Wounded (An Aspen Series Novella) (Prequel to Relentless) Read Online Free Page B

her a sheepish grin.  “My
mistake.”  He glanced back to the door.
    Sierra shifted in his arms.  “What are you
looking at?”  She snorted.  “Speak of the devil.”  She turned his focus back to
her with a finger.  “You two seeing each other again?”
    “Nope.  Never.”  He forced a smile, hoping he
looked confident in what he said.
    “Really?”  She smiled.  “It looks like she’s here
looking for you.”  She turned her gaze toward Kimber, and he wished he could
ask her to stop.  “I could get rid of her if you want me to.”
    He froze, caught in his own trap.  “What do you
mean?”
    She wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned in
close.  He thought she intended to whisper something in his ear, but the next
thing he knew, she’d placed her glossy, red lips on his.

Chapter Five
     
    Jerry hesitated for a second, caught totally off
guard, before he pulled away from Sierra.  He jerked his gaze back to Kimber
just in time to see a pained look on her face before she turned and walked out
the door.
    “Ha!  It worked.”  Sierra grinned.  “You don’t
have to thank me.”
    “But I do,” he lied as he pulled away from her.  He
couldn’t very well tell her exactly how pissed he was at the moment, or she’d
tell Milo, and then they’d all have him figured out.  “Why don’t you join us
and let me buy you a beer?”  It would get him out of her arms.  He’d used
Sierra to keep Kimber at a distance, not shove it in Kimber’s face.  Even if
she had deserved to see him with someone else, he was not that kind of guy.
    “Okay.”  She let him lead her back to the table,
only to be greeted by a frowning Milo.
    “I thought you said dance , man.  What’s up
with the kiss?”
    Sierra planted herself on Milo’s lap.  “Don’t
worry, honey.  I was only doing a favor for a friend.”
    Milo lifted a brow at Jerry.
    “Kimber showed.”
    “And I got rid of her,” Sierra added before she
placed her cherry lips on Milo’s for a wet kiss that had the rest of them
rolling their eyes.
    “I guess I can live with that,” Milo said and
squeezed her waist.  “We should dance.  It’s our song.”
    The band had switched to a country love song, and
it only took Milo and Sierra a few seconds before they were on the dance floor,
their bodies intimately moving as one.
    “I need another beer,” Jerry called to the
passing waitress.  She nodded and continued on her way, carrying her tray of
empty bottles toward the bar.
    “Can we talk?”
    Every one of the men’s head snapped up at the
sound of Kimber’s voice.
    Jerry slowly turned toward the beautiful voice
that had haunted his dreams many, many times.  When the hell had she come back
inside?  “I don’t think so.”  Everyone at the table silenced as a musky, rose
scent reached out and grabbed him like a shackle around his wrist.  He tried
not to breathe.
    “Seriously?  You can’t give me the courtesy of five
minutes?”  She glanced at his friends, an awkward expression hovering in her
eyes, and he recognized his shield.  As long as he kept his friends close, he
was safe.
    “Why should I?  All I got from you was a cold
email.”  Why did she have to press it and force him to be a dick?
    “Whoa,” Tyler whispered.
    “Harsh,” Scott agreed.
    Jerry hated putting her on the spot like he was,
but who the hell did she think she was coming in looking all sexy and acting
like she hadn’t broken his heart?
    She visibly swallowed.  Her bottom lip quivered,
betraying her cool demeanor and making him feel like shit.  She opened her
mouth to say something, then stopped.  She turned and walked away, dragging the
pieces of his heart behind her.  It was better this way.
    The guys stared at him like he was an alien.
    “What?” he said to the group.
    They exchanged glances.
    “She’s still in love with you, man,” Milo finally
offered.
    “The hell.”  He challenged them all with a glance
and then looked toward the