Whats Your Pleasure by Marie Haynes Read Free Book Online Page A

sorry about the mess. How about I buy a round for everyone to make up for it? No hard feelings?” Bill announced to the cheers of the other customers. “And just to prove I’m a good guy, if you’ll point me in the direction of a mop, I’ll do the cleanup.”
    Now, how could he resent such a generous offer?
    Vince accepted the man’s hand. “No hard feelings. Just a misunderstanding. Welcome to What’s Your Pleasure .”
    “Fine looking establishment. Interesting people, too.” Bill looked around at the groups of patrons, his gaze lingering on a particularly pretty girl with sleeve tattoos and two nose piercings.
    “Bill, be nice. It’s Fetish Night. What are you doing here, anyway?” Joe asked as she returned to her side of the bar and began serving up beers. Vince joined her and worked the far side of the bar.
    “Got the weekend off and thought I’d come down. I already booked a room, so don’t start on me about staying with you.” He grabbed his beer and gulped down half of it in one swallow. “Thought it was time I checked up on my baby sister.”
    “I’m fine, you moron. But it is good to see you,” she admitted.
    “Looks like you’ve got two protectors, kid.”
    Joe noticed the assessing look Bill shot at Nathan and Vince and smiled. “They’re good guys, Bill. Leave them alone.”
    “Right,” he answered.
    “I mean it,” she warned.
    He pouted. “What did I say? I didn’t say anything.”
    She laughed. “Go flirt with the painted princess who’s making puppy eyes at you.”
    “Really? She is?” Bill almost spilled his beer turning around to grin idiotically at the girl in question.
    Joe laughed again and got back to work.
    The rest of the evening passed without incident. She and Vince worked the bar as Bill flirted with every woman in the room. He even spent a good deal of time chatting with Nathan. Now, why did that worry her so much?
     
    Bill knew trouble when he saw it. He’d been around to pick up the pieces of his sister’s heart ever since Bobby Mitchell first broke it when she was in the sixth grade. He grinned, remembering how he’d also broken Bobby’s nose. Looking at her now, as she competently worked the bar and cast furtive glances in Vince’s direction, he didn’t see anything amiss. But he knew her well enough to know she was headed for trouble. Might be time to do a bit of snooping. Spotting Nathan sitting at a lone table, Bill grabbed his beer and meandered over.
    “Mind if I join you?” he asked the handsome Italian.
    Nathan gave him an assessing look before answering. “Sure, have a seat.”
    Bill sipped his beer, trying to decide the next course of action. He figured the best route was the direct one.
    “So, is my sister falling for the owner?” he asked outright.
    Nathan regarded him narrowly. “Could be. Is that a problem?”
    “Only if you’re falling for her,” Bill responded, noting the quick frown on the other man’s face.
    “What makes you think that?” Nathan asked, quickly clearing his expression.
    “Look. I’m a salesman, and a damn good one. Know why I’m good? Because I notice people. Their expressions, their eyes, their mannerisms. I notice if someone is leaning away from his or her date and chatting with someone else. I notice you rarely take your eyes off of Joe for more than a few minutes,” Bill stated.
    Nathan paused before answering. “You’re a smart man, Bill. And, I’d say you really care about your sister. In your shoes, can’t say I’d be any different. Truth is, Vince has a thing for her, and since he’s my best friend, I’d never do anything behind his back. Just ain’t right, you know?”
    “Yeah, I can respect that.”
    “Still, she looks wounded, despite her sharp mind—and sharper tongue.”
    Bill threw back his head and laughed. “You got that right. That mouth of hers has got her in trouble more than a few times.” Suddenly, he became serious. “As to the wounded part, that’s up to her to tell,