Blood in the Water(124)

Partway across the room, Paul’s progress was interrupted by Katie. The blonde sweetbutt was a little less than steady on her feet, but she was doing her damndest to wind herself around Paul. It looked like she intended to scramble up his body, and from the sinuous way she was rubbing up against him she obviously had no qualms about getting down and dirty right there in the middle of the room.



Ashleigh saw green before she saw red. Not jealousy exactly, because he wasn’t reacting to the woman slithering all over him at all, but definitely possessiveness. Then the rage came. Ashleigh was suddenly incensed that another woman was pushing up on her man. Huh? Her man? Maybe she’d already made her decision; she just hadn’t admitted it to herself. Something settled into place in her heart and in her head when she saw that he wasn’t accepting the offer of easy pussy, he was looking straight at her, his gaze fierce.



Paul had finally succeeded in pushing Katie away before Ashleigh started moving towards him. The sweetbutt was literally pouting and she wasn’t moving back; like maybe she thought she’d give it another shot. Ashleigh wasn’t going to give her the chance. She heard sound as Paul tried to say something to her when she reached the two of them, but she didn’t register words. She was concentrating too much on putting her body weight behind the right hook she was aiming at Katie’s cheek. The blow connected and the shocked sweetbutt staggered backwards, tripped over a chair and landed on her ass on the floor, cradling her bruised face.



Her mama had always taught Ashleigh that she had to earn her place in the clubhouse and then keep it. She had to earn it by being polite, respectful and helpful, but she should keep it by standing her ground.



Katie finally scrambled to her feet, and seeing the deep scowl on Ashleigh’s face, backed away and headed for the toilets to check the damage. The intent, almost angry fire in Paul’s eyes had been replaced, or now had the addition of, a little amusement.



“Beauty, you jealous?”



Ashleigh shrugged and tried to unobtrusively shake out her fingers and flex her knuckles. “Maybe a little.”



He caught her hand and rubbed his thumb over her sore knuckles, just a little too firmly, and dropped his voice low. “You forget how to answer your phone, beauty?”



Ashleigh stepped in close, glorying in the heat and the scent of him as she turned her face up to look at him and murmured. “Didn’t want to put my answer in a text.” It was as honest an answer as he was going to get while they had an audience.



The next thing she knew, those massive arms were wrapped tightly around her and he was kissing her like his life depended on it; and she was returning the kiss with equal fervor. She was vaguely aware of whoops and catcalls and lewd comments bouncing around the room, but she blocked them out and concentrated on the silky soft feel of Paul’s lips and tongue and on the delicious taste of his mouth. Even when he pulled back, giving them both room to breathe, it still felt as though they were the only two people in the room.



“I’m flattered, beauty; but you shouldn’t be goin’ round punchin’ people in your condition.” He chuckled.



“Really and what condition is that?” Chiz leered. Ashleigh jumped a little, she’d had no idea he’d been so close. And he wasn’t lowering his voice.



“Same one been causin’ her to leave full bottles all over the place.” Dizzy called over from the pool table.



A hush descended over the room. Ashleigh thought that maybe if her heart didn’t start thumping again soon that she wouldn’t have to worry about everybody’s reactions to Chiz and Dizzy’s insinuations, because she’d probably just go ahead and expire right in front of all of them. She buried her face against Paul’s chest. The ground opening up and swallowing her, them, would be real good about now. Still didn’t happen.



“You got somethin’ to tell us, cher?”



Ashleigh looked round slowly, reluctantly. She thought her mother’s eyebrow might well climb right off her face by the end of the night. Her mother looked expectant. Her daddy just looked downright confused.



She sucked in some fortifying air and, further strengthened by Paul’s arms squeezing tighter around her and the press of his lips on her head, she replied, “Yeah, you’re gonna be a grandma come spring.”



Ashleigh watched with trepidation as her mother slid smoothly off the stool she’d been perched on and walked over to them. That eyebrow had finally come down a few notches, but it had lowered still further than its usually resting place and it had been joined by its twin. Her mama wasn’t outright scowling, but she wasn’t far off. Ashleigh felt Paul stand a little straighter, but he didn’t loosen his hold on her even a little bit.