Like A Boss (6 page)

“Sorry, I cut my finger.” I stuck my middle bandaged finger up to him in a fuck you type of way.

“Practice makes perfect. Maybe you should be the only person to cut all the fruit from now on.”

“You can’t make me do that.”

He stalked closer as I lowered my finger. “I can make you do whatever I want. You want to know why?”

“Yeah, because you’re the boss. I get it. But, you should learn you can’t treat your employees this way. Pretty soon, you’ll have none left.”

He laughed. “Bartenders are a dime a dozen. I’ll always be able to find someone hungry for a job.”

“Good luck,” I said, biting my tongue as he walked away.

Once again I was left to clean up the disaster which was Theo Sullivan.

THEO

What a shitty week. This bar would break me if Penny didn’t first.

After sitting in my office at the Bearded Goat, I decided I would need to seriously figure something out to keep this bar afloat. The past two weeks were a testament to how bad off this bar truly was. The only good things about my days were getting a rise out of Penny.

I took great pleasure in seeing the crimson flush of anger creep up her neck when I made her clean the seagull shit off the back patio after she poured my drink into a baby bottle.

I then went and took the Roses Lime Juice and poured it over the liquor bottles and watched as the bottles slipped from her hands while she tried to serve the guests. It was unprofessional but I didn’t give a shit. The next day she’d sent me a “Running a Bar For Dummies” book. She’d left it on my desk with a note telling me to read up.

One instance, of Penny engrossed in a book, kept replaying over in my mind. It was a rainy day and the bar was empty. She was zoned out, bent over the bar, her chin resting in her palm. I walked up behind her and cleared my throat.

She jumped. “Shit, you scared me.”

“Are you reading about how to bartend?” I grabbed the book from her hands and flipped it open, reading aloud,

“She lay with her legs spread wide before him as he stared longingly at her. Her heart beat faster as he closed the space between them.

With a wild passion burning through his system, he struck out his tongue to taste the sweet nectar she possessed.”

“Give it back,” she demanded, reaching for the book.

“What is this smut?” I turned away from her and continued reading,

“His throbbing member entered her love slit as she moaned loudly. “Make me come, Thorne.”

His jagged movements brought Babette to her own tumultuous orgasm.”

“It’s not smut, it’s romance.” Her tits pressed against my back as she tried to reach for the book I held in the air.

“No this is smut. What the hell is a love slit? Do you enjoy reading these filthy books?” It felt personal to be knowing these intimate details but, what the fuck was she reading this stuff for at
my
bar?

“Yes, I love these books. Now give it back.” Her temper rose as she once again reached for the book.

“Oh right, here’s your book,” I said, handing it to her, trying not to think about her reading alone at home, late at night. “I guess you need to get some ideas.”

“Maybe
you
should.” She leaned down, stuffing the book in her handbag under the bar. “You wouldn’t know the first thing about romance.”

“Romance? What do I need to read a smutty book about romance for? I do just fine.”

“It’s better than the comic books I’ve seen piled in your office.”

I took a deep breath, my smile faltering. “They’re graphic novels, there’s a difference.” I crossed my arms. “Besides, at least my books don’t talk about pulverizing a pussy to smithereens.”

Her cheeks turned a bright crimson as she propped a hip against the bar.

“Well maybe you’re not mature enough to read about pussies since you’re obsessed with those cartoon books.”

I cocked a brow. “Cartoon books? Again, they’re graphic novels. And you’re right, I don’t need to read about pussy. I can always go out and get it.”

“Yeah, I’m sure you’re The Lord of One-Nighters.” Her bangs blew off her forehead as she made a pfft sound.

“Is that an offer?”

“No. Never.” She was angry. I could tell by the way her face scrunched up, and I noticed the freckles along the bridge of her nose. She really was quite adorable, but I wouldn’t allow a second glance her way.

Every fucking day it was something with her. But, I realized she knew her shit and the regulars adored her. At first I ignored her, I pretended she didn’t exist. Yet, working in the tight confines of the bar, and having her tits brush up against me occasionally during the rush, it became harder to not think about her—really fucking hard. I pushed away thoughts of her everyday but at night the thoughts came back with a vengeance and pushed me over the edge to the depths of hell.

She teased me daily with the way she bent over to get things and her ass would press against me. Or the way the Bearded Goat tank barely held her breasts in and her nipples would harden after a visit to the cooler. Sometimes her bangs would hang in her eyes and I would have to fight the urge to brush them off her face. It became too much to bear. I needed to get my shit together and figure things out with this bar so I didn’t have to be here everyday. Especially with the summer months around the corner. Most high-society wintered in Florida, creating enough business to usually keep many businesses up and running through the summer. Not the Bearded Goat.

I slammed the quarterly reports down on my desk and ran a hand across my face.
Fuck.

My mind wandered briefly to my silver moon goddess and our one fateful night many months ago. Where was she?

Thinking of her, and the way she disappeared made me angry. I pushed away from the desk and decided a drink was in order. I would head over to the neighboring clubs and see what trouble I could get into for the evening.

We didn’t normally have a big night crowd, so leaving Seth to handle the place was a no brainer. Turning out the lights, I left the bar. As I walked down Ocean Drive, Mekka shook with energy and adrenaline. I opened the glass door and nodded to the bouncer who stood guard as I walked inside.

The dance floor was packed with sweaty bodies as they rocked to the loud beat of the bass.

Neon lights and glass tables were all the eye could see. A bit of overstimulation but they were packed, so they must have been doing something right.

“Macallan neat,” I called to the man behind the fiberglass bar.

He poured the brown-stained liquor straight from the bottle and slid the drink my way. I threw a few bills down as I took a swig of the whiskey.

The pounding of the music vibrated through my body as I watched a few scantily dressed ladies float by. The further I ventured into the club the more I wished away all the anxiety I felt the past few weeks.

I scanned the club once more and my eyes landed on a lightly-freckled nose. It scrunched at me when our eyes met. It took me a moment to actually recognize her, wait, yes it
was
her and what the fuck was she wearing? Christ, she looked like a slut and my mouth watered at the sight of her.

Her heels rocked back and forth as she swayed to the music without a care in the world.

The way she eye fucked me was sexy, and I couldn’t stand here and take it any longer. She teased me, like she did every damn day at the bar. Filled with irritation, I stalked over.

She danced next to her blonde friend whose name was not coming to mind. Nothing came to mind. Only a dirty reel of images of Penny taking off everything she wore except the black high heeled-shoes with the tiny pink bows on her feet. They were sweet, too sweet, and the sight of them made my cock pulse.

She didn’t acknowledge me until I practically stood right next to her.

“Oh, it’s you,” she slurred as she placed a hand on her friend’s shoulder to steady herself. “Don’t bother me. I’m trying to have fun, something you know nothing about.”

“I know how to have fun. But you’re right, I only came over here to chat with your friend.” I took her friend’s hand in mine and laid a kiss on her yellow polished nails.
Margo? Marlo?

“Hi there, again,” her friend giggled.

“Margo.” Penny slapped her friend’s hand from mine, and I smiled at the jealous expression on her beautiful face.

“What’s wrong, Penny? Don’t want me having fun with your friend here?”

“There are a million women in here. Take your pick of any of them, and leave
us
alone.” Her feet were unsteady as she waved a hand in my face.

With a quick snap, I gripped her wrist and yanked her body closer. “Let’s get one thing straight. I’m the boss, stop telling me what to do,” I hissed never breaking eye contact.

“Ok, on that note, I’ll see you two later. Penny, I’ll be right over there at the bar if you need me,” Margo said as she left Penny and me standing toe to toe with my hold on her tightening.

“How dare you speak to me that way,” Penny said with a fiery passion in her voice.

It turned me on—fucking fierce.

She taunted me, made me feel stupid for not knowing as much as she did, and I wanted to let her know I wouldn’t stand for it any longer.

“How dare I? Do you know who you’re talking to?”

“Yeah, my jerkface boss.” Her words fanned across my lips, and I could taste the liquor on her breath.

Her pulse quickened, and it throbbed under my fingertips. Without thinking, I turned around and kept a hold of her as I led her through the dance club. A dark hallway to the restroom was lit by one tiny pink neon light and I slammed her against the wall. “You want me to kiss you, don’t you?” I asked, gripping her waist with both hands. I pressed my cock into the spot between her legs so she could feel how hard I was for her.

Her arms flew around my neck as she clung to me tighter. She rocked her hips and I knew this affected her as much as me.

Her eyes were heavy with desire as I brushed my hand along her shoulder, finally feeling her soft silky skin. “This little black dress is fucking slutty. Why would you wear this? Do you like to tease, Penny?”

Her mouth opened and I could see the rage on her face. She took a deep breath and before she could speak I raised my finger, pressing her lips closed and shook my head back and forth. “You stay quiet, and stop teasing me.”

She sucked my finger into her mouth and my eyes fell closed. Fuck, it felt surreal until I felt her teeth clamp down around my skin, drawing blood.

“What the fuck, Penny.” I pulled my finger from her bite, examining it.

“I’m not teasing you. I hate you,” she spewed her venom and my heart raced harder.

“You’re a fucking tease. You don’t see the way you’re flaunting your tight little body for every man to see tonight?” I pulled her harder against me as my throbbing cock needed attention. “Do you want to see how it feels to be teased, Penny?”
Oh, I’ll give her a taste of her own medicine.

“Are you kidding me? Every woman here tonight is dressed like me, some even worse.”

“I won’t allow you to dress like a little tramp and turn me on. Jesus, your tits are spilling out of the top of your dress,” I said with my lips inches from hers.

“Allow?”

I backed away slightly as I gazed at her dress one more time and licked my full hungry lips. Teasing her as bad as she teased me these past few weeks was the only thing on my mind.

“Yes. You look so fuckable right now, Penny, and I don’t like it.”

“Fuck you, asshole,” she said as her fingers tightened on my neck, her nails digging deep as she pulled me closer.

“Fuck me? No, fuck you.” I ran my nose along her soft skin, breathing in the tasty smell of her body.

What was I doing? This was insanity.

“Oh God, Theo.”

My name tripped from her lips and I angled closer to whisper in her ear. “Are you wet, Penny? I bet if I ran my fingers along your pussy, you’d be soaked.” She gasped at my words. “Would you like it if I pressed on your clit and pumped my fingers so deep in-fucking-side you? I bet you’ve never come as hard as I can make you.”

“No,” she said as she rocked her hips against me, grazing her teeth along her bottom lip.

“I bet if I finger fucked you, your pussy’s so tight. So sweet, dripping down my hand.” Her head fell back against the wall and she let out a breathy moan. A low growl rumbled from me feeling her sweet cunt grind against my dick.
Oh God, I was so fucking hard.

“And then after you come on my hand, I’d smear it all over your tits and suck it off. You want me to, don’t you? Tell me how bad you want me to suck your wet nipples into my mouth and bite down, making you scream my name,” I demanded, my heart racing.

“Please, stop,” she begged, rocking herself against me. Her words said one thing, but the hunger in her eyes told me she wanted this as badly as I did.

“Penny, you fucking tease me. I bet you smell so good and I bet you taste even better.” Drunk from the want pouring through my veins, I needed to bury my thick cock in her, balls deep.

“Do you want your little pussy to come all over me? My fingers. My face. My fucking cock.” I braced both hands against the wall beside her, boxing her in. My lips brushed hers lightly as I spoke, “Do you like it when I tease you, Penny?”

“Oh God yes, I mean no,” she whimpered, her fingers twisting through my hair.

“You need to stop. I can’t handle it,” I whispered. She needed to learn she couldn’t tease me anymore.

“I’m sorry,” she murmured.

She groaned as her body arched into me. It was too intense, my senses overloaded as I made the mistake of gazing at her face. Her eyes squeezed shut, her cheeks flushed from arousal, and the god damn freckles along the bridge of her nose were too much. I stepped back and her eyes flew open. Her chest rose and fell as she stared back at me. What the fuck happened?