Page 9

CHAPTER 8

“Fuck me,” Jeeves muttered as he locked eyes with the woman at the bar. The same woman who had incessantly occupied his thoughts. The same woman, with her bright smile and eyes that shone like sunlight through a bottle of whiskey. The little tree sprite his boss had ordered him to “keep his eye on.”

Hoot, having noticed Jeeves’ distraction before the others, asked, “What's up?”

“She’s here.”

“Who?” he asked, craning his neck to follow Jeeves’ gaze, his eyes scanning the bustling room.

Reluctantly, Jeeves answered. “The girl.”

“What girl?” Eggs joined in, leaning forward, his interest clearly sparked by the mention of a woman. “Can it be true? Is Jeeves, with his ever-present composure, smitten with a young lady?”

Jeeves pulled his gaze from Cammie to glare at his friend. “No,” he said, his voice flat and emotionless, despite the frantic pounding of his heart against his ribs, a reaction that had begun the instant their eyes connected.

“Are we talking about the hot new girl at the bar?” With his usual abruptness, Voodoo butted into their conversation, injecting his opinion.

“She’s hot?” Eggs asked, craning his neck to get a glimpse. As he noticed her, a long, appreciative whistle escaped his lips, the sound slicing through the air with a sharpness that grated on Jeeves’s nerves. “Fuck yeah. She’s hot. Why do you get all the good missions?” he whined.

Eggs received a resounding smack to the back of his head, courtesy of Hoot. Belatedly, he ducked and rubbed the spot while glaring at their friend. “Jesus. What was that for?”

“Quit being a horny dick,” Hoot ordered.

“Why? I’m always a horny dick. It never bothered you guys before.”

Hoot rolled his eyes, the whites flashing briefly. “This is different.”

“Come again?”

“Fuck, you’re thick,” Voodoo muttered.

“What? Just because she’s kind of a client doesn’t mean I can’t admire her hotness.”

As his friends continued their pointless bickering, Jeeves found himself completely captivated and his attention entirely consumed by her. He’d only met her briefly, but what was it about this small, slight woman that held such a powerful fascination for him? Trouble, in the form of a tiny tree sprite, was looming ahead for him if he failed to get his shit together. Yet, he still found himself drawn to her.

“I’m gonna go talk to her,” Eggs announced which brought Jeeves’ attention back to the group.

“No, you’re not,” Hoot replied.

Eggs shot a glare at their friend. “Why not?”

“Because you’re a horndog and you’ll scare her away.”

“Nonsense,” insisted Eggs. “I’m a perfect gentleman.”

The guys all scoffed at that. “What?” Eggs complained. “I can be when I need to be. Besides. Look at her. She looks lonely.”

All heads, including Jeeves’, swiveled towards her, a silent wave of curiosity washing over the group. She sat at the bar, her back to the polished wood, her gaze sweeping over the boisterous, chattering crowd. She looked different from the day he’d rescued her from the tree. The sweater she wore clung to her frame, soft and weightless. It swooped wide across her collarbones, dipping low enough to bare both shoulders, as if it had simply slipped there by accident—or by invitation. The fabric, a light pink, hinted at curves without revealing too much, the kind of tease that made it impossible to look away. Every time she moved, the loose knit shifted with her, revealing a little more skin. It wasn’t just a sweater—it was a promise waiting to be broken.

His gaze followed the curves of her figure, lingering on every line before descending lower. Her petite figure was beautifully framed by dark jeans that seemed to have been tailored specifically to her body, hugging her hips with intentional precision and each seam highlighting the subtle curves of her body. Low-heeled brown suede booties were on her feet. She effortlessly crossed her legs, her foot keeping time to the music in a graceful and rhythmic swing.

As she reached for her glass and delicately took a sip of her drink, he watched intently, a smile playing on his lips as he noticed her nose wrinkle slightly, as if she were trying to determine whether or not the beverage was to her liking. The little quirk captivated him completely.

“Yeah. I’m gonna go talk to her,” Eggs declared, moving to rise from his seat.

Without a moment’s hesitation, Jeeves sprang up from his chair and followed his teammate, the rest of his buddies howling with laughter and encouragement as he made a beeline for her across the bar.

Callie’s laughter reached him as she chuckled at something Melli had said, just as he cut in front of Eggs and squeezed himself up at the bar next to her. Her laughter, a joyful tinkling sound, cut through the loud chatter and music of the bar, settling into a far-reaching corner of his heart. That she could experience joy was a testament to her resilience. Seeing it now, knowing what she had overcome, felt like witnessing a miracle.

Melli noticed him first. “Hey, Jeeves.” Glancing past him, her eyes focused on Eggs, and an expression of displeasure tightened her facial features. “Oh. You’re here too.”

“That I am, little lady,” Eggs drawled. “Did you miss me?”

“Like genital warts,” Melli mumbled.

“So, what you’re saying is, I’m the gift that keeps on giving.”

Melli’s eyes grew wide, reflecting utter disbelief at the sheer audacity of his statement. “You’re ridiculous.”

“You love me. You know it.”

Melli rolled her eyes so hard, Jeeves feared they’d get stuck in that perpetually exasperated position. “Whatever.” Cammie, Jeeves noticed, sat quietly watching the interaction between the two combatants. Melli and Eggs’ relationship was marked by a long-standing tradition of cutting exchanges; they seemed to communicate almost exclusively through a constant volley of sarcastic barbs and witty retorts. Although Jeeves was used to their caustic banter, Cammie’s wide-eyed look showed how unsettling their usual back-and-forth could be to someone unaccustomed to it.

Leaning in close, Jeeves whispered reassuringly into her ear, “Don't worry. This is normal for them.” The instant he caught a whiff of her spicy peach fragrance, he felt knew he’d made a mistake getting that close to her. The intense, almost overwhelming aroma hit him, causing his cock to respond immediately.

“Anyway,” Melli interrupted, diverting Jeeves’ attention from his throbbing cock. “What can I getcha?”

Distracted by his reaction the woman beside him caused, Jeeves mumbled, “Whatever’s on tap.”

“You got it,” Melli said before turning away to get his drink, leaving him and Eggs alone with the woman who constantly occupied his thoughts. Up close like this, he noticed something different about her, a subtle alteration that took him a moment to place. It was the deep purple dye woven beneath her usual hair color, a vibrant contrast that caught the light and shifted with her movements. The shade felt bold, almost rebellious, and suited what he’d learned of her while she’d been in that tree. A rare smile touched his lips as she turned her warm, inviting brown eyes to him, the bar lights catching the flecks of gold within them.

“Well, if it isn’t my savior,” she purred, her voice as smooth and sweet as honey. The thought made him blink. Until now, he’d never been aware of the nuances in women’s voices.

“Hello,” he greeted. “I see you’re settling in and making friends.”

Melli set his beer down in front of him with a saucy grin. “Of course she did. I’m very likable.”

“Like a prickly porcupine,” Eggs muttered.

“Hey now. You’re no better,” Melli shot back.

“Guess you guys know each other,” Cammie stated.

“I know most everyone who comes in here,” Melli answered. “It was refreshing seeing a new face tonight.”

“Well, I’m glad I could brighten your evening.”

“I’m sure you make a lot of people’s evenings brighter,” he said, the words tumbling out before he could consider their implications. His casual remark, though seemingly light, felt thick with unspoken meaning, its true weight remaining unclear, even to him.

Cammie’s eyes widened, and her cheeks flushed a delicate pink. He was captivated completely, unable to look away, even as Melli mumbled about attending to other customers, her words lost in the rush of his racing heartbeat. Shit. He really needed to get his act together before he made a fool of himself.

“This is Eggs,” Jeeves announced, his introduction less than smooth. “We work together.”

Eggs graced Cammie with a smile that had won over numerous women during Jeeves’ years of knowing him. A growl rumbled low in his chest, but he gritted his teeth, suppressing the urge to snap at his friend in a jealous rage. “Eggs. This is Cammie.”

“Pleasure to meet you, pretty lady,” Eggs said, his voice a smooth, honeyed drawl that grated on Jeeves’ nerves, making his jaw tighten. Eggs offered her his hand, and she shook it. Jeeves felt as if he was going to lose his mind when Eggs brought her hand to his mouth to kiss her knuckles, a gesture that proved too much for him to bear. He resisted the urge to yank their hands apart and punch his teammate.

A delicate blush crept onto her cheeks as she replied, “Nice to meet you, too.” With a brief, almost imperceptible glance in his direction, she gently removed her hand from Eggs’, her gaze falling to the bar as she did so. “So, you guys work together?”

“Yup. Going on about five years now, right Jeeves?” Eggs replied. A grunt served as Jeeves’s affirmative response before he lifted his beer to his lips for a sip.

“And you’re friends too?” Cammie asked.

“Sure are. This guy just can’t be parted from me,” Eggs teased as he slung an arm around Jeeves’ shoulders.

A laugh escaped Cammie’s lips before she retorted with a smirk. “Yeah, I can see that.”

“Why do I get the feeling you don’t believe me?” Eggs, his brow furrowed in a show of mock indignation, said.

“No. No,” Cammie defended. “I can see how you’d be hard to get rid of.”

With a surprising burst of sound, Jeeves let out a loud, boisterous bark of laughter. “As Melli so eloquently put it, like genital warts.”

They shared a laugh as Eggs stumbled over his words in an attempt to defend himself. Their eyes met amidst shared laughter, and a sudden, intense connection, like a jolt of electricity, surged between them

“How are you settling in?” Jeeves asked once their laughter died down, his gaze flickering away from hers as he tried to ignore the electric hum of sexual energy that thrummed between them.

“Oh. Um . . . good.” She fumbled her words, a blush deepening, and he wondered if she felt the same charged tension thrumming between them. “I should thank you.” Questioningly, he arched an eyebrow. “I got the job you recommended.”

The radiant smile she bestowed upon him, coupled with the uncontainable joy that shone so brightly in her eyes, caused an answering smile to spread across his own face. “At the bakery?” he asked, and she nodded. “Congratulations. I should buy you a drink.”

“No. I should buy you one. You’re the one who told me about the job in the first place. Oh, and she offered me the apartment over the bakery.”

That was new information his team hadn’t uncovered. He’d known she’d been staying in one of the more budget friendly motel’s in town. The less-than-ideal living conditions had bothered him, and he’d worried about her. He was glad she’d found something more permanent. And safe. “It’s good to know you’ll have a roof over your head and won’t be living in a tree.”

She emitted a tinkling laugh. “No. No more trees for me.”

“Do you often climb trees?” Eggs interjected. “That’s where you met Jeeves, right?”

“Yes. He was gracious enough to help me out. And no. That was my first time climbing a tree. And probably my last.”

“That’s probably wise,” Jeeves said.

“So, Wade told you how we met, huh?” A look crossed her face that Jeeves couldn’t interpret. Something between shyness and wariness. It was the wariness part that concerned him. She had nothing to fear from him. He had to show her, somehow, that she was safe with him, that the guardedness in her eyes was misplaced, and that he meant her no harm.

“Yup. Therefore, I couldn’t resist meeting you tonight,” Eggs teased. “Only a special kind of woman dares to climb trees.”

Cammie waved him off. “I’m nothing special.”

Snorting, Eggs responded, “I bet this guy would beg to differ.” Cammie’s eyes widened in surprise as her gaze met Jeeves’s, that ever present connection sparking between them. “How am I doin’ as your wingman?” With intentional mischief, Eggs whispered in a way that was deliberately too loud.

“Fuck off,” Jeeves mumbled, then insisted for Eggs’ ears only. “It’s not like that.

“Ha. Keep deluding yourself,” Eggs replied, his voice low and laced with amusement.

A crescendo of music and the rhythmic thumping of feet on the dance floor caught their attention. Cammie’s expression changed to one of childlike wonderment, filled with awe and curiosity.

“One of us should ask her to dance,” Eggs suggested.

“No.”

“Fine. I’ll do it.”

“Do you wanna dance?” Jeeves blurted the words, a sudden, unplanned eruption that left him reeling before he could consider the impact and left his friend laughing.

Her head whipped around, her surprised gaze landing on him. “Oh. I can’t. I don’t know how.” A hollow, resigned quality in her voice betrayed her disappointment.

Overriding his reservations and acting on a sudden impulse, he disregarded his better judgment, snatched her hand, and pulled her from the stool. “I’ll teach you.”

Her hands trembled, her eyes wide with a mix of fear and excitement, as she resisted his pull toward the dance floor. The rapid thump of his heart, a frantic drum against his ribs, he feared had nothing to do with the music’s bass that vibrated through the room, shaking the floor beneath his feet. An overwhelming compulsion to hold her in his arms, even just for the duration of one dance, washed over him.

“I don’t think―”

“Come on,” he interrupted. “Take a walk on the wild side.”