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older than Chase.
    The kid really did stick to the same type. This woman looked a lot like Jenna. It was no secret Chase had a huge crush on her back in Tulsa.
    Mustang swallowed another mouthful of beer. “So why are you way the hell over here and not over there talking to her?”
    Chase’s eyebrows shot up to his hairline. “Because she’s here with a guy.”
    “Yeah, so?”
    “Are you crazy? You can’t hit on a woman in front of her boyfriend.”
    “Well, no you shouldn’t do that. In that case, you wait for her boyfriend to go take a piss and then you hit on her while he’s gone.”
    Mustang observed the couple’s interaction with each other and became even more convinced they weren’t a couple at all. “Those two aren’t dating.”
    Chase’s eyes narrowed as he watched them across the room. “How can you tell?”
    “See the way the woman’s looking all around the bar but hardly ever at him? And look at how the guy is checking out the ass on that young thing playing pool. No man would do that in front of his girl unless he’s looking for a fight.”
    Then, as if on cue, the woman noticed Mustang staring and their gazes locked. She finally broke eye contact first, but not before Mustang saw her interest. “Oh, yeah. She’s available.”
    “But the guy—”
    Mustang shook his head. “Don’t worry about him. If she is with him, she doesn’t want to be, but I’m telling you they’re not a couple. Look. He’s getting up. Come on.”
    “What?” Chase’s voice rose to the level of a prepubescent squeak.
    “We’re going over there to talk to her.” Mustang planted his bottle down on the wooden bar with a determined thud.
    “What if he comes back and beats the crap out of us for talking to his girl? You only have one arm to fight with.”

    Heading across the room with Chase scurrying behind him complaining all the way, Mustang shot a disgusted look over his shoulder. “You get the shit beat out of you every week by a two-thousand-pound bull and you’re worried about one guy? Man up, Chase, or you’ll never get laid.”
    “Hey, I do okay for myself in the female department.”
    “Yeah, yeah. Just hush up and follow my lead.”
    One glance at Chase’s expression told Mustang that though Chase wasn’t happy, he’d at least do as he was told. With the kid under control, Mustang centered his attention on the woman. “Hey there. Did I see you in the stands while I was riding at the arena tonight? I never forget a beautiful lady. I’m Mustang Jackson, by the way.”
    She didn’t melt at the compliment the way he’d hoped, but she didn’t shut him down either.
    “Yeah, I know who you are. I was there tonight. How’s the arm?”
    Mustang shrugged off the injury. “Eh. Just a broken bone.”
    She raised a brow and laughed. “ Just a broken bone?”
    Judging by the sound of her, she was a local. In his past experience, New Jersey girls were naturally wild. This one having a bit of age on her would probably make her even more so.
    Through the harsh shell of her exterior, undeniable heat radiated off this woman. The usual anticipation he always felt right before sex fluttered in his chest.
    “Yeah. It’s nothing. I’ve had worse.” Mustang reached back and grabbed Chase’s shoulder, pulling him forward. “This here is the reigning Rookie of the Year, Chase Reese.”
    “I know who he is too. I saw his win on television last year. Congratulations on Rookie of the Year.”
    As Chase sputtered out something that could have been thanks, her chocolate-brown gaze traveled from Chase back to Mustang and settled there.
    Oh yeah. Mustang began to formulate a plan for Chase’s further education in women. “What’s your name, darlin’?”
    “Marla.” Her smile widened and turned into a chuckle.
    Mustang smiled himself. “What’s so amusing?”
    “We don’t hear men say darlin’ up here in New Jersey too often.”
    If she liked that, he could definitely come up with more Texan speak for