* * *
Janna sighed when the handsome man disappeared from view. Her friends were now trying to figure out what the men were doing in town and whether they should let them settle in before approaching.
Maybe it was time for her to call it a night and head out before the snow got worse.
“Guys?” she asked, interrupting them and pulling their attention her way. “I’m tired. I think I’m going to head home.”
Leslie sighed in disappointment. “Ah, you can’t go. We’ll stop the boy talk. It’s girls’ night after all. We haven’t even heard about Scott’s weekly shenanigans.”
Kylie nodded, also interested.
Janna’s stomach felt sour at the thought. She’d had fun regaling her friends with stories of her stupid ex and his exploits to get her back, but as he’d been getting more aggressive, it had become more unpleasant to talk about. And she didn’t want to admit it was honestly getting to the point that it was making her nervous.
“He hasn’t done anything of note this week,” Janna said quietly.
“Darn,” Leslie said, frowning. “He’s just so lame. It’s karmic justice to watch him failing all over the place with you.”
Janna nodded. When Scott had cheated, she’d felt the ground beneath her crack in half. Now he couldn’t have half that effect on her. He could still, however, make the ground shake a little. And she wished more than anything that he would just let her move on.
But when his woman on the side moved, he’d suddenly become interested in Janna again, which just affirmed what Janna already knew. That his relationship with her had been all about fulfilling needs and nothing else.
Still, Janna knew she was a smart, independent woman who had made a life for herself in this town even after tragedy, and that sustained her whenever he had the gall to come around.
Not that she’d complain if he stopped.
“You ladies mind if we join you?” A smooth, deep voice cut in. “We’re new in town.”
Leslie was the bravest and the first to look up. Janna knew it would be the men from below. The voice was so heart-meltingly sexy it could only match up with one of those gorgeous faces.
“Sure, join us,” Leslie said, and Janna groaned inwardly.
She tried to ignore the men, but she felt a chair pulled up right next to her, felt the heat of a large, male body beside her. Not touching, but close enough. She gritted her teeth and looked up into intent, deep blue eyes that made her breath catch in her throat.
Ryder Hart was even handsomer up close. Handsome wasn’t a strong enough word. With sharp features that could cut ice, long lashes, and unruly dark hair, he was movie-star gorgeous. Sort of like his movie star brother. But there was a keen intelligence in those dark blue eyes, and as he raked her from head to toe with his gaze, Janna got the feeling this was a man who was much more than his appearance.
Then he had the gall to reach out and touch her hair. And she had the gall to let him.
She drew in a short breath and felt warmth spread over her body as the rest of the table went quiet and watched them. He drew her hair behind her ears and leaned in closer, eyes still locked on hers, and then gazed down at her lips.
What was going on? It was like being caught in a spell. Maybe it was just because she hadn’t been with anyone in so long. Janna licked her lips and saw his eyes heat, and in the moment, she felt so beautiful, so utterly desirable because of that look, that she almost melted on the spot.
But then Scott’s face flashed in her mind and she sucked in a breath and pulled back, swatting away his hand. The spell was broken, and she heard awkward laughter from the others at the table. The man stood up abruptly, anger in his eyes. He folded his arms and appraised her as if he didn’t understand how or why she’d rejected him.
Janna ignored him and drank her coffee, avoiding Leslie’s wide-open eyes and Kylie’s dropped jaw. Of course they wouldn’t understand how she’d turned down such a good-looking, powerful man. But Janna had experience with good-looking, powerful men. And the faster and smoother the approach, the less she generally trusted them.
Janna pinned the man with a look (when she was calm enough to not appear openly aroused by him) and pushed his empty chair further away with one foot. “I don’t know where you’re from, but here it’s not polite to touch strangers before even introducing yourself,” she said.
His gaze on her was intense, and she inwardly cursed as she found herself being the one to break eye contact. Looking at him too long did something to her, something she didn’t like. Something that made her feel out of control, and Janna hated nothing so much as being out of control.