Grasping her hand to ground himself back to reality he looked back at those perfect baby blue eyes
which only somehow seemed bigger and softer with all the layers around her face. Jesus his girl was
probably the most breathtaking woman he had ever known, and it was taking the strength of a hundred
men not to lift her up around his waist right now and devour her. It was almost painful to just take her
hand when every fiber of his body was aching for more.
“Come on.” He entwined her small delicate fingers in his, happier than hell to have her back with him
again and led her proudly to the table. She was the most beautiful woman in the bistro and he would be
damned sure no one else was going to get a look in at her. He wouldn’t be held liable for having to
endure some other guy making a play for her, she would see a violence come out of him that would
probably send her running for the hills. Emma followed obediently, tightening her hand in his snugly
and making him feel like the only thing that mattered right now was that tiny little set of fingers wrapped
in his. She felt like home.
* * *
They sat outside under palm frond umbrellas and the food was pretty good, it helped Jake to sober up
enough to not want to haul Emma down the beach and molest her. They had all moved on to drinking
cocktails thanks to Leila and her crazy huge knowledge on all things cocktail. The girl had once run a
little bar somewhere exotic for fun a few years back and seemed to retain the recipe of every drink
known to man. She was always handy in teaching Jake new drinks to impress the ladies and right now
his knowledge of Emma’s preferences was helping him keep her in a steady supply of drinks she was
happily downing. He liked seeing her relax this way, sitting beside him and fully leaning back in her
chair without any hint of defensiveness.
He was more than aware of the way the three of his so-called friends were honing in on Emma with her
new hair, warning glares at them had proven futile and Daniel smirking was a hint that he was heating
up to start trying to goad Jake. The guy got a kick out of it. Jake shifted uneasily ready to defend her
with his life if that’s what it took, he wouldn’t let any of them make even a tiny hint at trying for her.
“What motivated this?” Daniel reached past Jake, scooping a strand of Emma’s hair and Jake batted
his hand away aggressively.
“No touching.” The scowl was somewhere between funny and serious and very impulsive. Daniel just
raised an eyebrow and grinned at him knowingly, Jake wasn’t amused in the slightest at what Hunter
was playing at.
“Sorrryyy, big man. You have to admit though, your girl does look extra hot with this new do.” He
winked at Emma and Jake had to push down the urge to kick him in the face from this angle. If he
thought he could flirt with her to get at him then he better back off. Jake’s years of mixed martial arts
and boxing meant even from a seated position he could take his head off his shoulders. Best mate or
not there was a line Daniel shouldn’t cross, for Jake it would always be her.
“Umm, thanks.” Emma cut in blandly, watching the way Jake frowned at Daniel then punched him
lightly in the shoulder. He was trying to curb the aggression but still warn Daniel to back off.
“She’s not going to sleep with you, so you can cut out the compliments and the flirty crap.” Jake huffed
Hunter’s way with a scowl.
“Oh, I don’t know. I reckon I could charm Miss Ander … OWWW.” Daniel squawked like an injured
animal as Jake shoulder punched him a lot harder. Fist connecting with the bone under the muscle and
most definitely warning him off. “Calm your pants, Jake. God! You’ll be pissing on me next.” He huffed
and swiped his beer from the table.
“Don’t tempt me.” Jake wasn’t kidding, he wanted to send a clear message to all three men that YES,
he had zero humor when it came to her and they all better learn that fast. Daniel and Jake threw angry
looks at one another before taking what looked like precision planned swigs of their drinks.
“Jeez, testosterone flying much?” Leila laughed, pulling some of the tension away.
“Men!” Emma sighed in exasperation, glancing Jake’s way with amusement before joining Leila in an
eyebrow raise. Jake felt his jets cooling at just watching her interact with Leila. He wanted her to have a
friend in her, she was his best girl mate and they were well suited. It helped soothe his hot temper a
little.
“Needless to say, I was right!” Leila grinned at Emma with some underlying message between the two
girls and Jake found himself narrowing eyes on them.
What now?
“About what?” Marissa cut in with a pinched tone that made both women look her way with rather
snooty expressions. She was sprawled at the table with full cleavage on show, right in Jake’s eye line
and making it obvious it was intentional. He swigged on his beer and looked away. Miracle was picking
her nails at the right of her in a similar pose, seemingly a new-found love of Jake all of a sudden and he
felt himself eye roll and looked back to Emma.
Women!
“That Jake would be enamored with her new short do … That she would look sexy as hell!” Leila’s
triumphant tone made Marissa eye roll and Jake had the urge to pour her cocktail over her head. Even
for a girl with pretty features, a nice body and generally attractive, he found her repulsive. That black
heart and snooty face just killed any looks she once had.
“Jake’s a man! He appreciates it when women try really hard to get a reaction from him.” Marissa said
icily with a flick of her hair, Jake glared at her harshly, not liking her dig at Emma one bit. She glared
back challenging him and he had to hold his tongue.
“You would know!” Leila’s scathing comment came with a new tone for her. Disdain. Jake couldn’t
agree more though, if anyone needed a crown for trying to get Jake’s attention then it was Marissa.
Emma didn’t need to try at all. Jake caught sight of the twins moving uneasily in their chairs and both
men lift drinks to focus on that instead. Miracle lifted her head in interest, eyes gleaming with the
possibility of drama. He sighed knowing the signs of trouble brewing and he wouldn’t let any of them
ruin this for her.
“Emma doesn’t need to vie for my attention. She already has it, and her hair is a knockout. Much like
her.” Jake cut in smoothly, his glare fixed on Marissa coldly, that sinister tone in his voice, devoid of
emotion yet portraying a lot to the people who knew him, and everyone hushed up. He hoped to God
his dangerous tone and angry scowl gave everyone the message to back off. He used to be the Alpha
of this little circle and he sure as hell would be taking that title back if they kept this shit up.
“Man, did it just get cold in here?” Daniel jumped up from his perch on the edge of the table and
slapped Jake on the back. “We need a new topic and way more booze, man.” Daniel was toeing the
line, taking his place in the hierarchy and glances toward the twins saw them shuffling their feet too.
“Couldn’t agree more.” Jake relaxed back, happy with the sudden submissive atmosphere. Marissa and
Miracle looking down at their fingernails. Jake feeling better, he leaned in and kissed the oblivious
Emma on the cheek spontaneously, giving Marissa that back off signal as much as the rest of them.
She maybe wasn’t his woman in the normal sense, but she was his queen while on this boat and they
would damn well treat her that way.
* * *
It didn’t take much to get the happy jovial atmosphere back, and Jake relaxed into his usual sociable
self. Happy that everyone was having a relatively good time and even Marissa seemed to be backing
off and occasionally smiling.
Emma had never seen him surrounded by people he could relax with and even though the group was
small he was kicking back as much as she was. He had tried to slow down his alcohol consumption
and was not any drunker than he had been, although Emma was definitely getting tipsy. He had never
laughed so much at her in the whole time he had known her. She was cute drunk, funny and less
guarded. She giggled like a child and lost all the airs and graces she sometimes hid behind. Jake loved
Emma like this. As though it was like getting a glimpse of who she could be if she ever really did feel
comfortable enough to fully let her guard down around him and he wished she was like this more of the
time.
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