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“So, Gwen, you are very hard to read, but I’m going to do my best Animal lover, all business, a bit bossy, but there is something else too. You have the most beautiful eyes; I could look at them all night.” Morgan was holding her hand and staring at her. Suddenly, Amanda was completely forgotten, except for the way she looked at me with interest.
Gwen laughed. “Oh, thank you. I love your hair.”
Someone walked by, and in his usual careless, but not overly rude, way Morgan called the person over to our little table with neon lights surrounding it.
“Yes, let me get this lovely lady a Smack in the Face with a side of Red-Hot Lover.” He winked at her.
I tried to remember what was in those two drinks exclusively served at the Moonlight Bar while my brother tried to steal Gwen right out from under my nose. He’d managed to slide his arm around her back as they sat, his eyes fully focused on her. My blood was already boiling.
“I don’t like to drink too much. What’s in those drinks you ordered for me?” Gwen turned to my brother, a sweet smile on her lips, and I watched, fascinated by her direct manner with my brother.
I was curious to see how he would react and what she would say or do. He waved his hand in the air as the server brought the drinks straight from the bar. Morgan was kind enough to offer the pretty server a tip. He made her bend down to accept a kiss and then stuffed it down her top.
“Don’t worry about that, darling. I plan on getting you drunk and seeing if my dear brother and I can take advantage of you two fine ladies. Maybe we’ll do a little swap and have a bit of fun.”
He should have been embarrassed, or downright ashamed, of how he was talking to a woman he didn't even know. Still, he had no qualms about it, and that was just another reason why my brother was working for me instead of with me. He couldn’t behave himself.
Gwen laughed. Her eyes scanned the table, stopping at Amanda, who sat quietly beside me smiling back, and then to me. “Well, I’m not so sure what your brother had in mind for us when we came here to see you, but I am certain he does not intend to share me with you. And to be honest, you're beautiful, but I’m not interested.”
I felt like I’d been struck by lightning and survived. I had to contain the smile that was threatening to erupt into a fit of laughter as I looked at my brother, who was clearly too shocked to say anything. Morgan recovered quickly.
“Well, she has spunk James, I didn't know it was like that. When’s the wedding?”
Morgan looked bored. Suddenly, he wasn’t interested in flirting with Gwen anymore and turned his attention to me. “So, what’s up brother? What brings you to my neck of the woods, since I know it’s not just to say hello.”
“Actually, it is. I wanted to introduce you to our newest employee. I'm taking her home, back to California, and she’s going to be working with me on expanding the east coast market if all goes well.”
He smiled. I knew that was coming. He patted his knee so Amanda would come to sit, and she did it like some silly young girl. I was thankful for Gwen and her somewhat bossy, take-no-shit attitude, even if she rubbed me the wrong way now and then. Although, the idea of her sitting on my lap like a princess might have its sexual perks.
Morgan laughed. “Well, I guess Martie is out the window now. What happened there? Nothing, I guess. She’s madly in love with one man, and a boring one at that. He brought that lovely little gem to New York the last time when he had plans for the Chelsea Market. She was quite the looker. You’ll meet her, she’s a lot of fun.”
I watched the interplay between my brother and Gwen and waited for her to put him in his place. I was curious to know how she was going to do it. Morgan had no control in Renegade Wear. He was a co-creator but had no say. He cared not one bit who did what or why, but I wanted to know how he would react to this new development.
My brother Morgan lost himself when he lost his wife after she cheated. I knew he would never be the same. As long as he was as happy as he could be, that was all that mattered. He liked to play, live in the lap of luxury, while I worked hard to make the money and that was it.
At times, we were at each other's throats because we were so different, but it didn't really matter to me. I had work to do, places to travel to, and business to conduct. If he wanted to fuck his way through life and sit back and watch the show, who was I to say anything? I had my own perversions, but I would always take care of my family.
Gwen sipped the fire-engine-red drink I knew was the Red-Hot Lover and smiled. “Actually, I know Martie quite well. She’s, my cousin. And she is beautiful and a lot of fun. As for her relationship status, I happen to know her man keeps her quite busy. We talk all the time. I’ll send her your regards.”
Gwen laughed. I saw the look on my brother’s face; he frowned, then snapped out of it and pulled Amanda’s head down so he could kiss her. Gwen was irritating Morgan, and he didn't know what to do. It was about damn time someone did that.
Seeing their passionate kiss, Gwen and I looked at each other, the air between us charged. She seemed neither upset nor angry, and she was looking good with the drink she’d barely drank.
I had something I needed to tell her. It was something that had been nagging at me all night, and I wasn't sure how she was going to take it. We spent the next few hours dancing and making small talk with my brother.
Numerous times, I caught him staring at Gwen, his interest clear, and I sent him a warning glance when he looked in my direction with a smile on his lips. Of course, in typical Morgan fashion, he’d lift his hands in the air, signaling that he wasn’t pursuing her, and grin. He was up to no good. He hated that she was so assertive with him, but on the same note, he secretly loved it. That was just Morgan.
When I caught up with him in the bathroom shortly before we were going to leave, he stopped me while he fussed with his crazy hair in the mirror. “You know, she’s cute, I like her. She’s a little feisty, but she might be good for you, at least for a little fun. Not sure how everyone else is going to take it, you bringing your bed partner to the office, but who knows?”
Morgan turned to me, all serious. “One thing. That woman needs a makeover, bad. Not her hair or face, she’s absolutely stunning in that department, and those curves, wow!Butthose clothes — she has absolutely no taste in clothing. She needs some style if she’s going to represent you and me. Get her a new wardrobe, or I’m going to come to California and do it myself. If I do that, I’m also going to have to sample the goods. She’s too sexy and fiery not to have a taste. Amanda is so jealous, but she’s just lucky I love older women.”
My brother was rude. There were no two ways about it, and it was one of the reasons I was the face of Renegade Wear. He had no finesse and no censor when it came to dealing with people. Morgan was just as likely to spit in a woman’s face as he was to kiss her lips.
“Noted, and I was going to have that discussion with her when I got her home. We’re leaving tomorrow, and I plan on taking her shopping when I get her back to California before she makes her first appearance in the office.” I flipped my hair off my forehead and turned for the door.
“Everyone associated with us, and Renegade Wear has an appearance to uphold. We must be stylish and look a certain way. You know this.”
He kept drilling it into my head, and I wondered what was really bothering him about Gwen since Morgan was never a downer. He was forever the party guy — Mr. Fun — and always more concerned with having a good time than business.
