Deception (Southern Comfort) Read Online Free PDF

leaning in close to be heard over the music and Declan’s shouts about Josh’s upcoming ass-stomping.
    Hell, that was the question, wasn’t it?  But then Josh wrenched himself around and spotted the answer through the sea of male bodies.
    Rogan Murphy had procured a jacket from somewhere and was wrapping it around the stripper to help her cover herself as he hustled her toward the stairs.  No doubt he expected that a knock-down, drag-out was about to ensue, and he didn’t want her in the middle of it. 
    Good man.
    But just before she disappeared down that shadowy stairwell under the relative safety of Rogan’s shepherding arm, she turned and met Josh’s eyes with a brief flicker of pained recognition.
    Any lingering doubts he may have had were completely erased.
    The woman who’d just stripped in front of him was definitely Samantha.
     
     
     
    CHAPTER THREE
    SAM was pretty sure she’d never been so mortified in her entire life.
    What were the chances that here, in this city where she was a virtual stranger, she’d run into a man she both knew and respected?  A man who had been a friend to her when she’d had no belief that was possible between the sexes, and who’d unknowingly helped her turn a life spiraling out of control into something of which she could be proud.  He’d helped her regain her self-respect during a period when even Donnie hadn’t been able to reach her, and now here she was, taking off her clothes in front of him and his friends. 
    She knew what she’d just done wasn’t that bad, but she just couldn’t help feeling dirty.  And the way Josh had looked at her across the room…
    Shit.  She felt like she was going to throw up.
    “I’m really sorry about that,” Rogan Murphy was talking in her ear, helping her down the stairs like a perfect gentleman, when in reality he was the one who could use assistance.  “I don’t know what got into my brother… well, I probably know what got into my brother, but I’m not at all sure what got into Josh.  Like I said earlier, even the nicest guys in the world can turn ugly when you factor in alcohol and naked women.  Sorry.”  He looked embarrassed and made sure his eyes were averted.  Obviously the guy was extremely cognizant of the fact that she was pretty much quite naked beneath the short jacket, which barely covered her exposed cheeks.
    “It’s okay,” she quickly assured him, though she was disgusted when her voice wobbled.  She had a pretty good idea what had gotten into Josh, but didn’t feel like it was the right time or the right person with whom to discuss it.  Hopefully, she could just grab her trench coat and get out before anyone else realized what was happening.  She didn’t want to see any of these men ever again, and she most definitely didn’t want to face Josh.
    The thought of it turned her stomach.
    Oh lord, she hoped she could make it to the bathroom.  She would have bolted in that direction if not for the fact that Rogan had his arm tucked firmly around her shoulders.  He probably wanted to make sure the jacket stayed in place, or maybe had some idea that she was going to collapse with the shock of what had happened.  Of course when her knees started to shake and one buckled beneath her, she realized that he was quite possibly right.
    “Whoa, I’ve got you.”  His arm tightened and he held her against him, close enough for her to smell the alcohol on his breath.  Which, if possible, made them both even more embarrassed.  When she was steady again he released her, but kept his hand on her shoulder just in case.
    “Thanks” She rolled her eyes at her own stupidity.  Why had she ever thought she’d be able to handle this?  “I guess I’m just a little bit shaky.”
    One corner of his mouth drew up. “Well that just shows that you’ve got some sense.  I’d be shaky in your position as well.  And again, I’m sorry for my idiot brother and my idiot friend.  Pretty much my whole idiot