"He's what?" Karly pushed.
"He's really hot!" The admission tumbled out. "He's hot, okay."
A bark of laughter roared from Karly. Her body shook so hard she fell into the floor and rolled around in amusement. Claire and Beth both giggled at Talia's embarrassment. Talia tried not to join in, but she couldn't hold back. Laughter bubbled out of her. She'd missed these girls. She vowed never to let a man come between her and her friends again.
"So, I totally think we should go down to Garden and get a peek at your really hot rescuer."
Talia couldn't think of a legit reason to say no. To be honest, she didn't even try. She wouldn't mind seeing him again herself. So she let her friends drag her along with them to the club.
The lighter weeknight crowd at Garden meant no line around the building. They got in and found a table with ease.
"Why couldn't that bouncer have given me the good handstamps? Nothing says baby like a handstamp that says Underage." Karly glared down at the blue ink on her hand like it was poisonous.
"You are underage. He's just doing his job."
"That's beyond the point. I look like a dork."
"You are a dork." Beth pointed at the bar. "That's got to be him, right? He certainly isn't lacking attention, look at that!"
Talia's gaze followed her friend's wild gestures to where Sean stood pouring drinks. Two girls draped themselves over the bar trying to get close to him. Their skimpy dresses and spiked heels drew male gazes from all parts of the club. One of them reached over and laid a hand on Sean's forearm, her intentions clear even from across the club. He shook his head as he pulled away from the flirt's grasp. He sat a couple beers in front of them before turning to another customer.
"Yes, please don't embarrass me in front of him. Caleb did that enough the other night!" Her voice came out in a squeak and set off another round of giggles in her friends.
"How old do you think he is?" Karly asked. Once again she had her nails in her mouth. Disgusting habit.
"Thirty maybe? Give or take a few years," Claire tossed out a guess. She flipped her long blonde hair back away from her face and looked around. Guys were already nudging their buddies and pointing at their table.
Chapter Five
Sean struggled to suppress a groan when the blonde at the end of the bar called his name, pulling him away from his book. Damn, just when it was getting good. She blew him a kiss and waved him over. Her hungry gaze focused on his crotch and his cock shriveled up in protest. Her giggling friend looked like she might achieve lift-off if she flapped those fake lashes any faster. Those two, they never got a clue.
Every damn week one of them would come on to him. When the brunette adjusted her cleavage and licked her lips, staring him down like he was a juicy steak, he plastered on a smile and walked over to take their drink orders. He couldn't help glancing down her dress when she leaned over the bar. He didn't mind window shopping, but he wasn't interested in buying. He encouraged them with a little wink, repeat business. Time would show who the dippy duo took home tonight. Neither ever went home alone, but they sure as fuck wouldn't go home with him.
He extracted himself from the brunette's tentacles and went to pour their drinks. "Hey, Jack, would you stab me if I put you on that end of the bar for the rest of the evening?"
"It wouldn't fucking help, and you know it." Jack nudged him. "They aren't interested in me, boss. They've only got eyes for you. Take one of them home. Loosen up a little."
"Two years of self-imposed celibacy isn't enough to risk playing STD roulette with those ladies. You take one home."
"I'm not that desperate either!" Jack dated about as often as he did. Which was pretty much not at all.
Sean slid their drinks across the hardwood and the blonde blew him another kiss. The brunette pushed a napkin with a lipstick kiss and her number on it into his hand. He sighed and shook his head. At least they bought drinks when they flirted.
"Barracuda #2 gave me her number tonight. You want it?"
"Hell no. You know she's not my type. Too slutty. Too skinny. Entirely too stupid." Jack laughed and went back to pouring drinks.
Sean looked out over the dancers swaying on the hardwood. Seeing no issues on the dance floor, he turned his focus to the booths around the edges of the club. His bouncers stood by the door bullshitting. Not much drama going on tonight, and he hoped it stayed that way.
Was that… Sauntering past Jack to the other end of the bar, he got a better look at the woman who'd caught his attention. Talia sat at one of the pub tables in the back. He had both hoped for, and dreaded, seeing the pretty redhead back in his club. She looked up, so he raised his hand in welcome. She smiled and ducked her head. The girls at the table with her nudged her and laughed. Damn, why'd she have to be so young? The sweet blush that colored her cheeks might make him forget he'd sworn off women.
"Saw that, boss man. You about to get your flirt on?"
"You know, I might. If I had someone who could mix drinks and not pour half my liquor across the bar."
When the drink orders were caught up for a moment, Jack slapped him on the shoulder and nudged him toward the back. "You know damn well that I can handle the bar on a busier night than this. Go on. Make nice with the pretty lady. You've been alone too long, asshole. Hell, we both have."
He strolled over to Talia's table. "Hey, sweetheart, I didn't expect you to be back in here so soon."
Propping a shoulder against the column by the table, he smiled down at Talia. Her face lit up again. She stared down into her soda and didn't acknowledge his presence.
"Talia told us about her adventures here and how this place was absolutely gorgeous. So we thought we'd check it out," a dark-haired girl told him as she flashed him a toothy smile. "She's right, it is! I'd never been in here before, but I'll definitely be back. You must be Sean. I'm Karly, Talia's sister."
He only grunted and kept his focus on Talia. She didn't look up, just stared down into that drink like it held answers to all of her unasked questions. He watched her for a minute and when she didn't say anything, he shrugged and said, "Well, I've got to get back to work. Y'all let me know if you need anything."
Why the hell hadn't she spoken! Surely she was interested if she came back in that fast? Fuck it, he didn't need a girlfriend. Didn't want a girlfriend. Just three more years. Then he could date. He could do three more years. He shook his head in confusion and stomped back to the bar. Jack kept giving him side-eyed glances, but didn't say much. Fuck him, and her. He didn't need this crap. This is why he gave up women to start with. They were too damn distracting. Sean forced himself to focus.
From behind the bar he watched as Talia talked to her friends. Figuring it must be him she didn't want to talk to, Sean brushed her rejection off. He couldn't keep his eyes from drifting her way and he watched as she danced with a couple of guys. When some college punk pulled her close and whispered in her ear, he gripped the bar and growled.
Chapter Six
They'd started in on her as soon as Sean left the table.
"Talia! Why didn't you say anything? He came all the way over here to talk to you, and you just clam up?"
"Girl, he is so into you," Claire fussed. "He's not my type, but he clearly has a thing for you!"
"He doesn't look a thing like Caleb. You know, I was getting tired of looking at all the little pretty boys you have dated. 'Bout time you grew up and found a real man," Beth told her with a wink.
"You're only eighteen, what do you know about real men?" Claire asked.
Running a hand through her spiky dark hair, Beth responded in a saucy tone, "I may not have much experience with men, but, honey, let me tell you, that is a man. I'm not sure you've dated a man yet. If you have, I haven't seen him!"
Their table full of laughing, attractive young women soon caught the attention of the single men in the club. A parade of young men queued up at their table, waiting for dances. Claire and Beth handed their numbers out like candy while Karly and Talia w
ere more reserved and kept to themselves. Talia danced a few times, but the man she wanted to dance with stood behind the bar.
Talia's eyes drifted over to watch Sean more than once. The first time it happened, he raised his eyebrows questioningly. Talia could imagine his response. Why is that silly girl watching me if she won't speak? Caleb had pursued her. She'd never needed to flirt with him. Sean clearly expected her to say or do something, though. She didn't know where to begin. Shyness had gotten the best of her and she couldn't say a word.
Late in the evening, Talia slipped away to the restroom. When she returned, Karly and their friends were gone and a waitress was wiping their table clean. She searched all the tables and the dance floor. Only one person looked familiar.
Crap.
She slipped onto one of the empty barstools and waited for him to come over. "I don't suppose you saw where my friends went?"
"They paid their tab and headed out a few minutes ago. You didn't know they were leaving?"
"No, I went to the bathroom and came back and they were gone. We rode together."
"Ah… Since you told them about being here, and meeting me, I guess you told them I gave you a ride home," he said with confidence, his blue eyes locking in on hers.
"Well, yes, what does that have to do with…" Talia's voice trailed off as her friends' intentions became clear. Lowering her eyes, she cringed in mortification. Heat blazed up her cheeks. With a deep exhale, she found the nerve to meet Sean's eyes.
"They abandoned me so that I would have to ask you for a ride. Again. I'm so sorry. I have like ten bucks in cash on me to pay for the sodas I drank but that's about it. I don't suppose you'd loan me the money for a cab?"
Sean looked at her for a moment. His gaze searched her own, before releasing a sigh of his own. "No, it's okay. Come on, I'll give you a ride." Calling one of the other bartenders over, he slapped him on the shoulder and told him he needed to step out for a few minutes. Glancing over at Talia, the other man winked at Sean before turning his attention back to the beer taps and filling a few pints. Sean guided her out the back hall once more. The heat from his hand on the small of her back bled through the sweater she wore and pooled in her lower abdomen.
"Where's the Harley?" Talia asked, looking around.
"It's supposed to rain later, so I brought my car tonight," he replied, leading her over to a black car.
Damn. No excuse to wrap her arms around him and press herself into his strong back.
He opened the door and tossed a couple of books in the backseat. A perfect gentleman, he held the door for her while she got in. He drove toward her house. Picking up a pen and notepad from the console, she jotted down her number with quick motions.
"What are you doing?"
"Giving you my number, what's it look like?"
"I'm twenty-nine. You're what? Nineteen? Twenty? I can't date you." The disbelief in his voice made her want to whip out her ID and see if that changed his mind.
"I'm twenty-one, actually. How does our age matter? I like you and I think you like me."
"Talia, I can't date someone almost a decade younger. I'm not the guy for you." Snatching the notepad from her hand, he tore the page with her number out. The crumpled paper he stuffed into a leftover fast food cup in the console.
What the hell?
"If you aren't interested, why did you come over to my table?"
"If you're so interested, why didn't you speak when I did?"
She stayed quiet for the remainder of the drive. Sean turned the radio on to drown out the silence which became just shy of unbearable. He kept sneaking peeks at her, though he didn't say anything. The car stopped at the curb in front of her house and he hopped out to hold her door. She refused to make eye contact with him, but he still walked her to the porch.
When they reached the door, he turned her toward him with a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Sweetheart, I'm not what you want. One day you'll look back and think of how I was right about this. I'm sorry if that hurts you now, but it's the truth." Pulling away from his touch, before she did something stupid like throw herself at him, Talia strode into the house without another word.
Chapter Seven
Between a full load of college classes, a part-time gig selling clothes, and avoiding Caleb like the plague, Talia stayed busy. Being busy meant no time to obsess about the sexy bartender. Given the one-sided nature of her attraction, she did her best to put it behind her. She accepted Sean's lack of interest.
Talia filled her week with confrontations. She bitched Claire out and got a half-hearted apology. When Karly got home Thursday evening, Talia dragged her sister inside to confront her about leaving her stranded.
"You needed a push to talk to him. You want him, he wants you. You are so shy. I didn't think you'd make a move without help."
"Well, I gave him my number."
"Oh, wow, that's awesome! I'm so proud of you! You put yourself out there. See, us leaving you there was a good thing!" Karly bounced in her excitement.
A good thing? Talia leaned closer to her sister. She glared and waited for the idiot to stop bouncing before she whispered, "He wadded it up and stuck it in an old soda cup. Then we rode home in silence. So, you want to tell me again how it was a good thing that you embarrassed the crap out of me?"
"Oh, Talia, he didn't? Really? But he's into you! He came over to our table and flirted with you. I don't get it. Did he say why he didn't want your number?"
"He said something about being too old for me, but whatever. He's not interested and it's not like I knew him. I still have a boyfriend for now, so I shouldn't have given him my number anyway. But if you ever, ever, do me that way again, I will hurt you. Geez, Karly, do you know how bad it was for me to have to ask him for a ride again? I could have died from embarrassment."
"I'm so sorry, Talia. I really am. I thought he would ask you out. And speaking of Caleb, why haven't you dumped his loser butt yet?" Karly looked contrite. Talia would make her sweat for a few days before she forgave her sister fully.
"Because I was afraid to go alone. Zane's been so busy with work that he couldn't take off just to escort his little sister to break up with her asshole boyfriend. He's going with me tomorrow."
Oh, how she dreaded the inevitable drama breaking up with Caleb would cause. It had to happen. She could not let Caleb keep abusing her. And she shouldn't have hidden the bruises as long as she had.
The next afternoon, Zane picked her up and drove her to meet Caleb. Talia couldn't relax. The beginnings of a tension headache crept up from her shoulders. Even Zane's goofy attempts at cheering her up didn't help. When his jokes fell flat, he tried another tactic.
"So, uh... is Claire still dating that dipwad?"
"Not sure which guy you mean."
"That weird guy who used to work at the marina. The one whose sister's a stripper."
"Claire used to be a stripper."
"I know. Damn, I miss those days."
Talia slugged her brother. "That's my friend you are lusting after."
"Well, she won't let me be her friend. Or her more than friend."
"Don't you have a girlfriend?"
"Yeah, I know. Not like Claire'd ever give me the time of day anyway. I've tried."
When Talia didn't reply, Zane fell quiet. He didn't ask why she wanted him to go with her to see her boyfriend. Karly must have told him what Caleb was like. What Caleb had done.
She fiddled with her hair and willed the knot in her stomach to go away. This had to happen. Caleb had to be out of her life. For good.
Caleb answered the door half-dressed. The flash of anger when Caleb's eyes landed on Zane behind her made Talia very glad her older brother came. She prayed Zane wouldn't let Caleb kill her as she took a deep breath.
Here goes.
"Caleb, we are over. I… I can't take your abuse any more. We're finished." Talia tried to put on an air of confidence. But when Caleb stepped closer, her voice wavered. He reached out and grabbed her biceps and
shook her hard. Fear froze her muscles. Her breathing came in shallow pants until Zane stepped up.
"Keep your damn hands off my sister." Zane shoved Caleb back into the wall.
"You'll regret this, you stupid bitch. I will get you back, don't you doubt it!" Caleb screamed at her. He raised a fist and shook it over Zane's shoulder at her.
She backed away flinching and Zane slammed him into the wall again. "I mean it. Leave her alone, asshole!"
Caleb hushed, but his glare could have set fires. Zane kept between them and urged her toward his truck. She reaffirmed her vow to not let Caleb see her cry.
Zane sped away from Caleb's house. She sank down into the seat. Her breath came in ragged gasps of relief. With Caleb gone, she could control her own life again. Her brother kept quiet, always good at seeing when someone needed space. Once she regained control of her emotions and sat up straight, Zane suggested she join him and his friends that night at a bonfire on the beach.
"Sis, you need to relax. It'll do you some good to loosen up a bit. It should be a blast tonight. Come on, hang out with us!"
Not really in the party mood, Talia agreed to go anyway. She needed to get back out there. And a bonfire with her brother sounded like a safe way to start.
Zane dropped her off at home, but before he drove away, he said, "I don't know what you saw in Caleb. I know he's popular and all, but he's a jerk. You deserve better than him."
Talia silently agreed with him. She whispered her thanks and went in to change.
She drove down to the beach and found Zane, his friends, and their girlfriends. They'd built a huge bonfire and had dragged some logs up around it for seats. Her brother's goofy friends soon teased a smile onto her face. But after a few hours of chatting and laughing with them, she really needed some alone time. She walked down the beach away from the bonfire. The sound of the water soothed her frayed nerves. These past few months had really taken a toll on her.
The brisk spring air put a slight damper on the evening, but it couldn't keep Talia's spirits down. It was nice to be herself and not have to worry something she said would set Caleb off. The weight lifted from her shoulders today—once she removed Caleb from her life—made her feel ten pounds lighter.
Sean's Sweetheart Page 2