Maizy the Bear Charmer(Diving Creek Ranch 16)(32)

“Pretty typical, work-wise, but having you here has been nice.”

“Can I ask you about something?”

Spencer glanced at her as the crowd parted, moving out of his way. “Sure.”

“Who in the hell is that hanging all over Cody right now?” she said pointedly as she stared at the blonde rubbing her boobs against Cody’s arm while he carded a group of people who had just come in the door.

Spencer looked up front and then groaned. “Her name is Presley Ann. She used to be a regular at the Dancing Pony but since she found out we work here she’s been coming in…a lot. Her sister is sweet as pie but that one…She’s persistent. I think she saw us with you and she’s giving it her best shot. She left her sister, Leah, to sit all alone,” he added with disgust in his voice.

“Presley Ann Woodworth?” she said, tugging at his hand to stop him. “Doug Woodworth’s daughter?”

“Yeah, that’s her last name, I think.”

“I don’t like the way—no, I hate the way she keeps rubbing on him but I can’t go over there, Spencer. Her father is on the school board. I don’t know him but—” A spark of panic ignited inside her.

Spencer immediately changed direction and tugged her with him toward the bar.

“I’m sorry,” she said as the crowd thinned and she could walk beside him.

He looked down at her and frowned. “Don’t be. I’ll take care of it. I wouldn’t want you to get caught in a confrontation with her regardless of who she is.”

“I guess tearing her fake boobs off would be a good definition of a confrontation.”

Spencer’s eyebrows shot up and the look in his eyes was a combination of surprise and admiration. “Cody will love it when I tell him that.”

“You’re going to tell him?”

He gave her a full smile and chuckled. “Hell yeah. Stay with Heath for right now.”

Spencer shared a few words with him and Heath helped her into a seat at the end of the bar near his post and smooched the top of her head. “Watch Spencer work, baby.”

Spencer stopped at a table and then returned to the front. Looking irritated, Cody turned when he saw Spencer, with the blonde barnacle still firmly attached to him. Spencer, seeming suddenly very sociable, struck up a conversation with Presley Ann and distracted her so she actually let go of Cody. Two of the guys from the table he’d stopped at came over and they drew her into conversation. In less than a minute, they had her moving toward the dance floor. Maizy also noticed that a couple of other guys went over to the table Spencer had pointed out earlier, where Presley Ann’s sister Leah sat all alone sipping from her drink. That was nice of him, she thought.

Curious, she turned to Heath and saw that she’d guessed correctly earlier. He was watching a row of security monitors. He motioned to the new bouncer, Ryan, and used brief sign language to communicate to him, and the tall, wiry guy made a beeline for the back entry to the club where the restrooms were located. Heath grinned at her and she said, “I’m curious about something.”

“About what?” he asked as he motioned to one of the bartenders.

“Spencer doesn’t strike me as the overtly sociable type, yet he just walked into that situation and dealt with her like he was…” She smiled when the bartender set a glass of soda in front of her.

“A pro?” Heath asked. “He is. He detests chitchat and standing around socializing but he’s also very good at his job. He didn’t like seeing you upset. If you’d been over there, you’d have been able to tell he wasn’t really engaged in that conversation. Presley Ann irritates him even more than she does Cody but we’re careful to not show how we really feel about her attention. We don’t offend the ladies if we can avoid it. She’s just a little slow on the uptake. Some of them are like that. You were getting a little possessive there, huh?” She could hear the curiosity in his voice.

“I don’t…I’m not normally like that.” She was a fairly confident person and it didn’t make sense that she would feel that way. She never had before. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. I’d feel the same way if a guy was hanging all over you.”

She’d imagined confronting that young woman and had embraced the sensation until she’d realized who she was. Then she’d felt a little powerless because she knew she couldn’t go over there, much less confront Presley Ann.

A little while later, as it neared closing time, Cody came and got her himself. He gave her a lingering kiss and led her back to the front after speaking briefly with Heath.