Once in a Lifetime Read online

  Her own gaze wandered up and down his body. There was no interest in her eyes at all. He’d seen the way she looked at Wayne. No one had a chance with this woman with Wayne on the scene.

  “You’re not all that mysterious, Guy. I saw the way you were looking at her on Friday, and I see the way you’re looking at her now. Don’t fuck with her, or I’ll hurt you. She’s been through enough.” She took a seat beside Wayne and started talking with him.

  Picking up his drink, Guy walked toward the irritating woman causing him problems. She was serving a drink with her back to him. His attention was focused on her, as he sipped at his bottle of beer.

  When she turned around the smile on her lips fell slightly.

  “What can I get you?” she asked after she finished serving one of the other men.

  “Nothing. I’m just enjoying the view.”

  Emily rolled her eyes. “Seriously, out of everything you can say to me that’s the best you can come up with?” Her hand rested on her hip.

  He followed the movement and was struck by her curves once again. What would she look like naked? She was confident in her body. He saw it and wanted a taste.

  “I’m using my best moves on you.”

  ****

  With her heart pounding and her pussy weeping, Emily stared at the man before her. Guy Jensen, the bad boy, the player, was giving her the hungry looks. “You call those few words your best moves? How on earth do you get women in your bed?”

  “I keep them there with my cock, baby.”

  She’d wondered how long it would take for him to mention his man parts. It hadn’t taken very long.

  “It’s not going to work. I’m not interested in what you’ve got to say.” Emily moved away to sort out another order. Tony had been hovering over her with every person she served. She wasn’t taking it personally, especially after the incident on Friday. Once she’d promised the fight had nothing to do with her, he’d gone easier on her. She really needed this job and wasn’t going to do anything to jeopardize that.

  When she turned around once again, Guy was still stood there, ignoring the women surrounding him, his gaze was on her never once leaving.

  He placed his bottle on the counter. She noticed how long his hands were. They looked confident and sure. It was strange. She’d never really paid any attention to hands before. Nathan would shake when he was nervous, even when he wanted sex and didn’t know how to ask her.

  Where the hell had she been for the last six months if she was considering a male based on his hands alone?

  “I’ll have a beer and the drinks for the others. Will you be joining us later?” he asked.

  “No. I’m working all night ‘til two. I won’t be having any fun tonight.” She pouted at him. He reached out, running his finger across her lips. Emily had every intention of pulling away. The jolt of awareness that filled her took her by surprise. He paused for a split second before cupping her cheek. She dropped her gaze to look at his lips. They were firm, and she knew in her core they’d give her so much pleasure.

  A moan escaped her even as she tried to keep it locked up inside.

  Pull back, Emily.

  Instead of pulling back she felt herself getting drawn into his dark depths.

  She was leaning over the bar, planning to do she did not know what, when a feminine cough interrupted their moment.

  Jerking away she looked up at her friend Dorothy.

  “Am I interrupting something?” Dorothy asked.

  Emily felt the heat fill her cheeks as she pulled away from him. “No, of course not.” She grabbed the cloth and started wiping down the counter.

  “Fucking interrupting on purpose.” Guy started muttering before he walked away.

  “Girl, what the hell?” Dorothy’s eyes were wide as she stared at her.

  “What? Nothing happened.”

  “There was a moment there. You can’t deny there was a moment. I saw it all the way across the fucking bar. You were being drawn in by Guy Jensen, the man-whore when you told me there was no chance. I could have won that bet the other night, but we all stopped.” Dorothy was smiling even as she complained.

  Shaking her head, Emily threw the cloth under the counter hating her reaction to the man. Glancing over Dorothy’s shoulder she saw him wrapped around a redhead. He sure moved on faster than anyone she knew.

  Nothing happened. Stop being drawn to a man who is so not good to you.

  She mentally slapped herself, wishing she didn’t let men who hurt her inside.

  “I’m not going to do anything. He touched me and … I don’t know. Something happened, but that’s all, and it won’t be happening again. I can’t let it happen again. I refuse to let it happen.” Emily started filling drinks as she cursed her reaction. The smile on Dorothy’s face slipped.

  “Em, are you attracted to Guy?”

  Biting her lip, she returned her gaze to the man with his tongue down another woman’s throat. Yes, she was attracted to him, but there was no way she was going to act on it.

  “Yeah, I’m attracted to him. Nothing is going to happen about it. I can keep myself in check, and watching him with the redhead right over there is all the cure I need.” Emily shrugged. After Nathan she was not ready to start falling for another bad boy.

  “Honey, please, don’t fall for him. Guy is great for his friends, and he’s been nice to us, but we all know he’s not the man you’re going to keep.” Dorothy leaned over taking hold of her hand.

  Tucking some hair behind her ear that had fallen from her ponytail Emily nodded.

  “Don’t worry about me. I’m not going to fall for him. I’m male-free for a long time. Nathan is too, erm, he’s too fresh.”

  “Good. Get over Nathan and then start dating the right guys.” Dorothy smiled at her, taking the drinks. “We’ll be keeping an eye on you. Don’t worry. We’ve got your back, so you don’t do anything you regret. However, I’ve got nothing against you wanting Guy. Maybe he can set you on the path to Mister Right.”

  “Not going to happen.”

  “Okay, we’re all here for you anyway.”

  Nodding, Emily watched her friend go. The bar was buzzing, and she didn’t get a chance to stop and think about her inner feelings.

  In no time at all last orders were called, and Tony started pushing people out of the door. Her friends left the bar but promised to wait for her outside. She quickly cleaned everything away. When Tony offered to see her home she declined, telling him about her friends waiting for her.

  Once she got outside, she pulled her bag closer to her and found the parking lot clear, apart from Guy who was stood against a lamppost waiting for her.

  “What are you doing here?” she asked, walking toward him.

  “Your friends were more than happy to wait for you, but I promised to be a good boy and wait for you instead. They’ve got work tomorrow, and I can be at my place any time.” He stood tall. The jacket he wore didn’t cover his muscles but seemed to highlight them, showcasing his strength.

  “Great. So you’re my security walk home?”

  “I’m more than willing in my duties, madam,” he said, bowing down before her.

  Emily laughed feeling a glow start to build inside her. “Come on. Take me home.” She hooked her arm through his, and together they walked in the direction of her home.

  “Wow, Tony’s place,” he said. “How did that happen?”

  She stopped, turned and looked at him. “Are you trying to be derogatory?”

  “Nope. I’m just curious why you’re working at a bar when you could be doing a hell of a lot more interesting stuff.”

  He didn’t sound drunk. They started walking again.

  “I’ve had a crazy few years, and this job is all I’ve got left,” she said. There was no need to lie about her past.

  “How crazy?”

  “If I didn’t know any better, Guy Jensen, I’d start to think you were trying to get to know me.”

  He laughed. “Maybe I am
.”

  A gentle hum unfurled inside her. She liked the thought of him wanting to know her.

  Not going to happen.

  “It was crazy, and we’ll talk about it another time.” Staring at the ground, they both stayed silent for the remainder of the night.

  The silence was nice. There was nothing that needed to be said.

  Chapter Four

  “I think we should toast Emily for surviving her first week and making it through to the next,” Guy said, raising his beer into the air.

  She rolled her cute little eyes, and his cock tightened even more. “It’s a job, Guy. I can serve drinks, be nice, and have fun.”

  Dorothy whooped. They were no longer in working clothes. It was a Saturday night, Emily’s first half day where she finished at six.

  “No fighting tonight,” Tony said, dropping another round of beers off. “Good work this week, Emily.”

  Guy watched the owner tap her on the shoulder. The sight alone made him angry. Sipping at his beer he saw the hand linger a little too long for him.

  “I told you our girl would rock your world,” Dorothy said, smiling. He saw the other woman rest her head on Emily’s spare shoulder. What was with all the touching?

  “She certainly rocks the bar. Guys love her.”

  “It’s the body. I would kill for those tits,” Janet said, pouting.

  Emily’s cheeks went bright red. Tony pulled away, muttering his goodbyes.

  “Janet, for fuck’s sake.” Emily looked at all of them.

  Guy smirked, admiring her full rack. He was voting for a wet shirt contest where he could pour his beer all over that full chest. Did she have big nipples or small?

  His cock tightened even more. Someone wrapped their arm around his neck. He glanced back seeing a redhead smiling up at him. Guy frowned, thinking of her name. Gigi came to mind. Yeah, her name was Gigi.

  “Hey, handsome. How are you doing?” Gigi asked, rubbing her tits against his arm.

  “I’m doing fine.” Gigi’s scent swamped him. He glanced at Emily to see her swigging down some of her beer from the bottle. Her tits were pressed against her tight shirt. His hard cock twitched at Emily’s lush body. At the same time Gigi’s fingers caressed his thigh drawing his attention back to her. She kept trying to kiss him, and he pulled away, taking a quick swig of his drink. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Emily speaking to someone else, completely blanking him. Anger took over, and he led Gigi out onto the dance floor. Gigi all but wrapped herself around him.

  He spun her on the floor so he could keep an eye on Emily and what was going on with her.

  Don’t care. She’s a stuck-up pussy.

  “I’ve been hearing some scary shit about you, Guy,” Gigi said, giggling.

  The sounds coming out of her mouth were starting to grate on his nerves. Why didn’t he recognize this before?

  “What shit has been scaring you?” He wasn’t really paying any attention as another man came up to Emily. Guy recognized the man as Andrew Marker, a player like him.

  “You’re not playing the field anymore, baby. I was wondering if you’re ready to settle down.”

  Her words cut through his thoughts. “What? No, not at all. I’ve been ill. I’m not settling down, so don’t start getting ideas in your head.”

  The walls obviously crashed down around her. She was no longer smiling at him or giggling.

  “Fuck you, Guy Jensen. You’re an asshole.”

  She stormed off leaving him alone on the dance floor. Emily was passing him as he made his way to their table. Reacting, he reached out for her tugging her onto the floor.

  “Guy, what are you doing?”

  He pulled her into his arms getting lost by the sea of people.

  “We’re dancing. Shut your mouth,” he said, leading her further onto the dance floor.

  “You’re losing your mind. I was heading to the bathroom.”

  “What did Andrew want?” he asked, needing to know the answer.

  “Who is Andrew?”

  “The man you were talking to.”

  “I don’t have a clue. He’s a customer and a great tipper.” She tried to tug out of his arms. In the last week they’d gotten to know each other. Not once in all that time had he seen Andrew anywhere near her.

  “When has he been near you?” he asked, getting angry.

  “He comes in during the afternoon. I’ve been taking the late afternoon and evening shift, not that it’s any of your business.” She looked over his shoulder, resting her hands around his neck.

  “I wait for you every night. It’s my business.”

  “Be careful, Guy, you’re sounding like a jealous boyfriend. I doubt that’s going to go down well.” She winked at him.

  Cupping her cheeks he forced her to look at him.

  “I wait for you every night. I care about you, Em. I don’t want you having anything to do with Andrew. He’s bad news.”

  She let out a sigh. “Guy, I’m coming out of a sticky relationship. I’m not looking for anyone else. I’m happy being alone.”

  He liked the sound of that. “Good. Don’t let him get to you,” he said.

  “I won’t.”

  Relaxing with her against him, Guy closed his eyes in an attempt to still his rapidly beating heart. He needed to get his emotions under control. The rest of the night went by without another hitch. Women hit on him, but he wasn’t interested in what they had to say. Emily had caught his attention and kept it.

  For the next two weeks Guy spent every night at Tony’s place. His friends had stopped going, preferring to spend more time with their women away from the bar. He was there for an entirely different reason besides keeping an eye on her. Taking her home had fast become the highlight of his day. Also he didn’t want Andrew getting involved with her, and his being around her stopped Andrew from claiming her. He knew what was going on in the other man’s mind. Throughout the day Guy worked on his designs and completed plenty of deadlines for his customers. When night hit he made his way over to the bar to see the woman who had completely taken over his thoughts.

  By the second week his friends stopped teasing him about his newfound obsession with being where Emily was. They knew he went to the bar to be with her. After three weeks she was settling down into her shift without any hitches, but he couldn’t stay away. All he saw was Andrew wheedling his way into Emily’s life.

  “You know, you can have a life and not wait for me every night,” she said, Friday night after hours. “I’m sure all the women are screaming at me right now, with your brilliant cock and all.”

  Throughout the time they’d known each other he knew she’d heard what some of the women whispered in his ear. He wasn’t embarrassed about it. Guy liked the fact she wasn’t blushing at what some of the women said. None of them backed down even when he kept up conversation with her. Emily was the first woman he liked talking to.

  “I like it. Besides, I don’t want anything happening to you.”

  Her cell phone went off invading their time. She pulled the cell from her back pocket. He heard her growl before pocketing it.

  “Anyone I know?” he asked. She always got a call or a text around this time every other night.

  “No one important.” She was always vague as well.

  He made a note to talk with Dorothy about her old boyfriend.

  “What’s your plan tomorrow? Are we going out with the friends? I think Wayne has something he wants to talk to Dorothy about?” he asked.

  You’re sounding like a couple. Stop it.

  “I’m actually on a date. Andrew stopped by on Wednesday, and I promised to go out with him.”

  “What?” Guy stopped, giving her his full attention.

  “I agreed to go out on a date with Andrew. He kept asking, and I didn’t see why I shouldn’t be going out with him. I’m single, and the only way I’m going to get out there is to start dating.”

  Her smile was infectious, and all he wanted to do was take her in his arms
.

  “Andrew is a fucking player. He’s not after anything from you apart from a fun time between your thighs.”

  She raised her hand and slapped him. He didn’t even try to hide from the hit or block it.

  “Don’t you dare talk to me like that. I’m not one of your women who you use at your will.” She shoved him in the chest hard. “I didn’t ask you to meet me or to take me home. I’ve got nothing to be ashamed of.”

  “Andrew is not the fucking one.”

  Emily stormed off, and he picked up his speed to keep up with her.

  “I don’t care. I’m not going to put out for him, Guy. You must have a really low fucking opinion of me if you think I’ll give it up to any man.” She stopped, and he saw the tears in her eyes. “You know what? Fuck it, stay the fuck away from me.”

  He watched her walking up the street. Grabbing his cell phone he called Wayne.

  “Dude, it’s fucking late.”

  “Is Dorothy there?” Guy asked, ignoring his friend’s moaning.

  “Yeah.”

  “Put her on. I fucked up big time.”

  The only way he could think to make it up to Emily was by getting Dorothy on his team.

  What the hell do I want?

  When it came to Emily, Guy didn’t know what he wanted. All he knew was he wanted to make things right with her.

  ****

  “Can you believe him?” Emily asked, shouting at her reflection. Dorothy was standing behind her, curling her hair.

  “Who are we talking about? Guy or Nathan, or both?”

  Emily glared at her friend.

  “You know who I’m talking about. Guy.”

  Janet and Lilly were going to meet them at the bar. She’d promised to meet Andrew there as well. Getting him to meet her at her apartment would be a big mistake. Once she’d invited Nathan to her apartment, her relationship with him had moved faster than frigging lightning.

  “Guy wasn’t lying, Em. Andrew is a player, maybe even a bigger player than he is.”

  Emily snorted. “I’ve seen the women flock to him, Dorothy. There’s no way Andrew is a bigger player. Women are always surrounding Guy. I’ve seen them, and I saw him around the back of Tony’s on the first night we met with a woman, sucking his cock!”