Bound in Blue Read Free

he’d sat.
    “What’s going on?” he asked.
    She turned to him, her face tense with anger.
“They’re angry because they wanted me to serve you strong alcohol.
They wanted to get you drunk, take advantage of you and get your
money, because you’re American—”
    One of the men pressed a palm over her mouth
to muffle her words. No, that wasn’t okay with Jason, not at all.
He knocked the guy’s hand away from her face, and then they were
scuffling, pushing at each other.
    “Don’t touch her,” Jason said, even though he
doubted the guy could understand him. “Don’t fucking touch her like
that.”
    The bouncer tried to knock him back but Jason
was bigger and stronger. And angry. But before he could give the
guy the beating he deserved, an army of bouncers convened on him,
hauling him toward the door. Okay, he was getting thrown out. That
was fair, but he wasn’t leaving until he knew she’d be all right.
He cast a wild look over his shoulder, but she was gone. Where had
they taken her? “Let go of me,” he yelled. “Where is she?” Everyone
stared as he struggled to free himself. Even the scene onstage had
stopped.
    Then she was there, storming along beside
him, a bag slung over her shoulder. She took off her collar and
flung it at the biggest man’s face, along with a stream of furious
words. The man yelled back at her, a heated exchange that probably
included both the words “I quit” and “You’re fired.” After the
doormen extracted payment for Jason’s drinks, he and his waitress
were forced out the door.
    Fucking hell. It was cold outside, and she
stood in nothing but a bra, garter skirt, and stockings. He took
off his suit jacket and wrapped it around her until she could pull
some jeans and a sweater from her bag. People hurried by, minding
their own business. Nothing to see here. Just got kicked out of
a fetish club.
    “That was fucking ridiculous.” Jason fumed
when she handed his jacket back. “Is that true what you said? That
they were trying to get me drunk?”
    “They do it all the time, to all the tourists
who wander in there.”
    She’d almost said stupid tourists . He
was glad she stopped herself, because he already felt humiliated
enough. “We should go to the police.”
    “The police won’t do anything.” Her gaze
darkened, her blue eyes snapping in anger. “And I won’t get my
money. All that work, three weeks, for nothing.”
    “I’m sorry. I guess that was my fault.”
    She gave him a look of exasperation and
walked away.
    “Hey.” He shrugged into his jacket and
followed her. “Let me make it up to you. How much money were you
due?”
    She put her head down, walking faster. “I
don’t want your money. It wasn’t your fault, not really. And I
hated that job.”
    “I owe you. You saved my ass in there with
that horror or whatever it was called.”
    “ Har .”
    “Will you stop a minute?”
    She halted and turned to him, her arms
crossed tight over her chest. Inside, he’d sensed some chemistry
between them, but now…
    He broke out his most charming, seductive
smile. “You can tell me your name now, can’t you?”
    “I’d rather not.”
    “Would you like to get something to eat? I
want to make this up to you but I don’t know how.” I’d like to
fuck you too, and explore your beautiful body, and kiss those
pouting lips. “There’s a place at my hotel, a restaurant with a
bar. It’s not too far from here.” He was propositioning her. They
both knew it.
    She studied him in silence. What did she see?
A stupid American? Some businessman looking for a one-night stand?
“I’m not hungry,” she said in a flat voice.
    “How about some coffee then? We should hang
out for a while.”
    “Why?”
    “Because…” Because my boss told me I had
to sample the pleasures of Mongolia. But that wasn’t why. There
was something else in play here, some weird, aching attraction that
wouldn’t go away. “Because you helped me,” he finally said.
“Because