“Ex,” Roxie said hoarsely. She was surprised she could get that much out. Her mouth had gone dry and her throat felt thick. “Ex-husband.”
Like the distinction mattered with her sisters looking at her wide-eyed in shock. Everybody in the place had turned to watch the spectacle. Everyone, including Whitey and Old Martha.
“You’re married?” Lexie said.
Roxie gritted her teeth. She might as well have said, “You’re an alien?” Was it so surprising that she’d had someone in her life, too? Once upon a time… long, long ago…
“Divorced,” she said tightly. “Years ago. It was short-lived.”
“Not as short as you like to think,” Billy returned.
Billy. Every time she looked at him, her stomach squeezed, but it was nearly impossible to look away. That familiar old jitter was running through her veins—a hot spicy thrill that she couldn’t ignore. It was like this every time they came within fifty feet of one another. Always had been and probably always would be. The two of them had always been combustible together, like two firecrackers held together by a common wick.
Damn it, why was he here? He couldn’t be here, not tonight of all nights. She was feeling rocky enough as it was. He just might be more than she could take.
But damn, he looked good.
She bit her lip when he brushed off the seat of his pants, and her fingers itched. She knew just how that masculine backside felt. She remembered how it would flex when she ran her fingernails across it. How he’d buck into her and whisper what a bad girl she was…
Low down, her belly gave a delicious squeeze. Heat gathered in her cheeks, and she swore under her breath.
Blushing? Seriously? She rubbed her hand over her cheekbone, trying to brush it away.
Fortunately, Lexie didn’t see because she’d already swung around towards Cam. “Did you know about this?”
Maxie caught Zac’s arm. “You did a background check on her.”
Both men winced, and Roxie’s lip curled up in a snarl. When she’d shared her background info with Zac, it had been to prove that Maxie was her sister, not to let him pry into her life. And as for the Hatchet Man… Lexie’s in-charge boyfriend just liked to meddle.
“It was so long ago,” Cam said.
Zac tilted his head in apology. “I didn’t think it was relevant.”
“Not relevant?” Lexie snapped.
Maxie jabbed a finger in Roxie’s general direction. “Does that not seem relevant?”
No, her marriage to Billy had never been irrelevant.
Roxie’s heart jumped when her ex took a step towards her, and the thrill inside her gave a sharp tug. Their gazes locked, and she fought not to dissolve. His green eyes seemed so deep tonight. They were sharper and darker than she’d ever seen them before.
The noisy bar drifted away until it was just the two of them.
Before she knew it, he was standing right in front of her. Her hair fell back as she looked up into his face. She could smell the musky scent of his cologne, even through the heavy smoke in the bar, and it sparked memories inside her. Memories of intimacy. Physical and emotional.
She remembered being with him. She remembered it being the two of them against the world.
And she remembered it all falling apart.
The ache in her chest moved up to her throat.
“You found your family?” he asked quietly.
She nodded once and the sting was suddenly in her eyes. Four little words. Four little words and it messed her right up. He knew how much that meant to her. He knew what it was like to do without a family, to be looking for the other parts of yourself.
She’d thought that he’d been the other half of her once.
“Yes,” she whispered. “Part of it.”
She nodded towards the other two women who were still arguing with their men. “They’re my sisters. We’re identical triplets,” she said inanely.
Like that wasn’t obvious to anyone with eyes.
He brushed a curl away from her face and tucked it behind her ear. “God help me. Three of you?”
His touch was too much. It sent a shiver across her skin but that wasn’t enough to make her pull away. “What are you doing here, Billy?”
The words came out more harshly than she intended.
She didn’t want him here. Her heart was racing, her nerves were singing, and she felt hot all over. This was purely adrenaline. It was a sign of danger. It was her body’s natural way of warning her that the situation was not good. It wasn’t a thrill or excitement or longing.
His green eyes narrowed. “Charlie invited me. I wasn’t going to let him down.”
Charlie. Of course he had, the traitor. She threw a look across the room at her old boss. He was watching them closely.
“Oh, come on, Roxie,” Skeeter said. “It’s Charlie’s retirement, and he wanted Billy here. All the important people in both your lives should be here.”
It wasn’t meant to be a dig, but that was the way she took it. She caught the sharp jab directly in her gut, but Billy felt it, too. The fingertips against her cheek went stiff.
The “important people” in their lives hadn’t always been around. In her case, most of them headed directly towards the door.
Although, technically in Billy’s case, she was the one who’d left.
A pissed-off look settled onto his face. It was subtle, but she knew all the signs. His eyebrows flattened out and a muscle near the corner of his mouth twitched. “Don’t worry,” he said roughly. “I’ll stay out of your hair. I’ll keep to Charlie’s side of the bar for the rest of the night.”
But then he stepped up to her.
His leather jacket brushed against the back of her knuckles, and their knees bumped.
He dipped his head and the tips of their noses touched. Some of the irritation left his face. “But know that I’m happy for you, too.”
His voice dropped to an intimate whisper. “For the bar, and for finding your sisters. God, Roxie. What that must have meant for you…”
His mouth settled across hers then. Firm, hot, and sexy.
The jolt went through her as it always did, but it hit her harder tonight. She hadn’t expected him to come. She hadn’t had enough time to prepare for him. For this. There were only so many barriers a girl could put up.
And he knew how much all of this meant to her—the acceptance, the inclusion, and the security.
He’d meant all that to her once. He’d meant even more than that.
He’d been her everything.
A whimper left the back of her throat.
The tip of his tongue slid over the seam of her lips, and she shuddered. Opening her mouth, she kissed him back. Their mouths sealed and that wick that joined the two of them began burning. Sizzling and sparking.
Sliding her hands underneath his jacket, she clutched at the muscles of his back. It wasn’t enough. Lifting her leg, she rubbed her knee against the outside of his thigh. He flinched a little at that move, but came roaring back at her. His hands settled on her hips and his fingers bit into her ass. He pulled her into him, and their bodies sealed tight.
Hoots went up, but they didn’t register.
Roxie’s head fell back as white-hot energy coursed through her. Colors swirled behind her eyelids, and tingles ran across her skin. Her hands had found their way under his T-shirt, and she raked her fingers across his taut muscles.
Oh, God. Nothing had changed.
Yet everything was different.
She stiffened. She knew where this would lead. They did this every time he showed up in town. They’d get all hot and bothered. That wick would burn brightly until their relationship exploded. She couldn’t let them repeat the trend. For once, she had to deny herself.
It might hurt like hell now, but it would feel better in the end.
Feeling her withdrawal, Billy pulled back. Their breaths puffed against each other’s faces. It was all Roxie could do to keep from trembling.
She couldn’t do this, not again.
He knew it, too, and was already shaking his head. “Have a good night, baby.”
He swirled one of her long curls around his finger, but then gently laid the strand of hair against her shoulder. Slowly, he let go of her and backed off. His green gaze was cloudy now. He cleared his throat and stuffed his hands in his back pockets.
With a final nod, he turned away.
Gossip started buzzing through the room.
Roxie couldn’t stop herself from watching as he moseyed across the bar. He’d always been such an eye-magnet when he moved. Tonight was no different. When a bleach-blonde bimbo stepped into his path and thrust her tiny little boobs at him, Roxie nearly reached for the knife the bartender was using on the limes.
Stopping herself in the nick of time, she settled for cinching her belt around her waist.
Unfortunately, she pulled so tight, she could barely breathe.
Reaching out, she steadied herself against the bar. Her nose crinkled when she saw how white her fingers were.
She was acting like a damn girl, all fluttery and delicate.
She blew out a harsh breath. Inside, she didn’t feel like a girl. She felt like a woman. Her body was alive, energized as if it had just woken up from a long nap. Yet her heart was beating like a scared dove’s.
“Ah, hell,” she muttered.
This was too much. He shouldn’t be here.
Especially not with them here, too.
Letting go of the bar, she deliberately fluffed her hair. Her sisters were already closing in. She could see the shock on their faces and practically hear their questions being screamed across the air. The jukebox was pumping out heavy metal, but she could hear her heart drumming steadily in her ears. The combination of all three created such a cacophony that her thoughts scrambled.
She didn’t want to go through this. She didn’t want to have this discussion. Hadn’t she opened herself up enough?
Maxie was the first to make it to her, and she caught her by the arm. “The two of you were married?”
Lexie was close on her heels. “Why didn’t you tell us?”
The roar in Roxie’s ears intensified. Crap on a cracker. Did they have to pile on?
She let out a sigh that emptied the breath that had been trapped in the bottom of her lungs. “I did tell you,” she said tiredly. “In a way…”
Too many people were still staring at them, and she shook her head. This wasn’t news to a lot of the old-time regulars. At one time, Billy had been around here more than she had.
But she wasn’t going to share her dirty laundry with everyone.
Escape. It was the foremost idea in her head. She had to get out of here.
Her hair tumbled over her shoulders as she searched for somewhere she could go. Her brain just wasn’t working, and so many people were pressed around her.
Maxie showed her the way out. The grip on her arm changed, and Roxie followed along as her sister cleared a path. The door. She hoped they were heading for the door. Or at least her office. Instead, Maxie directed them towards the booth in the very back corner. Somehow it had opened up.
It was something.
Roxie slid onto the bench but felt her knees give out when she was halfway down. She landed with a plop that stung, but she tried to cover it up. When she lifted her gaze, she found her sisters watching her like a bug under a microscope. They’d both taken seats across the table from her. Talk about teaming up against her.
“This isn’t going to be an inquisition,” she said, establishing the ground rules up front.
“We don’t want to pressure you,” Maxie said.
“But honestly, Rox,” Lexie said softly. “You look like you need to talk.”
Their big brown eyes were round and steady. There was no judgment, just curiosity. And caring.
It was the latter that made her throat choke up again.
She raked a hand through her hair. She couldn’t meet their eyes, but when she looked across the room she found herself watching Billy as he shook Charlie’s hand. Skeeter gave him a beer and he tilted his head back to take a long drink. His throat worked as he downed half the bottle without taking a breath, but then he glanced her way.
And time stood still.
She broke the look first. Staring at the table, she ran her fingertips over its uneven surface until they bumped into the salt. Snatching up the little glass shaker, she drummed it rhythmically in time with the music.
Lexie glanced over her shoulder. “I don’t remember you saying anything about him.”
“We would’ve remembered something like that,” Maxie said with a nod.
Roxie rolled her shoulder. “I told you that a friend got me out of the foster care system.”
“That was Billy?” Maxie said, not understanding. “But how—”
“You married him to escape the system?” Lexie gasped.
“Oh my gosh, your name change from Jones to Cannon when you were sixteen.” Maxie’s eyes went wide. “I just thought you did that to make a clean break or something.”
“It was a bit more than that.” Catching herself, Roxie deliberately dropped the edge from her voice. “He was eighteen, and I was sixteen. When he aged out of the system, we got a judge’s order that allowed us to get married.”
“So you worked the law to your favor,” Lexie said.
“I damn well did.” Because there was no way they were going to be torn apart.
Roxie raked her hand through her hair again, but then draped her arm over the back of the booth. The marriage hadn’t just been a way out. It had been a way in. She’d always been the one on the outside with her face pressed against the window. With Billy, she’d been welcomed inside. She’d been wanted and needed.
They’d had each other’s backs. They protected one another, trusted one another, and had loved each other. Life had dealt them both a pretty harsh set of cards, but together, they’d thought they’d found a royal flush.
“How long did it last?” Lexie asked.
“Two years.”
“Two years?” Reaching across the table, Maxie caught Roxie’s hand. When Roxie tried to pull away, she just gripped her tighter. “You two were really in love.”
Oh, yeah. They might have been young, but their feelings had been very grown up.
“Why did it end?” Lexie asked.
Twisting her wrist, Roxie pulled her arm away. Maxie’s hand fell limp on the table. Roxie sniffed and looked up at the ceiling fans. That old pain had scabbed over, but she didn’t like anyone picking at it. Not even her sister, whom she loved with all her heart.
She cocked her head. “We were too young, too stupid.”
Her throat felt like it had glass shards poking into it. “I guess it just wasn’t meant to be.”
Lexie sat back and let one eyebrow lift. “You could’ve fooled us.”
Maxie’s expression turned gentle. “That was some kiss, Rox.”
Roxie blew out a breath. Hadn’t it been, though? She still couldn’t feel her kneecaps.
“Just because two people are good in the sack, it doesn’t mean there’s something more between them.” Carefully, she put the saltshaker back in its holder. “It takes more than hormones.”
Because hormones led to other complications and the relationship had to be strong enough to handle the fallout.
Theirs hadn’t been.
And that was that. End of story.
She began scooting across the bench seat. “I need to get back to the party. I’m not being a good hostess.”
“They can wait a little longer,” Maxie insisted.
“Yeah.” Lexie surprised them all when she planted her Steve Madden knee-high boot on the bench across from her, blocking Roxie’s escape. When her sister gave her the evil eye, she lifted a bottle off the seat beside her. “Let’s have the party here for just a little while.”
A weight lifted off Roxie’s shoulders. Just a tiny weight, but it was enough to let her breathe again. The corner of her mouth twitched upwards. “Is that bourbon, Lexie?”
Maxie was a bit more stunned. “I thought you stayed away from that stuff like the plague.”
Lexie also produced three glasses. She poured fast, letting the liquid splash. “Sometimes a girl’s got to do what a girl’s got to do. I’ve just got to say one thing.” She slid the tumbler across the table and leaned forward. “Damn, but he’s pretty.”
Maxie picked up a glass of her own. “Isn’t he, though?”
Roxie swirled the copper-colored liquor around and watched the whirlpool that formed. She could feel it pulling at her, tugging her down. Tilting her head back, she drank a mouthful.
That was Billy.
So pretty, it hurt.
* * * * *
“Hey, Charlie,” Billy said, sticking out his hand and giving his old friend a firm handshake. “Congratulations, man.”
Charlie’s wizened face split into a wide smile, and he stood from his chair. With a yank, he pulled Billy in closer to give him a slap on the back. “I didn’t know if you were going to make it.”
Neither had he. The date and time hadn’t been an issue. He just hadn’t known if he could go through seeing Roxie again.
Or if he could keep his hands off her.
The knot in his chest pulled tighter. Strike number one.
“Are you kidding me?” he said, keeping it light. “I wouldn’t have missed your big send-off.”
Charlie was still patting his shoulder, as if to make sure he was really there. “The season just ended last weekend,” he said, offering an out. “I wasn’t sure if you could get away.”
Actually, that part had been tough. “Yeah, well I had some time coming, and I told them I had to go celebrate with my old man.”
Their gazes connected, and Charlie’s grip tightened on his shoulder. Billy cleared his throat. Biology had nothing to do with it. This man had been the steadiest influence he’d ever had on his life. Too bad he’d already been a wild teen with a chip like a cement block on his shoulder when they’d met.
“How long do you plan on staying?” his mentor asked.
“A few days, maybe a week or so. You know me, I’m not big on planning.”
“Enough time to go fishing?”
Billy grinned. “I’m always up for fun.”
“Speaking of which…” He dug into his jacket pocket and pulled out tickets. The old man’s eyes sparked when he saw them. “These are for when the series starts up again in the spring. I figured you and Lola would be up for some traveling now that you’re retired.”
“Whoa.” Skeeter leaned over his boss’s shoulder, and his eyes bugged out as he read the print. “The Brickyard 400? Are you serious?”
Billy pointed. “VIP passes.”
Charlie got a bit choked up. “Aw, you didn’t need to do that.”
Billy gave him a firm poke in the chest. “But you’re glad I did.”
That got a laugh out of Charlie and the bouncer.
“Damn straight, I am.” The bar proprietor signaled for more drinks. He was still owner for one more night. “Drinks are on me.”
Billy cast a look across the room. The place was busy, but he spotted Roxie heading for a corner booth. She couldn’t get much further away from him than that. “Yeah, I could use one.”
Charlie saw the direction of his attention, and the smile on his face faltered just a bit. “I hope I didn’t stir the pot.”
Billy shook his head and accepted the beer Skeeter passed to him. “Don’t worry about it.”
That pot had been stirred so many times, it was forever running in circles.
Still, that didn’t mean that beer couldn’t help. He took a long pull on the cold liquid and downed half the bottle before he realized what he was doing. Wiping the back of his hand across his mouth, he took a deep breath. He let go some of the weight that was draped all over him and looked around the place.
The bar hadn’t changed much in the past few years. Two, to be exact. He’d managed to stay away from her that long this time.
Finding an open spot, he propped himself up against the wall. The tables were still old and pockmarked, and the Bud sign in the window was still burnt out. But that was a new sound system he heard, and fresh paint had been slapped onto the walls.
He wondered what changes Roxie would make.
He shook his head. Probably tiger-print shades on all the lamps and black leather seats throughout.
Reaching up, he rubbed the back of his neck. He couldn’t believe she owned the place now. He glanced across the room again, unable to help himself. Or that she’d found sisters. Two of them.
Holy hell.
“Blows the mind, doesn’t it?” Skeeter was working tonight, but he wasn’t on the door. What the guy lacked in book smarts, he made up in people smarts. He knew exactly where Billy was looking. And why.
“How long have they been around?” Billy asked.
“Few months, maybe a bit longer than that.”
“They treat her okay?”
“They’re like peas in a pod, man.”
Billy’s eyes narrowed. He supposed they would be. If they really were identical triplets, they’d started out life that way. How the hell had this happened?
“They’ve even got that silent talking thing going,” Skeeter continued. “Like they can sometimes read each other’s minds.”
Now, that was a bit harder to believe. Nobody knew what was going on in Roxie’s head but her.
He’d learned that the hard way.
“Did they have tests run to verify everything?” he asked.
“Hell, yeah. Roxie’s got hers posted on the wall in Charlie’s office.”
Her office now.
Billy settled his head back against the cool wall. He was so damn happy for her, it hurt a little. She belonged now. It was all she’d ever wanted, but somehow he hadn’t been able to make her feel that way.
He slammed the rest of his beer and grabbed another from a passing tray.
Shit. Why did he keep doing this to himself? Why did he keep coming back here? Was he some kind of masochist? He’d managed to stay away longer this time, but the pull always got to him. He’d show up, knowing he shouldn’t. She always left him in worse shape than she found him, but he couldn’t get over his addiction to her. She was like his drug. From time to time, he needed a fix.
That kiss they’d shared had only given him a taste. He wanted more. Hell, he needed it.
But that probably wasn’t happening tonight—not with the way those two goons were still watching him.
He jerked his chin towards them. “Do I need to watch out for the boyfriends?”
Skeeter turned to follow his look. “Cam and Zac? They’re okay.”
Yet they were giving him the stink-eye. It was cute how they thought they were protecting her. If they didn’t know that Roxie could take care of herself, they didn’t know her very well.
Billy’s jaw set. Did they really think they could intimidate him? He was used to being the new kid, the outsider. Hell, who were they to judge? They’d only achieved boyfriend status. He’d married his triplet.
Although…
Shit.
He ran his thumb across the edge of the label on his beer. “Is Roxie seeing anyone?”
He knew the question opened him up, but he hadn’t been pulling one over on the bouncer anyway. And hell, the idea that Roxie might have a boyfriend of her own stung more than the fall he’d taken on his ass. He needed to know the answer before that caught him by surprise, too. He knew she wasn’t a nun, but he really, really didn’t want some guy to appear and be all lovey-dovey with her tonight.
Although lovey-dovey really wasn’t Roxie’s style.
“Nah,” Skeeter said with a shrug. “She’s been doing the bachelorette thing for a while.”
Good to hear.
When Billy took another drink, it went down a bit more easily. Yes, definitely good to hear.
Movement from the back booth caught his attention. His teeth clenched, but he couldn’t help but stare like some kind of peeping Tom. He was like a freaking homing pigeon when it came to her.
Homing pigeon… Well, now wasn’t that just the turn of phrase? This hadn’t been his home for a very long time.
He planted his foot flat against the wall, grounding himself.
That didn’t mean he could stop watching. One-by-one, different versions of the woman he’d loved popped out of the corner booth like clowns coming out of a circus car. Hooking his thumb in his pocket, he drummed his fingers against his thigh. When he’d first stepped into the joint, he hadn’t even known it was possible that he wouldn’t recognize her.
Now that he knew there were others, he could see the differences.
The first one wore jeans, but the blazer and pricey leather boots were a dead giveaway that she was trying to dress down. Lexie, was it? She was classy, but she hadn’t seemed snotty. With that face and body, though, she could get away with a lot.
The second one had him tilting his head in consideration. Now that was sugar and spice all wrapped up in one. Sister Two was wearing a cute little number with a short skirt that wasn’t too short. The black ankle boots looked new and maybe a bit painful. A good girl was taking a careful trip on the wild side.
The cop at the bar straightened when he spotted her coming his way. With him around, she could dress however she wanted. Nobody would dare make a move.
Finally, long legs swung out of the back booth, and Billy felt his mouth start to water. This one was the real deal. Roxie.
Those leggings of hers were something else. They fit her like a glove, showing off all her sleek lines and sexy curves. Her boots were well-lived in, but that walk of hers. Dayum! He almost swallowed his tongue when she balanced expertly atop them and began to strut.
Those hips of hers were born to swivel.
“You planning on getting back in on the action?” Skeeter asked.
All Billy could manage was a grunt.
There was no planning involved. Things between them just happened. It was like a chemical reaction. First there was smoke, and then a poof, and then a four-alarm fire.
He could already smell the acridness in the air.
That slinky top she wore knew how to caress her curves. It was belted around her waist and draped over her butt, making oglers wonder what was underneath. He knew what was underneath, but he couldn’t stop looking at her bare shoulder. Her top slipped off it, exposing skin. So soft, so smooth. She was wearing some kind of strapless bra. He’d felt it when he’d held her, but that didn’t stop him from wondering what it looked like.
Catching himself, he banged his head back against the wall.
“No, I’m not planning anything,” he told his old friend. “I’m just here for Charlie.”
“Ri-iight,” Skeeter said astutely.
Right.
Billy set his empty down on the table next to him. Another tray was passing by, but he scowled at it. Beer wasn’t having the effect he needed.
He lifted an eyebrow at Charlie. “You got anything stronger around here?”