“You sure? Missing Millie?” she asked.
“Oh, you know. I miss Millie every day. My son was in town. I spent a few days with my grandson, but they went back to California.” He sighed. “How are you, Brianna?” Bill looked around the bar. “Busy tonight. They treating you okay? Because if they’re not, why, I’ll—”
Brianna loved how Bill pretended he’d stand up for her, when in reality he was so old and thin that a strong wind could blow him over. She was used to dealing with drunken men, and she didn’t feel she needed protecting, but she found it cute that he offered—and she wondered if Hugh was the kind of guy who would fiercely protect his girlfriend. Stop, stop, stop.
“They’re fine, Bill. But I know you’ve got my back.” She touched his hand. “Excuse me.” She went to serve another customer. The three that followed amped up her anxiety.
A table of guys in the middle of the bar began playing quarters, and between the whoops, cheers for the game, the searing heat from Hugh’s gaze, and Kat rushing in and out of the bar area, Brianna could barely hold on to a coherent thought. By the time the game ended and the crowd thinned, she felt as if she’d walked a hundred miles and, still feeling drawn to Hugh, felt as if she could walk a hundred more.
“What a night,” Kat said with a loud sigh. “That was insane. How are you holding up?” She rinsed a rag and squeezed it out in the sink.
“Okay.” Brianna glanced at Hugh. “He’s still here.”
“Of course he is. The man came to see you. Jesus, he’s watched you like a hawk all night. You might as well talk to him. I’m going to mop up the booths.” She leaned in close. “Stop being afraid. It’s a conversation, not sex. Give the hot man a thrill.”
It’s the thrill I’m worried about.
HUGH LEARNED A lot about Brianna by just watching her, and he hadn’t enjoyed an evening as much in a very long time. She handled the customers with kindness and strength, pulling away when her professional attentiveness was met with flirtatious advances. She was nothing like the women he was used to. The models and fans he used to date would never have given the likes of these guys the time of day, and there she was, asking the old man beside him if he was missing his wife. She came around the bar to pick up money a customer had dropped and gave it back to him.
When a young guy grabbed her wrist and pulled her close, leading with his lips, Hugh stood from his stool. His chest expanded with a deep breath. I’ll kill you. Before he reached the guy, Brianna smiled like she was going to allow the kiss. Then she snapped her wrist over, breaking his hold, and grabbed his thumb and twisted it back and down—hard, causing him to writhe in agony and beg to be released. Hugh watched Mack escort the numskull out of the bar and then brought his attention back to Brianna, who was wiping down the bar once again as if nothing had happened. Hugh noticed the slight tremble in her arm, and the light that had found her eyes was gone again, replaced with a serious darkness.
“You okay?” he asked.
She nodded. “Happens all the time.”
“It does? That’s not a good thing, Bree.” He didn’t even know her well, but at that moment, Hugh wanted nothing more than to take her into his arms and hug away the fear she was trying so hard to hide.
She wiped her hands on her towel. “It’s really not a big deal. He just got carried away.”
“Bree.” Mack appeared beside Hugh. “You okay?”
“Fine, Mack. Thanks.” Her eyes darted to Hugh, then back to Mack.
“You sure? I can take care of…” Mack glared at Hugh. “Anything you need me to.”
Hugh smiled at the burly man and extended his hand. “Hugh Braden. Nice to meet you.”
“Braden? I know that name.” Mack shook Hugh’s hand.
Shit. How could he slip up like that? “You’ve probably heard of my brother, Josh. He’s a big-time fashion designer. His name is in all the fashion magazines.” Hugh had to push the conversation in another direction before Mack exposed him. “I’m not here to harass Brianna. I was just making sure the guy didn’t hurt her.”
Mack nodded, still scrutinizing him like he was unraveling a mystery. “Bree?”
“He’s fine, Mack.” She went back to work cleaning up the bar.
“Braden, huh? I’ll figure it out.” Mack headed toward the back of the bar.
Brianna stopped wiping the counter and folded her arms over her chest. “Thank you for asking if I was okay. But why are you here? You didn’t finish your drink and you didn’t watch the game. Should I be creeped out?”
Hugh leaned on the bar and answered honestly. “I’m not sure. Maybe.” He shrugged. “I was drawn to you yesterday, and I thought I’d come in and talk with you tonight. So you tell me. Creepy?”
She looked down and blushed. “Sort of.”
He laughed. “Yeah, I guess it sort of is, but how else does a guy get to know a woman around here? Do you want to have coffee with me after you’re off work?” He saw her flinch. “Listen, no pressure. I was just offering.”
Her eyebrows drew together, and she glanced at Kat as she approached.
“What’s going on?” Kat asked. “Way to nail that creep. What an ass, grabbing you like that.” Kat looked between Brianna and Hugh. “Am I interrupting something here?”
Brianna lifted her eyes at Hugh. Damn, those eyes killed him.
“Okay,” Brianna said softly.
“Okay?” Yes!
“Okay what?” Kat asked.
“Coffee. I’m having coffee with Hugh after work.”
“You are?” Kat lifted her thin brows. “That’s great. Where are you going?”
Hugh shrugged. “Wherever Bree wants.”
“What about Layla?” Kat asked.
Worry sailed through her eyes. “She’s with my mom for the night.”
“Perfect,” Kat said; then she looked at Hugh.
With your mom? She’s got a kid. Shit. She has a kid. Hugh loved children, but he hadn’t ever considered dating a woman with a child. He must have looked as concerned as he felt because Kat elbowed Brianna and nodded in his direction.
Brianna crossed her arms again. She looked at Hugh with those beautiful eyes that seemed to be filled with serious thoughts every second of the evening. “I have a daughter. Layla Michelle. She’s going to be six in a week. If you’d rather skip having coffee, that’s fine. I’d understand.”
One look in her eyes and he knew he wanted to get to know her better, but he also knew he’d have to be careful. Dating a single mother introduced all sorts of tangled webs into the equation.
“Brianna, I’d love to have coffee with you whether or not you have a daughter.”
“Really?” She arched a thin brow.
“Really.” Risking his emotions was new, considering the women he’d dated in the past never struck anything other than lust in him, but risking a single mother’s emotions—or her daughter’s—was dangerous. He thought of his own father and how he had never been with another woman after his wife died, and he wondered how he would have felt, as a child, if his father had.
His father’s voice sailed through his mind—though it was Hugh’s own thoughts that he heard. Tread lightly, son. Hugh didn’t know the meaning of treading lightly. He was an all-or-nothing guy who moved fast and trusted his gut. The thought of treading lightly scared the shit out of him, but not enough to forgo coffee with lovely Brianna.
Chapter Seven
“I HAVEN’T BEEN on a date in almost seven years, much less had coffee with a handsome guy. I can’t even believe I’m doing this.” Brianna and Kat stood before the mirror in the cramped ladies’ room. She brushed her hair, and Kat handed her a tube of lipstick. “No, thanks.”
“Come on. You’ll look great with a little color,” Kat urged.
“He’s seen me working for the last seven hours. He knows what I look like.” She pulled away from the mirror. “Jesus, Kat. He sat there all night. All night. Who does that?”
“The hottie who’s out there waiting for you now,” Kat pointed out.
“No, really. I mean, it’s one thing to hang around for an hour or even two, but all night? And did you see him? He didn’t watch the game.”
“Calm down. You’re having coffee, not going home with him. Although…”
Brianna narrowed her eyes. “No. No, no, no. Don’t even go there. Coffee. That’s it. And I’ll call you if he turns out to be a freak, so leave your cell phone on.”
THEY WALKED DOWN the quiet city street to the only place open so late, Dunkin’ Donuts. Brianna shivered in her sweater. Hugh shrugged out of his jacket and placed it around her shoulders.
“I’m okay,” she lied.
“I’m sure you are, but I was hot and you looked like a great coatrack.” He smiled as he opened the door to Dunkin’ Donuts. “After you, madam.”
A gentleman and funny? No way. “Thank you.” Brianna thought she’d be struck mute from nerves, but being alone with Hugh was easy. He didn’t make innuendos like the guys at the bar did and he didn’t look at her like she was a piece of meat, which she was thankful for. She still didn’t know what had possessed her to accept his offer for coffee, but now, sitting across from him in the corner booth, she was glad she had.