by Lori King
Preparing herself for the unavoidable touch, she reached. The glasses she picked up almost fell from her hands when she felt their touch. One large hand drift over her ass, another one slid up the back of her thigh, and the third hand stroked softly down her spine. For just a moment they all caressed her and then moved their hands away, but the wave of desire that hit her made her whole body quiver. Jerking herself upright, she mumbled an apology for reaching across them and moved away quickly with her tray full of empties. The glasses clinked noisily as her shaky hands tried to keep the tray steady.
Standing at the back counter with her back to the open bar, she tried to swallow the heat that was rippling through her. Her panties were damp, and her stomach was fluttering with excitement. Every time they touched her it seemed like she was no longer in control of her own body. It was scrambling her brain.
Glancing at the clock on the wall, she breathed deeply, only an hour and a half left. Then she would worry about getting as far away from them as possible. If she didn’t leave soon, she was afraid she would openly beg them to have their wicked way with her.
The rest of her shift passed uneventfully with most of the guys behaving themselves. She flirted openly, refusing to let her rattled emotions deny her the tips she had earned. When the group finally scattered and left the bar, she started to clean the table, collecting the money left behind. Total she had made over three hundred dollars just tonight, and she had to admit she had enjoyed the flirty group.
A feeling of melancholy settled over her as she cleared away the remnants of their celebration. She wouldn’t see any of them again after tonight, and she was genuinely shocked at the feeling of regret in her stomach. This odd little town had gotten under her skin and she would miss it.
She realized that she hadn’t seen any of the Dawson brothers for the last half hour or so, and she figured they had probably taken off for the night. Otherwise they would have been out there helping. They had never hesitated to give a hand with any task around the bar. That earned them the respect of their employees. They really had been the perfect bosses, until the last twenty-four hours.
“Sid, are you all right? You have really seemed out of sorts tonight,” Kara spoke from behind her, causing Sidney to gasp and drop the glass she was holding in her hands. It hit the floor and shattered around her feet.
“Damn!” Sidney exclaimed, her hands flying to cover her mouth instantly.
“Oh Lord, that’s two in one night! Really, Sid, what is up with you?” Kara said, reaching for the broom next to the bar. She quickly swept the glass shards away from Sidney.
“I’m having a rough night,” Sidney said softly. Kara stood silently, watching her for a minute after dumping the dust pan in the trash bin.
“Yeah, I can see that. Is there something I can help with?” Kara said, cocking her head to the side and crossing her arms under her small breasts.
Sidney finally made eye contact with Kara, and instantly her eyes filled with tears. “I’m leaving,” she said as a tear slipped down her cheek.
“That’s okay, we’re pretty much done for the night—” Kara said, but her face registered her surprise.
“No, I mean I’m leaving Apache Crossing. This is my last night here.” Sidney shook her head and sat down on a barstool, leaning on her elbows on the bar.
Kara’s mouth fell open as Sidney spoke, and it was a few moments before she was able to choke out any words. “Why? I thought you liked it here?”
“I do. I like it a lot, but…something happened.” Sidney paused, glancing around the bar to make sure there was no one in earshot. “I can’t work for the Dawson brothers anymore.”
“Oh my God! What happened? You have got to tell me! I have had so many fantasies about those three men…Did you sleep with one of them?” Excitement sparkled in Kara’s green eyes, and her long red hair whipped wildly around her shoulders as she hurried closer to Sidney and took a seat next to her.
Sidney dropped her head into her hands on the bar, and a heavy sigh gushed from her lungs. “Not exactly, but I came close, and it’s not just one of them.”
“Oh my God! You lucky bitch! Tell me everything, and don’t you dare scrimp on the details.” Sidney stared at Kara’s excited face in shock.
“I really don’t want to talk about this now. I just didn’t want to leave without saying good-bye. You’ve been a really good friend to me while I’ve worked here.” She felt like a heel for refusing to explain the situation to her only friend, but this whole situation would get worse if people found out that she wanted all three brothers.
Kara looked confused. “I don’t understand. Isn’t it a good thing that they are attracted to you? They didn’t force you to do something, did they? I know Xavier seems like he’s a badass, but my guess is there is a teddy bear inside…deep under all those muscles…somewhere.” She grinned at Sidney.
“No, nothing like that. What happened wasn’t forced, or even bad, it’s just—” Sidney’s explanation was interrupted by Austin Garner, the bar back for the evening, as he came in the side door.
“The parking lot is clear. Are you close to being done, honey?” he asked Kara, who watched Sidney for another second before nodding at him.
Kara and Austin had been dating since high school and seemed to be on the verge of making their union permanent. Sidney was happy for them. She could remember a time when she thought that she had found that happiness with Robert. The relationship had been so beautiful for the first few months. Robert had wined and dined her and hadn’t pushed her to make love to him. He said that he was willing to wait for her to be ready, and of course his gentlemanly manners had melted her resistance.
Once she moved in with him, he took over her life. She could still remember her confusion and anger when he kept her from making plans to see her friends or even leaving the house by herself when she wasn’t going to work. Robert had taken over her life in small increments until she wasn’t even sure she remembered who Sidney Rowe was anymore.
“Thanks again, Kara, for everything. I’ll be okay. I just want to finish this table and then sweep and I’ll be out, too. Have a good night!” Sidney said. Her voice sounded much stronger than her heart felt.
“I will miss you, Sidney. Keep in touch, and call me if you need me, sweetie,” Kara said, giving her a warm hug before stepping back to meet her gaze with teary eyes. “But if you reconsider…Never mind, you do whatever makes you happy.”
With that, Kara walked over to a confused-looking Austin and took his hand, tugging him to the back to collect her purse. Sidney heard the door shut behind them, echoing throughout the silent room. This was usually her favorite time. The bar was completely empty, but in her mind she could still hear the laughter from customers and the soft sound of music from the past. It was a beautiful bar, all done in dark woods that coordinated nicely with the granite-topped counter and tables. One wall was lined by the bar area, and servers’ stations, then the stage was opposite the bar so that there was room on both sides of the central dance floor for tables and booths. Right now the empty dance floor echoed a big empty spot in her heart.
Forcing herself from her reverie, she swept the dining space floor quickly and then moved onto the stage to put it back to right. She stretched her lungs while she worked, singing out her tumultuous emotions. She had always loved to sing and had spent many years singing at competitions and town events, but when she met Robert that had to change. He had hated her hobby, saying that the country music she loved to sing sounded like a dying cat to his ears. One painful fight after she entered a talent competition in Charleston had put her in bed for over a week, so she had given up that piece of herself for him.
But at night when the bar was empty and she was completely alone, she would give herself up to the acoustics of the space and really let the music of her soul out. It was always a song to suit her mood, and tonight was no different as she belted out several different tunes. Finally she started into the lyrics to one of her favorites by
Jo Dee Messina, “Stand Beside Me.”
As she sang she swayed across the stage with the broom, relaxing into the song and letting it distract her from everything else that had upended her life.
She relished the strength of the song, and the confidence that singing it gave her. Something about the clear-cut way the words explained her own feelings made it dear to her heart. By the time she reached the end of the song, she had completed cleaning up the stage and was moving on to the dance floor. She heard a quiet noise behind her and gasped as she spun that direction. Her eyes went wide when she spotted Tyce and Noah watching her from just inside the doorway, and she flushed with embarrassment.
“Oh shit! You guys scared the hell out of me!” Her heart was racing, and she felt slightly nauseous.
“Sorry, honey, we didn’t mean to!” Noah moved quickly to her side, pulling her over to a chair. “Sit down for a minute. You look like you’re going to pass out!” He paused. “You have a fantastic voice, Sidney.”
She looked up at him, startled and very embarrassed. “Uh, thank you. I didn’t realize anyone else was still here. Were you there the whole time?”
“We came in when we heard you singing. It was amazing.” Tyce dropped to squat next to her and placed one large hand on her knee. A ripple of pleasure went through her. Tyce was the lead singer in a band, and according to fellow employee, Anna, had even turned down a recording contract to help his brothers open Triple Shot. She was astonished that he would compliment her! “Hey, are you all right? Do you want some water?”
She startled when he interrupted her thoughts. “No, I’m fine. I’m just finishing up sweeping and then I’ll be out of your hair. I’m going to leave my uniform in the locker, and I’ll stop by tomorrow morning for my last check. Thank you again for giving me a job for the last few weeks. It’s been fun.” She stood and moved to go back to her sweeping.
“You’re not fired, Sidney,” Noah said, sounding very perturbed.
Sidney paused with the broom in her hand and then lifted her head to look at him. “I know that, but I’m still leaving.”
“Why?” Tyce snapped. His blue eyes had turned ice-cold with his frustration, and the muscle in his jaw twitched. “Is it because Xavier and I touched you? Or maybe it’s because you wanted us, too, but you’re too afraid to admit it?”
“No!” she said evenly. Cocking one hip, she glared at him, irritation at being called a coward coursing through her veins. “Contrary to your high opinion of yourself, Tyce Dawson, there are some women in this world who aren’t lusting after your body every moment of the day. What happened last night and this morning was a mistake. It was a weak moment that will not be repeated. I’m moving out of town, and I have decided to leave sooner rather than later.”
Tyce started to respond, but Noah held up his hand, signaling him to stay quiet.
“Sidney, if we can promise you that no one will touch you again without your consent, would you stay? I don’t know what happened with my brothers, but I care about you. Besides that, you’re a hell of a bartender and a great employee. I don’t want to lose you.” Noah’s voice was soft, and she could hear the emotion in it. A variety of emotions played through Sidney’s head and heart before she managed to focus and pull her poker face back on.
“I need to move on. I’ve been here too long as it is.” The words were barely a whisper, and she sighed wistfully. Despite the emotionless look she was trying to keep on her face, even she could hear the pain in her voice.
“Why can’t you stay here for good?” Noah asked.
“It’s not safe,” she whispered. A flash of Robert threatening to kill her if she ever dared to touch another man went through her brain, and she whimpered. The two men exchanged concerned glances, and she stiffened her spine. She could not show weakness, or they would take advantage of her.
“We can keep you safe, love. We want to keep you safe. We want to help you. If you will let us,” Tyce said to her, moving closer to her cautiously. He approached her like he expected her to run again, and she finally turned back to look him in the eyes.
“I wish I could believe that. It would be so nice to let someone else take care of me for a while,” she said quietly, and she heard the brothers hold their breath. “I’m sorry, but I can’t.”
Sidney turned and walked away. Tyce’s heart broke into a million pieces as he watched her walk through the doorway out of the bar. He knew she was leaving for good, and it was killing him. He had never had anyone refuse to trust him so blatantly. He looked over at his younger brother and could see his own loss reflected there. They both stood silently for several minutes, immersed in their own thoughts, until they heard the back door of the building slam shut with a cracking finality.
“She looked so scared and lost. I hate that she’s going to be out there alone when she’s scared. Do you think we should go after her?” Tyce asked.
“No. If she can’t trust us, then maybe we need to just let her go. We agreed that if she didn’t want us we would walk away.” Noah shook his head and shoved his hands in his pockets. “We need to let Xavier know.”
“I’ll call him in a little while,” Tyce said, rubbing his hand over the tense muscles in his forehead. He was in absolute shock that she actually walked away. When he touched her she lit up like a firecracker, and he was experienced enough to know that her reactions weren’t casual. So the only explanation for her skittishness was that she was scared.
“Did you hear the song she was singing? It was so soulful. Do you think she even knew what she was singing?” Noah asked him curiously.
“She was singing that one from her heart. She knew. It did answer a few questions for me. She is a strong and courageous woman, and I would give anything to keep her for my own. Anything,” Tyce said.
They shared a look and then parted silently, lost in their own emotions. Tyce left to head back to their condo, and Noah headed to the bar to collect the night’s receipts. Neither ready to face their oldest brother and the fact that the woman they were falling in love with had just walked out of their lives.
Chapter 4
Sidney rushed through changing her clothes when she reached the employee lounge, tugging on a clean tank top and sports bra, along with the jeans she had worn the previous day. She hung her uniform in the otherwise empty locker. Her heart ached as she walked away, and she felt herself barely hanging on by a thread. She wanted to just curl up in a ball and cry herself to sleep, but she needed to move. She needed some air. She walked slowly down the road that led back to her car, dazed with the sadness tumbling through her. It was embarrassing to be caught singing at the top of her lungs like she was some sort of superstar, but it was even more embarrassing to be caught so emotionally vulnerable. The Dawson brothers were dangerous for her heart, and they had found cracks in her armor that she hadn’t known were there. Leaving was her only option now.
She reached the corner of the park, and stopped to look over at the little all-night diner called The Bop across the street. She had been promising herself a dinner at the restaurant ever since she got to Apache Crossing. She could see her car from the parking lot, so she wouldn’t have far to go once she was fed and sleepy. Looking around the diner as she stepped inside, she wasn’t surprised to find it empty of other customers at this time of the night, and she settled onto a cushy stool at the bar. It was decorated in a fifties diner theme, and the juke box in the corner played an old rock ‘n’ roll song. There were records on the wall, and pictures of various singers and stars from the fifties. She loved it immediately, and she freely returned the smile that the waitress gave her as she came out of the kitchen.
“Hi there, how are you tonight?” The woman was in her mid to late forties and had a pleasantly warm smile. There were laugh lines around her thin lips and pretty hazel eyes. Her light-brown hair had a few streaks of gray and was pulled up on the back of her head with a hair clip. She wore jeans and a white T-shirt that were covered by an apron that said “Hot Stuff” across th
e chest.
“Okay, thanks. Can I look at a menu?” Taking the colorful menu from the woman, Sidney looked it over and selected a bacon cheeseburger with curly fries, and a chocolate milkshake. She was going to drown her pain in fatty foods, and then at least she wouldn’t hear her belly growl while she slept tonight.
The waitress called her order out to someone in the back and fixed her milkshake. Bringing it over to Sidney, she paused and propped her elbows on the counter.
“Are you okay, hon? You look like your best friend just died.” The woman’s brow was puckered into a frown, and there was genuine concern in her eyes.
“No, nothing like that. I just quit my job, and I’m moving, so I’m a little bit overwhelmed right now. Not to mention I just walked away from a relationship that never had a chance.” Sidney looked down at her hands, which were quickly shredding a napkin in front of her.
“Are you moving by choice?” the woman asked. “I’m Darcy Scott, by the way.”
“Sidney Rowe,” she replied and shook Darcy’s hand, smiling at her. “Not really. I liked my job and would love to stay here. I just can’t.”
“Because of this relationship that you’re leaving behind?” Darcy asked.
“Sort of. The men I worked for were wonderful bosses, but they didn’t hide their interest in me. They made it very clear,” Sidney said, but she caught the angry flash in Darcy’s eyes and realized she had misunderstood. “No! They never tried to force me into anything, but I just couldn’t be what any of them wanted. I have too much baggage.”
“Did they say that, or did you?” Darcy asked, cocking her head at Sidney.
“No, they never said it, and they even promised to give me some space, but I can’t risk it. If it didn’t work, I would get hurt in the fallout. It would be even worse if something happened to them because of me—” Sidney’s voice broke with emotion, and a tear slipped down her cheek.