Supernaturally Kissed (Frostbite, Book One) (14 page)

The bouncer looked over the identification for only a quick second before handing it back. “Go on in.”

“Thanks.” I stuffed my license into the back pocket of my jeans and stepped past him as I strode into the bar. Loud country music blared through the speakers while drunken women, who undoubtedly fit the description of cougars, paraded around the dance floor.

God, I hope I don’t look like one of them.
Who was I kidding, I had a big red flashing sign over my head declaring, “I’m easy”. I needed to get this over with and quick. I never picked up random guys and certainly never did the seducing woman bit. Kipp seemed so confident in me, but I suspected he’d soon learn that support was misplaced.

“Cole’s over at the bar,” Kipp said.

I glanced to my left to see Cole seated at a table directly in front of the bar. Luckily, the Coyotes weren’t dancing on top and I couldn’t have been more grateful. At least the crowd wouldn’t watch me. I took a big, deep, brave breath, pushed all insecurity from my mind and put a little zing into my step as I approached the bar.

Once there, I leaned against the wooden table and the bartender ran her cloth along the top to clean up a spilled drink. “What’s your sin for tonight, sugar?”

“Two shots of tequila.” Alcohol would save me from the embarrassing display.

The bartender grinned as she grabbed two shot glasses and placed them in front of me. “A rough night?”

I nodded. “Like rugged terrain.”

She smiled, headed down toward the far end of the bar and grabbed a bottle of tequila while a man chatted her up. She returned and poured the shots. “Hope your night gets better, luv. Consider these on the house.” She gestured to the man she’d been talking to. “Boss’s treat.”

I followed her gaze to see the man, in his early forties, handsome if an older guy was my thing, which it wasn’t. I remembered my manners and held up the first shot in thanks. He tipped his cowboy hat and grinned.

“Told you the look works.” Kipp laughed self-righteously.

Not about to give fuel to his maddening statement, I downed the shot to soothe my tension. Of course the look worked, I looked like a complete slut. What man wouldn’t approach me in this outfit? Anyone with a dick would know I was a sure thing. I grimaced as the shot burned down my throat, but scooped up the next one and drank it back.

“Might want to take it easy on those.” Kipp pressed his back against the bar and leaned his arms up on the railing.

I nearly laughed at how comfortable he looked there. If people were aware while they were getting their drink on they were also in the presence of a ghost, I bet most of them would run out of here screaming for their lives. “I’ll drink as many as I damn well please,” I retorted. “Go away.”

“I hope that wasn’t meant for me?” a smooth voice said from beside me as a warm arm brushed against mine.

I glanced next to me to find a simple dream of a man. A stylish cut framed his face and his brown eyes twinkled with interest at me. “Hello there,” he said with pure intent to make me his for the night.

Kipp stepped away from the bar, moving in behind the man, and he looked at me. “He’s with Cole, so be nice to him.”

“Hi yourself,” I responded, flicking my hair back over my shoulder.

The man ran his gaze along my now-bare shoulder, across to my breasts and down my stomach, where he licked his lips and looked back at my eyes. “I’m Mark.”

I released my inner slut, spun around to lean against the bar and pulled my elbows back to shoot my chest out for all to see. “Hi, Mark,” I all but purred. “I’m Tess.”

He hadn’t missed the move and his eyes stayed glued on my breasts for a moment before he gulped. “Well, Tess, would you like to join me for a drink?”

“Yes,” Kipp exclaimed.

“I’d love to.” I hoped my tone came out as interested. Playing the part of whore extraordinaire, I added a little swagger to my hips and I followed in behind Mark toward the table.

He pulled out the chair at the head of the table and gestured toward it. “My lady.” He nodded toward Cole. “This is my bud, Cole.”

I smiled flirtatiously and sat down as my jeans dug into places not to be mentioned again. “Nice to meet you, Cole.”

Cole offered a genuine smile. “You as well.”

“Do you come here often?” Mark asked, after he downed the rest of his beer from the frosty mug in one big gulp.

“No, not often,” I told him truthfully. The more I lied, the harder it’d be to keep my story straight.

“And you’re here all alone?” He poured another mug from the pitcher of beer, as well as one for himself, and handed the glass to me.

I grabbed the beer and took a big long sip before I answered, “Alone as I can be.”

Both Cole and Mark laughed and I chuckled with them. They thought I was being sassy and talking about the other people in the bar, when in actuality, Kipp stood behind Mark, which I assumed was to gauge Cole’s reactions.

“Focus in on Cole and show interest in him,” Kipp said.

I did as he asked, but Cole didn’t look like a killer. He looked like a married man who shouldn’t be talking to a scantily dressed woman. “So, Cole, what do you do for a living?”

Mark frowned.

“I’m a cop,” Cole replied.

I leaned back in my chair, crossed my legs and even pushed my chest out a little. I glanced at Mark and noticed the move worked. He zeroed in on my breasts and undressed me with his eyes.

But not Cole.

He appeared uncomfortable and uninterested.

“Tell me, do you enjoy that line of work?” I even added an obvious purr to my tone to entice him.

He pursed his lips at me before he glanced away in a real hurry. “I do.”

Even though this wasn’t real, I began to feel shot down and I had no plans to go in for round three of a cold shoulder. “Would you excuse me?” I pushed my chair back and stood. “I have to go to the ladies’ room.”

Mark raised his glass. “I’ll be here waiting for you to return.”

“Glad to hear it.” I spun on my heels, shaking my ass a little, and headed for the ladies’ room.

Of course, as I approached the bathroom, a lineup of women waited outside, while the men’s had no one. A great idea would be to have two ladies’ rooms while the men went and pissed outside. Why no one ever came up with that solution to the never-ending ladies’ room dilemma was beyond me.

I was about to settle in behind the last woman in line when Kipp said, “Go into the men’s room.”

Not caring one bit who saw, I turned my back on him and held no doubt my face showed my outright refusal of such an idea. “No way.”

Kipp pointed toward the men’s room door with a stern and unwavering expression. “Now.”

I huffed before I surveyed the room. Everyone appeared too absorbed in their own fun to notice me. And the idea of getting out of here sooner was the only reason I caved. “You owe me so-o big for this one.” I shot past him, shoved open the bathroom door and stepped into the stinky men’s room.

Two guys were standing in front of the urinals as I made my sudden appearance. One of them glanced over his shoulder. “What the hell?” he shouted.

“When you gotta go, you gotta go,” I said, unapologetic, and walked toward the largest of the three stalls. Once in, I grabbed some toilet paper, placed it over the top of the door and closed it. “Eww…” Then with the same protection on my hand, I flipped the lock. “Eww.”

I dropped the toilet paper in the can, turned around and met a pissed-off Kipp. “What?” His scowl deepened and I realized my mistake. “Okay, I forgot we’re not alone,” I whispered. “What is it?”

“Why did you leave him?”

“He’s not the one.”

He shook his head, shifting his weight as if to prepare himself for the battle ahead. “You don’t know that.”

“I do and so should you.” If I could have poked him to prove my point, I would’ve. “Cole has zero interest in me and the fact that his friend is practically waving his dick at me, I’d say you have the wrong guy.”

“Get back out there.” Kipp pointed toward the door with his hand, which happened to now disappear through the stall wall. “Try harder.”

“What do you want me to do, hump him?”

He nodded firmly. “If that’s what it takes.”

I had the urge to knock this ghost up to the gates of heaven myself. I swatted at him. “Fine, get out of my way.”

The moment he morphed through the stall door, I unlocked it and slammed it open to find the two men staring at me with blank faces. “What?” I shouted.

“Are you all right?” the man who spoke before asked.

“Yes, I’m perfectly fan-fucking-tastic.” I tore out of the bathroom like a bat out of hell, but I only got a few steps out before I stopped dead in my tracks.

Cole waited for me, leaning against the wall with a grin on his face. “You were in the men’s room?”

I stuffed the anger away and found an alluring smile. “I don’t wait for anything.”

Cole frowned and grabbed me by the arm. I gasped in fear as he dragged me toward the back of the club.

“You’re safe,” Kipp said, stepping in stride with me. “Nothing will happen to you.”

As if that settled my sheer panic. I attempted to yank my arm away, but he had a death grip on it. “What are you doing?” I squeaked.

Cole said nothing until we reached a corner of the club, which was private. He placed me in the corner and gave me a firm look. “Listen, I don’t want to hurt you.”

“Hurt me?” I almost screamed for help right then and there.

“I have a wife and a family who I love deeply.” Cole released his hand from my arm. “I’m flattered by your approach of me, really, you’re a beautiful lady. But I’m loyal to them.”

“Oh…oh.” I regained myself. “Well, that’s a good thing.”

“It is.” He glanced over my attire before he looked back to me. “You seem like a nice woman, so you might want to rethink what you’re wearing. It gives the wrong impression.”

My cheeks burned red hot, but not from humiliation. This came as the result of anger hot enough to send steam from my ears. Not only did I not want to take part in tonight, but I had been rejected and now looked down upon because Kipp made me wear this ridiculous outfit.

“I wish you a good night.” Cole walked away to leave me standing there, alone.

I turned toward Kipp and glared a glare like no other. “You…you…you.”

He held his hands up in surrender. “This is the first time that I’m grateful to be a ghost.”

I stepped forward and all but snarled at him. “And why would that be?”

He backed away, even though he had no reason to fear my wrath. “‘Cause you can’t hit me.”

“You’re damn right I would hit you,” I shouted. “Do you have any idea what I just went through, and for what? Nothing at all. Let me tell you this, Kipp McGowen, you can get someone else to do your dirty work, I’m so fucking done with all of this.” I walked past him, then turned back, not giving a rat’s ass who heard me. “If you know what’s good for you, you won’t say one fucking word to me for…” I tried to come up with a reasonable time. “Forever.”

Kipp arched an eyebrow. “I can’t talk to you ever again?”

“I. Thought. I. Said. You. Couldn’t. Talk.” I stomped away and marched right out of the bar, ignoring Mark calling out my name.

Zach’s truck still waited at the curb, and when I reached it, I plopped down into the seat.

“How’d it go?” Zach asked. I glanced toward him and his eyes widened. “Not good, I’m guessing?”

“Drive,” was all I said.

“Is Kipp here?”

“Yes.” He, in fact, was striding toward us, but I needed space from him. “He’s here—go.”

Zach put the truck in gear and sped away. The drive back to his house was done in silence, except for the five minutes I had to explain what happened. He didn’t offer condolences and apparently knew enough to stay quiet.

By the time we arrived back at the house, my anger had lessened, but all of that changed the second I walked through the front door.

“You didn’t think you would get rid of me that easily, did you?” Kipp said.

I scowled. “How did you get here so fast?” Then I remembered I wasn’t talking to him and I suspected he’d done one of those special tricks ghosts could do that would scare me. “Never mind. I don’t want to know.”

“I thought you said he was with us,” Zach said, but at my scowl, he raised his hand. “I’ve got some leftover pizza in the fridge and you must be hungry.” He hurried to the kitchen and I heard the microwave working.

“Now, Tess…” Kipp said.

“No. I’m ignoring you.” I walked past him, dropped down onto the couch and stared at the coffee table, trying my best to calm down, but my bouncing leg and inability to sit still displayed my annoyance.

Kipp sighed, long and deep.

I had no idea how much time had passed when Zach stuck a plate under my nose. “Come on. Even anger can’t beat hunger.”

Zach placed a napkin in front of me on the table and sat on the matching loveseat, and Kipp had the gall to sit beside me. I glared the deadliest stare I could create, but it didn’t appear to faze him, since he stayed put.