Chapter 13 - Bee
Dating . . . the belief that at the bottom of a bag of poisonous snakes lays a perfect rose, or maybe that damn bag is just full of poisonous snakes.
~ Austin Brite
I hadn’t expected this. Can’t say the view wasn’t pretty darn easy on the eyes, though, as I watched Austin lean across the pool table, his muscles shifting under his shirt and causing my brain to misfire. Instead of leaning against the tall table standing beside me with graceful confidence, my elbow slipped and the hand holding my drink splashed liquid all over the floor. I had never felt like such an ungainly epic failure. Obnoxious laughter filled the room, and I glanced at the overweight biker-wanna-be getting all freaky with a bleached blonde whose mascara had smudged giving her a scary clown look, rather than a woman wearing her war-paint with pride. The bar was small, smelly, old, and dark. Light bulbs in tired, old lanterns lined the walls adding a subdued ambiance to the ugly room. The bar itself was long, the polished surface scuffed, and the barstools in front of it sported cracked vinyl seats.
At eleven in the morning, it was busier than it should have been, too. I never cracked a cocktail until after five pm. When bars were opened twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week all around the world, it was too easy to become a booze hag with no morals, so Mac and I had created our own list of rules. Cocktails after five; private parts always covered; and shoes on at all times.
Austin had procured us a pool table toward the back of the bar, and I had followed him through the establishment with a wary eye, trying not to make icky faces when the bottoms of my shoes stuck with an audible snap to the worn floorboards beneath my feet. I drew the straw from my juice to my lips and sipped the drink, while a group of three scuzzy hussies eyed Austin in a way that made me want to gouge and maim. I couldn’t really blame them, though. He was bent over the table, and his very fine behind was practically in their laps. While I had hopes our morning breakfast might lead to something more intimate, never in a million years did I picture myself here. Regardless of how unappealing our surroundings were, I was grateful. The arrow of indifference had almost defeated me, I thought I’d never get a chance with Austin. My mother’s advice to peel back my bitter layers and expose the true Phoibe had freaking worked! Huh, go figure.
“It doesn’t look like much.”
Austin’s voice came from so close that I jumped and quickly followed it up with a silent curse over my momentary lapse in concentration. He had managed to sneak up on me and no one ever got the one-up on Phoibe Cupid.
“But my little sister, Savannah, bought the place a couple of months ago. She’s got big plans to renovate and create a more upmarket establishment.”
I glanced around the room again. It was small, but the furniture was overly large, making the room feel as though a giant might live in it. It would need new paint, décor, and flooring, I noted as my shoe left the sticky vinyl with another ‘smack’. With some work—okay, with a lot of work—it could be transformed into a really cool venue.
“So, I’ve got a question,” Austin said as he moved to set up another game. I stiffened, nothing good ever came from those four words. “What’s something you can’t live without?”
Huh? He placed the white ball in its spot on the green felt then turned to face me.
“For me, it’s tacos, my guitar, and blowjobs.”
I almost spat my orange juice across the room. Humor danced in Austin’s pale green eyes. He wanted to play? I was game.
“Candy and the number sixty-nine.”
“Just the number?”
“And all it represents,” I answered with a smile.
“Do you cry in movies?” he asked.
“Never,” I said honestly. “You?”
“Once, it was ET and I was twelve, so it doesn’t count.”
“Oh, it counts,” I sang teasingly, and Austin grinned.
“Every time something romantic was suggested or mentioned at the wedding yesterday, you fake gagged or turned it into a joke. You got a problem with a little romance, Bee?”
Dammit, this felt like a trick question. What if I said I did? Would Austin care? Would it be a deal breaker? He seemed to have no problem watching all the wedding PDA and gushing over the bride and groom.
“What makes you think I don’t like romance?” I asked a little defensively. I wasn’t even sure why I was being defensive, because Austin was one hundred percent correct. But maybe I didn’t want his perception of me to be some bitter, twisted woman who might one day end up living alone in a shack on the top of some secluded mountain with a twenty cats for company.
Austin chuckled. “From your song choices at the wedding, and the way you gagged when Decker and Andi kissed during their first dance. And let’s not forget how you managed to somehow get your hands on exact replicas of Decker and Andi figurines which you swapped out for the cake toppers.”
“They were cute,” I argued.
“Decker was a little devil with a whip, and Andi was holding a shot gun,” Austin replied with a blank stare.
“And everyone laughed. They were a hell of a lot better than the sickly cute ornaments that had been on there.”
“You’re good at deflecting,” Austin said with a smile, his dimples peeking out from his scruff and making me inwardly sigh. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but I’m pegging you as one who doesn’t like public displays of affection, you hate candle lit dinners, you’ve never watched a romantic comedy in your life, and you’ve probably never used the big ‘L’ word. Tell me, Bee, what are you afraid of?”
Well, don’t hold back those punches, Music Man. I shifted nervously as Austin finished racking up the balls.
“Firstly, I’m Phoibe Cupid, I’m afraid of nothing. Secondly, if by the big ‘L’ word you mean lollipop, then you’re wrong. I have a mean sweet tooth.”
Austin smiled, though it didn’t seem to reach his eyes. “Deflecting again,” he murmured. “There is one thing you should know about me, I hate deceitful people. I’d prefer up front bluntness any day over avoidance tactics and lies.”
I shifted with agitation. Why did I feel like I was back in archery class being scolded by the instructor? I was okay with lies; lies made the world go round and prevented hurt and embarrassment in millions. I had perfected the art of a good falsehood from a young age as it was necessary to hide my true identity in the mortal realm. Exposing myself the way Austin expected would be an exercise in clever omission.
“I can respect that,” I finally answered.
Austin nodded. “I’ll be honest with you, Bee, I’ve judged you harshly and assumed there wasn’t much more to you than a pretty package, but I know I was wrong about that. You seem smart, sassy, maybe a little guarded, but we hardly know each other so that’s to be expected. I want to get to know you better, but if you’re just hanging on hoping for a quick ride or a lifestyle you think I can supply you with because of my family’s fortune, you might as well walk out of this bar right now, no hard feelings.”
Well damn! I had no idea who Austin’s family was and what fortune they amassed, but my family had their own damn wealth and the combination of that, and my and Mac’s powers, meant I didn’t want for anything. However, the quick ride to slake the obsessive need I had for Austin would have been epic. Austin was giving me an out; at this moment, I could walk away, no harm no foul. I could beg my father’s forgiveness, get my bow back, behave for a while until the heat died off, and then resume my uncomplicated, kick-ass life. No love, no strings, just free and easy living. Austin would move on and find someone else, marry, have kids, and forget about me. Question was, would I forget about him? My clear infatuation with him hinted I might not. In fact, I’d probably end up killing any woman who dared to put their hands on him.
“I have a confession to make, too,” I began, looking him direct in the eye. “I’ve always been a toot it and boot it type of woman. It's safe, there are no complications, and I assumed you were the guy who’d be happy to play that one-time-thing game. I’m sorry I made that assumption about you, and strangely enough, I find myself wanting to get to know you better, too. If you knew me, like truly knew me, you would realize how huge that is for me. I’m not confident in love and have made a rule to protect my heart at all costs, but nevertheless, I still find myself wanting to know more about you. Also, I’m not sure what lifestyle you are hoping I might gain from your family’s wealth, but my family has their own wealth, so I’m not looking for a sugar daddy. I’m looking for a friend, maybe one that will eventually have erotic benefits. I’d like to stay, if you don’t mind.”
I spoke with real honesty, and as I drew towards the end of my tirade, I felt a little lighter. Rolling my shoulders, I smiled. Well, bugger me sideways. I had not been expecting that.
Austin’s smile was gradual and finished with an easy laugh. “I don’t need more friends.” My own smile deflated. “But,” he quickly added, “this is a good place to start, and in all honesty, I’m pretty sure I can sweep you off your feet and then you will most definitely get those erotic benefits.”
With a pout, I mentally put a strike through ‘friends with benefits.’
“Okay,” I whispered. “Give it your best shot, sweep away.”
“Okay,” Austin agreed with a seductive smirk. Holy sexy smile, Batman, he swept me with a single, damn smile. “Have you played before?” he asked, swinging the pool cue around in a manner that was reminiscent of how a warrior might swing a sword. It was hot, and I barely refrained from fanning myself.
“Occasionally,” I lied. I’d played a lot! Mac and I had even been banned from plenty of bars for hustling patrons.
“You want to make this game a little more interesting?”
“What did you have in mind?” I asked, using every ounce of seduction in my voice I could possibly manage without sounding like a sex phone operator. A little side bet in a game of pool could certainly help me climb Mount Austin.
“What do you want if you win?”
“A kiss, and not a puckered lip kiss, I’m talking about a real kiss, and it must go longer than ten seconds with tongue.”
Austin laughed loudly, and I really liked that I could make him laugh. “Fair enough. If I win, I get to take you to a movie.”
I audibly huffed and looked around the room in astonishment. “You don’t want to use this opportunity to take advantage of me, too?” I was entirely outraged at his lack of desire to take advantage of me. Didn’t he want to feel me up just a little bit?
“A romance movie,” Austin continued, not at all fazed by my little tantrum.
“That’s not the kind of advantage I had in mind,” I hissed.
“Take it or leave it, Sugar.”
Oh, my lady parts practically quivered. I was struck speechless. It was the first time a man had ever offered me an affectionate name, as sickeningly cute as it was.
“I’ll take it. I’m going to kick your backside, anyway, so it makes no difference.”
Austin pulled a coin from his pocket and tossed it into the air. It landed in his palm, and without looking, he flipped it over to lay on the top of his hand. “Heads or tails?”
This right here felt like a defining moment in my life. How many momentous moments had hinged on such an insignificant toss of a coin? With my bow I would have the power to manipulate this situation to benefit me, without it I was laid at the mercy of the fates, and I was so not a fan. The Moirai, otherwise known in the English language as the fates, were three fickle bitches who liked to play in a not so fun way.
“Heads. I’ve always enjoyed a little head,” I whispered, watching Austin’s hand as if I still might manage to control the outcome of the coin toss.
The heat in Austin’s gaze flared for just a moment before vanishing into thin air, and he pulled his hand away revealing an effing tail. I was competitive, and I hated to lose, even a freaking coin toss. When I stomped my foot and sulked a little, Austin stepped into my personal space and ran a calloused finger down my pert nose.
“I’ll break. Be prepared to have your cold heart blown to smithereens, Sugar. Pretty Woman is playing in the park this Sunday afternoon, and you’re going to love it.”