Jon rambled on about the glory of women’s bodies and the young father yawned up at the morning sun.
“That’s more, Jon.” Cole nodded toward the family as they jogged past.
“Seriously? You’re going to go from workaholic to married with children?”
“I’ve had my fill of game playing.”
“That you have,” Jon agreed. “But I’ve still got plenty of wild oats left to sow for the both of us.”
He and Jon had gone carousing together more times than Cole could remember, but Cole’s work had always taken priority over his social life. When he was in medical school, he’d studied every night and kept his social calendar to the weekends, having sowed enough wild oats for twelve men before dating Kenna. Since starting his practice, he’d been focused on growing the business, and now that he had a steady practice, he was ready to think about the part of his life he’d been ignoring.
They jogged past Mr. B’s and the marina, where boats were leaving wavy wakes as they made their way out to sea, and continued toward the pier that marked the halfway point in their run. The morning sun, now high in the sky, beat down on their heated bodies as they headed up Main Street. Sunlight reflected off the windows of the shops. Joey was straightening tables in front of the café and waved as they passed by.
They talked about their practice and sports, falling quiet as they turned down Eighth Street and headed back toward Cole’s house.
“Hey, check it out.” Jon nodded toward Leesa, jogging half a block ahead of them, wearing a pair of skimpy blue shorts and another clingy tank top.
This was the fourth time Cole had seen her in two days. Was the universe trying to tell him something? Guess what, God? You’ve got my full attention. He watched her run. Her hair was pinned up in a ponytail, swinging with every footfall. Her strides were long and even, her tanned skin glistened with sweat, and Cole felt the blood in his head rush south.
“Now, that’s one fine ass,” Jon said.
The blood rushed back up to Cole’s brain, kicking his possessive urges into high gear. He tugged Jon’s arm and pulled him down the next side street.
“What the hell, man?” Jon snapped. “I was enjoying the view.”
Cole debated making up an excuse and decided he’d be better off giving Jon a hard limit. Even though Leesa wasn’t his to claim, he wanted that line drawn in Jon’s mind.
“I asked her out last night.”
“Ah, so you’re not totally out of the game after all.” Jon’s brows lifted in quick succession.
This feels like anything but a game.
***
IT DIDN’T TAKE long for Leesa to fall into the swing of things at Mr. B’s. She’d been waitressing there for a few days, and already she’d gotten to know a number of the regular customers. The brewery overlooked the marina, allowing Leesa to really feel the difference between working in Towson and working here. It was almost seven, and the restaurant was already packed. The other waiters and waitresses had warned her that by the time the auction started there would barely be room to maneuver between tables. She was glad for the distraction, after a fitful night’s sleep. Last night, after she’d gotten home from her walk on the beach, she and Tegan had stayed up talking for hours. Tegan had pushed her to accept Cole’s dinner invitation, and the more Leesa claimed not to be interested, the less Tegan believed her. Hell, the less she believed herself. Cole was handsome and charming, and he had the most compassionate eyes she’d ever seen. But she’d been down that path before, and she wasn’t about to get tangled up with a doctor who would surely run the other way once he heard about her past.
She tried to push thoughts of Cole away as she served a young couple, and spotted Maisy Braden putting up the final preparations for the bachelor auction. Her thick, curly blond hair fell wild and free past her shoulders. Her long colorful skirt whipped around her legs as she hurried from one side of the restaurant to the other, setting up the tables along a wall of windows.
Now that Leesa knew Maisy and her husband, Thomas, who went by the nickname “Ace,” were Cole’s parents, she found herself searching for similarities. Maisy’s eyes were sea blue and always seemed to be smiling. Cole clearly took after his father. Ace’s dark eyes were serious as he watched her approach. Ace was as conservative as Maisy was artsy. Like Cole, he wore his dark hair cropped short and brushed away from his handsome face. Cole shared his height, broad shoulders, and strong features. And, apparently, his style, too, because like his son was wearing when Leesa had first met him, Ace had on dress pants and a white button-down shirt, with the sleeves rolled up, revealing thick forearms and large hands.
Leesa set an order slip on the pass-through for the cook, Roman. “Two BLTs and one tuna on rye, please.” She turned to Ace, who was bartending, and he smiled, giving her a good idea of what Cole might look like in another twenty-five years. Leesa felt herself staring, and she shook off the momentary lapse of brain function and said, “Two gin and tonics, please.”
“Coming right up.” He pulled the bottles from behind the bar and began mixing the drinks. He walked with a slight limp as he moved in the tight space. “Everything going okay for you today?”
“Yes, thank you. The auction starts in an hour, and I can’t imagine how we’ll fit any more people in the restaurant. I don’t know how Maisy set things up so fast.”
His eyes followed his wife as she moved from one table to the next. “Maisy’s got this down to a science.”
Maisy, having heard her name, glanced over and blew him a kiss.
“Our daughters, Shannon and Tempe, will be along shortly to help her finish setting up.” He handed her the drinks he’d made. “In fact, you’ll meet our whole brood tonight, with the exception of Ty, our youngest. He’s off on a photography assignment.”
The whole brood? Her pulse quickened at the thought of Cole showing up. As if it weren’t enough that she’d be serving half the town tonight and would surely mess up a handful of orders. She gulped down her anxiety and said, “I look forward to it.”
Over the next hour the restaurant was so busy that Leesa didn’t have time to think about how nervous she was. Men and women filled the tables and just about every space in between. Tegan was there with a few of her girlfriends, sitting at a table by the front of the room, where the auction was going to be held. Leesa balanced a tray with both hands, walking sideways among the crowd toward the booths in the back where she’d just taken a drink order. She broke through the crowd and lowered the tray as a hand touched her arm. She turned, and her breath caught in her throat at the site of Cole’s smiling eyes. His mouth was moving, but she couldn’t hear him above the din of the customers.
She held up a finger, indicating for him to hold on a second while she served drinks to her customers in the booth.
“Thank you,” a handsome dark-haired guy said.
“You’re new here,” said a pretty blond woman.
“Yes. I just started a few days ago,” Leesa answered. “Can I get you anything else?”
A brunette woman sitting beside the blonde smiled up at her. “I think we’re good, thanks.” Her eyes shifted to Cole, and she squealed and rose from the table. “Finally! You’re here!” She stepped in front of Leesa and threw her arms around his neck.
Leesa barely had time to process the unfamiliar spike of jealousy that gripped her before she heard Cole say, “Hi, sis. I’ve missed you.”
Relief swept through her. Oh my God, what am I thinking? She tucked the tray beneath her arm and turned to tend to another booth as Cole touched her arm again and leaned in close. He smelled like warm cider and man all wrapped up into one delicious scent, sending her stomach into a tizzy again.
“Hi,” she said over the noise of the crowd.
He placed his hand on her hip and leaned in so close their cheeks touched. His voice was deep and intent. “It’s nice to see you again. You look beautiful.”
She felt her cheeks flush and wasn’t sure if it was from the heat of bei
ng close to him or his words.
The brunette’s dark eyes moved between the two of them, and when she smiled, the resemblance to her mother was uncanny. “Cole, aren’t you going to introduce us?”
His hand remained on Leesa’s hip, making her even more aware of his close proximity.
“Leesa, this is my sister Shannon. Shannon, this is Leesa.” Cole waved his free hand toward the table, keeping his other hand on her. “These are my younger brothers Sam and Nate and my sister Tempest.”
The blonde stood and extended a hand. “Tempe, please. It’s nice to meet you. Mom and Dad have told me a lot about you.”
Oh God. Really? Why would they talk about her to their daughter? “It’s nice to meet you. Your parents are really great to work for.”
To her surprise, Sam pulled her out of Cole’s grasp and into an embrace. “Nice to meet you. Welcome to the Mr. B family.”
Cole had a narrow-eyed glare locked on his brother. There was no mistaking the hands-off look he was giving Sam. It thrilled and worried her at once. She shouldn’t even be contemplating getting closer to Cole, and yet here she was, reveling in the way he was staking claim to her. Sam’s hand remained on Leesa a few seconds longer than necessary, and she could tell that was some sort of tease meant for Cole. She might have laughed when Tempe rolled her eyes and said, “Sammy,” if it weren’t for the embarrassment heating up her chest.
Nate, whose blond hair was a shade darker than Tempe’s, tugged Sam backward with one hard yank and smiled at Leesa. “Ignore Sammy. He’s a clingy dude. Nice to meet you.” He shoved Sam back down to his seat and shook Leesa’s hand over Sam’s head. Sam was laughing like this was an everyday occurrence, and from the playful look in the siblings’ eyes, she assumed it was. As an only child, she longed for that type of kinship.
“Wow, there sure are a lot of Bradens.”
“There’s one more. You haven’t met our youngest brother, Ty, yet,” Nate said. “He’s on a photography assignment in Africa for National Geographic.”
“Your father told me about him. He must love his work. Are all three of you being auctioned off tonight?” she asked.
A man with sandy blond hair peered over Cole’s shoulder and said, “All four of us. Are you bidding?”
“Three, thank you very much,” Cole corrected him. “Leesa, this is my business partner, Jon.”
“Nice to meet you,” she said.
Jon took her hand between both of his and said, “The pleasure is all mine.”
“Ignore him, too,” Cole said, placing a hand on Jon’s shoulder and pulling him backward. “You’d think he and Sam hadn’t ever seen a beautiful woman before.”
“Way to embarrass her. Are you bidding tonight, Leesa?” Shannon asked as she sat beside Tempe again.
“Um, no. I’m working, and actually, I should get back to it. It was nice to meet you all.”
Cole stepped between her and his partner. “I wish you’d reconsider my offer.”
“I…I’d really like to, but I can’t.” She glanced over his shoulder at Jon and his siblings, who were watching them so intently it made her even more nervous. “I really should get back to work.” She turned and headed for Tegan’s booth, needing a familiar face to remind her of all the reasons why her insides shouldn’t be quivering.
Tegan was sitting with Dina and Chelsea and a blonde Leesa didn’t know.
“There she is.” Tegan reached for her hand. “It’s crazy in here, Annali—”
Leesa’s eyes widened.
“Leesa,” Tegan corrected herself. “How are you holding up?”
“Good, I think.” She noticed Sam, Nate, and Jon walking toward the front of the restaurant, where Ace, the auctioneer for tonight, was waving them over.
“Cole?” his father said into the microphone, motioning with his hands for Cole to join him.
Leesa watched Cole cross the floor, and her stomach tightened at the sight of all the other women watching him, too. He and his father leaned in head-to-head as they talked. Cole shook his head and turned to Sam with an angry expression on his face. Sam and Jon joined Cole and his father, and a heated discussion ensued. Sam and Jon each took one of Cole’s arms and pulled him into the line of bachelors, where now three other handsome men had joined them. Cole’s jaw clenched, his hands fisted at his sides, and if looks could kill, his brother and business partner would be flat-out by now.
“Looks like he got wrangled into the auction,” Tegan said. “You need to bid.”
“I am not doing any such thing.” With her heart in her throat she tried to tamp down the jealousy that gripped her, sending her pulse into a panic.
“You like Cole?” the blond girl asked.
“What? No. I just met him.”
“He’s so sweet. I’m Jewel, by the way. Nate’s mine.” She grinned and said, “I’ll bid every cent I have for him.”
“Nice to meet you. Nate seems really sweet.”
“He is, and so is Cole,” Jewel said. “You should definitely bid on him if you like him, because I’m sure tons of other women will be.”
Just what she needed, to be jealous of half the town over a man she had no business liking. Her eyes found Cole, turning the annoyance in his eyes to blazing desire. She wondered just how much extra cash she had on hand.
Chapter Four
“POP, I AM not being auctioned off,” Cole said firmly.
His father held out the printed brochure for the auction, and sure enough, his name was listed as one of the available bachelors. His blood boiled as he turned toward his snickering brother.
“Seriously, Sam?” He closed the distance between them and stood eye to eye with the troublemaker. “Why would you do that?”
Sam’s shit-eating grin made Cole want to pound it off of him.
“Everyone needs a little fun in their life. Besides, it wasn’t all me. It was Shannon’s idea, too.” Sam’s eyes shifted toward Leesa, who was serving a table of guys while they ogled her.
Cole’s hands fisted by his sides as he turned back toward his brother. “This isn’t my type of fun, Sam. This is your type of fun.” He looked at Nate. “Why are you up here? You think Jewel wants you being won by some other woman?”
Nate winked. “I filled her purse with hundred-dollar bills. There’s no chance she’ll lose, and the homeless get a good donation from us.”
Cole was beat and he knew it. His name was on the brochure; there was no backing out now.
“I’ll be right back.” He went to the hallway where the ATM machine was located and withdrew cash from two of his accounts, taking the max limit from each. Then he waited until Leesa was done serving the leering men and pulled her aside.
“Hi. Do you want me to get you a drink?” she asked with a teasing smile.
“No.” He shoved the money into her hand. “But you can win me so I don’t have to go out with someone else.”
“What?” Her eyes widened. “No. I told you I can’t go out with you.”
That wasn’t the response he’d hoped for. “You don’t have to,” he said, even though he hoped she’d change her mind. “Just save me from going out with someone else. I grew up with most of the women here. Trust me. You’re saving me from a date I don’t want. I’ll owe you one.” He squeezed her hand and walked away with a smile on his lips, leaving her with a gaping jaw and giving him a little more hope than he’d had when he’d arrived.
“What was that about?” Jon asked when he stepped in line with the rest of the men on the auction stage.
“That was about getting back in the game.”
Leesa looked down at the cash in her hands and then back up at him. She shook her head, and he nodded and mouthed, Please?
A slow smile spread across her lips as she shook her head again, this time with less determination. She shoved the money in her pocket and turned away.
Ten minutes later his father stepped to the front of the crowd and held up a hand as he spoke. “Welcome to Mr. B’s. We’re proud to be host
ing the twelfth annual Bachelor Auction for the Homeless.”
Everyone clapped, women hooted and hollered, and guys whistled and cheered. Cole watched Jon and Sam hamming it up, waving to the crowd, flexing their biceps and flirting with the women in the front, who were waving money in the air. Nate blew a kiss to his girlfriend, Jewel, and Cole tried to locate Leesa, who was nowhere in sight.
“Tonight we’re starting off with my own flesh and blood, Sam Braden.” Ace motioned for Sam to step forward.
Sam made a show of whipping off his shirt and tossing it toward the outstretched hands of the women standing at the front of the crowd, who squealed with delight.
Ace shook his head and grinned, pride and amusement battling in his dark eyes.
“This is Sam’s sixth auction, so most of you ladies are probably familiar with my boy here. Sam owns Rough Riders, a rafting and adventure company.” His father read from a pad of paper, and Cole wondered what information had been given about him. “When he’s not on the water, he’s taking clients on wilderness trips or living the good life, as evident from his year-round tan and muscular physique.” He rubbed his hand over his jaw and mumbled, “Christ, Sammy.”
The crowd laughed.
“Just telling it like it is,” Sam said.
“What did he write about me?” Cole whispered to Nate.
Nate shrugged, but the glint of humor in his eyes told him he did know.
“We’re opening the bidding at fifty dollars,” Ace said. “Do I hear fifty?”
“Fifty!” a redheaded woman yelled.
“Fifty-five!” yelled a blonde.
“Seventy-five!” the redhead hollered.
Sam flexed his muscles, then turned his back to the crowd and wiggled his ass.
Cole laughed and mumbled, “Christ.”
“He’s just bumping up the bids,” Jon said as the crowd cheered.
“One hundred dollars!” a blonde yelled.
Surrender My Love (Love in Bloom: The Bradens): Cole Braden Page 4
