Marisa Chenery - Romance Author

BEOWULF AND ROXIE
ISBN: 978-1-59578-422-3

BUY

Chapter One

Roxie Stone was having second thoughts about what she had agreed to do that evening. She sighed as the cab slowed and pulled up to the curb in front of the club. She didn’t normally do the club scene. Even in her twenties, she hadn’t done the club scene. Now, at thirty-one, Roxie had no ambition to break a world’s record in bar hopping.

Roxie glanced over at the evil being who sat next to her, the one who used her evil powers to make this evening happen—Candice Taylor, alleged best friend. “What?” Innocence oozed from Candice’s voice.

“I have no idea why I let you talk me into this. I feel like a fool.” Self-consciously, she ran her hands down her skirt trying to smooth away non-existent wrinkles.

Candice turned so she could look Roxie up and down. “You look hot, hon. You have nothing to be ashamed of, so no more second thoughts. Besides, you promised and I’m holding you to it.”

Knowing there would be no budging her, Roxie reluctantly climbed out of the cab. She immediately began tugging on the hem of her short skirt. Candice came around the back end of the taxi and slapped Roxie’s hand as it twitched toward her skirt once more.

Candice arched a finely shaped brow at her friend. “Roxie.”

Roxie sighed and let her hand fall back down to her side. “Okay, maybe I do look kind of good, but to say I’m hot is taking it a bit too far.”

The outfit Candice had picked out for her had been chosen with meticulous care. The hoped-for end result of this evening was Roxie going home with a male of the species. So here Roxie stood in a light-weight black skirt that hugged her curves (what little she had), falling just slightly above her mid-thigh. A matching short sleeved blouse, also on the tight side, veed down in a low cut neckline. The shoes on Roxie’s none too petite feet, matched the color of her outfit and were high strappy affairs.

Candice ignored her and dragged her over to the entrance. Roxie glanced up at the bright neon sign above the door. Wulf’s Den. A shudder of apprehension ran down her spine. “I’m not so sure about this, Candy.” Wulf’s Den didn’t seem all that different from any other nightclub that could be found in San Francisco. Why Roxie suddenly felt chills even though it was a balmy July evening she couldn’t explain.

“Nonsense, Rox.” Candice gave the bald muscle-bound bouncer her patent I-wanna-do-the-nasty-with-you look and he waved them to the front of the line and into the club. Thank god, if they’d had to wait to get inside she would have lost her nerve and beat a hasty retreat back to her house.

It took a moment for Roxie’s eyes to adjust to the dimness. She barely had enough time to get her bearings before Candice grabbed her by the arm and led her to one of the empty tables at the back of the club.

The damn skirt Candice had been so insistent on made Roxie take quick, mincing steps in her high heels to keep up with Candice. It was by no means graceful, but it was either that or fall flat on her face on the floor. Coordinated, she was not. High heels and Roxie did not mix.

Candice reached the table before her and sat down, immediately scanning the room for her next hunk du jour. Even sitting, her body moved in time to the music blaring out of the club’s sound system.

Roxie made it to the table without killing herself and plopped down in the chair next to Candice. Maybe if she was lucky she wouldn’t have to move her butt off the chair until it was time to leave.

Watching Candice crane her neck for the millionth time while she bopped away in her chair, Roxie had to ask. “What the hell are you doing? We haven’t even had a drink yet. You’re starting to freak me out.”

Giving Roxie a winning smile, Candice said, “I’m man hunting of course.”

Roxie stifled a groan. She pitied the poor sod Candice set her sights on. He wouldn’t stand a chance. Her friend was a beauty. With long, wavy blonde hair, flashing blue eyes and the face of a beauty queen, Candice stood out in a crowd. This always surprised Roxie considering Candice’s full height was five feet three inches. She, on the other hand, could not claim to share any of her friend’s charms. She stood at five feet six inches tall, had straight brown hair (dyed a golden brown) that fell to the middle of her back, hazel eyes and was so average looking she could easily disappear in a crowd.

Resigning herself to being stuck at a nightclub, Roxie decided to check out the other people around her. The club was full but not a huge crush. Most of the tables were filled with people talking as they sipped on drinks while others were out on the dance floor moving to the music. She scanned the club and couldn’t help noticing there was more than one gorgeous guy present. Not just good-looking, but make-you-drool, want-to-jump-their-bones gorgeous.

The sound of Candice laughing drew Roxie’s attention back to her friend. “Are my eyes playing tricks on me or are there sinful amounts of hunks here?”

Candice laughed once more. “Isn’t it great? Gail at work told me about this place. I didn’t believe her at first, but after I came here last Friday and found she was telling the truth, I knew you had to come check it out.”

A perky little waitress stopped by their table and asked them what they wanted to drink. Roxie ordered a glass of white wine. When the girl moved to take Candice’s order, Roxie glanced over at the bar. She immediately felt all the air rush out of her lungs. She had thought the other guys she had seen were gorgeous, but the one standing behind the bar outshone them all.

He had to be no less than six foot seven. His straight, soot black hair brushed the top of his shoulders, accentuating the sharp angles of his face. His shoulders were broad and padded with muscle, the same with his chest. He wore a tight, black t-shirt. Roxie couldn’t help but notice how the muscles in his arms bunched as he poured drinks. She wouldn’t be able to see what color his eyes were even if he had been looking at her, which he wasn’t. Drop dead gorgeous guys didn’t usually notice her.

Sighing with longing, Roxie dragged her eyes off the bartender and looked over at Candice who had a wide smile plastered on her face. It took Roxie only a few seconds to figure out who her friend was seducing with her smile. A guy, not as good looking as the hunks but not shabby in the looks department by any means, sauntered over to their table. He smiled at Candice and asked her to dance. Candice looked at Roxie, who waved her friend to go. Candice was more of a party girl. At least one of them should be enjoying themselves.

Alone, Roxie glanced back over at the bar to see if the waitress had picked up their drinks yet. Her breath caught in her throat. The bartender was looking straight at her, or at least she hoped he was. She turned her head to make sure there wasn’t anyone else standing behind her. She couldn’t believe he was staring at her. And it wasn’t that he was merely staring, he seemed to be devouring her with his eyes. Finding no one at her back, Roxie gulped and stared back.

She couldn’t tear her eyes away from him. The way his eyes moved over her, it almost felt as if he were caressing her. The world seemed to fall away. She no longer heard the loud music or perceived the other people around her. Her whole being centered on the man behind the bar. It had been so long since a man had looked at her in that way. Her sex-starved body thrilled at his touch, even if it was only with his eyes. She squirmed in her chair. Unable to take her eyes off him, Roxie watched his eyes drop from her face down to her chest. She felt her breasts swell and her nipples hardened into tight buds. They ached for his touch, for the feel of his hot mouth sucking her. Not wanting to be left out, her pussy demanded her attention too. A throbbing ache built in her core and wetness pooled. Roxie squeezed her legs together trying to alleviate some of the ache, but it only made the throbbing increase. Never before had she been brought to full arousal by merely being stared at. If he could do that with his eyes, what would happen if he actually touched me?

The waitress returned and placed the drinks on the table. Roxie wrenched her eyes off the bartender and tried to calm her body down. Picking up the glass of wine, she took a big swig. It immediately went down the wrong way causing her to gasp for breath while she coughed to clear her lungs. By the time she got over her choking fit, Roxie’s eyes were streaming and she had the feeling her face was an unbecoming shade of red.

Unable to look over at the bar to see if the bartender had been watching her try to cough up one of her lungs, Roxie slid out of her chair. She quickly made a beeline for the restroom. Splashing cool water on her face and giving her hair a quick fluffing, she prepared to face the world once more.

Stepping back into the club, Roxie squared her shoulders and headed back to her table. Her luck ran out. One moment she was walking and the next her klutzy side reared its ugly head. She didn’t just stumble, not anything as simple as that, no. Stepping down with her right foot, Roxie felt her ankle twist over to the side. When the side of her foot hit the floor, she knew she was in trouble. She threw her hands out and prepared to meet the floor as she started to fall.

Expecting to land in an undignified heap on the floor, Roxie was shocked when strong arms grabbed her around the waist, effectively breaking her fall. Her hands came to rest on a rock hard chest. Blinking in surprise, she looked up into the bluest eyes she had ever seen. She groaned in embarrassment. Her rescuer was none other than the hunky bartender.