Sand and Sin by Dani Jace Page A

nodded. “Yeah, thanks for taking over. Just needed to make a private call.” Normally, she wouldn’t lie to her staff, but sharing about Jax was out of the question.
    “Teenagers.” Beth huffed, blowing her fringy bangs. Peri assumed she meant Haley.
    Later, TJ strolled in and sat his lanky frame in front of the bar. His warm, brown gaze searched her. “How’s your night?”
    She painted on a smile. “Fine.” Her voice cracked.
    “It’s not him.”
    “What do you mean?” She glanced around to see who was in earshot.
    He let out a sigh. “Jax never said a word, but I’m not dumb, Peri.”
    She wiped the bar avoiding his gaze. “Do you know who it was?”
    “A teammate of Jax’s.”
    “Oh, God.” Another round of tears blurred her vision. She waited for him to continue.
    “They’ll be on leave until after the funeral. You should go. He probably won’t ask you to come, but he’ll need you.”
    Phil could take care of the bar. Haley would be fine. She hadn’t flown in years, but she’d deal. “Can you help me get a flight?”
    He reached across the bar and took her hand. “I’ll even have someone waiting for you at the airport.”
    * * * *
    Jax sat alone in his living room. The bottom of his empty whiskey glass taunted him. He’d held it together at Sam’s house while amongst his SEAL brothers. Fortunately, he hadn’t been there when his former teammate missed the rope during a training exercise. Command still had him serving as a fill-in training instructor.
    He let the tears flow. Only Peri in his arms could lessen his stabbing grief. He’d been through Hell Week with Sam, a.k.a. Samson, the brute of their team.
    “Fuck!” He launched the tumbler across the room. Shards sparkled in all directions along the brick fireplace. He’d thought he could lock everything away, including the beautiful bartender. Especially Peri.
    After stepped out onto the balcony and paced. Below, the empty beach reminded him of people he’d lost.
    A run might burn off steam, but he needed more to forget. He searched his phone contacts and found Monica’s name. The international flight attendant was out of town as much as he. Fuck buddies might be a vulgar term, but it had applied to them before Peri. He pressed send.
    She answered on the second ring. “Hey, hot stuff. When did you get in?”
    He hesitated a beat. “You busy?”
    “Not for you.”
    He tucked his phone in his pocket, grabbed his keys, and strode for the elevator. Five floors down, the doors whisked open. Another couple of drinks and he’d close his eyes and pretend her warm body belonged to Peri.
    Her golden gaze greeted him at the door. A petite brunette with Hindu and Latino ancestry, her cinnamon skin glowed under the low lighting. She ushered him inside to the plush Moroccan-style sectional and fixed him a drink.
    “What’s wrong?” She plumped a pillow on the sofa and curled up next to him.
    “Just haven’t seen you since I’ve been back and wondered if you were home.” He’d never bullshitted her before. Why start now?
    “Jax, don’t lie. You’re not good at it.” She gaped. “Wait, was the SEAL on the news one of your team who fell from the helicopter?”
    He downed the bourbon in one swallow and nodded.
    “Oh, baby, I’m sorry.” She took the glass and set it on the bamboo coffee table.
    “I just want to forget everything for a while.” He’d lost a lover and now a brother. Sam had been their team’s communications operator. Him dying by a freak accident hurt worse. Jax would rather go out fighting.
    “I can help.” She nibbled his ear and down his neck. Her spicy perfume clung heavily and felt oppressing compared to Peri’s light citrus fragrance.
    Wanting action other than his hand, his dick responded to her stimuli. Namely, the hot, slick feeling of being buried in a woman.
    She ran her hand under his shirt, suggestively massaging his chest and abs. He tried to go with it but his muscles tightened. Mind-numbing