The Shore (18 page)

Jaxon was sitting at the bar trying to forget. When he saw Ryan the other day, he thought it was fate, kismet. It could be his chance to try again. He knew he messed up with her, down to the core, but he wanted another shot. And when she showed up at his place? He thought for sure the gods were in his favor.

Then she told him he was a last resort, and that stung. So here he sat, pushing back multiple Jack and Cokes, looking for someone to help take his mind off of her. He knew he shouldn't be drinking. He knew nothing good came of it when he did. But he needed to rid his mind of her memory, and if he could do that with his old friend, Mr. Daniels, then so be it.

With his foot tapping to the music, he looked up to the door. He wasn’t sure what brought his attention there, but he liked what he saw. A lot. She was tall with legs that seemed to go for miles, thin with an ample chest he could more than appreciate, and the freest looking red bouncing curls he’d ever seen. He nearly had to wipe the drool from his chin as he looked at her.

The girl, well, let’s face it, she was all woman, said something to her friend and danced her way toward the bar. And just Jaxon’s luck, there was a space right next to him giving her access to the bartender.

“Hi,” Jaxon said with a smile as he admired the small diamond stud in her nose.

Madison turned to look at him, still moving her body to the music. “Hey.” She drummed her fingers on the bar, also in rhythm to the music, and faced back to the bar to get the bartender’s attention.

“Having a good night?” Jaxon asked.

He could see the faint outline of something on her arm, but it was covered by her shirt. What he wouldn’t give to remove that shirt … and everything else she was wearing.

“I am, thanks.” Madison responded.

As she looked at him again, she noted his clear blue eyes and broad, muscular chest. He was dressed in a button-down shirt with a pair of dark jeans, and he looked good enough to eat. She couldn’t help but smile at him.

“Can I buy you a drink?” he asked.

Maybe she’s the one that can get my mind off of … who?

“Sorry, I’m here with my girls. Girls’ night out, you know.”

“Ahh. Well, since it’s girls’ night, how about a round of drinks on me?”

Jaxon knew well enough that if he got in good with the friends, it made the score that much easier when it was time to leave.

“Who am I to turn down free drinks?” Madison asked. “That would be great. Thanks.”

Jaxon gave Madison one of his panty-dropping smiles and turned toward the bartender to get his attention. When the bartender approached them, Jaxon turned to Madison and asked, “So what’ll it be?”

“Four slippery nipples please.”

The bartender nodded in acknowledgement.

Jaxon, on the other hand, felt his cock spring to full attention.

What I wouldn’t give to see her slippery nipples.

“You don’t look like the typical shore-type of person. You here on vacation?” Madison asked, only somewhat interested in his response. He was gorgeous, and there was nothing in the rule books that said a girl couldn’t have a little eye candy during girls’ night out.

“You’re right, I’m not. I’m here taking care of some family business.” His eyes drifted slowly from her eyes to her soft pink lips to her neck, finally resting on the mounds that made up her cleavage.

Madison was used to the attention, and she could almost appreciate the complete lack of embarrassment he had for checking her out. Her own eyes traversed his body – his broad shoulders, thin waist, and the very obvious arousal causing the bulge in his jeans.

“How about you?” Jaxon finally asked, returning his eyes to hers.

“Nope, not from around here. Just spending some time with a friend.”

“A … female friend?”

Madison laughed quietly then gave him a sexy smile. “Yes, she’s female.”

“Hmm…” Jaxon said with a glint in his eye.

The bartender arrived with four shot glasses.

“Put it on my tab?” Jaxon asked the bartender who nodded in response.

“Thank you,” Madison smiled.

“Can I help you bring these to your friends?”

“That would be great.”

Madison grabbed two of the shot glasses while Jaxon picked up the other two and his own drink. When Madison turned to walk toward her friends, he couldn’t help but appreciate the view of her ass.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

As Mac, Abby and Ryan reached their table, Abby reached for Ryan’s arm and pulled her to the side.

“What’s up?” Ryan asked her.

“I just wanted to apologize for being so hard on you when you were talking about Cody earlier.”

Ryan smiled softly, “It’s okay, Abby. I know you guys care about him. I made things difficult by running out on him the other night and not returning any of your texts or calls. I’ll make it right.”

“I know you will. I’m just sorry I was kind of pushy.”

Ryan gave her a quick hug and then had a fleeting thought. “You’re not … umm … interested in Cody, are you?”

“No!” she answered quickly. “I mean, he’s a great guy and all, but he’s like a brother to me.”

“Phew!” Ryan grinned.

“No, please, there is
nothing
to worry about there. He and I are good friends, but truly, he’s like a brother to me.”

“Okay,” Ryan said, relieved.

“You guys would make a great couple. I haven’t even seen you together and I know that.” Abby paused for a moment. “Just be good to him,” she winked.

Ryan chuckled and drew Abby in for another hug. “Thanks, Abby.”

Abby grinned and took Ryan’s hand in hers. “Let’s go get our drink on!”

As they walked back to the table, Abby saw Mac and Madison talking to someone she didn’t know. “Ooh, looks like Madison found herself a hottie for the evening!”

Ryan looked up and immediately stopped walking, causing her to tug on Abby’s arm.

Abby looked back at Ryan and saw a weird expression on her face. “What’s wrong?”

As Ryan let go of Abby’s hand and walked past her, she mumbled, “That’s my ex, Jaxon.”

“Oh shit…”

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Cody ran home and took a quick shower before heading to the bar. He was anxious to see Ryan but didn’t want to smell like he’d been playing baseball on a warm and muggy summer evening.

By the time he walked into the bar, it was well after 11. The girls had been out for a while and he was certain they would be feeling little pain. It just so happened the bar they were at was owned by one of his buddies. Cody nodded at Max as he walked up to the bar.

“Hey Cody. Nice to see ya!” Max half yelled as he extended his hand. The music was blaring from the speakers in the front and a good sized group of people were bouncing up and down in time to the beat.

“Thanks. You, too. Looks like a busy night.” Cody reached across the bar to shake his hand.

“Yeh, but I can’t wait until the tourists start coming in. That’s when the cash starts to roll.”

He chuckled and nodded. “Can I get a beer?” Cody’s eyes scanned the interior. It wasn’t a huge bar, but there was a dance floor, a small stage and tables that ran along the perimeter so there really wasn’t a bad seat in the place.

“Of course.” Max handed him the beer and when Cody went to pay for it, Max waved off his cash.

“Thanks, man.” Max nodded in response. “You see Mac in here tonight?” Cody asked.

Max lifted his chin indicating the far corner of the bar and when Cody’s eyes followed where Max was looking, he saw Mac, Abby, Ryan and a red-head he didn’t know.

“Thanks. I’ll be back.”

Cody left the bar and walked to where Mac was standing. By the time he got there, he couldn’t find Ryan again.

It took a second for Mac to realize who was standing next to her before she yelled, “CODY!” and gave him a big hug. Mac was sweet to begin with, but when she drank, she became a teddy bear that liked to hug.

When Mac released him, Cody asked, “How’s it going?”

“Gooood,” Mac smiled. It was obvious she’d had a few drinks. “Have you met Madison yet?”

Cody looked at Mac and shook his head. Ryan had told him about Madison, but he hadn’t expected to see her tonight.

“Madison!” Mac yelled, trying to get her attention. “MADISON!!”

When the red-head looked up, Cody could feel her eyes scan him from head to toe and back again.

“Madison, this is my brother-in-law Cody. You know, THE Cody.”

Madison smirked, not the least bit embarrassed about checking him out.

“Well, shit. Ryan didn’t do you justice!” Madison said as she got off her stool and walked up to him. “It’s nice to finally meet you!” Madison pulled him in for a hug.

“You, too,” Cody answered, startled by the hug. She, too, was more than half in the bag.

Who the hell is driving tonight?

“I’ve heard a lot about you, Cody Calloway,” she said and it almost sounded like a warning. “You better be good to my girl, you hear me?” And there was the threat.

Madison suddenly looked a few tables over and the expression on her face changed to worry. Cody followed her line of sight and noticed Ryan talking to some guy.

“Who is Ryan talking to?”

“That would be Jaxon.”

“The asshole that cheated on her?”

Madison nodded.

“Be right back.”

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

A couple minutes earlier…

“What are you doing here?” Ryan asked, and it wasn’t a friendly tone.

Madison turned to look at Ryan. “What’s wrong, Ryan?” Madison asked quickly.

Ryan didn’t say anything, she just looked pissed off as she eyed Jaxon.

“Ry…” Madison said quietly.

And then the light bulb went off. “Oh, fuck me.” Madison said, shaking her head and turning to look at Jaxon. “Don’t tell me. You’re Jaxon?”

Ryan nodded her head while Jaxon looked perplexed.

“Shit, Ryan, I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”

“I know you didn’t.” Ryan turned to look at Madison.

The look on Madison’s face went from confused to completely pissed off. She took a step toward Jaxon and laid into him. “You asshole.”

Jaxon looked to Ryan as if he was trying to get her help, but her expression didn’t change.

“You’re the son of a bitch that cheated on my girl and then tried to sleep with her the other night? You’re fucking stupid, you know that? She’s the best person I know, and you fucked that up. You need to stay the fuck away from her.”

Madison turned and picked up one of the shot glasses Jaxon had carried to the table and threw the contents at him. “You can keep your fucking shots.”

Jaxon gasped as the cool liquid rolled down his shirt. Now he smelled like Bailey’s Irish Cream and butterscotch schnapps.

Ryan turned to look at Madison, trying to suppress her grin. “Can you give us a second?”

“Of course,” Madison said feeling happy with herself that she finally got to tell that jackass off. She took Ryan’s hand and squeezed it once before leaving her with him.

Jaxon kept his eyes trained on Ryan, refusing to watch Madison’s ass again as she walked away.

When Ryan turned back to Jaxon, the grin was gone. “What are you doing here, Jaxon?”

“It’s a free country, isn’t it?”

Ryan didn’t say anything in response.

“I was just having a few drinks, Ryan. Your friend came up to me at the bar and we started talking.”

She still said nothing.

Jaxon picked up a shot glass. “I bought you guys a round, is that okay?”

“No, it’s not okay. Stay the fuck away from Madison, Jaxon. I won’t tell you again.”

“Okay, okay. Christ, I don’t even know her. I just met her at the fucking bar, Ryan.”

She sighed, realizing she was being slightly unreasonable. It
was
a free country and he was just as entitled to be at that bar as she was. The difference was, he was trying to get his hooks into Madison, and Ryan was not about to let that happen.

“Just do me a favor and leave Madison alone, okay? She is my best friend and the last thing she needs…”

“What, Ryan? Finish what you were going to say.”

“Just, as a favor to me, I’m asking you to please leave her be. Find someone else to take home tonight.”

Jaxon liked the sound of that. If he had to choose, there was only one person he really wanted to take home from this bar tonight. “I could take you home instead.”

Ryan laughed, once. “No. We had this conversation already.”

“We did. But someone more powerful than us apparently wants us back together. Why else would I have run into you again?”