See Jane Love - By Debby Conrad Page 0,28
she’d thought about nothing else in the past twenty-four hours. Besides, if he wanted to pretend that he wasn’t interested in her, then she could do the same.
But a few moments later she found herself snuggling a little closer to him. Her body became tranquil and her eyes slowly drifted shut as she glided with him along the dance floor. They were the only two people on the entire continent at the moment.
Then, opening her eyes, she realized they’d stopped moving, and there was Kurt Russell grinning at her over Gabe’s shoulder. “I’m cutting in.”
“Sorry, pal,” Gabe said, and Janie was grateful and annoyed at the same time. It’s not that she wanted to dance with Kurt; it was the fact that she didn’t like Gabe trying to control her.
“I’m a grown woman, Montero, and I make my own choices.”
Gabe leaned back and stared down into her face. “You actually want to dance with that bozo?”
No, I’d rather dance with you. “As a matter of fact, I do,” she lied.
“Fine,” he said, dropping his arms from around her waist and stomping off.
Men. They were such poor sports.
Kurt wasn’t quite as smooth as Gabe. In fact, he wasn’t smooth at all. He hauled her up against him and squeezed her so tightly she could barely breathe.
“Kurt,” she managed to choke out, “you’re cutting off my circulation.”
He didn’t answer, just kept on moving in a circle, occasionally stepping on her toes. His cologne smelled like pine cleaner and was making her eyes water and her nose run. But that was nothing. What really had her concerned was the way his big beefy hand was snaking down her back and onto her hips. He was getting way too frisky.
She tried to pull out of his arms, but he wouldn’t let her go, and then his hand was on her butt, kneading her, like she was a piece of sculpting clay. “Kurt! Do you mind?”
“Not at all. You have a great ass.”
“That’s very flattering, but if you don’t get your hand off it, you’re going to be sorry.”
She’d no sooner spoken when she heard Gabe’s voice boom out. “Look, Popeye, the lady asked you nicely to get your filthy hands off her.”
Kurt stopped dancing, but didn’t move his hand off her butt. “And who’s going to make me?”
Gabe straightened to his full height. “I am.”
“Yeah. Maybe I should warn you that I’m a black belt.”
Janie didn’t appreciate Gabe’s choice of words he’d used to respond, and apparently, neither did Kurt. All she had a chance to do, before Kurt planted his fist in Gabe’s right cheekbone and sent him flying backward into a table of women, was wince. Outraged over what the man had done, Janie reached for the first thing she saw, which was a pitcher of beer from a passing tray, and dumped it over Kurt’s head.
Trying to jump backward, Kurt slipped on the puddle beneath him and his arms flailed wildly to keep from falling down. But it was no use. He hit the floor with a thud and then lay motionless.
Janie’s hand flew to her mouth. She’d knocked him out cold. Screams, curses and foul language soon followed, and then men, and a few women, were punching and shoving. Oh, God, she was in the middle of a brawl, and it was all because of her.
Worried about Gabe, Janie ran over to him. Two guys had him by the arms, holding him back. “Are you all right?” she asked.
“I’ll live. That is, once I get my hands on that son of a bitch.”
“Hey, man. Calm down,” one of the guys holding Gabe’s arm said.
Gabe sucked in a huge breath and said, “Back off,” very calmly, and the men dropped their hold on him and stepped out of the way.
“Where is he?” Gabe asked Janie, moving toward the crowd in the middle of the dance floor while he massaged his swollen cheek and eye.
Tugging on his arm, she shouted above the crowd, “You’ll do no such thing. We’re getting out of here before you get yourself killed.”
“Like hell,” he argued, dislodging her hand from his upper arm.
“Gabe, I already took care of him.”
He jerked his head around and stared at her. “What do you mean you already took care of him?”
Nodding her head toward the heap on the floor, she said, “Right over there. You’re too late. Now, let’s get out of here.”
He stared at her like she had two heads, but he didn’t argue. Instead, he grabbed her purse from