“I remember you running into Marta in the Student Union that day,” recalled Travis. “She seemed okay back then. People change I guess.”
“No,” said Brax. “The hostility was always there. Simmering. I saw the signs, but I chose to ignore them.”
“Don’t beat yourself up, Brax,” said Jax. “It could’ve happened to any of us. At least you didn’t marry her. Imagine how much worse that would be? Then I’d be like Kenner, here.”
“Thanks,” said Kenner dryly. “Thanks for that. You don’t even know how uncomfortable Christmas with the family has become.”
“It’s not your fault what happened,” I said. “It’s not like you were ever involved, right?”
Kenner looked away with some guilt in his eyes.
“You didn’t tell her that part?” asked Jax.
“No, I was going to spare her that detail,” said Brax.
“Uh, oh,” said Travis.
“What? What detail?” I asked, naturally curious.
“When Marta started cheating on Brax with Caleb, Kenner is the one that spilled the beans,” explained Travis. “It was pretty epic at the time.”
“I couldn’t bear to see my friend hurt,” said Kenner. “And my brother, well, I never thought he’d end up marrying her. He was always a womanizer like Jax.”
“Hey, don’t drag me into this,” said Jax. “I was an innocent bystander…that time.”
I poured everyone tequila shots. I was saving all the Irish whiskey for Saint Paddy’s Day, and this was a perfect time to finish off a bottle of the good stuff. Besides, the drink seemed appropriate for the somber mood the boys were in.
“I betrayed my own brother,” said Kenner, taking his shot without salt or lime. “What kind of person am I?”
“You were concerned about your friend,” I defended. “Besides, you were in college. We all do crazy things during that time.”
“So it was crazy,” he confirmed.
“No, I’m not saying that. It’s just a lot to deal with in your early 20’s. I mean, you’re an adult, but you’re new at being an adult,” I tried to explain. “Relationships are hard at any age, but that early, c’mon.”
“Would you have done it to your brother?” asked Kenner mournfully.
“Look, I’m not you, and my brothers aren’t Caleb, so that question doesn’t matter. The only thing that does matter is that you tried to do right. I don’t know if it was right, but what Caleb and Marta did were wrong,” I assured him. “They should’ve been honest with Brax and they weren’t. That much, we know.”
“My brother can’t be trusted in business dealings either,” Kenner said sadly. “You should not sell to him.”
“Way ahead of you on that,” I explained. “I can’t sell the bar. The ghost of my ancestors would haunt me. And if you think I’m going to put up with a bunch of drunken Irish ghosts chasing after me, you’re crazy.”
“Thanks Claire,” said Kenner. “You know how to cheer me up.”
I gave Kenner a kiss.
“Is that what have you do to get a kiss around here?” said Jax frustrated. “I had a terrible day at work, ya know. My boss left early and I tried to sneak out, but ran into him at a bar.”
“Honestly, I don’t have time to mess around today,” I explained. “Too many people in the lunch rush. Plus I have a new line cook and he requires attention.”
Fernando came out with his latest creation.
“Look, Ms. Claire,” he presented. “Shamrock Jalapeno Poppers!”
Fernando had made jalapeño poppers that were green and in the shape of shamrocks. However, they looked like they were full of too much cheese and I wondered if he had bothered to figure out an appropriate price point.
“I love these!” I said. “Put them on the special menu!”
The boys all reached over to try one. They agreed, they were pretty good. I tried to signal them not to be too enthusiastic, but they were too fast in their compliments.
“Thank you, customers!” said Fernando. “I prep more for tonight, huh?”
And with that, Fernando ran back into the kitchen.
“I have to deal with lunch, why don’t you guys come back tonight and we’ll have some fun like before?”
“Okay,” said Jax, kind of dejected.
I gave Jax a big open mouth kiss.
“Happy?” I asked.
“Ecstatic,” he replied.
Chapter 13 – Jax
We went back to work, but promised Claire we’d be back to dance at the bar. Work suddenly became very boring. I couldn’t concentrate. I kept tasting Claire’s lips. The crew made and agreement that we’d all take the limo back to the Bad Penny, so it was unlikely one of us would jet out early. Still, I had to check. I called Travis.
“Yeah, what’s up bro?” he answered.
“You got that file for the Pinsky thing?”
“Pinsky? We took care of that clients months ago, remember?” said Travis. “What did you really want?”
“Nothing,” I said.
“You wanted to make sure I’m still here.”
“Nah! You’re nuts. I gotta take another call,” I said abruptly hanging up.
Kenner’s office was down the row and at the end of the hall. I got up and peeked down the hall. His door was open and he was at his desk looking annoyed. He spotted me and I ducked back into my office.
“All right, that’s two,” I said to myself. “Just have to call Brax.”
I went to grab the phone to call him and the phone rang. It was Brax.
“Brother,” he greeted. “Do you have the file on the, uh, Pinksy thing?”
“That client was months ago. What do you really want?”
“I actually want that file, but I was also making sure you’re all here,” he admitted. “It’s only 3:30. Do something constructive and take your mind off things.”
“I can’t. I’m totally distracted,” I admitted.
“Then go get a coffee or something,” suggested Jax. “Just don’t leave the building to do it. Don’t want to start a stampede.”
As always, I did the exact opposite of what my brother suggested. I needed to relax, so I did something I hadn’t tried in years. Back when I was still an artist and had to work, I’d work boring office jobs. To hide from my boss, I would sometimes crawl under my desk, pull the chair in, put my head on the chair and take a nap.
This time, I went one better. The carpet underneath my desk was very plush and the space underneath was big enough to stretch out. I took a sleeping pill and a couple of shots from my flask. A few minutes later, I was out like a light.
“Here he is!” I heard Travis say sometime later.
It was now dark in the office. I had really slept for several hours.
“Get out from under there, bro,” said Travis.
I crawled out of my hiding space feeling very refreshed.
“Oh, man,” I yawned. “I needed that. What time is it?”
“It’s six o’clock!” snapped Kenner. “We’ve been looking for you for an hour! Brax is pretty pissed.”
“Meh,” I shrugged. “He’ll get over it. Just don’t tell him where you found me.”
“What are we supposed to tell him, bro?” snapped Travis.
We started walking out of the office and downstairs to the limo.
“My phone died and I was in the…library!” I suggested.
“You never go into the library,” pointed out Kenner. “Only our engineers are boring enough people to want to look at technical manuals.”
“Tell him I was playing craps with the maintenance staff again,” I suggested.
“Bro, he could end up firing one of them,” said Travis. “That’s not cool. Just tell him the truth.”
We got down to the limo. Brax was making an annoyed face.
“Totally my fault,” I said taking the blame. “My phone died.”
“I had you paged on the P.A. system,” Brax informed me. “Did you go deaf too?”
�
��Brother, you deserve the truth,” I started. “The truth is…I locked myself in a supply closet and fell asleep.”
“Well, that sounds stupid enough to be you,” Brax conceded. “But somehow, I still think you’re lying. Nevertheless, we have more pressing matters to attend.”
“All right, let’s get to the Bad Penny,” I said, trying to move past my own issue.
“We should think about our situation and Claire’s,” said Brax. “I don’t think she’s going to choose.”
“She’ll choose,” I assured him. “She’ll choose me. I have a feeling tonight’s the night.”
“How so bro?” asked Travis.
“This is like the third group date we’re having with her,” I explained. “It’s time we started making moves, gentlemen. Pressing our luck, so to speak.”
“Please don’t do anything too vulgar,” requested Brax.
“You’re not the boss of my penis,” I reminded him.
“Oh, good God,” he muttered.
We arrived at the Bad Penny and it was pretty packed. Apparently, the college students that had hung out the night before came back with their friends. This is exactly why having a loose system of carding minors for alcohol is a total benefit.
When we walked in, Claire looked like she in was in over her head. She was wearing a Bad Penny waitress uniform and a green skirt with a pattern of shamrocks. She also had a shamrock design on her cheek which was some kind of temporary tattoo.
“Oh, thank God!” she said upon seeing us. “Kenner, I need you to bus the tables. Travis and Jax, take the tables you had last time and Brax, do you know how to make any mixed drinks.”
“Well, I’ve drank a good many. How hard can it be?”
“Perfect, come with me and I’ll get you set up at the bar,” she said hurriedly.
While Kenner put on an apron and started collecting glassware, Travis and I waitered again. This time, I ran in the back and changed my shirt so I was wearing a Bad Penny polo. I looked more like an official member of the wait staff.
Unfortunately, when I got to my first table it was the college girls again. This time, they brought their friends. They were hot and young, but a little too young for me. They giggled and said hello and I heard them mutter things like, “That’s the guy I was telling you about!”
Being handsome does have its drawbacks. Here I was, trying to get Claire’s attention and instead I was getting it from every other girl in the bar. The college girls eventually set off every other girl in the bar looking in my direction. It was kind of a competition/jealousy thing.
Claire’s chef had really kicked up his game. He was creating so many crazy food items, he had to stop cooking and explain them to me when I was serving them. He was even making stuff that people hadn’t ordered and I had no idea what to charge them. Claire would look at the bill, do the math in her head and come up with a price. I don’t know if she was a genius restaurateur or just making prices up because she was too busy.
The sudden influx of bar staff allowed Claire to get back on top of running things. She hastily washed a bunch of desperately needed bar glasses, while Brax slowly made Manhattans for the guests and himself.
“A good chef always checks his work,” he declared, clinking glasses with some customers.
They drank. They grimaced. Guess they weren’t any good.
“All right,” he said. “Live and learn.”
It was pretty chaotic for a few hours. Finally, after an exhausting night the bar closed and the customers went home. Claire ushered McCleary and Stetson out. Stetson staggered back.
“G’night, Claire,” he slurred. “You’re the best.”
“Yep, I know,” she said. “G’night.”
I was still pretty wide awake, thanks to my nap. Travis, AKA: Mr. Muscle, was also still ready to go. Kenner looked like someone had mugged him and then spilled several drinks and various food items on him. Brax was three sheets to the wind. He had tried a few too many of his own drinks.
“All right, let’s party!” said Claire foisting her hands in the air. “I think I need a drink! Bartender, set me up with a Manhattan.”
“I think I finally perfected it,” said Brax a little unsteady. “Would you like some rocks on the side?”
“Yes, I would. Thanks,” she smiled, giving him a kiss.
She then leaned over and gave Travis a kiss before he could complain, then Kenner who wasn’t even paying attention. I played some appropriately dancey music on the jukebox and started to move on the floor. She quickly joined me and we kissed.
“The bar seems to be doing well these days,” I said.
“Yeah, at this rate, I could probably actually hire you guys,” she said. “Is it okay if I still sexually harass you if I do?”
“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” I quipped.
Looks like someone flipped a switch on Claire, because she started to grind into me. It was sensual on the dance floor. Was I going to be the winner here? I got more grabby. I noticed now that her skirt was short and kept flipping up while she was dancing. She was wearing what looked like a green rhinestone thong underneath.
Brax finished mixing her drink and brought it over, and she took a sip. She gave him a thumbs up then poured the rest of it over the ice. She started dancing with Kenner and dragged him on the dance floor as well. She pulled his hands around her and encouraged him to touch him below her skirt.
Damn girl! You’re unleashed! Guess the contest wasn’t over and it was Claire that was going to kick up her game too. Travis moved in to dance from behind and grabbed her. She grinded into him for a moment, but then he pretended to spank her.
“You know the pay sucks working here, but the benefits are great!” joked Travis.
At that moment, Fernando the cook walked in. The dancing abruptly stopped. Claire looked a little embarrassed and immediately went back into manager mode.
“Oh, Fernando, I’m sorry,” she said. “I thought you already left.”
“No, I was just putting away some of my tools for tomorrow,” he explained. “I like to keep a clean kitchen.”
“I know you do,” agreed Claire. “Here’s your pay for the night and a tip. You did really great.”
“Thank you, Ms. Claire,” he said. “Not too many people would give a two-time felon a third chance, but I’m glad you did!”
Fernando smiled, pocketed his pay and headed out. Claire sort of muttered to herself a little confused. Guess she had missed the part on Fernando’s resume where he said he was a two-time felon and ex-con. Still, he seemed like a nice guy that had his life together, so, who am I to judge? Who is anybody really?
Claire let Fernando out the back door where she and he always parked and said good night. She laughed, making sure there was no other staff in the bar. This was her space now and it was guest-invite only. I had followed her into the back.
“Oh, God, how am I going to explain that to Fernando?” she said to me, falling on my chest.
“If anyone shouldn’t judge, it should be him,” I said. “He’s not going to care. Plus, he seems really happy.”
“Yeah, I’m happy too,” she said.
We kissed hard. I had my hands all over her. The other guys were drinking and dancing in the other room and they couldn’t hear anything over the music. I kissed her neck and fondled her breasts.
“Yes, like that,” she whispered. “Oh, Jax. And right here.”
She took my hand and guided it under her shirt. Claire placed my fingers right over her panties. They were a little damp.
“Fingerfuck me. Right here,” she whispered.
I kissed her, sticking my tongue deep inside her mouth. Her breath had more than just the Manhattan on it. She was pretty buzzed, as we all were. My hands slipped under her damp panties and found the hood of her clit. I touched her and teased her.
“Yes, like that,” she said breathless. “Get me off right here!”
I slowly slipped a finger in and she bit her bottom lip. God, she was se
xy! She started grinding on my hand and I started rapidly pumping my fingers in and out. I could feel warm water oozing out of her incredibly hot snatch. I inserted two fingers now, back and forth.
“Yes-yes-yes!” she breathed.
Suddenly, she shuttered and a rush of cum came out of her pussy and all over my hand. She moaned in pleasure and bit my bottom lip.
“Oh, God, yes,” she moaned. “Thank you. I needed that.”
She kissed me deep then moved to run into the restroom.
“I’ll be back in a few minutes,” she said.
“Don’t be too long,” I said, tasting my fingers. “I think you’re quart low.”
I walked back out into the room, and I spotted Travis watching me. Dammit! I think he saw. Almost immediately he got up and walked into the back. Brax stumbled to hand me a drink, clearly drunk.
“I’m having a terrific time,” he slurred.
“Yeah, thanks,” I said, trying to end the conversation.
“Hey, Jax,” said Kenner, suddenly inserting himself into the conversation. “Which do you think Claire would like?”
Kenner had bought himself some Saint Patrick’s Day ties. One was green with a leprechaun, and the other had shamrocks.
“Why are you just putting this on now?” I asked.
“I forgot and left them in the limo,” he said as his shoulders slumped.
“The shamrocks. Excuse me.”
I went over towards the women’s restroom. The door was open a crack. Inside, I could see Travis basically repeating what I just did. He had his fingers up in her and was going to town. She was holding onto his neck, vibrating and coming again. I gotta admit…it was kind of hot to watch, like watching a live porno. Kenner followed me and was suddenly standing next to me watching the same thing.
“What’s going on?” he asked. “Holy shit. Well, that looks like fun. Guess the contest is over, huh?”
“No,” I informed him. “And it is fun.”
“Wait, you both?” he asked.
“Yeah,” I said folding my arms. “Claire is one adventurous woman.”
“Okay, what’s the etiquette here?” asked Kenner nervously. “I’m in over my head, what do I do?”
Sold on the Beach_A Reverse Harem Romance Page 18