a reason to live(55)

“I wonder what started it?” Mia asked.

A bottle flew across the room, so we ducked before it shattered on the wall behind us. Unfortunately, we were showered with beer and glass.

I looked back at the wall then turned to Mia. “Shane threw the first punch.”

Ralph climbed on top of the bar finally and kicked a man off who’d fallen on the scarred wood. Then he raised a shotgun toward the ceiling and pulled the trigger. The shotgun blast caused everyone to jump back and turn toward him.

“If you aren’t a local, get the fuck out of my bar,” he shouted. When no one moved immediately, he pumped the shotgun, expelling the used shell, then loaded another and ordered, “Now!”

Everyone moved then, including the girls and myself. We jumped off the stage and headed toward Maxine, who was already watching the fight on her phone.

“You should have punched the big one harder, Maximilian.”

Max turned toward his mother and winked. Those two had the oddest love-hate relationship I’d ever seen between a mother and son. But there was one thing I was sure of, if any man ever messed with Maxine, Max would kill him.

Now I understood why Gregor kept his distance.

“Did you record the whole fight?” Mia asked.

“I missed the first punch on account of watchin’ you girls, but I was ready for it.”

Max walked over shaking his hand and wiggling his fingers. So Mia launched herself at her husband and rewarded him with a kiss.

I was still curious why Shane had thrown the first punch, so I turned my attention toward him and watched as he shook hands with a few locals. When he was done, he turned and headed in our direction. Butterflies fluttered in my stomach as he approached, so I brushed a length of hair away to give my hands something to do. When he was close enough, I moved toward him with deliberate slowness to hide my nerves. When he stopped in front of me and looked down, I grabbed his right hand and examined the cuts and bruises forming.

“You should ice that down,” I told him.

“I’ll be fine.”

“But it’s starting to swell.”

He curled his hand around mine and squeezed, so I looked up. His gunmetal-gray eyes were laughing at me.

“What’s so funny?”

“Your singing didn’t send the men running from the bar, it caused a fight.”

“It was that bad?” I gasped.

“It was that good.”

“Why did you punch that man?”

Shane didn’t hesitate to answer.

“He said he wondered if your red hair was natural.”

“You punched him because of that?”

“Nope. I punched him because he told his friends he’d find out after the show.”

“How was he gonna find out if my hair was naturally auburn?” I asked.

“By burying his head between your legs.”

I blinked twice.

“Shane Sherman, were you defending my honor?”

“Yes, ma’am,” he grinned.

He was flirting with me, and my heart soared. Without thinking, I rose up on my toes and brushed my lips across his, whispering, “Thank you.”

Shane stiffened at the contact, and I held my breath. Then he reacted. Pulling me into his body, he bent me at the waist and kissed me thoroughly until my toes curled. When he released me, I stumbled back, raising my hand to my lips. Shane had a smug look on his face, and I blushed at my reaction. But I was feeling confident I was making headway, so I was about to launch myself at him again when he turned to Suzy and smugly said, “I’m not gay,” right before he turned and headed for the door.

“Wow,” Mia whispered beside me.

“I’d say you’re making progress,” Maxine remarked, grinning ear to ear.

I watched Shane as he pushed through the door and shook my head.

“No. He didn’t kiss me because he’s changed his mind. He kissed me to make a point to Suzy and Joanne.”

“Well, it proved one thing,” Suzy replied. “You can get a gay man to switch sides.”

I turned to Mia and raised my brows.

“See why I want you to move here?”

“I still say you’re making progress,” Maxine interrupted. “So stay your course and full steam ahead.”

“I leave in the morning for the rafting trip. I won’t be back for three days. Maybe a few days without me in his face will give him time to sort out his head.”

Maxine grinned slyly and nodded. “I’m thinking the next three days will probably be eye openin’ for both of you.”





Eight


Tormentor





Shane pulled into Little Big Horn and braced when he caught his first glimpse of Sage. He’d climbed the walls the night before after leaving Last Call. He shouldn’t have kissed her, shouldn’t have given in to temptation. The result left him restless half the night, pacing, staring out the window hoping to see her headlights in his drive. He’d slept in his chair to avoid his bed. He hadn’t changed the sheets yet, and they smelled like her. Smelled like sweat, passion—sex. It had taken all his self-control to keep from picking up his phone and calling her, and now he was spending the next three days in close quarters with the object of his desire.