Sometimes you need to cross the bridges you’ve burned.
Sean Sullivan, sexy, charismatic bartender by night, and every woman’s dream in the early mornings, is always on the lookout for the next soft, curvy body to fill his loneliness. He has no plans to commit beyond a one night stand. He’s been there, done that, and his heart still wears the battle scars. As far as he is concerned, love is an empty, four letter word, best avoided. Especially when Skye Anderson appears, out of the blue, knocking at his door.
When cover model Skye Anderson, sets foot in Paramour Illinois, it isn’t by choice, and it certainly isn’t for the small town atmosphere. She’s on a mission. As the face of Macksam magazine, she longs for more than fame based on her looks. She wants to be taken seriously. Handed a chance to write an expose for the magazine, she’s thrilled. Until she discovers her interview subject — the carefree bartender Sean Sullivan, whose heart she traded in for her glamorous L.A. dreams.
Stunned, but determined to secure her story, Skye is forced to finally face the wreckage of her past. Will Sean Sullivan cooperate, and let her walk away with only what she came for, or will they both discover there is more to their own unfinished story? BUY NOW
“Busted.”
Sean Sullivan glanced over his shoulder. His head waitress Eva met his oceanic gaze with an amused grin. He winced at her subtle nod, indicating the beautiful blonde bombshell splashed across the cover of the women’s magazine she caught him studying. He expected to get flak from someone, but he couldn’t help himself.
“You can wish Sean, but she’s way out of your league,” Eva taunted.
He raked his fingers through his hair, creating a mess of sandy blonde spikes. His eyes bounced back to the glossy image of the stunning woman.
“Apparently,” he mumbled under his breath, handing over the magazine.
Eva’s brow shot up.
“Never mind,” he grumbled, checking his watch. “It’s time. Let the party begin.”
The club staff took their expected places around the bright glistening bar as the overhead lights dimmed and the silence gradually began to melt away. Pulsating music, and voices growing in volume, swallowed the subdued quiet. Sean wandered over to the rail lining the perimeter of the second level bar area. Within minutes the concrete dance floor below disappeared from his sight in an overwhelmed mosh pit of bodies and darkness.
A steady stream of those not yet ready to join the gyrating circus, in need of some liquid courage to give them a boost, meandered their way up the beautiful scrolled iron staircase in the bar’s direction. As Sean understood well, their night would end on the dance floor, but it began with him and his staff. He made his way to his usual spot behind the counter ready to serve them up what they desired.
He stepped up to the row of glasses waiting in front of the taps to be filled and handed out. One after another, he passed them off to the buzzing crowd. Watching for anyone requesting a refill, he picked up on someone who had yet to be served. He wasted no time making his way to the brunette in a tiny black dress, eyeing him up from the end of the bar.
Her hand slid into her hair, twirling the dark, silky strands around her fingers tipped with cherry red nails. She had interest written all over her sweet smile. Thanks to her matching cherry red lips, he now found himself interested, too.
“Hello. What can I get you this evening?” he asked.
Her blushing cheeks intrigued him. She didn’t appear to be the straightforward type he usually dealt with.
“Well,” she said, drawing her fingers in circles over the bar top. “I’ve heard a lot about you. You seem to have a fascinating reputation. I wanted to see for myself what all the hype is about.”
He smiled, unfazed by the interest, and the comment.
“And?” he asked.
She looked up into his captivating baby blues. Her shoulders rose with a deep, quiet inhale.
“And, my friends didn’t give you enough credit,” she replied.
She drew her plump, cherry bottom lip in between her pearly white teeth. He wondered if it tasted as good as it looked. Her matching blue eyes sparkled back at him.
“I, uh, came here with a friend. I’m pretty sure she has plans to dump me the first chance she gets. It’ll leave me without a ride later tonight. You wouldn’t happen to be available to help a girl out, would you?” she asked.
“Hmm,” he said, leaning in next to her. “I might. Depends on where you want me to take you.”
Her cheeks glowed red in the faint lighting as her eyes darted to the crowd, and then after a few moments, back to his face.
“My place,” she said, reaching up to play with the spiky mess near his ear.
He inhaled the scent of jasmine from her wrist.
“Your place. I think I can accommodate your request. Wouldn’t want to leave a girl as beautiful as you stranded, after all.”
“Such a gentleman,” she noted.
“Don’t count on that,” he responded with a twitch of his brow.
She flushed again. Something about her appealed to him. She had a refreshing softness. He imagined it took her quite a bit of courage to come as strong as she had. His gaze flickered to the woman standing behind her, fidgeting back and forth.
“Anytime you’re ready to go, you come find me. I’ll be waiting,” he said.
He winked as her impatient friend yanked her by the arm into the crowd. She pulled from her friend’s grasp and blew him a kiss over her shoulder before the mob enveloped her.
“A date already? We’ve only been open ten minutes. That’s a record for you,” Eva said from somewhere behind him.
Sean smirked at her over the beer taps.
“You got a problem with that Mom?”
With a shake of her head she filled the line of glasses in front of her.
“I guess I have to get my own orders now, since you’re busy ogling the customers,” she commented.
“I wasn’t ogling anyone. It was the other way around,” he gloated. He relaxed against the bar, watching her stack up her tray.
“You’re always flirting with someone,” she said.
His lips crept up into a satisfied smile. “Not true. I’ve never flirted with an employee.”
“Oh, well, our loss.”
He scowled at her mocking giggle. “You’re fired.”
“Sure, I’d like to see you do my job,” she said. She batted her lashes and mouthed him a pouty kiss. “You know you need me Sean.”
“Now you’re definitely fired. This is a flirt-worthy moment you know I can’t resist.”
She scooped up her tray, balancing it on her shoulder.
“I’ve got work to do,” she said.
As much as Sean appreciated matching wits with Eva, he wanted a shot with someone who would be interested in spending time with him after work hours. Unfortunately, finding a woman to fill that role would have to take a backseat to the thirsty crowd now pushing in around the bar. Disappointed, he could only hope the cute little brunette would keep her word.
Pouring, serving and conversing his way through the rest of the slow night, Sean eventually began to see the light at the end of the scattering crowd. He stretched his tense, tired arms over his head, checking his watch in the process. The early hours of the morning were settling in. Up to this point he had seen no sign of the woman he had hoped would be ditched by her friend.
“Hi again.”
He turned around. Brunette strands and an intense blue stare greeted him. She lounged against the bar letting the strap of her black dress slip just a bit off her shoulder.
Speak of the devil, he thought, or at least he hoped.
“I never thought my friend would leave,” she sighed. Her freshly coated cherry lips accentuated her wide smile. “I’m so glad you’re still here.”
“I am, and I’m so glad you showed up,” he said.
“Are you? Well you’ll really be glad later,” she purred.
He propped his hip against the wood rail, next to her. She reached out and playfully hooked her finger through the loop of his jeans. Drawing her eyes from her fingers, she studied him from under her thick lashes.
“I’m done waiting, I’m more than ready to go home now.”
In one graceful move, he leaned into her, his voice a low, pleasing whisper for her ears only. “Me, too. It’s been a long night.”
Her subtle shiver spiked his pulse. Playing the game proved to be his favorite part of the job. A ritual which had, over time, become a normal part of his life.
“Let me take care of things back here.” His mouth lingered near her neck. “Stay put. Promise?”
Her head barely nodded.
He turned to find Eva, hoping she would cover for him. She stood at the other end of the bar, flashing him a thumbs up to his coy smile. Taking his new companion by the hand, he wasted no time finding the exit.
Hit by the cold night air, Sean draped his warm arm over her bare shoulders. Her lips grazed his cheek. She nestled her head against him as they walked, snuggling herself closer, inhaling his cologne. Her seductive smile, partly hidden by shadows, flirted with him.
Cursing himself for parking so far from the building, he grabbed her hand and quickened his
pace. He couldn’t reach his truck fast enough.
“Where to?” he asked when they were settled in the bench seat of his pick-up.
She slid toward him, allowing the silky hem of her dress to give him a peek of her well-toned thigh. It played with him, taunting his self-control. His fingers gripped the wheel as she rubbed up against him like a graceful cat seeking attention.
“I only live a few minutes from here. Ignore all the stop signs and red lights,” she encouraged, kissing his earlobe. “22 Foster Drive.”
She barely breathed out the address and Sean jammed the truck into gear. He knew exactly where she lived, and he needed to get there before he lost all focus from her wandering lips. If he wasn’t careful, the night would end early with his truck careening off the side of the road.
“So,” he left the rest of his statement hanging.
“Cindy,” she whispered into his ear. Her short breaths distracted him.
“So, you heard about me through the grapevine,” he tried again.
He cleared the obvious anticipation from his voice. It seemed ridiculous to make idle conversation with someone letting her hands and lips have their way.
“Who did you talk to?”
He didn’t care. It didn’t matter. He only needed to keep his rational thoughts going and fight off the preoccupation gaining intensity by the second, long enough to make it to his destination. The sign indicating Foster Drive was a welcome sight. He brought the truck to a slamming stop in front of the building marked 22.
Grabbed around the shoulders by the woman who could no longer wait, she pulled him into her. Her glossy red lips consumed him. He had nothing left to stop her, nor did he want to. As her dress began to slide from her shoulders, his lips followed, exploring her jasmine scented skin in its every decadent detail.
“Sean,” she whispered. He looked up. She tilted her head toward the window. “I think we’ll be much more comfortable inside.”
He nodded and scrambled out of the truck to open her door, catching her as she fell into his arms. She clung tight and held up her key to the apartment door. He slid it from her fingers. Cradling her against his chest, he managed to get them inside, slamming the door shut behind with his foot.
“My bedroom is that way,” she mumbled against his lips. She wiggled in his grasp and he lowered her to the ground.
With a flick of her graceful legs, her heels disappeared. Her hips swayed in long, slow swings as she grasped onto the hem of her dress lifting it inch by inch, revealing every shimmy of her inviting torso. Sean’s pulse pounded in his head, chest, and every other part of him, with her agonizing dance.
He caught the silk garment she tossed as she turned on her toes in a graceful pirouette. She sashayed down the hall in a lacy sight leaving nothing to his imagination. It took him a moment before he followed the trail she left behind, discarding the rest of what little she was wearing. A wicked smile crept over him. Maybe he had read this woman all wrong. She wasn’t quite as sweet as he had assumed, but as he knew, the unassuming ones always turned out to be the best.
Skye’s the Limit is available on Amazon in both Kindle and print format.