Chapter Three

Justice almost choked on the cool liquid sliding down his throat. Blinking a few times, he checked, then double-checked, to make sure it wasn’t his imagination. It wasn’t. Leaning against the bar, in tight black pants and a white halter-top stood none other than Kassidy. She had one heeled boot propped up, an elbow on the bar, and a bottle of beer dangling from her fingers as she spoke to the bartender.

“Excuse me, guys,” he murmured as he took another drink and headed toward her. In the back of his mind he heard his friends commenting, but none of it registered. He had one thing in mind.

Justice stepped up behind her, almost touching but not. He met the bartender’s gaze briefly, long enough to make his claim clear. Then he lowered his head, inhaled the intoxicating and alluring scent of dark amber with a hint of vanilla. Desire, lust, and something else flashed through him.

“Good evening, Kassidy,” he whispered in her ear.

She jumped with surprise and Justice groaned as he reached around her to help steady her drink.

“Oh… oh… you scared me,” she stuttered, turning to face him.

Justice forced himself not to give in and kiss her. Behave, man! It wasn’t easy. He couldn’t think of another woman who could banish all train of thought from his mind as this one could. Kassidy wore a bare minimum of makeup and his gaze lingered on her lips after her tongue snuck out to dampen them.

“Sorry,” he apologized. Leaning against the bar he lost himself in her gray eyes. “Do you come here often?”

Silence fell before they both laughed.

“Wow,” she teased, “that’s a line I haven’t heard in a while.”

“Didn’t mean for it to sound like that. Just I don’t recall seeing you in here before.”

“I’ve not been. Just came to meet someone.”

Possessiveness reared up within him. “Really?” he asked, well aware he sounded all growly.

If Kassidy noticed the surly attitude, she made no mention of it. “Yes. Ed, the bartender.”

He snapped his gaze to the tall, dark-haired white man behind the bar. Observant blue eyes stared back at him. What the hell?

“Ed?” he asked again, looking between the two of them.

“Yes. Lucy wanted me to meet her boyfriend.” Kassidy glanced over her shoulder and waved at Ed. “He’s a very nice guy. I’m happy for them both,” she said when she met his gaze again.

Relief swamped him. “So he’s not your man?”

She stared at him, took a long, slow drink from the bottle. His body responded as he observed the way her lips curled around the mouth of the longneck.

“Nope,” she finally responded.

Justice leaned closer. “Anyone in here your man?”

Kassidy finished eliminating the distance between them, their lips millimeters apart. “Not yet.”

Her name was hollered over the noise, and she drew back. Justice could feel the blood pounding through his veins. A siren’s smile lifted her full, kissable lips.

“Nice to see you again, Justice Graham. Goodbye.” She winked and slipped off through the crowd.

He remained there and didn’t move. Fingers around his beer, Justice turned his head when a hand settled upon his shoulder. Another crewmember, Kelly Henderson.

“Losing your touch?” Kelly teased.

“Man, don’t make me hurt you. That woman right there is the future Mrs. Jamal Graham.”

Kelly leaned his body against his, shoulder to shoulder, and turned his head in the direction Kassidy had gone. “Really? Hmm, well congrats. I think you may want to tell her that, ‘cause the way she left you standing here, I’m thinking she’s not aware of y’all’s marriage.”

Shoving Kelly off him, Justice growled, “Stuff it, Kelly.” His friend just laughed harder.

“How about this. I’ll help you by putting in a good word with her.”

Justice took a swig of beer and frowned. “If?” Kelly was never that nice without a reason.

“Get me a date with your sister.”

“Want me to kill you, Henderson?” he asked in a low, barely controlled tone.

“Come on, man. We may just be soul mates.”

Justice took a deep breath. The hell I’m pimping out my sister. “You and my sister aren’t ever happening, Kelly. Ever.”

“She doesn’t even know me.”

“After seeing you on the pier one night, drunk, she has no wish to. And I won’t let my baby sister become one of your conquests, so back the fuck off!” There was no more humor in his voice.

Kelly held up his hands in surrender. “Okay, I’ll let it go.”

Justice stared at him before walking away. His temper had cooled by the time he’d relocated Kassidy. Before he knew what had happened, he found himself in front of her table. He recognized the woman with her from the museum and of course Ed, who was curved against Lucy.

He lost his train of thought when Kassidy’s amazing gaze flitted up to his. Her eyes widened slightly before she looked down at her hands.

“Can I have a moment?” he asked, barely taking the time to acknowledge the two others at the table.

Kassidy glanced to Lucy, and Justice was pleased to see the woman give an encouraging nod. He stepped back so Kassidy could stand.

“Sure,” she said. “Be right back, Lucy.”

Justice gestured with his beer then fell into step behind her. Wiping his hand off on his pant leg, he placed it on the small of her back to guide her. The heat from her skin singed his palm and he almost jerked it off. Silken chocolate is what her skin felt like. No words were traded as he led her out the door to the dock and they found space along the rail. Kassidy rested her arms on the flat wood while he faced her, using one arm to brace himself.

“What can I do for you, Justice Graham?” she queried, pulling her gaze from him and staring out over the water.

Justice reached out and used two fingers to bring her face around to his. “Get to know me,” he uttered.