Let It Snow(64)

“Nah.” The dark-haired a-hole in the flannel shirt shook his head. “You can hang out for a minute.”

“No, I can’t,” Tessa stated firmly as she once again turned to leave.

Then the red shirt a-hole grabbed her again, saying, “Now, now. The customer’s always right, sweetheart. Didn’t they teach you that in Cocktailing 101? Or did you take Cockteasing 101? ’Cause you certainly seem good at that. Consider my cock officially teased.”

Tessa tried to pull her wrist away, but Red Shirt tightened his grip. Through clenched teeth, Tessa said with a deadly serious tone, “Let. Me. Go.”

“Nah, I think it’s time you take a seat.” Red Shirt scooted away from his chair and patted his thigh. When she pulled away again, he gripped her harder and lifted up his shirt. That’s when Tessa saw his limp dick lying outside of his jeans.

His friends burst out in laughter and cheers, and just as Tessa was about to hit Mr. Limp Dick over the head with her tray, she saw a fist fly beside her head and land straight on Red Shirt’s jaw. Tessa could feel the impact of the punch through the hand that was still wrapped around her wrist right before the fingers released their grip.

The next thing she knew, she was behind Jake’s back, one of his arms holding her securely in place. She tried to look around his large bicep but it wasn’t happening. He had her plastered up against him.

She heard yelling, probably from the guys at the table, and felt Jake’s body shake from what she assumed was him landing another punch. Within seconds, several other guys Tessa recognized from the fire station were there as well as Levi.

Everyone in the small table area was on their feet and suddenly Nikki was at her side. “Are you okay?” Jake’s sister asked, concern etched in her face.

Tessa nodded against the hard planes of Jake’s back. Adrenaline was racing through her and her heart was pounding.

Jake turned around. Wrapping both arms around her, he pulled her in and held her snugly against him. And just like that, the entire bar disappeared. It was just her and Jake. The two of them.

He drew back and cupped her face in his hands. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. Really,” she assured him, bringing her hands up to rest over his.

He searched her eyes for a moment more before they both heard Eric’s deep voice asking, “What’s going on?”

She turned and saw that, just like the week before, Eric was dressed head to toe in uniform.

“Damn.” Jake released her face but slipped one arm around her waist, pulling her to his side. “Did you teleport here?”

“I was in the parking lot when the call came over the radio,” Eric explained, sounding very much like a cop.

Tessa stood beside Jake as he, Levi, and Nikki all explained what happened. The peanut gallery of a-holes kept trying to interject, but Eric was having none of it.

After hearing the entire story, Eric told Julian, who had shown up a few moments after Eric, to watch the guys at the table. Then he turned to Tessa, “I need to talk to you.”

Tessa nodded and began following Eric. Jake was right by her side. They hadn’t even made it two steps when Eric turned back and said to his brother, “Alone.”

Jake did not like the sound of that. “Hell no. I’m going—”

“It’s fine.” Tessa patted him on the chest. “I’ll be fine.”

She looked right in his eyes and smiled. Of course she would be fine. She’d be with the Chief of Police, who also happened to be Jake’s big brother.

Jake nodded, but he didn’t look happy about it.

Eric stopped at the end of the hall that held the bathrooms and turned around. “Do you want to press charges?” he asked, wasting no time with pleasantries.

“No.” Tessa shook her head.

Hopefully, Jake had taught those guys a lesson they wouldn’t forget anytime soon. Besides, she didn’t really feel like they’d ever been a real threat to her.

Eric stood silently in front of her. It got a little awkward, so she asked, “Is that all?”

He still didn’t answer for several moments. Then he nodded once.

Oookay.

Tessa turned to leave and was stopped by Eric’s voice. “Be careful.”

She immediately turned back around at his cryptic warning. She looked up at him and had no idea what he was talking about. “Of what?” she asked.

“With Jake.” Eric’s brows furrowed. “I know you care about him, but you have no idea what you leaving did to him.”

With that, he left the hall. Leaving her alone.

His words hung in her head along with Nikki’s saying that Jake hadn’t been the same after she’d left. But she’d seen him in the back of his truck with that girl. Only two weeks later. He had been fine. Right?