Wilde About Her (Wilde Pack Series)(2)

"Well, well, look who's back!" Elaine's voice bellowed over the diner.

Denim couldn't resist a grin at the round woman who stepped from behind  the counter. Quickly, she walked over and curled her arms around  Elaine's neck, kissing her dark rosy cheek.         

     



 

"Look at you. We need to fatten you up." Her dark eyes narrowed as she  drew back and gave Denim's thin frame a thorough scanning. "What were  you doing at school, starving?"

She smiled. "I eat. I'm just health conscious."

Elaine gave a dismissive wave. "You can't keep up your strength eating nothing but salads."

"Says who?" Denim laughed and took in her thick, voluptuous frame. She  had known Elaine almost her entire life and she couldn't remember her  ever fixing a meal that didn't include her homemade biscuits.

Lips quirked, Elaine gazed at her and said, "I'm so glad you're here to  help Pappy. Summer's a busy time, so I feel bad leaving him."

Dismissively, Denim replied, "No problem. I'm glad I could come down and help. How's your Mama doing?"

"It's her hip again," she hastened to explain. "This is the second time  she has fallen. I'm really thinking it's time I pack her up and convince  her to move in with me. But I'm afraid that's going to take some time."

"Take all the time you need. I've got the entire summer." Did I just say  that? Stupid. Stupid. It was the proper thing to say, but the look in  Elaine's eyes said she might just take her up on the offer. God, I hoped  not!

"Pappy told me you snagged yourself a rich kid. Lucky you." Elaine clearly looked impressed.

Her cheeks warmed and instead of telling her she was officially single again, Denim simply nodded.

"Pappy will be so happy to see you! Go ahead, he's in back and when you get done, I'm making you a hamburger."

As if her stomach remembered how juicy Elaine's burgers were, it rumbled.

The shift supervisor went over to refill water glasses while Denim wove  her way through the tables and moved behind the counter. Customers were  sitting on red vinyl barstools, watching the evening news that was  playing on a century-old television, mounted near the window. The diner  was badly in need of a makeover. Maybe she could convince her  grandfather to consider some new design ideas.

One of the other waitresses greeted Denim with a wary smile. It had no  doubt been a long stressful day, dealing with customers. She introduced  herself, then pushed open the swinging door and stepped into the  kitchen.

There were three staff members in back, loading customers' orders on  trays at a rapid speed. Denim spotted her grandfather stirring a pot on  the stove with one hand, and scratching a bald spot at the back of his  head with the other.

"I'm home!" she announced, merrily. Pappy turned, looked over and grinned.

"And it's about time. I was getting worried," he greeted, his arms  outstretched as she walked over and hugged his frail middle. She noticed  he'd lost weight since she'd seen him over Christmas. As usual he  smelled like Old Spice.

"Well, well, let Pappy take a look at you." He finally released her and  pushed his glasses further onto his nose as his eyes traveled from head  to toe. She ruffled his hair. All gray but still thick except for the  bald area in the middle. "Were they feeding you at that campus?" he  asked.

Denim laughed. The way his clothes were hanging loosely on his body, he was one to talk. "I eat three meals a day. I promise."

Pappy pierced her with his chocolate gaze and looked like he didn't  believe her before a smile curled his lips. "We'll have plenty of time  to catch up. Right now let me introduce you to the rest of my crew. Then  I need you to grab an apron and take these carry-out orders to the  front."

That was Pappy for you. All about business.

Denim met the two men working at the grill and then a woman with a  spiked hairdo, working at the preparation table. While they exchanged  cordial greetings and handshakes, she kept thinking, this was going to  be her family for the next three months. We are definitely an odd bunch.

Denim reached for an apron hanging from a hook near the door and slipped  it over her clothes. Kitty, the female, looked down at her feet, then  brought a hand to her hip, frowning. "Those shoes are not safe in here."

Denim nodded. "You're right. I'll take the orders up front and as soon  as it slows down, I'll run out to my car." It appeared she'd be wearing  sneakers after all.

After washing her hands, Denim carried the orders out and set the bags  down behind the counter. A customer signaled for a refill. She reached  for the coffee pot and filled his mug and then a water glass for  another. While she wiped down the counter, she listened as the  weatherman talked about scorching temperatures for the next few days.  Hopefully, the air condition units at Pappy's house were working.         

     



 

The bell chimed. Denim looked over toward the door and the breath left her lungs in a rush.

OMG!

He was definitely a hottie. From the top of his head, down to the  bottoms of his black boots. Twenty, maybe twenty-two, with eyes that  were a strange color-the pupils were dark, the irises gold and so  intense she felt a flutter rise from her stomach and into her throat. Oh  my, he was yummy. And then there was that long, ash-blonde hair that he  wore pulled back with a black elastic band. It was wavy enough to make a  girl yearn to run her fingers through it.

As he strode over to the counter, Denim took in his attire, faded jeans  that rode low on his hips and a sleeveless leather vest, showing off  tattoos on both of his arms. Plates clattering in back caused her to  startle, and she realized she'd been staring at him with her mouth  hanging open. Quickly, Denim clamped her lips shut and fluttered her  eyelashes a few times just to make sure she really wasn't seeing things.

Nope. Mr. Hottie was still standing there, eyes roaming over her face.

Denim's breasts tingled and her breathing quickened. She drew in a slow  breath, hoping to calm her frantic heart. "May I … " She paused to clear  the frog. "May I help you?" she repeated and still heard her voice  crack. Denim, you are such a loser!

After several breathtaking moments, he spoke, "I'm picking up a double  cheeseburger and fries." He had a wicked voice that made her stomach  clench. She felt flushed and intoxicated at levels she had never reached  from drinking beer.

Her mouth went dry and she swallowed hard, trying not to stare and yet everyone else in the diner had been forgotten.

While holding her gaze, he gestured toward the bags. "Is that my food?"

Denim looked down at the counter, then made the mistake of meeting his  eyes again. He was smiling, flashing irresistible dimples.

"Oh! Sure! This is probably yours." She fumbled over her words like a  complete idiot as she swung around, grabbed the bag with a receipt  attached that matched the items he had mentioned, and then slid it  across the counter. "Uh …  that will be six-ninety-nine."

She was practically salivating while he reached into his pocket, removed  a ten and held it out. Denim made the mistake of touching his hand and  nearly gasped when she felt his hot, rough skin against her own.  Goodness, it was like sticking her hand in a roaring fire! With a harsh  intake of air, she ripped her hand away.

"Keep the change," he murmured, as a smirk lifted one corner of his  perfect mouth, and without another glance, he turned and walked back out  the door.

Denim stood there feeling like a complete idiot. She had made an  absolute fool of herself. Staring out the large storefront window, she  watched him hop onto a motorcycle and roar out into the street. A thrill  of pleasure ran through her. There was no way in hell someone that  gorgeous lived in Justice, Texas.

For once, Denim hoped she was wrong.





2



Denim was back.

Hell, Jax had known she was back in Justice long before he'd walked into  the diner. He'd smelled her in the parking lot and the scent had only  gotten stronger and more intense as he had drawn closer. And as soon as  he'd stepped inside Pappy's Diner, there she was. Long, dark wavy hair,  skin like caramels melting in a saucepan, mesmerizing brown eyes, and  then there were all those curves. Holy shit! Denim had more curves than  he'd find driving his bike along Deadman's Lane. And when she had  reached over for his food, the sight of her round ass shot right down  his body and lodged into a hard, tight knot at his groin area. Even now,  he throbbed with burning need.

Jax growled inwardly. How was it even possible that after all these  years, he was still attracted to her? He'd thought, hoped even, that  over time those feelings would have died and yet even after eight years  the emotions were stronger than ever. He had needs and wants, and  despite every reason why Denim was all wrong for him, his body was  aroused, yearning for her. But the most powerful of all, was her scent.  God, her smell wrapped around him like a fist, driving him insane.