Page 10 of Smokey's Distraction
“Ash, what the hell are you doing here?” Axel asked.
“I’m temporarily here for work. I was thrilled to see you guys were playing tonight. Great set. The crowd loved it.”
“Yeah—it’s pretty cool.” Axel looked over her. “Who’s the dude you’re with?”
She glanced behind her and saw Smokey talking to a group of guys who looked like the type she wouldn’t want to meet in a dark alley. Smokey looked over and threw her a disarming smile.
Ashley turned away and gripped her purse. “I’m not with anyone. The floor was so crowded that everyone was meshed together. Are you heading back to Denver?”
The singer shook his head. “Grand Junction—we’re on tour.”
“That’s right,” she said, nodding. “You posted that on your band’s page.”
“We’re crashing at the motel, then leaving early tomorrow morning.”
“Axel, we need your help loading the car,” Jonas said as he put his guitar into a case.
“Okay.” The singer glanced at Ashley again. “We gotta get things packed so the next band can set up. You sticking around?”
“No, I’m going to take off.” She flicked her hand at the guitarist. “Go ahead and help out. Have a great tour.”
Ashley sauntered back to the bar and squeezed in between two women leaning against it. “Can I have a bottled water?” she asked Whitney.
“Sure. The band kicked ass.”
Smiling, Ashley nodded and casually scanned the room. She spotted Smokey standing at the back of the bar flirting with several women surrounding him. She watched the way the tattoos on his muscular arm moved when he brought the beer bottle to his lips.
“Here you go.”
The sound of Whitney’s voice coupled with thethudfrom the water bottle on the wooden
counter dragged Ashley’s attention away from him.
“Thanks,” Ashley said, as she pulled out her wallet from her handbag and took out three dollars. “It was nice meeting you.”
“Are you heading out?” Whitney asked.
“Yeah.”
The woman scribbled something on the back of a business card and handed it to Ashley. “Here’s my name and number. Maybe we can go out for lunch sometime.”
Ashley smiled. “I’d like that. I’ll give you a call when I’m settled in at work.”
Whitney gave her the thumbs up, then dashed over to a group of people at the other end of the bar. Ashley screwed off the top of the bottle and brought it to her lips. She glanced over at Smokey again and saw him saying something into a brunette’s ear. The woman tilted her head back and laughed while pressing her sizable chest against him. A small frown burrowed between his brows and he jerked back. The woman took a step away from him and brought a bottle of beer to her red-painted lips.
Smokey looked toward the bar, and when his eyes locked on Ashley’s, he flashed her a sexy smile. Her stomach suddenly fluttered, much to her dismay. She gulped down the rest of the water, picked up her clutch, and pushed away from the bar.This is my cue to go.Tossing her long hair over her shoulders, Ashley straightened her posture and walked out of the bar without even a sidelong glance in his direction.
The cold bite of the air immediately made her eyes water. She zipped up her jacket and hurried toward her car as thick snow flurries swirled all around.
“You heading out?”
Ashley jumped at the deep voice rumbling behind her. For a split second, she thought Jeffery had tracked her down.
Then a hand gripped her arm.
“No!” she screamed and kicked backward until her shoe made contact with something.
“What the fuck? I’m not gonna hurt you.”
