by Nella Tyler
Sarah piped in with, “Jared's lawyer?”
I looked at her quickly, ignoring her raised eyebrows, before returning back to his gaze and replied nervously, “Link is it? What are you doing here?”
“This is my friend's club; I help him out a lot with it. So I basically get free reign, he's a really good friend. I thought I would come and check it out and I'm very happy to see you here.”
“Is that right?” I was breathless and couldn't even come up with a flirty response. Why did he have to smell so fantastic? It was actually starting to make me feel dizzy. I could curl up in that T-shirt he was wearing and be the happiest girl in the world.
“You ladies don't need to wait in line; you can come in with me. It's no big deal.”
Sarah beamed and looked at me quizzically. I had yet to mention anything about Link to her at all. Not that you could blame me, having to explain those shenanigans was not appealing to me. She would be unimpressed to know that Jared had talked me into something like that. She was definitely chomping at the bit to find out who the mystery guy was. I had no intention of getting into any of it with her that night however inquisitive she got.
As we passed through the velvet rope and walked by the doorman I stuck my tongue out at him. He rolled his eyes but let us pass. We followed Link into the club where the music was booming.
“Wow, it's really nice in here,” I said. The blast had an old Hollywood elegance to it.
“Yeah, my buddy did a really good job on it.”
The place was packed and there didn't appear to be a lot of seating available for us. I didn't want to ditch my friends but I didn't want to leave Link either, but there was nowhere for all of us to sit.
Sarah seemed to pick up on my hesitancy. “Hey, you guys hang out for a bit Gemma, Lisa and I are going to find some cute guys to buy us some drinks.” She winked at me.
I sighed with relief, loving Sarah even more. “Sure, thanks.”
My friends walked away leaving me with Link by my side. I turned to him and he smiled.
“Come with me,” he said.
Chapter Seven
Link took me up to the bar and we sat down. Aside from the private booth areas it was the only seating available in the place. There was a good mix of men and women at the club and everyone seemed to be having a really good time. The club was a hit so far.
“What would you like to drink beautiful?”
I smiled, “An Old-Fashioned.” I liked that he called me beautiful. It made me feel sexy.
“A whiskey girl, I'm impressed. I didn't take you for a hard liquor girl.”
“Well maybe that's because you don't know anything about me. I am partial to wine, but this is not the place for wine.” I winked at him.
“No it is not.” He said looking at me intensely. He only broke his gaze so that he could order us the drinks.
I watched as he talked to the bartender. They high-fived and Link put in our drink order. The bartender was quick and efficient, which I liked to see in the food industry. The business was only as good as the people that helped make it run properly. If your staff was useless you were doomed.
He handed me my drink and I took a sip. “Delicious, thank you.”
“Anytime.” He smiled. It looked like he had a standard rye and ginger, which I knew a lot of guys tended to drink. It was a no-nonsense kind of drink.
“So tell me something Gemma...”
“Yes?” I asked curious. I took another sip of my drink, enjoying it immensely. There was just something rough about whiskey that made you feel like you were a complete badass for drinking it, especially if you were a woman. There weren't too many female whiskey drinkers out there.
“What kind of lawyer are you really?”
I almost spit out my drink when he asked. Oh god, what was I going to say? I didn't know anything about being a lawyer. I didn't even know what cool lawyers did…probably corporate work but then why would I have anything to do with someone in the restaurant business? Ugh! I could just about kill Jared for getting me into that mess.
I blanched. “Well actually, it's sort of -”
“Gemma?” He said while chuckling.
“Uh...yes?”
“I know you're not a lawyer. I also know that you are Jared's sister.”
“Oh thank god,” I breathed out with relief. I wasn't disappointed at all that the flimsy charade of mine was over. It had been a rather pathetic attempt to say the least.
He chuckled, “Excuse me?” He was surprised that I hadn't even tried to fight it.
“I was getting a little tired of that ruse.”
“Is that right?”
“Yup. But how did you know? I thought I had pulled off a rather convincing lawyer impression.”
He smiled, “Oh I don't deny that at all. You really gave it to me there.”
I grinned; I liked that he was playing with me. “So how did you know then?”
“Well I think your brother forgets that I used to work for him and that he has a gorgeous sister that not one of his staff could ignore even if they wanted to.”
It was my turn to say, “Excuse me?”
“I saw you coming and going many times when I worked there as a chef. We all knew you were his sister and you're pretty hard to forget.”
I blushed deeply. “I'm a little embarrassed that I didn't notice you. I could have sworn I knew all his staff.” How did I not notice Link, especially if he had obviously seen me at some point?
He laughed, “No one ever notices the kitchen staff, so don't feel bad.”
I shrugged sheepishly. But it was time to get straightforward with Link. “So now that you know my real identity, do you want to explain to me why you would steal Jared's recipe and then sell it to a food manufacturer? It's pretty low.” I took a sip of my whiskey and waited to hear his side of the story.
His brow furrowed, “What are you talking about?”
“Jared told me that when you left you took one of his secret recipes and then sold it. He said that’s where you got the money for your new restaurant.”
“You have to be joking.”
“No, I'm not. I'm willing to hear your side of the story though.”
“My side? I didn't steal anything Gemma, I can promise you that. Your brother is lying to you. That was my secret recipe. And yes I did use it a few times while I worked for him but it was not his recipe, he didn't own it. So when I left I was taking my own recipe, not his. I wasn't about to leave it there for someone else to use. He just didn't like the fact that I owned something popular and he couldn't have it anymore; he can no longer use it on his menu. I'm not the crook here. You didn't get the real story, and that's pretty sad considering he's your brother.”
I nodded. I didn't know what to say. I definitely believed him; he really had no reason to lie to me. I was shocked that my brother had got me caught up in all of this. Why did he involve me in the first place, especially if he was going to lie to me? He could have left me out of the situation entirely. Instead he involves me to the point where I have to pretend to be a lawyer and for what? A lie? Just one big huge lie? I couldn't imagine why he would do something like that to me. It just made no sense.
Would he really lie to me? Why? He could have just told me the truth and it wouldn't have mattered to me. I don't involve myself in drama that my brother gets into, so he shouldn't have felt like he needed to lie to me. He would always be my brother no matter what, so why lie to me? I would need to get to the bottom of things but I needed to talk to Jared first before I formed any real opinion on the situation. If Link was telling the truth then Jared and I would be having it out for sure, but I didn't want to say anything in front of Link out of respect for my brother. I at least wanted to hear his side of the story before coming to any conclusions. I hardly knew Link and I needed to be loyal to Jared until he gave me a reason not to be. My loyalty in the situation would end if I found out that he lied to me. But I wasn't willing to take Link's word for it without talking to m
y brother first. What a mess...
“I am impressed that you were willing to do that for your brother though, you guys must really be close.” Link smiled weakly. He must feel bad that he broke the news to me about my lying brother...okay I wasn't sure yet...he could still be innocent. I needed to hold onto that thought.
“We are…I love him a lot. I would do anything for him. But at the time I didn't even know the full story. I just thought it would be fun. And I didn't expect that you would be the owner either so things got a little out of hand.”
“Well if it helps, as soon as I saw you I thought you were breathtaking - definitely the best part of my day was having you walk in and yell at me. I don't normally talk to customers unless there is a complaint made but when I saw Lisa talking to you I just had to come over and see you. I thought it was my lucky day. I never got a chance to talk to you while I worked for Jared, which was my mistake.”
I laughed, “Oh really? I guess I wasn't very terrifying as a lawyer then.”
“Oh I was completely terrified. Don't worry.” He winked at me and I laughed. He had a great sense of humor and seemed very good-natured about everything. He didn't seem to care that I made a fool of myself pretending to be my brother’s lawyer. Nor did he seem fazed that I had a brother that might be lying to me. He just went with the flow, not a care in the world. I was really starting to like Link a lot and I was glad I didn't have to go around pretending I was something that I was not. That would make things very complicated between us and they were complicated enough. Jared would probably be furious if he found out I was there with Link. But I couldn't help myself; I was drawn to him. We just had such a strong connection for two people who had never met before. It was something that I just wanted to give myself up to and see where it took me. I didn't want to ignore Link just because my brother was feuding with him. Jared should have left me out of it from the beginning. It wasn't everyday that you met someone that made you feel alive and that was how I felt every time that I was around Link.
“What do you say we go do some dancing?” He asked.
I nodded; I loved the idea. Especially since it meant that we could get nice and close. The idea of Link's hands on my body sent chills up my spine. I wanted him close to me.
We got up from our seats and we headed to the dance floor. Sarah and Lisa were already out there dancing with some guys so I made sure to steer clear of them. I knew I was in for a barrage of questions from them, but it wasn't going to be tonight. I wanted Link all to myself, even if it meant avoiding my friends for the time being. I wasn't sure when I would get another opportunity like this. When we got into the middle of the dance floor, Link grabbed me suddenly and slammed my body against his, causing shivers to run up my spine as I looked up into his eyes. He had beautiful brown eyes and I could just get lost in them. I smiled up at him, feeling incredible in his presence.
Link brushed my hair out of my face and pressed me up against him, breathing me in. I felt a little dizzy being that close, but I wouldn't have it any other way. He bent down and nipped my neck with his teeth. I gasped as electricity went through my body. I was so surprised that he had acted so aggressively. I didn't expect that from him at all. I smiled up at him and wished he would do more to me. His hands found my hips again and he held me to him. I could feel his excitement for me pushing against me. I was beginning to get turned on knowing that he was becoming aroused just by dancing with me. We were so close together. The music was throbbing around us and I was having trouble breathing. The moment was so sexy and I longed to kiss Link. I wondered if there was a chance that I would be kissed that night. I would take full advantage of it if it happened. I wanted to put my lips against his and feel the heat between us. He didn't look at another woman all night; he had been focused solely on me.
“Do you have any idea what you're getting into with me Gemma?”
“Oh? And here I thought you were some responsible business owner. Are you trying to tell me that Link has a dark side to him to?” Please say yes, I always loved a dark side.
He laughed.
I was surprised by the forcefulness of his voice when he spoke to me. He was so close to my face that he was almost kissing me and I felt light headed. Kiss me, I thought. I just wanted to be kissed. He was driving me insane and the feelings were not familiar to me. No man had ever made me feel so crazed before, like if I didn't have him I would lose my mind totally. I no longer cared about anything or anyone else in the room; it just felt like the two of us there. I just wanted to be possessed by that man who seemed to be able to thrill me with very little effort.
He laughed, “I don't know about a dark side, but I'm not all innocent either.”
“I think I do know what I'm getting into, thank you.” I thought for a moment that he would kiss me, and I ached as I waited for it. I had been longing to find out what his lips would taste like up against mine.
Chapter Eight
“Come with me.”
Link grasped my hand in his and he pulled me off of the dance floor. I followed him through the crowd and up a red staircase. He was leading me to the VIP lounge. I hadn't realized that he had a booth; he must have arranged it before he arrived. When we got upstairs it was far fancier than the reserved booths downstairs. It was a special VIP area. I had no idea that they had that extra room for VIP customers; I had assumed that it was just the booths below. I wondered how many people were aware of this part of the club. I guess with enough money you knew where the special places were. Link must have a really good friend to be able to lock in one of the luxury booths. Some of the booths had curtains to allow for private parties, in case you didn't want to be disturbed by other guests. There were a few other people up there having their own private parties. It looked incredible and it was the perfect place for someone who enjoyed the finer things in life.
Link took me to one of the private booths and we went inside. It was so elegant that I wanted to live in there, if only it were big enough.
“Wow these are nice booths. This club is bound to be successful with these for sure.” I really was impressed by everything I saw.
“Yeah, it's a nice place isn't it?” He was looking around the booth.
A waitress peeked in with a smile on her face. “Hi guys! What can I get for you?”
She was a busty blonde with a bright smile but Link barely paid her any attention. It was really refreshing to see a guy not check out a girl’s rack.
“Yes, can we get a bottle of Bollinger Blanc de Noirs please?”
She smiled, clearly impressed and she should be; Link had just ordered a $400 bottle of champagne. I didn't speak because I didn't have the words. Was he trying to impress me? A $400 bottle was totally unnecessary. It's not like we were even on a date or anything. Still, I wasn't going to complain. It would probably be the best thing I put in my mouth that evening. Marilyn Monroe used to bathe in champagne that cost half that amount so we were certainly living large. I wondered if he always lived like that.
“I'll get that right for you Link.”
The waitress disappeared and left us alone once again.
Link got cozy with me in the booth. “So what do you do for a living Gemma, when you're not being a lawyer?”
I smiled sweetly at him, “I'm actually a financial consultant. Not the most exciting job in the world but I love it and I happen to be really good at it.”
“Wow, that's impressive. You must be really great a math...it definitely wasn't one of my best subjects in school. I liked to create things, which is probably why I became a chef.”
“And now you're a business owner so I think you are doing very well for yourself. Good job.”
“I'm doing alright. I love it all though, I thrive in business; I believe it was where I needed to be. Although I love cooking and will always do that, I didn't want to be a chef forever. I wanted something to call my own.”
I smiled, Link sounded like a very smart man, and I liked smart men. “I totally understand; it's great Link.
I liked what I saw although I didn't see much of inside. But the word on the street is that things are going quite well for you.”
“Have you been checking up on me?” He said with a wink.
I stumbled on my words, “Oh...no, you just hear things.”
“Well maybe one of these days we can change the fact that you didn't see much of my restaurant.”
“Maybe…”
The waitress brought the champagne in a bucket full of ice. She set glasses in front of us and poured us both a glass. My mouth was watering as I imagined the taste of the champagne. I couldn't wait to have some, what a treat! It had been quite a while since I had champagne so I was really looking forward to a glass. Link made a great choice when he picked the champagne. I wouldn't have thought to do it at a club, but he certainly won me over.
“Thank you very much. We're not going to want to be disturbed for a while, thank you. If I need another bottle, I will come and get you.”
The waitress's eyebrows hit the ceiling. She was probably thinking the same thing that I was: Another bottle?! He was just so full of surprises.
“No problem Link. Let me know if you need anything.”
She disappeared again and Link picked up his glass. “What should we toast to?”
I smiled, “How about we toast to finding interesting people in strange circumstances.”
He laughed and said, “Sounds good to me.”
I picked up my glass and we clinked them together. I brought the glass to my lips and took my first sip. It was like liquid sunshine going down my throat. It was crisp, smooth and delicious. “Mmmm...That’s really good.”
“I agree,” he said.
He moved in quickly for a kiss. His mouth met mine and the kiss sizzled between us. I almost moaned he tasted so good.
“I like the way champagne tastes on your lips.”
I grinned like an idiot. That was so hot. I loved the way he tasted as well champagne or not.
He kissed me again and this time our tongues found each other and we began making out like we were in high school. His hands were in my hair and our kisses became even more heated. I was breathless, and it was so hot.