LITMIR.BIZ

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I.

      Gina was twenty-two years old, ten years his junior. Justin had learned enough about her in the last three months to know she was one part intelligence, one part wholesome and completely out of his league.

      “Justin…”

      Her voice, low, throaty and way too enticing, snapped him back to reality. He quickly set her away from him, desperate to escape the effect she was having on him, both physically and mentally.

      It was then he saw the pink in her hair. It looked like she’d tried to hide it, tucked back behind one ear, but her fall had caused the bright streak of color to spring forward and rest against her cheek.

      He knew it was wrong, he even commanded his hand not to move, but his fingers had a mind of their own. They reached up and with the slightest movement, the curl wrapped around his calloused finger.

      “What’s this? Your nonconformist side coming out?”

      She jerked her head to the side, but he held tight with gentle pressure. “Hmm, wonder what big brother is going to say?”

      “Gage doesn’t care what I do to my hair.” The words were strong, but there was little confidence in her voice. “Are you going to let go of me?”

      He didn’t want to. What he wanted was to wrap his finger completely around the strand of hair until his hand curled around the back of her neck. Then he’d run his thumb along her jaw, tilt her head upward as his mouth came down—

       Whoa, back up! You’ve vowed to stay away from this girl, remember?

      Justin released her and turned away. He grabbed two boxes and headed for the doorway when Ric appeared in it.

      “Hey, Dillon. You’re wanted out front.”

      “What for? I’m not working tonight.”

      “You’ve got a visitor.” Ric looked at the ladder lying on the floor. “Hey, someone said they thought they heard a noise—what happened? Gina, you all right?”

      Justin put down the boxes and walked out of the room, Gina’s breathless assurance she was okay ringing in his ears.

      Was he stupid?

      Gina was smart. Too smart. Did she know he’d been inches away from kissing her? He hadn’t looked into her eyes, hadn’t read her body language. Pink lips and a pink curl was all he’d focused on, but she must’ve known…

      Just like she had to know he’d been inches away from kissing her three months ago.

      He’d been teaching her how to shoot pool for almost an hour and she’d finally gotten the right ball into the right pocket. She’d jumped into his arms and hugged him and he’d never been more tempted in his life.

      Then they’d been rudely, but thankfully, interrupted.

      Pushing the memory from his head, he entered the main area of The Blue Creek Saloon and saw the tables and booths starting to fill up with the Friday night regulars for dinner. Some would stay for the live music and dancing later and the spring night would bring out the college crowd once the sun went down.

      He spotted Jackie, the assistant manager, near the kitchen entrance and headed her way.

      A tall blonde and little boy standing nearby hit his radar, but only because he made sure to always be aware of who was in his personal space. A habit he’d picked up in prison, which is why it still bothered him those punks had gotten the jump on him and Gina that night.

      “Murphy said I had a visitor?” he asked when Jackie turned to him.

      “Yes, you do. This young lady—”

      “Justin! Finally!”

      The blonde launched herself into his arms and Justin had no choice but to catch her. Unlike Gina’s curves, however, this girl was skin and bones. Her hair and clothes were dirty and she smelled like she hadn’t bathed in a while.

      After catching his balance, Justin peeled her arms from around his neck just as Gina and Ric walked in from the back hall. “Ah, I’m sorry, but I don’t know—”

      “It’s me, Zoe! Zoe Ellis?” The girl clutched his hands. “You must remember me.”

      He didn’t. Over the last three months, his encounters with the opposite sex consisted mostly of conversations with his sister Racy, and his coworkers. Yeah, there had been that girl he’d celebrated his release with when he first got out, but this wasn’t her. And he’d gotten more than a few offers for company from a couple of the waitresses, especially after everyone thought he and Gina had slept together—

      Nope, not going there.

      Justin forced his attention back on the girl, realizing he’d missed most of what she’d said.

      “—and then we got a hotel room and didn’t come out for three days. I tell ya, I can still remember how you—”

      “Look, you must have me mistaken with someone else. I’ve been…gone for quite a few years and only got back in town about three months ago.”

      “Well, I know it’s been a while, eight years in fact, but I never forgot.” The girl reached for the little boy next to her.

      Justin took in the child’s dark hair and eyes, seeing both fear and curiosity in his gaze as he clung to a scruffy-looking teddy bear and a dirty pillowcase that bulged at odd angles.

      “In fact, I’ve had a constant reminder of those crazy few days,” she continued. “Meet Jacoby. Your son.”

       Chapter Two

      Justin couldn’t move. He wanted to. His legs screamed at him to run. Run hard and run fast and never look back. Ashamed at that thought, he shoved it aside to concentrate on what the girl had just said.

      “My what?”

      She yanked on the kid’s T-shirt, forcing him to stumble forward. “Your son. Jacoby Joseph Ellis.”

      At the mention of his father’s name as this child’s middle name, Justin’s gaze snapped from the boy, whose downcast eyes were centered on his own dirty sneakers, one sporting a big hole in the toe, back to her.

      “How—He can’t—He can’t be more than five years old. I’ve been in pri—” He paused and pulled in a deep breath. “I’ve been out of touch for the last seven years.”

      “He’s small for his age. His seventh birthday was in January. If you count back nine months…”

      April. Eight-plus years ago. A few months before he and Billy Joe had been busted for drug trafficking.

      A bust he’d actually helped with.

      Tired of the life he’d been living, Justin had anonymously slipped insider information to the cops on the drug ring he and his brother worked for. The guilt and fear over what he’d been doing had caused him to live in an alcohol-induced haze for weeks. No drugs, though. He’d never touched the stuff, despite his chosen profession, but partying had included a wild weekend he and his buddies had spent in a small town in Colorado.

      Was it possible he was this boy’s father?

      He tried to remember the girl as she rummaged in the large purse at her shoulder. She pulled out a wrinkled piece of paper. “Here’s his birth certificate.”

      Justin read his name listed as the boy’s father. “If this is true, why now? Why not get in touch with me when he was born?”

      “What could you have done from where you were?”

      “You knew where I was?” He clenched the certificate in his fist. “But you never thought to tell me you had my baby?”

      “Ah, it might be better if you all move to one of the back booths?”

      Justin

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