Reckless
Tess Rivera is sick and tired of her four brawny brothers interfering in her life. She wants what any 20 year old wants- a hot date with a hot guy. Is that too much to ask?! An opportunity finally arrives in the form of piratical Nathaniel Jackson. Her brothers are away and as Tess sees it; it's her time to play. But is Nathaniel who he says he is, or is he just another brawny male who wants to quash her reckless ways?
"I've had just about enough of this!" Tess Rivera whispered bitterly to her friends. Friends of which didn't even bat an eyelash at the exclamation since Tess had used it so often now.
The three of them were sat at a table in the center of Barnaby's bar. It wasn't one of their usual haunts, but Tess had managed to persuade Carol and Dianna that this would be her one shot to scope out a typical male bar without her older brothers looming like protective shadows. But it seems she'd been mistaken. Though it wasn't one of their usual haunts, it was apparently one of her brothers. No male thus far had managed to make successful eye contact with Tess, probably because they feared her eldest brother Damien would crush their balls if they tried it.
"Can we go now?" said Dianna in a terrified whisper behind her hand. Even though the occupants of the bar wouldn't look at Tess, they seemed to have no qualms about staring hungrily at Carol and Di. Carol was taking the attention like it was merely her due, but she was no stranger to this sort of attention. Tall, thin and blonde; Carol was Vogue's latest model sensation. Dianne on the other hand was a petite quietly pretty brunette. Her baby blue eyes could almost always guarantee a smile from anyone who looked into them.
Tess sighed resigned, tossing her long raven curls behind her shoulder. Her appearance sure didn't help matters. She had the same exact coloring as her brothers, not to mention she also shared her green eyes with Damien. So even if any of these spineless twits did manage to make eye contact they'd probably go running anyway, imagining they were under Damien's hard as emerald gaze rather than her pleading one.
Tess' four brothers were due back in a week. She didn't have time to feel sorry for herself or by wasting time with indirect action. She stood up abruptly, the noise of her chair scraping the floor focused the bar's attention back to Tess. It was time for drastic action.
**********
What was the damned girl up to now? Nathaniel Jackson thought watching Tess over his pint from his dark corner of the bar. It was just typical of Tess to come here of all places. Reckless. Nate's best friend Damien Rivera and the rest of the Rivera clan were out of town on business, training up the new sapling solders. Nate was due to follow them in a couple of days but had some business to take care of in town before departing. As commanding officer, Damien hadn't seemed to mind Nate's delay in town, but this, Nate reasoned, was probably because Damien wanted someone to keep an eye on Tess.
So here he was on a Friday night at Barnaby's bar, having a well deserved nightcap when in waltzes Damien's kid sister and her two friends. All three were lookers all right. But Nate's gaze automatically rested on Tess. She stood up abruptly. All the male eyes in the room swung to her figure. Nate wasn't immune either. His eyes gave her exquisite curves a raking.
"So!" Tess said loudly in a lilting tone to the bar at large. "Does anyone want to get lucky?" Nate felt a jolt slam through his chest. Was she insane?! No, apparently she was dead serious if her focused emerald eyes were anything to go by. She was looking over the punters with a wry smile and challenge flashing in her eyes; it was only a matter of time before someone grasped this momentous opportunity. And dear God, every one of them in the bar was tempted.
It was Louis 'Sharky' Edmunds who stood up first and swaggered over to Tess. His eyes lewdly undressing her, but Tess just smiled at the approaching blonde haired, blue eyed Adonis. Nate tensed and bit down a growl, he'd always hated that useless whelp. Swallowing the last of his pint, Nate sauntered over.
"Not so fast Sharky." Nate drawled, his voice was quiet but precise, carrying a ring of authority across the silent bar. He reached Tess from behind and slid one hand around her hip possessively.
"I believe the lady's with me."
***********
Tess felt a surge of anticipation flood her stomach as the large hand smoothed her hip. She looked over her shoulder to gaze at the new arrival and felt her pulse throb. He was magnificent. Tall, broad shouldered but with slim waist and hips. If she wasn't mistaken, all 6ft 5 of him was encased in muscle. His hair was overlong, in a deep chocolate brown that contrasted amazingly well with his gray eyes. Tess found her own eyes tracking over his chiseled face, finally coming to rest on his mouth. As she focused she saw them give a faint quirk before they settled back into an expressionless line. He looked like a pirate.
"Oh yeah?" Sharky said, though his voice wasn't very confident now. "Who says she is?"
There was small pause, which Tess suspected the pirate had done purposely to intimidate the fellow.
"Jackson and River." The pirate said softly. Sharky deflated before Tess' eyes, he looked very nervous now.
"Right. No harm meant." Sharky grunted quickly, head down as he scurried back to the bar.
"Ready to go?" the pirate's voice rumbled in her ear. She felt a thrill as his hand rested at the small of her back, turning her back to the table.
Tess gave a quick precise nod and picked up her jacket.
"Tess, wait. I don't think this is such a good idea..." Di said wringing her hands, giving uneasy glances towards the pirate but never quite managing to meet his eyes. Carol had no such difficulty; she stared straight at him and raised a cynical brow,
"You watch yourself. You got that buddy?"
The pirate's lips gave a rueful smile in reply.
"I'll see you girls later." Tess said, giving her friends a parting smile, an extra wave for a nervous Di then exiting the bar. A very tall, dark and handsome pirate dogging her heels the whole way.
The three of them were sat at a table in the center of Barnaby's bar. It wasn't one of their usual haunts, but Tess had managed to persuade Carol and Dianna that this would be her one shot to scope out a typical male bar without her older brothers looming like protective shadows. But it seems she'd been mistaken. Though it wasn't one of their usual haunts, it was apparently one of her brothers. No male thus far had managed to make successful eye contact with Tess, probably because they feared her eldest brother Damien would crush their balls if they tried it.
"Can we go now?" said Dianna in a terrified whisper behind her hand. Even though the occupants of the bar wouldn't look at Tess, they seemed to have no qualms about staring hungrily at Carol and Di. Carol was taking the attention like it was merely her due, but she was no stranger to this sort of attention. Tall, thin and blonde; Carol was Vogue's latest model sensation. Dianne on the other hand was a petite quietly pretty brunette. Her baby blue eyes could almost always guarantee a smile from anyone who looked into them.
Tess sighed resigned, tossing her long raven curls behind her shoulder. Her appearance sure didn't help matters. She had the same exact coloring as her brothers, not to mention she also shared her green eyes with Damien. So even if any of these spineless twits did manage to make eye contact they'd probably go running anyway, imagining they were under Damien's hard as emerald gaze rather than her pleading one.
Tess' four brothers were due back in a week. She didn't have time to feel sorry for herself or by wasting time with indirect action. She stood up abruptly, the noise of her chair scraping the floor focused the bar's attention back to Tess. It was time for drastic action.
**********
What was the damned girl up to now? Nathaniel Jackson thought watching Tess over his pint from his dark corner of the bar. It was just typical of Tess to come here of all places. Reckless. Nate's best friend Damien Rivera and the rest of the Rivera clan were out of town on business, training up the new sapling solders. Nate was due to follow them in a couple of days but had some business to take care of in town before departing. As commanding officer, Damien hadn't seemed to mind Nate's delay in town, but this, Nate reasoned, was probably because Damien wanted someone to keep an eye on Tess.
So here he was on a Friday night at Barnaby's bar, having a well deserved nightcap when in waltzes Damien's kid sister and her two friends. All three were lookers all right. But Nate's gaze automatically rested on Tess. She stood up abruptly. All the male eyes in the room swung to her figure. Nate wasn't immune either. His eyes gave her exquisite curves a raking.
"So!" Tess said loudly in a lilting tone to the bar at large. "Does anyone want to get lucky?" Nate felt a jolt slam through his chest. Was she insane?! No, apparently she was dead serious if her focused emerald eyes were anything to go by. She was looking over the punters with a wry smile and challenge flashing in her eyes; it was only a matter of time before someone grasped this momentous opportunity. And dear God, every one of them in the bar was tempted.
It was Louis 'Sharky' Edmunds who stood up first and swaggered over to Tess. His eyes lewdly undressing her, but Tess just smiled at the approaching blonde haired, blue eyed Adonis. Nate tensed and bit down a growl, he'd always hated that useless whelp. Swallowing the last of his pint, Nate sauntered over.
"Not so fast Sharky." Nate drawled, his voice was quiet but precise, carrying a ring of authority across the silent bar. He reached Tess from behind and slid one hand around her hip possessively.
"I believe the lady's with me."
***********
Tess felt a surge of anticipation flood her stomach as the large hand smoothed her hip. She looked over her shoulder to gaze at the new arrival and felt her pulse throb. He was magnificent. Tall, broad shouldered but with slim waist and hips. If she wasn't mistaken, all 6ft 5 of him was encased in muscle. His hair was overlong, in a deep chocolate brown that contrasted amazingly well with his gray eyes. Tess found her own eyes tracking over his chiseled face, finally coming to rest on his mouth. As she focused she saw them give a faint quirk before they settled back into an expressionless line. He looked like a pirate.
"Oh yeah?" Sharky said, though his voice wasn't very confident now. "Who says she is?"
There was small pause, which Tess suspected the pirate had done purposely to intimidate the fellow.
"Jackson and River." The pirate said softly. Sharky deflated before Tess' eyes, he looked very nervous now.
"Right. No harm meant." Sharky grunted quickly, head down as he scurried back to the bar.
"Ready to go?" the pirate's voice rumbled in her ear. She felt a thrill as his hand rested at the small of her back, turning her back to the table.
Tess gave a quick precise nod and picked up her jacket.
"Tess, wait. I don't think this is such a good idea..." Di said wringing her hands, giving uneasy glances towards the pirate but never quite managing to meet his eyes. Carol had no such difficulty; she stared straight at him and raised a cynical brow,
"You watch yourself. You got that buddy?"
The pirate's lips gave a rueful smile in reply.
"I'll see you girls later." Tess said, giving her friends a parting smile, an extra wave for a nervous Di then exiting the bar. A very tall, dark and handsome pirate dogging her heels the whole way.
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