Mel laughed aloud at Anna's naivety. She had no idea how much power she had over that man. He was crazy about her.
"I think my biggest problem is going to be avoiding any wardrobe malfunctions. I feel like I'm about to pop out of this dress," Anna said, pulling the spandex down again.
The black, halter style dress left no secrets to the imagination, and she felt anything but comfortable in the contraption. The dress was like a second skin, and there was no way she could have worn underwear or a bra without every line showing.
"Well, you are," Mel said. "I'd be more worried about the gossip your father's likely to hear tomorrow when half the town sees you in that dress trying to seduce Dylan Maguire."
"Well, he told me to wear something sexy. I figure the more indecent I am the less he'll want to play pool and the more he'll want to get down to business." Anna grabbed her bag and slipped her feet into sky high heels. "Let's get out of here."
"Oh, yeah. Your dad is definitely going to hear about this," Mel said as Anna parked in the last available parking spot.
"It does look awfully busy for a Tuesday night. I didn't realize there would be so many people here."
They made their way to the big oak doors and slipped inside the crowded bar. The bass of the music thrummed in time with the beat of her heart. Bodies moved in syncopated rhythms on the dance floor, the overheard TV's blared ESPN, and drinks were passed around heartily.
The people she'd known her whole life stopped what they were doing and gawked openly as she made her way to the bar, chin held high. Wide eyes and open mouths led way to whispers and pointed fingers until she felt the hot breath of gossip sting her ears.
Anna hated being the center of the gossip mill. She'd done her best to live a forgettable, quiet life for the last ten years, and she was about to throw it all out the window for one night of crazy sex. She'd think about the repercussions later, and she'd avoid her father in the mean time. She'd never needed a drink so bad in her life.
"Hey Brian," Anna said. "Looks like a busy night tonight. I'll have one of those," she said, pointing to the picture of the tall drink with the cherries and lemons on top. She was sure her face was tomato red, but she was going to play this scenario out if it killed her.
Brian couldn't even answer her question, the look of surprise so apparent across his face. Brian had always been a good friend to her and Mel, more like a brother to both of them.
"Are you out of your mind?" Brian hissed under his breath. "Your father is going to kill you when he hears about this. You're practically naked." He looked at Mel imploringly, trying to get her to second his opinion, but she just shrugged her shoulders at him and mouthed "I tried."
"Brian Shiney, it is no business of yours or anyone else in this town how I dress or who I date," Anna whispered back furiously.
"But you've never dressed this way before. And what did you do to your hair?"
Anna scowled at her childhood friend and prepared to blister his ears when she remembered they weren't alone in the bar.
Mr. Howard was perched on his favorite bar stool-more of a home away from home-and no one ever said there was anything wrong with his hearing. His ears were glued to the conversation just like everyone else's.
"Can I have my drink please?" Anna asked again. Brian just frowned and went off to make the concoction.
"Easy on the alcohol," Mel murmured, when she saw Anna had ordered the Long Island Iced Tea. "You want to be able to remember the greatest sex of your life."
"It looks like a fairly harmless drink," Anna said. "How bad could it be if it has iced tea in it?"
Mel shook her head and closed her eyes. The situation could only get worse from her perspective. She took the Bud Light Brian had set on the bar for her and put the cold glass to her forehead.
"What's the matter," Anna asked.
"I just keep seeing my life flash before my eyes," Mel answered. "I've created a monster and the only person I can blame is myself. It's because I made you buy all of that sexy lingerie. It's the only explanation for why you've lost your mind."
"The only reason this is a big deal is because we're in Paradise. If we were in Dallas no one would think anything of a single young woman trying to seduce a sexy man."
"That's because everybody's crazy in the big city. It's like a rule or something," Mel said. "Mary Ann Marsdon said the last time she was in Dallas a pimp tried to sell her in the lobby of an Albertson's."
"Mary Ann Marsdon wouldn't know what the truth looked like if it hit her in the face with the broad side of a two-by-four," Anna said, rolling her eyes. "And what's that supposed to mean anyway? Are you saying I look like a prostitute?"
"No, you idiot," Mel said. "I'm your best friend, and I just want to make sure that you won't do anything you'll regret or will embarrass you."
"I'm way past the point of embarrassment, but I'll be fine. I'm a big girl."
Brian came back with her drink and she paid the tab. "Thanks Brian. Are Dylan and Mitchell already in the back?"
He scowled at the mention of the two guys that left broken hearts trailing in a long line behind them. "Yeah, they're back there. Be careful, Anna."
Why was everyone so worried about her?
Dylan looked at his watch for what seemed like the hundredth time in the last fifteen minutes and took another drink of his beer. She was late.
"Geez, you're making me nervous and I don't even have a date," Mitchell said. "Stop fidgeting. She'll be here soon enough. Or maybe she lost her nerve and she's standing you up again."
"Thanks a lot, asshole." Dylan said.
Mitchell was right. He was acting like a virgin bride on his wedding night. He turned to look at the entrance one more time, and his jaw almost dropped to the floor. That woman could not be Anna-or maybe it could be, but he wasn't able to lift his gaze from her body to look at her face.
"Jesus Christ," Dylan said.
"Amen, brother," Mitchell answered. "This is going to be the most entertaining night I've had in a long time."
Anna came toward him with long legged strides, her hips swaying to her own song and a drink held loosely in her hand. Her hair hung in riotous curls down her back and the dress she was almost wearing clung to her curvy body like a second skin. He wanted nothing more than to lift her straight up onto a pool table and push inside her.
She came right to him and he had to lean down to hear what she was trying to say.
"What's going on, stranger?" Her voice was husky with desire and sweat popped out on his brow as she blew into his ear.
For once in his life he was completely speechless.
"Do you get the feeling we're in the way?" Mel whispered to Mitchell.
"Yeah. I feel like a voyeur. Why don't we sit on that bench, drink our beers and watch the fireworks."
"Sounds like a plan," Mel said, tapping her beer gently to his in a toast. "Dylan doesn't happen to have a brother does he?"
Mitchell gave her an irritated glance just on principal. He didn't like for women to ask about other men when he was in their presence. "No, he doesn't have a brother. He's an only child."
"Well, it was worth asking," Mel said with a sigh. She felt that five year countdown until she was thirty clicking away.
Dylan finally got his wits about him enough to remember his name and where he was. His throat was dry as dust, but he tried to croak out the words anyway. "Are you ready to play some pool?"
"Ready as I'll ever be," Anna said, picking a cue stick off the rack and stroking its length, making Dylan groan aloud. The woman was on a mission to kill him. It was the only explanation.
"Do you know anything about nine ball?" he asked, trying to get his mind off the image of bending her over the table.
"A little bit," she purred. "They just have to go in the little holes in order, right?"
"Pretty much. Usually Mitchell and I play for money, but we don't have to bet since you're just learning."
"How about we have a different kind of bet?" Anna asked. She brought her lips up to his ear and barely touched his lobe, making him shiver at the touch. Her body brushed against his seductively and what little common sense he did have drained straight into his lap. "How about winner takes all?"
"What exactly does all entail?"
"Anything your imagination can think of. I kept my promise, by the way. My body is primed and ready just for you. And I'm not wearing any underwear."