His Tattooed Virgin(Divine Creek Ranch 12)(21)

“What do you say we get you another drink, Jayne?”

I should just get it over with. I’m so confused. Seth wants me. But then again he doesn’t want me. I just need to get this behind me. It’s not that big a deal, really.

“That sounds great, Julián.” She thought it sexy and exotic that although he had a Virginia accent, he used the traditional Spanish pronunciation of the J so it sounded like an H.

They cozied up to the bar, and he ordered her another drink. She sipped at her margarita, noting this one was as strong as the first. She thought it was sweet of Ben to have watched out for her before by mixing her second one weaker, but she needed the liquid courage now.

They chatted about his days on the rodeo circuit, and she found more and more that Julián really was a nice, if horny, guy. Anxious to dance some more, she downed the last of the drink and said, “Come on, cowboy. Let’s get this over—I mean, let’s dance some more!” She needed to be careful of her words because her filter seemed to be all but nonexistent at the moment.

Pesky Señor Patrón.

A new, slower song started, and she almost changed her mind when she recognized “What Does He Have” by River City Gang. Even though the song made her wish for Seth’s arms to snuggle into, she allowed Julián to escort her to the dance floor.

Seth’s not here. Get over it.

She ignored the ache in her chest created by the soft piano chords and compelling tone of the vocals and tried to focus on Julián.

Jayne caught a glimpse of Buck and Chad as they watched her dance with Julián. Chad looked guilty, and Buck looked worried. She wondered why but was distracted by Julián as he asked, “So did it hurt?”

Because her mind was still muddled with thoughts of losing her virginity and she was worried that she’d been speaking indiscriminately earlier, she peered at him in confusion. “Huh?”

“When you fell from heaven, angel girl. Did it hurt?”

Jayne burst into giggles as the room swirled and the warmth of her earlier buzz returned. “That’s the cheesiest pickup line I’ve ever heard. Not that I’ve heard that many. But I’ll give you an A-plus for your effort.”

Julián chuckled and kissed her forehead. “Is my charm working on you?” He smiled, but then his attention was drawn away from her.

In a weird out-of-body experience, the memory of Seth’s gentle hands on her as he’d tattooed her telegraphed itself so she actually felt his hand instead of Julián’s. The spot where the tattoo now adorned her hip seemed to vibrate under his hand. Sadness and no small amount of guilt filled her as she gazed up at Julián. His face swam for a moment, and Seth’s visage appeared in its place.

“Seth, it’s just sex. Can’t I just get it over with?”

Multiple male voices twisted and vibrated in her mind, faces swirled around her, and she suddenly couldn’t feel her legs.





Chapter Five




A kaleidoscope of emotions crowded Seth’s thoughts as he watched Jayne on the dance floor with the cowboy who was holding her entirely too fucking close. Buck had called him a few minutes before and told him what Jayne had said and that Jayne was under the impression that Seth didn’t care. Buck had also said that she’d had to get drunk just to get up the guts to ask them, which meant her heart probably wasn’t in this little adventure. She looked happily soused as she chatted with the cowboy while they two-stepped, but then her expression morphed into sadness.

He moved through the club and onto the dance floor. As he got closer, he could tell by her posture and the way she was trying to focus on the man holding her that she must be inebriated. Foremost in his mind was getting her out of the cowboy’s arms. He definitely did care about what she was up to, and he wasn’t going to allow her to throw away a precious part of her she could never get back, not in the condition she was in. The thought of her lying helpless in some nameless cowboy’s arms turned his vision red.

He caught sight of Buck and Chad where they’d edged nearby on the dance floor. He was thankful for their interference in her little “cause” tonight but wished they’d kept her with them until he’d arrived. Considering that they’d originally had Jayne in their sights for themselves to share, he was grateful that they’d turned down her tempting invitation and called him to rescue her from herself.

Possessive anger seethed inside Seth as the cowboy slid his hand around Jayne’s lush hip and squeezed her ass cheek. Seth imagined wiping the pleased smile off the bastard’s face as he wove through the crowd on the dance floor. The man looked up and made eye contact with him for a few seconds and then turned his attention back to Jayne and murmured to her flirtatiously. The cowboy glanced his way again and Seth thought he saw challenge in the man’s eyes. Seth prided himself on being a relatively calm man, not given to fits of jealous rage or temper, but he was fixing to kick someone’s ass.