Chapter Three

The rest of the day flew by in a frenzied blur of customers as the lunch rush melted into the dinner crowd. During her breaks, she hung out with her parents—something she was going to miss in the coming weeks. She would miss her father’s corny jokes, and even her mother’s hovering. Sure, she would still see them at home, but it wouldn’t be the same comradery like they had at the restaurant.

As she was cleaning up in the wake of a rowdy group of frat boys from Georgia Tech, Jenny caught sight of a cowboy hat out of the corner of her eye. Immediately, she drew in a sharp breath and swept a hand to her chest to try to still the erratic beating of her heart. Turning around, she peered in the direction of the white Stetson.

Sweet Jesus, he was back—the hot-as-hell cowboy from out of town. Jenny found herself transported back in time to two weeks when the cowboy had first strutted into the bar an hour before closing time.

In his tight jeans, he’d left little to the imagination about what kind of weaponry he was packing. At first, she’d thought he was lost. After all, he had looked so completely out of place—a ride ’em cowboy right out of the Wild West, smack in the urban jungle of Atlanta. Ignoring the stares from some of the other patrons—and from Jenny—he had slid across one of the bar stools. Sweeping his hat from his head, he’d then held up his hand, signaling her to come over.

“A shot of Jack,” he’d requested. Holy hell, his voice. It had sent a shot of white-hot lust straight to her core. There was something particular about a man’s voice that got her libido up and running, and the deeper the better. It was why she had a hard time watching Harry Potter without having impure thoughts about Alan Rickman, AKA Snape.

While she fixed the drink, Jenny could feel the cowboy’s eyes on her. The heat of his gaze bore through her white blouse and warmed the skin above her breasts. It wasn’t like she wasn’t used to male customers staring at her boobs. She had learned from her older sister, Laura, to use her C cups to her advantage with tight shirts and low-buttoned blouses. Most of the time, the leers of horny men grated on her nerves, but not that night. She’d wanted the cowboy’s eyes on her. If she’d been honest, she wanted his hands and his tongue on her too.

When she’d placed the drink in front of him, she smiled. “There you go. My name is Jenny if you need anything else.”

“Can I ask you a question?”

“I guess,” Jenny had replied hesitantly.

“How in the hell do you live down here with all the crazy drivers?”

She hadn’t been able to help laughing because the question wasn’t what she’d been expecting. “I guess since I’ve lived here all my life, I’m used to it.”

The cowboy had grimaced. “You have my sympathies.”

“Hey now, I happen to like this city,” she’d protested.

“You can have it.”

And just like that, they’d struck up a conversation. Since it had been almost closing, they’d had time to get to know each other. His name was Brett, and he raised cattle forty minutes outside of the city. He was also professional roper passing through Atlanta on his way back home from a roping championship in South Georgia. Jenny really had no idea what professional roping entailed, but her dirty mind had decided to draw the obscene conclusion that he was really good with his hands. He could tie her up—you know, if she ever decided to swing that way.

When he’d found out she loved horses but rarely got to see any in the city, he’d taken her by the hand and led her outside. Although a voice inside her head screamed that he could be about to abduct her, she’d kept letting him lead her across the parking lot. She’d liked the way his calloused hands felt against her skin, and a relieved sigh had escaped her lips when they stopped in front of a horse trailer. Opening the back, he had introduced her to his two horses, Waylon and Willie. She had tried not to swoon at the gesture.

After they’d gotten back inside, Brett had insisted on buying her a drink, even when she told him she could have one on the house. One drink had turned into two, and when she’d gotten a little tipsy, she’d been really thankful her dad was in the back to run the evening’s receipts. Even after she’d turned off the open sign and locked the front door, Brett’s perfectly sculpted ass had remained on the bar stool. She hadn’t felt a connection with anyone in such a long time, and it wasn’t just about the physical.

Damn, she had wanted him to kiss her that night, and for a moment, she’d thought he would. Instead, he’d slipped his cowboy hat back on. “You take care,” he had said.

“You too,” she had replied as she watched him walk out of the bar and out of her life. She had experienced a sinking feeling that something potentially amazing had just slipped through her fingers. She’d never in a million years dreamed he’d walk back through the doors, but there he was in all his beautiful flesh.

At that moment, she heard Casey’s words echoing in her ears: “There is no try, only do.” Oh yeah, she needed somebody to do, and Brett was at the top of her list. The best part was he wouldn’t be some random hookup. She actually knew him—okay, maybe she didn’t know a whole lot about him, but she knew enough.

As Jenny rounded the side of the bar, she handed off the dirty dishes to the busboy. She then flicked her gaze to the mirror on the wall. Quickly, she scanned her appearance to make sure she looked good enough to be seen, and she was debating ducking into the bathroom to freshen up when she caught Brett’s eye in the reflection.

Whirling around, she faked a surprised smile. “Hey, stranger. I didn’t expect to see you in these parts again.”

“These parts?” Brett snorted as he took off his cowboy hat. “You sound like the barkeep out of an old John Wayne movie.”

“Wow, you sure know how to compliment a girl, don’t you, stud?” she teased.

Brett’s lips curved into a sexy grin. “Let me rephrase that—a very sexy barkeep.”

“Much better.” She picked up the bottle of Jack and waved it at him. “Same as last time?”

“You remember what I had?”

Jenny felt her cheeks warm. Jesus, she probably looked pathetic to remember his drink order from three weeks ago. Recovering from embarrassment, she flashed him a confident grin. “Of course. Anyone who is going to survive as a bartender has to have an exceptional memory,” she lied.

“I’m impressed.”

“Thank you,” she replied as she fixed his drink. When she sat it in front of him, she asked, “Did you have another competition?”

After gulping down some of the Jack, Brett replied, “Not this time. There’s a cattlemen’s show at the convention center. I’m here for the night.”

Oh hell yes. He wasn’t just passing through. He was spending the night, and if things went according to her plan, she would be joining him. “You don’t have Waylon and Willie with you?”

“Nope. They’re back home.”

“Bummer.”

With a wink, Brett said, “They send their love.”

Jenny laughed. “That’s sweet of them. I’ll have to send you home with some carrots from their friend in the city.”

“They’d like that.” Brett glanced around at the thinning bar crowd before cocking his head at her. “Have a drink with me.”

Jenny shook her head. “Can’t. I’m on the clock.”

“So? You were last time too.”

Right, last time…how could she possibly explain how much had changed since the last time she’d seen him? She was pretty sure the mere mention of surrogacy would have him running for the hills. Nibbling her lip, she tried desperately to come up with a plausible reason. When one hit her, she went with it. “Fine, if you have to know, I’m giving it up for Lent.”

“Ah, you’re a good Catholic girl, huh?”

“For the most part.”

“Pity,” Brett mused.

Crossing her arms over her chest, Jenny asked, “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I just thought we might have some fun.” A sexy grin curved his lips. “The kind of fun good girls don’t have.”

Holy shit. He was coming on to her—like seriously coming on to her. Yes, yes, yes! Her plan was coming together. Now it was time to crank up her seduction game.

Placing her hands on the bar, she leaned in closer to him. “I said ‘for the most part.’ Some parts like to be bad.”

“Thanks for clearing that up.”

“You’re welcome,” she replied as she pulled away.

“There’s something else I have to ask.”

“Okay.”

Brett’s tongue darted out, moistening his bottom lip. The gesture made Jenny grip the sides of the counter harder. She hoped his next question was along the lines of, Will you screw my brains out tonight?

“Did you go to Catholic school?”

Jenny fought to hide her disappointment. “Yes, I did—St. Pius, to be exact.”

Brett’s eyes closed as he moaned. “I would have loved to see you in the uniform.”

Jenny laughed. “You’re one of those guys.”

“What guys?”

“The pervy ones.”

“Just because I think Catholic school uniforms are sexy?”

Jenny nodded. “Yep.”

Brett shrugged. “Fine then, I’m a pervert.”

“I bet you’re wondering if I still have that uniform at home somewhere, aren’t you?” When Brett’s eyes lit up, Jenny giggled. “Too bad I don’t.”

“I’ll just have to use my imagination.”

“Are you good at fantasizing?”

“Yeah, but I prefer the real thing.”

Jenny licked her lips in preparation of asking Brett if he wanted her real thing when her father’s voice boomed behind her. “Hey Jen, the damn computer is frozen up again. Can you come fix it?”

Inwardly, Jenny cursed her father’s abysmal timing and lack of technical knowledge. Like the dutiful daughter she was, she called, “Coming.” She gave Brett an apologetic smile. “Excuse me.”

“No problem.”

Jenny fought the urge to stomp to her father’s office like a petulant toddler. Instead, she patted his back as she swept him inside the office. When she was able to miraculously fix the computer, it was her father who was patting her back.

“Thanks, love. I don’t know what I’m going to do without you when you leave.”

“You’ll manage just fine.”

“I’ll manage to lose my shit each and every time this computer goes crazy on me.”

“Yeah. That too.”

When she came back out of the office, Brett was waiting on her. She opened her mouth to ask what he was doing back there, but she never got the chance. One moment she was standing in front of him and the next he had leapt at her, his body pinning hers against the wall, his hard thighs pressing into hers.

As he loomed over her, his dark eyes glittered with lust. “Come to my hotel with me,” he demanded.

With her head swimming from both his kiss and his demand, she could merely nod. When she once again found her voice, Jenny said, “I can meet you there later. I have to help my dad close up.”

“How do I know you won’t stand me up?”

“Trust me, I won’t,” she replied emphatically.

A sexy smile curved Brett’s lips. “I’m in room 718 at the Loews.”

“Give me an hour and I’ll be there.”

Rolling his hips against hers, he groaned. “I’m not sure I can wait that long.”

“Me either.”

“Then come with me now.”

“I’ll have to come to you later.” She pressed herself against him. “And then we both can come.”

“Fuck yes,” Brett muttered.

Although it pained her to do it, Jenny pried herself away. “Now go on and get out of here.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He kissed her one last time. “If you’re not naked in my room in an hour, I’m coming back here to hunt you down.”

“I’ll be there.” Nothing was going to stop her from getting laid that night—absolutely nothing.

After Brett left, the next forty minutes went by agonizingly slowly. Thankfully, when her father, James, turned on the closing sign and locked the front door, he said, “You go on home, Jen. I’ve got closing covered tonight.”

Jenny fought the urge to do a happy dance. “Are you sure?”

“Positive.”

Grabbing her purse from under the bar, Jenny said, “Thanks, Daddy.” She didn’t give him time to reply before she bolted outside to the parking lot. As Jenny cranked the car, she tried reining in her out-of-control emotions. The horny side of her was doing a happy dance at the thought of getting laid, but the other side cautioned that this was the last thing to be doing with the transfer looming over her. It was the age-old spiritual debate of the angel and the devil on her shoulders.

The closer she got to the Loews, the more she knew it was going to be a very disappointing night for the angel.