“Hey, Connor, they’re okay.”
Jessa’s sweet voice reached him seconds before she did. Connor could smell her unique scent as she swung the cage door back and gained the platform.
“Wow Kitty, I didn’t think you guys would make it down here.”
Connor crossed his arms impassively over his chest and watched Jessa retreat into her shell before the obvious alpha bitch of their little pack. Restless hands tugged at the fabric of her skirt in an attempt to force a little more coverage of her legs. Eyes downcast, the steel went out of her spine as the temptress turned demure.
“Jessa darling, we had to see what all the fuss was about,” Kitty returned, leaning over and invisibly brushing her lips against Jessa’s cheeks.
“It’s so rough!” the redhead said before she, too, greeted Jessa.
“Not a lot of women in here, Jessa. I don’t guess the men are picky are they?” the black haired waif didn’t bother with the greeting.
“Jessa sweetheart, you look fabulous!” the brunette gushed before flinging her arms around Jessa’s neck and giving her a real hug.
Connor grunted in approval. His instincts had definitely been on track. They were like fish, cold fish. And everyone but the curvy girl in the ugly dress needed to be tossed back.
“Ladies,” Jessa cast a glance at Connor. “This is Connor. He’s the owner.”
Connor gave them a clipped nod.
“Connor, this is Kitty, Georgia, Courtney and Anne. We’ve all been friends for years.”
“Our husbands play golf together,” Kitty said with a pointed look at Connor.
His eyebrow twitched. He wondered if he were being warned away from Jessa. But something in Connor’s gut told him that the kitty cat didn’t believe he could possibly be interested in Jessa anyway.
“Come on down, you guys. I’ll introduce you to Alex. He makes a wicked apple martini.”
Her voice trailed away as she led her friends out of the cage into the bar. Only Kitty lingered behind. The manicured nails clutching her evening purse were painted blood red. Connor thought it an appropriate color for the blood-sucking wench standing before him.
“Owner, bouncer, resident gorgeous man with a huge cock.” Kitty pursed her lips. “Anything I’ve forgotten?”
Connor grimaced. Odd, but the raging hard on he’d been fighting all night had immediately gone away when Kitty started her little game. He arched one eyebrow and held her pale blue eyes. “Not interested.”
A knowing smile curved her lips. “Oh come on now. A big guy like you left all alone tonight is such a shame. I could keep you very comfortable.”
“Little kittens shouldn’t venture into the jungle,” Connor rumbled dangerously. “Some big cat might tear them apart.”
Her breathy laugh carried all the way across the bar. The hair on the back of Connor’s neck prickled as he realized Jessa was watching this little interlude. Kitty knew it too. And no matter what the truth might be. Connor had a feeling Jessa would only hear Kitty’s version.
“Your friends are calling you,” he told her roughly.
“I’m sure they are.”
Her thick perfume filled his nose long after she’d joined the other women across the bar. The scent coated his tongue and turned his stomach. Connor longed to pull Jessa into his arms and bury his face in her soft hair to chase it away. But the night wasn’t over yet. And watching the room had just become a lot more important. Connor had no intention of letting these women run all over Jessa’s budding confidence.
* * *
Alex passed Jessa another shot of raspberry liqueur and she tossed it back. She’d settled her friends at the far end of the bar. She could’ve found a quiet table somewhere but Alex’s presence gave Jessa a much needed confidence booster.
Jessa placed a hand on Anne’s forearm. “I’m so glad to see you out and about, Anne. You need to quit staying at home waiting for a man who isn’t going to keep promises he never meant to begin with.”
Anne shook her head in amazement. “Jessa, I swear you’ve changed so much I hardly know you!”
“That’s a fact,” Courtney snorted. She sipped her margarita.
“Oh, we’ve been working very hard on that,” Alex quipped as he pulled another beer for a customer and gave Jessa a suggestive wink.
Georgia delicately slid an olive into her mouth. “Are you intending to keep this job for long?”
“Until Connor fires me,” Jessa said, sharing a look with Alex.
Anne sighed. “You look so happy. And where on earth did you buy those clothes?”
Jessa dissolved into giggles. “You really want to know?”