Negligee Behavior (7 page)

Never. She was never going to drink again.

“What can I get you, luv?”

Brandy’s forehead creased with a frown at the English accent. She lifted her head and stared at the man behind the counter.

Hmm. If she hadn’t been so darn hot over Marco, she might’ve picked this guy to lust after. He gave Marco a run for his money, but in a different way.

Marco was dark featured, rugged and tattooed. This guy had curly blond hair cropped close to his head—curls on a guy had never been attractive to her, but on him it worked.

He wasn’t as tall, but definitely matched Marco in the broad shoulder aspect. His deep blue eyes were bright and friendly. His only visible flaw was the thick jagged scar that ran down his left cheek, but then, some women would argue that it made him sexier.

She blinked when he waved a hand in front of her face. “Are you all right, luv?”

“What?”

“Can I get you something? A pint? Food? Tequila?”

Why did everyone keep pushing tequila on her? She let out a pained groan. “Nooo…no more tequila. Just, do you have any sparkling water?”

“Sparkling? Is there a reason why it has to sparkle?”

“What?” She shook her head. “If you don’t have—”

“Oh, we have it. I was just having a bit of sport, luv.” He winked and went into the back.

Brandy gave a small laugh and watched him walk away. Definitely a cutie.

“Don’t bother with Sebastian, he’s sworn off women.” Marco sat down on a bar stool next to her, his eyes surprisingly hard.

She wrinkled her forehead. Funny, she really hadn’t gotten that vibe off him. “You mean he’s gay?”

“I didn’t say that. I said he’s sworn off women.” He kept watching her. “He’s going through a shitty divorce right now and plans to lay off dating for awhile. So don’t get any ideas.”

She narrowed her eyes and swallowed the slow burn of anger that rose in her throat.

“Ideas? What makes you think I was getting
ideas
about him?” Marco couldn’t even figure out that she wanted
him
, yet he’d deciphered she wanted to get his coworker into bed? Men were idiots.

“Everybody’s interested in Sebastian. The guy’s a fucking chick magnet. It’s the accent.”

“It’s more than the accent. He’s hot,” she replied before thinking about it. Marco’s scowl deepened.
Eek, wrong thing to say.
Change the topic, Brandy
. “I bet you guys get a lot of business from the women. Two hot, single men working a bar?”

“One would think. I guess the word hasn’t gotten out yet.”

“How long has the bar been open anyway?”

“Only about six months, but we’re doing okay.”

Sebastian returned with her water and gave them a speculative look. He twisted the lid off the bottle and poured it into a cup.

“You two know each other?”

“Yes. I’m Brandy, by the way. I hijacked his bike,” Brandy answered before he could. She picked up the water and took a sip. “He’ll tell you all about it while I run to the bathroom.” She stood, winked at Sebastian and then made her way to the back of the bar to find the restrooms.

Marco knew he looked about as irritable as he felt. Rubbing a hand across the back of his neck, he waited for the question sure to come.

“Are you fucking with me?” Sebastian asked from behind the counter. “That sweet little lass hijacked your motorcycle?”

“Shut it. She’s not as sweet as she looks. The woman’s got balls.” His mouth curled into a sardonic smile. “For a choir teacher.”

“A choir teacher?” Sebastian tilted his head and looked off towards the bathroom where she’d disappeared. “What, you mean like that lady in
The Sound of Music
? I always sported a bit of wood over that one growing up.”

“You’re a sick man, Sebastian.”

“Yes. So I’ve been told.” His humor dimmed a bit. “And that’s why my Ellen’s divorcing me.”

Anger drew Marco’s mouth tight. “That’s bullshit. You need to stop giving that crazy bitch any credence. It was her problem, not yours.”

“It doesn’t matter anymore.” Sebastian gave a loose shrug and grabbed a rag to wipe down the counter.

The hell it didn’t. Everyone always harped on Marco to meet a woman and put down some roots. But if anyone deserved a good woman and the picture-perfect life, it was Sebastian. He just hoped it’d happen some day to the guy.

“So how did you say you picked up the choir teacher?”

“She was supposed to get married yesterday and got cold feet or something. I was on the Strip coming home from work, and she comes running out of this chapel.” He shook his head, a laugh rumbling in his chest. “And she just jumped on the back of my bike, man, didn’t even ask.”

“Ah, that’s classic. Sounds like some kind of cheesy romantic movie or something.” Sebastian nodded, and gave him a curious look. “But let me ask you. You didn’t feel the need to tell her to get right back off your bike? Or drop her off somewhere? I mean you said
yesterday
, mate. That’s quite a bit of time you’ve been spending together.”

It sounded a little strange when his friend put it that way. Still, he didn’t like where the line of questioning had gone. “It’s not like that. I just felt sorry for her.”

“Ah, that’s quite a bit of niceness for someone who just feels sorry for someone.”

“I’m not nice.”

“I think the teacher would disagree with you.”

“Fuck off.” His temper spiked.

“I’m back, did I miss anything?” Brandy approached from behind and then climbed up on the bar stool and grinned at them. “Am I being labeled the crazy-psycho-hijacking-bride yet?”

“Not quite. More like the little lost kitten who needed saving. What are you going to do about your fiancé?” Sebastian asked. “Do you intend to go home soon?”

She hesitated, her smile fading. “No, I don’t want to go home. I’ve been thinking…maybe I should take a couple of weeks away. Give myself time to think.” She shook her head. “If I go home Gordon will be all over me, and I’m not ready for that yet.”

“Sounds like a decent plan. Fortunately Marco was around yesterday to pluck you from a bad situation.”

Her gaze shifted to Marco, and in her eyes shone something close to hero worship that he wasn’t worthy of. He held the contact. The detachment he was working so hard to sustain crumbled a bit.

“Yes, I was very fortunate.”

Her smile turned so secretive, he wondered if she’d been remembering their kiss from yesterday. She lowered her lashes, hiding his ability to read any further emotions in her eyes.

Damn it. The memory of her luscious mouth under his stirred the blood in his veins.

“So has he been feeding you? Are you hungry?”

“Of course I’ve been feeding her,” Marco snapped at Sebastian.

“He made me bratwurst and eggs for breakfast.” She giggled. “And coffee, I hate coffee though.”

“Me too, luv. I much prefer my tea. Would you care for a cup?”

“Of tea?” Her voice rose with excitement. “You guys have tea in a bar?”

“We’re not complete heathens. Of course we have tea.” Sebastian reached out and touched her hand. “If not for the customers, then for myself.”

Marco’s blood pounded harder, the pulse in his neck throbbed with such a force that his jaw clenched. Was Sebastian flirting with her? Why?

“Sebastian, that is so sweet. I would kill for a cup of tea right now.”

And I’m going to kill
Sebastian
if he doesn’t get his damn hand off you.

“Are you sure I can’t get you a bite to eat?”

“Christ, if she was hungry, she’d ask for something.” Marco jumped up from the stool, his movement so abrupt it fell to the ground with a crash.

A heated flush spread up the back of his neck. Ignoring their startled looks, he righted the stool and ground his teeth together.

“You all right there, mate?”

“Just fine
, mate
,” Marco shot back. “I’ll be in the back office. There’re some things I need to take care of.”

He walked behind the bar and slammed through the double doors that led into the kitchen.

Well, hell. Talk about losing it big time. Sebastian was going to really give him shit later. And Brandy must think he was completely off his rocker. What the hell had just happened to him?

He walked through the kitchen, not even bothering to say hi to Dave, the cook on duty. Just beelined straight for the small office in the back, then shut the door behind him.

Leaning his head against the door, he closed his eyes with a growl of frustration.

He’d just flipped. Watching Sebastian flirt with her, and then when he’d touched Brandy’s hand…How? How was it remotely possible he was jealous? Brandy didn’t do a thing for him. Did she?

“Shit.” He banged his head against the door. This was a complication he just didn’t need.

“Was it something I said?” Brandy bit her lip, wrapping her hands around the steaming mug of tea.

Sebastian shook his head. “No, I don’t think it was so much that, luv.”

She heaved a sigh, leaning down to breathe in the relaxing scent of chamomile. Frowning, she shook her head. “I don’t know, Sebastian. I feel like a complete inconvenience. I’ve basically attached myself to him for the past two days, and he’s just too darn nice to tell me to get lost.”

“If he didn’t want you around he’d tell you. If you’ve backed Marco into a corner, then it’s only because he wants to be there.”

“Hmm.” She took a sip of tea. What did that mean exactly?
He wants to be there
?

“Marco told me you teach music.”

Brandy set her cup down and swallowed the tea in her mouth. “Mmm. Yes, I do. I teach choral music at a private high school.”

“High school? How do you put up with a bunch of teenagers all day?”

“I have a lot of patience.” She looked at the door Marco had just disappeared through.

Did Sebastian know who she was, beyond a bride on the run? Had Marco told him about Gordon and who he was? Jeez? How was it possible that no one had put all the pieces together yet?

Being the Lingerie Heiress made her reluctantly famous, though granted she wasn’t in the heiress-gone-wild type of spotlight like others. The paparazzi had far more interesting people to harass than a boring choir teacher who just happened to be heiress to a lingerie company. But she still got the occasional paparazzi stalking.

Maybe Marco and Sebastian were just normal guys who rarely read the tabloids.

Out of the corner of her eye she spotted the lone biker in the bar make his way toward the front door.

“See you tomorrow.”

“Have a good one, Bubba.”

Light flooded in from the outside when he walked out the entrance, but then the door swung shut and the bar once again grew dim. A few seconds later she heard him revving up his motorcycle.

“So when do you guys get busy?” Brandy asked.

“Right around four. People get off work and usually crowd the place. But being a Saturday night, we’re likely to get and stay busy earlier.”

The phone rang and Sebastian stepped away to grab it, but it cut off in midring.

“Marco must’ve answered in the back.” He turned back to face her, his smile friendly.

“So, Sebastian, I’m going to make a wild guess you’re from England. I’m right, aren’t I?”

“Indeed you are. County Durham. You ever been there?”

“No.” She smiled wistfully. “I’ve been to London, of course. But when my family travels we never take the time to visit outside of the big cities. I’m sure it’s beautiful.”

“Yes, it’s rather lovely, if not rather dull at times. You Americans are crazy bastards, I tell you. That’s why I had to come over.”

Brandy burst into laughter, her attention sliding beyond Sebastian to Marco who now stood in the doorway. And surprise, surprise, he still didn’t look pleased.

Sebastian followed her gaze and his grin faded.

“Hey. What’s going on?”

Marco stepped out of the doorway and went to stand beside Sebastian behind the bar. He picked up a straw and twisted it around his fingers.

Marco had really nice hands. Brandy watched his long tan fingers working the straw. Imagined what else those hands were capable of. What they’d feel like toying with parts of her body. She swallowed hard and did her best to ignore the heat spreading through her body.

“That was Val on the phone. She’s got food poisoning and had to call in sick.”

“Well, fuck me.”

“Who’s Val?” Brandy asked since they both looked like the world was coming to an end.

Marco tapped the straw on the counter next to where her hands rested. “Val is our waitress. She single-handedly runs the floor during the night shift.”

“Oh. You don’t have another waitress who works here?”

“Ginger quit last week to become a showgirl. We haven’t found someone to replace her yet.”

“Oh my. That does leave you in a predicament. I wish there was some way I could help.”

The men exchanged looks.

“Have you ever waited tables, luv?”

Her eyes widened. Oh no, she hadn’t meant that. “Me? Wait tables? No. I’ve never had a real job before.”

“What?” Marco and Sebastian both spoke at the same time.

“Oops, sorry, that came out wrong. I mean I have a real job—I’m a teacher.”

“You never worked before you became a teacher?” Marco’s surprise was evident.

“No.” She’d done volunteer work, a ton throughout the years.

“Not even at the Burger Queen or the Pizza Palace?”

“No. I haven’t.” Jeez, if he knew who she really was this line of questioning would have been a joke. “I just…never really needed to work.”

“Hmm, must have been nice.” His tone was hard as he looked away and shook his head. “I knew it the minute you opened your mouth yesterday, princess. Pampered through and through.”

Brandy’s jaw dropped. Had he really just said that? Anger finally bubbled past the shock and she blinked.

“Is that why you call me princess? That’s so…” she broke off, furious at herself to find tears of frustration gathering. “That’s a bit harsh, Marco.”

Sebastian cleared his throat. “Marco’s a bit of a jerk—”

“That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you this whole time. You don’t want to like me, Brandy.”

“You know what? You don’t know the first thing about me. I’m not pampered.” She knew she sounded like a kid throwing a fit, but she was upset. Darn upset over a stupid comment. It was just one man’s opinion. It didn’t mean anything.

“I know your type.”

“Okay, enough. Let her be, Marco.” Sebastian placed himself between her and Marco. “Brandy, luv, aren’t you on summer vacation? Are you teaching right now?”

Grateful and somewhat confused by the change of subject she shook her head. “Yes, it’s summer break. So, no, I’m not teaching.”

“Champion. How’d you like to take a job here for a week or two, just to help us out—”

“No,” Marco cut in emphatically.

Sebastian glared at him and lifted his hand in warning. “Would you be willing to learn how to wait tables?”

Wait tables? That sounded a bit harder than it looked, and it looked downright chaotic at times. “I’m not sure I could—”

“Forget about it.” Marco’s voice had gone flat again. “She can’t handle it.”

“What?” How dare he just write her off so easily. What an
idiot
. “I can handle it. Train me.”

Irritation flashed in Marco’s eyes. “Why? You wondering what it’s like to go slumming with the boys who run a bar?”

“Marco, for fuck’s sake, shut the hell up.” Sebastian glared at his friend. “Our arse is screwed if she doesn’t agree to help us out tonight. Now take your bloody pride out of the equation and think about this logically.”

Marco’s jaw flexed, but fortunately he took Sebastian’s advice and shut up. A tremor of emotion ran through Brandy. What the heck had brought on his anger? It seemed so left field.

“What—” her voice cracked. “—do I need to do? I really do want to help you out.”

“That’s wonderful. Thank you, Brandy. Well, first we need to make it legal. Marco will take you in the back and help you fill out the necessary paperwork.” Sebastian looked over at Marco. “Can you handle that?”

Marco glared at his friend and stood up. “Of course I can handle it.” He jerked his head at her. “Follow me, princess.”

Having him call her princess wasn’t as cute as she’d thought it was this morning. Not now that she realized why he said it. He knew she had money, and resented the heck out of it.

Her teeth snapped together, but she jumped off the stool anyway and followed him behind the counter and into the kitchen.

“Have a seat.” He led her into a small office and gestured to a hardback chair on the other side of a desk.

She sat down, folding her hands in her lap. “Why are you treating me like this?”

He stopped searching through a file folder and finally looked up. A flash of guilt slid across his face before he quickly masked it. Ah, well at least he knew he’d been acting like a complete jerk.

“How am I treating you?” He went back to searching.

Okay, so he knew, but apparently would deny it. Irritation flicked through her hurt. “You know how you’re treating me. Last night you were nice and patient, this morning you made me a wonderful breakfast. And now you’re treating me like something you found on the bottom of your shoe. Why are you mad at me?”

He slapped a few papers down on the desk in front of her. “I’m not mad at you. Fill these out, please.”

“Liar.”

Frustrated with the conversation more than she wanted to be, she picked up the pen and forced herself to fill out the paperwork. Well aware of Marco watching her, she tried to keep the pen from shaking.

She scribbled in her social security number and hesitated. Was she nuts? Taking a job in a bar? Her parents would really flip over this one.

They’d been trying to get her to work for Sugar and Spice since the day she’d turned eighteen, ultimately gearing her up to take over the company. But working for the lingerie giant—let alone running the corporation—had never appealed to her. Up until this point, she’d only been interested in doing a job that gave back to the community.

“And now I’m going to work in bar,” she muttered under her breath.

“Second thoughts?”

He’d love that, wouldn’t he? If she changed her mind and ran out of him. “Not at all. Actually, I’m excited. This will be something new, a little bit fun. Wild even.”

“You think being a waitress is wild?”

“Being a waitress, in a bar, on a Saturday night? I’m sure it is.” She gave a saccharine smile and then looked down at the paper.

She signed the final line and then slid the papers back, looking up at him again.

He held her stare, accepting the papers, then picked them up and tapped them on the table so they lined up in a neat stack. His expression softened a bit.

“Look, Brandy. I’m—”

“How’s our newest waitress doing?” Sebastian strode into the back room, rubbing his hands together. “We have a customer and he wants lunch. Are you ready to start training, luv?”

She bit her lip and sighed. What had Marco been about to say to her? Had it been an apology? He spun the wheeled chair away to face the wall. Well, apparently her curiosity wasn’t to be appeased—not now, anyway.

“Sure, Sebastian. I’m ready.” She stood up, glancing at Marco one last time before giving a brief nod. “Let’s do it.”

The bar was crowded as all hell. Marco kept half his attention on Brandy, while working behind the counter taking money and making drinks.

She held her own, though just barely. Running around like her ass was on fire, eyes bright with excitement.

Fortunately for her, half the crowd came to the bar and ordered drinks directly from the bartenders; she only had to worry about the customers who were seated at the tables or people who came up to her. Even with those it was strictly drink orders since the kitchen had closed two hours ago.

“Hey, I’ll take a light beer.” A regular sidled up to the counter and grinned. “So what’s with the waitress in the cat shirt? You pick her up at a library convention or something?”

Marco bit back a smile as he slid the beer toward the man. “Something like that.”

“Yeah, she’s kind of cute. Got that whole innocent look about her.” He leaned across the bar. “But you know those are the same girls who’ve got a kinky streak a mile wide. Probably has one of those dominatrix outfits at home or some shit.”

“You think so, huh?” He gave a silent harrumph and looked past the customer to see Brandy making her way back to him.

“How’s it going?” Marco asked her.

She shook her head. “I’m so tired. But I’m having a great time.”

“How are you doing on tips?”

She shrugged. “I’ve gotten a few dollars here and there. But it doesn’t matter. I’m not here for the money.”

Valerie usually scored big on tips, but then again she was a seasoned flirt and dressed in a provocative way that was guaranteed to turn men on. Brandy struck out on both of those counts.

He’d actually been kind of worried about the backlash from some of the regulars. Thought they might get annoyed with an inexperienced waitress dressed like she was attending a church picnic. But besides a couple comments, no one seemed to care much.

“You’ve got two more hours, princess. Think you can make it?”

“Sure.” She didn’t protest or seem the slightest bit annoyed by the princess reference this time. A yawn popped her jaw and she raised a hand to cover her mouth, giving him a guilty smile. “So I’m a little sleepy, I can make it.”

“You want an energy drink?”

She wrinkled her nose, but before she could turn him down he pushed on.

“It’ll wake you up.”

She narrowed her eyes and gave him suspicious look. “Do you even have an energy drink?”

He gave a deep laugh and shook his head. She didn’t have a clue what was in half of the drinks she was serving.

“Of course we do. Though usually we’re mixing them with Vodka.” He grabbed one of the drinks and cracked the can open. “Pound it. It’ll wake you up a bit.”

“Are you sure? What about the tables—”

“They’re good for now. You can take a minute to drink this.”

“Okay.” She snatched the can out of his hand and slammed it back, swallowing a bunch of times before she dropped it back on the counter.

Damn, she’d taken pound it seriously. He gave a slow nod of admiration.

“Yikes.” She blinked and shook her head. “I think I’m going to get a sugar high.”

“And then some. Good, that’s what you need to get through the night. Now get your butt back out there now.”

Giggling, she spun away and went back to check on the tables.

“That was nice of you,” Sebastian said to Marco.

“What are you talking about?” Of course he knew exactly what his friend was referring to, but Marco kept his expression unreadable as he topped off a glass of beer.

“What with the way you were treating her earlier, I would have thought you’d be thrilled if she keeled over from exhaustion.”