Originally, she’d only been planning on Halligan Nelson taking care of her pesky little virginity issue. Growing up in the world she had, opportunities for taking care of it were limited. But with a little finagling and the help of her best friend, she’d found Halligan and had the most amazing night of her life. Sex for the first time at thirty-two was unheard of in this day and age, but she’d grown up in a special type of family.
Halligan had been happy in the ‘I’ve had numerous drinks but am still a gentleman’ way. When she’d whispered that she was a virgin, he’d decided they were getting married. Because marriage was one more obstacle, she’d said yes.
After she’d left Halligan’s hotel room that morning, she hadn’t planned on seeing him again. Being damaged goods, she assumed she’d be safe. And yes, she had major feelings of guilt for using him, but the cost was worth the reward in her mind.
Safe. What a crock of goods. Was any woman ever really safe?
She took the car’s GPS-indicated turn and spotted a lighted sign with the bar’s name. This was really happening. She only hoped that Halligan was the man she thought he was. She’d done a little research before she’d sat beside him at the bar. In the last week, she’d paid to have a friend do a deep dive into his family because she was betting her life on Halligan’s protective nature.
Once again, she’d be using him, but when the cards weren’t stacked in your favor, you bet it all on what you thought was the best hand.
She shut the car off, staring at the front door. It was now or never, and she didn’t have the luxury of never.
“C’mon, Loni, you’ve got this. You’ve faced down worse,” she said aloud, then rolled her eyes. Being alone on the trip had her starting to talk aloud to herself whenever she started to panic.
She slid her keys into her purse, opened her door, and walked toward the one man who could possibly help her. If he couldn’t, she wasn’t sure what she’d do.
Chapter Two
Halligan checked his customers sitting at the glossy wood bar. No one needed their drinks topped off. Glancing around the room, he forced himself to release the tension in his shoulders. Despite not helping at the bar very often, he’d fallen back into the habits he learned after high school. Though the dance floor, stage, and tables had gotten an update after an incident a couple years ago, the bar still held the same vibe it always had—a small-town bar where anyone was welcome. People came to try the amazing food by his cousin Crewe or to play pool or darts. Sometimes they just wanted to relax at a table and drink.
Halligan placed some drinks on a tray and picked them up. Normally, he wouldn’t be delivering drinks, but the bar wasslammed tonight. One of their waitresses had also called in sick. Besides fixing drinks, he was helping out when he could. He’d rather have a root canal than deliver the drinks to these customers and that table.
If he could go back and kick his own high school butt, he would. Then he wouldn’t have to deal with one of his former high school girlfriends who thought he’d appreciate her touch.
She’d already run her hand over his ass when he dropped off their food earlier. He’d firmly told her that he did not want her hands on his body again. He was setting the stage for throwing her out later because he wasn’t going to be made to feel like this in his own bar.
Her perfume was so strong, and it smelled off—nothing like he remembered his night in Vegas smelling. He might be working toward getting a divorce, but the clean, fresh, flowery scent still came back to him at the most inopportune times.
Well, it wasn’t going to get any easier. He lifted the tray and walked across the floor, weaving between the tables, smiling at the regulars. The din of the room wasn’t too bad considering the number of people. They’d installed sound-dampening tiles and wall coverings when they’d remodeled.
He steeled himself and plastered a smile on his face, though he really wanted to glare at her.
“Ladies, I have your drinks,” he said, delivering drinks to the four women sitting at the booth.
They all smiled, but Judy moved closer. Her hand slid under the table. A quick brush on his thigh and her fingers slid across his crotch before he could move. He jerked, but when he started to move back, her cohort Laura across the table pressed her hand on his ass, shoving him into Judy’s hand.
“Oh, Halligan, I’d be happy to make this big boy stand up,” she said.
“Well, I thought a small town would have nicer people. How about you get your hands off my man,” the voice he’d heard in his dreams said.
He turned, and there she was—his wife. Her black hair was shining in the lights of the bar. He stepped back because Laura had dropped her hand. Now, Judy was still trying to rub her hand on his crotch.
“Your man? Get real. Halligan and I have always been meant to be together. Get gone,” Judy said.
His wife chuckled, but the glee in her eyes had him a little worried. He didn’t really know her, but if she’d take care of his problem, he’d be happy to do any cleanup she needed.
She sauntered closer.
“It’s good to know you don’t respect the bonds of marriage. I saw a sign as I walked in about how many days it’s been since they’ve booted an asshole from the bar. It’s about to go back to zero,” she said, grasping Judy’s hand.
In seconds, Judy’s arm was twisted behind her, and his wife had a huge handful of Judy’s brown hair.
“Let me clue you in, sweetie pie… I don’t share, and I don’t give second chances. I’m kicking your ass out of this bar, and before you even think of trying to come back, you’ll be giving me your apology on your fucking knees. We clear?” his wife said, and damned if he wasn’t as hard as steel seeing her teach Judy a lesson.
Seeing her right in front of him, her eyes ablaze, her thick black hair brushing her shoulders as she swung around, had some of their night in Vegas coming back to him. Not the wedding, but everything they’d done and how her body had felt flashed in front of his eyes. Her full breasts with their dark nipples. Her soft skin and her thick thighs gripping his hips as he had her time and time again during the night.
Halligan followed as she walked Judy toward the door, trying to think through what the next step was, but fuck it, he was going to enjoy this and worry about tomorrow some other time. He planned on opening the door for her, but his brother Dillon had shown up and beat him to it. Dillon, with his shit-stirring grin, was holding the door open, his eyes dancing with the crap he could tease Halligan about now.
