Total pages in book: 64
Estimated words: 60497 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 302(@200wpm)___ 242(@250wpm)___ 202(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 60497 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 302(@200wpm)___ 242(@250wpm)___ 202(@300wpm)
She looks to me for my approval and my answer. I’m damn impressed and interested. “Fantastic ideas,” I tell her. “Midnight is in.” I reach out a hand.
She immediately places her palm against mine and curls her fingers around my hand. “Deal,” she says with a huge smile.
I, meanwhile, am having a hard time focusing on anything but the soft feel of her skin and the scent of warm amber that clings to the air around me.
“I’m so excited!” She pulls her hand back and rubs it against her slacks, looking everywhere but at me. At least I’m not the only one affected by our close proximity. “I know we’re going to make a great team. There’s just one more thing.”
“And that is?” I ask.
“Kaylee is busy with another account, and I was hoping you would help me out with the Thunder events. The cross promotion will help Midnight, too. I have a staff when it comes to setup and takedown, but there may be things I need a hand with.”
What she’s asking means we’ll be spending more time together, something I’m all for. I’m just surprised she wants to do the same, but I’m not going to argue. “Jack’s away but Tristan is around for any emergencies at the club. If you need my help, just ask.”
“Perfect. I have such a good feeling about this. Thank you, Lucas.”
“My pleasure. I’ll talk to Mak, our best bartender, and ask her to come up with themed drinks. Once she’s ready, you can come to the club, try them out, and give your thumbs-up… or -down.” I laugh, and so does Rainey.
I glance at my watch and groan. “I need to get back to the club for a meeting with a vendor.” My time with Rainey has gone on longer than expected, but I don’t mind. I enjoy seeing her in her element, doing what she does best. I rise from my seat.
Rainey stands. “I’ll walk you out.” She escorts me through the back room, then the office until we reach the front door. “Thanks again for coming and listening to my plans.”
I nod. “I’ll be in touch soon for the drink tasting.”
I’ll only admit it to myself, but I can’t wait to see her again.
CHAPTER FIVE
Rainey
As I drive to Midnight, my thoughts are consumed with Lucas. It’s been almost a week since our meeting about the Thunder project, and I can’t stop thinking about him. How seamlessly we talked through my concepts and his approval of them all. I love my brother but if I’d met with him and not Lucas, he’d have had his own take on things and we’d have ended up butting heads. Typical siblings. Instead, I’d been able to float on a high as I began to make phone calls and talk to vendors for many of my ideas. Jack’s excitement when I’d gotten the job had felt great, but Lucas’s approval was next level.
I’d also gotten a small glimpse into his past, how his biological parents hadn’t taught him manners. It was a small thing but a big admission. Given what I know of his childhood, growing up in a rough downtown area and hanging with the wrong crowd, I have a feeling them not teaching him manners was better than the things they had done. Those details my parents kept from me, and I’ve never had a reason to ask. Now, if I learn them at all, I want it to be from Lucas.
It’s midday Thursday and the club is closed to guests. As I walk inside for the drink tasting, butterflies take flight in my stomach. I’m excited to see what Mak, the bartender and mixologist who’s been with Midnight since they opened, has created. But I’m anticipating seeing Lucas even more.
“Hello!” I call out, and a blonde head pops up from behind the counter.
“Rainey, hey!” Mak glances at her watch. “Right on time.”
“Punctual as ever.” I roll my eyes in a self-deprecating acknowledgment of my personality. I’ve inherited that trait from my dad. Not all my siblings have it and it’s one that serves me well in business.
Doing my best not to look around for Lucas like a lovesick teen, I slide onto a stool, ready to get to work, though drink tasting is the fun part of the job.
“Let me ping the boss,” Mak says, reaching for her phone. “We can’t get started without him.”
My stomach flips again, and I settle in to wait. It isn’t long before I hear footsteps and I turn to see Lucas walking across the floor in long strides. Dressed in his typical collared shirt, unbuttoned just enough to catch a sprinkling of dark chest hair on his tanned skin, I have the sudden urge to grab the edges of that shirt and rip them open so I can see the muscles beneath. It doesn’t help that as he gets close, I see the edges of a black tattoo peeking through.