Was he serious? “Look, whoever you are, you don’t even know me. Or my roommate. So keep your opinions to yourself,” I said with just a hint of guilt. We took advantage of B-Rad, not Uncle Tony. I never even thought about the fact that Uncle Tony was the one who got paid the rent. Shit.
“Easy, killer. If I actually thought you were taking advantage, I would probably go talk to Uncle Tony myself. Instead, I’ll just trust that B-Rad is taking care of everything.”
I sighed. “Sorry to jump down your throat. I’m a little on edge,” I explained.
“No need to apologize. Everyone has their demons. And if you’re staying in that crappy little apartment with another girl, I’d have to guess you’re pretty down on your luck.” He motioned to Heidi for another round. “The least I can do is buy you another beer.”
It was my turn to laugh. “Uncle T is letting me drink on the house today.”
“Ah, so you are taking advantage,” he said. “Good girl.” He winked at me and then clinked his glass of Jack and Coke against mine. It must have been a standard order since he didn’t even tell Heidi what he wanted and she brought him another.
“I do what I can,” I said with a grin.
This guy had a sense of humor and I liked it. I wasn’t exactly keen on liking anyone right now, but at least I knew I was capable of feeling anything other than the emptiness I’d felt for the last three weeks. I might not want a future with any man for a while, but maybe a romp in the hay could cure at least a little bit of the loneliness.
“You’re kind of hot,” I told him. He was, too. With sandy brown hair that was just a little too long and dark blue eyes, he was sexy. Add in the fact that he was tall and his muscular arms were exposed underneath his polo shirt, I found myself more than a little attracted to him.
“You aren’t exactly ugly,” he replied.
“You know what they say about hot people…”
“They have ugly kids?” he asked and I giggled, the beer finally fogging up my brain.
“Probably. Good thing I don’t want kids,” I said. “I like spoiling myself.”
“I’d like to spoil you,” he grinned.
“That’s not exactly a pick-up line,” I argued.
“It could be. Witty banter is its own pick-up line.”
“True story,” I murmured, realizing belatedly that he was much closer than he had been just a moment before. I could feel his hot breath against my lips, torturing me.
“Do you want to be picked up?” he asked, wholly serious.
“Not really. I was just thinking that making out with someone could make me feel better, though.”
“An honest girl. I like that. The truth is, just any make-out session might leave you feeling unfulfilled, but making out with me would heat that delicious body of yours so hot you might actually explode. Or implode. I can promise you’ll feel something, at least,” he said, his voice dropping low enough so that only I could hear him, the deep timbre of his voice causing shivers to erupt all over my body.
“Well, you know how to turn a girl on, I’ll give you that,” I whispered to him.
“I can do a whole hell of a lot more than turn you on,” he promised.
“Want to get out of here?” I asked, shocked by my own words. I was usually forward, but inviting a guy to leave was a sure sign a girl was easy. Or, at least, that’s what I always believed.
“Sounds like a plan to me,” he agreed before I could take the words back.
I led him outside, desire fueling my actions. When we got into the stairwell that led to my apartment, I turned to stop him.
“My roommate is upstairs and I don’t really want to do anything in front of her,” I explained, presenting the problem to him.
“It’s all good,” he confirmed, pressing his body to mine until I was backed against the wall.
He took his time, lowering his head to mine, but never touching my lips. His mouth latched on to the spot where neck meets shoulder, a sensitive but sexual spot for me, his teeth grazing the flesh ever-so slightly.
I moaned and arched into him, enjoying the feeling of being wanted. Peter and I hadn’t had sex in over a month and I was so turned on, so desperate for fulfillment that it didn’t matter that this guy was a virtual stranger or that I didn’t even know his name. In that moment, all that mattered was sweet, sweet pleasure.
Wanting to give him a taste of his own torment, I rubbed my pelvis against him, relishing the threatening growl that escaped his lips against my throat. His hands moved to cup my ass, lifting me up. I wrapped my legs around him, drawing him closer and he pressed his hips tightly against mine, enough to hold me up against the wall so his hands could explore.
Fingers trailed over my wrists, the skin there so thin, he was tickling me. I laughed lightly, trying to contain myself, but bit my lip to hold it in. His thumb came up to pull my bottom lip free. He rubbed his thumb across it, a movement that turned my insides to jelly. He was sweet where I wanted him demanding, gentle where I wanted him rough. It was so erotic.
His thumb trailed down my chin, along my jawline and then he tucked my loose hair behind my ear, his hand going around to the back of my neck to run freely through my hair.
“I like all this blonde hair,” he murmured against my neck, his tongue dancing along my skin. I shivered in response. “I’d much rather see it spread out across my pillows, the splash of color against my sheets getting me hard in the morning.”
Whoa. This guy could do some serious damage. His words were sexier than anything I’d ever heard in my life. No man could bring me this close to the edge of orgasm without even kissing me properly. The eroticism let me know that he knew exactly what he was doing. Just one more notch not in his favor. It scared me a little.
“Easy,” he whispered in my ear when I struggled against him, my fears manifesting. “We’ll go slowly.”
It was exactly what I needed to hear and I relaxed around him, tipping my head back to allow him better access to my skin. I hoped he was planning to eventually get around to my lips, but even if he didn’t, I would be okay with him just nuzzling my skin forever.
Forever? Fuck.
I pulled back. “I think that’s enough.” I shoved him away from me a little and as soon as my feet touched the ground, I raced up the stairs.
“That’s it?” he asked from the bottom.
I turned half-way up and saw the confusion on his face. I could get lost in his hungry blue eyes, but I forced myself to keep it light.
“I’ll see ya around, Jack Daniels,” I called.
When I got to our door, I shoved it open, needing to talk to Darcy about what just happened.
She and B-Rad were hanging in the kitchen. I looked at him.
“Get out,” I told him.
He took it in stride, said his goodbyes, and then slipped out the door. “What the hell?” Darcy asked me. She was sitting on the only counter in our tiny kitchen.
“I hope your ass is clean,” I said, gesturing to her position.
She rolled her eyes. “Obviously. So why’d you kick B-Rad out?”
“First, because he doesn’t live here, and second, because I just made out with some random guy at the bar,” I confessed.
She jumped off the countertop. “What? Tell me everything.”
I took a deep breath. “Well, technically, we didn’t make out. But it was hot and erotic and I liked it far too much. Especially so soon after a break-up.”
“Eff your ex, Mac. He’s a douche, sleeping around like that. Your best bet is to move on, and if you are, you definitely don’t want to stop.”
“Oh, you mean the way you’re moving on with B-Rad?” It was easier to direct my pent-up anger at her than myself.
“There’s nothing going on with us,” she denied.
“Mmhmm, sure.” I wasn’t convinced.
“I’m serious! I flirt with everyone,” she explained.
“Okay, fine. There’s nothing between you and B-Rad.”
“So
what was your guy’s name?” she asked, an obvious tactic to change the subject. I didn’t mind.
“I don’t even know. We didn’t get that far,” I told her.
“But you made out? You’re insane,” she accused.
“Quite possibly. However, if I see him again, I might not be able to restrain myself,” I admitted.
We shared a laugh together and I realized that I might not know Darcy all that well, but we were like kindred spirits.
***
Eight
Uncle Tony’s Pizzeria
Thursday
6:45pm
Darcy
While Mac got the cushy day job at the temp agency, the only thing available for me at the Pizzeria was bus girl on the night shift. Brad hooked me up with the job as soon as I said I needed one. I would have rather done something behind the bar or maybe cashier, but he said bussing tables was all I could get.
At least it was better to earn my money than having to steal it from an ex or selling my computer. Eventually, I’d have to get a real job or do something with my degree. If someone would hire a girl straight out of college with no work experience.
Yeah, right. I was royally fucked.
I stared at myself in the tiny bathroom mirror. I think Brad purposefully gave me the tiniest white t-shirt he could find. My chest looked like it was straining to get out of the damn thing. If I was a waitress I would have gotten a hell of a lot of tips in the tight shirt and tiny black shorts but as a busgirl I planned on just having a lot of shit spilled on my bare skin that I had to wash off.
The Pizzeria was dead when I walked through the front door. I knew it was past dinner time but I expected at least someone to be there. Brad was standing behind the bar talking to a redhead who was perched on a barstool in a waitress uniform. Jealousy boiled beneath my skin as she giggled, touching his hand.
What the fuck was I doing? I was Darcy freaking Pepper. I didn’t get jealous of other girls. I usually just walked in and took what I wanted. But Brad was a different story. He was my landlord, my boss, and the guy who made my stomach do somersaults. I never fell for guys. Sure, I had my love struck puppy moments, but Brad was different. There was something about my tattooed neighbor that had me craving more of him.
I sauntered over to the bar, trying my best to keep a smile on my face even though I just wanted to punch the girl touching Brad. Luckily I didn’t have anything to worry about because as soon as Brad saw me approach all his attention was off the other girl and he fully faced me, pulling his hand away from her. “Hey, you made it.”
“Of course I did. I couldn’t miss my first day of work.” I smiled brightly, making sure to turn up the charm. Redhead wasn’t going to get anywhere with me in the picture.
“Great.” He tapped his fingers on the counter and redhead cleared her throat. “Oh, hey, yeah, Darcy this is Kellie, one of the waitresses. She’ll be helping you with the front of the house tonight and I’ll be helping you close up in the back.”
Kellie’s green eyes intently focused on me, sizing me up from head to toe. “B-Rad couldn’t you get the poor girl a bigger uniform shirt? She looks like she’s suffocating in that thing.”
Mac had a southern twang that I found adorable. Brad’s accent was a sexy drawl. But Kellie’s accent was a high-pitched, piercing whine that made me want to grit my teeth.
“No can do. That was the only size we had left and I think it fits her just fine. I could even get a smaller size if you want it, Darcy.” Brad winked.
Kellie shook her head, her curly ponytail swishing around her head. “B-Rad be nice to the poor girl, she’s just a baby.”
“A baby?” I balked. “I’m twenty-one.”
“Like I said,” she smirked. “Just a baby.” She patted my hand. “But don’t worry I’ll take good care of you.”
I wanted to say something sharp back. Mac probably would have had the perfect comeback, but I bit my tongue. I couldn’t exactly afford to get my ass fired and that would have been really awkward, since I was living above the place.
“Great, should we get started then?” I forced the cheeriest voice possible.
She stood up from the bar stool, adjusting her giant tits in her shirt. “Of course.”
* * * * *
A few takeout orders came in, but nothing for actual sit down customers, so I didn’t have anything to clean for the first hour, which left me stuck talking to Kellie while Brad was out delivering pizzas.
“So how long have you known B-Rad?” Kellie asked, eyeing me suspiciously.
We were filling up the parmesan cheese shakers and I was pretty sure my hands were going to smell like cheese forever.
“Not long.” I shrugged.
“Oh.” She pursed her lips together. “I’ve been working with him ever since he came here from Charleston to help out Uncle Tony. It’s nice not to have one of those typical young ass college guys in here hitting on me.”
“Uh huh.” I knew what game she was trying to play and I wasn’t going to let her get me jealous.
“I mean I wouldn’t ever date someone I worked with, though. I think that’s kind of tacky.” She smiled.
I wasn’t going to feed into her at all. I didn’t want to deal with her shit or anyone else’s. I had enough of that from my mother all my life and all the guys that knocked me on my ass. I was just tired of it. “Uh huh.”
Before she could say another word, the bell dinged over the front door and a loud, booming voice carried over the room. “Ey, ladies, Uncle Tony’s here to save the day!”
His voice may have been big, but Uncle Tony was a short, round man with a bald head, a handlebar mustache and more hair poking out of the top of his V-neck shirt than I think I’d ever seen a man have on his entire body.
“Hey, Uncle Tony.” Kellie stood up, grinning from ear-to-ear.
“Bongiorno, Kellie!” He sauntered over to us and kept his dark eyes trained on me. “And you must be the other half of my new tenants. Bradley told me about the two of you. I already met the little blonde.”
I stood up and nodded, extending my hand. “Yes, sir, that’s me. Darcy Pepper.”
He shook his head and put his arms out, embracing me in a huge hug that crushed me against his round belly. “Ey, ey, no sirs here! I’m Uncle Tony! That’s what everyone calls me.” He let go of me but kept his hands on my shoulders. “And you should too.”
“Uh, okay, Uncle Tony.”
“Uncle Tony!” Brad emerged from the kitchen with his arms raised.
“Bradley, ey!” They hugged and Uncle Tony smiled at him. “I did what you said and put those flyers in every apartment complex within a ten mile radius. Free pitcher with a pizza. This place should be packed soon.”
“That’s great, Uncle Tony.” Brad patted his back.
“My nephew, the freaking marketing genius. I don’t know what I’d do without him.” Uncle Tony looked at me like a proud papa bragging.
I nodded and smiled, their smiles were contagious. “Yeah. That sounds like a great idea.” I hoped it was because if it wasn’t, I was afraid I’d be out of a job.
No sooner had I spoken that a group of college guys walked in with flyers. Kellie grinned at me. “Time to learn from the master now.” She winked and sauntered over to the guys. “Welcome to Uncle Tony’s, can I get y’all a table?”
* * * * *
Turned out that I sucked at bussing tables. Like hardcore sucked. The busier the place got, the more plates I broke and drinks I spilled. This, of course, made Kellie grin like a Cheshire cat. She hid it immediately and I could have been imagining it, but I was pretty sure the bitch had it out for me.
“B-Rad if you need me to stay and help close up, I can do that,” she cooed, leaning across the bar and pushing her tits so far up they were practically in her face.
He shook his head not looking up from the register. We closed the lobby about fifteen minutes before but I was still sweeping up the last broken plate. “It’s okay, Kel. Darcy needs to learn.
You can go home now. We’ll be fine.”
“Are you sure?” she pressed.
I tried not to stare but realized I was openly gaping at him when Brad’s eyes met mine. He may have been speaking to Kellie, but his words were definitely meant for me to here. “Yeah. We’ve got it.”
Kellie glanced over her shoulder at me, curling her upper lip before she stood up. “Fine. If you need me you know where to reach me. I’ll just get my purse and see you tomorrow. Hopefully this place will be in one piece.” Her dig at me didn’t go unnoticed.
As soon as Kellie walked out the back door Brad traipsed over to where I was standing. I realized that I stopped sweeping up my mess a few minutes ago and was just completely staring at him.
“You gonna finish cleaning that up so we can start cleaning up the back?” He arched an eyebrow.
“Oh, uh, yeah. Sorry totally um... I was just...” I racked my brain trying to think of a better excuse than I was watching him.
“If you want to check me out all the time, you don’t need an excuse.” He grinned.
I rolled my eyes, trying to appear like I was offended by the idea of it. “Totally was not.”
“It’s okay. I’ve been checking you out all night, too.” He took a step forward, closing the space between us. “I think we could definitely get you a size smaller t-shirt if we needed to.”
I gently shoved his arm. “Oh my God! I can’t believe you just said that!” I laughed.
He held his arms up. “Hey, I’m just offering it to you. Or you could go without a shirt too. Then I’m sure we’d bring in even more customers.”
“Well you would know, since you’re the marketing genius after all.”
His smile faded and he rubbed the back of his neck. “I wouldn’t say that. I’m just trying to help Uncle Tony out.”
“Hey.” I shoved his bicep, my fingers lingering on his full-sleeved tattoo. Every time I looked at it I noticed another part of it from the koi fish that snaked under his shirt to the waves that crashed by his wrist. “No need to be embarrassed. You’re the one who was giving me hell about my uniform.”
A Tale of Two Pretties Page 5
