From One Night to Forever (2 page)

A smirk crossed Monique’s features. “Yep.”

Aaron raised a brow. “None of us stand a chance, huh?” He took another sip of the beer.

“She’s the good sister. If you want some fun tonight, you might want to look elsewhere.” Monique winked again, then went down the bar to tend to the other customers.

A smart man would follow the path of least resistance. One night stands and easy hookups were more his thing. Anything else lead to feelings, which lead to serious relationships followed soon after by the bad break up. Aaron was very familiar with bad breakups having been through one before. Bad because he’d chosen to walk away rather than accept at twenty-two he was ready for a long-term commitment. He’d broken up with Denise, the only woman he’d come close to loving, and lived his life since having fun and being free.

Aaron glanced back at the goddess onstage. Her gaze swept the room, caught his, jerked away, and then snuck back. An electric sizzle zoomed across his skin from the brief contact. Aaron smiled and brought the beer to his lips. One night of fun didn’t mean a relationship. And he wasn’t interested in the path of least resistance. He always preferred a challenge.

Twelve years of working and singing in her momma’s restaurant made Kacey Randal pretty good at avoiding distractions during her set. But tonight she wasn’t supposed to be working and only sang because some of the locals had begged her to. According to her sister, Monique, tonight should be epic. The last night of her break from classes. The last night she could relax and have fun before diving in to the final semester of graduate school. The last night she’d have no really good reason to ignore the very big distraction of the sexy guy at the bar watching her every move with dark, soulful eyes.

He was just her type of distraction too: tall and slim with just enough muscle to show he was all man. Wild curly Afro begging for her fingers to dig into and a five o’clock shadow he wore better than any other man she knew. The second he’d strolled into the building with that laid-back, looking-for-a-good-time swagger, her radar went off and her libido—ignored far too long because of school—perked up. A sexy Casanova here to tempt her on her last free night.

She finished the song with her usual flourish. “Thank you!” she called to the cheering crowd, some she’d known all of her life, some strangers like the guy at the bar, and others the usual guys who hung around to drool down the cleavage of the waitresses in the sexy uniform her mother had picked specifically to appeal to the male clientele. If there was one thing Kacey’s momma knew, it was how to make a man drool and spend his money.

Kacey grinned and waved at some of the regulars as she skipped off stage and walked to the bar. On the way she noted if any tables needed drink refills, noticed table forty-two hadn’t gotten their food yet, and scanned the wait staff to make sure they were smiling and happy when talking to the patrons. She couldn’t help herself. She loved this place. Loved that her momma had worked her fingers to the bone to open Momma’s Kitchen after people wrote her off for popping out four kids in the five years after she turned twenty. Her momma’s sacrifice to build her restaurant was ten times more than Kacey’s sacrifice of fun and excitement while completing her MBA. After this last semester, she would graduate with a hard earned 4.0. Then she could help take the next step and finally open their second restaurant in Chattanooga. She wanted Momma’s Kitchen to go from local favorite to a well-known franchise.

The source of Kacey’s pride, her momma, Sabrina Holmes, stood at the end of the bar, one hip propped against the worn wood and a big smile on her slim face. At forty-five, people often mistook Sabrina for Kacey’s sister. Sabrina’s brickhouse figure made Kacey wonder why she hadn’t inherited her momma’s Marilyn Monroe curves instead of the broomstick skinny she’d gotten from her daddy.

“You sang good tonight, Kacey,” Sabrina said. “Even with the trip up.”

Kacey grabbed the towel Sabrina held out and wiped her brow. Sabrina didn’t miss a thing. “Trip up? What are you talking about?”

The music started and her cousin Natoya got up to sing. The evening singing by the friendly, and flirty, waitresses was one of the biggest draws of Momma’s Kitchen, after the food.

“Don’t be coy with me, girl. Six guys bought drinks for you during your show, but only one of those guys caught your attention.” Sabrina winked. “I see the way you’re pretending not to watch him.”

Kacey’s heart upped the tempo. “I’m not watching anybody.”

“Sure you aren’t. He’s sitting next to Howard.”

“I know.”

Sabrina chuckled. “But you’re not watching him, huh.” Sabrina snatched the towel, then hit Kacey on the rear end. “If you weren’t my most responsible daughter, I’d tell you what to do with that man.”

Kacey shook her head. “Good thing I am.”

Her older sister, Monique, hurried over and slid a beer across the bar toward Kacey. “This one is from Howard.”

Kacey slid the beer back toward her sister. “I’m not seeing Howard anymore.”

Sabrina grabbed the beer and slid it back to Kacey. “Never waste a free drink. Accepting doesn’t mean you have to go home with him.” She patted Kacey on the back and then went through her nightly routine of talking to the various customers at the tables.

Kacey leaned on the bar and raised a brow toward Monique. “How’s it going?”

“Everything is absolutely fine, Ms. Worrywart.” Monique pointed a hot pink nail at Kacey. “You are supposed to be making tonight epic. Not singing. Which is a backdoor way of working.”

The waitress for table forty-two, Jamelah, came from the kitchen, and Kacey waved her down. “What’s going on with the food for forty-two?”

Jamelah glanced at Monique. “I thought she was off tonight.”

Monique shrugged. “She is off.”

“I am off,” Kacey said.

“You’re never off,” Jamelah said with a chuckle. “They didn’t want mushrooms with their steak and Bobby messed up their order. Don’t worry, I’ve already let them know and your momma is giving them a free dessert.”

Kacey nodded, satisfied that what she’d noticed was already being handled by the staff. Not that she should be surprised. Jamelah was one of their best waitresses, and her momma wouldn’t let any customer leave unhappy.

Jamelah leaned in. “Now go have some fun and quit worrying about table forty-two. You can bark orders at us tomorrow.”

Kacey flicked the towel at Jamelah, who scooted out of the way and chuckled. “You worry about your table.”

Jamelah shook her head and sauntered off. She grabbed a pitcher of tea and water and started going through the tables, giving refills.

“Jamelah’s right, you don’t have to be here. The restaurant will survive when you’re away.”

“I know that,” Kacey said, turning back to her sister, who was rolling her eyes.

“If you know that, then why aren’t you grabbing a hottie and having your way with him instead of coming here, singing, and asking about wait times?”

“I’m not looking for a hottie,” Kacey said. “I don’t need any distractions right before school starts. I barely started my last semester on time after the weekend I spent with you in Nashville during my last break.”

Monique laughed and slapped the bar. “That weekend was awesome!”

“My hangover wasn’t,” Kacey said with a laugh. The only time she let loose was in her breaks between semesters, and only because Monique usually dragged her out to have fun. With Monique working, Kacey’s ideas of ways to have fun became limited.

“Fine, if you’re only interested in hanging out here with me and momma, then don’t talk about work, or complain when I leave with the hottie at the bar instead of going to hang out with you.”

“What hottie?”

“The one on the end, with the hair and eyes that say
let me screw you so hard you’ll speak in tongues
.” Monique bit her lower lip and grinned. “I’m taking him home tonight.”

Damn it! She should have known Monique would have noticed the same guy. Their weakness in men ran along similar lines. Usually she let her sister be the more daring, then fill her in on the details of her fun time. But something about this guy made Kacey want to be the daring sister. She still probably wouldn’t do it, but she also didn’t want to hear about how awesome he was in bed if Monique went home with him.

“Come on, Monique, you don’t even know the guy.”

“Yeah, but I know my body. And right now…” She looked around Kacey and wiggled her fingers. “My body says go home with him.”

Casanova returned Monique’s wave. Then his gaze connected with Kacey’s and he gave a smile that made her heart trip all over itself. Heat flashed up her cheeks and a tickle started in her midsection.

The thought of the bedroom eyes that had watched her entire performance landing on her sister made Kacey’s stomach clench. “How do you know you’re leaving with him?”

Monique shrugged. “Because I’m the path of least resistance. He also bought you a drink, but you’ll pretend all night like you’re not interested because of some old-fashioned sense of good behavior. I, on the other hand, want to get laid.” Monique rapped her long nails on the bar, then went back to helping customers.

Of course Monique had inherited the Coke bottle figure from their mother. Didn’t hurt that Monique’s father had a little extra meat on his bones. If given a choice, Kacey was pretty darn sure Casanova would go home with the thick sister. Guys usually preferred thick over thin.

Kacey tried not to be jealous. Except she hadn’t had good sex in over a year and refused to have another mediocre—beggars can’t be choosers—hookup with her ex-boyfriend Howard. Her lady parts needed tending to and had snapped to immediate attention the minute Casanova walked through the door.

Honestly, she wanted to get laid, and it wasn’t as if she couldn’t easily get laid. The women in her family had no problem attracting men. The problem was, they attracted men who were experts in drama, heartbreak, or potential scandal. Kacey’s momma and her married-to-someone-else father were the perfect example. Kacey wanted to get laid without complications or distractions, and sex with Howard, or one of the other regulars, would come with one or the other. School started on Monday, and she’d be forced to go without for another twelve weeks. Her options were either to continue to be the grown woman afraid of a one-night stand, or take the hot guy at the bar home.

She picked up the beer and took a long sip. She’d start by thanking him. That wouldn’t hurt, and if it turned out he was a complete jerk, then she’d go home and give her vibrator another round of action. Even though that was getting old.

She took another sip and made her way down the bar. Howard immediately sat up straight and grinned the knowing, hopeful grin of a guy who knew where he fit into her life. Howard was a decent enough fellow, but she knew he hadn’t been lonely since she’d broken things off with him last summer.

“You did great, Kacey.” Howard bounced like a seven-year-old at a professional wrestling match.

Casanova turned in his bar seat next to Howard to stare at her. Yep, his eyes were just as sexy up close as they were far away. His
sexy comes naturally
five o’clock shadow perfectly framed smiling full lips.

“Thanks, Howard.” Kacey lifted the beer in her hand.

“Is that the beer I bought you?”

Kacey shrugged. “I’m not sure. Monique mentioned that it came from this end of the bar.” She looked back at her distraction. His gaze was taking the long route across her body. Kacey’s body sizzled in response. “I came to thank both of you.”

Howard frowned. “Huh.”

Her distraction slowly lifted his gaze to hers. Her heart hitched and her stomach clenched. Deep in her bones…well, deep in another heated part of her body, she felt more stirrings of desire. How long had it been since she’d felt stirrings not related to the
it’s been too long, I guess I’ll have sex
feelings that normally came after finishing a semester in school?

“Finally decided to meet my eyes,” she said in a voice that hid her inner yearning. He still had time to screw up the very crazy thought budding in her brain.

He leaned his elbows on the back of the bar and tilted up kissable lips. “Just saving the best for last. You have beautiful eyes.”

The line was older than eight tracks, but the corner of her mouth flexed. “Is that tired line an indication of what you’re all about?”

“That was no line. You do have beautiful eyes.” He winked and lifted the beer to his lips. “But to be clear, it’s also no indication of what I’m about. I’m not easily tired.”

She perked up at the double meaning, and was surprised by how much she didn’t mind. “Then are you one of those bouncing-around jackrabbit types?”

“Not at all. I’m nice and easy. Things are so much better when you take your time.” His dark eyes stared deep into hers, caressing the long-dormant part of her personality that wanted to witness his definition of nice and easy.

Howard cleared his throat and coughed next to them. Kacey blinked and focused her attention back on him.

“Are you okay, Howard?” she asked.

Howard looked from her to the guy next to him. His shoulders slumped just a little, and he pulled money out of his wallet. “Nah. You sang really well tonight, Kacey.”

“Thanks, Howard.”

Howard tossed the money on the bar. He looked back at the guy, then met Kacey’s eyes. “Be careful tonight, okay?”

She nodded. “I will.”

Howard squeezed her arm, then walked away from the bar.

“Don’t tell me I chased off your number-one fan,” his hotness said.

Kacey slid into the seat Howard abandoned. “He’s probably on his way to his girlfriend’s place.”

The guy raised his brows and chuckled. “And here I thought his heart belonged to you.”

“I’m not trying to own any man’s heart right now.” She met his gaze. “I don’t have time to take on any new complications.”

His eyes widened slightly, and he leaned a little bit closer to her. “Good thing I’m not complicated.” He took another sip from the beer and his tongue did a quick sweep afterward.

Kacey’s nipples tightened and visions of the tip of his tongue gliding across the tips of her breasts had her sucking in air. “Really? The way I see it, most men do have some complications.”