Chapter Eight

Damian

I turned my new mountain bike into the gravel parking lot and swung off as it rolled to a stop in front of the new front doors leading into Naked Brews.

As part of the rebuild, the configuration of the building had been modified. A whole covered entryway provided both a place for hanging coats and extra seating for those waiting to get into the new Brew Pub while being a handy enough place for me to park my bike out of the way.

And after hearing Walsh bitch about it all winter, the upgrade also shifted the snow falling off the roof in another direction rather than onto unsuspecting patrons’ heads. Not that we had to worry about that today. The sun was just rising over the ski mountain, so it was still chilly, but it promised to be another gorgeous summer mountain day. In fact, they were predicting record highs possibly into the eighties this week. I shook my head at the idea of that being hot in the summer. No wonder none of the cabins had air conditioning here.

I finally let my gaze drift to the light spilling out the door. I steeled myself to walk toward it. I could only distract myself with the weather for so long. I’d agreed to do this for Walsh, so I needed to go in there...

Alex came charging out the front door with a bat held high, a fierce look on her face that would have been sexy as hell if she wasn’t coming right at me.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa.” I held a hand up to stop her as I leaned back a step, twisting to put the bike between her and me. “It’s me, Damian.” I pushed the hood of my sweatshirt off my head.

She skidded to a halt barely a foot away from me. She dropped the bat and clutched at her chest. “Holy crap, Damian. I could’ve killed you. Why the hell are you skulking about in a hooded sweatshirt, looking like a thug? I thought for sure you were about to throw a firebomb into the restaurant.”

“Um, wow. Overdramatic much?”

She bowed back like I’d physically hit her, but instead, I think she was just winding up for her punch. “Overdramatic? That’s rich coming from you. How many years has it been since you left your house?” Immediately, her eyes widened, and she covered her mouth like she couldn’t believe she’d just said that.

Yeah, well that made two of us. “Nice,” I sneered and yanked at the handles of my bike, steering it toward the entrance. One good thing about this lovely little confrontation, my anger way outweighed any nerves I’d had about opening those doors now.

Behind me, I heard her mutter, “Nice going, Alex. Way to alienate the sexy guy.”

I stopped and turned to her in shock. “You think I’m sexy?”

She blinked rapidly. “What? No.”

But then she did a full-body perusal that heated me from the inside out, especially when her pupils dilated.

She waved her hand toward me. “You’re just... So much...” She shook her head. “Yes, okay? Now, stop confusing me. I haven’t had any coffee yet, and I can’t find my clipboard. You need to just...” She marched past me, her ass swaying in those tight jeans. She didn’t look back, just swung her hand behind her as if to shoo me away. “No, just keep away. I need half a cup before I can deal.” And then the door closed.

I stood there with my mouth hanging open. What the actual fuck had that been? I had no idea what she wanted me to do. Hell, I was pretty sure she had no fucking clue what she wanted me to do. I’d watched her a lot over the weekend and had never seen her get flustered.

Note to self: Catch the sexy brunette before coffee more often.

I chuckled, picked up the dropped bat, and opened the front doors. I parked my bike and entered Naked Brews, feeling much better about the prospect for the day than I had in years.

But then I frowned down at the bat I held in my hands. What kind of security was this? And how bad had things gotten that Alex was attacking people in the parking lot? That spoke to a level of alertness that made my gut churn and my neck prickle. I didn’t like the thought that someone might be targeting her...or Naked Brews. But the idea of her specifically being in danger did not work for me...at all.

I charged into the office where Alex sat, her coffee cup clasped to her chest, looking down on it like I’d imagine a mother would gaze at her newborn baby. This girl had it bad.

Seeing her like that, though...something heated in my chest, making it feel too tight, not normal. Before I could examine the sensation closer, she glanced up at me, her forehead wrinkled with the force of her frown.

She held up a single finger to stop me from talking. “No words. Let it have five minutes to do its job.” Then she took another long sip from the cup, her eyes closing with bliss like she was on the verge of the best orgasm of her life.

Holy hell. That expression on her face awoke my body like nothing else. Unfortunately, my cock decided it needed in on that action and rose to attention.

There was another desk and chair against the front wall, so I sat down and hunched forward with my elbows on my knees to hide my embarrassing, teenage-like reaction as I watched her. She was breathtaking.

The front of her dark hair was pulled back off her face in a series of complicated braids that reminded me of the way an Amazon or superhero would wear her hair—out of the way, but still wholly feminine. The sections all joined at the back of her head, leaving it all to fall loosely over her shoulders.

The overhead lights of the office illuminated the light dusting of freckles across her nose and her sooty, thick lashes. This was a woman who could look like an innocent schoolgirl or an elegant seductress, depending on how she played up her appearance. Although I had to admit the all-American girl next door who was slightly caffeine deprived worked for me today.

She wore jeans that looked old enough so they cupped all her dips and curves and those mile-long legs but not so old that they’d faded too much. A black, fitted tank top gave tantalizing hints of cleavage, and every once in a while, I got a flash of red lace bra that wasn’t helping my errant erection any. Because the morning was chilly, over the tank top she wore a long sleeve, black-and-white checked, flannel shirt. I had a feeling she would shed it as the day wore on.

As I watched, she came alive. It was like I could see the caffeine hitting her system. She opened her eyes, looking at me in surprise like she’d forgotten I was there.

“Damian.” She tilted her head, and I suddenly wished I could read minds. “I’m sorry. Where are my manners? Would you like a cup, too?”

I couldn’t help it; I laughed. “I would have asked earlier, but I was afraid I might lose a finger or two if I dared approach the precious.” I nodded at the shiny one-cup coffee maker sitting just over her shoulder.

Pink rose up her cheeks in a blush that made her even more attractive. How was that even possible?

“I’m sorry,” she said. “It was a really long weekend, and I barely had time to inhale a single cup each morning before all the wedding stuff took over. My body reached its limit of caffeine deficiency this morning. It’s just too bad you were there for the fallout.” She winced. “I’m not usually that bad before coffee.”

“Suuure.” I nodded slowly. “I believe that.”

“Really! It’s true.” She stood as someone walked by the door. She ran over to it and snagged the sleeve of the man walking by. “Harlan, come in here.”

A middle-aged man with a curious smile on his face let himself be dragged in.

“This is Damian,” Alex said as she shut the door behind Harlan. “He’s the guy from GSC. He’s going to be working here while Walsh is gone.”

Harlan gave a nod of acknowledgement. We’d actually met at the reception.

“Tell him I’m normally a nice person before coffee.”

Harlan barked out a laugh but then bit his lip and rubbed at the back of his neck uncomfortably. “Um, Alex, I really need to...” He gestured toward the brewing room. “There’s beer...and um...you know...brewing.”

Her eyes widened in outrage, and she put both hands on her hips as she glared the poor guy down. “Harlan! What? I am nice...always.”

I stood and opened the office door so the poor guy could escape. “It’s okay, Alex. I totally believe you. Let Harlan get back to his job.”

Harlan’s visible sigh of relief and murmured thanks as he scooted out the door was only marred by the uncomfortable split second where his eyes lingered on my scars.

I stiffened. I’d completely forgotten about them.

But then Alex stomped her foot like she was a two-year-old throwing a tantrum, and a smile broke over my face. Working here might not be as bad as I thought it was going to be.

***

Two hours later, the newly married couple had come in with satisfied, happy smiles that warmed my heart. Walsh’s life before meeting Lake had been one rotten, unlucky thing after another, starting with his birth to two of the worst people on Earth. He deserved something good in his life. Anyone could see that Lake was it for him, and I couldn’t be happier for him.

The whole Naked Brews crew had settled into the tables of the tasting pub, drinking coffee and having Danish before the couple left for their honeymoon to Ireland. I stood back against the wall, enjoying the back-and-forth banter and the sense of family that fell over this group.

It was hard to believe that someone here could possibly be trying to ruin all of this.

Alex had found her clipboard and stood in the corner with Lake, discussing something quietly. Walsh watched them with his heart on display for anyone to see. He caught my gaze, and he grinned before joining me against the wall.

“Did you have any problem getting here with the bike this morning?” he asked.

“Nope, none at all.” He didn’t know that my only problem had happened after I’d arrived. He was already worried about leaving the brewery with this possible threat looming. There was no reason to bring up the issue that Alex had been terrified enough this morning to come at me with a bat. That would just make him consider canceling the honeymoon again.

“Good.” Walsh nodded. “They’re a good crew. If you treat them fairly, they’ll do the same for you.”

The unspoken, Give them a chance, give yourself a chance, was right below the surface. We both knew it.

“Just keep your eyes and ears open,” Walsh continued.

I nodded. Just thinking about Alex trying to defend herself with only a bat had my blood boiling. I needed to check on adding security for the brewery. Both Alex and Melissa worked in the office alone a lot of the time. Leaving them here, unsecured, didn’t settle well with me. But I didn’t bring any of this up to Walsh.

Instead, I glanced at the clock on the wall. “Don’t you two need to head out? Check-in for international flights takes longer.”

“You’re right.” Walsh pushed away from the wall, and we walked over to the two women. “Hey, Lake...” He motioned down at his wrist. “We need to go.”

She nodded, held up a single finger, and then pointed at something on Alex’s clipboard.

Alex shook her head and tugged the clipboard away, hiding it behind her back. “I’ve got it. I promise. I’m completely on top of this opening.” She gently pushed Lake toward Walsh. “You go enjoy your man and your honeymoon. When you get back, everything will be ready for the opening.” Alex turned toward the group. “Isn’t that right? The Naked Brews crew is on top of this, so no worries.”

The group cheered and wolf-whistled as everyone stood to wish the couple happy traveling.

“We promise not to burn the place down again,” one of the guys joked. I hadn’t met him.

The younger guy standing beside him didn’t like the quip, though, and shoved him. “Hey, that’s not funny. Melissa could have been seriously hurt.”

“Warner, it’s okay.” Lake settled the two guys. “We all know Joe didn’t mean anything by it. He was just joking, but I’m holding you to that, Joe. No destroying or breaking anything while I’m gone, okay?” She gave both guys the stink eye before another grin broke over her face.

Then the two newlyweds rushed out of the building, leaving quiet behind.

Alex stood and clapped her hands to get everyone’s attention. “Okay, everyone. Break time’s over. Let’s get this brewery going for the day.”

She strode toward the office with her ass swaying and her trusty clipboard clutched to her side.

Melissa stepped to my side and peered up at me with her eyebrow raised, a mischievous glint in her eyes. “Be careful,” she whispered, “you’re drooling.”

“Wh...what? No, I am not.”

But she was already walking away.

I surreptitiously wiped at my chin. Just in case.

Then I followed the two women into the office. It was time to do my job, and incredibly, I was actually looking forward to it.