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Chapter 1 – Brock
“I’ll be right back,” I yelled to my brothers as I went out into the bar to grab a beer.
My brothers, Brady, Brendan, and I, were playing at the bar tonight, and were scheduled to go on in another fifteen minutes, but I really needed a beer. It had been a long week at work. Our band, Whiskey Heat, was just for fun … My real job was running my painting business, and it took a lot out of me.
I’d started out painting houses for my parents’ friends, which they’d booked out of pity after my parents died, and I’d grown it into a successful business. I was proud of the fact that I’d built something that would not only support me, but my brothers as well. It wasn’t easy, and although I loved playing these gigs with my brothers, I was pretty fucking tired by the end of the week.
“Fat Tire,” I said to the bartender. Beer was free on the nights we were playing; shit, it was even free on the nights we weren’t. Fast Eddie, the owner, was also a customer. I’d painted his bar, inside and out, within the last year, so I always drank for free.
I was enjoying the cool relief of the beer sliding down my throat, enjoying the calm before the storm, when a soft hand on my bicep made me turn.
“Hey,” Gaby said as I turned, all smiles and sunshine. That’s what she’d always reminded me of … sunshine. We’d dated for a while a few months ago, but it had ended when I walked in on her kissing Scott, her current boyfriend. I’d been pissed initially, but now that some time had passed, I realized I hadn’t been in love with her. Plus, they were obviously happy, to the point of moving in together, so I figured we were all better off.
I wasn’t holding any grudges.
“Hey, sweet girl.” I gave her a smile. “You guys here for the show?”
“Yup.” Gaby turned and pointed over to where her group was seated. My buddies, TJ and Cal, along with Cal’s wife Shelly and TJ’s fiancé Sasha, were all in a tall table by the dance floor.
“Scottnot here?” I asked when I didn’t see him.
“He’s working late, but he’ll be here before your set’s over.”
“Sounds good, I’ll see you after.”
She bounded off back to her friends and I finished my beer. As I placed the empty bottle on the counter, I cocked it toward the bartender, indicating I’d like another. I’d take it up on stage with me to sip on throughout our set. I always worked up a sweat when we performed.
I was waiting for my beer when the hint of something spicy and expensive wafted toward me. I turned my head to see the back of a woman. She wasn’t dressed for a night at the bar. At least, not a bar like this one. Even from behind she looked like she belonged in a country club. Her skirt was long enough to be demure, but the way it hugged her ass clued me in to the fact that the ass was magnificent, no matter what the package. Her blouse was tucked in the skirt, and she wore stockings with her high heels. Definitely not jiving with the jeans and T-shirts most of the other patrons were wearing.
I let myself fantasize that the stockings led to garters underneath that fancy skirt, as her perfume did crazy things to my senses. I felt my dick harden as my fantasies got away from me, then the bartender interrupted by saying, “Here’s your beer, Brock,” and I saw her stiffen before she turned to look at me.
Her hair was dark brown and fell past her shoulders, straight and silky. Her face was striking. It could have been beautiful, if she’d ever fucking smile … Instead, it always looked pinched and unhappy.
“Hello, Brock,” Victoria said dryly. Her eyebrow rose as if she thought I was standing next to her on purpose.
Snooty Bitch.
“Tori,” I tipped my beer to her in greeting, suppressing my grin as I waited for her reaction. I knew I’d get one. “Here for the show?”
“It’s Victoria, and no, I’m not here for the show,” she answered. Even when she spoke she looked constipated.
“Why are you here then?” I asked, not because I cared, just to irritate her.
She huffed out a breath, the loss of control almost cute, then spat out, “Not that it’s any of your business, but I’m supposed to be meeting my sister. She hasn’t shown up yet.”
“I didn’t know you had a sister,” I replied before taking a pull of my beer. Victoria watched my mouth as I drank, then my throat as I swallowed, and my dick jumped back to life of its own free will. Shit, maybe it’d been too long.
I grinned when she looked up and saw that I’d caught her looking, and she scowled, “Why would you know that I have a sister? You don’t k
now the first thing about me.”
I stepped a bit closer, inserting myself in her space, and when she realized she couldn’t back away, she squared her shoulders and glared at me.
“I could get to know you,” I murmured suggestively, close enough for her to feel my breath on her cheek. She flinched slightly, but maintained her stiff posture.
“Why would you want to do that?” Victoria asked, her voice almost vulnerable. Then laughter off by the dance floor grabbed her attention, and I knew she was looking over at Gaby’s table.
She pulled back and looked up into my face, and I was surprised to see that her eyes were so blue that they were almost purple.
“Don’t think just because we’re rejects of your buddies over there, we have anything in common.”
I turned my head to look deliberately at my friends, then back at her and said deeply, “I’m no one’s reject, Tori, I can promise you that.” Then I tilted my head to look at her, curious. “Are you still hung up on Scott?”
I didn’t know why, but I held my breath as I waited for her response.
She didn’t disappoint when she curled her lip and said, “Absolutely not. If he’d rather be with a mutt than a thoroughbred, that’s his problem.”
I chuckled at her haughty words and replied darkly, “You really do have a stick up your ass, don’t you. I don’t know why I like it, Tori.” I inched closer as I spoke, stopping when my chest brushed hers, and she had to crane her neck to look at me. “But I do. I’d like to help you remove it.”
Her expression turned incredulous and she asked, “Are you hitting on me?”
“I must be doing something wrong if you have to ask,” I replied cockily.
“Why?” That vulnerability flashed again, causing a fire to flick in my belly, then she extinguished it when her face pinched back up again and she asked, “Do you want to make them jealous?”
Maybe she was more hung up on Scott and Gaby than I’d thought. She had been engaged to Scott after all. They’d had a long-term relationship, so it would only make sense that it would take her longer to get over it than me.
Still, there was something about her bitchy attitude and that tight little ass that made me want a taste, no matter the circumstances.
“It could be about revenge, if that’s what you want.” I lowered my head farther and gently took the soft lobe of her ear into my mouth.
The taste was fleeting, but it was potent. Especially coupled with her astonished gasp.
I pulled away, giving her room to breath and think, drinking beer as I watched her thoughts dance across her face. I’d definitely succeeded in confusing her.
The sound of my name being called had me looking up, and I nodded when Fast Eddie indicated it was time for us to go on.
“I have to get on stage now,” I said softly. Victoria looked up at me, then at the stage, confusion on her face.
