Return of the Bad Girl by Codi Gary Page B

on, Walt, he’s right,” the other man said, wrapping his arm around Walt’s shoulders. “We’re square. Let’s get another round and see if we can’t talk to a couple of pretty girls.”
    Walt followed his brother to the bar, giving Gabe a wide berth. Gabe watched them until a soft hand stroked his arm.
    “Don’t mind Wayne and Walt,” Kirsten said, bending over the table to rerack the balls. “If they aren’t starting something, I think they’ll wither up and die.”
    Before he could say anything, Travis Bowers took the stage, and the whole bar exploded into whistles, cheers, and applause. When the crowd calmed down, and Travis started his first song, Gabe spotted Caroline talking to another dark-haired woman, who kept checking her phone.
    Wonder if that’s the other sister she warned you away from.
    Remembering the way Caroline’s face had flushed when Valerie had called her out on her rudeness still left him smiling. He hadn’t thought much of anything frazzled her, but apparently being called out on her misbehavior could.
    “So, do you want to get out of here?” Kirsten asked.
    Gabe looked down at the woman with the open invitation and was surprised that he didn’t find her nearly as appealing as he had earlier. Maybe it was that she was too available and suddenly, he wasn’t interested in the easy conquest.
    What’s the matter with you? This is exactly what you came out looking for. Someone to have fun with, ease a little tension.
    But that was before a vixen in a black dress had walked in and wrecked his night.
    Okay, so she hadn’t really done anything on purpose. She hadn’t even seen him before he’d stepped up and grabbed that drunk woman’s arm, but he had noticed her the minute she walked in. While every other woman around wore hip-hugger jeans and flashy tops, she looked classy as hell.
    And sexy. He couldn’t forget sexy.
    It seemed like no matter how many times he told himself he wanted nothing to do with Caroline, he sought her out.
    “I was actually going to stick around and grab another drink,” he said, realizing that Kirsten was standing there waiting for his answer.
    She shrugged. “Maybe another time.” Pulling a pen out of her purse, she scrawled her number down on a bar napkin and handed to him. “Call me.”
    Gabe put the number in his pocket as she got lost in the crowd. He was a little surprised she hadn’t tried harder to get him home. She’d seemed like the aggressive type.
    His gaze strayed again to Caroline as she talked to her sister. At least she wasn’t there alone. Both women were drinking brightly colored cocktails, and he wondered if he should offer to drive them home. She’d probably tell him to fuck off, but at least then his conscience would be clear. If he checked in on her and she didn’t take his help, it was on her.
    Gabe took a few steps toward them but paused when another man with sandy hair stopped to talk to Caroline.
    You should still go by and just offer to walk her out. It would be the gentlemanly thing to do.
    Then he caught the expression on Caroline’s face: pure joy and excitement as she reached up to hug the blond man. Obviously, the guy was someone she was happy to see.
    That was good. Someone she knew well and would look out for her. It took the responsibility off Gabe’s shoulders, and his momentary concern could be chalked up to just wanting to be a good roommate.
    And the fact that you’re attracted to her and don’t want anyone else to have her.
    That was crazy. He knew the score. No decent woman wanted an ex-con, especially one with as much baggage as Gabe. Even with Caroline’s past reputation, he knew quality when he saw it. Besides, he had Honey and his dream shop. There just wasn’t room for anything else.
    Pushing the opposite way through the crowd, he went in search of Kirsten, to see if her offer was still on the table.

Chapter Ten
    “I’ve been told you reap what you sow . . . Ominous sounding, isn’t