Aaron

I arrived at my rented apartment and threw the bag with the shoes in the corner. I didn’t need to try them on. I always wore a size fourteen, and that crap about shoes being different sizes because of where the leather was cut was just a ploy to keep me there and sell me other crap I didn’t need.

Maybe I should have let her take care of me. What would it have hurt to let her play with my feet? It might actually have been nice to have Katie touch them. I did enjoy seeing her lose her composure, however minimal had it been.

How much of my time would I be spending at the storefront? I assumed my duties would keep me in the main office. Then again, I might have to find a reason to spend a little more time at The Upstairs.

Leona ran The Boutique and Haley ran The Upstairs, so where did that leave Katie? Could she be one of those interns on the new program initiated by Aleksander’s wife? If so, was she a designer in the new men’s line? Was that why she was working for Haley today?

“Fucking gingers,” I swore under my breath. Why was I spending so much time wondering about some uptight future trophy wife? She no doubt was working in the upscale Boutique to get her claws into some unsuspecting trust fund baby. Hell, she barely looked legal herself.

I didn’t do one-night stands. I was very careful about my liaisons. I doubted a small town like Tranquility could provide anything near the high-end call girls I enjoyed. The discretion that came with using a reputable firm appealed to me. I didn’t plan to be here long. I could go three weeks without sex, and if I couldn’t, the city was not that far. I doubted my escort service delivered out of town.

I remembered I had turned my cell phone off during church, and I had better turn it back on. I still had my own company to run, after all. I had a great second-in-command. If I chose to stay in Tranquility, I might consider selling my company outright to my competitor. Or I could always keep it and let my right-hand man run it.

My phone pinged alerting me to a text message. It was someone I wasn’t in the mood to deal with.

Stop stalling and do the right thing, the text screamed at me in bold letters.

The text was from Beth. The daughter of a someone I had considered going into business with. She didn't understand why I had even considered Richard’s proposal. If I merged my interest with that of her father’s company, she would be expecting me to honor every element our business discussions. Those plans no longer suited me.

Not wanting to close the door completely, in case I choose not to stay in Tranquility, I quickly texted her back. I told you three weeks—and I am doing the right thing for me.

I was feeling peckish, and opened the fridge. The money I had paid the super to stock it and make sure my stuff got put away when it arrived was worth every penny. She hadn’t missed a thing. She’d hung up my suits and stowed away my suitcases.

Maybe I was going to like living in a small town after all.

The day had taken it’s toll on me and I didn’t feel like cooking for myself. I would take a ride around town. If this was where I was going to reside for the next few weeks, I should scope out the local watering hole. I would grab something to eat at the same time.

It was a nice little town with lots of local color and quite a few more pubs than I originally thought. I pulled my bike up to one that look like a place I wouldn’t stand out with my attire.

I had pegged the place correctly. Upon first inspection, I saw the place was clean. There were a few patrons, and it was not too crowded, with plenty of places to sit.

I chose a spot at the bar.

“Hello, handsome.” An attractive woman working behind the bar approached me. “What would you like?” She was smiling, her voice was soft.

I leaned over the counter and whispered, “I would like a light beer, in a glass.”

The bartender winked. “Because you’re driving and you don’t want to overindulge?” She questioned.

“Something like that.” I winked back.

“No problem, handsome. I’m Anne, and over there is my husband Andy—and no Raggedy Anne and Andy jokes.” She pointed her finger at me and then held out her hand.

“Aaron.” I took her hand and gave it a good shake. I pointed to the sign above the bar. “Nice menu, simple, homemade. I wouldn't mind a burger—loaded.”

“Loaded?” Anne stared at me with one hand on her hip.

“Loaded. You know, everything on it,” I informed her.

She laughed. “Around here, handsome, we call that the works.” She turned her back to me and yelled “Andy, a number three with the works.” She smirked once more.

I decided I should head to the bathroom and wash my hands before handling my burger. On my way across the bar, I looked up and was surprised to see the back of my choir girl’s head. It was her all right. I’d recognized those strawberry blonde curls hanging over her collar.

She had taken off her coat, and was wearing a long sweater that came just below her ass with knee-high come ‘fuck me boots’ over a pair of skinny jeans. She raised her arms to hang her coat, and her sweater lifted just enough that I got a glimpse of her painted-on jeans.

I swore under my breath. “Fuck.” I was sure they were so tight I could dry hump her in the corner of the bar and she would cream those jeans right there. I wasn't taking my place at the bar until she turned around—until I saw what my choir girl looked like.

“Double fuck.” I swore again. That smile, those emerald green eyes—my little choir girl was none other than stick-up-her-ass future trophy wife, Katie. Settle down, boy, I mentally told my cock. This one is nothing but trouble. I took my seat at the bar and waited for my burger.

I couldn't help but keep an eye on her. I moved to one of the tables when my food arrived. I was still nursing my first beer. I was careful about drinking when I was riding my bike. My plans were not to drown my misery. I only wanted to get something to eat and maybe have a beer or two.

She had a laugh that resonated. It would have been hard for any red-blooded man not to notice—especially the three burly men surrounding her at the pool table. They looked like a pack of wolves playing with a little kitten. They were letting her win at pool and no doubt getting her drunk.

Shit, if they managed to get her to take a walk with them, there would be no telling what would happen to Little Miss Choir Girl. What was she thinking, flirting with the three toughest looking guys in the place? She wouldn't stand a chance of defending herself if they decided to have a little fun with her.

It wasn't my business, but no one else seemed the least bit concerned about what was going on. It looked like she was about to finish off her last game. I could challenge her, beat the pants off her, and show her she was being played. Was she counting her drinks? I certainly was. How many was that now—three?

Anne didn't look like the type who would serve to minors, so at least she wasn't jailbait, but I bet she wasn't far off. Without all that makeup she had on earlier, she looked even younger than I’d originally thought.

I walked over to the bar. “Anne, can I have a couple bottles of water, please?”

“Sure, handsome.” She handed me two bottles of water. I took them and headed toward the pool table.

“Well boys, it looks like I cleaned house again.” Katie put her hand on the money sitting on the pool table. I placed my hand over the top of hers, preventing her from taking it.

“I don't think I have been challenged yet.” I deliberately deepened my voice, hoping to intimidate her companions. Before I knew it, I was flanked on all sides by the three men. They were a lot bigger and rougher than they had appeared from across the bar. I was going to get my ass kicked and handed to me on a silver platter for trying to take away their kitten. I was sure of it.

“Mr. Walsh,” Katie acknowledged pointedly. “You fancy yourself a pool player, do you?” She pulled her hand out from under mine.

One of the men actually growled and bore his teeth. “Mr. Walsh?” His question was directed at Katie.

“It’s okay, boys, I got this.” Katie laughed. “I’ll take your challenge, Mr. Walsh.” She announced, “First, rules.” She took out a quarter. “Heads I win, tails you lose.”

I opened my mouth to protest. Katie put up her hand. “Let me finish. Solids are mine, stripes are yours. I land all my solids, you pay a hundred.” She picked up her cue and applied chalk to the end. “Then when I land all your stripes, you pay a hundred.” She blew the excess chalk from her cue. “When I sink the eight ball, you double up, and if the cue ball follows into the same pocket, you triple. Are you still game?” She stood smiling at me like the cat that ate the canary—or rather, the kitten that ate the canary.

Did she seriously think she was going to be able to clear the entire table without me taking a single shot? “And if you miss—at any time?” I raised an eyebrow.

“Then you win, and you take what’s on the table.”

“Doesn't seem like a fair bet.” I was genuinely concerned she’d had too much to drink and was not thinking straight.

“I know, but you’re new here, so I’m starting the bet at just a hundred.” Her eyes were gleaming with trouble.

I handed her one of the bottles of water. She took it and placed it near her empty bottles of non-alcoholic beers. She wasn’t drunk. She was more sober than I was. She nodded to the biggest of her companions. “Braden here will hold the money. You are good for it, aren't you, Mr. Walsh?” she purred.

I pulled out my wallet and placed the bills on the table. Braden picked them up and shoved them into his pocket. He leaned over Katie and kissed her on the cheek. “Clean house with this one, sis,” I heard him tell her.

Sis. He was her brother. They weren’t letting her win—she was actually winning. I was fucked. Not that I cared about the money. I just really hated being played, and well, Little Miss Choir Girl had played me royally. Now I knew why she had gone to confession.

“Your brother?” was all I said.

“All three of them.” She smiled and practically sang it to me.

“They're so big, and you’re…”

“So little?” she finished for me.

“I was going to say petite, but yeah, let's go with little. And why did that one,” I gestured to Braden, “snarl at me?”

“You see, I had this VIP customer today. On a Sunday. We never open on Sunday. Not for anyone… ever.” She took her first shot and landed her ball.

“Wait, never?” I interrupted.

“No, never, ever, except today for some reason.” Katie took another shot. “You can imagine my excitement. This must be one hell of a customer for Mrs. Van de Graaf to allow anyone in on Sunday.” She paused and took another shot.

“You can imagine my brother’s disappointment to find out I had to leave church before communion to set up for this very special customer. My only saving grace was the fact that the commission…” She stopped, picked up the chalk, grazed it across her stick, and slowly pursed her lips and blew off the excess.

The sight of her pouty lips tantalizing me was causing me more discomfort than I would have liked. She walked around to my side of the table, and it was the first time I caught her scent. How was this little choir girl causing me more stirring with just her lips, emerald green eyes, and scent than any one of my professional ladies?

I broke out of my trance as she continued teasing me.

“Well, the commission would have been nice,” was all she added, but I got the message. I’d screwed up her day, and now she was going to screw up mine.

I would rather she just screwed me.

Every time she leaned across the table to aim for a shot, her sweater rose just enough for me to see the outline of her sweet ass. I wished she would hurry and win, take my money, and I could leave with my tail between his legs. That was what my fucking dick was feeling like—a gigantic tail between my legs.

True to her word, my little choir girl cleaned the table and made the final shot. Her brother walked over and handed her the money. He leaned in and kissed her cheek again. “Good job, sis.” He nodded to her other two brothers and they headed toward the door. “Gotta go, Katie. Want a lift?”

“I’m fine. I’ll catch you guys next visit.” He leaned in so she could kiss him on the cheek. She walked over to the other two and did the same as she whispered something into one brother’s ear. She almost looked sad as they left. Where were they going? She said ‘see them next visit.’ They didn't live here?

It didn't matter. My fun with my little choir girl was over. She would go home, and I was going to have one more beer and head back to my apartment. I sat at the bar and ordered a beer.

“Make that two,” I heard my little choir girl say. “It’s the least I can do for playing you for a chump.” Her laughed resonated, and my cock twitched.

What the hell was she doing? I was done playing with her. She needed to take her tight little ass off the barstool beside me before my other head got any ideas.