“Back in college, I wrote a paper on how organized crime impacted business before and after Prohibition,” I explained. “Any insight on how your great-grandparents saved the bar during that time?”
“Wow, I’m impressed, Travis,” said Claire. “You kind of struck me as strictly a musclehead, but you’ve got some brains.”
“People often underestimate me in that area,” I said. “Especially the guys in the crew here. But I genuinely would be interested to know about your family’s experience, if that’s not too nosy or weird of a question.”
“Well, back then, my great-grandmother was also known for her bangers and mash,” explained Claire. “So, she would serve them up, and somehow people would get beers with their food.”
“So, it was a speakeasy disguised as a restaurant?”
“Yeah, kinda,” she explained. “If the cops came in, the customers would just dump their beer into their bangers and mash and mix it around. That wasn’t really a problem since half the customers were cops. Ya know. Irish.”
The music changed. It was a slow song, so I brought Claire in close. She smelled amazing and looked even better close up.
“Oh,” she said, a little surprised. “You are very, uh, hard— I mean, the muscles! Your muscles! Oh, God.”
“Don’t be embarrassed,” I joked. “You wouldn’t be the first woman to swoon at my amazing pecs. If I had my shirt off, I could make them dance.”
“Please don’t,” she laughed. “I get enough bathroom selfies from the dating websites I’m on.”
“You’re on a dating website?”
“Pathetic, right? And I never have time to do anything but browse it. Bar owners work when other people go out on dates.”
“Well, I just thought that since you’re so hot, you’d have offers falling into your lap every day.”
“I guess I would if I wasn’t working every waking moment here,” she said, sounding a little disappointed. “But it’s a labor of love.”
“Do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life. Isn’t that what they say?”
“Yeah, but they fail to mention that you won’t get a day off in that scenario.”
“Well, I have great respect for a good work ethic,” I said. “I worked very hard to get where I am, so believe me, I know where you’re coming from.”
“I’m not just saying it, I believe it,” I insisted. “If you can imagine it, then you can make it happen. All it takes is hard work and determination.”
“And a little money…”
“Money helps, but— Believe me— I’ve met plenty of guys at my level, born rich like the rest of this crew— They could barely get it together to make a meeting, much less make a deal. Work ethic is important and if you don’t instill it early in a kid, forget it.”
“You’re a complex guy, Travis,” said Claire. “Multi-layered, if you will.”
“I like to think I’m full of surprises,” I explained. “That way, my enemies are never sure and my friends see me as spontaneous.”
I looked her in the eyes and moved in close. I could feel her breath in my mouth. She backed away, acting unsure.
“No, it’s okay,” I whispered.
We kissed on the dance floor. That was a big win for yours truly. I mean, a kiss? C’mon, the rest of the crew might as well be sending emails at this point. I felt the electricity, and I could see she felt it, too. No bullshit. My tongue searched hers out and then hers eagerly met mine, becoming entwined together before I started sucking on her tongue, wishing it was her nipple or her clit.
I knew she liked it just as much as I did. She visibly shivered, and she sucked on my mouth just as strongly as I was sucking on hers. I knew she wanted to suck my cock like that. Good girl, I thought. In due time you can suck me off to your heart’s content, or until you’re lapping up any of my cum that didn’t pour into your throat, while you play with my balls and jerk me off and make the last drips of my cum run down your chin since you’ve drained me dry.
Finishing out the rest of the song, Claire got real quiet and thoughtful. Was this what she did with all her customers? We did spend a lot of money in here and all of us were pretty shit-faced. Maybe I was reading the signals wrong. Maybe she was just using me, I couldn’t tell.
I spun her around and her hand slipped out of mine. She ended up falling back straight into Brax’s arms and my time with her on the dance floor was over. Now I was going to observe her with Brax.
It seemed she liked to tease all of us, just for the attention. But Brax was no dummy. If she was using me, she’d probably try it with him and Brax wouldn’t have that. Guess I’d have to wait and see how this panned out.
Chapter 6 – Claire
“Claire,” said Brax charmingly. “At last, we dance.”
Brax was very light on his feet. There was no way this guy hadn’t had lessons.
“Ballroom dancing?” I asked.
“Yes, three classes,” he confessed. “I was the top dancer in the advanced class and I believe at least one of my instructors was on Dancing with the Stars.”
“Well, you’re very impressive,” I said. “Your dancing, I mean.”
Jesus, Claire, what the hell are you doing? I wondered. Flirting with four men simultaneously? Are you trying to start a fight in your own bar? You’ve kicked out drunken women for less. And really, who are these guys when you get right down to it? You don’t even know them.
It seemed that no matter what my brain tried to tell me, my horny pussy took control. I couldn’t take being surrounded by four big, strong, handsome men and not have my hormones go into overdrive.
My other bartender was gone for the night. Even the dishwasher had left. I should have been nervous around four strange men by myself, but I wasn’t. All four of them were so…sexy! Was it wrong to think that? I mean, they were all gorgeous hunks. How the hell was I supposed to choose between them?
“You seem rather quiet,” said Brax. “Am I that intimidating?”
“No,” I smiled. “I guess it’s just been a while since I had this much attention paid to me.”
“Do you like it? The attention, I mean.”
“Yes, but at the same time I feel bad. Like I’m playing hooky from work,” I admitted. “You wouldn’t believe how much work it is to run this place.”
“Well, I run a Fortune 500 company, so I can gather,” said Brax. “Although, I imagine you’re doing far more physical labor than I am.”
“And you’re quite wealthy.”
“Quite wealthy.”
“Bet that’s nice.”
“Wonderful, actually, but in a sense no different.”
“Money means you have more choice.”
“Yes, but as the saying goes, mo’ money, mo’ problems. Plus, you wouldn’t believe the overhead on my Penthouse,” assured Brax. “Not to mention the castle, the island—”
“Wait, you own a castle and an island?”
“Well, you have to put the castle somewhere. Don’t get me wrong, for the one week out of the year it’s fun, but the paperwork…”
“Yeah, I guess it’s all relative,” I admitted. “The paperwork on this place is a real bear.”
“What do you like to do for fun, Claire?” asked Brax. “I mean, when you’re not wrestling with this place.”
“I used to take classes at the community college,” I said. “I enjoyed reading Irish literature and poetry.”
“That sound more interesting than fun,” said Brax. “I meant like what do you like to do on a Friday night?”
“That’s kind of a big work night when you own a bar,” I explained. “When everybody goes out, that’s when you make the most money.”
“Surely you must take a break now and then.”
“To be honest, it’s been a long time since I had a vacation,” I admitted. “But when I have time, I like to go to the beach.”
“Really? Mediterranean? Caribbean? UAE, perhaps?” asked Brax.
“There’s a lake upstate about an hour awa
y,” I said, rolling my eyes.
“Oh,” said Brax, obviously a little embarrassed. “I’m sure it’s charming.”
“Do you ever not spend a shit ton of money on luxury?”
“How much is in a shit ton? A thousand? A million?”
“Seriously. You never bought like a fifty cent Nutty Buddy and just ate it?”
“What is a Nutty Buddy?”
“It’s a cone full of nuts, chocolate and ice cream. You buy it in the cheapest section of the frozen food isle.”
“I’m afraid I haven’t been to the supermarket in quite some time.”
“Cook does your shopping, huh?”
“No. I just order it online and it comes to the door.”
“Really?”
“Well,” he admitted. “Technically the cook does the ordering, but I’m sure I had some input on the budget. Maybe I’ll have him order these Nutty Buddies you’re so fond of. You can get that at the Green Villager, I’m sure.”
“The gourmet food store? I doubt it. I’d say you could get one in the minimart where you fill up your car with gas.”
“Sorry, took a limo here. Actually, haven’t driven myself in a few years.”
“Do your feet even still touch the ground?” I teased.
“Up until last year, I had a servant from a foreign country throw rose petals wherever I walked, but I grew tired of him and sent him back home,” Brax joked.
Another slow song came on and Brax pulled me close. He was a rock-hard muscleman like Travis, but he had a nice body, nice smell.
“Have you come to a decision yet?” he asked.
“About what?”
“Us,” he said. “Which one of us do you prefer?”
“You’re very direct.”
“Well, you don’t get to be a boss waiting around for answers.”
I couldn’t answer. I definitely didn’t want to pick, but how could I honestly say “all four”? They would think I was crazy! This whole situation was crazy. I should just close up the bar and kick them out, I thought. I had so much work to do.
Brax chuckled as the song ended. Guess that was an answer. Did he know? I felt like he was looking right through me. Before I could process anything, Jax stepped up to dance with me. The music picked up, and I found myself spinning around the dance floor.
“Sorry about my brother,” he said, apologizing for Brax. “He’s got a whole Daddy Warbucks complex going. Thinks he’s a Titan of Industry.”
“He is as far as I’m concerned,” I said. “You all are— compared to anyone else who has walked through these bar doors. You don’t seem that business-y.”
“I’m not really. Was a long time before I fell into the business with Brax,” he admitted.
“What did you do?”
“I was a musician. Guitar.”
“Was it so you could play ‘Wonderwall’ and get laid in college or did you turn pro?”
“I was a professional for a short time,” Jax smiled.
“Where did you play?”
“Places like this mostly,” he admitted. “Bounced around. Spent most of the time living at my folks’, though. The money was really tenuous.”
“That sounds like the life of a musician.”
“It was all right. Maybe I’ll play something for you.”
“Maybe you will,” I said cautiously. “What else?”
“I joined the Peace Corp after that.”
“Really. Oh, that’s impressive. I’ve always heard of that, but never met anyone who actually joined. What did you do?”
“My group went to Somali.”
“Oh, God.”
“It’s not as scary as it sounds,” explained Jax. “We were digging wells; we weren’t looking to arm anyone. Although we did have armed guards protecting us.”
“I’ve never been to Africa.”
“Beautiful continent when you’re out on the savannah.”
“What animals did you see?”
“Oh, gosh, all of them!” laughed Jax. “Lions, rhinos, cheetahs, yaks— the yaks are everywhere. Saw hippos— you really want to stay away from them.”
“Really? I saw one in the zoo. They fed it a watermelon.”
“Trust me, you wouldn’t get near them in Africa. The guide said they’re more dangerous than the lions.”
“More than the elephants, too?”
“The elephants are pretty chill if you keep your distance,” Jax continued. “But if you get too close to the hippos, they emerge out of the water and come at you. Don’t get me wrong. Elephants sometimes do the same thing, but the hippos were more vicious. You should’ve seen what one of them did to the car I was riding in.”
“Sounds like you were trapped inside a zoo the whole time!”
“Yeah, well, it was interesting. Really learned a lot. Then when I got out, I tried to become a fine artist.”
“Like with the loft and the canvases?”
“Yep. Staying up all night painting and drinking coffee.”
“How’d that work out?”
“Well, like a real artist, I starved. Well, not literally.”
“I’ll bet you met some interesting characters.”
“Oh, God, yes! I mean, really, I was just a poseur compared to most of these guys. I loved the lifestyle. Artists will sit up all night talking about things, solving world problems— They really think outside the box.”
“I dated a graffiti artist who wanted to be Banksy.”
“What happened to him?”
“The cops broke his hand, so he gave up art to become a welder.”
“Weird choice.”
“I thought so too, but then he eventually started doing metal sculptures. They were much better, I think.”
“It’s frustrating, believe me. Eventually, I got sick of it. Brax offered me a gig, so I just decided I’d make some money for a while. Didn’t realize it would be so much.”
“It doesn’t change who you are?”
“Doesn’t it?” asked Jax. “Sometimes I wonder.”
Jax had a bit of remnants of that brooding artist or musician left in him. I liked that. It made him real. He didn’t just think about himself. He had a whole world view, that and the fact that he had amazing eyes and hair didn’t hurt, either. God, I could fall for him.
“You could still paint or do music on the side,” I suggested. “I mean, hell, with the money you have now, I’ll bet you could retire.”
“In some respects,” Jax admitted. “I feel like I betrayed my art. That I don’t deserve to go back.”
“That’s just a romantic delusion,” I assured him. “You needed to eat. Needed to live. Believe me, I understand when you have to put aside the things you want to work to survive. I put aside everything in my life to keep this bar running.”
“You have to treat yourself, though,” insisted Jax. “Don’t you do something fun for yourself now and again?”
“I will, eventually,” I promised unconvincingly. “Right now, I have Saint Patrick’s Day breathing down my neck and Lord knows how many bills.”
“Is that why you fired your normal waitress?”
“Nah, she quit,” I corrected him. “Got a better job.”
“But what could be better than working for you?” said Jax suavely.
“Nice one,” I said, giving him credit. “Compliments will get you everywhere.”
“In that case, you’re gorgeous, vivacious, smart, funny…”
I laughed despite myself. Jax was so charming, and our banter seemed so effortless.
“Okay, okay,” I joked. “Don’t give me a swelled head.”
He moved in close. I could feel his breath on me. He stared deep into my eyes, almost drunk off my scent.
“You’re something special, Claire,” he said, fascinated as he drank me in with his eyes. “I don’t know what it is, but it’s something.”
“Thanks,” I blushed. “You are, too. You all are. It’s no wonder you guys are all so close friends.”
I
t got late and I’m not sure how it happened, but they all seemed to get ready to leave at once. It was probably for the best. I couldn’t decide, and I certainly wasn’t going to have a one-night stand with four guys!
“Good night, Claire,” said Brax. “I did so enjoy our time together. I hope I will be hearing from you.”
“Claire, thanks,” said Jax next, slipping me a piece of paper. “Give me a call sometime.”
“I’ve had such a good time,” thanked Kenner. “Seriously, I mean that.”
“Bye, babe,” said Travis, leaning in for another kiss.
I placed my finger on his lips and kissed his cheek.
“Slow it down, cowboy,” I requested.
He winked and exited with the others. I said good night to them as they left and locked up as they exited. I watched them get into a limo and the limo pulled away. The bar was quiet, and I was already missing their company. It was weird. I felt like I had just been on a first date. With four different guys.
Chapter 7 – Claire
Looking at the bar, I did the basic clean up that was left. Most of the work had been done by my bartender. The books could wait and the one great thing about running a bar was you could sleep late. No one wanted to start drinking at six in the morning. Well, no one you would serve, anyway. Most normal bar patrons were still sleeping off their hangovers.
I finished locking up, turned on the alarm and went upstairs to my apartment. Back in the day, it had been a storage room. Mom and Dad had lived in a house ten minutes away. I had had the plumbing installed. It was a tiny one-bedroom deal, but it was cozy.
After grabbing a shower and getting ready for bed, I couldn’t sleep. I was restless thinking about the guys. I knew I had to choose, before resentments started building up and everything would be ruined. Still, I couldn’t pick just one of them. They all had great qualities. Brax was the fancy elitist, Jax the rebel, Kenner the soulful searcher and Travis the muscle head.
Slowly, I started to touch myself. I remembered what each one felt like and smelled like. Travis definitely tasted manly and his hard body was such a turn on. I slid my hand into my panties. I could feel my pussy getting wet just thinking about them. All of them. One at a time and all together with me.
Sold on the Beach_A Reverse Harem Romance Page 13