A Taste of Trouble (8 page)

He hesitated, but desire won out. He lifted the hem of her shirt, nudging her arms up to strip it from her body. Her bra was black and see-through, her pink nipples calling out to him. He pushed her back and took one in his mouth, suckling it through the fabric.

“Jake.”

Her body whipped forward and her arms wrapped around his neck, pressing his back into the shelf behind him. It rattled against the wall with the force of her movements.

She rode him, her hips moving vigorously, her lips moving furiously over his. If she kept up the pace, he might just finish in his pants. He pushed forward, trying to prevent her from rubbing, but she challenged him, pushing back, the shelf rattling above them.

Jake clasped his hands on either side of her face. “Slow down,” he whispered.

Her hands moved to his waist, fumbling with the fabric of his clothes, trying to expose him, but he stopped her. That damn guilt had crept its way back into his brain. They had already met under false pretenses. Having sex would only complicate the mission. Not to mention complicate the aftermath when and if she became a client of the firm. It was in both of their best interests to tone it down. “We should go slow.”

“Jake, I want you.” She kissed him softly on the lips, moving to his cheeks, and then his forehead. “Please.”

He groaned when her hand found his length. He grabbed her hands and held out her arms to the side, but it only caused her to push against him harder. Her hands threaded through his, her breasts rubbed against his chest, and her tongue found its way inside his mouth.

“Please,” she whispered.

Their eyes locked and the desire dancing inside the black pools was too intense for him to resist. With a quick nod, he consented.

Caught up in the moment, she attacked. The shelf rattled and—

Liv squealed.

The heated desire battling his logic disappeared. It sizzled out like the flames of a campfire when doused with— “What the…”

Jake studied her. Her hair was plastered to her face, her skin wet and glistening. She panted heavily and her mouth turned down in disgust.

The both looked up to the empty shelf, then down to the ground where the bucket gently rolled from side to side.

Jake let his head fall back against the shelf, his breath escaping in heavy pants. The water did nothing to stop the throb in his pants, but the bucket falling had been a sign from above.

When he made no move to continue, Liv said, “That was probably for the best.” She shrunk into herself, arms wrapping around her body, eyes darting to the floor.

She had to know he wanted her. The bulge in his pants should have been enough evidence. But he realized this would be the third time she'd put herself out there, and the third time he'd shot her down. Bad for the ego.

“I want you,” he said.

Liv looked up from the floor and met his stare. The desire that had been there twenty seconds ago returned.

“But I think we should take this slow.”

She nodded, but it was a resigned nod. She didn't believe it.

“Do you really want to have sex here? In this dirty fridge?” He sighed. “You deserve better than that. I…” Jake reached up and cupped her cheek. “I want to give you better than that.”

Confusion washed over her face then settled into appreciation. “Thank you.”

Had no man ever told her how wonderful she was? Had no man ever made her feel special, worthy of everything she'd ever dreamed of?

“Do you have any towels?”

She shook her head. “Paper towels?”

“I'll guess that'll have to do.” Jake got to his feet and held out his hand to help her off the cold ground. This time he knew her shiver wasn't from his touch.

“Come on, let's get you cleaned up. You'll catch pneumonia.” He pulled her closer, throwing his arm around her shoulders and rubbing his free hand up and down for warmth.

He hoped by not giving in to his carnal needs he'd opened the lines of communication, let her know he wasn't in this just for sex. Although he needed her to believe that to get her to the book launch, it was also the truth.

Jake hoped he could pull this off with the least amount of damage.

Liv shivered again in his arms and he led them out of the fridge. She smiled up at him and suddenly he was no longer in need of warmth. She had done that all by herself with the small curve of her lip.

Chapter Six

The dining area was packed, the bar was two deep, and Liv was in the weeds.

Her ears rang from the horrific screech that sounded from the speakers in the corner of the bar. Karaoke Friday. What a cruel joke, the McLeans choosing a Friday for her last shift. And it seemed to be busier than usual. Liv just hoped she'd get through the night unscathed, but two hours into her shift, she realized that was not going to be the case.

It had only taken one little hitch to throw her off her game. One minute she was in the zone, and the next she had waitresses and customers yelling her name, demanding drinks.

“Three bottles of Bud, a vodka seven, and a pitcher of Coors Light,” Meg yelled from the opposite end of the bar.

“You got it, Meg.” Liv thrust two bottles of beer between a couple sitting at the bar and handed them to her newest customer, then made Meg's drinks.

With Meg appeased, Liv finally had a few minutes to gather her thoughts. She was bent forward, placing a few empty glasses in the dishwasher, when she heard that deep, familiar rasp. That voice that never failed to awaken her libido. It sent her girlie parts into a heated frenzy, quickened her pulse, and forced the hairs on the back of her neck to stand pin straight.

“Can I grab a bottle of Bud?” Even without lifting her head, she knew Jake stared, his lustful gaze warming her body. When she made eye contact she confirmed her theory, his eyes swirling intensely.

“Hi, Liv.”

“Hi, Jake.” She winced at the high-pitched sound that escaped from her mouth. Liv scrambled for breath and tried to slow the blood pulsing through her veins. “Are you meeting Brian here tonight?”

She glanced around the room, but she didn't see Brian or any of Jake's other friends she'd met.

“Just me tonight. I was working late, so I thought I'd stop in for a drink before heading home.”

Liv warmed at the memory of the night before. The memory of Jake's hands on her body, his lips against her breast, her neck, her lips…then the water dousing her desire. But it was for the best. No sense in letting her brain cloud with the possibility of sex. Great sex. With Jake, she had no doubt it would be the best sex.

Liv pulled a bottle of beer out of the fridge, removed the cap, then placed it in front of him on a coaster, label facing her. “This isn't the best place for relaxing tonight. Amateur night is just getting started.”

Jake laughed. He turned around and glanced at the setup on the floor. With his gaze concentrated somewhere else, Liv could somewhat compose herself.

“Liv! I need some drinks, hon,” Meg yelled from the service area.

Jake turned his attention back to the bar.

“I've got to get back to work.” Liv bit her bottom lip and motioned to Meg on her right.

Jake nodded.

Despite how much she wanted him to be here, she desperately wanted him to go somewhere else. He was a distraction. His image was already burned into her brain. She didn't need him standing right in front of her.

“What do you need, Meg?”

“I punched it in.” The abundance of bracelets on both of Meg's wrists jingled as she pointed to the printer. “But I could always go for some of that.” She gestured across the bar toward Jake while fixing her low-cut top and push-up bra.

Glancing down at her own breasts in envy, Liv laughed. “You could go for anyone with a penis and a car.”

“A man having his own transportation is very important,” Meg answered.

Jake had a car. And after their encounter in the fridge, Liv could confirm with great certainty that Jake most definitely had a penis. Should she be worried about Meg making a move? She shouldn't care about Meg making a move. Meg had time to give Jake what he needed.

Liv glanced in Jake's direction while she continued to pour Meg's drinks. It looked as though he had made friends with one of her regulars, Chris. She shrugged. At least he had someone to talk to for the few minutes it would take him to finish his beer.

Chris made eye contact and motioned Liv over, calling her name over the loud, high-pitched version of what was supposed to be a love song. Chris was one of the only customers she'd consider a friend. But she kept her distance—he'd developed a major crush, and she had no intention of indulging those feelings.

“What's up, Chrissy?” He hated when she called him that and he made it known by the sour look on his face.

“Liv, you know Jake, right?” Chris slapped Jake on the shoulder and flicked his head to get his shaggy blond hair out of his eyes. “Get my new friend here a beer.”

“So you're staying?” The words were out before they even registered with her brain, and she couldn't keep the grin from spreading from ear to ear.
Shit!
She hoped she wasn't too obvious.

A small grin pulled at the side of Jake's mouth. “I take it you're okay with that?”

Liv had to redeem herself. “Of course I'm okay with that. The more customers, the more the bar makes. It's good for business.”

Luckily, Chris didn't seem to catch on to their smirk-fest. Liv grabbed a new pint glass from behind the bar and poured Chris a new draft, then picked up a bottle from the fridge.

During her delivery, a hoarse sound made its way to where Liv was standing. “I need another beer.”

Burt. Liv would recognize that harassing voice anywhere.

“What's wrong with you tonight?” he screamed out. “You're slow.”

Her regular was being especially hostile tonight, but maybe he was right. Her customers were used to top-notch service. They never had to ask for their drinks. But tonight, Liv was too preoccupied with Jake. This hottie was bad news all around. Maybe Meg
should
swoop in and grab his attention.

“I'll be right there, Burt. Keep your panties on.” Liv dropped the drinks in front of the two men and sauntered over. There was no mistaking Jake's stare—it burned a trail down her back to rest on her backside, and she had to suppress the urge to wiggle her ass as she sashayed away.

“Burt, you have half a beer left. What's with the 'tude?” Liv poured him another and plunked it in front of him. “Are you going to be a problem for me tonight?”

“Bah!” He waved her away, his old man moustache wet from the foam of his draft. “Go and do your job. I'm sure other people are just as thirsty as I am.”

The evening progressed with little excitement. Meg was doing well on the floor and Liv still had a bar that was two customers deep. Chris and Jake had hit it off and were pounding back the drinks. Toward the end of the night, Jake had switched from beer to rye and Coke.

Every once in a while, Liv would look over and see them both staring. She wondered what they could possibly be talking about.

He'd gone from a hopeful one-night stand she'd never see again, to a permanent fixture in her everyday thoughts. She'd never felt like this before. Was this what a relationship was all about? Constantly thinking about and analyzing the other person's actions? If it was, she knew she'd made the right choice by avoiding it all these years.

Jake was just a crush. He was sexy, but still just a crush. She got aroused at the memory of his hands on her body and his breath on her neck, but that was all superficial. She could find pleasure with any man. It didn't have to be Jake. But deep down, Liv knew that wasn't the truth. Something in her gut made her want to explore all he had to offer.

And if he did offer, she wouldn't be able to turn him down.

“Liv!” One of her customers yelled from her left. “Can we get some drinks down here?”

Snapping back to reality, she headed over to serve her customers. Despite how odd it felt, she didn't stop the smile tugging her cheeks toward her ears.

But the moment she glanced over at Jake, overwhelming heat flowed through her body, parking itself at her core.

Luckily, her brain won out over her libido and logic slipped its way inside. Maybe these feelings were symptomatic of the stress she was under from the bakery. That was something she had to consider. Maybe, to make herself feel better, she built Jake up to be some sort of superman. There was only one way to find out.

Unfortunately, Jake didn't leave Chris's side all night. Her plan to get him alone looked bleaker by the minute.

“Are you ready to cash out with me, Burt?” Liv asked the surly old man. “I called you a cab. It should be here any minute.”

“I paid my bill already.” His voice was angry.

“No, you didn't, Burt.” Liv shook her head, trying her best to keep her cool. “Your bill is right here in front of you.”

He waved her off again. “Bah, I paid.”

“What's going on with you tonight, Burt?” She felt anxious, nervous. She'd never let Burt get to her before. She looked over and saw Jake watching intently. “I'm just going to put you on the wall of shame and then Mr. McLean will come after you. You don't want that, do you?”

“I would rather pay him than you,” he grumbled.

Anger rose up before she could contain it. “Just pay the bill, Burt!”

“Is there a problem here?” Jake had joined the two of them. She didn't even notice him get up from his stool.

“No problem. I've got it under control.”

“Horrible. She's horrible. Look how she treats customers.” Burt was looking at Jake. “Why haven't they fired her yet?”

“I don't think it's very nice of you to be talking about Liv that way,” Jake said.

She appreciated his concern, but it fell on deaf ears. Burt wouldn't remember this tomorrow.

“I will say whatever I want. She's a bitch!”

Jake recoiled at Burt's comment. Liv took it in stride. This wasn't new, and was the perfect example of why she didn't go that extra mile to be nice to people.

“Hey, now. That is uncalled for. I've seen her serve you all night and you barely had to ask.”

He'd been watching her all night?

“Leave it alone, Jake. I've got this.”

“How can you let him talk to you like that?” Jake said to her.

“He's drunk. Comes with the territory.” Liv walked around the bar to where Burt was sitting and helped him off his stool. “Your cab is probably here.”

“Don't you touch me.” Burt's arms flailed about. For an old man, he had surprising strength. He knocked Liv away from him, throwing her against the bar. The edge rammed into her back.

“Ow!”

“That's it!” Jake grabbed Burt and dragged him to the door.

By now, all of the other customers had noticed the disturbance and were watching as Jake pushed the old man out the door into the cold winter air.

Chris rushed over. “You okay, Liv?”

“Yeah. Just an accident.” She brushed her shirt down, trying to regain her composure. “I'm good.”

Good? She was embarrassed as hell. When had she ever needed a man to take control of the situation? She'd handled drunken idiots hundreds of times before, and now, with everyone watching, he made her seem weak.

Liv grabbed Burt's bill and pinned it behind the bar. Trying to calm herself, she cleaned away all the evidence of him. The circular swipe of the cloth against the bar settled her pulse and racing brain.

Two minutes later, Jake waltzed back in. “I made sure he got in a cab. Are you hurt?”

“Nope. I'm good.” She used a wet rag to scrub at the place where Burt had sat.

Her eyes darted up, but only for a second. Jake looked concerned and he wore it well.
Damn!
He was too beautiful. His green eyes pierced right through her as if he knew every thought racing through her mind. If only that chaotic mess didn't happen and Jake hadn't made her feel two inches tall. Why couldn't it be twenty minutes ago, when the only thoughts plaguing her were dirty ones—Liv on top of the bar, Jake between her legs—

“Does that happen often?” Jake asked. “He's a real ass.”

Liv waved him off and returned to her duties. “He won't even remember tomorrow.”

“Liv! I need drinks!” Meg called from the other end of the bar.

Liv turned and held up one finger. She turned her attention back to Jake, who stood with his arms crossed over his chest and a stone cold expression on his face. She reached for two empty glasses on the bar to her right. “I've helped people out of here more times than I can count.”

“It doesn't make you weak, you know. Asking for help.”

She stopped abruptly, and raised her eyes to meet his. How did he know her so well? “I'm not weak.” No one ever took the time to get to know her, and in waltzed this man who thought he had her pegged after having one high school-style make out session. What did he want from her? A confession? An apology? Whatever it was, she couldn't give it to him. “I'm fine on my own. Always have been.”

“Liv!” Meg called again.

Jake let out a heavy breath and ran one hand through his hair. This was the first time she'd seen his calm and cool demeanor challenged, but Liv didn't give him the chance to finish his thought. “I have to get back to work.”

“Fine.” He rested his hands against the bar and leaned forward with a determined set to his jaw. “I'll see you around.” He stalked off toward the front door, leaving a heavy sense of loss in his wake.

…

It was finally closing time. The night had been interesting to say the least, a fitting end to a career Liv was ready to leave behind.

There were a few stragglers left, including Chris. Liv cleaned up the sloppy bar, washing away the sticky beer spills and wing sauce. Austin had stopped by for a visit but left in a hurry. He had a date. There was only one thing he could be doing at this late hour, and Liv knew exactly who she wanted to be doing the same thing with. Jake Miller.

Damn him!
Butting in where he didn't belong. She let out a heavy sigh. But he was sweet. And Liv liked the feeling of being taken care of. She appreciated his help and his concern. Not that she would ever say it out loud.

But self-sufficiency wasn't going to keep her warm at night.

Despite her anger and frustration, she still couldn't get Jake out of her thoughts. He looked so good tonight, asking to be ravished. She grew hot and damp just at the thought of his face. Closing her eyes, she thought of all the naughty things they could do in this bar. All of the places they could christen if only he were here.