WINDY CITY: The complete series

by Stone, Measha

  Friend-zone. She had quite efficiently plucked him up from his good mood and thrown him headfirst into the friend-zone. He was no stranger to friendships with women. He had three, and he didn’t want another.

  Alex tried to think through their last evening together. His kiss hadn’t scared her. She’d responded beautifully, openly. Was it his father? Did she feel sisterly toward him? No. Not if her response to him meant anything at all. True, the club was an issue, but there had to be a way to deal with that.

  It had been almost a week since he’d seen her outside of the club. On Sunday, she called off lunch with his father, which pissed Paul off just as much as Alex. Especially since Alex had to hear a thirty-minute lecture about how he better not have done anything to harm that girl. Harm her? Hell, he wanted to spank the stubbornness right out of her, but he’d never harm her.

  At work, she kept herself busy and away from him. From what Kerri had told him, she was doing an excellent job. The customers loved her as well as the staff. She’d managed to upsell at least three private parties in the few weeks she’d been working for them, creating a large revenue spike. As far as he knew, she hadn’t had any experience with sales, but her casual demeanor worked in her favor.

  Bradley even remarked on how well she was working out.

  “Really, I was just going on a hunch when I hired her. Thomas said she was a quick learner and friendly, I took him at his word,” Bradley said.

  “Who’s Thomas?” Alex found himself asking. He’d tried to put her out of his mind all week, but failed a dozen times a day.

  “Her ex. The ex.” Bradley waggled his brows as he took a pull of his beer. The two sat in his office going over business numbers and issues. John and Travis had opted out of the meeting—once again.

  “The ex?” Alex put his iPad on the coffee table and leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees.

  “You know, her first Dominant.” Bradley balanced the beer bottle on his knee.

  “You hired her because her ex-Dom asked you to?” Alex wasn’t sure whether he should be mad or grateful.

  “No. I hired her because she’s experienced. Thomas called me to let me know she’d be applying and gave me his recommendation. Her resume looked good and she…well, so did she.” He laughed at his own joke. They both knew Bradley wouldn’t take advantage of his position in the club.

  “You shouldn’t have asked her about her current Dominant.” Alex pointed a finger at him before leaning back in his chair.

  He was exhausted. He’d had to deal with two new accounts at the advertising firm. Sitting with Bradley was the first chance he’d had to do any club work.

  “You shouldn't be seeing her socially,” Bradley threw back at him with a shrug.

  “Don’t be an ass.”

  “Seriously, Alex. You think I can’t see you. Every time you walk into the lounge, you search her out, and she does the same. Once she picks up on your scent, or whatever women have that makes them acutely aware we are near, she finds you with her eyes.”

  “Oh, shut up.” Alex pushed himself from his chair. He’d done his best to stay away from her, to keep his gazes only briefly in her direction. Apparently, he had failed.

  “Man, that woman has it for you. And you are sick over her. It’s a bit nauseating,” said the perpetual bachelor.

  “Okay, whatever. Moving on.” Alex rounded Bradley’s desk, looking for another drink.

  “Hey. I’m just saying what I see,” Bradley piped up as he placed his empty beer bottle on the coffee table.

  “Bradley.” Alex gave a warning tone.

  “Fine. On to business. Kerri gave her resignation tonight.” Bradley sighed heavily.

  “What? She didn’t say anything to me. I just talked to her.” Kerri had been their lead staff member since opening. She was part of the reason the club was doing so well. “Why?”

  “Moving. Her boyfriend got a job in Minnesota, of all places. They leave in three weeks.” Bradley hoisted himself out of his chair, pulling his phone out of his pocket, and scrolled through his screen. “Give Alyssa the job, then she won’t have that to use as an excuse.” He shrugged as he continued to scroll.

  “I’m not doing that.” Alex shook his head. Even if he thought the little loophole would work to get her by his side as anything but a friend, she wouldn’t just take the position if she felt she hadn’t earned it. His father had given him an earful, not only about keeping her from being hurt, but her stubborn pride as well. “Post the position in the breakroom. If she wants it, she’ll apply for it.” Alex headed for the door. He was tired and wanted his bed.

  “We didn't talk about the auction yet,” Bradley called after him as the door opened.

  “Tomorrow.” Alex waved a hand in the air. “Oh, and be sure to post the benefits that go with the position.” If he couldn’t get her to take the job, he’d lure her in with the extra pay and benefits.

  Initially, they had agreed to make a company policy that kept management from beginning relationships with staff members. Bradley had been the contributing voice to that—until he met Kerri. He found her physically appealing and smart to boot, so he’d taken away the policy, stating hearts should always be free to find their other half. Alex had been the only one who managed to keep his laughter down when the large, bald, mean-Dom gave his speech. Unfortunately, Bradley found out quickly Kerri not only was in a serious relationship, but sometimes played the top—not at all what he found appealing in a woman. He was all top and Dom; there would be no sharing of the power as far as he was concerned.

  Tomorrow was Friday. Jessica and Kelly had both texted him twice to confirm the restaurant and to ask if Alyssa would be joining them. He’d confirmed the restaurant, a small Italian place near his apartment, but ignored the question about Alyssa. She wasn't working, but he hadn’t approached her with anything other than a hello over the past two weeks.

  He made his way toward the back exit, hoping to avoid her entirely. She had worn the same black skirt that showed the curve of her thigh and the button-down blouse that had lost a button at the top, which gave him, and every other man in the room, a peek at her round bosom. He’d seen more than one man ogle her as she bent over to place their drink on their table, and just as many women sneer when she walked away. Submissives were just as possessive as their counterparts.

  “Sure. That would be great. No, no, it’ll be fun. Thank you for inviting me. Okay, I’ll see you then.” He recognized her polite voice as he walked through the kitchen. She stood in the doorway of the staffroom on her cell phone.

  Alex found himself headed right for her. She saw him coming and slid her phone into the pocket of her apron.

  “Hi.” The same damn controlled polite smile.

  “Hey.” He nodded, not smiling at all. He hated this. She was stopping them both from exploring each other. She felt something toward him—he knew it; she knew it. Damn stubborn pride. “You almost done with your shift?” he questioned.

  “Yeah, just getting my stuff and punching out,” she stated.

  Silence.

  “Want to share a cab?” he offered.

  “No, that’s okay. I’ll walk.” She moved around him toward the lockers and opened hers, tossing her apron inside.

  “Walk? It’s too far to walk this late at night.” It was near midnight. He wasn't sure where her apartment was, but if it was anywhere near that hotel, it was at least an hour walk.

  “Okay, I’ll take the bus.” She smirked and shut the locker door.

  “Alyssa.” He stopped himself from finishing his sentence by biting his tongue. “Take a damn cab with me. Friends share cabs all the time.” His voice was clipped. He wouldn’t blame her for saying no. He did a shit job of hiding his irritation.

  She gave him a devious smile. He could swear her eyes sparkled with mischief as she spoke.

  “I had no trouble when I walked home from your apartment last week. That took me close to an hour.” She slung her purse over her head, adjusting the s
trap across her chest. “Not because of the distance, but because I got lost.”

  His fingers twitched at his side.

  “What?” He’d meant to sound casual, but his voice disobeyed him and displayed exactly how angry he was. She’d walked home. An hour! She’d gotten lost? It took everything in him not to slam the door to the room shut, walk over to her, throw her over the breakroom table, and spank her ass until he was sure she’d be feeling it for at least a day.

  “So you see, I’m fine.” She sweetened her smile and walked past him, lightly brushing her fingertips over his forearm.

  He tried taking long breaths. If she wasn't an employee, if she hadn’t been clear on not wanting a personal relationship, he would have been chasing her down instead of yoga breathing in the breakroom.

  She was going to be the death of him. The absolute death. The kitchen staff turned to look at him as he stalked to the back exit, growling like a rabid beast.

  Chapter 10

  Alyssa stood outside the entrance of the Italian Bistro Kelly told her about. She glanced at her watch and thought, for the third time, about turning around and going home. There was an extremely good chance, like one-hundred percent chance, Alex would be in there.

  He’d looked ready to pounce when she’d walked away from him the night before. He’d looked ready to bend her over his knee and spank her. That thought had been driving her mad all day. Alex’s hands on her, smoothing down her skirt, then hiking it up. His fingers trailing along the curve of her backside before giving her a long spank—one she probably deserved, definitely one she craved. It had been so long since she’d felt the forceful touch of a man, she was becoming a complete brat.

  She never would have teased him about walking home if she had truly thought there would be repercussions. She tried to keep her eyes off him at work, but every time he walked into the room, she instantly found him.

  He’d looked weary the night before. Working a full-time job in addition to the club was taking a toll on him. Was he so afraid of telling his friends and his dad about the club he would work himself to an early grave?

  A couple breezed out of the restaurant, holding the door open for her. Apparently, hiding outside was no longer an option. She stepped inside.

  The coolness of the air conditioning gave instant gratification. She’d worn a sundress, hoping to ward off the mugginess during her walk over, but there was no fighting the humidity in Chicago.

  Kelly waved at her from the middle of the room. The group of friends sat at a long table. Everyone appeared to be there, leaving one empty spot next to Alex, who looked surprised to see her sashaying her way through the crowded restaurant. Everything in the city was either extremely large, or miniscule, but everywhere was incredibly crowded.

  Alex stood from his chair to allow her more room to maneuver into her seat. Kelly kept grinning, and Kendrick sat next to her, shaking his head behind his menu.

  “Just can’t leave things alone,” he muttered.

  “Hey.” Alex sat down beside her.

  He shot Kelly a dark glare. “Sometimes I wish you were my little sister so I could beat you senseless and call it sibling rivalry.” He picked up his glass of water and took a long sip.

  Alyssa tried to gauge his reaction to her presence, and so far, came up with a chill. He barely looked at her, and when she brushed against him to hang her purse on the chair, he scooted out of her way.

  “Someone is missing. Alyssa looked down the table. I’m sorry, I don’t remember her name, but there was another couple last time.”

  “Erin and Jonathan,” Jessica offered. “Busy or something.” She touched Alex’s shoulder. “What did she tell you this time, menstrual cramps?” Her singsong laugh carried through the restaurant, and Alyssa rubbed her lips together as she looked away.

  There was no reason to be jealous. He wasn’t hers. He was just a friend. A friend she’d imagined naked while picturing herself draped over his lap, but a friend nonetheless.

  “Something along those lines.” Alex sipped more of his water. “Having female friends is just brimming with benefits,” he bit out, stealing a glance in her direction. Her stomach twisted.

  “So, how's the job going?” Kelly waved off Alex. “And the apartment—when do we get to see the apartment?” She continued holding her wine glass to her lips.

  “Kelly, let the girl get settled before you invite us all over there,” Jessica said from beside Alex.

  “The job is going fine. The people have been awesome. Management has been a little cold this week, but I’m sure it’s just because of the overabundance of work.” Alyssa resettled in her seat with grin. Alex let out a soft grunt, making her lips spread even wider.

  “The apartment is tiny, so there will be no dinner parties.” She laughed. “I barely fit.” Alex did turn his gaze to her then.

  “Where did you say it was at?” The undercurrent of his tone held a firmness that both ignited and frightened her.

  “I didn’t.” She sipped her water. Kendrick dipped his menu down to look over at them. His left eyebrow was raised, and a question lurked in his eyes.

  “Kelly, how is summer break going?” Royce interjected from next to Kendrick. He had to lean forward a bit to see her.

  “Where is the apartment you found?” Alex’s question came softly, but directly to her ears as he had leaned over to whisper them to her.

  “Near the hotel. It’s fine.” She didn’t look at him, but rather kept her gaze on Kelly, who was talking about her month off of classes. “You teach?” Alyssa piped in as Alex opened his mouth to say something else to her.

  “Yes. Chemistry at UIC.”

  “Ew, Chemistry was not my best subject.” Alyssa screwed her face at the idea of college chemistry. High school had been enough to turn her stomach. She couldn’t imagine teaching it every day.

  “I’m with you there,” Jessica proclaimed, raising her wine glass in the air. “Science isn’t my thing either.”

  Kelly went on to defend her profession while Jessica rolled her eyes and made several nerd jokes. Alyssa noticed Royce picking up Jessica’s wine glass and replacing it with his water. She envied their easy, friendly banter, like there was nothing they could say to the other that would hurt or ruin their relationship.

  She’d never had that before. Most girls her age growing up were interested in makeup and clothes, and she’d had neither. Her mother’s escapades hadn’t been well hidden, and what few friends she’d made had quickly been forbade once their mothers found out who she was. By the time she was in high school, she’d learned not to expect anything from anyone and was too busy studying and working part time afterschool to try to keep up with a social life.

  Alex reached under the table and placed his hand over hers, his fingertips touching her thigh. Had she said or done something wrong? She took a quick peek up at him. He wasn’t even looking at her. His thoughts appeared to be somewhere else. She decided to enjoy the moment of his touch. Just a moment.

  “Oh! I forgot to tell you!” Kelly turned her excitement on Alex. “We booked the City View Loft for the wedding. You have to make sure you’re free Halloween weekend.”

  Alex chuckled. “Of course you’re getting married on Halloween. You’ll probably be hitched before we can get darling Erin to set a date.”

  “It’s going to be a costume ball, so you’ll have to get a great costume,” she said to Alyssa.

  “October is so many months away,” Alyssa remarked, pushing her linguine around her plate. “Fall should make for a great wedding, though.”

  “With this hair, summer was out of the question!” Kelly pointed to the large bun attempting to control the wavy strands of hair. Alyssa laughed. Her own hair was too thick to ever look nice in a bun, but she didn’t have to worry about humidity frizz.

  “You know, we are going shopping next weekend for shoes. Kelly swears she has no sandals, and I need a pair of gym shoes.” Jessica leaned forward, looking past Royce. “Why don’t you come with u
s? It’ll be fun.”

  “I can’t, sorry. I’m working next weekend.” Alyssa shoveled a fork rolled with pasta into her mouth. Alex looked down at her with a wrinkled brow.

  “No, during the day. We’ll go to lunch. What time does your shift start?” Kelly added.

  “I’m working part time at a diner on the corner from my apartment. Just a few shifts here and there.” Alex’s eyes burned into her skin. His breath slowed, but the irritation with each exhale ramped up.

  “Maybe some other time.” Kelly let the matter drop, but only after looking at Alex’s expression. Her worried glance to Jessica, then Kendrick, gave Alyssa the impression something was extremely wrong.

  When the bill arrived, Alyssa reached for her purse, only to find it in Alex’s lap.

  “It’s Royce’s turn to pick up the tab.” He shook his head and handed her the bag. The whole tab? What would she do when it became her turn? She’d had to pick up the breakfast shift at the diner that morning in order to get the tips for the linguine.

  “I don’t mind.” She unzipped the faux leather.

  His breath scorched her ear when he leaned in to say, “Put the money away.”

  She swallowed hard and retracted to get a better look at his face. His eyes were dark, and his nostrils flared just enough to tell her she had really pissed him off. But how? She’d been friendly, downright aloof—the exact opposite of what she wanted to be with him. She hadn’t been rude or condescending. She’d even managed to put a lid on her brattiness.

  “Royce, it’s yours. We are going to have to call it a night.” Alex stood from the table so abruptly, his chair flew into the table behind him. He mumbled an apology to the couple and shoved the chair back under the table.

  “Alyssa.” He nodded to her, a very clear message in his expression that told her to get moving.

  “Alex, what's wrong?” Jessica questioned, starting to stand. Royce put his hand on her shoulder to keep her where she was. “What is it?”

  “It’s nothing, Jess. Just need to get going is all. I’ll talk to you later,” Alex explained as he reached behind him to grab Alyssa’s hand. She tried not to wince at the strength of his grip as he pulled her from the table.