The Virgin Next Door by Stasia Black

8

LIAM

Liam stoodnear the bar that had been set up at one end of the hotel ballroom and watched the door for Calla.

The party had been in full swing for almost an hour but she and Mel had yet to make an appearance. At least Mack was staying well away from him. Liam’d only glimpsed him once since he’d been down here. Best move that wanker had made all year. Liam was surprised he’d showed at all. Mack wasn’t exactly famous for being sociable.

Liam took another swig of beer. He had to give it to them, these people knew how to party—they poured Guinness by the pint.

He glanced around the packed space. A live band was set up at the far end of the room. The fiddler sawed away like the devil himself had lit a fire under his arse. Another line dance had broken out. Liam couldn’t help watching on in amazement. All these grown damn men and women stomped and swung and clapped in almost perfect synchronicity as the music barreled on.

He’d just emptied his second pint as the song finished and a loud round of applause and whistling filled the room. The dancers broke off into couples or headed toward the sidelines as a slower tune started up.

And that’s when she walked in.

Liam blinked, thinking his mind was playing tricks on him again. For the past half hour he’d been looking up and down every jean-clad, big shiny-belted woman.

So he was not prepared for the siren that walked in sporting a cleavage-bearing red dress with a giant slit up the side showing off so much leg it’d make a grown man cry. He might not have even recognized it was Calla if not for Mel walking beside her, holding her hand and urging her forward.

He was still blinking back his surprise as Mack walked right up to her and grabbed her hand from Mel, lifting it to his lips.

Liam’s fists clenched. Where the fuck had that bastard been lurking? Liam jumped up from his barstool, about to make a beeline toward them, when his path was suddenly blocked.

Liam barely managed to stop from barreling into the woman in time. He was about to step around her and continue toward Calla when she put a hand on his arm.

“I thought I saw your name on the registry.”

Liam looked down, frowning at the blonde who held his arm possessively.

Well shite, it was the betty from the bar last night.

“Looks like we’ll be competitors. If you need any help with your mustang, I’d be happy to come out and we could work her together. And any time you want to practice your riding technique…” she smiled at him coyly. “I’m happy to oblige.”

Aw Jaysus. If he’d known she was the clingy stalker type, he never woulda feckin’ touched her last night. Time to shut this down. “Look, Betty—”

“Bethany,” she corrected, eyes flashing for a moment before she went back to batting her lashes.

“Yeah, well,” he didn’t hide his grimace. “Let’s just call last night what it was. A mistake.” He tried to pull away from her but she just giggled and latched onto his arm harder.

“Don’t be silly. We were both just a little drunk. Tonight I’ll really show you a good time.” She tried to pull him toward the dance floor.

Now she was just pissing him off. She was pushy, had a face that looked the same as a million other girls, and he felt like he was choking from the cloud of hairspray from her overly puffy blond hair.

Add that to her stalker tendencies and she was one hundred percent not attractive. He was about to tell her just that, but a little voice at the back of his head whispered it might not be the smartest idea. It was a small community and she knew who he was. Letting his inner arsehole loose probably wasn’t a grand idea, much as he was tempted.

Dammit, he hated this being a responsible lad shite.

“Sorry, miss.” He pasted on a disingenuous smile and peeled her arm off him. “I’m not interested.”

But she just kept smiling at him, leaning over to no doubt bare her cleavage in the little tube top she was wearing. “You can run now, but you can’t hide, Mister,” she said in a baby voice. “I’ll be here when you realize just what you’re missing.” Then she tapped him on the nose with her forefinger and he jerked away.

Any of Liam’s responses to that delusional statement definitely wouldn’t count as gentlemanly. So he bit his tongue and walked away without another word. In his experience that was the only way to deal with crazy.

But when he looked for Calla, he couldn’t see her anywhere. She and Mel weren’t by the entrance anymore.

Shite. Liam scanned the ballroom for any sight of them. Okay, there was Xavier. Hard to miss a man who stood a head taller than most. The only way Xavier would be at a party like this was if Mel had dragged him. And where there was Mel, he’d find Calla. Time to get this night back on track.

Liam smiled and made his way around the edge of the dance floor until he came up to Xavier. Just as expected, Mel stood right beside him.

But Calla was still nowhere to be seen. He was about to ask where she’d gone when he heard a loud peal of laughter behind him.

Which was when he turned around and saw her at the edge of the dance floor. Apparently trying to teach Mack to two-step.

Son of a cunt.

At least from the clumsy way Mack was fumbling around it was obvious he was a shite dancer.

Small compensation, considering it only seemed to charm Calla more. She grinned as she yelled out instructions, her arm linked with Mack’s as they stomped and then started forward again. Well, they were supposed to be going forward, but Mack was still backing up. Which just made Calla laugh more as she tugged on his arm to try to get him moving with the rest of the group.

Jaysus, Liam had only been caught up with that blonde leach for a couple minutes, and here Calla and Mack were already looking as chummy as if they’d known each other for years and not days.

Enough of that.

Liam was about to head to break into their little dance lesson when Mel suddenly caught his arm. Her face was serious so he stopped instead of just blowing her off. It was loud with the blaring music and noise from the crowd, but he leaned down to hear what she had to say.

“You guys need to take it easy with her. She doesn’t have much experience with men.”

Liam nodded and was about to pull away because every second he wasn’t by Calla’s side was another that Mack was wheedling himself into her good graces. Mel’s grip just increased on his arm.

“I’m serious, Liam.”

He paused at that. She did look serious. Deadly so. Was he missing something?

“I just want to show her a good time, that’s all.”

Mel’s look didn’t soften. “What I’m telling you is that she’s not used to men like you.” She leaned in so she was talking directly into his ear. “Or any man. You get what I’m saying?”

Liam pulled back sharply so he could look her in the face. Did she mean—

“Tell me you get what I’m saying.”

Liam’s gaze went to the lovely woman on the dance floor and then back to Mel. He leaned down, glancing around to make sure no one else would hear him. “Are you saying she’s a virgin?” Calla had to be in her mid-twenties. Surely there was no way that she wouldn’t have had—

“I’m seriously breaking the girl code by saying anything about it. But I’ve seen how you guys operate and—”

“I’ve never done anything with a woman they weren’t fully on board with.” Liam couldn’t help his sharp tone and Mel winced.

“I’m not saying that you have. Or would.” Mel huffed out a breath. “I don’t know what I’m saying.”

Liam didn’t know what to do with this information. Staying away from virgins was one of Liam’s hard and fast rules. He looked out over the dance floor at Calla laughing and leaning into Mack.

Jaw tightening, he bent back down to Mel’s ear. “You tell Mackenzie this?”

She shook her head. “No chance. She let it slip while I was doing her make up and I probably shouldn’t have even told you, but—”

“I’m glad you did.”

She nodded, still looking uncertain.

He gave her arm a squeeze and then started through the crowd to get to Calla’s side. If Mack hadn’t been in the picture, he might have left well enough alone. Getting tangled with a virgin was usually the last thing he would have been up for.

But Mack was in the picture. He might not know her well yet, but the last thing she needed was to be seduced by some fucking ex-con. Liam was more determined than ever to get her away from the bastard.