Read Online Serving the Wolf's Den (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) by Kalissa Alexander - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Kalissa Alexander
Tags: Romance
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new contacts, Joanie.”
“For someone so smart, you really are dumb as dirt when it comes to men.”
“Right. Thanks for the observation. Much appreciated.” Maura turned away from the woman and went back to wiping up behind the bar. She wasn’t about to tell her how she really felt.
“Listen to me, girl,” the older woman called to her, slurring her words a little. “This could be the only time you’re alone behind the bar without one of them hovering over you and I have a chance to open those eyes of yours to what’s obvious to everyone else with two eyes in their head. You need to take off those self-inflicted blinders you wear or you might lose out on the best thing that could ever happen to you.”
Maura turned back toward Joanie, who still reminded her of a prune with too much makeup. “Too bad I wasn’t wearing self-inflicted earplugs. It would make waiting on you a whole lot easier.”
“Damn straight,” she said, laughing. “But you’re not, so you’re going to hear what I have to say. You got two men who are absolutely gorgeous, eyeing you up like you’re their favorite dessert. Nothing says you can’t have them both if you play your cards right.”
“Joanie, you really have had too much to drink. I’m cutting you off.”
“I’m never cut off. I have my limo driver on speed dial, and Toby and Max know it. I never drink and drive. Fact is, I don’t drive. Never liked it. Luckily my last husband left me well enough off that I never have to worry about it.”
“I know you have a driver,” Maura sighed. “But tonight your brain is dangerously close to drowning in Cosmopolitans. I don’t want to be blamed for your demise here at the bar. If you want to kill yourself, do it somewhere else. Besides, you’re talking like a dirty old woman.”
Maura hoped she hadn’t gone too far. Joanie was, after all, one of their best customers. However, if Max or Toby knew what she was saying, they’d probably cut her off, too, minus the “dirty old woman” comment.
“Think what you want about me,” she said, grabbing her purse that had been hanging under the bar. “But if you’re as smart as everyone thinks you are, you’ll stop acting like you don’t want them and bed those two boys before they start looking elsewhere.”
“That’s enough.”
“Well, before I leave,” she said, throwing money down on the bar, “I’ll tell you another thing. I had my chance once to be with two men who I loved, and you know what, I ran from them. I was so afraid of what someone else would think that I couldn’t open my mind to see that when you find love, you take it and never let it go regardless of the package it comes in.”
The older woman was looking off into the distance with such sadness, Maura stopped what she was doing and without thinking put her hand on the wrinkled one that was resting on the bar. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to insult you. I shouldn’t have called you a dirty old woman.”
“Don’t you feel sorry for me,” she said, removing her hand from beneath Maura’s. “I don’t really even like you. So telling you that you have two men who want you may be the worst mistake I ever made. Well,” she said, sadness creeping back into her eyes, “the second worst mistake I ever made. It doesn’t matter anymore. Max could care less about me. It’s you he wants, and he knows his brother wants you, too. Don’t deny them or yourself.”
Joanie pushed a button on her phone and stood up from the bar. “Sheldon. I’m ready.” She turned once more to Maura. “You’re probably not woman enough for one of them, say nothing of the two of them, anyway. What a waste.”
Without another word, she made her exit. Her spike heels clattered on the wooden floor as she weaved around tables in an effort to get to the door. Maura watched her passage, hoping she wasn’t going to fall flat on her face. On cue, Antoine came over to take her arm. She smiled and let him lead her out of
“For someone so smart, you really are dumb as dirt when it comes to men.”
“Right. Thanks for the observation. Much appreciated.” Maura turned away from the woman and went back to wiping up behind the bar. She wasn’t about to tell her how she really felt.
“Listen to me, girl,” the older woman called to her, slurring her words a little. “This could be the only time you’re alone behind the bar without one of them hovering over you and I have a chance to open those eyes of yours to what’s obvious to everyone else with two eyes in their head. You need to take off those self-inflicted blinders you wear or you might lose out on the best thing that could ever happen to you.”
Maura turned back toward Joanie, who still reminded her of a prune with too much makeup. “Too bad I wasn’t wearing self-inflicted earplugs. It would make waiting on you a whole lot easier.”
“Damn straight,” she said, laughing. “But you’re not, so you’re going to hear what I have to say. You got two men who are absolutely gorgeous, eyeing you up like you’re their favorite dessert. Nothing says you can’t have them both if you play your cards right.”
“Joanie, you really have had too much to drink. I’m cutting you off.”
“I’m never cut off. I have my limo driver on speed dial, and Toby and Max know it. I never drink and drive. Fact is, I don’t drive. Never liked it. Luckily my last husband left me well enough off that I never have to worry about it.”
“I know you have a driver,” Maura sighed. “But tonight your brain is dangerously close to drowning in Cosmopolitans. I don’t want to be blamed for your demise here at the bar. If you want to kill yourself, do it somewhere else. Besides, you’re talking like a dirty old woman.”
Maura hoped she hadn’t gone too far. Joanie was, after all, one of their best customers. However, if Max or Toby knew what she was saying, they’d probably cut her off, too, minus the “dirty old woman” comment.
“Think what you want about me,” she said, grabbing her purse that had been hanging under the bar. “But if you’re as smart as everyone thinks you are, you’ll stop acting like you don’t want them and bed those two boys before they start looking elsewhere.”
“That’s enough.”
“Well, before I leave,” she said, throwing money down on the bar, “I’ll tell you another thing. I had my chance once to be with two men who I loved, and you know what, I ran from them. I was so afraid of what someone else would think that I couldn’t open my mind to see that when you find love, you take it and never let it go regardless of the package it comes in.”
The older woman was looking off into the distance with such sadness, Maura stopped what she was doing and without thinking put her hand on the wrinkled one that was resting on the bar. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to insult you. I shouldn’t have called you a dirty old woman.”
“Don’t you feel sorry for me,” she said, removing her hand from beneath Maura’s. “I don’t really even like you. So telling you that you have two men who want you may be the worst mistake I ever made. Well,” she said, sadness creeping back into her eyes, “the second worst mistake I ever made. It doesn’t matter anymore. Max could care less about me. It’s you he wants, and he knows his brother wants you, too. Don’t deny them or yourself.”
Joanie pushed a button on her phone and stood up from the bar. “Sheldon. I’m ready.” She turned once more to Maura. “You’re probably not woman enough for one of them, say nothing of the two of them, anyway. What a waste.”
Without another word, she made her exit. Her spike heels clattered on the wooden floor as she weaved around tables in an effort to get to the door. Maura watched her passage, hoping she wasn’t going to fall flat on her face. On cue, Antoine came over to take her arm. She smiled and let him lead her out of
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