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  Now take Lara. Johnny wanted her, no question. For a night, a week, a month. Hell, he’d been obsessed with her for a while, and he knew it would take time to get her out of his system. First he had to get her to go out with him.

  But Lara? She had a thing about not dating the guys who hung out at Ray’s. A smart choice, actually. Johnny loved the joint, but Ray’s catered to a rough crowd.

  The perfect place for his kind of people, he thought with a grin.

  * * *

  Hours later and a dollar in quarters poorer, having been goaded into a few f-bombs though Sam had sworn Del was outside the garage, Johnny sat with his buddies near the darts at Ray’s, drinking and preparing for his weekend.

  “No plans, guys. For once, I’m a free man for two whole days.” He kicked back and sighed with pleasure.

  “So no work at your dad’s club for you, huh?” Foley asked. “Too bad. I was going to offer to help.”

  “Me too,” Sam added, his voice like the growl of a wounded bear. “Damn. I was hoping to talk to Candy again.”

  “Sorry, sport. Dear old Dad is Candy’s new squeeze.”

  “Bummer.” Sam shrugged. “But the guy’s got good taste.”

  He always had. Johnny had grown up without his mother, but with a bevy of maternal support. His father had a thing for strippers, so it made sense Jack Devlin had finally ponied up and bought his own strip club a few years back. Johnny had never faulted his father’s fascination with tits and ass. But it would have been nice to have just one set around while growing up, and getting to know more than the girl’s stage name before she squirreled.

  “So have you seen Sue yet?” he asked Foley.

  The others waited. Lou seemed especially amused. Johnny knew that gleam in his friend’s eyes.

  “Ah, not yet.”

  Sam snorted. “He’s been either hiding in the bathroom or ducking behind Earl.”

  Earl—a huge-ass bouncer Johnny had no intention of annoying. Ever. And the same went for the other guy, Big J, whom everyone said looked like Mr. Clean.

  Foley flushed. “First off, I had to piss. Second, I wasn’t ducking behind Earl. I said hi to the guy, and he asked me what I thought about Dodge trucks.”

  “Uh-huh. Sure you weren’t asking him about Sue’s frame of mind?” Johnny teased. Over Foley’s shoulder, he saw Lara smiling at a woman over the bar. His heart stuttered, and he did his best to act cool, collected. She’s not interested. She’s a nice girl. Leave her alone.

  Like clockwork, his perverse, inner loudmouth had him offering to order the next round. “Be right back. And remember, don’t hate the player, hate the game—when I win. Suckers.”

  Grinning, he left the guys at the table swearing, and nabbed a free place at the crowded bar. Lara, Sue, and a few others were hopping, grabbing drinks, and pouring like mad. Behind him he heard a scuffle break out, and he turned to see two guys who used to be friends hammering on each other.

  “That’s rough,” a biker covered in tats next to him said. “But then, Jim should have known better than to hit up Sheila with her new guy right there.”

  “He really needs to lay off the tequila.” Lara sounded exasperated. “I told Earl to keep an eye on him.”

  Johnny turned and locked gazes with her. She had her long brown hair pulled back in a familiar ponytail. The silky mass reached her lower back, and he was dying to see her hair down just once. She wore minimal makeup, a bit of liner and some thicker mascara. Growing up around women who glammed up for a living, he’d learned early on about a woman’s trade secrets. But he doubted the red in her cheeks came from blush. More like from the heat in the place. And damn, it would have been nice if everyone around him cared about personal hygiene as much as he did.

  He wrinkled his nose when a new guy replaced the one next to him and leaned toward Lara, wafting his less-than-pleasant scent. Lara wiped her hand over her nose and pretended a cough.

  He and she shared a grin, and his pulse galloped like a racehorse. The sight of her smile, and that heart-stopping dimple, always made it hard for him to breathe. More than physical beauty, Lara possessed a warm inner core that got him hazy and drunk faster than a hometown IPA.

  “So, you the bartender?” Smelly drunk guy wanted to know.

  She glanced at her black T-shirt that read “Bartender” in bold white letters. “Um, yeah.” Lara gave smelly guy a fake smile. “Another beer?”

  “Yep. And keep the change.” He slid a grimy twenty her way.

  She poured his beer and handed him back a few bills. “You gave me a twenty. You sure about me keeping all that change?” She was so sweet, so honest.

  Way too good for you, Devlin. Leave her alone.

  The guy belched, then pulled back ten, giving her a few bucks. “Thanks, honey. I’ll be back.” He stumbled from the barstool, which was quickly occupied by a new customer. Thankfully, this one a woman who smelled like cheap perfume instead of BO.

  “What can I get you, Johnny?”

  He loved hearing his name on Lara’s lips. She had a husky quality to her voice, and he could too easily imagine it whispering her pleasure while he showed her why she should take a chance on him. Foley thought he had oral foreplay down to a science, but Johnny could have written a book on how to please women, a virtual connoisseur by age sixteen.

  He cleared his throat and tried to will away his lecherous thoughts. “A pitcher for the crew.” He nodded to the guys across the bar then leaned closer to her, to be heard above the crowd. “So what’s with Sue? I hear she and Foley split.”

  Lara rolled her eyes. Of all the staff at Ray’s, she and Rena seemed the most levelheaded. No drama for them. “She’s pining for the guy. I warned her about him, but did she listen to me?”

  “Foley’s a good guy.” He felt the need to defend his friend.

  “Sure, but he’s not a permanent guy. None of you are,” she said with a direct gaze that aroused and annoyed him at the same time.

  “Maybe we just need to find the right woman.” He gave her the Devlin smile.

  For a second it looked like he might have connected with her, but then she laughed and shoved his pitcher at him. “For you guys, there’s a right woman, and a left woman, and a woman on the side…”

  The woman next to him laughed. “Seems like she’s got you pegged, sexy.”

  He gave her the Devlin smile and winked, and she stared at him, her lips parted. So at least he hadn’t lost his magic. He took the pitcher from Lara, and their fingers brushed. He felt the tingle all the way to his cock and swallowed a groan. Pasting on a sly grin, he said, “But, Lara, if I had you, I wouldn’t need any of those others.” He drew her hand to his mouth and kissed the back of it. “See you later, gorgeous. And you know, you ever change your mind about mixing pleasure with pleasure, you have my number.”

  “You mean business with pleasure,” she corrected.

  “Do I?” He grinned and left, doing his best not to look over his shoulder at her, but it was damn hard. Especially when she laughed. The sound carried like wind chimes, and he felt a shiver start from his toes and work its way up his body. That hollow in his gut hit him, because he had a crazy urge to go back to the bar just to stare at her. Take in her joy with life.

  I am such an asswipe.

  An erect asswipe. Hell. Time to cool off before he rejoined the crew.

  “Jesus, what were you doing up there?” Foley bitched when he returned. “Waiting for the hops to grow?”

  Lou snickered. “More like dying for a smile from sexy Lara.” He moaned and patted his heart. “What I wouldn’t give for some alone time with that gorgeous woman.”

  Sam had to add, “She can tend my bar anytime.”

  “Shut up, dickheads.” Johnny glared. “Drink your beer, and let’s throw a few darts.”

  He waited until Foley stepped to the line before he added, “Oh, and guess what Lara told me about Sue?” When Foley hit a lousy one outside the ring, Johnny smiled wide.

  Foley rattl
ed. Mission accomplished. Now to get in Lou’s headspace and win the game. He shot a glance at the bar, saw his favorite brunette laugh, and thought about strategy. About his endgame.

  Because Johnny always played to win.

  Chapter 2

  Lara did her best to ignore her reaction to Johnny Devlin, grateful for the Friday night crowd, and struggled to catch a breath as she poured glass after glass and pitcher after pitcher. Someone selected some techno from the digital jukebox, so for a while she could groove to some decent music, not all that alternative crap Ray had added to appeal to the new stoner crowd they’d picked up.

  She poured a few house beers, grabbed two domestics, and wiped down the bar. But despite herself, she found her gaze drawn to Johnny and his hulking gang. All four men commanded attention just by breathing. She couldn’t believe her friend Del had never tried to date any of the gorgeous guys who worked for her, but then Del was all about business. She’d never sex up an employee, because she had a head on her shoulders. Besides, she knew the guys.

  Hell, Lara knew them too, but that didn’t stop her from constantly fantasizing about Johnny. Not John or Jonathon. He was a funny, sly, too-handsome-for-his-own-good Johnny.

  She sighed and served another beer. After four years of working at Ray’s, she should have been past her infatuation. Talk about a bad boy with no promise of a tomorrow on the horizon. Still, the man had game.

  Johnny could charm a snake out of its skin. He had height and lean muscle, not puffed up like his muscular buddies, but the build of an athlete, maybe a runner. Broad shoulders, ropy biceps, rock-solid forearms, and long, graceful fingers never failed to tempt her into wondering what if.

  She shivered, too easily remembering the feel of one of those fingers over her hand. Not to mention his warm lips. God. She had been dreaming about his wicked mouth for far too long.

  “Yo, Lara. Help Josie on tables, would you?” Ray, her boss, asked. The ex-prizefighter looked like a human punching bag who’d doled out his fair share of whoop ass, but he had a marshmallow for a heart.

  “Sure thing.” She bustled to help Josie, giving herself an excuse to look at Johnny’s table now and again.

  He probably didn’t style his hair, because it always looked like he’d just run his fingers through it. Sandy-brown, short on the sides and longer on the top, that silky hair framed a face almost too pretty to be masculine. He had longer lashes than she did, for cripes’ sake. Full lips, a square jaw, and aquiline nose hinted at a man of control and strong passion. For all his flirting, his mossy green eyes seemed sharp, able to see through subterfuge.

  “Hey, sweetie, gimme a pitcher of Everly.”

  She smiled as she worked, pleased to once more focus on her job. Two more rounds for the bikers in the corner, a food order for one of the regulars, and then she filled Sue’s tray with tequila shots and two nasty cocktails that would do better as gas for her car. Lara tried to stretch out her time, but she couldn’t help herself. She promised to get smelly guy a pitcher of the cheap crap Ray kept on tap for the fiscally impaired, then deliberately left her area to see if the guys needed anything. From the bar, she told herself. Just the bar.

  Now Foley and Sam were a pair. They towered over her and had muscle to spare. Foley was all charm and grins, Sam all dark intensity that oddly, made her feel safe. She was fascinated by their tatted arms, wondering when she’d find the courage to go under the gun. They treated her with respect while always giving her that sly once-over that told her they liked what they saw. Flattering and pleasing, because she could flirt back, but she knew they’d never take what she didn’t want to give.

  Lou Cortez, on the other hand, made her a little uncomfortable. He seemed so domineering, so quiet and assessing all the time. He had a swarthy complexion and to-die-for brown eyes. Talk about handsome in a bottle. She wondered how hard someone would have to shake him to see him explode, because his powerful presence showed a distinct command of himself at all times.

  Even now, while the others goaded Johnny, Lou sat back with a smirk on his face, as if laughing at a private joke.

  “Look, Johnny, pretty Lara’s come to watch you choke.” Sam patted his knee and said to her, “Want a front-row seat?”

  “I would but…” She nodded to the heavy tray on her arm. “This isn’t even my section, but since I like you guys, I thought I’d see if you needed anything.”

  “Besides a brain for frick and frack?” Johnny said with a nod toward Foley and Sam. He stood at the line, holding a dart, sizing up the board.

  Lou chuckled.

  So did Lara. “Sorry, guys, that was funny.”

  “Don’t encourage him.” Foley tipped back a beer. “Honey, would you mind bringing us another round? It’s sure to be on Devlin.”

  “Whatever, loser.” Johnny launched the dart and hit the bull’s-eye. He let out a whoop. “That’s right, suckers. I am now too far ahead to catch. Though if you try hard, you guys might, and I mean might, reach Lou. You’re really sucking tonight, Lou.”

  Lou sighed. “You know it’s bad when Sam’s close to tying me.”

  “Hey.” Sam glared.

  Lara grinned. “He’s just jealous of your manliness, Sam.”

  “No shit.” Sam flexed biceps anyone with ovaries could appreciate. Down, girl.

  Yet her gaze sought Johnny again, as if drawn to him. Deliberately looking away, she asked Foley, “What are you having?” She accepted the pitcher from him and waited.

  “Whatever’s the least expensive on tap,” Foley muttered.

  “I’d suggest a step up from that one if you value your liver.”

  “Fine.” Foley sighed. “He’s never going to shut up about this.”

  “You are right about that.” Johnny smirked for all he was worth. “I think you’re lucky for me, Lara. Hurry back.”

  She did her best not to ogle him like one of his pathetic groupies. A glance at a few regulars nearby told her the sharks had sensed attractive, eligible bachelors and were circling. Despite the danger signs on all four men, even Lara knew a prime male specimen could be forgiven a few run-ins with the law when he looked like any one of these guys.

  Superficial, stupid, yet true.

  She turned and left, forcing herself not to run. Breathe in. Breathe out. So pathetic that she had to work to regulate her breathing whenever Johnny was around. Relax. He’s not looking at you.

  But a glance over her shoulder showed she’d been wrong. Johnny was staring at her ass, a lazy look of pleasure on his face. When he glanced up and saw her watching him, he put a hand over his heart and blew her a kiss, then made the phone sign with his fingers and mouthed “Call me.”

  She made her rounds and returned to the guys to drop off their drinks, just in time to catch Foley giving Johnny another ration of crap for not having the balls to ask her out. If only Foley knew… She pretended not to hear that last bit before turning to leave.

  “Hey, Lara,” Johnny said.

  The others with him quieted. Inwardly, she tensed, but she gave no outward appearance of anything amiss. She turned back around. “Yeah?”

  “Add a basket of fries to Foley’s order, would you? A big one. We’re hungry.”

  Both relieved yet oddly disappointed an offer for a date would not be coming her way tonight, she winked at Foley then left them to their taunting and one-upmanship.

  Despite her fascination with Johnny, she knew without a doubt he would bring her nothing but trouble—the one thing she didn’t need. If she ever wanted to get out of this part of town, she needed to focus on her future, not on the potential for terrific sex with a philandering hottie who might or might not have a criminal record. The Websters did favor a particular type at the garage.

  Lara didn’t discriminate. She knew better than most that second chances could be fleeting, and she had no problem making friends with those who’d gone through rough patches in their own lives. Hell, her sister could be the poster child for divorce; her parents had never had more t
han two nickels to rub together; and most of her cousins knew the inside of the county jail better than they knew their own homes. How she’d never ended up there, she still didn’t know.

  You’re no better than any of these guys, she told herself. After a pause, she had to add, But I could be.

  The arrogance of the thought shamed her. Then she watched a few of Ray’s regulars getting into yet another fistfight while their barfly girlfriends egged them on. Josie and Sue added to the commotion by placing bets, and the entire bar laughed and jeered, heightening the rowdy atmosphere.

  Another Friday night in a long string of Friday nights at Ray’s. If I don’t get a move on with my classes, I’ll never get out of here. Hell, that’ll be me betting on Judd, or maybe I’ll be the one dating Judd, just another girlfriend with a revolving door to anyone who can promise a better life.

  Like Kristin. She sighed and started cleaning up around the bar. Her sister had married four times, was no doubt looking for a fifth Mr. Right, and could barely handle her own kids. Lara loved her nieces, but Jesus, they could be a handful. Four and eight going on thirty, the pair of them. If Kristin would stop looking for validation from anything with a penis and get a damn job, maybe Lara wouldn’t have to—

  Her cell phone interrupted her thought before she lost herself down the rabbit hole of dysfunctional family. “Yeah?” she barked into it as she continued to wipe down the bar.

  “Honey, it’s Mom.”

  “Hi, Mom. I’m kind of busy, so—”

  “I just wanted to let you know that Kristin got a new letter from Ron’s attorney. Looks like he might be willing to settle.”

  Finally. The dickhead had money coming out his ass but refused to part with an extra five grand out of principle. What principle? That his cheating should somehow entitle him to a wife who shouldn’t care what he did? Even though the creep had tried hitting on his wife’s own sister? Ron gave her nothing but a bad vibe. “Good. The sooner he’s out of her life, the better.”

  “He hasn’t been bothering you, has he?”

  Not lately. “No, why?”