The Bartender (Modern Love World)

by Piper Rayne

  My spine stiffens and my heart races while I stand there as straight and stiff as a two-by-four. He wipes my back and rinses the cloth again. When he uses one hand to lift my bra strap and wipe underneath it I suck in a breath. A cloudy memory comes to mind of the two of us kissing and his hand slipping under the elastic of my bra strap.

  I shake my head in an attempt to push the memory from my mind. I’d prefer to continue to remember nothing from that night.

  When Cole is done he pats my back dry with a towel in such a gentle way you’d think he had a sensitive bone in his body.

  He doesn’t fool me for a second.

  “I always keep a clean dress shirt here in case I need to be in the front of the house when I come to check in on things. You can put this on if you want.”

  He’s still standing behind me and I’m able to feel his body heat seeping into me, making me warm inside. Cole’s fingertips lightly run across my shoulder and tingles follow in their wake, electrifying me and my libido.

  “Thanks,” I say in a soft voice. I turn slightly and reach for the shirt and shrug it on. I don’t turn back around to face him until I’ve done up most of the buttons. The shirt is way too big for me, so I tie the bottom in a knot, hoping it will look purposeful and maybe even a little fashionable. “I didn’t realize you were joining us for dinner.” I try to keep the animosity from my voice because he did just help me out, but I’m not sure I succeeded entirely.

  “Chase said he wanted to go over some wedding stuff with me.” He shrugs. “I wasn’t expecting you either.”

  I scoff and try to roll up one of the sleeves, but it’s hard with just one hand.

  “Here, let me.”

  Begrudgingly I hold my arm out and Cole slowly folds up the sleeves, his gaze darting between what he’s doing with his hands and my face. I somehow manage to keep an impassive expression.

  I’m surrounded by his scent and catch myself inhaling deeper to bask in it. His gaze darts to my lips a few times and I resist the urge to lean in and kiss him. Because damn it. Why would I want this man to kiss me after everything that happened in my life because of him?

  He finishes up and takes a step back from me, his hands on his hips. “You do naughty secretary well.”

  I roll my eyes and grab my purse off the desk. “Can we go now?”

  His face hardens instantly. “What is your problem? Seriously?”

  “My only problem right now is that I want out of here and you’re standing in front of the door.”

  He shakes his head. “That doesn’t explain why your mood soured so much when you found out I was Chase’s brother. And don’t tell me it has anything to do with me not being just a bartender. Most girls would be happy to find out I wasn’t just a working Joe.”

  “Well, I’m not that girl, I suppose.” I move to take a step forward and he raises a hand to stop me.

  “Suit yourself. But if you’re not going to tell me, at least drop the bitch act. It doesn’t suit you.” He spins on his heel and swings the door open forcibly.

  I raise my chin and follow behind him, trying to stitch together the small part of my dignity that’s left as I walk with fake confidence back through the dining room. I need this night to be over. Sitting across from Cole all evening pretending he doesn’t affect me is going to take its toll. I just want it over and done with.

  “Are you okay?” Tahlia looks so concerned as I take the seat across from her. Cole holds the chair out for me and pushes it in after I’ve sat down.

  “Thank you,” I mutter then direct my attention back to Tahl. “I’m fine. Apparently utter mortification can’t actually kill you.” I give her a small smile.

  She reaches across the table to squeeze my hand. “I can’t believe that happened.” She looks like she wants to laugh so I let her off the hook and smile a genuine smile at her. Sure enough a small giggle escapes.

  Chase interrupts us a moment later. “All right, let’s start dinner. I have to swing back by the office.”

  Tahlia shoots him a look and straightens in her chair then motions the waiter over to us.

  Later on, the waiter has just cleared the table of our appetizers when an awkward silence descends.

  Cole leans back in his chair and it’s hard not to notice how that action stretches the fabric over his muscled chest. He catches me admiring him and I immediately glance away, not interested in seeing the satisfied grin I’m sure is spreading across his face.

  “So, why exactly have you two summoned us here tonight? I have to assume it has something to do with the wedding?” Cole asks.

  “We didn’t summon you,” Chase says with no small amount of irritation in his voice.

  Cole scoffs. “You asked me to join you, I told you I had somewhere I needed to be, and you insisted that I be here anyway. What would you call it?” Cole stares at his younger brother, his mouth in a straight line.

  “Well, we want to thank you both for being here,” Tahlia says, ever the good hostess and peacemaker.

  “Of course,” I say, meaning it. Even though being around Cole is the last thing I want, Tahlia is one of my best friends and I’d do anything for her.

  “We’ve set a date for the wedding,” Chase says.

  “That’s amazing!” I glance over at my friend and she’s beaming. “When is it?”

  “Well… that’s the thing.” She’s playing with her wine glass on the table, spinning the base around and around, and it makes me think she’s nervous. “You know how I’ve always wanted to have my reception at the Julia Morgan Ballroom, right?”

  I nod my head. Tahlia, or maybe her mother more accurately, has been planning her wedding since she was a young girl and she’s never wavered in her desire to have her reception at San Francisco’s most exclusive special events venue.

  “Well, we inquired about a date and it turns out they’re completely booked up on spring and summer weekends for the next few years. But… they did have a couple recently cancel. The only problem is that it’s about nine months away. May to be exact.”

  “That’s quick,” Cole says.

  “That’s where you guys come in,” Chase responds.

  “We don’t want to have to wait three years to get married and so, as maid of honor and best man, we’re hoping we can count on you guys for help.”

  Wait, Cole is the best man? This is the first I’ve heard of this little nugget of information.

  “What do you need?” I ask.

  “We’re hoping that we can pass along some of the smaller jobs to you two. We’re both so busy at work, it’s going to be hard to run around the city and get everything done in time.”

  I ignore the pang in my chest over her work comment because I know she doesn’t mean I have all the time in the world because I don’t have a job. I’m just being ultra-sensitive.

  “I thought your mom would’ve hired the best wedding planner in the city.” I pick up my glass of wine and take a small sip.

  “She tried, but this lady doesn’t know her ass from a hole in the ground. I’m not comfortable leaving everything in her hands.”

  Tahlia confessed once that what she really wanted to be if she hadn’t felt pressured to join the family business was an event planner, so I’m guessing Tahl is a tough customer to please.

  “Can we count on you?” I think Chase is directing that question to both of us, but he’s looking at his brother with a pointed stare.

  “Of course you can. Whit and I are more than happy to help out the happy couple. Aren’t we?” Cole’s hand clamps down on my shoulder and I inhale a quick breath as the warmth seeps into my skin. What Tahl and Chase can’t see, but I can feel, is the way Cole is rubbing his thumb back and forth over my skin.

  I glance over at him and he’s wearing a shit-eating grin and I know it’s because he’s aware of how his touch is affecting me.

  Since I can’t get into it with him in front of Tahl and Chase, I merely give him a small smile and say, “Of course.”

  “Great.
” Tahlia claps her hands together in front of her. “I knew we could count on you guys.”

  “We’ll do whatever it takes.”

  As the words leave my mouth I know I mean them, but at the same time I can’t help the feeling that I both dread and look forward to exactly what that will entail.

  9

  I plop face first onto my bed as soon as I get home, letting out a groan that probably makes it sound as if I’m in pain.

  I’m not. Not really. Truth is I’m trying to figure out how I’m going to spend so much time around Cole without ripping either his head or his clothes off. The guy is an arrogant ass and I refuse to be his plaything for however long I interest him, only to be tossed aside when he’s had his fill.

  A scratching on the other side of the door has me pushing up off the mattress and walking to the other side of the room to see what the hell that sound is.

  Sparky.

  I forgot about that little guy.

  He comes right on in as if he’s been invited. Which, he most certainly has not.

  “What do you want, powder puff?”

  He sits down at my feet, little tail wagging and his small pink tongue hanging out of one side of his mouth.

  “What?” I have next to no experience with dogs since my grandparents didn’t have any growing up. I have no idea what this mutt wants.

  Arf.

  “Shhh, you’re going to wake everyone up.”

  Arf.

  “Shh,” I say again and bend over to pet him in case that’s what he’s looking for. Sparky closes his eyes like he’s in bliss. As soon as I pull away his eyes snap back open and I swear if pets have expressions his is saying, What they hell are you stopping for?

  I ignore his silent plea and lie back on the bed, drawing in a deep breath before weighing my options.

  After I left the restaurant Tahl called me to ask if I was really okay working with Cole and I assured her I was.

  I could fess up and tell her what happened with Cole and explain why, on top of what happened years ago, I’m uncomfortable having to spend a lot of time with him. Tahlia will understand, but it will cause her more stress in what I’m sure will be an already stressful time in her life. Especially since the wedding is now so close.

  Or I can be an adult about it and put my feelings for Cole aside—both the irritation and the attraction that I seem to feel when it comes to San Francisco’s foremost bachelor. I close my eyes and try to picture myself being around Cole. Having to text Cole. Run things by Cole. It will be difficult, but not impossible. Surely, I can toe the line and not allow the two of us to either fall in bed with each other (because I don’t really think Tahlia would be happy about that), or become mortal enemies (because I know Tahlia wouldn’t be happy about that).

  I hear some high-pitched whimpering from the floor so I roll onto my side and see Sparky still there. At his feet is the blouse I had on earlier that had all the food spilled on it. Anger heats my face. It’s shredded into a bunch of different pieces. There’s no saving it. Death by dog.

  Sparky must have pulled it out of my tote purse on the floor and chowed down.

  “Bad dog,” I scold.

  He hangs his head in what I guess must be shame and I feel a little guilty. But really, he’s just ruined one of my nicer pieces. One I can’t afford to replace.

  I roll onto my back again and let out a big puff of air. So far things haven’t been exactly what I expected when I moved home to San Francisco. I figured I’d find a job right away, spend my nights out with the girls, live life like I was back in college. Instead Tahlia’s getting married, Lennon’s off getting laid and trying to build a sex toy empire, and I have a small rodent destroying my clothing.

  Something catches my eye and I turn to see Sparky jumping up and down beside the bed.

  Huh. I didn’t even know dogs could jump straight up like that.

  He eyeballs me every time he comes eye level with the bed, but he’s not able to jump high enough to make it onto the mattress.

  “Do you want on the bed?”

  Arf.

  I’m going to assume that’s a yes and so the next time he’s airborne I reach out with both hands and catch the little squirmer mid-flight then set him gently on the bed.

  “Is this what you wanted?”

  In answer, he leans in and licks my face.

  “Gross.” I wipe the dog saliva off my cheek with the sleeve of Cole’s shirt. I probably should have changed out of it as soon as I arrived home. Should have. But didn’t.

  Sparky licks me again as soon as I’ve removed all traces of him from my cheek.

  “Stop that,” I say with a laugh. The mangy mutt must think I like it because he tries to lick me again. This time I’m quicker and I pick him up and place him back on the floor.

  Arf.

  “Shh.”

  Arf.

  I sigh. “Fine, you can come back up, but you can’t lick me, you understand? If you do you’re going back on the floor, got it?”

  Sparky sits and wags his tail furiously.

  I reach down and lift him back up on the mattress. This time instead of heading for my face he curls in beside me and lies down. I let him stay there because he looks comfortable and it doesn’t seem worth it to bother him. That’s what I tell myself anyway, because it absolutely cannot be that I find this little mongrel somewhat cute.

  I know what I have to do.

  I have to suck it up and find some way to work with Cole. Before that can happen, we need to come to an understanding. An agreement of sorts.

  We’re both adults, so it shouldn’t be that hard, right?

  10

  Make-up. Check.

  Cute hair. Check.

  Skinny jeans. Check.

  Fitted shirt that shows my curves. Check.

  My final once-over in the mirror doesn’t exactly reveal me to be femme fatale status, but if I do say so myself, I look attractive and at least I’m not stinking drunk or covered in a plateful of food. Progress.

  A soft knock at the door has me turning in that direction. My grandma pokes her head through with a knowing smile. “Honey, there’s a nice boy at the door to see you.” I crook my head and scrunch my forehead. “Pretty sure he said his name is Cole.”

  What the hell is he doing here?

  After coming to terms with the fact that I would have to make nice with Cole, I got his number from Tahlia under the guise that I would need it to help with the wedding. I texted and asked if he wanted to meet. We’re supposed to be meeting at Golden Gate Park in half an hour. I figured a neutral meeting spot sans alcohol would be best.

  “He’s here? At the front door?”

  She simply nods and turns, leaving my room.

  I scramble to grab my purse, slip on my shoes, and in seconds I’m bounding down the stairs.

  Cole is at the front door speaking with my grandpa and he turns his head and smiles at me when he hears me. And what a smile it is.

  I swear I hear angels singing and the clouds part, casting sunlight all over him through the glass of the front door. This man is too much. Too much everything—confidence, beauty, swagger, and anything else that describes a person who makes your breath hitch every time you see him.

  “What are you doing here?” I ask him and his smile falters. Just a bit at the corner, but I don’t miss it.

  My grandma reaches out and lightly smacks my arm. “Whitney, that’s no way to talk to a guest in our home.”

  “I didn’t invite him to be a guest in our home.”

  “That’s okay, Mrs. Knight.” Cole laughs it off. “I actually wasn’t invited. We had plans to meet at the park and since Whitney doesn’t have a car right now I figured I’d swing by and get her.”

  “That’s very thoughtful of you,” my grandpa adds.

  “How did you know I don’t have a car?” I’m racking my brain trying to remember telling him that and I’ve got nothing.

  He gives me a meaningful look. “You mentioned it the night w
e met.”

  “Oh.” I look down and fidget with my fingers as if I’m going to be caught by my grandparents for having done something I wasn’t supposed to.

  Sparky, who was somewhere in the back of the house, comes trotting into the living room, his little nails clicking on the hardwood.

  “This little guy is Sparky,” my grandma tells Cole by way of introduction.

  “Well, hello there, Sparky.” Cole smiles down at the dog.

  Without missing a beat the little powder puff walks right up to Cole, sniffs his ankle, then raises up and starts humping his leg. Sparky’s little hips push back and forth so fast and with so much determination it’s hard not to be impressed.

  “Oh, goodness,” my grandma says and puts her hands over her face.

  Cole is now holding his leg out to his side like he has no idea what to do and I laugh because this is probably the only time he didn’t know how to handle someone who wants to bang him.

  Still laughing, I lean over and snatch Sparky up off his leg. It takes the little guy a second to realize what I’ve done because his hips are still moving in midair until I set him back down on the floor.

  “Sorry about that,” I say to Cole, who seems a little uncomfortable for the first time since I met him. “Bad dog,” I say to Sparky, but really who am I to scold him? I get it, Sparky. Believe me, I get it. I want to screw him, too.

  “Would you mind taking him with you to the park?” my grandma asks. “He could use some fresh air. We were going to go earlier, but your grandpa wasn’t feeling up to it.”

  “Are you okay?” I ask the man who raised me.

  “Your grandma worries too much. I’m fine, sweet pea.” A warm feeling permeates my chest at his use of the term of endearment he’s called me my whole life.

  “We’d love to take him,” Cole says before I can decline.

  I roll my eyes. Why is Cole pretending he’s a nice guy for my grandparents’ benefit? What does he care?

  “Let me grab his leash,” my grandma says and walks over to the front hall closet. She pulls a red leash off a hook on the inside of the door.