La Cosa Nostra, This Thing of Ours (6 page)

"What did you have in mind
?" I do love a good challenge.

"I can see by your sexy
, little lady six-pack that you are in good shape," he says, staring at my belly. 
Yeah, I've worked hard for that, mister
. I place my hands over my stomach because damn if his comment didn't just make lava run through my body. 

"Your arm
s are toned, but not muscular. So I bet you can't do five full chin ups." He grasps the bar with one hand, making me see his very muscular arm.
More heat, oh God, where is it coming from?

"If I can't?"

"You let me take you out on a date." He takes hold of the bar with his other hand and the cocky son of a bitch does ten chin ups with ease. The muscles in his back and arms are like rippling waves of gorgeousness.
God, would I love to run my hands all over that body
.

"What if
I can?" I look away when he jumps down, hoping I don't have drool hanging from my mouth. 

"If you can, it's your call.
I'll leave you alone if that's what you want," he says this like there is no possible way that is what I would want. 

"Deal."
I reach out and take his hand to seal the deal. That damn spark runs through me again the moment he touches me. Like always, my mouth goes dry and my breathing stops. I let his hand loose as fast as I can. I know he knows he is having an effect on me, which just perturbs me even more.

I reach for the bar,
but it is too tall for me. Before I know what is happening, his hands are around my waist lifting me. "There you go, Petal." Even though I can't see his face, I can hear the sarcasm in his voice.
Fuck you
!

It's like riding a bi
ke, I do five chin ups easily. Just to be a smart ass, I do seven before my arms start burning. I jump down very satisfied and turn to see a look of astonishment on his face. "Damn, girl." He whistles through his teeth. 

"Farm
girl!" I smile and walk away. Grabbing my jacket and keys from the locker I had stowed them in, I walk out of the gym, not looking back. 

I go to my two classes and by the time I am done with my home
work it is time to go to work. I can tell already that between school and my new job I am not going to be having much of a social life.

I go in early that afternoon hoping to catch
Matty.  Before I change into my uniform, I knock lightly on his office door. I hear him say come in and open the door. I almost want to shut it immediately.    Across the desk from Matty is Liam, sitting in a chair balancing it on its back two legs like a teenager would.

"Sorry to bother you
, sir," I say quickly as both their eyes are on me. 

"What can
I do for you, Harper?" I think I have just interrupted some sort of argument, by the tone of his voice. Liam looks amused at the fact Matty is upset. 

"I would like to ask you if I c
an do the job I was hired for. I would like to stay behind the bar," I blurt out as fast as I can while I still have the nerve.

"I want you in VIP. D
o you know all the girls would kill for that section?" he asks, seeming even more annoyed. 

"All the more reason
, sir. I prefer behind the bar."
  Do I want this bad enough to quit over? I do, I hate being so on display, men ogling me
. At least behind the bar I have cover.

"No, I want you on the floor.
Your body can make us a lot of money, my dear." He has a cocky smile as he motions his hand up and down. I feel heat on my cheeks from embarrassment. It doesn't help that Liam has not looked away from me once.
Now I'm mad. I am not a fucking hooker, my body is not going to make anyone money
.

"Ok
ay, consider this my notice then."
Holy shit, did I just quit a job that I can make at least $500 a night at?

I turn to walk out the door, both men standing up.  "
Matty, let the girl be behind the bar," Liam says frantically, which gives me some satisfaction.   Matty seems even more pissed now. 

"H
arper, this is a first for me. You are actually going to quit?" Matty asks sitting back down with a huff.

"Yes
, sir."
Yes and it is a first for me also
. My heart is beating in my chest so hard I feel it is visible.

"Fine, but
we are going to re-evaluate in two weeks," he spouts, wanting to have a little control, I suppose. 

"Thank you
, sir." I nod at the men, leaving the room. Between the intensity of almost quitting my job, and the weight of Liam's stare, I'm pretty sure I was very close to a heart attack.

I still have an hour till my shift starts
, so I change into my uniform before I go behind the bar. I want to familiarize myself with everything. It is still early afternoon, so the club is empty. I'm taking inventory of the different liquors as I study my cocktail book. 

"That was pretty impressive," a sexy voice says behind me. I was so intent
in my thoughts I hadn't heard anyone come up.

"Oh My God!"
I scream and jump at the same time. Turning around, I find Liam looking very pleased. 

"Sorry
, Petal, didn't mean to scare you again. You are so jumpy," he says with a half smile.
Goddammit, stop looking at me like that. And please, for the love of all things holy, stop calling me Petal.

"Just
… you keep sneaking up on me," I stutter, looking away from those fucking dark eyes that seem to do things to me. Things I didn't know were possible. 

"So tell me
, Petal..." He pauses to see if it is having an effect.
It is, so fucking stop it
. "Would you have really quit?" He seems extremely amused with how uncomfortable his presence is making me. 

"What do you think?"
Let's see if I can turn the tables, gets some balls Harper
.

"Honestly?"

"No, lie to me." I roll my eyes, which makes him let out a low deep chuckle that makes my knees weak.

"I have no idea.
I can't figure you out, Petal.  You're not like any other woman I have met. You are also the first woman ever to turn me down," he says with a wink, "but I guess a bet is a bet. Do you want me to leave you alone?"
For fuck’s sake, really
?
Are you going to make me say it? I thought my actions were clear enough
.

"Yes
, Mr. Tarseta, I am not interested in you," I say as firm as my dry mouth will let me.  

He leans on the bar so that he is almost
lying on it, motioning me with his index finger to come closer. I take a tiny step, but no way do I want to be in smelling distance. This man's smell is like heaven. 

"Are you sure? I will not ask again, Petal. I beg for no one."
He is talking in a loud whisper. I watch his lips move as he annunciates every word. All I can think about is kissing those lips. 

"I'm sure,
" I say so softly that I know he doesn't believe me. I don't even believe me.
Why would it be so bad? Because you are not one of those girls.  You will get your heart smashed to pieces, Harper Troy
. 

He gives me the knowing smile and that fucking sexy wink again before h
e turns to walk out the door. I have to lean against the bar for ten minutes before I think I can stand on my own.  Goddammit, why does he have to be such a man whore? I would consider a romp with him if I knew that he hadn't already slept with at least two women this week alone. 

Liam doesn't mak
e another appearance that night. Monica calls in sick. I feel jealously in the pit of my stomach at the thought of them being together. 
God, I hate this. How can I be jealous, why am I jealous
?

The night goes well. It's busy
so my 20% comes up to $700. I can actually go to the grocery store and buy food that doesn't require to just add hot water. Even though the late nights are going to take some time to get used to, I think that I can have money saved up in no time. I'll need it for vet school. That is if I get accepted into one of the limited work study slots. My advisor thinks it won't be a problem if I keep my grades up, so no matter what, school has to take priority.

I get the next two nights off. W
hich I think is Matty's way of punishing me, not letting me work the two busiest nights of the week. However, John tells me to enjoy the weekend because he is scheduling me the next three Friday and Saturday nights. 

Chapter 7

I call Tara to
see if she wants to go clubbing. She's been asking me almost every night for a month. I owe my girl a night out.

Tara jumps at the chance to go clubbing and
I wear my favorite black dress. It is longer than the skirts that I wear to work, but not much. It is a tight dress with spaghetti straps.  It's simple and sexy. I don't know if it is because I have been around the Italian sex god, but I've been feeling extremely, well, horny. All I know is that I want to get my drink on and dance the night away.

We go
to one of the upscale clubs downtown. Even though there is line down the block, all we have to do is walk up to the bouncers and flash them our smiles. They've always let us right in.  Pretty girls always get to the front of the line, because clubs want the pretty girls in black dresses and fuck me heels in their clubs. It draws in a higher standard of men; men that pay more and buy lots of expensive drinks. I'm not saying I'm proud of how we get into the nicer clubs in Chicago, it is just part of the game and we play it.

The club is loud,
the dance floor is hopping. Tara and I usually get a couple of drinks in us and scope out the place before we start dancing. 

"Let's go up there
," Tara says pointing to the second level, which is a catwalk type level with booths that line the back. Up there you could really scope out the whole club. I shrug, sure, why not. We head for the stairs, but are stopped by a bouncer who tells us it's only for VIPs. Showing him our best pouty face he just says, "Sorry girls," and shakes his head.  

We
are just about to turn away to go find a table on the main floor when we hear someone yell. "Gino, let them up." I look up at the familiar voice. There is none other than Liam, standing about half way up the stairs.
Oh for crying out loud!

H
e stands there, not in his usual suit, but casual in blue jeans and a tight black t-shirt with his tan muscular arms bulging at the hem. It looks like his sleeves are cutting into his massive arms. 

"That's ok
ay, Mr. Tarseta, we'll just find a seat down here," I yell up at him. 

"
Harper, get your ass up here," he yells back, sternly ordering me. I'm pissed at the order, but goddamn turned on at the same time. Just when I think I am going to walk away showing him my middle finger, Tara squeals and bounds up the stairs. 

As she passes L
iam, he nods at her with a smile. I start up the stairs feeling a little betrayed by my friend. When I reach Liam, who is still standing halfway up the stairs, I catch a whiff of that cologne making my belly tighten. 

"Are you following me
, Mr. Tarseta?" I ask, his face very close to mine making it very hard for me to breathe. 

"I own this club
, Ms. Troy, so I guess I could assume the same thing from you," he says in his smooth sexy voice that is really starting to annoy me. Why does he have to be so damn sexy all the time? "Come have a drink with me, Petal," he says with that wicked half smile. He places his hand on the small of my back, leading me the rest of the way up the stairs. The heat I feel from his hand on my back is very concerning. I can already feel my panties getting wet. I do not want to give in to this guy.