Rules of Protection (Tangled in Texas #1)(69)

“Neat trick,” Jeremy said. “What else are you good at?”

I goaded him with a puckish look. “Lots of things.”

“Dancing?”

“Sure,” I said, knowing men can’t resist a challenge. “If you think you have the stamina to keep up.”

Jeremy grabbed my hand and led me through the crowd. We two-stepped to a country song, then the band played rock. Jeremy cinched my waist with his hands and pulled me to him. I slithered against him with slinky, sexually explicit moves that bordered on stripper. Jeremy wasn’t well behaved either, pawing at me with grabby hands and polishing the front of his jeans with the back of my dress. It did nothing for my ego.

I nonchalantly glanced over to Jake, whose brows lowered toward his eyes, and his mouth tightened into a hard line. He wasn’t enjoying the view. In fact, Cowboy, Ox, and Judd didn’t like it either. The rapid-fire succession of dirty looks they gave Jeremy made me nervous. They circulated the room, staying in my general vicinity, ready to pounce with the slightest signal from Jake.

“So you and Jake an item?” Jeremy asked, grinning smugly.

I shrugged. “Why do you say that?”

“It’s not rocket science. He’s watching both of us like a hawk, and he doesn’t look very happy I’m dancing with his girl.”

“He’ll get over it.”

“That’s the thing, honey. I don’t want him to get over it,” Jeremy said, planting his mouth over mine.



Chapter Fifteen

I tried to dodge Jeremy’s lips and whacked him in the chest. Unfazed, he tried to shove his tongue in my mouth. I pushed him away from me, and he flaunted a mischievous grin.

“You know, ever since you walked through that door, I wanted to make love to you really bad,” Jeremy said, winking.

I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand. “Judging by the way you kiss, I wouldn’t doubt that’s exactly what would happen, you slimy—”

“What’s wrong, princess? Your tiara bent out of shape?”

“Why don’t you go tip a cow, you bastard?”

“Because teasing the bull is more my speed.” He peered over my shoulder. “Oh, look, here comes your boyfriend.”

His bull reference nailed it. Jake, red-faced with flaring nostrils, charged through the crowd with a powerful gait. He practically bucked Cowboy, Ox, and Judd off as they tried to stop his forward motion.

By the time Jake trampled past me, the boys had a firm hold, not allowing him to get close to Jeremy, who had taken a few steps back. I worried what would’ve happened if Jake’s matadors had not intervened.

Jake must’ve realized everyone in the bar had stopped and watched. The feral, inhuman look left his eyes. His posture relaxed, as if he flipped a switch and forced himself to calm down.

“I’m fine,” he told his friends, wanting them to release their grip. They must’ve believed him since they let him go.

“Problem, Jake?” Jeremy asked smugly.

“You mean besides you not keeping your hands or mouth to yourself?” Jake replied in an even-tempered voice. “She’s with me. You keep your damn hands off her, or I’ll break them. Same goes for your mouth.”

Jeremy’s eyes lit up with the challenge. “My mistake. I thought she was a hooker.”

“You sonofabitch!” I reared back and punched him in his nose, which hurt my hand.

Jake grinned with only a small amount of satisfaction. “How’d that feel?”

Jeremy shook it off, though his eyes watered slightly. “She hits like a girl,” he mumbled.

“I am a girl, you douchebag!” I shouted, still rubbing my knuckles and shaking my hand in the air.

“You always let a woman do your fighting for you, Jake?”

“Hey, you called her a hooker,” Jake said with a shrug. “What’d you expect? You should apologize to the lady.” It was more a demand than a request, but I didn’t like how I got edged out of the conversation.

“You’re kidding me, right?” Jeremy laughed and said in a crass tone, “Lady, my ass. She isn’t even wearing any panties.”

Impulsively, I launched myself at him. Jake caught me around the waist with one arm. I wriggled out of his grip, but he yanked me back and handed me off to Cowboy. “Here, hold her for a second,” Jake told him.

Cowboy shoved me behind him, keeping one hand resting on my hip, making sure I stayed put. It was a defensive move rather than conflict management. Jake expected trouble and wanted me out of the way. Things were about to turn sour.

“You’re going to apologize to Emily right now, or I’m going to break your jaw,” Jake threatened, his fist already clenched at his side.

“I’ll do you one better,” Jeremy said, laughing. He tossed a wink over Jake’s shoulder directly at me. “Sweetheart, why don’t you come home with me? I’ll spend the entire night apologizing to that sweet little ass of yours. After all, another man’s trash…”

It was all Jake needed.

In an impressive display of male bravado, Jake’s fist struck Jeremy in the jaw with a cracking sound that made me cringe. Jeremy’s two friends jumped on Jake, double-teaming him, prompting Cowboy, Ox, and Judd to step in. Instead of stopping the fight, everyone in the room bum-rushed the dance floor and a riot broke out.