated it until tonight. These people were here to spend money. Real money. I can see what you’re trying to build. This isn’t some thug biker bar.”  
    Kellan started to smile and my heart stopped.  
    “Er . . . sorry. You’re not a thug. Um . . . are you?”  
    He threw his head back and laughed. God, the rich sound of it sent warmth straight to my toes. I needed to get the hell out of here and fast. One more minute near him, or if he touched me, I wasn’t going to be able to be the smart, sensible one.  
    I turned and climbed into the van while Kellan held the door for me. “I’ll see you tomorrow night,” I said. Kellan nodded and closed the van door. He took a step back and watched me. My heart pounded hard. I slid the key in the ignition and turned it.  
    Nothing happened. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I turned the key again. The car made a sickening lurch and a series of clicks, but nothing else happened.  
    Fuck. Seriously fuck. Not now.  
    “I think your battery might be dead,” Kellan said.  
    “I’m going to kill Justin,” I muttered into the steering wheel.  
    “Don’t do that. Much as I could do without the angst, I have to admit that guy sells