Ride (Alpha Male Romance): In Between the Covers (Carolina Bad Boys #3) Read Online Free PDF Page B

wasn’t planning on getting wasted on punch spiked with Mexican Valium. I found a nice cozy corner where I had a good view of the main room. I hadn’t seen Ave yet, but plenty of party babes had seen me. I wasn’t a complete dick to all the ones who dared to approach the Great Jase Everly.
    Let’s just say I made it clear their specific brand of hooker-heels, poofed-out hair, and too-short skirts did nothing for me.
    Contrary to the rumors, I wasn’t into easy sex. Well, not exactly.
    Cole Mayfield leaned his shoulder against the wall beside me. We clanked our beers. We were probably the only two there drinking from bottles instead of regulation Red Solo cups. I didn’t do friends almost as much as I didn’t do girlfriends—too many secrets I needed to keep from the harsh light of day and nosy folks—but Cole was at the very least an acquaintance. One I could usually stomach.
    “This is a shitty waste of all their momma and daddy’s college funds,” he voiced below the trance house music.
    “Ain’t that the truth?”
    “Not even a single chick worth the time to woo.”
    “When the hell have you ever wooed anyone? You usually can’t wait to get them on your wood.”
    “You always were a clever son of a bitch.”
    “That’s what my daddy said,” I slipped into a thicker version of my West Texas drawl.
    “Must be why you got such a sweet ride here.”
    I had no idea what he was talking about—in fact, neither did he. That was one more carefully concealed secret. Anyway, Cole was a senator’s son. If anyone had a sweet deal, it was he.
    After I took another slow pull of my beer, I swiped my mouth with the back of my hand. “Must be my Harley you’re talkin’ about.”
    He threw his head back with a laugh. “Yeah, that ride.”
    When his mouth closed abruptly and his eyes widened slowly, I wondered if he’d been slugged by a dose of the Poor Man’s Quaaludes.
    He recovered with a whistle and continued to look over my shoulder. “Talk about a sweet ride. Check out the fresh meat on the frat market.”
    Foreboding crawled up the back of my neck. I swiveled around.
    Holy shit . And Jesus Christ. If Cole’s eyes had bugged, mine almost fell out of my head. I rubbed my eyes just to make sure they were still in place and I wasn’t hallucinating.
    Nope . No mirage there, just Ave looking like I knew she could. Those fucking jeans. They accentuated every single curve in a way that looked positively mouthwatering. That goddamn top.
    Fucking fuck.
    Well, I guess I could forget about wondering which bra she was wearing tonight. No way would one of her lacy brassieres work under the silky-looking, multi-colored halter top that left pretty much all of her sinuous back bare.
    Her hair was down and it fell below her shoulders. Blonde. Not bleached blonde. Not bottle blonde. Wheat sheaf blonde, autumnal blonde, fields of wildflowers blonde. Long and straight and shiny. I wanted to bury my face in it.
    When she turned in my direction and looked up, she hooked my gaze. Those periwinkle blue eyes flicked wider. She did her own inventory while I stood stock-still. With just her gaze touching me, I felt heat like never before awaken a million desires that scorched up my back and licked like hot flames to my groin.
    She skimmed over my face, halted at my lips, took in my battered black leather jacket and probably noticed something happening inside the crotch of my faded jeans.
    Cole knocked into my shoulder. “Oh, dude. She’s into you.”
    “It’s not like that.” I swiveled away from the searing heat of Ave’s gaze. “I’m just watching out for her. And if you look at her one more time like you want to fuck her against a wall, I’m gonna make sure those eyes of yours never see anything again.”
    Cole backed away with his hands raised. “Dang, boy. You got it bad.”
    I didn’t have it bad. I didn’t have it at all. Nope. Nope. Nope.
    I didn’t approach Ave. I wasn’t there to stalk her, specifically. I