Easy For Keeps: A Boudreaux Novella (The Boudreaux Series) (2 page)

~Adam~

“Hey handsome, why don’t you come over here and fuck me?”

I cock a brow and send a half-smile to the brunette with the huge tits at the end of the bar, who’s officially had one too many. She’s been paying more attention to me than to her group of friends all evening, and while the attention is nice, she’s about to be sorely disappointed.

“Because this is a public place, sweetheart, and the cops tend to frown on that.”

She smirks, looks down to make sure her impressive cleavage is showing through her barely-there top, which it is, and then tosses her hair over one shoulder.

“We could go somewhere a little more private.”

“I’m working.” I wink, softening the refusal. Unfortunately, I’ve found that drunk women don’t recognize a refusal.

“I’ll wait.”

And there it is. She examines her white-tipped nails as I finish pouring one last beer before flashing the lights, letting everyone know that it’s closing time. Many bars in the Quarter stay open 24/7, but Callie, my co-owner, and I decided that 4:00 a.m. is sufficient for us. Most of the crowds die down by then, and it seems the majority of people out past then are looking to cause a little trouble.

Trouble isn’t something we invite into The Odyssey.

Customers are shuffling out, taking their drinks with them, thanks to no open container laws, waving and laughing as they go. I turn to dump some glasses in the sink, and there she is. Miss Brunette.

“You’re still here.” It’s not a question.

“I told you I’d wait,” she replies with a grin, showing off her perfect white teeth. She’s a pretty girl, and in the past I would have scooped her up and fucked her brains out in my office until she couldn’t walk for a week.

But lately, I’ve just been tired.

“Honestly, honey, I’m tired this morning. Do you need me to call you a cab?”

She frowns, as if she doesn’t understand.

“But last time I waited and you fucked me on the bar. Can’t we do that again?”

I blink rapidly and take a closer look at her.
I’ve fucked her before?

Jesus, I don’t even remember her.

Which doesn’t surprise me in the least.

“Not tonight.” She sticks her lower lip out in a pout as I press speed dial for a cab. I vaguely remember biting that lip. She hikes her skirt up, showing me more of her thighs, and there is a birthmark in the shape of Texas, and BAM! I remember.

She likes to bite. I had marks from her for a week.

Definitely not doing that again.

“The cab will be here in two minutes,” I inform her and turn to find her glaring at me.

Oh, good. An angry, drunk woman.

“Why don’t you want me?” She starts to sniffle. “I know I’ve gained five pounds since I was here last fall—”

That’s right! She travels for work.

“But I’ll suck your dick like nobody else ever has. Well, except me, because I sucked your dick before and you liked it.”

“I did like it,” I say with a nod, and immediately regret my mistake when she smiles and takes a step toward me. I hold my hands up in surrender.
Except the part when you bit my balls.
“But I have a girlfriend now,” I lie easily.

“So?” She looks genuinely confused.

So she doesn’t have much for morals. Go figure.

I sigh and scrub my fingers through my hair.

“So that means that I won’t fuck you, Marcy.”

“Darcy,” she spits out. “My fucking name is
Darcy.
”

“See? You should be with a guy who remembers your name.” Her eyes fill with tears again, but the cab pulls up to the curb and honks twice. “There’s your cab.”

I hurry her outside and pour her into the back seat. “Anywhere she wants to go, man. Just send me the bill.”

“I can pay for my own fucking cab ride,” Darcy growls and flips me off as the car pulls away.

I sigh again and lock the door behind me, then shuffle to the bar. The cleaning crew will arrive in about an hour to sanitize the floors, tables, bar and glassware, but for now it’s nice to be alone. The silence is a welcome change from the noisy, boisterous crowd that usually fills the space. And thank God for them, ’cause they pay the bills.

I love this place. I’ve worked at The Odyssey most of my life. First, for Callie’s dad, and then for her after he passed last year. And now that we’re planning to expand the space, Callie asked me to be her partner. The paperwork was finalized last week, and the expansion is moving forward.

It’s exciting and terrifying at the same time. I don’t just work here, I’m part owner and not able to leave at a moment’s notice if the notion struck me.

Not that I ever have, or would, do that. But it was an option.

Now strings are attached, and I’ve never been a strings kind of guy. In fact, at the first mention of commitment, I’m a run-in-the-other-direction kind of guy.

And I make no apologies for it. The women I’m with know the score. I keep my life simple.

This is work,
I remind myself. I’ve had a soft spot for The Odyssey for a long time, so attaching myself permanently is a good move.

It’s not a woman.

“You didn’t go home with her,” Callie says as she comes out of her office, surprising me.

“I thought you went home,” I reply instead of answering her question. “Didn’t I see Declan earlier?”

Declan is a popular New Orleans musician and Callie’s husband.

“You did,” she replies with a soft smile. “But I had some work to do here, and sometimes I just like to stay until closing.”

“We’re bar people,” I reply with a smile and walk behind the bar to pull out a bottle of water.

“So, why didn’t you give that pretty thing a ride on your desk?” Callie asks in the nonjudgmental way that only she can. She’s my best friend for a reason.

“Wasn’t feeling it,” I reply with a shrug, then grin. “Literally.”

“Har har,” she replies, but her smile is bright. “I haven’t heard many women stories lately.”

“You enjoy my conquest stories?” I ask, not believing her. “You always cover your ears and tell me to shut it.”

“Well, some of them are just gross. Like the time you had sex in the back of a cab. That’s just not sanitary, Adam.”

“Sex isn’t supposed to be sanitary, Cal. If you’re worried about sanitation, you aren’t doing it right.”

She shakes her head and chuckles. “Okay. So what’s up?”

“Nothing’s up,” I reply coolly, drinking from my bottle. “I just didn’t want to tap that twice.”

“You’re a pig.”

“See?” I say with a laugh. “You don’t like to hear the way I talk about women.”

“You may get around the block more than anyone I know, but you don’t disrespect women, Adam. That’s just shock value for me.”

“Guilty,” I reply with a wink. “I like to shock you.”

“You’re the only one who can these days,” she says. “But for real, everything’s okay?”

“I’m good. Just because I don’t fuck every piece of ass that looks my way doesn’t mean that something’s wrong.”

“Right,” she says, sarcasm dripping through every word. “Let’s not talk about the times I’ve covered for you at the bar while you
took a break
because a hot little thing crooked her finger at you.”

“Hey, I don’t discriminate. They don’t have to be little.”

She snorts. “Touché.”

It’s true. Larger or smaller, or in between, sexiness is attitude. That’s what I’ve always been attracted to, which is probably why the thought of settling down with one woman, when there are so many out there to enjoy, hasn’t interested me.

“I just have a lot on my plate,” I say logically. “I don’t always have time to bone every single woman in the Quarter.”

“You’re so eloquent.”

“I know.”

“Headed home?” she asks as she reaches for her bag.

“Nah, I’m gonna hit the gym for a bit before I call it a day.”

“I’ll see you later then.”

I glance at the door, relieved to see that Declan has returned to pick Callie up, rather than have her walk through the Quarter to her car alone at this time of the morning. I toss him a wave, then gather my keys and wallet from the safe in my office and look forward to a sweaty hour on the treadmill.

* * * *

The sun is just starting to throw some light into the sky when I leave the gym two hours later. I spent an hour on the treadmill, and then helped a guy with some weights for a while. Working out clears my head.

When I realize that I forgot my water bottle at the bar, I pull my car into the parking lot of a nearby grocery store, intending to run in and out quickly, then head home to shower and sleep for about a week.

But when I wander down the cold drink aisle, there’s a little girl clutching a ratty stuffed bear to her chest as big tears teeter on her lower eyelids, ready to fall.

And I’m sure there are more where those came from.

“Hi there,” I say kindly and look around the quiet store. There aren’t many people in here. “Where’s your mommy?”

“Lost,” she replies, her lip quivering.

Oh, God.
Women’s tears, no matter their age, are my Kryptonite.

“You lost her?” I ask and squat next to her, still keeping a good three feet between us. If Mom walks up, I don’t want to look like some kind of creep.

She nods.

“What’s your name?”

She’s adorable, with black hair and blue eyes. Her cheeks are still round, like a baby, but she has to be close to school age.

Then again, I know absolutely nothing about kids, so she could be twelve for all I know.

“Belle,” she whispers and sways back and forth, making her yellow dress swoosh around her legs.

“Okay, Belle, let’s find your mom.” I don’t take her hand, but I lead her to the front of the store to the customer service desk. “Can you please page Belle’s mom?”

“Sure,” the older lady says, winking at Belle. “We’ll find your mama, sweetie.”

She picks up the phone and pages Belle’s mom over the sound system. I glance down at the little girl, who’s now whispering to her bear, and wonder who on earth would bring their daughter to the store this early in the morning. And
lose her
in a mostly empty store.

After two more pages and no sign of the mother, I’m starting to get antsy. This can’t be one of those situations where the mom just drops the kid off and splits, right?

No way.

Suddenly, a gorgeous woman with dark brown hair and worried eyes comes rushing into the store. “I can’t find my— Oh! Hailey, I couldn’t find you!”

“I thought your name was Belle,” I say without thinking.

“Who are you?” Mom asks, scooping Hailey up and propping her on her hip.

“I’m Adam,” I reply and step back, my hands up in surrender the same way they were earlier when Darcy wouldn’t take no for an answer. “I was helping Belle, I mean Hailey, find you.”

“Oh.” She takes a deep breath and kisses her kid’s head, then offers me a shaky smile. “Thanks. She loves Belle, from
Beauty and the Beast
. I can’t get her to wear anything but this dress.”

“It’s pretty,” Hailey says with a grin.

“Very pretty,” I reply, smiling back at the sweet little girl. “What’s your mama’s name?”

“None of your business,” the girl’s mom says before Hailey can answer. “Thanks for your help.”

And with that she walks out of the store.

“Well, that was fun,” I mutter and smile at the lady behind the counter. “I can’t remember what I came in here for.”

“I think you were down the drink aisle,” she says with a laugh.

“Yes!” Rather than go back, I pull a bottle of water out of the cooler near the checkout and pay, then walk out to my car. Before I can get inside, I hear an engine trying to start, but it just keeps clicking. It won’t turn over. I poke my head around the side of the building, and sure enough, there’s Prickly Mom trying to start her newer model Honda.

“Having trouble?” I ask and grin when she looks up at me in surprise. Hailey is buckled into the back seat now and waves at me with a big smile, and I wave back.

“It was running fine when I left the apartment and came here.” She sighs and lays her forehead against the steering wheel. She’s a pretty woman. She has curves in all the right places, but doesn’t wear clothes that hug them. Her hair is long and just begging for fingers to thread through it.

And her lips are plump and damn kissable. Especially when she bites them the way she’s doing right now as she lifts her head and looks up at me.

“Sounds like your battery is dead.”

“Great,” she replies and blows out a breath.

“Do you have someone you can call?”

She hesitates and then shakes her head no. She’s not quick to trust, that’s for sure, and for some reason, that makes me want to try to help all the more.

It’s been a while since a woman was a challenge.

“We just moved here,” Hailey informs me.

“Hailey—”

“It’s okay,” I reply. “I can call you a tow truck. I know a guy.”

She nods.

“But I have to tell him your name.”

“Sarah,” she replies. “I’m sorry, I don’t mean to be rude.”

“Hey, stranger danger. I get it.” I nod and text my friend, then stare at the two girls for a moment. I can’t just leave them here.

“I can take you wherever you needed to get to.”

“No,” Sarah replies immediately.

“Look, let’s start again. My name’s Adam. I’ve never been arrested for anything, and I’ve received two speeding tickets in my life. I co-own a bar in the Quarter, and that’s why I haven’t been to bed yet today. I can give you references to call if you really want them.”

Her lips twitch into a slight smile and her eyes calm. They’re not just brown. They’re rich, dark chocolate.

And she has a kid.
Just be a Good Samaritan and go home to bed.

“Okay, Adam,” she begins and pulls herself out of her car so she can square her shoulders and look me in the eye. Or the best she can, anyway, since I’m still a good six inches taller than her. “I’ll be honest. I just started a new job. The nanny can’t start until Thursday, and Hailey’s kindergarten doesn’t start until nine. I have to check in on a family before that. So, I’ll take you up on your offer of a ride, but I need you to understand this: if you so much as breathe the wrong way toward me or my daughter, I will rearrange your junk into a bloody, pulpy mess that even a surgeon won’t be able to fix. Understood?”