9. Allie
Allie
T he Bluff Bar had a classy, Art Deco vibe. The walls were a dark blue-gray, and trendy, gold lighting ran along the ceiling. Elegant leather armchairs and stools dotted the space, and the long, gleaming bar was backlit with shelves of top-shelf liquor.
I hadn’t been here—for anything other than to clean it—for ages.
The only thing on my mind right now was punching Caden Castro in the mouth. I stomped toward the bar. All that intense grumpiness was more than I could handle. He’d been acting like a growly bear?—
I jerked to a stop. Had he been jealous?
The thought tingled through me.
A loud burst of laughter rang through the room.
They were here.
The extreme-sports guys.
I glanced out of the corner of my eye, and saw they had some women, and a couple of guys, with them.
They’d pushed some tables together by the windows.
There were lots of empty glasses and bottles littering the surface, so they’d clearly been at it since I saw them last time.
As I watched, a stocky, dark-haired guy stood, chugging back a drink while the others cheered him on. Glancing away, I headed for the bar.
“Hey, Allie,” the bartender said.
“Hi, Ross. It’s been a long day and I have aching feet, I need a drink.”
“I hear you, sister. What can I get you?”
“Some sort of gin cocktail, please. Surprise me.”
He tapped a finger on the bar. “On it.”
Right, I was going to have a drink, see if I could dig up anything on Blake and his friends, then head home.
I slowly glanced around the bar, pretending to look at everything, but really focusing on the sports guys.
There was definitely something off about them. I wasn’t sure what I hoped to find out, but my gut kept telling me that I needed to pay close attention.
“Here you go.” Ross set my drink down.
I smiled. “Thanks.” I sipped, and surreptitiously watched the group.
Blake was telling some story, and all his friends were laughing. He was definitely charming. I could clearly see what had appealed to me last winter.
Now, he held zero appeal.
Yeah, well, you know why . Lifting my glass, I sipped again.
God . I was overdue for cocktail night with Sierra, Tessa, Jazz, and Piper.
Piper was a new addition to the gang. I hadn’t thought I’d like the workaholic city girl.
Maybe because Piper lived the life I’d once wanted with every breath I’d taken.
One that had crumbled away in an instant.
I sipped again, taking a larger mouthful this time. Life liked to throw curveballs. It was how you dealt with them that dictated your happiness. Not some shiny, perfect dreams.
Turned out, shiny, perfect dreams didn’t always live up to expectation, anyway.
It was a realization that I’d come to once I’d started work at the hotel. I liked my job here, and honestly, I’d hated my job in New York. I’d worked long hours, the work itself had often been a grind, and I hadn’t found it fulfilling.
A wave of tiredness hit me and I beat it back.
Ross came past again.
“Hey, Ross, what you know about the guys sitting over by the windows?”
He followed my gaze to the raucous group, then he rolled his eyes. “Well, they’re not impressed with a gay guy serving their drinks. Like they might catch the urge to want dick, or something.”
I wrinkled my nose. I had no time for anyone like that. “Sorry. That’s shitty.”
He shrugged. “Not your fault, gorgeous. I’ve dealt with worse.” He leaned on the bar. “They have lots of company. A new crowd every night, and they all like to party. And they especially like the ladies.” He frowned. “Girl, you’re not interested, are you? You could do so much better.”
“No, I’m not interested. One of them did ask me out, but—” I shrugged. “I have my hands full.”
“Pretty Allie, your hands are never too full that you can’t fit in a nice, sizable?—”
“Ross,” I said, with a grin.
He grinned back. “Guy. I was going to say fit a nice guy into your life.”
“No, you weren’t.”
“Which one asked you out?”
“The blond.”
“Best of the bunch. Easy on the eyes, and polite. Too polite.”
“Too polite?”
Ross nodded. “Can’t get over the sense that it’s for show. That he likes being in control of the situation.”
Hmm . “Anything else seem off?”
“Just that they make lots of friends really quickly. Who has time for that?”
“Not me. I have good friends but just a few of them. I couldn’t cope with more.”
“But you don’t have a dick in your life.”
I pointed a finger at him. “See, I knew that was what you were going to say. I can manage just fine without a man. Besides, this is Windward. It’s slim pickings. I went to school with most of the eligible males, and they are not for me.”
“How about I make you another cocktail?”
“Why not?” I could walk home, or get an Uber, if I needed to.
Ross bought me a new cocktail, and after a few more sips, I had a pleasant buzz. Two was definitely my limit. Mrs. Jenkins would put Ollie to bed, but I still needed to get home to him.
Swiveling on my stool, I took another sip and that’s when I caught Blake’s gaze across the bar.
He smiled and lifted a hand.
I smiled back and gave him a small wave. This could be my chance to find out more about him and his friends.
“Allie.”
Caden’s deep voice made me jolt.
He stood nearby, watching me, his eyes looking darker than they ever had.
My heart galloped into overdrive. “Caden, what are you?—?”
“Don’t have a drink with him.”
I licked my lips and set my drink down. “I told you, it’s not like that.”
That all-too-familiar muscle ticked in his jaw. “I don’t care. I don’t want you near him, or anyone else.”
I sucked in a breath. “You don’t get to come in here and boss me around, Broody.”
He stepped closer, his big body crowding mine, and I felt the heat of him. I also smelled him. That scent that haunted my dreams.
Now, I felt a blip. A big one.
“Don’t have a drink with him.” His tone was unyielding.
“Let me explain?—”
“No.” His hand curled around my arm. “Ross, keep an eye on Allie’s drink.”
The bartender nodded, his wide gaze ping ponging between the two of us.
Caden dragged me off the stool and pulled me toward the area that led to the restrooms. “What are you doing?”
“I think you need a little convincing.”
Heat flickered through my lower belly, goose bumps breaking out on my bare skin. This was all very un-Caden-like. “How are you going to do that?”
He towed me past the restrooms and into a small alcove used for storage. There were a few spare stools and a step ladder tucked in there.
He pressed me back against the wall and I felt like my heart lodged in my throat.
“You want me to show you?” His hand curled around the base of my neck, his thumb rubbing over my racing pulse. “You want me to show you how I’d convince you?”
His voice was like a deep, dark caress. My chest hitched. God, he was so big, and hard, and intense. I should tell him no and get the hell out of there.
I didn’t. “Yes.”
He leaned in, and our chests pressed together. Air puffed out of my lips and I bit back a moan. He ran his nose down the side of mine, his breath warm on my cheek.
“Do you know how much you drive me crazy? How much you push me until my control is gone?”
God . My nipples beaded into hard points and I pressed my thighs together. I liked it. No, I loved knowing I pushed this heavily controlled man past his limit. “How much?”
His hands clamped on my waist and one big hand slid up, then cupped my breast. This time, I couldn’t stop my low moan.
His thumb flicked over my nipple. “Maybe as much as much as you want me.”
I pushed into him. I felt like all the brakes were gone. There was only the two of us. “You left the chocolate in my locker.”
He stared down at me. “It’s your favorite.”
My lower belly clenched. “Why shouldn’t I go back out there and have a drink, Caden?”
His fingers tightened. Then they slowly traveled down, tugging on the waistband of my skirt, brushing the skin of my belly. “I don’t want you with him. With anyone.”
A terrifying tangle of emotions stormed through me. The biggest one was hot desire throbbing between my legs. Desire for this cool, intimidating man, who was the opposite of cool right now.
“Who should I be with?” I whispered.
A look crossed his face, his lips hovering over mine.
His hand moved again, this time tracing over the hem of my short skirt, rubbing the sensitive skin of my thigh.
I felt the hunger in him, barely contained.
“I can’t say me, even if I want to. I’ve got nothing to offer you. I’ve got nothing to offer anyone.”
My chest hitched. He couldn’t really believe that.
“I’m a selfish asshole because I don’t want you with anyone else.” His fingers skimmed up my thigh. “ Allie .”
There was so much need and possession packed into that one word.
His lips touched mine, his hand travelling up to my inner thigh. And the desire in me broke loose.
Everything about him overwhelmed. A needy sob escaped my lips, then I pressed my mouth to his.
In an instant, he kissed me. A powerful, urgent kiss. His tongue slid into my mouth, firm and demanding. The desire inside me roared like a fire. I threw my arms around his neck, grinding my body against his.
“God, your mouth.” He bit my lip, then kissed me again.
That hand slid higher and he stroked between my thighs. I gasped. When he realized I wasn’t wearing any panties, his body jerked against me.
“You came here to meet that fucking punk without panties on?” His tone was sharper than a blade.
“No.” I cupped his stubbled cheeks, locking my gaze with his. “Not for anyone. I…um…never usually wear underwear.”
The flash in his eyes almost scorched me.
“All this time you’ve been walking around with no panties on?”
I nodded.
“ Fuck .” Then he stroked me again.
Gasping, I trembled against him. He stroked my folds, then his thumb pressed on my clit.
I cried out, pressing my face to his neck. “Please, don’t stop.”