Bad Behavior. Jessa James
“Hey Emma, what do you think?” Jameson asks, scratching his stubbled cheek.
The wall behind the bar is lit up by glowing neon string lights, and it showcases the hundred or so brands of liquor that Jameson insisted on. He stands back, admiring his handiwork. I think that it’s absolutely amazing, but then again I think that almost everything Jameson touches is amazing.
“Uhhh, it looks great,” I say from my seat at the bar. I’m taking up all the space by spreading out my law school books, but I’m not studying law. Instead, I’m studying Jameson. “Maybe you should add another bottle over there on the right?”
I point to a spot. He looks at where I’m pointing, nodding slowly. “Good eye. It looks totally bare in that spot.”
He grabs another bottle, reaching up to put it in the bare spot. I bite my lip. Jameson looks ridiculously good right now, just in dark jeans that hug his ass just so, a black NIN t-shirt, and blood red Chucks.
“It looks good,” I say, my cheeks turning red even as I say it. By it, I mean every inch of him… and by good, I mean appetizing, enticing, and tempting to the extreme.
I sigh. Forest comes out of the back room, looking suave as ever in a green sweater and jeans. His dark hair and beard look pretty alluring; if I wasn’t already so infatuated with Jameson I would probably have a thing for Forest.
He pulls his fiancée Addison along by the wrist. She doesn’t say anything, just looks good in her pristine white dress, her hair artfullypinned up.
“Hey guys,” Forest says.
“Finish checking out the liquor cave that I built upstairs?” Jameson asks Forest.
“Yeah. It’s kind of trippy to see several thousand dollars of booze in one location. But it looks like everything is ready for the opening tomorrow.”
“Right on. What time will you be here tomorrow?”
Forest glances at Addison. “What time do you think we’ll be done with brunch with your parents? Around four? ”
She inclines her head ever so slightly, which I guess means that she approves. I wonder what her deal is. It’s not exactly an ice vibe I get from her, like I feel with Asher’s fiancee Jenna. I just don’t get anything from Addison.
It’s very weird.
I turn my head as Gunnar bursts in the front door, three pretty blondes dressed to the nines in tow. For his part, Gunnar looks like he just left a dance club, because of the way he’s dressed in a black checked dress shirt that’s partially unbuttoned and a pair of black jeans.
He’s obviously just said something funny, because they are all laughing.
“Ladies, just sit over there if you will,” he says, pointing to one of the booths. He winks at them. “I just need to be here for a minute, and then we can go back to my place.”
My eyebrows rise, but the girls just titter. Gunnar turns his attention to me, walking toward the bar. “Emma. Looking good, as usual.”
I squirm a little under his gaze. Gunnar is a complete tool, but damn if he’s not good looking enough to pull it off.
“Uh, thanks,” I manage.
“Hey,” Jameson says, scowling. “You know the rules. No hitting on Emma. Same rules for everybody.”
I turn bright red and wish I could sink down into my seat. Asher has been announcing the same rule ever since I was old enough to put on a training bra. It’s super humiliating.
“I was just commenting,” Gunnar says with a shrug. He notices Forest and Addison. “What’s up?”
Forest crosses his arms. “We were supposed to meet here over an hour ago. Asher already came and left.”
Gunnar rolls his eyes. “I’m here. I didn’t realize you would make it into a big deal.”
“It is a big deal,” Jameson jumps in and corrects him. “How are we supposed to have fucking employees show up on time if we just show up whenever we feel like it?”
“Mea culpa,” Gunnar says, but he doesn’t really look very sorry. “What am I supposed to be doing here, anyway?”
Jameson’s jaw clenches. Forest steps in for him. “Can you just go upstairs and check on everything? Make sure that all the rum and tequila and mezcal and pisco you asked for is in stock.”
“Aye aye,” Gunnar says. He disappears into the back room.
“Every time he starts telling me how I’m too uptight, I’m this close to punching him in the fucking face,” Jameson declares, turning back to the bar.
The front door opens again, and a gorgeous young Asian woman with long hair and porcelain skin sticks her head in. When she sees Forest and Jameson, she brightens and enters. I look longingly at her short denim shorts and her oversized blue tank top.
If my parents saw me out and about in an outfit like that, they’d flip. Hell, I think that Asher would even frog march me back home to change if he saw me wearing that… and he’s supposed to be the young, cool rebel of our uptight family.
“Hi,” she says, waving a sheaf of papers. To my surprise, she has a posh British accent. “I just brought the rest of my documents. I hope I’m not interrupting anything?”
I look at Forest, whose mouth has sort of fallen open. He is blatantly checking this woman out, rather than rushing to take the papers from her. Addison just looks on; whatever she feels is certainly not showing on the outside.
“Maia, hey,” Jameson calls, making his way out from behind the bar. “I’ll take whatever you’ve got.”
Maia hands him the papers, smiling at me. She extends her hand to me. “I don’t believe we’ve met. I’m Maia Yu. I’ll be waiting tables here.”
I take her hand. “Emma Alderisi. I don’t work here, I just hang out.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you. And I don’t believe we’ve met?” she says, turning to Addison.
“Addison Raven,” she replies, crossing her arms. “I’m marrying Forest.”
Maia looks to Forest, who has closed his mouth but continues to look at her with something akin to awe.
Jameson clears his throat. “Forest was just leaving. Isn’t that right?”
Forest’s dirty look at Jameson is unmistakable. “Yeah. I’ll see you guys later.”
He leads his pretty wife-to-be out of the bar. Maia turns and glances at the blonde girls sitting in one of the booths, absorbed in their phones.
“Are you still hiring?” Maia asks, puzzled. I snicker.
“Jesus, no,” Jameson says. “They are waiting on my other brother…”
“What’s that now?” Gunnar says, popping out of the back room. He takes one look at Maia and turns up his charm to a ten. “Hey. We haven’t met. I’m Gunnar.”
“Maia.” She shakes his hand. He holds onto it for a second too long, but she is too classy to act like it bothered her. She tosses her hair, unruffled. “If that’s it, I’ll go. You need us back here tomorrow at three, right?”
“Yes,” Jameson and Gunnar say at once. Jameson shoots Gunnar a dirty look. Gunnar grins back, unabashed.
“See you tomorrow,” Jameson says.
“We should go too, girls,” Gunnar says, walking over to them. “Maia, we are all just going to my place for a drink…”
“Leave her alone, Gunnar,” Jameson growls. “Maia, see you later.”
“Later.”