Without any warning, she began visualizing his delicate features, the baby-smooth skin, his dark blonde hair hanging in disarray, his hands fluttering around in a helpless frenzy, as they always did when he had a flare-up. Those dreamy, ice-blue eyes that always turned her to mush. I have to wipe him out of my mind or I am going to go crazy!
When the clammy hand tightened around her arm, she whipped around, shocked to find herself face to face with an ugly, drunken bastard. The sweat leaking down his face mixed with the alcohol stench reeking from his pores, was sickening.
"Get the hell off of me.” Revolted, she gagged and jerked her head as far away as possible.
"What's the matter gorgeous... don't love me no more?” His slurs escalated into raucous laughter. Before she could say a word, he lurched forward, gripping her shoulders with both hands. He wasn't much taller than her, but his tattooed arms were bulging and strong.
Kristen struggled, trying to rip out of his grasp. Filled with rising panic, she raised her knee, driving it with undeniable force into his groin. Flabbergasted by the severity of her action, she froze, gaping at him.
"Bitch!" he screamed out as his hands dropped from her arms to his testicles and he collapsed to his knees, wrenching over in pain.
It appeared that everyone at the bar turned their attention to them at the same time. Jake shoved his way through the crowd of onlookers. Kristen threw herself into his arms, burying her head in his chest.
"What the hell happened?" Jake’s face was filled with concern, his eyes darting from her tussled copper head to the writhing short guy clutching his crotch on the ground next to her. Several nosey customers rushed over, impatient to find out what the commotion was all about.
In an instant, Jake’s expression changed to bewilderment. He plied Kristen from him, moving her back to study her face, waiting for an explanation.
"He grabbed me. I was defending myself!" She couldn’t hide how flustered she was, and gasped as her cell fell to the floor. Without looking, she stooped down to retrieve it and jammed it in her pocket.
“Why didn’t you call me instead?” Jake squinted as he closely scrutinized her.
Before she could even think of an answer, there was a huge, boisterous crowd around them, including the man that Jake had been talking to at the bar moments earlier.
What’s up?" His friend’s forehead was wrinkled in confusion as he looked from Kristen to Jake, then back at the guy moaning on the ground.
"Nothing, Ray. Just some asshole looking for trouble. Right, Kristen?" Jake pulled her to him, his arms fastening protectively around her.
Ray assessed the situation, giving Kristen careful consideration. "Kristen? She's with you, Jake?" A mischievous grin took over his handsome face.
Jake shook his head in confirmation. If only this introduction had been under better circumstances. He couldn’t help wondering why she had overreacted over such a little guy like that.
"Kristen, this is Ray. He’s a bouncer here, and unfortunately, a good friend.” Jake pretended to be serious as he gave Ray a playful punch in his muscular arm.
A couple of guys talking to the drunk were peering over at them.
"She's too hot for you, man!" Ray joked, returning his punch with a light shove.
Kristen continued observing them, easing up as Jake shrugged, and that big adorable grin spread across his face. Maybe he’ll chill out and overlook the whole incident after all.
"Nice to meet you, Kristen." Ray extended his hand to her. With a shy smile, she took it, then sank back against Jake's chest.
“So, you really messed him up, didn’t you?” Ray burst out laughing, while his dark eyes remained riveted on the injured drunk, who was staggering out of the club into the night.
She shrugged, then turned her attention to Jake, who was eyeing her with renewed interest. It was hard for her to tell if he was amused or upset.
After a few minutes of calm, the crowd began to disperse, their muffled cackles trailing after them. Ray returned to roaming the club, leaving the two of them behind.
"Sure you’re okay?" Jake planted a tender kiss on her forehead, unable to ignore the shuddering pulsating from her body into his as he hugged her. “I have to start closing down the bar. It’s almost time to go.”
“I’m fine,” she whispered, releasing him so he could return to the bar.
“Don’t wander away, please. We’ve had enough action for one night.” Winking, he headed back to his station behind the bar.
Kristen pulled herself onto a corner stool at the bar and closed her eyes, trembling as she relived the incident. What went wrong? She had been fighting so hard to control her impulsive, aggressive behavior, just to fail once again at the slightest provocation. This was not the kind of impression I wanted to make on Jake, especially at his job. And it definitely wasn’t the way she had hoped the evening would end.
As they walked to the car, Jake’s eyes never left her face. His heart was pounding from his increasing need to understand why she had lashed out so violently. “Did you want to talk about why you blew up like that in there?”
Kristen’s body ached with exhaustion, and his unexpected delving made her trip and stumble into him. Composing herself as they continued walking, she gave him a blank look. “I didn’t blow up. I just got scared and did what I had to.”
Jake made an abrupt stop, holding onto her arms. “You have to try to control your anger, before it bites us both in the ass. Believe me, I know.”
She was unnerved by the sternness in his voice and gulped down her apprehension, casting her eyes to the ground.
A group of rowdy stragglers from the club charged down the block past them. Snapping out of the moment, Jake allowed his eyes to follow them until they disappeared, then returned his attention to her. She remained silent, the gloominess and defeat in her face touched him. Without another word, they continued walking. He decided not to push her any further. Whatever is raging inside of her will have to remain buried and mysterious, at least for a while.
JAKE
The enormous blank canvas stared at him. This creative freeze had been hanging on for at least a week and was very distressing. Meeting Kristin and all the extra dimensional drama that was bombarding his thoughts wasn't helping. If only I could read her mind and get some insight into what she wants from me, maybe it would help. I know it’s only been a few days now, but it seems like it’s been so much longer; it feels like an eternity.
This one had hit him harder than ever before. The last time he allowed himself to have strong feelings for a woman was right after high school. She was older than he was and turned out to be a nut job, and it nearly drove him over the brink. To make matters worse, her mental instability and his obsessive jealousy had almost gotten him locked up. That was a dangerous time in his life, too close to his release from juvie for the incident with his stepdad. Now at thirty years old, he was hoping he'd be smarter, more experienced. He laughed to himself. I sound just like my mom—and my sister. What a drag.
It was just past noon and Jake was starting to feel that inevitable hazy flush that sleep deprivation invoked. Gulping some more coffee, he attempted to shake it off. Determined to break out of the creative block, he grabbed a large paint brush, his exhilaration increasing the minute he stroked a bold red splash of color across the canvas.