“What can I say?” She sighed heavily as her lashes fluttered over her eyes. “Love at first sight.”
“Which brings me back to my original point, friend,” Jake interjected. “I think the lady has made it pretty clear that you aren’t welcome here.” Jake lowered his leg and took a step so that he was right up in the other man’s face. “I believe she asked you to leave. Now.”
“Josh!” Ellie called, her voice slightly panicked. “I think you’d better get over here.”
The bartender came over and got between the two men. “Rose doesn’t allow fighting. You two have a problem, take it outside.”
“I don’t have a problem,” Jake said. “I was only doing your job.”
Ellie rubbed her hands over her face and said, “Mike, you have to leave. You should never have come here in the first place.”
She watched the indecision on his face and silently prayed he would comply. The last thing she wanted or needed was for this collection of men to start brawling in the middle of her sister-in-law’s restaurant. Dylan would kill her.
“Please, Mike?” she asked in a softer tone.
“For now,” he grunted before turning on his heel and heading for the door. Angrily, he yanked his coat from the hook on the wall, nearly pulling the hook out along with the jacket.
“Be careful,” she called out. “The roads are really slippery.”
Mike’s only response was to slam the door. The action shook the ornaments on the Christmas tree perched in the far corner of the room.
“Thanks,” she said to Josh, then turned her attention to the tall, handsome man.
Having him in such close proximity made her breath catch in her throat. His hair was blond and stylishly long, falling well below the collar of his chambray shirt. She could just make out the impression of the hat she’d seen her nephew Chad race off with a few minutes earlier. But it was his eyes that had stolen the starch from her knees. They were so clear and green that she had the uncomfortable feeling that he could see right into her thoughts.
In order to talk to him, Ellie had to lift her chin. It was an unusual occurrence; at nearly six feet tall, she rarely had to look up to a man. “There wasn’t any need for you to intercede,” she told him firmly but politely.
“I didn’t see it that way,” he drawled in a sexy Southern accent that told her he wasn’t a native of the area. “My mama was real clear on protecting the fairer sex.”
Ellie felt her blood begin to boil and it had nothing to do with his display of even white teeth or those boyishly charming dimples on either side of his mouth. “Josh and I had things under control. Didn’t we, Josh?”
The bartender shrugged. “I could have taken him. No problem.”
The tall man said nothing. He didn’t have to. He had a full vocabulary of eloquent looks that easily communicated his doubts.
Chad came bouncing back into the room then, followed by Rose. The hat was still clutched in the little boy’s chubby fingers. He raced over to the tall man and thrust the hat forward. “Jake’s hat,” he announced.
Rose wasn’t as quick as the small child, possibly because of her stiletto heels, or then again, it might have had something to do with her skintight Lycra pants. Though her choice of clothing was showy, her smile was genuine.
“Are you the one dumb enough to let him get his hands on an expensive thing like this?” Rose asked as she wrestled the hat away from Chad.
“Guilty as charged,” he answered easily. “He’s a cute kid. Really bright.”
Ellie was gaping at the tall man, wondering where on earth the uneducated, good-ol’-boy drawl had gone. He was speaking to Rose in the polished voice of a professional.
“Rose Porter,” she introduced.
“Jake Devereaux,” he said as he shook the woman’s hand.
Then, turning slightly amused eyes on Ellie, he asked, “And you are?”
“Ellie Tanner.”
“And the guy with the neck the same size as his thigh?”
She tried not to smile. “Mike Avery. We work together back in Albany.”
“More than work,” Jake speculated. “I got the impression he wanted you home for the holidays.”
Jake was about six feet four inches of trouble. Ellie sensed it in the same way a small animal senses a predator. He was a lankier, smarter version of Mike, so she decided immediately to nip her own curiosity in the bud. It was fairly easy to accomplish, especially when she looked up and saw the smug look in his emerald eyes.
“Sorry to do this to you, Jake, but I’m closing the Tattoo, so you’ll have to be on your way,” Rose announced. “The roads are only supposed to get worse and I doubt we’ll be inundated with business.”
“We’re closing?” Beth asked. When Rose nodded, the waitress’s lower lip protruded in a definite pout. “But I need the tips. I’ve got a new coat on layaway that I—”
“You shouldn’t buy things you can’t afford,” Rose interrupted. “Besides, take a look outside. I don’t think the good people of Charleston will want to risk life and limb for a plate of grilled sea bass.”
“Hey, Ellie,” Josh began as he placed a hand at her waist. “How about giving me a lift home? I’m no good at driving in the snow.”
“I can take you,” Beth suggested. “You live on my way.”
Josh laughed. “You’re no better at driving in this stuff than I am. I think I’d rather put my life in the hands of a pro.”
“Organize yourselves quickly,” Rose insisted. “I want to get out of here as soon as possible.”
“What about Chad?” Ellie asked. “You want me to take him with me?”
Rose shook her head. Thanks to an abundance of hair spray, not a single teased curl came free. “The house is less than a mile away and I promised him we’d stop at the toy store to see if they have any sleds. This may be his one and only chance to go sledding.”
“Tell Shelby I’ll be home soon, then. Let’s get our coats,” she suggested. Ellie was careful not to make eye contact with Jake as she led the others toward the kitchen.
The coats were all piled in a small closet near the rear exit. Everyone bundled up, wrapping layer upon layer of mismatched winter gear on their bodies. Ellie smiled but said nothing. She guessed these Southerners would freeze to death inside a week back in Albany. This was a simple snow shower. They were dressing as if Charleston was about to experience a blizzard instead of the predicted inch and a half.
“The front door,” Rose said with a groan as soon as she’d hoisted Chad and his ten pounds of coat, hat, mittens and scarf into her arms. “I forgot to lock it after that Jake fellow.”
“I’ll lock it,” Ellie offered.
“Don’t be long,” Josh purred.
Rose gave him an admonishing look and Beth simply grunted at the lecherous suggestion behind the words.
Thanks to years as a criminologist for the New York State Police, Ellie was quite comfortable walking through a strange place in dim lighting.
There was, however, just enough light spilling through the windows for her to see him well. Too well. Jake Devereaux was behind the bar, with both hands inside the cash register.
Chapter Two
Ellie let out a yell that brought Josh and Beth