Damon (The Protectors #1)(24)

“We need to talk.” Damon spoke before she could make her break from him.

“I don't think that's a good idea.” Nicole really didn't think it was a good idea. As much as she wanted him to want her she couldn't get the other woman out of her head. She didn't break up relationships and there was no way she could compete with that woman.

Damon watched her walk away from him to Jared. When Jared smiled down at her and draped his arm across her shoulder, Damon felt a deep seated fear that he might be too late. The fear turned deadly when Jared leaned down and whispered something in Nicole's ear, making her laugh. Damon headed toward them.

Grabbing Jared's arm, he pulled it off of Nicole's shoulder. “I have this.” Damon told Jared grabbing her hand, pulling her away.

“What are you doing?” Nicole gasped.

Damon eyed her as he pulled her toward a private corner. “I said we need to talk.”

“And I said that wasn't a good idea.” Nicole glanced around, but thankfully no one seemed to be paying attention.

“Why the hell not?” Damon asked, giving Jared a death stare when he noticed him walking toward them. “What, you want Jared now? Is that how it is?”

Nicole's eyes popped open wide, her head snapping back. “Seriously?” When she saw that he was serious, she got close to him with a death stare of her own. “Go to hell.” she hissed as quietly as she could without drawing attention.

The crowd had thinned out and only a few remained moving toward the door to leave. Nicole and Damon stood glaring at each other. “Answer me.”

Rolling her eyes, she threw her hands up. “Sure. Yeah. Me and Jared are hot and heavy. Don't know why that should bother you when you have a gorgeous girlfriend, which by the way you should get back to. I'm sure she's waiting for you.”

“Girlfriend?” This time she got away and walked out the door with Jared, his damn arm around her shoulder again. God, he was going to kill the son of a bitch. With one last glance he headed toward the back exit. “Girlfriend?” He repeated, stumped. A couple of stragglers passed by eyeing him warily.

“You okay?” Jared looked down at her frowning.

“Yeah, I'm good.” Nicole lied with a smile. “Thanks for coming with me, even though it was your job.”

“Best job I've ever had, honey.” Jared wiggled his eyebrows.

God why couldn't she be attracted to Jared instead of Mr. Doom and Gloom. Jared was nice, a real sweetie and very handsome in dark mysterious kind of way, but he just didn't do it for her. Before she could reply, a motorcycle raced up to them and stopped. Turning to look, she saw Damon straddling a solid black and chrome Harley, sending her heart thumping out of her chest. God, he looked good on the bike. She was a sucker for a man on a Harley.

“Get on.” Damon demanded over the roar of the bike, his eyes holding her hostage.

Was he serious? She was in a freakin evening gown. Shaking her head, she turned to Jared. “Please take me home.”

Nodding, Jared glanced at Damon. “If you want to talk to her, meet us at her place.” He turned and led her away to his car.

“I don't want to talk to him, Jared.” Nicole stared at him accusingly.

Once at the car, he turned her to face him as Damon's bike roared past them. Jared watched Damon disappear, trying to get a read on him, but he had him blocked. “I can read you, Nicole. I just think you need to hear him out.”

“You've been reading my mind?” Nicole was mortified.

“Bits and pieces.” He admitted, opening the car door for her. “But don't worry. I don't gab.” Before closing the door, he gave her a wink.

Heat flooded her face. This was so not cool. After he got in and started the car, Nicole turned to look at Jared. “You need to stop doing that Jared.” Nicole groaned when he laughed. “Seriously, I don't want you in my head.”

“Well, believe me honey; I don't really want to be in there as much as you might think.” Pulling out in traffic, he maneuvered the streets to her apartment quickly. “Hearing your every thought about one of my partners in different modes of dress isn't as pleasing to me as it seems to be to you.”

“Oh. My. God!” Nicole's hands flew to her face.

Jared laughed. “Listen, you can block anyone from reading your mind.”

“How?” Nicole spoke through her hands not ready to uncover her flushed embarrassment. Talk about awkward.

“You can tell if someone is trying to power into your head. First, you'll feel a tingly pressure, a very nagging feeling in your head. When you start feeling it, you mentally throw a wall up of something. Since we all can pretty much read each other, we keep a permanent wall up.” Jared cruised up to a stop light. “Believe me; once you know the signs and start doing it, it becomes second nature. Usually, I think of myself naked and boy oh boy do the guys go flying out of my head.”

Nicole laughed, sliding her hands from her face. “No you don't.”

He chuckled. “Go ahead and try.” he urged, then threw a wicked grin her way. “I'll try to get in and you just think of yourself naked and....”

“Stop it.” She smacked his arm shaking her head. Closing her eyes, she concentrated. She loved dogs and always wanted a puppy, but was never able to get one.