3. The Best Bad Idea
The Best Bad Idea
Braden
P oker face, don’t fail me now.
I stroll into Black Lotus, praying my expression is one of vague disinterest, totally nonplussed by Mina’s unexpected kiss.
A kiss that started out innocent enough… and very nearly turned into bending her over the coffee bar and tearing her clothes off.
No one should taste that sweet.
That delicious.
That innocent .
Fuck, no poker face in the world can save me.
Zane glances up from his station as a sly grin crosses his features.
And here we go. Not even five steps in the door.
“So… you and Mina, huh? Gotta say man, I didn’t see that one coming.”
“Neither did I,” I mutter, tugging a hand through my hair.
Maybe he’ll drop it. Let it lie.
“When were you going to tell me you two were together?”
Or maybe not.
“Not just together. Apparently, they’re engaged. I better get an invitation to the wedding.” Ash pokes his head out of his office, chuckling at the death stare I shoot in his direction.
I grab a stress ball from the drawer, determined to exert all my angst on the rubber ball. “Cut the shit. She needed help, so I helped her.”
“And you truly committed to that role,” Zane adds, ducking as I lob the stress ball at his head. “All I want to know is why did she pick you? I was standing right there, too.”
“Because she has a crush on Braden,” Ash replies with an offhanded shrug.
“No, she doesn’t,” I say, trying to play it off. “We’re friends… I think.”
It’s true. Mina isn’t some random chick. She’s sweet. Adorable. Okay, she’s fucking stunning and her mouth should come with a warning label.
I am so not okay.
Ash snorts at my denial. “Dude, she likes you. Everyone knows it, including you. So, what happens now?”
I toss up my hands as I pace the reception area. “Damned if I know. She said she only needed me for a few minutes.”
“See?” Zane points at me, a shit-eating grin on his face. “That’s unacceptable. You need to take hours with a woman like that. Fuck that minute shit.”
“Do you want me to kill you?” I shoot Zane a glare, which only amuses him further.
Ash flips through the day’s schedule. “I thought Mina was joking about the whole fake engagement scenario that day at Rum and Ruin.”
“Me, too, but the woman is serious. Oh, and her aunt fucking hates me.”
Ash gives me a strange look. “She met you for like thirty seconds.”
“Apparently, that’s all it takes.”
But this doesn’t sit well with my older brother. He’s more than a little protective of me. According to my folks, he’s been that way since they brought me home from the hospital.
Thirty-seven years later, he’s still the same way.
“What is this woman’s deal?”
“Not just any woman. Bitsy Farnsworth.”
Ash’s eyes widen as he steps closer. “Mina is a Farnsworth? How the fuck did I not know that?”
I shrug, trying desperately to shoot glances across to One More Page without the guys noticing. “I think they’re estranged. Mina seemed really uncomfortable around them.”
“Can’t say I blame her, but be careful there, man. That is not a family to fuck with.”
Ash isn’t wrong. The Farnsworth family has their hands in every business venture in town. If you cross them, they can make your life hell.
But Mina doesn’t have a mean bone in her body. Her gorgeous, willowy body that I now know on a far more biblical level.
A flush climbs my neck as I recall our brief kiss. It started off clumsy, with an almost high school feel to it, but as soon as I relaxed into it, so did Mina. And then, all bets were off.
Softest lips I’ve ever felt, and trust me, I’ve kissed more than my share of lovely ladies.
But Mina is different. She’s young and innocent and… fucking young .
And yes, despite my half-hearted claim otherwise, I know Mina has a crush on me. It’s a well-worn ribbing around Black Lotus, but what the guys don’t know is that I like her, too.
Even though it’s the dumbest idea I’ve ever had.
At twenty-five, she’s twelve years younger than me. I remember being that age and I was a conceited, selfish prick with one goal—grabbing as much tail as humanly possible. But I grew up and thankfully, grew out of that phase.
Now, my idea of a perfect night is lying curled up next to a gorgeous woman while we watch a movie and drink a beer .
And there have been plenty of women. I’m lucky like that.
But I want more. I want it all—the marriage and kids and white picket fence. And I know for a fact I won’t find it with a twenty-five-year-old kid, no matter how fucking gorgeous she may be.
Trust me, Mina is stunning. People joke she’s a walking, talking Barbie doll and they’re not far off, but she’s also one of the sweetest girls I know. Sweetest tasting, too.
Fuck, my mind is not a fun place to be right now.
Zane kicks his feet up on the desk. “Are you single or not? Because I have a few gorgeous ladies dying to meet you at the party. Of course, if you’re full up, it means more for me.”
“I’ve got a client, so I’m going to prep,” I mutter.
“Is that a yes or a no?” Zane presses.
Love how much fun he’s having with this scenario.
Flipping Zane the finger, I shove out of the conversation and head for my office, although I’m sure the guys will have tons more to say on the topic.
Right now, I need to get my head on straight.
It was one kiss.
How hard can it be?
Five minutes later, after wiping down the tattoo chair three times, I have my answer. Even the harsh chemical odor of antiseptic does little to ward off my nerves.
“This is never going to work,” I mumble, grabbing my phone out of my pocket.
I shoot off a text to Ori, demanding that Mina come speak to me immediately.
What will I say to her once she gets here? Not a damn clue, but to be fair, she started it. I’m entitled to ask at least a few questions.
Pulling up my client’s custom design on the tablet, I suck in a deep breath and begin reworking a few of the intricate lines.
My art usually brings me peace, but today is not that day .
Jesus Christ, Braden, shake it off, man. This is hardly the first time a woman has kissed you unexpectedly.
But it is the first time with Mina and that makes all the difference.
Mina. My friend’s best friend. Mina, my next-door work neighbor. Mina, the woman who shoots me a shy smile and flushes every time I grab a coffee.
“I’m so fucked,” I grumble, tossing the pencil down and yanking my hands through my hair.
A light knock at my door grabs my attention and I look up to see Mina peeking into my office. “Am I interrupting you?”
“No. Come in.”
She enters, wringing her hands as her gaze darts around the room. “Guess we need to talk, huh?”
Her entire being vibrates with nervous energy and for some reason, that knowledge calms me. Closing out my design app, I circle the desk and lean against it, crossing my arms over my chest. “You threw me back there.”
Her cheeks redden. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking. Please don’t be angry with me.”
“Hey, I’m never angry with you, Mina, but a little heads up would have been nice. I thought you were kidding about your aunt’s stipulation with the studio.”
“I wish I was.”
“So, now what?”
Mina sucks in a deep breath, chewing her lower lip with her teeth.
I lean over and gently tug it free. “Breathe. No matter what, everything is going to be fine.”
I expect her to nod and laugh, alleviating some of the tension.
But her wide blue eyes fill with tears, which she quickly swipes away. “That’s just it, Braden. Everything is not going to be okay. The only thing I’ve ever known is dancing. Since I was five, it’s been my entire life. I always thought I’d wind up on Broadway.”
“What happened?”
She tugs up her pant leg and points to a silvery scar running along her ankle. “I missed my landing and shattered my ankle. Killed my career before I even had one.”
“Fuck, I’m so sorry, sweets.”
I am, too. I know what it’s like to pour your heart and soul into something, only to have it snatched away at the nth hour.
Mina manages a tremulous smile. “Me too. I was washed up before I’d even begun, and after seventeen years of dancing as my singular focus, I had no idea what to do with my life. So, I hung up my dancing shoes and took a couple of years to figure it out.”
“That’s why you’re working at One More Page? I figured you were studying to be a librarian or something.”
“Always a possibility, I suppose.” Mina inches closer, her long fingers trailing along the edge of my desk. “Plus, I’m pretty fond of the owner.”
I chuckle. “Yeah, so is my brother.”
She screws up her face into a mock scowl. “He better stay that way, too. Or I’ll get him.”
Damn, but she is adorable. And her dedication to her craft, along with her sharp wit, is unexpected.
Granted, she’s rarely said more than a few words to me before this morning.
But if this is the real Mina? I could get used to this real quick.
What the hell are you thinking, man? She is too young, remember?
I huff out a breath, earning a look of surprise from my blonde visitor. “Sorry, I forgot to do something for my client.”
“I’ll get out of here, then.”
I reach out and grasp her hand, a warmth flooding my fingers. “Please. Finish what you were saying.”
“So, I figured this was it, you know? Working in town and living down the road. Until my mother called me with my aunt’s proposal.”
“The dance studio.”
She nods. “The Evelyn Court Dance Atelier. Do you know it?”
I shake my head. “No, but I’m not much of a dancer.”
She tips her chin and smiles up at me. “I’ll bet you could be with the right partner.”
“The right partner makes all the difference.”
Okay, that sounded way more sexual than I intended.
Mina laughs, the edges tinged with nerves. “I wouldn’t know. I don’t date much.”
See, there is no way that is true. No woman, looking like Mina does, sits home alone every night.
But if that’s how she wants to spin it, I’ll play along.
“Untrue,” I scoff. “Apparently, you’re engaged. He’s a hell of a guy, too.”
Mina groans into her hands. “You are not going to make this easy on me, are you?”