Lying In Ruins by Jami Gray

Author:Jami Gray
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin Enterprises, Australia Pty Ltd

Chapter 14

Sitting across the table from Charity, Ruin tipped his chair back on two legs, his shoulders braced by the wall, and balanced a sweating glass of beer against his stomach. Full of damn fine barbeque, his mood was mellow as he kept an eye on Agatha’s patrons. Kennewick might not be a hotbed of nightlife, but enough people were out and about despite being long past the dinner hour.

Under the questionable glow of solar-powered lights, locals mixed easily with travellers. Even with the irregular illumination it wasn’t hard to tell who was who. The locals gathered around various tables in relaxed groups, their voices and mannerisms low-key. Visitors congregated near the bar, their interactions interspersed with the occasional overly loud laughter, which earned jaded glances from the locals. It was a familiar scene and one he was happy to simply watch. Too bad the jet-haired barmaid who kept his beer filled wanted his participation in something more than talk. As if the very thought conjured her up, she headed his way,

Working her exceptional body with undaunted confidence—Kitty? Katy?—damned if he could remember, sidled up to the table. ‘Need another refill, baby?’

He hefted his almost full glass. ‘I’m good, thanks.’

She gave him an artful pout. ‘Well, just holler when you’re ready for another.’

Charity’s sweet as pie request came from across the table. ‘Karen, sugar, you mind getting me another?’

Ruin lifted his glass to his lips hoping to hide his grin. Bless her heart, the woman could make nice downright evil when she wanted.

Karen’s pout tightened for the briefest moment before smoothing into her professional service smile. ‘Of course, be right back.’ She swiped Charity’s empty glass with enough force to leave skid marks, then turned and stalked back to the bar. Her passage caught every male eye in her wake. He gave her credit, it was fairly impressive. Problem was, right now his interest was tangled up in the bundle of trouble sitting across from him. It should annoy the shit out of him that when presented with a luscious offer, he couldn’t muster an ounce of curiosity, but it was what it was.

‘Must be hard to be you.’ Between the murmur of conversations and underlying music from the guitar trio in the corner, Charity’s comment was low enough to stay between them.

Lowering his glass, he turned to her. ‘How so?’

Sitting tailor-style in her chair, elbows braced on the tabletop, chin in her hands and the tail end of her braid lying over her shoulder, she batted her ridiculously long eyelashes at him and adopted a breathless voice. ‘If there’s anything, anything at all, that I can do you for—’ another exaggerated blink, ‘—I mean do for you, just let me know.’ She wrinkled her nose, and her voice went back to its normal husky timbre. ‘Doesn’t it get old?’

Unable to resist her inadvertent opening, he drawled, ‘Jealous, darlin’?’

She cocked her head to the side, a small frown creasing her brow. ‘Why would I be?’

‘Isn’t that a normal female thing?’ He got a kick out of watching colour rise along her cheeks.

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