Breaking His Rules (Feeling the Heat #4) (6 page)

“Are you sure that’s all it is?” Angie asked. “I mean, do you take all your clients to Blaze games?”

“No.” Jake’s face warmed as he shifted uncomfortably on the booth’s padded bench. “But it’s not a date. We had some things we needed to discuss and it seemed like the best place to do it considering my hours at the gym and her work schedule.”

J.T. let out an amused snort. “Better than your office? Dude, you keep telling us that you and Melissa are discussing her training but, come on. Do you expect us to swallow that? How many of your other clients do you meet with outside the gym...on a regular basis?”

“A few.” Jake went on the defensive and decided not to mention he was escorting Melissa to her cousin’s wedding. He could only imagine what kind of comments
that
would incur. “I conduct a mini-boot camp at the park, remember?”

“That’s different.” Angie smiled. “Why don’t you admit it, Jake? You like Melissa. It’s been obvious to us for months.”

“I like all my clients,” he said, and just like when he was a kid, he crossed his fingers underneath the table. A few of his clients were difficult and almost obsessive about attaining the perfect body—tolerating them was the most he could hope for.

“Yet here you are with Melissa, not any of them,” J.T. said, with a flourish of his hand. His shit-eating grin faltered as he stared past Jake. “Son of a bitch. I can’t believe him.”

“What?” Jake turned in the direction of J.T.’s livid stare to see Trey Gentry had waylaid Melissa on her return trip to their booth and had his hand on her forearm. Jake’s blood began to boil as Gentry pulled Melissa closer to his barstool and whispered into her ear.

“I think he’s trying to pick her up,” Angie commented, with amusement. “I doubt he’ll be successful.”

“I don’t know about that,” J.T. said. “According to clubhouse gossip, he’s got a pretty decent track record.”

“He’s not her type,” Angie said confidently.

Something completely foreign to Jake hit him as Gentry began to caress Melissa’s bare forearm with his fingers and stared brazenly at her breasts. A cold hard knot formed in his stomach and more than anything he wanted to walk over to Gentry and break his fucking arm. Not a good idea. Breaking the throwing arm of one of the Blaze’s star pitchers could land him in jail, not to mention the Blaze would probably ban him from Blaze Field for life.

“See. I told you,” Angie said as Melissa jerked her arm from Gentry’s grasp and headed for the booth. When she slid onto the seat beside him, her cheeks were flushed a vivid shade of pink.

“Are you okay?” Angie asked as Melissa picked up her iced tea and took a long sip.

“What did Gentry say to you?” Jake asked.

“Nothing important.” She turned to him, and because he’d been on the receiving end of her smiles on many occasions, it wasn’t hard to see the one she was giving him right now was as phony as a six-dollar bill. She set her glass on the table and looked at Angie. “How’s Jordan?”

As Angie filled Melissa in on the baby, Jake tried to make sense of his reaction to seeing Gentry hitting on Melissa. The pitcher was a well-known womanizer, but the truth was he’d been just as irritated when Mark flirted with Melissa during the game. When the hell had jealousy become one of his character traits?

After dinner, both Angie and J.T. slid out of the booth to use the restroom, finally giving him the opportunity to satisfy his curiosity. “Okay. They’re gone. What did Gentry say to you?”

Melissa averted her eyes. “I’d rather not say. It was rather crude.”

“Crude?” Jake’s gut tightened. “Did he proposition you?”

“In a manner of speaking.”

“Either he did, or he didn’t. You can tell me, Melissa. I doubt it would shock me.”

“Then that makes one of us.” She let out a sigh and turned to him. Her cheeks were again stained with pink. “His exact words were ‘You have amazing tits. I’d like to fuck them.’”

Fury sizzled in Jake’s brain and judging by Melissa’s alarmed expression, it showed on his face.

“Jake.” She shifted in the booth and put her hand on his arm. “Please don’t do anything. I took care of it.”

Under the table, he clenched his fists and tried to remain calm. “What did you do?” he said, keeping his voice low.

“I told him he was an ass and walked away.” A wry smile curved her lips. “I wanted to slap him, but I didn’t want to cause a scene.”

“Too bad you didn’t. He deserved it.” Jake wanted to do more than slap the motherfucker. He’d like to punch Gentry for even thinking about Melissa’s breasts, let alone telling her what he wanted to do to them.

She squeezed his arm. “I know what you want to do, but don’t do it.”

His jaw tightened. “How do you know what I want to do?”

“Because you’re a good man. The kind of man who’d defend a woman’s honor.” Their eyes held for several seconds, and in those seconds he became acutely aware of the warmth of her fingers on his skin and the delicate citrusy fragrance she’d worn since the day he met her. “The kind of man who would offer to escort a woman to a wedding because her bitch of a cousin made fun of her. You’re ten times the man Trey Gentry is and I’m—I’m lucky to call you my friend.”

The tension eased from Jake’s body as she squeezed his arm again. “For the record, I’m itching to give him a black eye,” he said, and grinned as a surprised burst of laughter tumbled from her lips. “And do harm to another part of his anatomy. If I had my way I’d see to it he couldn’t walk straight for days.”

* * *

Forty-five minutes later, while Melissa, J.T. and Angie waited for him outside Kamu’s, Jake was about to exit the men’s room when Trey Gentry walked in. For a split second, he felt an overwhelming urge to deck the guy, but he tamped it down as Gentry gave him an amiable nod. He’d promised Melissa to let the situation be and starting a brawl in the bathroom would only make matters worse.

“You’re Sawyer’s brother, right?” Gentry asked in a congenial tone.

“Yes.”

“I thought so. I saw you sitting with him and his wife.” Trey gave him a conspiratorial smile. “That blonde you’re with is one curvy piece of ass.”

Jake tensed and clenched his fists. “Are you talking about the blonde you insulted earlier?”

Gentry’s eyes widened. “It was a compliment, dude.” He motioned with his hands at his chest. “Her tits are a-
mazing
. Have fun with those.”

“Shut your fucking mouth,” Jake said, and moved forward until he was directly in front of Gentry. Gentry visibly swallowed and his smug expression disappeared. He poked his finger into the pitcher’s chest, hard. “You’re lucky I haven’t already kicked your ass.”

Gentry took a step back and held up his hands and flashed a nervous grin. “Relax, man. I didn’t mean any harm. You gotta admit...the girl is stacked.”

“Let me give you some free advice. You’d better check yourself or you’re going to end up in a world of hurt.”

“All right, already. I’m sorry. Tell the blonde I apologize.” Gentry cocked his head and scowled. “Is that it? Can I take a leak now?”

Jake let out a snort of disgust. “Yeah. Go ahead. But when the time comes—and it
will
come—when you get the ever-lovin’ shit kicked out of you by someone who doesn’t have the restraint I have, I want you to remember this day. Because you were warned.”

* * *

It was after ten when Jake pulled up to the curb in front of her townhouse. The porch light was on and bathed the small garden and walkway near the front door in a warm golden glow. Inside, the house was dark. Paige was either upstairs in her bedroom at the back of the unit, or she’d decided to spend the night with Rob.

“You talked to Gentry, didn’t you?” Melissa asked the question that had been on her mind ever since she’d seen Trey head toward the men’s room not long after Jake had done the same thing.

“We had a brief discussion.” Jake’s fingers tightened on the steering wheel. “I didn’t lay a hand on him. If that’s what you’re worried about.”

“The only reason I’d worry is because I wouldn’t want you to get into any trouble because of me. Him, I couldn’t care less about.”

“My father taught us to respect women. What Gentry said to you was out of line. I took it upon myself to call him out on his behavior.”

“I guess he thought I’d be flattered that he found me attractive.”

“His success has gone to his head. He’s got women panting after him all the time and he takes advantage of
that
situation on a daily basis, according to J.T.”

“Well, he picked the wrong woman tonight. I wish I would have had the nerve to deck him. Paige would have done it in a heartbeat.” She sighed. “Paige thinks I need to stand up for myself more. She says I always turn the other cheek and let people like Shauna and Denise get away with insulting me.”

“Is that true?”

“Yes,” Melissa admitted, with a tentative nod. “I was always heavier than all the other kids. When they made fun of me it was easier to pretend it didn’t matter instead of confronting them.”

“But it did matter, didn’t it?”

“It hurt.” Her heart clenched at the thought of those painful times. “A lot. Luckily, I had Paige. I don’t think I would have gotten through school if she wasn’t there with me. She fought my battles for me. No one would dare say a word to me when she was nearby.”

“You’ve never struck me as the kind of person who wouldn’t stick up for herself.”

“That’s because you don’t really know me.”

“I think I do.” Jake reached up to brush a lock of hair from her cheek, and then quickly lowered his hand. “That strength you think you don’t have is there. Inside you. One day you’ll figure that out.”

“How can you be so sure?”

A smile quirked his lips. “Personal experience.”

Before she could ask him what he meant, headlights flashed into the cab of the Land Rover as a car sped toward them. When the driver pulled into the driveway, Melissa unbuckled her seatbelt and reached for her purse. “That’s Paige. Thanks for today. I had a great time. Blaze Field is just as beautiful as I’d imagined.”

“You’re welcome. Now we have our backstory straight in case anyone questions us about our relationship. Wait,” he said as she opened the door. “I can’t believe I forgot to ask you this. What’s your favorite kind of music?”

She grinned. “Alternative hip-hop and rap.”

Jake’s jaw dropped. “Seriously?”

“What? Can’t a girl like Eminem, the Beastie Boys, and some old-school Run DMC?”

“Name one Run DMC song,” he challenged.

“‘Walk this Way.’”

“Aerosmith did it first.”

“Aerosmith should thank them. Their career got a second wind when Run DMC recorded the rap version of it and invited them to do the video with them.”

He rolled his eyes. “You aren’t picking the radio station when we drive to Monterey.”

“That’s fine. I like all kinds of music.” Melissa pushed open the door and hopped out. Turning toward him, she added, “Even that middle-of the-road stuff you listen to.”

“It’s called classic rock.”

“That’s what I meant.” She laughed at his affronted expression. “I’ll see you at the gym tomorrow night,” she said, and closed the door. Hooking her purse over her shoulder, she headed for Paige’s car as Jake pulled the Land Rover away from the curb and headed off down the street.

“Did I interrupt a make out session?” Paige asked as she opened the door and climbed out of the Mazda.

“No. There’s not going to be any make out sessions. Jake and I are just friends.”

“Right.” Paige closed the door and pressed the remote to activate the door locks. “Just friends.”

Ignoring her sister’s skeptical tone, Melissa continued, “I did get propositioned tonight. But not by Jake.”

Paige whirled around, the light from the porch illuminating her astonished expression. “Well, don’t leave me hanging. What happened?”

“Trey Gentry said I had amazing tits and that he wanted to fuck them.”

Melissa could barely keep a straight face as Paige’s mouth gaped open. “Are you serious?” she asked two seconds later. “He actually said that to you?”

“Yep.”

“What did you do?”

“I called him an ass.”

“I would have slapped him,” Paige said as they walked toward the front door. “No...wait...I would have kicked him in the balls. That way he couldn’t fuck anyone for a good long while.”

Melissa laughed. “Paige, do me a favor?”

“Anything.”

“Don’t ever change.”

Chapter Six

Early Friday afternoon, Melissa preceded Jake into their hotel room at the Monterey Hyatt Regency and stopped cold. In front of her, instead of two full-size beds was one king-size bed.

“We have a slight problem,” she said, and turned to face Jake, who stood poised on the threshold with a suitcase in each hand. “There’s only one bed.”

He cocked his head and looked past her, unfazed by this latest development. “There’s an easy fix for that. We’ll just ask for another room.”

“I doubt one’s available. Aunt Beverly said the hotel was booked this weekend.”

“It doesn’t hurt to check,” Jake said, moving into the room and depositing their suitcases near the door. “I left our garment bags in the Land Rover. How about I talk to someone at the front desk on my way back in and see about changing rooms?”

“Sounds good.”

After Jake left the room, Melissa set her purse and toiletry satchel on the end of the bed and moved to the sliding glass door that led to the small balcony beyond. Opening the door, she stepped outside. There was no panoramic view of the Pacific Ocean, the hotel wasn’t located on the bay or the peninsula, but there was no mistaking the tangy sea air. They were close to the ocean, and not far from Monterey’s famed Cannery Row.

The room, on the second floor, overlooked the Del Monte Golf Course. The lush green grass was immaculately landscaped and dotted with various trees, but there were no golfers in sight. That struck her as odd, but perhaps this section of the course wasn’t near the fairway or one of the eighteen holes.

Just as she was about to sit down on one of the two chairs on the balcony, her cell phone rang. Moving back into the room, she dug it out of her purse and saw Paige’s photo on the screen as she pressed the speaker button.

“Are you in Monterey yet?” Paige asked, after Melissa answered.

“We just got here. Are you and Rob at Pebble Beach?”

“We checked in a half an hour ago. We took the 17-Mile Drive and—oh my God—what a gorgeous view. I can’t wait for you to see it. It’s spectacular.”

Melissa smiled. Paige sounded as excited as when she’d won the darts tournament at Timbers Tavern last month. “What time is your bridesmaid meeting?”

“Five.” Paige snorted, her good humor evaporating. “Can you believe Shauna wants to discuss bridesmaid protocol? What the hell is that, anyway? And she actually asked me to roll up the sleeves of my shirt and show her my arms. She thought I had a tattoo.”

“That’s my fault. The last time I talked to her I told her you were at the tattoo parlor getting a sleeve.” Melissa sank down on the end of the bed and looked around the room. It was light and airy, with white linens and walnut furnishings. “She was horrified.”

Paige let out an amused chuckle. “If I wasn’t deathly afraid of needles I’d get one just to piss her off.” She paused, then continued in an excited tone, “I should have Rob drive me into Carmel. Maybe I can find a fake one and paste it on my arm.” Her low chuckle was almost evil. “That would send her completely over the edge.”

Melissa smiled and shook her head. “You’re so bad.”

“That’s exactly what Rob said last night...in bed.” Paige laughed and Melissa heard Rob’s muffled voice in the background. “I’ll tell you later,” she said to Rob. “So, where’s your escort?” Paige asked her.

“He went to his SUV to get the rest of the luggage.” Melissa shifted and looked at the bed. Even though it was king size, she had a feeling it would seem awfully small if she was sharing it with Jake. “Our room only has one bed.”

“Really? So you and Hottie McHotterson will be sharing a bed. I think that’s a sign.”

“A sign of what?”

“That you and Jake are going to knock boots.”

“Knock boots?”

“Have sex.”

Melissa rolled her eyes. “I know what it means. I’m just surprised to hear that phrase come out of your mouth.”

“Okay. How’s this?” Paige made a production of clearing her throat. “It’s a sign that you and Jake are going to engage in a delightful and mutually fulfilling evening of sexual intercourse. Is that better?”

“No.” Melissa couldn’t conceal a smile. “And it’s not a sign of anything except the hotel gave us the wrong room. Jake is checking with the front desk to see if we can get a room with two beds.”

“Good luck with that. Aunt Bev said that both the hotel and resort are booked solid. There’s some charity event going on this weekend.”

“Aunt Bev? Did you actually call her that to her face?”

“Of course. I love that prune-faced look she gets whenever anyone dares to call her Bev.” Paige chuckled, then continued, “Hey, what are you and Jake doing tonight?”

“We haven’t discussed it. Why?”

“Rob and I are going to Planet Gemini to catch a comedy show. One of the groomsmen told us about it. He said they have an after-party with a DJ and there’s dancing. You guys should come with. It sounds like fun.”

It
did
sound fun, and it had been far too long since Melissa had been dancing. And even longer since she’d had intercourse...not that knocking boots was on the agenda tonight, or any other night. “I’ll ask Jake and get back to you.”

Five minutes after she got off the phone with Paige, Jake returned to the room.

“What did they say?” Melissa asked.

He closed the door behind him. “No dice. They’re full up.”

“So it looks like we’re sharing a bed.”

“Looks like it.” Jake gave the room a quick perusal. “There’s no couch. I could call for a rollaway bed and sleep on that.”

“Those things are so lumpy and, from my experience, they can really hurt your back. I’d hate for you to be subjected to that for an entire weekend. Especially since you’re here because you’re doing me a favor. “ Melissa pointed to the bed. “This bed is huge. If it’s not too awkward for you, I don’t mind taking one side if you want to take the other.”

“Are you sure? I don’t want you to be uncomfortable.”

Uncomfortable? No. It wasn’t that. More like worried her strong attraction to him would have her gravitating to his side of the bed in the middle of the night. Forcing
that
image from her head, she waved a hand. “It’s fine. There’s plenty of room for both of us.”

“As long as you’re okay with it.” He paused. “So what’s on the agenda for tonight?”

“Nothing wedding related. Thank God.” Melissa watched as Jake moved to the mirrored closet to hang up their garment bags. In his jeans and lightweight gray knit pullover, he looked mighty damn fine. “Paige invited us to go with her and Rob to see a comedy show. There’s a DJ and dancing afterward. What do you think?”

“Sounds like fun.” Jake turned and put his hands on his hips. “Though I should warn you, I’m not a good dancer. Have you ever seen Elaine dance on that old show
Seinfeld
?”

Melissa clutched a hand to her chest, horrified. “Oh my God. Are you serious?”

“As George said on the show, it’s like a full-body dry heave set to music.”

She burst out laughing. “You’re exaggerating.” She sobered when he didn’t say a word. “Aren’t you?”

His mouth curved in a devilish grin. “Maybe you’ll find out tonight.”

* * *

Jake sang about as poorly as he danced. Which was why when Melissa and Paige tried to cajole him, along with Paige’s date, Rob, into the separate karaoke lounge at Planet Gemini, he didn’t go willingly. It wasn’t until the sisters promised him they wouldn’t drag him onstage that he gave in.

Taking a long draw from his bottle of beer, he cringed as a woman who didn’t look much older than twenty-one tried her hand at “Before He Cheats.” Carrie Underwood she was not, but her laser-like stare directed at a guy sitting near the stage all but warned she’d have no qualms about taking a Louisville Slugger to both headlights—just like Carrie had in the video.

“I think she’s sending a message,” Rob said, giving Jake a sidelong glance.

Jake grinned. “And I think he gets it. He won’t dare look at another woman tonight.”

“Not if he knows what’s good for him.” Rob glanced around the room the owners had christened the Fireside Lounge. It held a smattering of tables, a couple of well-worn leather sofas and a makeshift stage set up in front of what looked like a brick mural. Opposite the stage was a bar and in the far corner of the room was a fireplace—currently unlit. “I like this place. Something for everyone.”

Jake liked it too. The few nightclubs he’d been to in his lifetime were filled with people more concerned about impressing each other than actually having a good time. Give him Timbers Tavern any day of the week. But here at Planet Gemini, the eclectic crowd was both friendly and fun-loving, and he got the impression most of them were regulars. Rob was right. The club had something for everyone: comedy, karaoke and dancing. And according to Paige, who’d heard it from one of the groomsmen, Planet Gemini also had a Salsa night
and
an Italian night.

“You gonna get up there?” Rob pointed his bottle at the stage where the Carrie Underwood wannabe caterwauled into her last chorus.

“Hell no. Nails on a chalkboard sound better than my singing.”

Rob laughed. “Tell me about it. I can’t carry a tune to save my life.”

Jake took another swig of his Sam Adams and caught a glimpse of Melissa and Paige as they edged around the onlookers and headed toward the stage. The two sisters couldn’t be more different in looks and personality. Paige’s green eyes and waist-length curtain of dark hair were in direct contrast to Melissa’s shoulder-length blond hair and light brown eyes. And whereas Melissa possessed the lush curves of the pin-up girls of the Fifties, Paige was lean and athletic—a combination that would serve her well if she got into the police academy. Each sister was striking in their unique way and had attracted the stares of more than half the men in the club.

As polite applause greeted the merciful end of “Before He Cheats,” Paige pulled Melissa up on the stage and then took control of the microphone.

“Who in this joint loves rock and roll?” Paige spoke into the mic and grinned when the crowd reacted with whistles, claps and a few enthusiastic fist pumps. “That’s what I thought. I’m Paige and this is my sister, Melissa.” She gestured toward Melissa who, to Jake’s surprise, didn’t seem at all nervous about being on stage. It could be the effect of the two beers she’d had during the comedy show, or maybe she’d neglected to mention she was into karaoke. “And we’re gonna rock you like a hurricane.”

“Did she say what I think she said?” Jake asked as the small, and perhaps over-served, crowd cheered with unbridled enthusiasm. He looked at Rob, who shrugged and flashed a wry grin.

“Honestly, I never know what’s gonna come out of Paige’s mouth.”

Jake had no problem believing that and as soon as the music started he recognized the song, and for the next five minutes he and everyone in the lounge were treated to a damn fine version of “I Love Rock and Roll.” Mesmerized, he watched as Melissa and Paige belted out the song like they’d been performing karaoke all their lives. Paige did her best Joan Jett sneer while Melissa sang along, matching her sister word for word.

But what Jake appreciated more than their rendition of the song was how comfortable Melissa seemed on stage next to Paige, and how smoking hot she looked in her dark jeans and sleeveless black top that had some sort of shimmering metallic edging along the hem and neckline. Plus, she had on some seriously sexy red heels that seemed to sparkle every time she moved.

Earlier, they’d taken turns using the bathroom and when she’d returned to the room, ready to begin their evening, he reacted just like he had when he was thirteen years old and his hormones were raging—he got hard just looking at her. And damn if he wasn’t getting hard right now watching her strut her stuff up on the stage.
Shit.
In a few hours he’d be sharing a bed with her. He silently cursed the hotel for not giving them a room with two beds, but in reality, it wouldn’t make a difference. Her intoxicating scent already lingered in the room, teasing his senses and making him completely aware of her in every way. In the same bed, or in a bed right next to his, she’d still be a temptation. A temptation he couldn’t indulge in.

Fuck.
It was going to be a long weekend.

* * *

Sitting across from Jake at a table near the bar, Melissa glanced down at the shot glasses lined up in front of her. Common sense told her she’d probably regret her alcohol consumption come morning, but right now, the two beers she’d polished off during the comedy show had her feeling too mellow to care.

Jake had quit drinking after two beers since he was driving, but to her left and right, both Paige and Rob each had the same amount of shots in front of them that she did. Their designated driver, Kenny, the groomsman who’d told them about Planet Gemini and who didn’t drink alcohol, was currently up on stage showing off his karaoke skills. Maroon 5 had nothing to fear as the guy attempted to sing “Moves Like Jagger,” stumbling over the lyrics as he read them off the monitor.

“Ready?” Paige asked with a grin, looking from Rob to Melissa.

“Ready,” Melissa and Rob said, in unison. Melissa giggled (something she only did when she was tipsy) and then looked at Jake, who was watching her with something bordering on amusement.

“Go,” Paige declared, and in less than five seconds Melissa had licked the back of her hand, picked up her salt shaker, coated her skin with salt, licked it again and downed her shot in one gulp. She gasped as she slammed her shot glass on the table, picked up a lime wedge and bit into it. The salt had lessened the burn of the tequila while the fruit enhanced the flavor.

“Damn. That’s some good tequila.” Paige dropped her lime wedge on the small plate next to her shot glasses. “Shauna could have used some before our meeting today. She’s wound tighter than an eight-day clock.”

Rob chuckled. “I’ve never heard that saying before.”

Melissa glanced from Rob to Jake, whose hazel eyes seemed to be fixated on her mouth. She set her lime wedge on her plate and lifted a hand to her lips and brushed away the citrusy drops from the fruit.

“Our dad says it a lot. Usually when he’s talking about Aunt Beverly,” Melissa said as the effects of the tequila sent a frisson of heat through her bloodstream. Or maybe it wasn’t the alcohol. Maybe it was Jake, and the way he’d been looking at her ever since she walked out of the bathroom in their hotel room. She’d never seen such frank appreciation in his eyes before. It was thrilling and unnerving at the same time.