“All the ladies?”
Cheri laughed. “They looked like ladies, didn’t they?”
“That they did,” Jackson agreed. The whole lot of the freshmen on the drill team that year had been a sorry bunch after Hell Night. But Cheri and Lance, twins determined to one-up each other, had come through standing.
Anna rolled her eyes. “Same story, different detachment.”
“I don’t think I damaged anything vital,” Cheri said. “If that helps at all.”
“I’ll let you know tomorrow.”
If he was still getting pie, they could make as much fun as they wanted. Since Anna had slowed down on her sorting with half the plate still to go, his odds were looking better. At least sixty-forty now.
He glanced back at the dance floor.
The ladies were still dancing, but Anna’s ex had disappeared. He gave the room a casual perusal. Wasn’t really his business why the yahoo was here, and Jackson enjoyed weddings little enough without sitting across from the hoity-toity captain through dinner. But Anna Grace deserved a nice night, and instead of being giggly and girly over her friend’s big day like females liked to do, she was letting Jackson do her favors.
“Hey, Anna Grace,” her ex said behind Jackson.
Anna’s pretty little nose scrunched up like she’d bitten into a rancid grapefruit. Her fingers vibrated over the mints. Fire flashed in her rapidly narrowing eyes.
“Don’t call me that.” She had the tone of a wounded tiger stalking her hunter.
The captain’s light gaze snapped to Jackson, then back at Anna. He rolled one shoulder and slid a plate to her. “Brought you some cake.”
Jackson might’ve been insulted that his manners were in question over the lack of cake on the platehehad broughther, but the captain’s lack of knowledge of his ex-wife was pitiful. She eyed him like she wanted to smush that cake over the front of his mess dress and then stick the fork where his sun didn’t shine. Wasn’t a doubt in Jackson’s mind Louisa would’ve done it, but Anna Grace had the restraint of a proper Southern gentlewoman.
She touched the plate only as much as she had to and scooted it in front of Jackson. “Cake?” she said.
If it hadn’t been for thekeep your trap shut and eat the damn cakemessage her eyes were broadcasting, he might’ve taken that as a hint that she’d let him into this battle with her.
But he couldn’t deny some curiosity as to how deep that spark of wounded mischief went in her, so he murmured, “Thank you, ma’am,” and picked up the fork.
Cheri caught his eye. She nodded at the idiot.Dumbass,she mouthed.
“You want to dance?” Anna’s ex asked.
Anna crossed her arms and her legs and stared him down like she triple-dog-dared him to repeat the question. But her pulse fluttered in her neck as fast as Jackson’s plans for tonight were tanking.
He didn’t sleep with women who were looking long-term.
He didn’t sleep with women he didn’t trust.
And he didn’t sleep with a woman who was looking to use him after a bad breakup.
Same went for a woman whose ex rattled her up. Wasn’t often Jackson had the urge to punch a guy, but this one’s face looked like it needed some rearranging.
“C’mon, Anna,” the captain wheedled. “It’s just a dance.”
“And this is just a wedding, and it was just a toast.” Her foot jiggled, showing off pretty toes. “If I dance with you, will you leave?”
Jackson twitched.
“Cross my heart.”
Jackson would’ve rather danced with her ex himself than let the yahoo get within touching distance of her, but AnnaGrace was broadcasting stubborn again.
He bit down on a forkful of cake.
