Blame It on the Bikini - By Natalie Anderson Page 0,47

get double rates?’ Mya asked.

‘I’ll have to check with the client.’

Mya flicked her fringe out of her eyes and got down to prepping her cocktail trims. ‘Don’t worry, I’ll check with him.’ Her blood quickened as both anger and anticipation simmered. Why hadn’t he wanted her to tend his bar, hmm?

Half an hour later, she walked into the small room that could be roped off for VIPs or small private functions. ‘Hi, Brad,’ she said coolly. ‘You’ve offended me.’

‘I have?’

‘You don’t like my cocktail skills any more?’

‘I didn’t think you’d want me to pay for your time.’ He turned on the smiling charm immediately—but then leaned a little closer to where she now stood setting up the small bar. ‘I thought you might prefer not to have to see me.’

She shrugged. ‘It wouldn’t matter to me.’ She carefully placed glasses. ‘Maybe I could do with the money.’

‘And that wouldn’t bother you?’ He watched her closely.

‘You’d be paying me to pour drinks,’ she answered with some sass. ‘Not anything else. And you’re offering to pay Jonny more than the going rate?’

‘To secure the private space I had to. I didn’t think you’d want me to treat you as a charity.’

‘But you wouldn’t be, would you?’ she asked coolly.

He studied her, a small smile playing around his way-too-luscious lips. Yeah, there was the problem—she now knew exactly how skilled that mouth was.

‘I can be professional,’ she said—to herself more than to him.

‘Can you?’

‘Sure, can’t you?’

His smile deepened. ‘I’m not at work. I’m here to have fun and flirt with the bar staff.’

‘You wanted to flirt with Jonny?’ She laughed. ‘I’m sorry to disappoint you, but Jonny is off sick. You’re stuck with me.’

He looked at her.

‘Am I worth double?’ she asked him and tilted her head on the side.

‘You do know what you’re doing, don’t you?’

‘Stirring a cocktail, yes?’

‘You’re stirring, but not just the cocktail.’

‘We can still be friends, right? Isn’t that what you said?’ she said archly.

That was before they’d slept together.

‘Of course.’ He inclined his head and walked to greet the first person coming through the door.

Mya watched the guests arrive and insecurity smote her—there were women here, seriously hot women. Smart ones too. Lawyers, the lot of them. And it was so dumb to feel threatened when she was ninety per cent on her way to being a lawyer too. And even if she weren’t, she still didn’t need to feel any less worthy than them.

Yet she did. The years of conditioning at that school had shaped her—that she should feel grateful for having that opportunity. That she shouldn’t stuff it up. That her drop-kick family background meant she’d never be fully accepted by the social strata that most of these people came from—as James had pointed out.

She watched Brad laughing with one of the women. Oh, no, maybe that was why he hadn’t wanted her to work the bar—had he been sparing her because he was here with another woman? Why hadn’t she thought of that?

Brad knew all the guys were checking her out. It had been a dumb idea to come here, but he’d thought he could pull it off if Jonny had been doing the work. Then Brad could pop into the main bar and snatch a few words with Mya and see how the land lay. Only now she was right in front of him, smiling, joking and teasing with them all as she served them.

And all he could do was watch like some lovelorn pup hoping for any kind of bone to be thrown his way. Some small scrap that might show she wanted him again. It was more than his pride that was stung. Did she really not want another night with him? Had that truly been enough for her? He didn’t believe it—was egotistical enough not to. All he needed was some proof. And to get that, he figured he just needed to get a little closer to her.

Mya fully regretted saying she’d do this. He was more handsome than she remembered, more fun with his wicked smiles and sharp words. And now she was assailed by images of sneaking him into the cupboard or some dark corner in the alley and having her wicked way with him. Quick and frantic and fabulous.

And to make it worse, he’d now taken up residence right beside her and was watching her every move with the full-on maple-syrup glow. Brad Davenport on full throttle. She fumbled with the bottle and was annoyed to glance up