Valerie Carmichael needed a drink. A strong one. Because it was the only way she envisioned herself getting through the night.
Then again, maybe if she drank enough, the alcohol would sour her stomach and give her a good excuse to bail out and take the first cab home. Sadly, that option sounded the most appealing.
An elbow nudged into her side, bringing her thoughts back to the crowded bar. “I can’t see anything through all of these people,” Brett said, scanning the room with his eyes. “Come on, let’s go to the other side so I can get a better view.”
Sighing, Valerie trudged behind him without a word.
When Brett had asked her to attend the grand opening of Bottoms Up, a new bar in their hometown of Granite, Texas, she’d hesitated to say yes. Sure, she was curious what the inside of the recently remodeled bar looked like and had no doubt the place would be jam-packed with handsome, available men. But it was still the last place on earth she wanted to be.
She knew better than to hang out in bars with her older and only—thank God—brother. Every time she’d done so in the past, the nights had always ended the same way. Brett would spend the entire evening hovering over her like a rabid pit bull, daring any single guy with a glint in his eye to look her way. And eventually, one of them would.
At least one brave soul, brimming with liquid courage, would be dumb enough—or drunk enough—to risk approaching her while Brett stood guard. Then the potentially suicidal man would quickly find out what a hot-tempered asshole her brother could be. It was inevitable.
Because Valerie turned heads. She always had.
Oh, she wasn’t silly enough to believe she looked like some gorgeous supermodel with a lean, trim figure or anything. She definitely didn’t. But she had a pretty face, banging plus-size curves, and a lively personality. And that was good enough for her. Valerie was just…Valerie. And damn proud of it.
Unfortunately, that noteworthy self-confidence of hers was akin to a powerful magnet, drawing unassuming male moths to her female flame. Which meant, as with any heat source, there was always a chance someone would get burned. And with Brett around, odds were in her favor that it wasn’t going to be her.
As they made their way across the room, Brett’s muscular frame easily parted the sea of people, giving her plenty of space to walk behind him without bumping into anyone. But even then, she only made it ten feet before a masculine arm circled her waist and pulled her back against a hard body. “Hey, baby. Wanna dance?”
Valerie winced. Another guy with a death wish. Lovely.
No, wait. She recognized that voice, didn’t she?
Glancing over her right shoulder, she stared directly into Max’s playful eyes just as Brett whipped around and shoved Max away from her. “Get your hands off my sister, jackass.”
Max released her and held his hands up in surrender. “Whoa! I was just playing around with her. No need to get pissy about it, buddy.”
“I’m not your goddamn buddy,” Brett sneered, fire flashing in his eyes as he stepped toward Max.
Valerie scrambled into her brother’s path to keep him at bay. “Stop it! He’s just a friend of mine, Brett. You don’t have to go all caveman on him.”
“Then tell your friend to keep his damn hands off you.” Her brother shot Max one of his blue-eyed Taser glares, which usually sent most men retreating.
But Max wasn’t like most men and continued to stand there, as if he was throwing down a challenge of his own. One Brett was clearly willing to accept, since he started for Max.
Jesus. Here we go again. Valerie readjusted her position and placed her hands on Brett’s chest to stop him. “Knock it off right now. Damn it, you promised to behave yourself tonight. If you can’t control yourself, then I’m going home.” She almost hoped Brett would throw a punch just so she had a reason to leave. Sorry, Max.
“Me?” Brett asked innocently, his eyes widening. “I didn’t do anything…yet.” He zapped another threatening look in Max’s direction for good measure.
Valerie shook her head, annoyed with the whole situation. “Why don’t you just go ahead without me, and I’ll catch up to you in a little bit?”
Her brother didn’t move.
God, why did I come out tonight? Me and my bright ideas. “Damn it, Brett. Just go already. I’ll be fine. I want to talk to Max.” Her brother planted his feet, as if he planned to wait for her, so she added, “Without my bodyguard present, if you don’t mind.”
Brett gritted his teeth and set his jaw but eventually stalked away. Once Valerie was sure he wasn’t coming back, she turned her attention to Max and sighed. “Sorry about that. My brother’s a little…intense.”
“Who, that guy? Nah.” Max’s sardonic tone wasn’t lost on her, but then he shrugged. “No big deal, Val. You warned me that your brother was an asshole. If I had known he was with you tonight, I wouldn’t have grabbed you like that.”
She grinned. “You’re such a liar.”
The corner of his mouth lifted in a tiny smirk. “I know.”
Though they’d met only six months before at Rusty’s Bucket—a seedy local dive bar that made this place look like some kind of upscale cocktail lounge—she’d had Max’s number from the beginning. And she wasn’t referring to his telephone digits…though she had those too.
Upon meeting Max, Valerie had quickly figured out two things about him. One, he was a decent guy, even though he was a bit of a troublemaker at times. Two, he hadn’t been remotely attracted to her. Which was fine with her, since she hadn’t been interested in him either.
She hadn’t lied when she told Brett that Max was just a friend. Nothing romantic had ever evolved between them and never would. At the time, they had each unknowingly used the opportunity to set up their best friends, Leah and Sam, by feigning interest in each other.
And it had worked! The lucky couple were now engaged and living together in Sam’s apartment while his construction crew built their new house not far from Leah’s bakery, Sweets n’ Treats. Within three weeks, Leah would have her intimate beach wedding and be moving into her glorious new home with the man of her dreams.
And Valerie couldn’t be happier for them.
Especially since the one-bedroom apartment over the bakery was now available for Valerie to rent, thus making Leah not only her best friend and employer but also her landlord.
“I’m surprised to see you here tonight,” Max said, steering Valerie toward a surprisingly vacant seat at the small side bar in the corner. “Leah said you weren’t coming.”
“I didn’t plan to,” she said, noting how strange it was that there were plenty of seats in the area around them while the rest of the bar harbored wall-to-wall people. She slid onto the black, vinyl-covered stool as Max stationed himself next to her. “I know it’s hard to believe I’d miss it though.”
“No kidding. Since when do you not enjoy the bar scene, party girl?”
Okay, so maybe I’m not the only one who’s got someone’s number.
Grinning, she ignored his question and glanced around the room. “So where are Leah and Sam? I thought they’d be here by now.”
“They’re here,” he confirmed. “They headed over to the main bar to get a drink. The bartenders over there are much faster than this one is,” Max said, gesturing to the young man fumbling a glass behind the bar. “If you want something to drink, you better tell me quick. If he has to make more than one drink at a time, you’ll die of thirst before I can save you.”
Normally, Valerie would have ordered a beer, but the shiny metallic bandage dress she wore showed off her feminine side and wasn’t really the kind of outfit a lady would drink a beer in. Hmm. Something colorful and fruity perhaps? Besides, the hard liquor would probably help ease some of the tension she’d felt creeping up her spine since she’d entered the building. “Um, how about an appletini?”
“A what?”
She grinned. “An apple martini.”
Max nodded. “You got it. Coming right…er, scratch that. You might get it soon, if you’re lucky.” He grinned and then leaned over the bar and repeated the order to the young bartender.
The barkeep nodded in acknowledgment but seemed a bit unsure of what to do. When he finally made the decision to reach for a glass, it took him three tries before he found the one used for martinis. Even as he chilled the glass with ice, he moved so slowly and deliberately that Valerie wondered if he was pacing himself so he didn’t pull a muscle in his hand. If he didn’t learn to speed up, the thirsty bar-goers would eat him for breakfast. Because, chances were, it would take him until morning to finish making one drink. Jeez.
While they waited for her drink, Max and Valerie lingered at the bar counter chatting about their friends’ pending nuptials. Since they were the best man and maid-of-honor, Max and Valerie would soon be walking down the aisle together. Of course, she wouldn’t dare word it that way to her brother or he’d jump to conclusions and blow a gasket.
After a few minutes, Sam and Leah emerged from the dense crowd, with a beer bottle for him and a glass of water for her. Apparently, Leah was still on that damn diet and counting calories so she would fit into her wedding dress. Though why she didn’t just buy the dress in a larger size was beyond Valerie.
Leah blinked at the sight of her sitting with Max. “Val? What are you doing here? You said you weren’t coming.”
Valerie shrugged. “I changed my mind.”
“Are you feeling okay?”
“Yeah, sure. Why?”
“When you said you didn’t want to go out, I assumed you were sick. You never turn down a night out. Actually, you’re the one who’s always asking me to go.” Leah placed her palm lightly against Valerie’s forehead. “You sure you don’t have the flu or something?”
Valerie laughed and pushed her friend’s hand away. “Oh, stop it. I just didn’t feel like getting dressed up. I’m getting tired of the whole bar scene.”
Leah squinted with disbelief. “Since when?”
Since three weeks ago when I found out this place was opening. Valerie gazed expectantly at the bartender, who was using a jigger to carefully measure out the vodka for her cocktail. Damn, she could really use that drink about now. She sighed inwardly. “I’m fine,” she told Leah. “I was tired, but the mood passed.”
“Good,” Sam said cheerfully, clasping a hand on his buddy’s shoulder. “Then maybe you can help us keep Max out of trouble for one evening. Lord knows he needs all the help he can get.”
Max just grinned.
“Already on top of it,” Valerie replied. “A few minutes ago, he met my brother.”
Leah’s eyes widened. “Oh no. Brett’s here? I can only imagine how well that went over.”
“Yep, exactly what you’re thinking. It didn’t. But I managed to send Brett away for the time being. I’m sure he’s still watching me from some dark corner though.” She leaned over to Max and loudly mock-whispered, “If you want to keep your arms attached to your body, I wouldn’t make any sudden movements in my direction.”
They all laughed, probably because a truer statement had never been spoken. As the chuckling died down, the young bartender finally slid a green-tinted apple martini on the counter in front of Valerie. Thank goodness.
Max reached for his wallet and nodded across the room in the direction Brett had wandered off in. “Think I can get away with paying for your drink, smart-ass? Or should I consult your brother first?”
She smiled up at him, her eyes twinkling with mirth. “Oh no. You don’t have to ask his permission for that.” Then her gaze followed the same trail Max’s had. “Always feel free to pay for my—”
Valerie’s heart stopped, along with her lips. Oh God.
Across the room, Brett stood there talking to a tall, dark-haired man who had one thumb hooked in the front pocket of his jeans while he leaned comfortably against the wall with his right shoulder. She couldn’t see the other guy’s face, but she didn’t need to. Valerie recognized all six feet, two inches of him.
Jesus. I don’t think I can do this.
“Can’t do what?” Leah asked, puzzlement filling her voice.
Shit. Had she said that out loud?
Valerie winced. Her friends probably thought Brett’s ridiculous brotherly behavior had been the motivation for her wanting to stay home tonight…and that was partly true. But she hadn’t told them the real reason—a bigger reason—for wanting to avoid stepping into the hottest new bar in town. And that reason not only had a name, but he was the owner. Logan Mathis.
“Val?” Leah placed her hand on Valerie’s shoulder, pulling her out of her thoughts and right back into her noisy surroundings.
She immediately lifted her drink and downed the martini in one gulp then rubbed a flat hand across her queasy stomach. “I can do this,” she whispered in encouragement to herself.
Sam and Max were no longer paying attention and were busy having a heated football discussion, but Leah raised one suspicious brow. “What the hell are you talking about?” she asked before her gaze fell on the empty martini glass. “How many of those have you had?”
Valerie glanced across the room again at the man who had her insides tied up in knots and sighed heavily. “Not nearly enough.”
Leah’s gaze immediately followed the invisible trail of bread crumbs Valerie had left behind. She grinned and pointed across the bar. “Hey, isn’t that—”
“Logan Mathis,” Valerie groaned, not bothering to hide the contempt in her voice.
“Yeah, that’s the one. He was your brother’s—”
“Best friend.”
She nodded. “Yep, but didn’t he move away like—”
“Eight years ago.”
Leah pursed her mouth in annoyance. “Okay, how about you actually let me ask the question before you answer it?”
Despite the way her stomach was churning, Valerie couldn’t help but grin. “Sorry. Go ahead.”
“Isn’t he the guy you had that huge crush on back then?”
Valerie blinked rapidly. “Wait. H-how did you…”
“Oh, come on,” Leah said, rolling her eyes. “You didn’t really think you fooled me, did ya? You mooned over the Mathis boy every chance you got. And the way you always wanted to tag along with the two of them, though Brett frustrated the hell out of you most days. It was obvious.”
Great. Just great. Valerie closed her eyes and rubbed at her temples before looking back at Logan. He had shifted his position and was now leaning with his back against the brick wall, which gave her a clear view of his face. Her mouth went dry. Good Lord. Could he possibly get any hotter?
He had the same brooding brown eyes from before, but his muscled frame had filled out and taken on a more rugged appearance. A five o’clock shadow now graced his chiseled jaw but gave his face more depth and dimension.
His clothes, however, were a bit misleading from the Logan she remembered. The neutral-toned flannel shirt permitted him an almost respectable, approachable look that was probably good for his business. But then she noticed that he’d only slightly tucked in the front of the shirt, enough to showcase the noticeable bulge beneath his belt buckle. As if he were putting his manhood on display.
There’s the Logan she remembered. That damn subtle arrogance of his.
Leah eyed her warily. “So that’s why you’re acting so weird tonight? You still have a thing for Logan?”
“No, I don’t,” Valerie answered quickly.
“Oh my God. You do! You’re practically sweating right now,” Leah accused, grinning her ass off. She peeked over at him again. “Hmm. Well, he does look good.”
“Really? I haven’t noticed,” Valerie said, keeping herself from taking another peek.
Leah looked more confused than ever. “But haven’t you seen him since he got back into town?”
“No. I’ve been…busy. I had all that unpacking to do, ya know? And I’m pretty sure that opening a new bar required a lot of his attention.”
“Val, you moved into my old apartment a month ago, and I helped you unpack everything the first week you were…” Leah paused. “Hold on. Did you say he opened a new bar? As in this bar?”
“Um, yeah. It’s his place.”
“I didn’t know that. I guess all this wedding planning has kept me distracted and out of the loop. I’m surprised you didn’t mention it thou…” Leah paused then threw back her head and cackled. “Oh, I get it! So that’s why you didn’t want to come out tonight. You’re avoiding him.”
When Valerie bit her lip, Leah grinned wider, apparently enjoying the role reversal they had going on. Then she eyed Logan from across the room once more. “I never thought I’d say this to you, Valerie, but payback is a real bitch.”
Before Valerie could stop her, Leah waved her hand in the air, snaring Brett’s attention. He immediately recognized his sister’s best friend and nodded to her before leaning toward Logan. Brett’s mouth moved with inaudible words that had Logan’s head spinning in the girls’ direction.
Valerie leaned back quickly so that Max’s body blocked her from view as Logan glanced over. “Leah, what the hell?” She peeked around Max’s shoulder in time to see Brett start in their direction…with Logan on his heels. “Oh God! Why the hell did you do that?”
“Because I’m your friend. There’s no point in avoiding him. It’s like ripping off a bandage. Just get it over with already.”
“Damn it, Leah…”
“Don’t be mad. Besides, Granite isn’t that big of a town, and you were bound to run into him sooner or later anyway.”
“I was good with later.”
Leah giggled and then tapped Sam on the shoulder, interrupting his conversation with Max. “Why don’t the three of us go grab another round of drinks from across the room? Brett’s coming over here, and I’m pretty sure Valerie is going to need a refill…or possibly ten.”
“What?” Valerie blinked at her. “Now you’re leaving me all by myself? Gee, thanks. Some friend you are.”
“I’m doing you a favor. You’ll thank me for it later. Besides, you wouldn’t want me standing here grinning like a fool when he walks up,” Leah said with a wink. “Let me know what happens though. I’m dying to hear how all this plays out.” Then she flitted away, taking Sam and Max with her.
Traitor. She’ll be lucky if I tell her anything at all.
Brett and Logan wove their way through the crush of people invading the bar, and with every step they took in her direction, Valerie could feel the room growing considerably smaller. Unwilling to make eye contact, she turned her body to the bar and stared straight ahead. Adrenaline raced through her veins, and her nerves surged with anxiety. Yep, definitely going to throw up.
The moment the air pressure surrounding her changed, she knew Logan—and his overbearing male presence—was standing behind her. It was as if she could feel the tension rolling off him in waves.
Unfortunately, she couldn’t put it off any longer. Straightening her posture, she sucked in a calming breath and crossed her legs, allowing her short skirt to ride up her thighs a little more than was polite. She planted a big smile on her face, spun around on her bar stool, and looked directly at Logan’s unsmiling face. He had always towered over her much shorter frame, but somehow she’d forgotten how impossibly small he could make her feel with just one simple look.
Logan’s eyes met hers head on, and his lips curved. “Well, well. If it isn’t Princess Valerie.”
* * *
Logan Mathis hadn’t seen Valerie Carmichael since he’d skipped out of town eight years ago, but the moment he’d come face-to-face with his best friend’s kid sister, he couldn’t help himself. He’d called her the one thing he knew would get a rise out of her.
And boy, did it ever.
Just like in the past, Valerie jutted out that perfect pointy chin and narrowed those piercing ice-blue eyes. But instead of shrieking at him like she used to, Val did something he hadn’t expected. She lifted one brow in a prominent arch, as if daring him to find out just how much of a princess she really was. Interesting.
Her cool, assessing eyes flickered over him. “Logan,” she stated calmly, though her pitch held an undeniable amount of irritation, “I heard you were back in town. What happened? Houston got tired of you and decided to kick you out?”
The young Valerie he remembered from years before had always been pretty and blooming with personality, but this girl, this woman, sitting in front of him had an air of confidence he hadn’t seen before.
He smiled at the hostile edge to her tone, but as his gaze landed on the exposed flesh of her upper thighs, he began feeling a little antagonistic himself. “Yeah, guess that’s what happens when a guy makes his way through all their women.”
Brett laughed and slapped him on the back. “Good one, bro.” Then he nodded toward the empty glass on the bar. “Looks like you’re empty, Val. Want another one of those…uh, whatever the hell that thing is?”
A smile tugged on her red-painted lips as she swept her long, wavy blond hair over her right shoulder. “It’s an apple martini. And yes, I’d love another.” She leaned toward her brother and lowered her voice to almost a whisper. “But you might want to order it from the main bar across the room.”
Logan didn’t need to ask why. He knew Derek wasn’t as fast as the other bartenders he’d hired, which was exactly why he’d started him out at the small side bar, where he wouldn’t see as much action. But he seemed like a good kid and had the desire to learn. He’d get faster in time. Probably.
But leave it to Valerie to point out the one weakness in his staff. At least she hadn’t been loud about it. Didn’t matter anyway. Brett was so preoccupied by a redhead who walked past that he didn’t even question why he’d have to get their drinks at the main bar. He just nodded and said, “All right. I’m going to grab a beer while I’m there. Logan can keep an eye on you while I’m gone.”
“I don’t need a babysitter,” she said, rolling her eyes.
Logan considered doing the same. It was as if Brett expected women-eating sharks to start circling if he left his sister alone for even a minute. Then he noticed a guy standing a few feet away with his eyes trained on the hem of Valerie’s barely there dress. Okay, so maybe Brett has a point.
Shifting his position, Logan used his own body to block her legs from view. Unfortunately, that meant he was practically standing over her, which only gave him a better viewpoint of her never-ending cleavage. His gaze focused between her breasts and slid all the way down to where hardened nipples poked through the thin fabric.
“You want something, Logan?”
Oh, yeeeah. It took him a moment to realize he still hadn’t answered Brett’s question out loud. “Uh, no. I don’t drink on the cock…I mean, clock.” Shit.
Brett chuckled. “You sure you haven’t been drinking, buddy?”
“I’m sure,” Logan said, forcing his gaze away from Valerie. “Just give the bartender your name, and they’ll put your drinks on my tab. I’ve already told them to expect you to—”
Brett snorted. “You aren’t comping our drinks, jackass. You can’t make money by doing shit like that. First night on the job and you already suck as a businessman.” When Logan opened his mouth to argue, Brett held up one hand. “I’m serious, dude. Don’t make me kick your ass in front of everyone.”
Logan grinned. “You could try.”
Once Brett disappeared into the crowd, Logan turned back to Valerie, keeping his eyes on hers. His gaze begged him to shift lower, but he wasn’t about to let that happen. Even if she was wearing a sinfully tight dress.
Actually, if you asked him, it wasn’t really a dress. More like a sparkly, figure-flattering scrap of spandex that outlined the shape of her curvy-ass body. The torturous, high-cut hem practically screamed at him to slide some part of his anatomy under it.
His hands wouldn’t have been his first choice, but the nerves in his fingers twitched anyway. The last thing he needed tonight was to see her prancing around in shit like that.
“Nice dress,” Logan said, clenching his jaw, though he managed to keep his tone casual. “Where’d you get it—the fabric store?”
She grinned, as if his backhanded compliment pleased her. “I bought it online.” She stood, which brought her much closer to him than before, and smoothed her hands down her sides. Her eyes glittered under the flashing neon lights. “Do you like it?”
“Not much to like,” Logan said gruffly.
“Well, that’s basically the point, isn’t it?” Valerie giggled in that sexy, girly way that made a man’s balls draw up inside him.
“I’m surprised your brother let you wear that. I figured he would have wrestled you to the ground to keep you from walking out the door in something so low-cut.”
“Oh, please. Brett doesn’t have a say in what I wear. I don’t live with him.”
“That hasn’t stopped him in the past.”
Valerie sighed. “That was a long time ago, Logan. Believe it or not, I’m fully capable of picking out my own clothes. I don’t need his approval. Or yours.” She leaned forward, licking her plump lips, and whispered, “Maybe you haven’t realized this yet, but I’m not a little girl anymore.”
His stomach tightened. You can say that again. But he also knew Brett better than anyone. “How many times did you change before you passed inspection?”
Her lips curved. “Only once. Brett said the first dress would have gotten me arrested…or possibly him.”
Damn it. Now Logan wanted to see that one too. It didn’t really matter which one she wore though, since he was pretty sure both would look fan-fucking-tastic lying on his bedroom floor. He’d never find out, of course, but he couldn’t help grinning for being right about her brother. “Yeah. I thought so, princess.”
Her lips pursed as if she was mildly annoyed, but she recovered quickly. “So what are you doing back here anyway? The way you left town so fast, I was sure you’d never step foot within the city limits again.”
“I came back to open a business. Or did you forget that you’re sitting in my bar wearing next to nothing?”
“Yeah, but you could have opened a bar anywhere.”
Yep, he could have. But he didn’t. “So?”
“So why here?”
“Why not?” he asked, deflecting the question.
She gazed at him curiously and shrugged. “Seems like an odd choice, that’s all. Houston is a much larger city. Why would you want to open your business in a small town like Granite?”
Damn. Couldn’t she just leave it alone already? “I’m from here, Val. And my mother still lives here, remember?”
“Of course I remember,” she said, lifting one inquisitive brow. “I guess I’m just surprised you do. Your mom comes in the bakery all the time. I’ve probably seen her more in the past month than you’ve seen her in the past eight years.”
Ouch. Okay, that stung. But what really pissed him off most was that she was right. He hadn’t come home. Not even once. And although he had his reasons, he wasn’t willing to discuss them with Valerie. Ignoring the jab, he gave her one of his own. “Yeah, your brother told me you were working in your friend’s bakery now. How many people have you poisoned with that endeavor?”
“None yet,” she said, giggling. “But I’m certainly willing to make an exception in your case.” She grinned again.
God, she had to stop doing that.
The way her sensual mouth curved with that secretive little smile of hers had always driven him up the wall, but it was flat out lethal when paired with the delicate scent of her perfumed skin hovering in the air around him. Sugared oranges and sweet coconut. Like the blond goddess had bathed in a pool of ambrosia. It was enough to drive a man insane.
He needed to wipe that sexy grin off her face before he did something stupid like lean over and kiss it away. “I’m not surprised,” Logan said, leaning forward and inhaling deeply. “But then again, I’ve always been the exception. Haven’t I, princess?”
His comment had her temper flaring in those catlike eyes of hers, deepening the color. She crossed her arms, which only succeeded in pushing her breasts higher. “God, must you keep calling me that?”
He shrugged lightly. “It suits you.”
Her eyes held his. “Why? Because my brother would love nothing more than to fit me with a chastity belt and lock me away in a tower somewhere? Or is it because you’ve always thought of me as a royal pain in the ass?”
Stunned, his mouth hinged open. He hadn’t expected her to be so…direct. When had that changed? In the past, she’d always been sly with the subtle overtures she’d sent his way. Not that they’d ever gone unnoticed or anything. At least not by him. But even then, he’d done the only thing he could. He’d ignored them. Because if Brett ever found out his sister had made flirty passes at his best friend, Valerie would have found herself locked away, all right. Never to be seen or heard from again.
It would serve her right.
Either way, Logan had no intention of telling her the reason behind the nickname. That was his business, and if she didn’t like it, tough shit. Let her think whatever she wanted. “Both,” he lied.
Her eyes narrowed slightly, but her smooth, silky voice had the same drugging undertones he’d remembered so well. “Well, I can see you’re still the same cocky jerk you’ve always been.”
Unable to resist, he stepped closer to her. “Sweetheart, you have no idea how cocky I can be.”
Logan knew better than to say something like that to her, but her sultry eyes were playing tag with his and had forced all rational thought out the window. And watching her tongue dart out to swipe across her full bottom lip only made things worse. An image of him taking her back to his office, bending her over his desk, and finding out exactly what was under that damn slinky-ass dress had his dick hardening almost to the point of pain.
But then he spotted Brett making his way through the crowd with a drink in each hand and cringed inwardly. Sonofabitch. Logan quickly moved away from her and ran a frustrated hand through his hair. Damn it. What the hell am I doing? He’d gotten so caught up in their exchange that he hadn’t realized he was toeing a very dangerous line, one he wasn’t willing to cross.
Brett was the closest thing to a brother Logan would ever know. Which meant that, no matter how eye catching the guy’s sister was and no matter how many times she flung herself in his direction, Logan wouldn’t risk giving up a lifelong friendship for one night of pleasure. It wasn’t worth it.
His gaze traveled down to her crossed legs, and he imagined those smooth, sexy thighs gripping his hips as he shoved into her. He swallowed hard. Damn, it would be one long-ass night with a whole lot of pleasure though.
As Brett approached, he scowled and handed Valerie a half-full green apple martini. “Here, take this fucking drink. Do you know how hard it is to walk through a packed bar with one of those things?” He pulled his shirt away from his body, showing them a wet spot that had darkened the front. “I spilled it on myself twice, and that fruity shit is sticky.”
“I’ve got a box of T-shirts with the bar’s logo on them in the back,” Logan told him. “I’ll get you one, and you can change into it.”
“Thanks, man. But only if you let me pay for the shirt.”
Logan grimaced. As if he wasn’t already feeling guilty enough about accidentally flirting with the man’s sister, Brett had just unknowingly twisted the knife. “Damn it, Brett. You don’t have to pay for the fucking—”
“Don’t go there with me, Logan. I said I’m paying for it.” Brett straightened his posture, as if to show how firm he stood on the idea. “If you have a problem with that, then I’ll just go home and change. Up to you.”
Logan sighed. “Fine, get your shirt from Paul. He’s the head bartender. He can ring you up and grab one from the storeroom.”
As he watched Brett head out in search of Paul, Logan shook his head. Stubborn asshole. Then he grinned because the big, lovable jerk knew the dire situation Logan was in and was obviously damned determined to help in any way he could.
Logan needed money. And he needed it now.
“Want to explain what that was all about?” Valerie asked.
The sound of her voice alone had Logan furrowing his brow. He needed to get away from her before he did something stupid. “Nothing. It’s just a damn T-shirt.”
“I wasn’t talking about the shirt. I was talking about…the way you were looking at me before my brother walked up.”
His eyes drifted over her face, and his throat tightened, but he said nothing.
Valerie smiled, as if the thought of silencing him had shifted the winds in her direction for a change. She slinked over to him with a feline grace that disturbed the air around him and held a man’s attention.
“What’s the matter, Logan?” Her sharp eyes focused on him with an intensity that heated his blood and made his heart hammer against his rib cage. “Cat got your tongue?” The words hissed past her parted lips and sizzled in his ears.
He’d love nothing more than to stroke Valerie’s…ego and see how many times he could make her purr. But he didn’t have time for games. Especially not with her of all people. She was off-limits. A distraction. One he didn’t need or want in his life.
Logan took a step back. “I’ve got to get back to work. Why don’t you go find your friends and let one of them babysit your ass for a while?” Then he turned and stormed away.
He hadn’t meant to be so harsh and imagined her staring after him in confusion, but he refused to look back. One minute, he’d been flirting with her. Then the next, he’d come to his senses and snapped at her…like it was her fault. God, I’m a fucking idiot.
Maybe it was better this way. Safer even.
Logan remembered all the times she’d flaunted herself under his nose, teasing and taunting him. And memory served him well. She’d damn near tortured him back then, and he wasn’t about to let it happen again. He’d just do what he had done years before—avoid her…even if it was difficult to do since the girl was impossible to ignore.
He wasn’t going to look at her, think about her, or imagine what she looked like naked. Been there, done that. And all it had ever done was get him into trouble. He knew better than to get anywhere near Valerie, and he was washing his hands of her. For good this time.
Dismissing all thoughts of her from his mind, Logan crossed the room and searched for Brett. He found him standing at the main bar, waiting to get Paul’s attention. Along with about twenty other people crowded around the bar with money in hand.
Logan sighed. He’d been afraid of that.
Grand opening night was the worst time to be understaffed, but it couldn’t be helped. Logan had hired the only three bartenders he could find on short notice—Paul, Derek, and James.
Paul and James both seemed to know their way around a bar, working fast and efficiently, but Derek was younger and didn’t have the same level of experience as the other two. At least his pours were accurate and the cocktails were well made.
Though some of the customers were moving away from Derek’s section to order their drinks from a waitress or traipsing over to the main bar to order for themselves, there wasn’t much Logan could do. If he hadn’t been forced into opening the bar sooner than he’d expected, he would’ve had time to find another qualified bartender or two. Lesson learned, for sure.
Logan stopped beside Brett and caught him scoping out a brunette wearing a tube top at least two sizes too small for her ample breasts. “Hey, Romeo, put your tongue back into your mouth before you step on it.”
Brett grinned. “I think I just died and went to heaven.”
Chuckling, Logan said, “Yeah? Well, then where do you want me to bury your body?”
“In her cleavage.”
Logan shook his head at his buddy. Some men acted like such fools when it came to women. All they thought about was sex. Thank God he wasn’t perverse like that.
Brett watched the woman join a group of her friends and then smirked. “So where do you want to be buried?”
Logan sighed. Balls deep in your sister.