by Tonya Brooks
Desi was amused at the name of the bar. It was called My Brother's Place and she asked him how he came up with it. “It was originally Mark's Place, but with Matt, Luke and John telling everyone about my brother's place, the name just stuck,” he explained.
“I like it,” she said with a grin. “It's one of a kind.”
“Just like its owner,” he said with a wink. “Harley's been hounding me to redo the place and make it look more like a nightclub.”
“It does have a masculine feel to it,” she admitted. The entire bar was decorated in dark brown and beiges and even though it was tastefully done, it lacked a woman’s touch. She knew Harley could do wonders with it.
“Just like its owner,” he grinned and she laughed because he was right about that. Mark Baker was no pretty boy. Even though he was incredibly handsome, he was masculine in the extreme, not to mention he was as sexy as hell, and she was by no means immune to his stunning good looks or the positively lethal bad boy charm.
“I've been thinking about opening a second place, something that will appeal to an entirely different clientele than I have here, so I'll let her work on that one,” he confessed. There was only one other bar in Lakeside and it wasn't called the Bloody Bucket for no reason. It catered to a rougher crowd than he allowed and the patrons were regularly hauled away in handcuffs or on a stretcher.
His place did a great business because people could come here and have a good time, listen to a live band and party the night away. The Manor House restaurant had an outdoor pavilion with a small combo that played on the weekend when the weather was good and his place filled up with their patrons when it wasn't. Mark wanted a place like that where people could get dressed up, have a nice dinner and then move on to the club for some soft jazz and just relax.
“You could call it My Brother's Other Place,” she joked as they joined the rest of his family at a couple of tables that were reserved for them beside the dance floor.
Mark's eyes widened at that. “Hey, that's not a bad idea.”
“What's not?” Harley asked curiously.
“Desi came up with a name for the new bar.” he informed her. “My Brother's Other Place.”
“I like it,” his sister-in-law enthused. “It's as catchy as the original.”
“Desi, you're a genius,” Mark said as he put his arms around her and hugged her. “You deserve a drink for that. What's your pleasure?”
“I don't drink,” she refused slightly breathless, her body tingling from being pressed against his rock hard muscular frame. Lord, this man had a powerful effect on her senses. The last thing she needed was alcohol. “Anything non-alcoholic is fine.”
“I have just the drink for you,” he assured her with a wicked smile and went to the bar to mix a virgin cocktail.
“What is it?” Desi asked a bit warily when he placed the highball glass in front of her a few minutes later.
“It's called Safe Sex on the Beach,” Mark whispered in a silky voice for her ears alone and saw her eyes widen in surprise as her cheeks turned that lovely shade of red. “Try it.”
She lifted the glass to her lips and took a hesitant sip. “It’s good,” she said in surprise.
“Damn straight. I'm an excellent bartender.” Mark replied, that bad boy grin back in place and noticed John step up onto the stage. “But there are other things that I do even better and its time you discovered another of my many talents.” When her eyes widened again, he knew where her mind had gone and added wickedly, “Like dancing.”
Desi allowed Mark to lead her onto the dance floor and she discovered he hadn't been kidding. He really was a good dancer and she enjoyed being in his arms more than she should have. When the song ended, Luke claimed her for next couple of dances and then he traded partners with Matt and she wound up dancing with yet another of the brothers. Matt led her back to the table after their dance and she drank half of her cocktail thirstily before it started all over again.
“It looks like Desi's having a good time,” Matt commented to his wife with a knowing smile. His brothers seemed to be determined to charm the lady, and from what he could tell, it was working.
“I hope so,” she sighed. She couldn't remember the last time her friend had been dancing, or even on a date for that matter. Harley was pleased that her brothers-in-law were being their usual bad boy selves and flirting outrageously with her. Hopefully the attention would show her what she was missing and encourage Desi to have a more active social life.
Desi was a bit surprised when John stepped off of the stage to claim her for a dance and slightly embarrassed when he dedicated the next song to her after he handed her back to Mark. All of the attention was flattering to say the least, but by this point, she had figured out that the brothers loved competing against each other and that had to be the reason why they were flattering her so profusely. The most handsome men in the place were openly pursuing her and she was sure the rest of the patrons must wonder who the lucky woman was to have so much of their attention. She'd noticed everyone watching her all night and could easily understand why.
Unfortunately, not everyone was content to watch, she discovered.
When 'Lips of an Angel' began, Mark focused on her too kissable lips and smiled because his brother had chosen the perfect song for Desi. He'd love nothing better than to taste those beautiful lips and fully intended to do so. Before he had a chance, a hand clamped down on his shoulder and a slurred voice demanded, “My dance, Baker.”
“I don't think so, Charlie,” Mark refused and shrugged the hand off without looking away from the woman he held.
“You Baker's have been hoggin' this pretty little thing all night,” he complained. “It's time to share her with the rest of us.”
“The lady is with me,” Mark informed him as he gave up all pretense of dancing and faced the other man. “I don't share.”
Charlie laughed nastily. “Tell that to your brothers,” he said and grabbed Desi's arm. “Hello, sweet thing. How about a dance?”
The last thing Desi wanted to do was dance with the man. That he was drunk was obvious and she knew from experience that arguing with a drunk was the wrong thing to do. Her step-father had been abusive all the time, but when he drank he got even meaner and the abuse would become much more severe.
Mark didn't give her the chance to answer. He placed himself between Desi and the other man and said in warning, “Back off, Charlie.”
“What'cha gonna do about it?” Charlie growled menacingly.
Not about to stand by and let the two men fight over her, because that was what it looked like they were about to do, Desi stepped forward and said nervously, “I'd love to dance with you... Charlie, is it?”
Ah, hell. Mark knew what she was trying to do and why, but Desi had no idea that encouraging Charlie just made him worse. “Like hell,” he refused and placed his hands on her hips in a possessive gesture. There was no way he was gonna let her near a man like Charlie Simms, especially now that he knew about her stepfather.
“It's alright, Mark,” Desi was determined to prevent the confrontation the men were trying to provoke. “Charlie and I will have our dance and then I'll have to sit down for a while. You gentlemen have worn me out,” she said in an effort to pacify both men.
“You heard the lady,” Charlie said with a smile of triumph.
Other than actually starting a fight, which would only upset Desi more than the dance would, Mark realized he didn't have much of a choice. He released her and stepped just far enough off of the dance floor to keep an eye on the couple and make sure that Charlie behaved himself as much as he was capable of doing. He caught John's attention and motioned for him to take a break and his brother nodded his agreement. As least Desi wouldn't have to suffer through another dance with Charlie.
Desi was crushed against the other man as he began to dance her around the floor less than gracefully. His hands were much too familiar but she tolerated the treatment with all the dignity she could muster and was t
hankful when John announced the band was taking a break. “Thank you, Charlie,” Desi said in genuine relief that it was over. “I'd better get back to the table now.”
He refused to release her. “What we need is another drink,” Charlie said as he kept his arm around her waist and led her to the bar to order them both a beer.
“I don't drink,” Desi denied as she refused the beverage.
“You do when you're with me,” he informed her, that belligerent look back on his face and shoved the bottle into her hand.
Desi stared at it in dismay before it was plucked from her grasp. “Thanks, honey. I needed a drink,” Mark said and took a swallow.
“You're asking for it, Baker,” Charlie growled.
“Care to step outside and settle this?” Mark asked calmly as he sat the bottle on the bar.
“If you think you're man enough,” the other man sneered.
“After you,” Mark invited and would have followed if Desi hadn't grabbed his arm.
“Mark, please don't do this,” she pleaded desperately, her eyes huge orbs in her face. Desi hated any form of violence with good reason and she was terrified that he'd be hurt because of her.
“It'll be fine. Don't worry,” he assured her and headed for the front door behind Charlie.
In a panic, Desi rushed back to the table where the three brothers now sat and announced anxiously, “Mark's going outside with that horrible man. Please don't let them get in a fight.”
The Baker brothers were halfway out the door before she could finish the statement and she and Harley hastily followed them outside. The scene before her was the last thing that Desi had expected to find. A belligerent Charlie was being handcuffed and stuffed into the back of a patrol car while Mark talked to another police officer.
“Just make sure Charlie knows he's barred when he sobers up,” Mark told the police chief. “I've put up with him for as long as I intend to.”
“No problem, Mark,” Brett Walker answered evenly.
“Are you alright?” Desi asked anxiously as she joined them.
“I'm fine,” Mark assured her and slid his arm around her waist. He was surprised that she was trembling and pulled her against him to hold her in a comforting embrace. “Are you alright?”
“No,” she admitted with a shaky smile and clung to his solid strength. “I was terrified.”
He smiled reassuringly because she had been genuinely worried about him and given what he knew about her past that was understandable. “I told you not to worry,” Mark chided gently. “I know how to handle Charlie.” God knows he'd had enough practice over the years. “Brett usually has a patrol car here on the weekends just in case there's trouble. All I had to do was get Charlie outside so they could haul him away for being drunk and disorderly.”
“So you weren't planning to fight with him?” she asked in relief that he hadn't planned to settle the issue with violence.
Mark didn't mind a fight when the occasion merited it and had done so quite often, but he preferred to handle things without resorting to violence if possible. Especially when it meant tearing his bar apart, which had happened a couple of times recently, thanks to his hotheaded older brother. That bad boy smile firmly in place, he assured her in a silken tone, “Honey, I'm a lover, not a fighter. I'd much rather dance with you than fight with Charlie.”
“The band is taking a break,” she said inanely as she stared into his mesmerizing dark chocolate eyes.
“Then I guess I'll have to kiss you instead,” Mark said as he lowered his head and kissed her tenderly, his mouth familiarizing itself with hers as his amused family went back inside and the patrol car drove away.
“Mark,” she breathed and slid her hands up his chest and around his neck, bemused green eyes meeting hungry brown. He kissed her again and she lost all sense of time and place as she reveled in the tender passion he was lavishing on her. Desi felt long dormant sensations awakening from deep inside her and she sighed in pleasure. God, it felt so good to be held in a man’s arms again. Mark was holding her as if she was something rare and precious to be cherished and protected and she loved it.
Mark loved the feel of her body pressed so intimately against his and he lifted his head to smile down into her beautiful face. “Feel better now?” he asked and resisted the urge to kiss her again. He'd love nothing better than to carry this to the next level, but unfortunately the parking lot wasn't the ideal location and a lady like Desi deserved a bed.
That thought gave him a pang of conscious because Mark knew she deserved a hell of a lot more than a romp in the sheets. Desi deserved a man who could be the husband and father that her daughter was looking for. It was too damn bad he wasn't interested in the position. He also knew that he had no business playing with her when he couldn't offer her what she needed. If there was an ounce of decency in him, he'd back off and leave her alone. But damn, she was hard to resist.
“Um, hmm,” she sighed and laid her head against his chest, content to just stand there holding him.
“Good,” he said in resignation and lifted his hand to gently run his fingers through her hair. The tresses were soft and silky and he laid his cheek against the top of her head, inhaling the scent of her shampoo. “You smell good.”
“You feel good,” she admitted and heard him laugh softly.
Yeah. Mark knew he'd better quit while he was ahead. A few more minutes of this and he'd say the hell with it and seduce her anyway. Deciding to ignore what his body wanted and listen to his conscience, he planned to behave like a gentleman and leave her alone. “Ready to go back inside?”
At the reminder of where they were, Desi pulled away from his embrace and looked around to see that they were alone in the parking lot. She had completely forgotten about the others and wondered when they had gone back inside the bar. “Yes.”
Mark kept his arm around her waist as he led her back inside and over to the table to join his family. Harley smiled knowingly at her and she blushed in embarrassment. Since it was obvious to everyone that she was attracted to Mark, his brothers reluctantly backed off and stopped flirting with her. Oddly enough they kept giving Mark a peculiar look that made him scowl back at them and then Luke and John would laugh for no apparent reason. That only reinforced Mark's decision to leave her the hell alone. Even Harley noticed their strange behavior and knew the brothers were up to something and her look of disapproval assured him that he had made the right decision.
When Desi couldn't fight a yawn any longer, her friend asked, “Are you ready to call it a night?”
“I think I'd better,” Desi admitted regretfully. “I've been up since three.”
“Then its time you were in bed,” Mark agreed and heard his brothers laugh. He gave them a warning look that did no good.
“I can lock up if you want to take off, bro,” John offered with a grin.
“I'm good, thanks,” he replied dryly. When Matt took the ladies home, he warned, “Both of you back off.”
“Just tryin' to help you out, bro,” John grinned.
“Looks like the kid was right,” Luke added. “Even Desi thinks you're perfect.”
“Don't start that again, dammit,” Mark complained and took a swallow of beer.
“Then don't start something you're not willing to finish,” Luke said seriously. “Kylie is looking for a father and if you fool around with Desi, that’s only going to encourage her.”
“It was just a harmless flirtation,” he assured his brother.
“But the kid probably doesn't know the difference,” their youngest brother pointed out.
“Isn't your break over?” Mark asked irritably as he got up and went to his office and slammed the door behind him. He poured himself a glass of brandy and sank down in his desk chair, more pissed with himself than his brothers. Yeah, they were right, but he'd already come to that determination on his own. Kylie would have made more of the situation than it was and get her hopes up for nothing if she thought he was interested in her mom.
He didn't want to hurt the kid, but he damn sure wasn't going to marry her mother to please her either. Besides, they were only going to be here for a couple of days and then he'd probably never see either one of them again. For some reason, that thought irritated him. He'd like to see Desi again. Mark liked the way she'd felt in his arms, the way she'd held him, the way her body had fit against his perfectly.
Perfect.
He scowled and took a swallow of the brandy and felt the heat burn through his system. There was no sense in taking any chances and hurting the kid, though. Luke was right. He shouldn't start something he couldn't finish. Besides, he had plenty of women like it was. The last thing he needed was to get tangled up with a pretty little redhead.
Gorgeous redhead, he corrected himself. With an amazing body. And sweet. God, she was so sweet. He knew making love with her would be incredible. She'd been so loving and giving when he'd kissed her. And she'd felt so damn good. He smiled because she had told him that he did. Desi was so open, a man wouldn't have a problem knowing where he stood with her.
Mark knew that she had wanted him and she hadn't made any pretense about it. A woman like her would be worth holding on to. For a while, at least. A weekend just wouldn't be enough. He took another swallow of brandy and pushed the thought from his mind. There was no use even thinking about it. But it would have been good while it lasted, he thought with regret.
~~~~
The two younger brothers found Mark completely hammered when they closed up the bar at two A.M. and discovered he'd polished off the bottle of brandy. They took him home and put him to bed and when Luke went to his room, John went downstairs to raid the fridge. He'd worked up quite an appetite performing, as usual, and decided to see if there was any fried chicken left over from dinner.
He walked silently down the back stairs into the dark kitchen and was surprised to see that someone else was already poking around in the refrigerator. Assuming it was Harley, since those gorgeous bare legs for damn sure didn't belong to his brother’s, he asked hopefully, “Is there any chicken left?”
