Tying You Down Read online

  He was grinning. “You are so damned cute.”

  She raised her chin. “And you’re infuriating.”

  “I am? Huh.” He looked thoughtful but still amused. “Just say yes. It’ll make things a whole lot easier.”

  “Easier than what?” she said.

  “Easier than me having to throw you over my shoulder and haul you off.”

  Her jaw dropped. “You wouldn’t.”

  He glanced at her again. “Try me.”

  Jo started to retort but clamped her mouth shut. The thing was she could see him doing just that. The thought didn’t annoy her. Rather, it turned her on—a fact she would deny until the end of time.

  “Don’t even try it.” When she finally spoke she narrowed her gaze at him.

  He glanced at her with a glint in his eyes. “I’ll do it right in public. Maybe in your bar.”

  “I’ll scream.” She crossed her arms over her chest.

  “No you won’t.” He shook his head. “Tell the truth. The thought of it excites you.”

  “You are the most arrogant, infuriating man I have ever met—”

  “You might keep your voice down.” He gave a nod in the direction of the back seat. “Jenny could wake up.”

  Jo glared at him. “You sure have a way of asking a woman out.”

  He shrugged. “Only with you.”

  “The answer is still ‘no’,” she said. “And don’t try anything.”

  He just grinned again and took her home.

  Chapter 2

  Friday night, music pulsed in Jo-Jo’s and dancers crowded the floor that was surrounded by tables on three sides and the bar that stretched along most of the right side of the establishment.

  Jo crossed her legs at the knees as she settled into a chair at the small table with her younger half-sister, Charlee. Jo’s short emerald green dress slid up, exposing a good length of thigh and leg. Sequins on the dress sparkled in the flashing lights shining from the dance floor.

  Charlee wore a simple black dress that reached just above her knees. She tended to be more conservative than Jo, shyer and less confident about her appearance. Jo still lacked a lot of self-confidence but she believed in “fake it ’til you make it”.

  “See that man in the far corner?” Charlee smoothed her strawberry-blonde hair over her shoulder, appearing a little self-conscious as she looked at Jo. “Usually guys are all over you but I think he’s been watching me.”

  “You’re exaggerating,” Jo said with a frown. She didn’t like it when Charlee compared herself to Jo. “Men like you just as much.” She glanced in the direction Charlee had indicated. A good-looking, brown-haired man raised a lowball glass to his lips, his gaze focused on Charlee.

  With her gaze narrowed, Jo turned to Charlee. “Want me to tell him to keep his eyes to himself?”

  Charlee’s cheeks turned a light pink. “I think he’s hot.”

  Jo raised an eyebrow. “In a creepy sort of way.”

  “Admit it, Jo,” Charlee said with a shake of her head. “You just don’t like men in general.”

  Jo gave a delicate shrug of her shoulders. “A good man is a rare find.”

  “Maybe that man is one of those finds.” From beneath lowered eyelids, Charlee glanced in his direction.

  “He looks a little old for you,” Jo said. The man had to be close to forty, at least fifteen years older than her twenty-four-year-old sister.

  “I like the thought of dating an older man.” Charlee sounded a bit breathless as she gripped the stem of her glass and nearly sloshed out some of the margarita inside it. “He’s coming this way.”

  Jo tensed. She inhaled and let out her own breath on a slow exhale. She was overprotective of Charlee and she just needed to relax. She wondered if Charlee was interested in older men since she’d never had a relationship with her own father before he died.

  “Hi.” A man’s voice came from just over Jo’s shoulder.

  Jo’s eyes were on Charlee as her sister gave a shy smile and looked up. Jo turned slightly and coolly studied the man who seemed to have eyes only for Charlee.

  The man exuded charisma and had a smile that probably charmed the pants off most women. His teeth were even and bright white in comparison to his tanned skin. In the dimness of the bar it was usually a little difficult to get a good look at the color of someone’s eyes, but this man’s were a brilliant blue that was easy to see.

  He held out his hand to Charlee. “My name is David Smith,” he said.

  “I’m Charlee.” She sounded breathless as she looked up at him. She seemed to realize that she was staring at him and she looked a little embarrassed. She drew her hand from his and gave a nod in Jo’s direction. “This is my sister, Jo.”

  He turned his winning smile on Jo and extended his hand. “Hi, Jo. A pleasure.”

  She gave him a nod and a smile. “Hi.”

  “Mind if I join you?” he asked as he gestured to one of the two empty chairs at the table.

  Charlee looked a little flustered as she smiled and said, “Sure.”

  Jo leaned back in her chair and tapped her martini glass with her manicured fingernails. She surveyed David as he sat and scooted his seat up to the table, fairly close to Charlee.

  He gave an amiable smile as he looked at Charlee. “Nice place.”

  She gestured to Jo. “My sister owns Jo-Jo’s.”

  He turned his gaze on Jo. “It looks like you run a successful business.”

  “It does well enough.” She kept her tone casual. As a matter of fact, Jo-Jo’s was probably the most successful bar in Prescott with Nectar’s running a close second. It wasn’t something she advertised or talked about. “You must be new around here,” she said.

  He settled his lowball glass on the tabletop. He was probably drinking something like rum and Coke. “For the time being I live in Phoenix and am commuting here for work during the week.” He looked at Charlee. “I just may move here permanently. I like what I see.” He kept his attention on Charlee. “Would you like to dance?”

  She smiled. “I’d like that.”

  “Excuse us.” He met Jo’s gaze as he stood and took Charlee’s hand, helping her to her feet.

  Jo gave a slight nod, then watched David escort Charlee to the dance floor.

  “Hey, Jo.” Marty caught her attention and she turned to look up at the beefcake of a bouncer. She didn’t mind having a little eye candy working around her, not at all. Marty wore a serious expression. “There’s a guy making trouble up front. He’s drunk off his ass and making a scene.”

  Jo frowned. “Is it bad enough to bring the police in on it?”

  Marty gave a nod. “We tossed him out but we can’t get rid of him.”

  “Then make the call.” She gave him a tight smile. “You know I trust your judgment.”

  “I’ll take care of it.” Marty turned and headed back to the front entrance.

  Jo mentally shook her head. One of the joys of running a bar was dealing with drunken jerks.

  Her gaze turned to where Charlee and David had disappeared into the crowd on the dance floor. The song ended, but the couple didn’t return as a second tune started up. Not that Jo expected them to. It was clear that they were attracted to each other.

  Charlee stood to inherit a large sum of money when she reached twenty-five and Jo was concerned that someone would attempt to take advantage of her sweet and naïve half-sister. It was likely that this David wouldn’t know anything about the inheritance, though, so she shouldn’t be too worried.

  “Alone?” A low, rumbling drawl yanked Jo from her thoughts and she looked over to see Tate McBride pulling up a chair at her table.

  With a casualness she didn’t feel around Tate, she looked him over. Damn, he looked good—way too good. He wore a white Stetson with a white western shirt that fit him as if it was tailored for his muscular frame. Something about the man sent little shivers through her every time she was around him. It had been almost a week since their flight back from La
s Vegas and she’d thought of him more than once since then—and not just when the lights were on.

  She kept her expression even as she met his gaze. “Why don’t you go ahead and make yourself at home?”

  “Don’t mind if I do.” He flashed her a grin. “It’s rare to see you relaxing in your own club.”

  “You’re not in here often enough to know,” she said.

  “I’ll have to remedy that.” He turned his attention to Tanya, one of Jo’s servers who came up to the table.

  Tanya set a paper napkin down in front of Tate as she smiled at him and then Jo. Like the other employees, Tanya wore black. She tended to wear skirts even shorter than Jo’s and had a cute petite figure.

  “What can I get you, Tate?” Tanya asked.

  “Blue Moon.” He smiled at Tanya and she gave him a flirtatious look.

  She turned her gaze on Jo. “Anything you’d like, boss?”

  Jo felt that old sick feeling in her abdomen and she held her hand to her belly. Alcohol was empty calories and she needed to—

  Stopping that way of thinking was what she needed.

  “I’ll take another lemon drop, Tanya,” Jo said with a smile.

  “Great.” Tanya nodded as she picked up Jo’s empty martini glass. “I’ll bring you some bar snacks, too.”

  Jo almost rushed to say, “Don’t,” but instead nodded.

  When she turned back to Tate, he was studying her. The way he was looking at her made her feel like he knew she was fighting with herself about something deep inside.

  “So, what are you doing here?” she asked. “Meeting anyone?”

  “You know why I’m here.” His gaze was intense as he looked at her. “I told you that I want to see you again.”

  Jo found herself looking away from him, not wanting to meet his gaze. It would be too easy to say yes to the tall, dark, and sexy cowboy. She searched the crowd for Charlee and David but still didn’t see them. She hoped her sister hadn’t done something irrational like leave the club with the man. After what her friend Tess had gone through, being abducted right from Jo-Jo’s, it made Jo feel almost panicked to think that Charlee would be that reckless.

  To her relief she saw David and Charlee through a gap in the crowd and she let out her breath.

  “Jo?” Tate’s voice drew her attention back to him. He was frowning. “Everything all right?”

  She nodded. “I was just watching out for Charlee. She’s dancing with a man who’s new in town.” Jo glanced in Charlee and David’s direction and gestured toward them. She looked back at Tate. “Do you know that man? He said his name is David Smith.”

  Tate shook his head. “Can’t say that I do.”

  Jo sighed and pushed a strand of hair from her face. “I’m having a hard time trusting any man I don’t know ever since Tess was taken. This David is probably a good guy.”

  Tate gave a nod of understanding. “After Tess’s experience, I don’t blame you for feeling that way.”

  Tanya arrived with Jo’s lemon drop martini and Tate’s Blue Moon beer that had an orange wedge at the mouth of the bottle. She also set a bowl of bar munchies between them.

  After each had taken a swallow, Tate said, “Go out with me.”

  This time she didn’t look away. “I…I can’t.”

  He kept his gaze focused on hers. “I told you what I’d do if you said no.”

  Her cheeks warmed. “You wouldn’t really do that.”

  “If you don’t want that pretty little ass in the air while I carry you out over my shoulder, you’d better say yes.” He looked completely serious as he spoke.

  At the image of her matching emerald green panties being on display for the whole club to see, she shook her head. “All right, all right. I’ll go out on a date with you.”

  He grinned. “That wasn’t so hard, now was it?”

  “Only because you resorted to blackmail.” Now that she’d said yes, she was almost giddy from the thought of going out with Tate. It was hard not to smile too much.

  “Next Saturday.” He braced his forearms on the table. “I’ll pick you up at ten a.m.”

  She raised her brows. “Ten?”

  “I’ve got something in mind that you’ll enjoy,” he said with a grin. “Wear jeans.”

  “You move fast, cowboy,” she said with a shake of her head.

  He put his hand over hers on the tabletop. “Hon, you ain’t seen nothing yet.”

  “Hi, Tate.”

  Jo looked up to see her sister and David standing by the table and Jo jerked her hand away from Tate’s.

  Charlee’s cheeks were flushed from dancing and her eyes sparkled. David wore a smile that made it easy to see why Charlee was so attracted to him.

  “How do you do?” Tate stood as Charlee pulled out a chair and sat. He reached out his hand to David. “I’m Tate McBride.”

  David shook it. “David Smith. Nice to meet you.”

  Both men sat and scooted their chairs up to the table, David sitting across from Tate and Charlee sitting opposite Jo. David moved his chair close to Charlee.

  Tanya came by and asked David and Charlee what they’d like. David said he’d be driving so he’d better stick to water. Charlee said she’d have another margarita.

  “I take it you’re new around here,” Tate said to David.

  The man nodded. “I commute during the week from Phoenix.”

  “Planning to move to Prescott?” Tate asked.

  David glanced at Charlee and smiled. Her cheeks turned pink. He turned back to Tate. “It’s a possibility.”

  “Did you grow up in the Phoenix area?” Jo asked.

  David nodded. “Sure did.”

  “I played some baseball in high school,” Tate said. “Where did you go to school?”

  David paused. “Phoenix.”

  “Phoenix Union?” Tate asked.

  “We moved a lot. Went to school all over the Phoenix area.” David shrugged and changed the subject. “Have you lived in Prescott all your life?” He said Press-scot unlike locals who pronounced the town name Press-kit.

  Tate leaned back in his chair, his gaze focused on David. “Born and raised. Lived in Tucson for four years at the University of Arizona, but that’s the only time I’ve spent away from my home town. Where did you go?”

  “Arizona State.” David settled his arm on the back of Charlee’s seat. “Majored in business.”

  “What brings you to Prescott?” Tate asked.

  “I’m with a large development company planning a large masterplanned project in the Prescott area. We are early in the process of targeting the right site.” He turned to Charlee. “So, you said you run a beauty salon?”

  She nodded. “I’m a stylist and I manage the place.”

  “It’s a great salon,” Jo said.

  David studied Jo. “Your face is so familiar. I swear I saw someone in a magazine who looked a lot like you.”

  Jo didn’t return Charlee’s quick glance at her. Instead, Jo hurried to change the subject. “What do you do when you’re in Phoenix?”

  Tanya arrived with Charlee’s margarita and David’s glass of water. Tate said he wasn’t ready for another beer and Jo said she’d had enough martinis for the night.

  When Tanya left, everyone turned back to David who was taking a drink. He set his glass down, clearly realizing everyone was waiting for an answer.

  “What was the question?” he asked.

  “What do you do when you’re in Phoenix?” Jo asked again.

  He gave another casual shrug. “I have a cat and a few houseplants that need attention. I spend time with my nieces and nephews. I like to go to the games.”

  “Arizona Cardinals fan?” Tate asked.

  David nodded. “Diamondbacks and the Suns, too.”

  They talked a little longer before David placed a twenty on the table. “I’ve got to head back tonight. I stayed later than I normally would.”

  As David got to his feet, Tate did, too, and gave the man a nod. Ch
arlee stood and she walked David to the door. Jo watched as they leaned close and talked a moment before David left. Charlee turned and with a smile returned to the table.

  Jo was glad Charlee hadn’t followed the man outside to tell him goodbye since they didn’t know him that well. “Give him your number?” Jo asked as Charlee sat down.

  Charlee’s smile was bright. “David said he’ll call me when he’s back in town on Monday.” She tilted her head to the side as her smile dimmed. “Do you think he will?”

  “Most definitely,” Jo said and Tate gave a slow nod.

  “Good.” Charlee looked happy. “I can’t wait.”

  Chapter 3

  Jo wiggled her toes in the warm water her feet were soaking in as she waited to get a pedicure at her and Charlee’s favorite nail salon. The sharp scent of nail polish remover and the acrylic used with artificial nails wafted through the salon. The smells were mixed with a warm vanilla scent emanating from a jar candle that was burning a few feet away from where Jo sat. Artfully positioned framed pictures of flowers were on the soft pink walls.

  She turned to Charlee who was watching the nail tech test the water in the small tub at the foot of her own spa chair. Charlee relaxed in the padded massage chair and smiled dreamily as she focused her gaze on Jo. “I’ve seen David four times this week,” Charlee said. “I really think he could be the one.”

  Jo bit the inside of her cheek to keep from telling Charlee she thought things were moving far too quickly between her and David if Charlee was already thinking he could be “the one”. Jo would just wait and see how things went before she even thought seriously about butting in.

  Instead of voicing her thoughts, Jo asked, “What exactly does he do for work here?”

  “I’m not really sure other than he’s working on a new masterplan community.” Charlee raised her fingers, studying the manicure she’d just been given. Her short nails wore a bright pink polish, her favorite color, and on each pinky a small yellow flower had been painted. “I think it is at the early stages.”