Nothing But Trouble (8 page)

She looked directly at him for a full five seconds, and something akin to assessment seemed to gleam in her whiskey brown eyes.

But then without a word she ducked under the bar, and when she straightened, her gaze roamed the entire place.

Brandon took a sip of his tonic and lime, then looked over at Ali and raised his eyebrows. She smiled again and nodded imperceptibly, in a go-for-it kind of way.

This made Brandon very happy. He hadn’t been able to think about anything but that kiss last night and the passionate young woman who’d returned it with a fervor that was impressive.

She might have a smart mouth, but it was a lush, sexy, smart mouth, and he’d dreamed about it incessantly since he’d taken a cab back to Ned’s place in the wee hours of the morning.

His father had ingrained in him from his earliest memories never to force a lady, always to let her take the lead. Last night had been the only time he’d ever considered ignoring that advice, fantasizing all the while about having sex with Laura on that pool table until they both collapsed with exhaustion.

The hardest thing he’d ever done in his life had been to keep his hands from exploring al the delights of her petite body.

To agree to let her out of his clutches after only a kiss. He didn’t know how he was going to do it, but somehow he had to get Laura Tanner to beg.

“How’s it going, Yalie?”

Brandon glanced up from his drink, startled. So deep in thought he’d lost track of time and place, he hadn’t even noticed Laura’s approach. He regrouped. “Pretty good, lethal weapon.

How are you?”

Her lips quirked. “Lethal weapon?”

“Oh, yeah, lady. In more ways than one.”

She crossed her arms on the bar and leaned over to him.

Her scent was delicately feminine and utterly intriguing. “And don’t you forget it.”

He leaned forward too, until their lips were about five inches too far apart from each other. “I promise, that’s not possible. Ali was definitely right about that.”

“About what?”

“That you’d be unforgettable.”

She reared back as if he’d tried to light a fire under her chin.

Her eyes narrowed, and she braced the bar with a white-knuckled grip. “Do sweet lies just roll off your lips?”

He took exception to that. “Do you always believe anything a man says is a lie?”

“Only when his lips are moving.”

The mention of lips brought his focus straight to hers.

“Sweetheart, my lips were moving a long time last night, and not a single second of it was a lie.”

That coaxed a slight blush out of her. She straightened and started looking around for something else to do.

“And, by the way,” he added, “you stil owe me another you-know-what.”

“What?” Hannah asked, sliding onto the stool beside Brandon.

Laura’s face turned several shades darker, and her jaw started working. Brandon could tel she didn’t want to admit the truth, and he’d bet his classic Mustang she didn’t like lying. So he lied for her. “A beer,” he said easily. “She still owes me a beer.”

Quiet gratitude shone in her eyes before she tossed him a scornful look. “I won’t remind you that you won this beer under false pretenses,” she said, as she turned to pour.

Man, she had attitude to spare. On her it was adorable. But he had a feeling she wouldn’t appreciate that observation. In fact, he had the feeling that that observation would land him flat on his back. And not in a happy way.

He had to wonder from whence that attitude stemmed. He remembered her reference to her father yesterday, and had to believe it had something to do with her upbringing. But he couldn’t wait to find out the details.

Laura grudgingly set the beer in front of him, then smiled at Hannah. “Make some good money today?”

Hannah shrugged. “Did better than Ned, so it’s one for the win column.”

Brandon was intrigued by the animosity that seemed to exist between Hannah and Ned. Somehow he didn’t think it was strictly competition, or even necessarily work-related. He’d have to ask Ned about that.

“Excel ent,” Laura said. “Wine?”

Hannah shook her head. “Didn’t have time to eat lunch.

How about a Coke?”

Laura nodded and turned away. Brandon smiled at Hannah.

“So, you’re a stockbroker, too?”

Hannah grimaced. “Yes, well, let’s not advertise it.”

“How’d you meet Laura?” he asked, deciding idle chitchat was a waste of time. He wanted to hone right in on his primary interest.

Hannah smiled fondly, and it occurred to Brandon that she was a strikingly beautiful woman. “She came to my firm with five thousand dollars in hand and demanded we invest it aggressively. She wanted to open her own business, and she didn’t want to wait forever.”

“Well, it’s been a bull market for quite a while, but isn’t that a . . . rather small amount, comparatively?”

“It’s a pittance,” Hannah agreed. “But it wasn’t to Laura.

She’d worked hard for that money.”

“So you took her on as a client?”

“You better believe it. And the day she opened Nothing But Trouble, our firm held a party for her. Here.”

Brandon glanced over at Laura, fil ing orders for Ali. Five thousand dollars, her life savings. The concept was almost foreign to him, and guilt seeped in. His paternal grandmother had set up a trust fund on the day he was born, ensuring that he’d never have to worry about money his entire life. Although he didn’t consider himself a spendthrift by any stretch, he certainly had never had to think twice when he’d seen something he’d really wanted.

And though he’d worked hard in school and always held down a part-time job because his father had a strict work ethic, he’d never had to scrape and save in order to reach a goal.

His respect for Laura—already high—soared even higher.

“Got the hots for her, do you?”

He grinned. “I’d think that’s fairly obvious.”

She sipped her Coke before adding in a low voice, “Let me give you a piece of advice. Don’t toy with her unless you’re looking for me to rip your heart out with my bare hands. She might try to act tough, but inside she’s vulnerable. And I won’t take kindly to anyone who’d hurt her.”

Brandon gaped at the woman. “I have no intention of hurting her.”

Nodding, Hannah sipped some more soda. “Good.”

“Can I ask you something?”

“You can ask, sure.”

“What’s Laura’s favorite thing in the world?”

“This bar. It’s one hundred percent hers.”

“Other than the bar, what does she love? What’s she passionate about?”

“Books.”

“Books? What kind of books?”

“You name it. She’s a voracious reader. You should see her apartment. The woman could open a bookstore.”

“Why didn’t she?”

“Why didn’t she what?”

“Open a bookstore instead of a bar?”

“Because at the time, she felt this was what she knew best.”

“What’s her favorite book of al time?”

“
Huckleberry Finn,
” Hannah said without hesitation. She set down her glass and swung to face him more fully. “I’m going to tel you one more thing about Laura. And then I’m done.”

“Please.”

“She’s one of the smartest people I know. She soaks in everything. Everyone who knows her knows this. Except Laura herself. Because of her background, she doesn’t recognize just how intelligent she is.”

“Her background?” he probed, although he had the feeling Hannah would clam up.

He was right. She turned away again. “That’s for her to discuss or not discuss.”

He nodded and fel silent as he glanced over at Laura again, chatting with another male customer. He didn’t like the sour feeling that curdled his gut as he watched how easily she laughed and carried on a playful conversation with a man that wasn’t him. She wasn’t flirting exactly, but the other man sure was. At least it looked that way to Brandon, and he didn’t like it a bit.

Why wasn’t she prickly with that guy, the way she was with him?

The only good answer he could come up with was that she was attracted to him, and that bugged her. She didn’t want the attraction. Didn’t like it. Brandon considered running that by Hannah, but wasn’t sure he wouldn’t care for her answer. She was awfully protective of Laura, and she didn’t know him from Adam.

He could get Ali’s opinion, but it was the close of business on Wall Street, and the bar was filling up. Ali was running back and forth from tables to bar, and he wasn’t about to risk Laura’s wrath by disrupting her waitress’s rhythm.

Ali dril ed out another round of orders, and Laura had to cut short her conversation with the other man. Good. He realized it was pretty ridiculous to be jealous after knowing her for only one day, but he didn’t much care.

“It’s pretty ridiculous to be jealous after knowing her for one day,” Hannah said.

For the second time in as many minutes, he gaped at her.

“Huh?”

She grinned. “You were looking daggers at Jimmy Raye.”

“Oh.” He felt his cheeks get a little warm.

She patted his hand. “Jimmy Raye is Ali’s boyfriend. Not to worry.”

“Oh.” He brought the beer to his lips and took a healthy slug. It was a little disconcerting to be so transparent.

Right then Ned slid onto the stool beside Hannah, and her body went stiff as a tree trunk. Brandon
really
wanted to find out what was between the two of them. Although Ned and Hannah exchanged disgusted expressions, Brandon could sense the tension that suddenly permeated the air around them, and it was definitely the sexual kind.

“Hey,” Brandon greeted him. “Have a good day?”

Hannah snorted.

“Back at you,” Ned said, ignoring Hannah. “Yeah, not bad.” “Hey, Ned,” Laura said, as she stopped in front of him.

“What’l it be tonight?”

“How about a Molotov cocktail?” Hannah suggested.

“Ha ha ha,” Ned countered. He glanced over at Brandon.

“Do I have time for a beer, or do you want to go get some grub now?” he asked, as he loosened his tie.

Laura turned her gaze to him, and he could swear there was a flash of regret there for a moment, and suddenly the last thing he wanted to do was leave her. “You know, I had a late lunch,”

he said, as an idea formed. “I’m not real y hungry.”

“Fine. I’ll have a draft, Laura. Thanks.”

Laura nodded but lowered her lashes, and a smal smile formed on her face. Brandon considered that about the biggest victory he’d ever scored. She turned away, and he took a moment to appreciate her from the rear before turning back to Ned. “And you know, Hannah just mentioned she missed lunch.

If you’re hungry now, why don’t you two go grab a bite?”

Both of them stared at him as if he’d just pulled out a gun and pointed it straight at their heads.

“Not a chance!” Hannah said at the same time Ned said, “No way in hell!”

“Okay, that’s it,” Brandon replied, slapping his hand on the bar. “What in hel is with you two?”

Hannah’s nose turned up. “Ask him,” she said, waving a hand in Ned’s direction.  

Ned scowled. “It wasn’t my fault.”

“The hell it wasn’t!” Hannah said.

“What wasn’t your fault?” Brandon asked, fascinated by the sparks flying between them. Ned had always been a charming ladies’ man in college. It was fun to watch a woman who didn’t fal under his spel . Or did she?

“Because of him,” Hannah spat out, “my cousin Nancy is now living in Tibet!”

Brandon choked. “Tibet?”

“You act like I bought her the plane ticket and the backpack,” Ned said.

“You might as wel have.”

“I didn’t tel her to go find herself.”

“No, you told her to get lost.”

“I absolutely did not,” Ned retorted. “Al I told her was I wasn’t ready to get married.”

“Which is the same thing.”

“Technical y it’s not,” Brandon interjected.

“Oh, what do you know?” Hannah asked. “You’re a man.

Of course you’re going to take his side.”

“What’s going on here?” Laura asked.

“We’re engaging in meaningful dialogue,” Brandon said.

“No. We’re rehashing ancient history,” Ned corrected.

“Ancient?” Hannah nearly screeched. “My cousin is
still
camped out and meditating at the foothil s of the Himalayas.”

Laura looked at Brandon and raised her brows. “You opened this can of worms?”

He shrugged. “It’s the only way to get rid of the worms.”

“The only way to get rid of the worm is to kick him out,”

Hannah said. “Laura, I think you should ban Ned from here.”

“I’d do that in a second if he weren’t such a valued customer,” Laura said mildly.

Hannah seemed to deflate. “Some friend you are.”

“Look at it this way. If Ned weren’t here, who would you have to pick on?”

Hannah looked at Brandon meaningfully. “Oh, I’d find someone else.”

“Whoa!” Brandon said, holding up his hands. “I’m an innocent bystander.”

It was Laura’s turn to snort.

Brandon grabbed his wal et from his back pocket. “I’l tel you two what. If you leave together right now and have supper with each other, I’l pay you both a hundred bucks.”

“Fat chance,” Hannah said.

“Wait a minute,” Ned said. “Let’s think about this. We spend an hour together and earn a hundred bucks each. I think we should do it.”

Hannah hesitated. “Promise not to talk to me?”

“If you don’t want me to.”

“I don’t.”

“Fine.”

“And I’m going on record as stating right now that the only reason I’m doing it is because I’m starving, and your friend’s a sucker.”

“Fine.”

While Brandon counted out the bil s, he cast a surreptitious glance Laura’s way and caught her mouth hanging open. He hoped he wasn’t making a huge mistake. Laura might never forgive him if one of her best friends or a valued customer died in the next hour.

He handed them the money, and the two stood, arguing about where to go for supper. They continued to argue even as Ned put a hand on her back and led her toward the front door.

After watching them leave, Brandon turned back. Laura was still standing there, wide-eyed. She final y found her voice.

“What have you done?”

“Umm, tried to make peace?”