Page 2 of Cowboy’s Last Stand (His to Protect #1)

He smiled and arched a brow at her claim, like he didn’t believe it but found her intriguing all the same. She smiled back at him, surprised by the spark of energy between them. She hadn’t sparked with a man in ages. Not since… Mike.

The thought hit her like a splash of cold water.

She didn’t reminisce about Mike as much as she used to.

She still missed him, but the loss was no longer at the top of her mind, resurfacing every few moments.

For almost a year after his death, she hadn’t noticed attractive men at all—unless they reminded her of him.

This stranger didn’t remind her of Mike. She hadn’t immediately compared the two, although Mike had been dark-haired and handsome. She hadn’t even thought about him. She’d forgotten about Mike.

From across the bar, Billy whistled to get her attention as if he were calling a dog to heel.

He snapped his fingers in the air for emphasis.

Two of his friends, Stan and Steve Stoddard, had joined his table.

Billy’s behavior was obnoxious, but she didn’t mind the interruption.

She loaded her tray with a trio of longnecks and delivered them to his table.

For the next hour, she stayed busy refreshing drinks for regulars and catering to a group of giggly college girls.

Gabe Luna engaged two of the girls in a pool game.

The third girl joined the stranger at the bar.

She was a bombshell blonde in tall boots and a short skirt.

Few men would refuse a conversation with her.

Natalie returned to her serving station. She noted the cowboy’s bottle was empty. “You ready for another, big guy?”

“Sure,” he said.

“How about you, sugar?”

“No, thanks,” the blonde said, keeping her focus on the man beside her. “We’re going to the Boot Scoot after this for line dancing. You should come with.”

He smiled at the offer. “Sorry, I can’t.”

She blinked in confusion—his words didn’t compute. She waited for him to offer a reasonable excuse for turning her down. When he said nothing, she shrugged and drained the rest of her drink. “Suit yourself.”

Natalie removed the stranger’s empty bottle and replaced it with a fresh one.

The blonde adjusted her low-cut top, making sure her cleavage was displayed correctly before she walked away. The cowboy watched her go without regret. Then he turned back to Natalie.

“I’m Jason,” he said, extending his hand.

Natalie’s breath hitched in her chest as she accepted his handshake. His palm felt warm and rough against hers. He’d just sent a sure thing packing, and now he was introducing himself to her? She was flattered, despite herself. “Natalie.”

“Thanks for saving me.”

“Saving you?”

“From that blonde.”

“Was she bothering you?”

He leaned forward and lowered his voice. “She kept dipping her finger into her drink and licking it.”

Natalie threw back her head and laughed.

“I think she wanted to give me a wet willy.”

“I’ll bet she did.”

“I mean the ear kind.”

“I knew what you meant,” she said with a grin. “You have something against blondes?”

His gaze traveled over her dark hair. “Not usually.”

Her face heated at his perusal. He was expressing a preference for her. She looked away, unsettled by the attention.

“What’s a nice girl like you doing in a place like this?”

He made the familiar line sound charming. She glanced around the interior of the bar. “This place isn’t so bad.”

The Night Owl didn’t have a lot of curb appeal, but it was clean and well-organized.

She’d helped the owner redecorate a few months ago, and she was proud of the new design.

A cute owl motif was repeated throughout the space.

Star-shaped lights hung from the rafters above the dance floor, along with a glowing moon.

An oversized map of Texas graced one wall.

Another wall featured artistic prints of cowboys riding, roping, and wrangling.

“You’re right. It’s better than I expected. I like the lights.”

“Thank you.”

“You decorated?”

“I picked out a few things.”

“You have a good eye.”

She nodded at the praise. It felt nice to be admired for something other than her looks. Customers tended to offer the same tired compliments.

“What are you doing after this?”

Her smile faded. Although she’d fielded this question from men before, she was still caught off guard by it.

She was caught off guard by him and the temptation he presented.

She’d never had the slightest urge to hook up with a stranger.

She rejected guys like Billy left and right.

Jason was ten times hotter than the average customer, but she couldn’t go out with him.

So Natalie gave him her stock answer: “I’m going home to my son. ”

Jason didn’t seem surprised by this news. It was almost as if he’d expected her to say no. “How old is he?”

“Five.”

A crash of broken glass sounded on the other side of the bar.

Billy had knocked a bottle off the edge of the table with his cue.

The college girls he’d been trying to impress giggled behind their hands as they walked away.

They appeared to be laughing at him rather than with him, which didn’t bode well.

Natalie let out a groan of dismay. She grabbed her mini-broom and dustpan.

“Is that guy bothering you?” Jason asked.

“He can be a nuisance.”

“You need some help?”

“Absolutely not,” she said and meant it. The last thing she wanted was a confrontation that Billy would turn into a barroom brawl. She went to sweep up his mess, aware of the stranger’s eyes on her.

Billy was aware of it too. He moved closer to speak with her. “You’ve been flirting with that hiker all night.”

“It’s none of your business,” she said in an even tone.

As she swept the glass into a neat pile, Billy shoved another bottle off the table. It spilled across the floor in a long arc. “Oops,” he said, his lip curled. “Better fetch me another.”

Natalie gritted her teeth in annoyance as Billy returned to his seat.

She longed to dump the pile of glass in his lap or pour the remainder of the beer over his stupid head.

Although he deserved it, she didn’t retaliate.

She needed this job to make ends meet, and it wasn’t wise to escalate him.

Billy was a mean drunk with poor impulse control.

She looked around for someone to escort him outside.

The bar’s owner, Buster Hendricks, doubled as a bouncer when the need arose.

He was also Billy’s uncle, and he wasn’t afraid to throw Billy out.

But Buster wasn’t in his usual spot, and her glance toward the bar didn’t go unnoticed.

Jason seemed to think she was requesting his assistance.

He rose from his barstool and headed her way.

Damn it.

Billy bristled with anticipation, and Natalie’s stomach filled with dread. She expected Jason to make a beeline for Billy, maybe grab him by the collar and yank him to his feet. Billy needed to be taught some manners, but she doubted they’d take.

Instead of starting a brawl, Jason crouched down beside her. He retrieved a stray piece of glass with his bare hand and tossed it on the pile.

Natalie let out a slow breath of appreciation. This cowboy was a class act. His demonstration of kindness and solidarity spoke volumes. It reminded her there were good men in the world, men who respected women. At the same time, she knew Jason’s public show of support would enrage Billy.

“Are you looking for work, man?” Billy called out. “Down on your luck?”

“Ignore him,” Natalie whispered. “Please.”

Jason didn’t heed her advice. He rose to his feet, eyes narrowed. Natalie abandoned the pile of glass and stood with him.

“I heard they need a janitor at the Chicken Hut,” Billy said.

“Why don’t you clean up your own mess?” Jason replied.

Billy donned his signature sneer. “Because I like to watch her do it. She looks so pretty on her knees.”

Natalie felt Jason’s body tense beside her. The storm was about to break. She moved in front of him in an attempt to recapture his attention. “Listen to me,” she said in a low voice. “You can’t let him goad you into a fight.”

“Why not? I’ll win.”

She placed a hand on his shoulder because he was still focused on Billy. “His uncle owns this bar. And his dad is the sheriff.”

Jason didn’t appear swayed by this information.

He looked tempted to unleash on Billy, regardless of the consequences.

She wondered if he was a man who enjoyed using his fists.

He didn’t strike her as an indiscriminate bruiser, but he hadn’t come here to drink or pick up women.

Maybe he was some kind of cowboy vigilante.

She sensed an undercurrent of danger in him, a capacity for violence.

“Leave him,” Natalie said. “He’s not worth it.”

Jason’s gaze returned to hers, and he gave a reluctant nod of agreement.

Natalie squeezed his arm, grateful for the sensible reaction.

She also felt a little thrill at the contact because the man was solid muscle.

Then she heard Billy’s chair clatter to the ground, and her heart sank.

A glance over her shoulder revealed that Billy had leaped to his feet.

Ugh. What a fool.

Billy spread his hands wide and lifted his chin in challenge.

If he meant to appear intimidating, he missed his mark.

He was a stocky young man, soft around the middle and unimpressive in build.

His cheeks were mottled red, like a little boy in the throes of a temper tantrum.

Jason was a head taller, with the rangy, broad-shouldered form of a dedicated athlete. They were not an even match.

Billy’s throat worked as he swallowed. He might have realized his mistake, but he couldn’t back down without losing face in front of his friends.

Jason didn’t back down either. He stayed as still as a cougar waiting to pounce on prey.

One of the college girls emerged from the bathroom. Everyone in the bar went quiet.