“Can you just make sure that Justice’s friends are safe?” Jagger asked.
“Already done,” Dean said. “I put some plain clothes agents in Harvest Ridge just after meeting Justice. I figured she would prove to be a handful, and I would have bet my last dollar that she would have called her friends to let them know she was all right. It’s just the type of person she is, Jag. I’m also working with the local sheriff there, Jonathan Sawyer. He’s a friend of Justice’s, and he’s promised to keep me in the loop if anyone shows up in town asking for her.” Jagger thanked his friend. He wasn’t sure just how he and Justice would have gotten through the past few weeks without Dean’s help. “One more thing, Jag. Just be careful. I know you think you’re in love with her right now, but what if this is all just her way of staying safe? I’d hate to find out she was using you to keep her father and Wolf at arm’s length.” Jagger wanted to tell Dean he was wrong, but he wasn’t a fool. The same thought crossed his mind a few times, and he worried that she was using him. But every time he looked into her eyes, held her in his arms, and made love to her, he knew that she felt more for him.
“Thanks, man,” Jagger said. He wasn’t going to convince his friend that Justice was the right woman for him—only time would do that. He ended the call just in time to turn and find Justice getting off the elevator. She showered, and her hair was still a little damp. The sight of her made his mouth water, and he crossed the lobby to pull her into his arms and kiss her, not caring who was watching them.
“I was told there would be dinner and shopping first,” she panted. He couldn’t help his laugh. “Already putting stipulations on sex, honey? I heard that it doesn’t happen until the second year of marriage.” He swatted her ass and led her into the private room that the hotel’s concierge set up. It was a small dining room just off the main lobby. They usually sat smalldinner parties back there, but tonight it was all Jagger’s, and he planned to wine and dine his wife.
“After you, Mrs. James.” He loved the sound of her name—Justice James. It was almost as if she was always supposed to be his.
“Thank you, Mr. James,” she said, sitting in the chair he pulled out for her. He might not look like someone who had ever been to a fine dining experience, but he grew up eating at lavish dinner parties. He was sure his tattoos usually threw people off, but he didn’t get most of them until after his parents were both gone. His dad was a successful businessman and would have never approved of him getting ink, which was fine with him since he considered each of his tats a personal decision. Each seemed to signify a special moment in his life and told his story. His parents were very strait-laced, and he appreciated that, but when it came to marching to his own drum, they didn’t seem to understand any of his decisions. His grandfather was the driving force behind his joining the Air Force. His mom’s dad was a Vietnam veteran and pilot. He didn’t talk about his service often, but when he did, he spoke with pride about his time as a pilot. He never glorified the war but always spoke so highly about the men who’d served with him. Jagger decided to take a leap and follow in his grandpa’s footsteps, much to his father’s displeasure. His mother seemed to understand his desire to go into the Air Force, but she also told him that she worried about him. He couldn’t do anything to take that worry away from her, but he made sure to keep her updated as much as possible, checking in and visiting whenever he was home.
The night he got the call that his parents had been killed in an auto accident, he was given leave to go home and help Jules bury them both. He finished his time in the Air Force and was honorably discharged, wanting to spend more time at home in Dove Creek, and he also hoped to open his security company. Hehoped to get more time with Jules, but she left almost as soon as he returned, and that’s when all the trouble started to happen with Hobbs.
“Hey.” Justice broke him away from his thoughts, and he felt a little embarrassed that he wasn’t giving her his full attention. “You haven’t heard a word I’ve said. Where did you go just now?” Justice took his hand and squeezed it in hers. He felt bad that he wasn’t paying attention to her, but sometimes the ghosts from his past came back to haunt him.
“I was thinking about my family,” he admitted. “I’m sorry, baby. I should have paid more attention, but tonight just brought back some old memories.” He decided that honesty was the best policy. He wanted to be an open book for her, and sharing his life with his new wife just felt right.
“You don’t talk about your family much—just Jules.” Justice took a sip of her wine and sat back to wait him out. He sipped his beer and thought about just how much he wanted to share. He was never one to follow the rules or toe the line, but he wasn’t ashamed of how he turned out.
“My parents died a few years back while I was still in the Air Force,” he said. The waiter brought in their bread and salads, giving him a short reprieve. He nodded his thanks and waited for them to be alone again before continuing. “They were in a car accident, and I went home to Dove Creek to help Jules bury them. I had to finish up my time in the Air Force, and then I was able to get out. I thought she needed me—she seemed so alone. After I was discharged from service and returned home, Jules left to take the job for your father.” Justice sat back from eating her salad. He loved her appetite and was sure he had never seen any woman pack away the food like she did, although he wasn’t sure where she put it all. Jagger could tell that she wasn’t done asking questions, but he was willing to answer any that she might have.
“Why did you decide to go into the Air Force?” Jagger couldn’t help his smile thinking about his grandpa.
“I followed in my grandfather’s footsteps.” He started eating his salad, realizing that he was hungry from the long day they had had. “He was in the Air Force and served in Vietnam. My father wanted me to go into business, you know, go to college and get my degree in corporate something or other.” He shrugged, “It wasn’t me.”
“No,” Justice agreed. “You don’t seem the corporate type,” she said around a bite of bread. “I guess you don’t look the part of a businessman.”
Jagger couldn’t help laughing. “I haven’t always looked like this, honey. I just started getting tattoos a few years ago. I knew that my parents didn’t approve of my choice to join the Air Force, so I tried to follow most of their other wishes. I snuck one or two tattoos in where I knew they wouldn’t be discovered, but after my parents died, I decided that life was too fucking short not to do as I pleased. So—” He motioned to the sleeves of tattoos that covered one arm and part of his other.
“Will you tell me about your ink?” she asked.
“Of course,” he said, feeling suddenly shy. “It might take some time, though. I have quite a bit.” He smiled at how giddy Justice seemed when he agreed to tell her about his tattoos. Jagger liked that she seemed interested in his life. Their main courses were brought out, and they spent the next hour eating while he answered all her questions. She seemed to like hearing stories of his childhood shenanigans with his sister and Dean. He forgot all the rotten tricks he played on Jules, but he also remembered his little sister being a brat, so he didn’t feel entirely bad.
Jagger liked their quiet dinner out and the way Justice took an interest in him. It had been a long time since anyone asked him a personal question. A year ago, he wouldn’t have been tookeen about answering them, but with Justice, it felt right. He loved that they had the whole evening to get to enjoy getting to know each other, but he couldn’t wait to get to the next portion of their night—watching his wife try on some new clothes and hopefully some sexy lingerie.
“How about we finish up here and head over to the boutique. I’ve arranged for you to have a personal shopper, and she’s opening for us after hours. I didn’t want to take any chances with your safety.” Justice seemed to perk up at the mention of shopping. She stood and smoothed her hands over her slim waist.
“I shouldn’t have eaten so much. I won’t fit into anything.” Jagger rolled his eyes and extended his hand to her, pulling her close as they made their way through the quiet lobby and back to the boutique.
“Ready?” he asked and laughed at Justice’s enthusiastic nod. She was going to be a handful, but he was up to the challenge of keeping his new wife happy, even if it meant endless hours of shopping.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
They spent most of the next day in bed, and by the time they hit the slopes, it was late afternoon. It felt good to be standing on the side of the mountain, breathing in the crisp, clean air. They spent so many days cooped up in the little cabin Dean had found for them that being outside felt like heaven.
“How about we go down the mountain one time and then head back to bed?” Jagger smiled at Justice, who was adjusting her ski goggles. He admitted that he hadn’t been skiing in years, but Justice thought he seemed confident that he could handle the small slope they were about to go down. She, on the other hand, skied all the time, but she wasn’t about to tell her husband that. Jagger seemed to be just as competitive as she was, and keeping her skiing abilities to herself gave her the upper hand to be the first down the mountain. She decided to have a little fun with him. “You seem to be a little nervous about this whole thing, Jag. Are you afraid of a little competition, or are you worried that your new wife is going to beat you down the mountain? How about we make a little wager? You beat me down the hill, and we go back to the hotel and get back into bed.” She smirked, and Jagger eyed her suspiciously.
“And if you win?” he questioned. “What do you want as your prize, princess?” Justice pretended to think about what she wanted, but she already knew what she was going to ask for. She worried that she was asking too much, but she couldn’t help herself.
“I want to call Granny Norma and let her know I’m all right. I know that she has to be worried about me. It would mean the world to her to hear I’m safe and happy. I need to tell her that I got married; she should have heard it from me in the first place.” She waited Jagger out, holding her breath that he would agree.
“I don’t know, Justice.” He seemed torn, and she regretted asking him for something he might not be able to give her. “It’s just not safe for us or your grandmother.”
“You said you have men watching her, keeping her safe, and I have you to keep an eye on me. Please, Jag,” she begged. She knew she was asking a lot, but she also felt that she had to talk to her grandmother.
“Fine. You beat me down the mountain, and I’ll let you talk to your grandmother for five minutes.” Justice squealed and clapped her gloved hands together.
“Thanks, Jag,” she gushed. “Shall we?” She turned and got ready for their little race, waiting for Jagger to get into place. “On your mark,” she said. “Get set.” She smiled over at Jagger, feeling confident in her chances of winning the race.
