"Damn, Quinn. They are gorgeous."
"Yep, they are and the one on the end thinks he's God's gift to women," Quinn added, with a rude snort.
Denim looked at the tallest who had spiked ash-blonde hair and pecs and arms that looked like he spent hours in the gym. If her memory served her right, he was Jax's older brother, Chayton. The trio stopped to talk to Payton, and the host was giggling and batting her eyelashes flirtatiously. Who could blame her? All three were handsome with high cheekbones, a straight nose, and a firm jaw. Quinn was staring, lips parted, eyes narrow with disgust.
"Is there something you need to tell me?" Denim asked softly.
"Other than Chayton's an asshole? No, of course not."
She didn't miss the bitterness in Quinn's voice that was far from a whisper.
Denim made a mental note to press for answers later. Jax and his younger brother, whose name she couldn't remember, were walking toward them with confidence and swagger. Her eyes locked with the golden boy from the diner and she let out her breath slowly.
OMG!
Jax was tall, muscled and so freaking hot. Beams of light illuminated his golden eyes as his intense gaze ripped through her. Denim's body began to sizzle as she admired a beauty that was pure masculine, from his full lips to the five o'clock shadow across his chiseled jaws. As he drew closer, his eyes darkened and a warm smile moved languidly across his mouth. She licked her lips.
"Hello Quinn," Jax said stepping in front of Denim, and his voice caused her stomach to tingle.
"What's going on Quinn?" his brother greeted in a playfully falsetto, then he tried to reach out and caress her cheek. She quickly ducked.
"Quit playing, Aidan!" Quinn scolded and couldn't resist a laugh. She then turned to his brother. "Hey Jax," she said with a wide smirk. "You remember Denim, don't you?"
"Of course I do." Those golden eyes of his turned and focused on her and Denim's breasts ached. And she couldn't look away. She was mesmerized by lust so intense that with each passing second it started to escalate. Denim tried to give a warm smile, hoping to disguise the impact his gaze had on her. "But I don't think she remembers who I am," he said, teasing.
Her pulse hammered at her throat. Jax looked incredible with a broad chest and flat abs beneath a red button-down shirt. Levi's jeans emphasized his athletic thighs and slender waist. Black riding boots were on his feet. Wow! He was definitely eye-candy.
Jax looked like the kinda boy Mother had warned her about. Reckless. Dangerous. Denim was certain she would have taken one look at him and frowned with disapproval. Diamond earrings in both earlobes, tattoos on each forearm and then there was the long blonde hair brushing his shoulders. As far as Denim was concerned, the combination was sexy as hell.
"Hey Jax." She could barely get his name out. "I'll admit, I didn't recognize you the other day at the diner."
"Neither did I. Not at first. But, now I definitely remember," he whispered.
She made the mistake of meeting his golden gaze again. Big mistake! It was intense. Dangerous. Hungry. Delicious.
"Welcome back." Denim saw the tip of his tongue swipe across his bottom lip.
Oh, the places she would like to feel his tongue. The gesture caused her nipples to tingle and the area between her thighs to throb.
"Where did Chayton go?" Quinn asked, breaking the intensity, and Denim blinked, realizing she'd been gawking at him. Startled, Denim jerked back as if she'd been caught with her hand in Jax's pants.
Aidan's eyes traveled over near the gazebo. "Chayton's somewhere over there. He's good friends with the lead singer."
"I have a bone to pick with him. I'll be back." Quinn left with determined strides.
Denim gave them a sidelong glance. "Something going on between them I need to know about?"
Jax laughed and his gaze lifted. "Trust me, you don't want to know."
Denim joined in on the laughter and noticed she was sticking out her chest, making sure Jax noticed she had developed boobs over the years.
Aidan stepped forward, hand extended. "I'm Aidan. I'm not sure if you remember me. I was the little kid who was putting toads down the girls' shirts."
Laughing, Denim shook his hand and looked up into his amazing eyes. They were golden as well, but not quite as intense as Jax. Nevertheless he was definitely cute. "Yes, I remember," she replied, with an exaggerated eye roll. "Like your brother here, you made my summers hell."
Aidan flashed a crooked smile. "Maybe my brother can find a way to make it up to you this summer." There was something in his suggestive tone that made Denim's eyes snap over to Jax, who was still staring at her, hard and intense.
"I'm sure he can," she cooed, looking at one and then the other.
Aidan tilted his head and sniffed. "Bro, you were right. Fucking amazing."
Did he just smell me?
"Don't you have somewhere to be?" Jax managed between gritted teeth.
"Oh yeah, right. I'm going to let the two of you catch up while I go check out the other beautiful ladies." With that, Aidan gave a salute and shuffled his feet over to a group sitting around a picnic table.
Jax shook his head. "You'll have to excuse my brother."
Denim smiled. "No problem."
"C'mon. I'm thirsty."
"Sure, I would love something cold." Hopefully to cool my body. The sun was beginning to set, and yet the humidity was still thick in the air. But the heat she was feeling had little to do with the weather.
He placed a hand at the small of her back, then gestured toward the tent. Denim fell into step beside him being careful not to accidentally brush against him, afraid she might combust and burst into flames or something. Jax was tall, inches above her five-seven height, with a medium build and a confident posture.
"So you're working at the diner all summer?" he asked.
Glancing briefly in his direction, she nodded. "Pappy needs the help." She was proud at how well she managed to keep her voice calm and relaxed.
"Summers are always busy in Justice. The rubber plant usually hires an additional three hundred employees for their peak period."
"You work there?" Denim asked curiously.
"I did once, while I was attending community college. But now, I strictly breed horses at the ranch."
Something finally clicked. Denim stopped abruptly and turned to him. "Horses? Do you know who owns the property on the other side of Pappy?"
"We do. My father purchased the land a few years back. Why'd you ask?" She caught his eyes and a sizzle surged through her.
Denim stared at him, her thoughts scattered. "Because I was up in the treehouse and thought I heard horses."
Jax stilled and his smile slipped as though someone had flipped a switch. "You still have that treehouse?"
Denim swallowed. "Yes. It's still standing." She wanted to tell him about the supersized wolves, but wasn't sure how he would react. Hell, she still had a hard time believing they were real. "A few nights ago, I climbed inside the house for kicks."
"Is the telescope still working?" Jax asked and Denim noticed the way his eyes were studying her.
It took everything she had not to blink. "No. The lens is now like those crazy mirrors in a fun house. Everything looks big and distorted." God, I'm good.
He laughed and seemed to relax a bit. "I'd love to see that. Those used to be the good times."
She nodded and they started walking again. "Yes it was." Actually, as they laughed, she remembered that summers in Justice had been a whole lot of fun. In fact, every year, she couldn't wait for school to let out just so Daddy would drive her down. How could she have forgotten that?
They went into the tent and each got hotdogs and a cup of beer, then strolled around talking and laughing about old times. Guests called out to Jax and it was easy to see just how popular he was. He would nod his head and keep right on walking and talking to her. Damn, she loved a man with swag.
"What have you been doing with yourself?" he asked.
"School mostly."
A wicked smile curved his mouth. "Yeah? Where at?"
"Oklahoma University, studying business. I just graduated."
"Good for you." Jax nodded and looked impressed. "So what's next for you?"
"I'm still trying to figure that part out."
While he told her about life at the ranch, Denim stared at him, watching with fascination, as Jax moved with such confidence. She had an urge to touch his bicep to see if it was as hard as it looked.
The band was warming up and the singer's high-pitched song caused a thrill to race up her spine. While she finished her beer, they moved and stood together under a nearby tree and rocked to the music. Jax's hip brushed against hers. She couldn't move. His nearness excited her. Denim was trying to look at everything but him when Jax leaned in close to her hair and breathed.