Mad Loving
N.J. Walters
Allison Lewis finds herself in another world when she enters Hatter’s, a trendy New York nightclub. She’s a Midwestern girl living in the big city and has recently been through a bad breakup. But tonight she wants to put all that behind her. And she’s found just the man to tempt her to break out of her conservative mold—the sexy Nevar Hatter.
Running Hatter’s takes up most of Nevar’s time. He never comes on to patrons, but he’s more than willing to make an exception for Allison. Fiery passion leads to a one-night stand. Nevar wants more but Allison is running scared. He pulls out all the stops, including a private tea party of their own to entice Allison to trust him with not only her body, but also her heart.
A Romantica® contemporary erotic romance from Ellora’s Cave
Mad Loving
N.J. Walters
Dedication
For all of you who believe in whimsy, tea parties and love at first sight. Thank you for jumping down the rabbit hole with me.
Chapter One
“You have to go. Everyone is talking about the place.”
Allison Lewis eyed her friend and fellow employee at the School of Visual Arts across the cheap wood-grained tabletop. The busy café was buzzing with the lunchtime crowd, but they ate here often and were used to it. Voices rang in the background, some low, others in a near shout as the staff worked hard to fill their customers’ orders and get them back out the door in a timely manner.
Barb Calloway epitomized New York chic. Today she was dressed in a black pencil skirt that fell several inches above her knees and had topped it off with a wildly patterned gauzy blouse and three-inch purple pumps. To Barb three-inch heels were conservative enough for work.
She, on the other hand, looked exactly like the small Midwestern girl she was in her brown flats, white blouse and brown, knee-length skirt. She’d lived in New York for three years now, but the polish and style of the city had never quite rubbed off on her.
“I don’t know, Barb.” Allison wasn’t much for clubs, preferring to head home after a long day’s work. But Barb and several of the women who worked in administrative positions at the school were always nagging her to go out with them.
Barb picked at the salad on her plate, taking a bite before pointing her plastic fork at Allison. “You don’t go anywhere anymore. Not since you and Bradley broke up.”
Which was a polite way to say Bradley dumped her for another woman. Allison took a big bite out of her turkey sandwich and chewed. Too bad the breakup hadn’t taken her appetite with it. No such luck. Allison was blessed with a healthy constitution and a work ethic drilled into her from the time she was born. It wasn’t in her DNA to mope or miss work.
Especially not for a louse like Bradley.
“We’re all going. Just come out for an hour. Spending all that time at home alone isn’t good for you.” Barb patted her lips with her napkin and set it back down on the table.
Allison was amazed that her friend’s lipstick was still perfect. No smudge. No smear. She knew her own lipstick was long gone. She didn’t know how Barb did it.
“Promise me you’ll come.” Barb reached across the table and caught her hand, giving it a quick squeeze. “It’ll be good for you.”
She was really lucky to have such a great friend. All her friends and family back home had warned her before she moved here that New Yorkers were cold and aloof, but that simply wasn’t the case. All the women she worked with were sociable and Barb was a great friend, bringing cookie-dough ice cream and a shoulder to cry on when Bradley cheated on her.
“Okay, I’ll think about it.”
“Great.” Barb stood as if everything were settled. And in Barb’s mind it was.
Several appreciative male gazes came Barb’s way, but her friend didn’t even notice. With her black hair, blue eyes and slender figure, she was a knockout. But it was hard to be jealous of Barb because she was just so darn nice too.
“Where is it we’re going again?” Allison cringed slightly when Barb raised her perfectly sculpted eyebrow in question. She’d only been listening with half an ear when Barb had been going on and on about the nightclub she and the other girls from work were all so excited about.
“It’s called Hatter’s. You know, like the Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland.”
“A theme bar?” That wasn’t Barb’s usual style at all.
Barb laughed. “Loosen up, Allison. It’ll be fun. I’ve heard they do all kinds of fancy drinks and the atmosphere is dark and mysterious.”
Her friend was right. She really needed to loosen up and get past the funk she’d allowed herself to become mired in. She wrapped up the rest of her sandwich and shoved it into her purse to take back to the office. “You’re right. I do need some fun.”
“That’s the spirit.” Barb wrapped her arm around Allison’s shoulders as they worked their way through the crowd to the front door. “Give yourself a break. Let down your hair and enjoy a night out with the girls.”
They left the café and headed back to the office. Allison took a deep breath, inhaling the smells of the city—exhaust, heat, grease from the food truck parked by the curb. Even after three years, she couldn’t believe she was actually living and working here. She loved the excitement, the pulse of the people who inhabited the city. She felt more alive here than she ever had back home.
Or she had felt more alive. Since the breakup with her cheating ex, she’d allowed herself to fall into a funk. No more.
Barb chatted about an upcoming sale at Macy’s. Allison loved how animated her friend got when talking about a sale. Her eyes twinkled and her skin flushed. Barb’s passion was clothing, not men, who she’d declared off-limits for the next year. Allison wasn’t the only one who’d been through a bad breakup.
“I’ll see you tonight,” Allison promised as they parted ways. She headed to her office, tucked her purse away and settled into work. But she couldn’t concentrate. The air-conditioning was on the fritz again, working only when it wanted to, and the heat was making her uncomfortable. She undid the two top buttons on her blouse, but that didn’t help much.
Her shoulder-length, curly hair flowed down around her shoulders, making her even warmer. Allison shoved her work aside and reached for her phone. The number she wanted was in her contacts and she didn’t hesitate to press it.
It rang once. “Come on,” she coaxed. “Answer.” It rang again and was picked up just before the third.
“Anton’s,” the deep male voice announced.
“Hi, Anton. It’s Allison Lewis. I was wondering if you had an opening this afternoon.” Anton was her stylist and he’d been after her for the past few months to change her look.
She could hear rustling in the background and knew he was checking his schedule. “I had a cancellation at three,” he told her.
She checked her watch. Why not? She’d never left work early and knew her boss wouldn’t mind. “Pencil me in. I’ll see you at three.”
Satisfied, she tossed her phone onto the desk and dove back into her work. If she was going to leave early, she needed to put a good dent in the stack of papers on her desk.
* * * * *
“Wow, that looks amazing.” Allison stared at herself in the mirror, hardly able to believe the woman staring back was actually her. The thick mass of curls was no more. Instead, she had a short, pixie cut that suited her face well and made her eyes appear huge.
Anton stood behind her looking supremely satisfied. “I told you it would look good, did I not?”
“You did indeed.” She ran her fingers through the much shorter locks. The curls were gone, but there was a wavy texture to her hair that gave it body.
“You like it?” He smiled, his teeth appearing even brighter agains
t his dark skin. Anton was about six foot six and had to weigh two-fifty. Not what she imagined when she thought about a hairdresser, which just proved you couldn’t judge a book by its cover. When it came to hair, Anton was a genius.
“Like it? I love it.” Impulsively, Allison jumped out of the chair and hugged him.
Anton’s booming laugh filled the space. Several other women getting their hair done turned at the sound and smiled. “I’m glad.” He steered her toward the front desk. “Big night tonight?”
She shook her head, loving how light she felt without all that hair weighing her down. “No. I just decided it was time.”
“Ah.” There was a wealth of meaning in that one word. “There has to be a man involved in there somewhere.”
Allison shrugged. “There was. About three months ago. I’m ready to move on.” And she was. Not that she wanted to get into a serious relationship anytime soon, but she was ready to go out with her friends and have some fun.
Anton lightly brushed his huge hand over her hair. “His loss.” He rang her up and she handed him credit card, tucking it back into her wallet, along with the receipt when the transaction was done. Allison was careful with her money. Sure she made a decent salary, but living in New York wasn’t cheap.
“Bye,” she called as she went through the door. Anton waved her off.
There was a spring in her step as she hurried down the sidewalk to her tiny apartment. The sun was still bright and people were starting their commute home. Thankfully, Anton’s shop was only a few blocks away from her place so she was almost there.
The nondescript building came into view and Allison sighed with relief. She’d be happy to get out of these work clothes and into something cooler. She let herself into the building and trudged up three floors. Her next door neighbor, Mrs. Anderson, was just on her way out when Allison reached the landing.
The older woman stopped and stared a moment. “Well, don’t you look lovely. That new cut suits you.”
“Thanks, Mrs. A.” Allison reached up to touch her hair. “On your way to bingo?”
Mrs. Anderson smiled. “I am, indeed. Feeling lucky tonight.”
Mrs. A always said that, but she was right more often than not. “Good luck.”
Allison unlocked her door and tossed her purse onto the small antique dresser just inside the door. Four hundred square feet and all of it hers. The tiny kitchenette was off to the right and the bathroom to the left. The main living space with one large window was directly in front of her.
She took off her shoes and stored them in the shoe rack behind the closet door. Closing the door, she surveyed her space. It might be small, but it was all hers.
Two walls contained white bookshelves that held baskets and books, as well as her television and laptop. Her daybed was in front of the window so she could sit there at night and look out over the city. The baskets and throw pillows added a pop of color to the place.
It had taken her months to get the space the way she wanted it. She’d scoured secondhand furniture shops for the bookshelves, coffee table and daybed, but she’d purchased a new mattress and chair, not wanting to go secondhand on those.
The bathroom was tiny, but she was used to maneuvering in the small space. She stripped off her clothing and stepped into a cool shower, careful not to get her hair wet. The water felt amazingly good against her warm skin, but she didn’t linger and finished quickly.
The woman staring back at her from the mirror looked much different from the one who’d left the apartment this morning. Allison smiled as she dried off and wrapped the towel around her. The new hairstyle really gave her a sense of confidence she hadn’t had in months.
Deciding to continue pampering herself, she dug in the cabinet beneath the sink and found the lavender lotion that Barb had given her for her birthday last month. Allison knew it was expensive and used it sparingly. Tonight, she slathered it on, enjoying the way it softened her skin. The relaxing scent of lavender enveloped her.
When she was done, she hung the towel over the rod and drew on her robe. The big question was what was she going to wear tonight? She picked up her clothing, depositing all but the skirt in the laundry hamper. She hung the skirt in the tiny closet and began to go through her choices for tonight.
“No. No. No.” Everything she owned was boring, suitable for work. Which was fine most of the time, but she wanted something special tonight. She was celebrating the start of the rest of her life.
She’d reached the back of the closet when her hand paused over a hanger. The dress. The one Barb had talked her into buying months ago. The one she’d worn that fateful night to surprise Bradley. Instead, she was the one who had been surprised when she’d gone by his place and found him in bed with another woman.
She’d come home, taken off the dress and shoved it to the back of the closet.
Tonight was the night. It was time to put the past behind her.
Lingerie came first. She pulled on a black lacy bra and matching panties. Feeling daring, she dug out a pair of silky thigh-high stockings and smoothed them over her legs. Then she slid the dress off the hanger and pulled it on. You could never go wrong with a little black dress. This one had three-quarter length sleeves and a V-neck that showed a hint of cleavage, not that Allison had an overabundance in that department, but the neckline flattered her. The hem hit just above her knee. It was tame by most women’s standards, but was more daring then her usual clothes.
She dug into her jewelry box and pulled out a hammered silver cuff she’d gotten for a steal at a thrift store and slid it on her wrist. Perfect.
She only had one small purse, but thankfully it was black and matched the outfit. Going to her everyday purse, she transferred ID, money, one credit card and her phone to the small bag.
Allison glanced at the clock. She was about two hours early. Sighing, she padded to the window to stare out. Should she bother with dinner? She wasn’t hungry. She’d finished the rest of the turkey sandwich she’d brought back to the office. Still, she was in New York City and she was dressed up and ready to go out.
Shoes and a wrap? She headed back to the closet and found two-inch suede black pumps she’d bought for a holiday party last year and a red shawl that her grandmother had given her.
Ready to go, she took out her phone and checked a city map, easily finding Hatter’s. There were plenty of restaurants between here and there. She’d stop at one and grab a bite before meeting her friends.
At the last second, she detoured into the bathroom, grabbed her travel toothbrush and shoved it into her bag. Now she was ready.
Locking up behind her, Allison headed out for her night on the town.
* * * * *
Nevar Hatter checked the list on his clipboard. Everything was ready for another night. The staff was already here, prepping for a busy evening. Hatter’s was his baby. Well, his and his brother’s. He and Rabb had conceived the idea several years ago. It had taken a while to make their dream a reality but they finally had. Now Hatter’s was one of the hottest spots in Manhattan.
“Hey, bro.” A heavy hand landed on his shoulder. He resisted the urge to wince, knowing Rabb would taunt him if he did. Sometimes his brother didn’t know his own strength.
He turned and faced his brother who was a few inches shorter then he, but wider and all of it muscle. “Hey, Rabbit,” he teased, calling him by his real name and not the shortened version.
His brother scowled and gave him a one finger salute. Nevar laughed and reluctantly Rabb smiled.
“That shipment of liquor come in?” Rabb asked.
Nevar held up his clipboard. “Just finished processing it. The bar is stocked and the rest in locked in the stockroom.”
They ran the bar together, but they concentrated on different areas. Nevar ran the day-to-day operation, while Rabb took care of the bigger picture, dealing with the finances and government forms that came with running a business.
“I’ll be in the office if you need me.” Rabb
walked off, his mind obviously already into his own paperwork.
They both worked the place several nights a week. Well, Nevar was there pretty much every night. He liked overseeing all the details that went in to running a first-class club such as Hatters, making sure things were up to his standards.
Running a nightclub might not be everyone’s dream, but it was his and Rabb’s. Their father had always joked that if it failed they could go into the family business. Nevar shuddered. He loved his parents, truly he did, but he did not want to be a tailor like his father or a milliner like his mother.
Thankfully, their parents understood and encouraged their sons to find their own way in life. That is, as long as they didn’t stray too far.
He found it hilarious that their bar was situated below ground level in a building that also housed his mother’s hat boutique and his father’s tailor shop on the first floor and family apartments on the second and third. But his family had owned the building for decades so the rent on the club space was cheap. And it was in a prime location.
His parents had also contributed their skills to make the unique uniforms the staff wore. His mother had a keen eye for style and had helped them design the space. He loved them both dearly for helping to make his dream a reality.
His phone rang and he pulled it out of his pocket. He smiled when he recognized the number. “Hey, Mom.”
“I made lasagna.” Her voice was as soft and smooth as silk, but there was a definite command beneath it. He didn’t mind. His mother made killer lasagna. “And bring your brother.”
Nevar laughed. “I will. See you in a bit.” He checked his watch. Sure enough it was almost six. The crowds wouldn’t start rolling in for a few hours yet and the staff knew where to find him if they needed him.
At least once a week, his mother demanded their presence at dinner. Not that he minded. He loved his parents and appreciated how supportive they both were. Nevar tucked his clipboard under his arm and headed to the office to get his brother.
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