Twenty minutes later his mind was made up. He wanted to get to know Brooklyn better. Hell, he wanted to explore those sensual lips and that sexy body that looked exceptional whether she wore a dress, short skirt, or a pair of skinny jeans. Then he immediately thought of his brothers. Zeke would be on board. He was already talking about her at home and about his curiosity as to what kind of woman she was and how attractive he thought she was. Jagger would be a bit resistant. He hadn’t dated anyone in over a year. His job didn’t leave much downtime, but that was all his doing. His brother owned the company—the business basically ran itself with the type of managers and employees he had working under him—but he was a workaholic. Aero always thought he did that on purpose to hide from what he really wanted.
With money and power like they all had, they caught the attention of women who were after them for all that stuff, besides maybe a chance to say they had a ménage encounter. He felt a little guilty about those indiscretions at the moment. Like he was used goods or something for fucking around over the years with women looking for fun. He didn’t know why. Maybe because he met Brooklyn, a woman who immediately interested him in more ways than just sexually? It was instant, that was for sure, and the fact that she seemed resistant wasn’t a turn-off, but a turn-on.
He watched her now as she looked so serious and asked really good questions of Jesse about the security system. Jesse was no longer flirting but actually giving her more information than Aero ever heard him give a potential client. She had that effect on people. Hell, on men.
His gut tightened. Finnian was never going to let his guard down around a woman like Brooklyn. Hell, around any woman, but he knew Finnian well enough to see that his eyes were on Brooklyn, too, even though he would deny it.
“Well, I have to say that you’ve given me way more information than the other guy who came in yesterday. I have one more guy coming in any minute now.”
“Do you mind if I ask who they are? My company does most of the jobs throughout the nearby counties, never mind the state. It’s always important to know the competition,” Jesse asked her.
“Sure, that’s understandable and I can relate. The name of the guy is Les Walters from In Line.”
Aero squinted his eyes at her and then Jesse looked at him with an annoyed expression. Les was a hack who did shitty work and left a lot of damage in his path, and then he pushed for the client to hire an associate who did construction and repairs. Before long, a client was in the hole and spending more money than they originally took on.
“Okay, spit it out. You know the guy, and by both of your expressions, it seems he may not be legit or something,” she said and crossed her arms in front of her chest, but then she winced and held her hand in front of her. Aero could see the blood coming through the bandage.
“We don’t like to talk badly of other contractors, but just be careful and follow your gut. If you have any questions, call one of us and we’ll clear up any problems,” Jesse said to her.
“That’s good of you, and a smart move. How about I meet with this guy and see what he has to say? I can’t make a decision anyway until the zoning board meets and everyone shows up to approve my addition,” she said and winked at Aero.
Jesse chuckled. “I get the feeling that Finnian will be there for the meeting and you’ll be set to get started on things by next week. I appreciate you taking the time to meet with us, and again, any other questions or concerns, just call. I hang out here a lot, so even if you see me and something pops into your head, you ask away. I’ll make time for you, Brooklyn,” he said and winked.
Aero again felt jealousy hit his gut, but one look from Jesse and he had a feeling his good friend knew that Aero was interested in Brooklyn. But just in case he wasn’t, he made another move.
Aero stepped closer and took her bandaged hand into his. She stared up at him and didn’t move back, so he felt like he was making progress.
“Sweetie, it’s bleeding through. You may need a couple of stitches after all.”
“You think so?” she asked, holding his gaze. He stared at her lips and placed his other hand on her hip. He caressed it and she stirred a little. It made him think she was a bit skittish and maybe not used to a man touching her so much when there was this instant attraction.
“Let me bring you by the doctor’s office? I’ll call Nevin right now and see if he is available.” He licked his lower lip and her gorgeous green eyes watched his tongue.
“I can’t, though. I have that guy coming in about security and some things to get prepared for the evening crowd.”
He reached up and pressed a stray hair away from her cheek.
“How about you call me when you’re done with him? I’ll text Nevin, bring you by there, and then get you back as quickly as possible.”
Suddenly she stepped back, pulled her hand from his, and then looked at Jesse and then back at him.
“I can handle it myself. There’s no need to trouble you,” she said and he was surprised by her sudden push away from him.
“It’s not trouble. Just helping you out and I’m concerned over that hand and the deep cut.”
She looked past him and he saw what looked like a disappointed expression but then she smiled.
“Come on over, I’m just finishing up here,” she said and he glanced behind him to see Les Walters and his asshole brother Derek. Les gave him a dirty look and Derek smirked but then his eyes landed on Brooklyn.
“Brooklyn, so nice to see you again. This is my brother, Derek.” Les shook her hand and he held it a moment. “What happened? Are you okay?” he asked.
She pulled her bandaged hand to her chest. “Oh, just a little cut, I’m fine,” she said. Then Derek reached his hand out and Aero could see how he looked her body over like he wanted her.
“You sure you don’t need to see a doctor? It’s bleeding through the bandage,” Derek asked and then stood really close to her. She looked at Aero.
“I’m seeing him in a little bit. Do you guys know Aero and Jesse?” she asked.
“Sure do. It’s nice to see you guys. So, Brooklyn, where do you want to start? I got some great ideas for the place, which, by the way, is awesome. We love coming here. In fact, our brothers will be here tonight, too. Maybe we could talk some more if you have further questions after today?” Les suggested. He was totally flirting with her, the prick.
Brooklyn held his gaze with a reserved expression. “Maybe. We’ll see. So let’s get started,” she said very diplomatically and Aero hoped she could see through this asshole’s bullshit.
“I’ll text you in a little bit,” Aero said to her and she nodded as Jesse gave his shoulder a tap and they both headed out of the restaurant. He was pissed off.
“She’s a smart woman, she’ll pick up on their bullshit right away.”
“I fucking hope so. Did you see how that dick Derek was fucking drooling over her?” he asked as they met by their trucks in the parking lot.
Jesse chuckled.
“I think you have a little bit of something by your lip,” Jesse told him and Aero reached up and wiped at his mouth. Jesse chuckled.
“What?”
“Your own drool over her,” he teased him and Aero shook his head and then chuckled. He placed his hands on his hips.
“What the fuck, man?” Aero said and glanced back at the restaurant.
“You can’t go back in there. Just play it cool and take your time. Brooklyn seems like a smart woman who knows a lot of shit. By what I’ve heard around town, and about her turning down every offer from any guy interested, I’d say she isn’t easy or looking for a relationship.”
Aero squinted his eyes at Jesse. “You’ve heard that men have asked her out and she declined them?”
“You and your brothers have been on a lot of jobs lately. Word is she’s declined offers of guardianship.”
“Guardianship? Who the fuck would immediately ask the Chief for guardianship of her? She doesn’t even seem to date.”
; Jesse shrugged his shoulders. “I heard she’s declined any offers of support from any men, yet she gives support to other men and women. Look at Ledger. He was a lost cause, and down and out, giving up on the battle of life and letting shit win. He meets her, and suddenly he’s cleaning up his act and working here, surviving the battlefield of life. She’s special, that’s for sure.”
Aero ran his fingers through his hair.
“But hey, she seemed interested in you. She didn’t pull away until you got all serious about taking her to the doctor for stitches. She allowed you to take care of her hand, and I noticed she didn’t push your hands away as you took every opportunity to touch her, or guide her with a hand at her lower back. So maybe she kind of likes you.”
“She’s different, Jesse. There’s something about her.”
“Well, that’s how it happens,” Jesse said and gave him a wink.
Jesse remained by the door to his truck. He reached for the handle and then stopped as he pulled it open.
“What about your brothers? They interested, too?” he asked.
“You know my brothers.”
“I sure as shit do. Could have the makings for a disaster, especially with Finnian and Jagger’s attitudes. Those two demand a lot of people and they don’t trust easily. Zeke has his hang-ups, too.”
“Tell me about it.”
Jesse chuckled. “Good luck. Maybe if we get this job you’ll have the opportunity to take your time getting to know Brooklyn and things will fall into place.” He gave him a wink.
“Maybe you’ll get the chance to learn more about Carina. She’s a really pretty young woman.”
Jesse’s eyes squinted at him. “The key word is young. Maybe too young. She ran from me,” he said and Aero chuckled.
“Wouldn’t be the first woman you scared off with your dominant ways.”
“Thanks a lot.”
“I’ll talk to you later,” Aero said and Jesse got into his truck.
Aero glanced back one more time before he got into his truck and headed out of the parking lot. He wondered if Brooklyn would call him about the stitches and going to see Nevin. As he thought that, he realized there was no way the stubborn woman would call him or let him take her there. That wasn’t Brooklyn’s style. It seemed to him if she was turning down dates and pushing interested men away, that perhaps she had been with the wrong kind of men and someone did her wrong. He didn’t know, but Brooklyn was way too special to ignore and not keep trying to get to know better. Hopefully she chose them to do the security work for the place and not In Line Securities.
* * * *
Brooklyn was trying to keep her cool but Derek and Les were so full of shit and they kept trying to touch her. Besides that, she wasn’t stupid. She had seen him and his crew of shit come into the place and have a lot of beers and hit on all the women. They didn’t cause any trouble, but she could have sworn that one of the guys he had as an employee was snooping around in the hallway by her office a few weeks back. When her office had been broken into, her first thought was that it could have been him.
Now, as Les talked to her about precautions and even mentioned the break-in, her gut instincts kicked in. Could he have planned that so she would be fearful and believe his concern over her well-being and the security of the restaurant? She learned to read people well and this guy was a bullshitter, big time. The thought that he would stoop so low to get this job really pissed her off. She’d had enough of their slimy flirting and their inappropriate comments about her body and her own security and safety that she ended the meeting quickly.
“Well, I’ll be in touch if I’m interested in investigating your services further,” she said to him. He seemed very surprised, as if she were bullshitting him.
“We can negotiate the bid. Plus, usually when we do this kind of work, you may need some touch-ups on the walls and things. We have a cousin who does construction and I can get him in here really cheap.”
What an asshole. He would probably cause more damage than necessary so his cousin could make some money and she would be in over her head and out a lot of cash.
“I’ll keep that in mind, but to be honest, I am interviewing a bunch of companies, both construction and security. I’ve gotten a lot of recommendations.”
“If you mean Cartwright construction, and even that security company Jesse Cortland has, you be real careful. Finnian and Jagger are high-priced and they have aggressive attitudes. A pretty young thing like you could fall into their trap.” He eyed her body over. “If ya know what I mean?”
“No. I don’t, but I need to get moving. Thanks for taking the time to explain what your ideas are.”
“You should be smart about this. Especially after someone breaks into your office while people are around. That’s brazen shit, and could happen again if you don’t get on top of your security fast,” Derek said to her and she felt like it was a threat. She squinted at him and Les gave his shoulder a shove and then he plastered on a smile for her.
“She’ll make the right decision,” he added and she felt the same thing.
“Yes, I will. Thanks again,” she said and turned to walk away. When she glanced over her shoulder, both men were looking around the place and back by her office again. She knew they were shit and had a feeling her gut was right on target and that guy who worked for them was the one who broke into her office. She would surely look out for that character.
“Finally got rid of them, huh?” Ledger asked.
“God, they were so annoying, and badmouthing every other company I have coming in here to give estimates for everything. Hell, I should just cancel them all. I don’t even have the approval yet,” she said as she sat down at the bar and looked at her bandaged hand. The blood was more obvious now.
“Well, whatever you do, don’t go with those guys. Seriously consider Aero and Jesse for security. Both men were in the military and worked for the government for years. They know their shit and have worked on low-end to high-end systems. Pretty crazy shit that Aero did as a soldier.”
“Really? He seems so calm and compassionate,” she said. She ran her hand over the bandage, remembering his touch and how turned on she had been by it, by him. She pushed those thoughts away. She didn’t need another man in her life giving her hell and making her miserable.
“What did you think about Les and Derek?”
She looked at Ledger. “Total assholes who are full of shit.”
He chuckled. “Good. Just making sure you weren’t attracted to them or something.”
“What? Why the hell would I be?”
“They were trying to touch you a bunch. I did notice you push their hands away and even sidestep a few times. You didn’t do that with Aero,” he said and gave her a wink.
She felt her cheeks warm.
“Don’t read anything into it, Ledger. I don’t date and I definitely don’t do ménages.”
“Ahhh, so you like his brothers, too? Interesting.”
“I didn’t say that. I don’t even know them, and you should know that Finnian and I are enemies.”
“Enemies? How so? I did see him in here the other night checking you out with his brothers. They couldn’t take their eyes off of you.”
“Well, in that case I shouldn’t even consider them for the construction work or the security job.”
“That would be stupid. They’re the best. I’m not pushing for you to get involved with them.”
“Oh, really? Because since I opened this place I have had everyone from the owner of the hardware store, the clerk in the shopping center, the mailman, the delivery guy, and so forth all either flirt with me and ask me out or recommend a man—or men—for me to date or allow to be my guardians. I think everyone should know that getting into a relationship right now is not going to happen.”
Ledger nodded his head and wiped out the inside of a beer mug.
“How about you, Ledger? You’re a good-looking guy. Can be pretty nice when you’re not in one of your pissed-off mood
s,” she asked him and gave him a wink.
“I’ve been good lately.”
She raised one of her eyebrows up at him in a challenge to that statement.
“I have been,” he snapped at her and she chuckled.
“Not yesterday, as I recall.”
“One bad day and I get shit,” he stated and threw his hands up into the air.
“One mistake with the schedule that you jotted down so quickly.”
“What? I wasn’t supposed to work until the night shift.”
“And one particular waitress had volunteered to switch her night shift for a day shift so Chloe could go on a date.”
“What does that have to do with me?”
“Oh, nothing, except that you always work the same shifts as Amber, and constantly keep an eye on her. Just noticing that.”
He squinted his eyes at her.
“She’s a sweet kid. I feel protective of her and bad that she has to worry all day about leaving Ella. It’s not right for her to have to not be with her baby.”
“Well, she needs to work and support them. No Prince Charming around to take all her problems away, you know?”
She watched his eyes and could tell he was thinking about that. It was obvious to her that he liked Amber and was definitely protective of her. If any men hit on her or asked him her name, he told them to back off. She wondered if Amber would come around and give him a chance. Brooklyn had a feeling that Ledger being a soldier held her back. Plus, she wasn’t over her husband yet.
The phone at the bar rang and Ledger went to answer it. Brooklyn looked at her hand and felt the ache. It was a bad cut. She really hoped that she didn’t need stitches.
“It’s for you,” Ledger said and gave her a smile. By his expression, he was amused at who the caller was. She answered it.
“Hi, Brooklyn. It’s Dr. Cortland. A little birdie told me that you cut your hand pretty good and were stopping by for me to look at it. I’m free in about fifteen minutes.”
The Battlefield Series 1: Let It Go (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 7