Page 45 of Romancing the Rumrunner
He put his glass down on the bar, walked slowly around the outskirts of the tables, across the dance floor where a few couples were moving together in time to the song. Jessie kept him in her sights, her eyes following him as he moved closer to her.
Jessie’s voice lingered on the last notes, making sure Tony’s eyes were riveted on hers. Her hands glided down her body until they hung straight at her side. For one more moment, the magic of the song encapsulated her and Tony. And then the applause rang out from the audience, shattering the illusion.
Jessie stared out at her new, adoring fans and tried not to panic. She’d acted like a complete tart! Though they seemed to love her for it, she was embarrassed at how carried away she’d let herself get.
One of the men from the audience jumped up, whistling and hooting so loudly his drunken companions were practically rolling on the floor with their laughter.
“Sing another one, baby!”
Maybe it was time for a break. Jessie eyed the man warily, her stomach doing a queasy flip. She took another little bow and stepped away from the microphone. The man took several lurching steps toward the stage. Jessie looked around, trying to find Tony, but with the spotlight in her face she couldn’t see anything but the hulking drunkard coming toward her.
“Where you goin’?” he slurred. “Sing another one for me!”
He stumbled up onto the stage, his big meaty paw swiping at her. Jessie jumped back, a startled squeak all she could muster past the panic that squeezed at her throat. He got ahold of her wrist and dragged her up against him. A mingled chorus of boos and catcalls rose from the audience.
“Hey now!” Louis said, coming to her rescue. The man brushed him off, shoving him back, and the other band members marched forward.
“You can be bad with me anytime, baby,” he said, his rum-laden breath making her stomach turn as it wafted over her. “Why don’t we go somewhere a little more priv—”
Before he could finish his sentence, Tony’s hand clamped to the back of his collar and he hauled him off her. He swung the drunkard around, right into the waiting arms of the club’s burly bouncer. It only took a matter of seconds, but Jessie was shaking like a newborn kitten.
Tony wrapped an arm around her waist. He turned a smiling face to the audience, though Jessie noticed that it didn’t match his eyes. His entire body was rigid with rage.
“Jessie Harlan, ladies and gentleman!”
The applause rang out again and Tony stood back a little, though he didn’t let her go, and let the audience praise her.
Then he stepped back to the microphone. “Miss Harlan will be back in a few short minutes to continue the show. I’ll leave you in the capable hands of our band.”
Before Jessie could protest, Louis started a new song and Tony whisked her off to his office.
The second the door was closed he ran his hands over her, checking her for injuries. He brushed her hair back to look into her eyes. Then, with a frustrated groan, Tony dragged her to him and kissed her, his lips tenderly moving over hers until she trembled in his arms.
When he released her, she wasn’t sure if her limbs shook from the incident on the stage or from Tony’s soft, warm lips.
“Are you all right? You aren’t hurt, are you?” he asked, taking her hand and looking at her wrist.
Jessie blew out a tremulous breath, the fear thundering through her bloodstream slowly dissipating. “Yes, I’m fine. Thanks to you.”
“What did you think you were doing?”
“Excuse me?” She still floated in an overly sensitized haze, could still taste him on her lips, and his abrupt change of subject left her reeling. “I didn’t…I mean you were the one who…”
Tony paced to his desk, then back to her. Jessie frowned at him, thoroughly confused by his sudden change of mood.
“That song. The way you sang it.”
“You don’t like that song?”
“No, it’s not that… That song you sang. I’m not sure that was the best choice.”
“Haven’t we had this conversation before?”
Tony almost smiled and Jessie bit her lip to keep from smiling.
“Well, it appears you haven’t learned your lesson yet.” He pulled her against him and she sucked in a breath.
“That song is all the rage right now. I thought the crowd would like it.”
