Her Outback Knight. Melissa James

see how she handled it when someone took up the gauntlet.

      Without warning he grabbed her hand. “Come on, let’s hit the road,” he snarled.

      “Jim, what are you doing?” she cried as he all but dragged her into the restaurant and snatched up her bag.

      “You coming?” he challenged her when, clearly embarrassed by everyone’s laughter and knowing grins, she began to pull back, trying to get him to release her hand. “Are you keeping your word, or will you keep lying to me like you just did? Are you going to turn coward and bail because someone finally called your bluff after all these years?”

      That was all he needed to say. Her chin lifted, her nostrils flared and she looked at him as if she hated his guts, but she said, “Don’t bother turning the tables on me with my own sarcasm, Haskell. I’ve done years more psychology than you’ll ever know.”

      “Good, then you can psychoanalyse me on the road, can’t you?”

      “Or ditch you on it!”

      “Yeah, go for it.” With deliberate patronage, he patted her on the head. “You handle the verbal attacks. Let’s see you get physical again.” He grinned down at her. “I dare you.”

      The entire table of their mutual friends burst into stunned laughter. Laila was blinking, laughing with the others, but clearly flabbergasted. Her best friend—everyone’s best friend, sweet and patient, giving Jimmy Haskell had shown his darker side for the first time, not backing down an inch, and none of them knew why.

      Damned if he knew why, either. Who would have guessed Danni of all people had the power to bring out the tiger in him? Jim himself hadn’t dreamed of it until a few minutes ago. But he’d had enough of losing to the women he really wanted.

      He didn’t question why he really wanted Danni—he only knew he did. And he would not take her offer of friendship lying down. This time he’d fight, right to the finish.

      She wanted him, damn it—and he’d force her to come out of wherever she was hiding, make her come to him, to touch him. He’d make her purr for him again….

      It seemed he’d knocked out this particular little champ, at least for the moment. Danni’s delectable mouth remained closed, but sparks of fury told Jim the bell for the next round was about to ring—as soon as they were alone.

      He kissed Laila’s cheek. “Congrats, babe. Got to go. I’ll call you, okay? Love you.”

      “You okay, Jimmy?” she whispered.

      About to reassure his best friend, he remembered Danni’s words about lying to Laila and making her more worried. “No, but I will be. With a little help from my new friend.” He flicked a deliberate, knowing grin at Danni, whose tight mouth and paleness around distended nostrils told him that friendship was the last thing on her mind when it came to him.

      Good, he thought in intense satisfaction. He’d rather keep her in a constant passion, even if it was pure fury, than ever receive another offer of friendship from her.

      He was going to keep it that way from now on. Bringing Danni’s passion to life was worth the price he’d pay later, no matter what kind of passion it was.

      And for once, he was looking forward to the battle.