Greer dramatically huffs. “You do know this is a whisky bar? It’s what we serve.”
Westlyn gives me her don’t-listen-to-her eye-roll. “Kenrick can make you anything but I love his Rusty Nail. It’s magic. That’s what I’m ordering.”
I have no idea what’s in a Rusty Nail and there’s no way I’m asking Greer since she’s wearing her ass on her shoulders. “Sure. I’ll give that a try.”
She says nothing as she slaps two napkins on the table and walks off. I bet Leith, Jamie, and Sin don’t get this kind of service.
“What a bitch. Think I should watch her to make sure she doesn’t spit in my drink?”
“Might not be a bad idea for both of us to watch. She clearly isn’t happy about serving us.” I was actually thinking it was more me than Westlyn. Her anger seemed to be focused in my direction.
“Do you think it’s because we’re Lorna’s friends?”
“Doubtful. I don’t think she knows anything about Leith and Lorna’s past. Few people do. To Greer, it probably just looked like a regular boss-employee relationship.”
“Miss MacAllister?”
I look up and see one of the men I danced with after my claiming announcement. Derek? Darrell? Shit. I can’t remember. “Oh, hi. How are you?”
“I’m well. I was wondering if I could buy you a drink and maybe steal another dance with you?”
I really don’t want to be bugged tonight. I just want to enjoy some drinks with my friend and then go home to Jamie and have some crazy good sex before cuddling up naked beside him and falling asleep.
“I promised Westlyn this would be a girls-only night out. No men allowed, I’m afraid.”
“I understand. Enjoy your girls’ night.”
I wait until Derek or Darrell or whoever is gone to say anything. “The last time I danced with the brothers, Jamie drank a half-bottle of whisky and ended up leaving the party with another woman.”
“What!”
“Adaira drove him home, which upset me until he told me she was into women.”
“Aye. She has a girlfriend outside of The Fellowship.”
“Miss MacAllister?” Dammit. They aren’t going to leave me alone.
It’s the pit boss from the casino. I actually remember his name. “Hi, Alan. How are you?”
“I’m good. Better now that I’ve run into you.”
“That’s a sweet thing to say.”
“I was wondering if you’d like to take a walk with me later?”
“I promised Westlyn this would be a girls-only night. No men allowed.” Same song, second verse, except this time I make a pouty face.
“Next time you want to have a girls’ night, come to the casino. I’ll make sure you have a good time.” Alan winks and it gives me the creeps.
“Yeah. Sounds like fun.”
Alan turns to walk away and Westlyn smiles while whispering below her breath, “I don’t envy you.”
It’s annoying. “Do we even want to stay if our conversation is going to be interrupted every two minutes?”
“I think it’ll get better now that you’ve shot down the first two. Word will spread, and they’ll be too afraid to approach for fear of pissing you off.”
“Maybe. We’ll see.” I don’t plan on being harassed all night.
“Did you know Lorna hasn’t stepped foot in this place since the day she overheard Leith talking about her to Sin?”
“I had no idea. Just like I don’t know anything about their history. She never talks about it. What in the world happened to bring them to this horrible place they’re in?” I’m one of her best friends. Shouldn’t she confide in me?
“You need to ask Jamie. If you’re going to find out, it should come from him. Not me.” I don’t like the way that sounds.
“Why should Jamie be the one to tell me about Leith and Lorna’s conflict?”
“He was part of it.”
Part of it? That could mean a lot of different things, and my inquisitive brain imagines at least a hundred scenarios. None of them good. “You’re scaring me, Wes.”
“It happened years ago. Jamie didn’t know you then.” No one says that unless sex is involved.
Damn. The man I love was sleeping with one of my best friends?
It was years ago. Long before me. I can’t hold the past against either of them. But I can’t not know what happened.
“Two. Rusty. Nails.” Greer slams our drinks on the table and shoves mine toward me so hard it turns over and spills in my lap.
“Shit.” I jump up from my seat and try to shake off the liquid but it’s too late. My dress absorbed most of it on impact.
“Oops. Sorry about that.” Greer’s apology is about as real as her blonde hair.
Bleu was very clear about something. If I end up with Jamie, he sits on the council, which means he’s in a leadership role. He will need a strong woman by his side. As his wife, I can’t be like other women. I can’t feed into female drama and play their catty games. But when their behavior is unacceptable, they need to understand that I won’t tolerate it.
“It’s okay. Accidents happen. Except that wasn’t an accident.”
“It slipped out of my hand.”
“When someone shows you who they are, you’re wise to believe them. And what you just showed me is that you play catty games and you’re a liar. Thank you for making it clear early on that I should never trust you.”
“Ellison’s right. That was no accident. What’s your problem?”
Greer cuts her eyes at me. “She’s my problem.”
“I don’t know you. How the hell could I possibly be your problem?”
“I’ve had this job for two years. I walk in today, and I’m told to clean out my locker after my shift because I’m no longer employed here. And then I’m told to serve you. Give you anything you want. At. His. Table. The table Leith doesn’t allow anyone to sit at except his two best mates. All of this happens after you’re put on the claiming block.”
“I’m not the reason you’re losing your job.”
“Liar. You told Leith he couldn’t claim you until I was gone because you’re jealous of me. Jealous of our relationship. Jealous of us fucking.”
I laugh aloud because her theory is so ridiculous. “I didn’t tell Leith to fire you, and he isn’t claiming me. You lost your job on your own. I had nothing to do with that.” I shake my dress to see how soaked it is. “And I happen to know you’re full of shit for saying you’re still fucking Leith. He hasn’t touched you in months—almost a year. Do you know why? Because he’s in love with someone. And. It’s. Not. You.”
“I don’t believe you.”
“Trust me.” I hold up my hand and form an O. “Zero. Shits. Given.”
I glance toward the back of the bar. “Toilet?” I’m beginning to get used to saying that instead of bathroom.
“Last door on the left,” Westlyn says.
“I’d like another Rusty Nail, please. This time served in a glass with a straw. Not my lap.” And I’ll think about not telling her to stand on her head and sing.
I march toward the ladies’ room but I’m stopped when I’m grabbed around my waist from behind. “Is someone wearing wet panties?” Jamie’s warm breath travels over my ear and causes goosebumps to erupt over the entire right side of my body.
“Oh yes. My panties are very wet indeed.” As is my dress.
Jamie pulls on my waist and
leads me backward into a room of shelves filled with bottles of liquor and supplies. He spins me around and pushes me so I’m pressed against the wall. “Those wet panties must come off, Miss MacAllister. You can’t walk around in those. Might catch cold.”
He bends down and pushes up my wet dress before leaning forward to lick the front triangle of my soaked panties. “I do believe that is the best cocktail I’ve ever tasted.”
The wet fabric makes my skin even more sensitive to the caress of his tongue. I’m instantly turned on. “Oh, that feels good.”
He pushes his tongue between my legs and then slowly drags it upward. It’s amazing how all the little tingles fire at once and at the same place in the center of my groin.
“I saw you put these next-to-nothing knickers on when you were getting ready and I wanted to spank your bum for wearing something so sexy around my brothers.” He pushes the wet crotch to the side and licks my bare skin. “Taking them off you—that’s all I’ve been able to think about since I watched you pull them up your beautiful legs.”
“I’ll let you take them off.”
“If I do, I’m going to fuck you against this wall. Your back will bear the evidence of how hard.”
“Do it.”
Jamie drags the wet lace down my legs and I hold his shoulders as I step out of them one foot at a time. “I’ve been wanting to fuck you while you’re in your high heels. I especially like the way these come up and wrap around your ankle. They speak to me.”
Hearing him say that makes me giggle a little. “What do these shoes say?”
“You want to feel sexy. Look sexy. And trust me. You do.” He notices. Worth the effort after all.
Jamie stands upright and unzips his pants. “I didn’t know it was possible to want someone this much.”
When he finishes, he comes forward and grabs my face so his palms are pressed to my cheeks. “You consume my every thought, Mac. I think about you all the time.”
“I think about you all the time too.”
He presses a quick kiss to my mouth before grabbing the back of my thighs and lifting me. I wrap my arms around his shoulders and hold tightly as he positions his cock at my entrance. And then slides inside me. Filling me up. “Fuck, Mac. Feels so good.”