Bodie by Nyssa Kathryn

Chapter 6

Maya’s gaze flicked across the bar toward Bodie for what had to be the tenth time that night. She needed to stop. They were only an hour into their shift, for heaven’s sake.

Why was she so drawn to him? Actually, she knew the answer to that. And it wasn’t just his perfectly chiseled body. It was his gentleness and his humor and the way he was able to make her feel comfortable so easily.

Basically, the guy was one huge heartthrob.

Fortunately, he hadn’t noticed her looking his way. Not yet. Or maybe he had and was being polite by not bringing attention to it.

Argh, she hoped not.

When the next customer asked for a beer, she grabbed a glass and began filling it from the tap.

The place was packed. It was like everyone from the area had decided tonight was the night to stop at Inwood Bar.

“Cute, isn’t he?”

Swinging her head around, Maya saw Shayna standing right beside her. The other woman was stunning with her platinum-blond hair and long, toned legs. They hadn’t spoken a lot since Maya had begun working there, but so far, the other bartender seemed friendly enough.

“Who?”

She knew who. But playing dumb seemed the safest option.

Shayna rolled her eyes. “Uh, the new tower of hunk that’s been hired to work with us. Don’t pretend you haven’t been checking out that six-pack. And just look at those arms, they’re like tree trunks on steroids.”

Maya had looked at them plenty. It was impossible not to check them out, what with the thin cotton of his white shirt stretched so tightly across his biceps. The material just about threatened to tear apart.

“He’s okay.” If okay meant drop-dead gorgeous.

The frown on Shayna’s face told Maya she wasn’t buying her casualness for a second. “Girl, don’t you lie to me. I know you’re seeing what I’m seeing. There is nothing okay about that man. He’s all sex and power and heat. And that’s not even touching on how capable those former-military hands look.”

Maya almost spilled the beer she was pouring before setting it down. “Former military?”

Shayna lifted a shoulder. “He hasn’t said it, but I’ve dated tons of military guys. They all have the same physique and ‘yes ma’am’ etiquette.”

Maya pushed the beer across to the customer before taking his money. She turned her gaze back to Bodie. It hadn’t crossed her mind that he could be ex-military. Now that she thought about it, that made sense. Not that it mattered to her one way or the other.

Shayna leaned closer. “Every time you look away, he looks directly at you.”

Bodie was looking at her? No. That couldn’t be the case. She was the one obsessed with him.

Shayna slapped Maya’s ass before walking away with a grin, causing her to jump. Shaking her head, she moved to the next customer.

Shayna was very different from Maya. Probably her exact opposite. But she was nice enough and easy to talk to. That description fit most people in Keystone. She’d spent more time working with Trish than Shayna. The bar owner was upfront and honest. She was also friendly and seemed to want to help Maya.

She had no idea why. She was a stranger to Trish. Yet, she’d given her a job and seemed okay with the fact she’d taken a while to settle into it.

Spotting Roe at his usual stool, Maya moved to stand in front of him. “The usual?”

Roe nodded. “You know it. Busy one tonight.”

Maya grabbed a glass, thanking her lucky stars that she was finally feeling semi-confident in her ability to serve drinks without making mistakes. “This has to be all of Keystone, right?”

Roe chuckled. “If that were the case, my ex-wife would be here chewing my ass out.”

Maya placed the beer in front of him. “You have an ex-wife in Keystone?”

“Yes, ma’am. The only woman in the area who can’t stand me.”

This time Maya laughed. “I can’t see how any woman wouldn’t love you.”

“Just her.” Roe took a sip of the beer. “Don’t get me wrong, we were happy once. We just grew out of love.”

Maya’s smile dimmed. “I’m sorry.”

He shrugged, not looking sorry at all. “It happens. It’s called life. No use crying over it. Tell me, you got a man to take care of you?”

As if her eyes had a mind of their own, they immediately sought out Bodie. He was serving drinks down at the other end of the bar. The women across from him looked like they belonged on the cover of magazines. Skintight dresses. Faces without a single blemish. Legs for days.

Swallowing, she turned back to Roe. “No. No man.”

“Good. Being single gives you a chance to know who you are first.”

She had a pretty good idea of who she was…Maya Harper. Geeky. Alone. Good at science and remaining hidden.

She kept her voice light. “Have you always been this wise, Roe?”

He leaned back in his seat. “Always.”

Shaking her head, Maya chatted with him for a few minutes before turning to another customer.

Over the next hour, Maya moved as quickly as she could. She alternated between serving behind the bar and clearing tables. Hopefully, that meant she would sleep well tonight. Pass out from pure exhaustion. The very idea of getting a solid night’s sleep seemed too good to be true.

“Whoa, slow down, darlin’.”

Maya jumped at the deep voice that spoke into her ear. She’d been moving toward the back tables and hadn’t even noticed him.

Turning, she saw Bodie standing less than a foot away.

“Sorry, was I moving too fast?”

Just like he had the other day, Bodie lifted a hand and grazed his finger across her cheek. It made her momentarily forget about the busy bar around them. The job at hand.

She could get used to these casual touches of his.

“I just don’t want you to overdo it.”

His gaze was intense and completely fixed on her. Heat spiraled through her body.

Then she remembered that he knew about her heart condition and probably didn’t want her passing out on him.

“Thank you. I’m okay. I just—”

Before Maya could finish what she was saying, her attention caught on the television behind Bodie. Police were on the screen, congregating outside a building.

Maya’s breath caught as she searched the faces of the officers. Searched the faces of the men around the officers.

Hell, she didn’t even know what the man who hunted her looked like. All she knew was his voice. The voice of the man who’d given the kill order.

“Hey.”

Maya’s gaze shot back to Bodie. A worried expression had come over his face. He was now standing even closer than he’d been before. The bar was packed, and there were dozens of people to serve, but still Bodie waited.

Shaking her head, she took a step back. They both needed to get back to work.

“Sorry. My mind drifted for a moment. I’m okay. Thank you for checking on me.”

Stepping away, Maya continued to the back of the room. While the others served at the bar, she would continue to clear tables. It would provide her with the few minutes she needed to get out of her head.

She hadn’t told another soul she was running. Who she was running from. After surviving the break-in, she’d just wanted to disappear. It was all she could think of to remain safe. She hadn’t told anyone where she was. Although, someone knew that she was alive. One woman. A journalist named Quinn.

Maya had been scared and alone. When the email from Quinn had popped up, asking for information about the break-in, Maya had reacted on instinct.

Creating a new email address and writing back, she’d told Quinn about what she’d seen. She’d done it out of duty. Hoping the other woman could make people aware. Stop it from happening again.

After some emails back and forth, Maya had begun to trust her. Christ, she’d even met her to tell Quinn the story in person.

She’d left one thing out, though. One very important detail.

“Hey, sexy, want to get me a drink?”

Pulling herself out of her thoughts, Maya glanced at the booth beside the table she was clearing. Four men sat there, looking her way.

Maya wasn’t sure which man had spoken. It could have been any of them. But they all looked like jerks. “Orders are taken at the bar.”

She’d taken a step toward the counter when a strong hand wrapped around her arm and yanked her in the opposite direction.

“Come on now. You’re right here.”

The feel of his fingers digging into her skin had her heart crashing against her ribs. “Let go of me.” She said the words firmly.

He and his friends chuckled. “Okay.”

He let go of her arm, but that same hand quickly snaked around her waist and pulled her onto his lap.

The tray dropped from her fingers and clattered to the ground.

“Is this better?”

Maya sucked in a quick breath, panic bubbling inside her chest. She pushed at his chest, only to have his arm tighten around her.

“I’ve been watching you,” he continued, ignoring her struggle to get up. “Not just tonight. Since you began working here. Thought I’d finally introduce myself.”

Repulsion slammed into her gut at the feel of his hot breath on her neck.

Maya opened her mouth to tell him to release her but before she could utter a word, Bodie’s hands slammed onto the table. The loud bang echoed through the bar, silencing most conversations.

Fury rolled off him in waves. “You have five seconds to release her.”

She felt the man below her tense. If possible, more rage contorted Bodie’s face. She almost wanted to pull away from him as well.

“And if I don’t?”

Dear god. The man either had a death wish or was too drunk to recognize the very real threat in front of him. Even though the man was sitting, she could tell Bodie was a heck of a lot bigger. In both height and breadth. He also looked ready to kill.

Fear fluttered in her stomach.

Bodie leaned closer. “I break your arm.”

Maya’s lungs seized. Her heart was now pounding against her ribs. She didn’t want to see a fight break out. And she certainly didn’t want to get in the middle of one.

For a moment, the hand around her waist tightened.

Then it released her.

Maya quickly jumped away from him. The moment she was on her feet, Bodie wrapped gentle fingers around her arm and pulled her behind him.

“Now, apologize to the woman and get out.”

The man scoffed. “I’m not doing either.”

Could he get any dumber?

With lightning reflexes, Bodie grabbed the guy’s arm and yanked him from the booth. Maya was right. Bodie towered over him. He dragged the guy behind him like a rag doll.

“Let go of me!”

Bodie didn’t let go; he marched the guy right over to the door and outside.

When the door slammed shut behind them, Maya stood there, unsure of what to do. She didn’t dare move a muscle. Neither did the rest of the men in the booth.

After a minute, she began to worry. Bodie was taking too long to have just chucked him outside. Which meant he was either threatening him with more bodily harm, or actually causing him harm.

Swallowing, Maya was about to lift the tray from the floor when Bodie stepped back inside. The angry scowl was still firmly in place. He marched straight back to the table.

“You three—out.”

The men glanced around at each other, as if deciding whether to do as he asked.

Oh, gosh. Please go!

Eventually, they came to their senses and left. A whoosh of air escaped her chest.

When the men had exited, Bodie gently took hold of her arm again and led her toward the break room.

* * *

Bodie was only just containinghis rage. The moment the asshole had put his hand on Maya, he’d seen red. If there hadn’t been so many people around, he would have been able to make it to her faster. A lot faster.

It had taken too much time. The asshole shouldn’t have been able to pull her onto his lap. To wrap his arm around her waist.

Pulling her into the back room, Bodie closed the door after them. When he turned around, he noticed how pale she was. He could also hear that her heart was racing a million miles an hour.

Using every shred of effort he possessed, Bodie smoothed his features and soothed his voice. “Are you okay?”

Maya wrapped her arms around her waist. It was a defensive gesture. And it made Bodie want to walk right back out and punch the asshole a second time.

“I’m okay. I mean, all he did was grab me.”

There was no “all he did” about it. The man had crossed a line. Touched her without her permission and invaded her space. Maya had already experienced enough trauma. He was sure even the smallest form of violence could trigger a great deal of fear in her.

“I’m sorry it took me so long to get to you.” He wanted to kick his own ass.

Her eyes widened. “Oh, it’s not your fault. You don’t need to apologize.”

He felt like he did. “It won’t happen again.”

The color began coming back to Maya’s cheeks as she stepped close and placed her hand on his chest. “Bodie. I’m not your responsibility. But I’m so grateful for your help tonight.”

Placing his hand over hers, he gave a small smile. He in no way felt calmer about the situation. He still wanted to chase the assholes down. But, for now, he was okay with the knowledge Maya seemed relatively okay.

Her health was his priority. Even if she didn’t know it yet.

“Are you sure you’re okay?”

Rather than answering straightaway, she did something that surprised the hell out of him. Reaching up on her toes, she pulled his head down with her free hand and pressed a kiss to his cheek.

“Thank you for your help, Bodie. Tonight, and every other time you’ve saved me.”

Then she released him and left the room.

Bodie stood there for another second, remembering the warmth of her lips on his skin. The sweet breath of the woman who was quickly working her way past his defenses.