Taste for Trouble (Blake Brothers Trilogy) by Sey Susan

Author:Sey, Susan [Sey, Susan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Susan Sey
Published: 2013-01-28T23:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY

James watched an epic struggle play out over Audrey Bing’s pretty face while he chewed thoughtfully on a big hunk of Bel’s incredible cinnamon roll.

“Can I take five minutes to get dressed?” she finally asked.

“Not going to help,” James said. “Take it from a master procrastinator. Better to just get it out.” He glanced at his brother, who stood glowering at the poor girl. What on earth did Will have against this woman? He’d have to press him on that later. In the meantime, he didn’t mind evening the playing field a little.

“Will,” he said, “give Audrey your robe, would you?”

Will frowned at him. “What?”

“Your robe,” he said. “Give it to her. She’s clearly got a lot at stake here and is feeling vulnerable in her nightie. You’ve got flannels on, I can see them from here. Give the girl your robe.”

Will set his jaw and peeled off his robe. Audrey stared at it like it might bite her.

“Go on,” James said. “It ought to cover you straight down to your ankles. Then we can talk.”

Audrey grabbed the robe and stuffed her arms into it, like a kid bolting down a dreaded mouthful of peas. Will watched her, his arms folded across his bare chest, something between distaste and fascination in his eyes. James suppressed a smile. Wasn’t that interesting? Will, eternally cool, urbane and self-possessed Will, with that kind of confused emotion kicking around inside over a pretty little waitress?

Audrey cinched the belt tight around her waist and stuffed her hands deep into the pockets. “I need to change the terms of my employment,” she said.

“You’re not happy?” Will arched a sardonic brow.

She glared at him. “Working here was, as you well know, a last resort. One I was forced into by you and your spoiled, selfish behavior.”

“Point taken,” James said.

Will smiled. “I’ll rephrase. You’re not happy with the terms we worked out to our mutual satisfaction just last week?”

Audrey fixed her eyes on James, ignored Will completely. “Circumstances have changed,” she said. “I’m requesting room and board for me and Jillian. With a correspondingly adjusted salary, of course.”

“Of course,” James murmured. “Do you mind if I ask why?”

“My previous living arrangements recently became...untenable,” she said.

“Untenable how?” Will asked. Damn, James thought. With the bare chest and the air of command, his brother was coming perilously close to the territory Yul Brenner had staked out in The King and I. But it was a fair question, so when Audrey looked to him, he let it stand.

“We were staying with a woman I worked with at the strip club you guys like so much, but her boyfriend...didn’t care for the arrangement.”

Interesting, James thought. “Didn’t care for your not sleeping with him?” he asked.

Audrey gave him a grim smile. “Something like that.”

“I know what James is paying you, Audrey,” Will said. “Don’t tell me you can’t afford not to shack up with strippers and their scumbag boyfriends.”

She cast him a disdainful look. “There are extenuating circumstances.”

“Such as?” There Will went with the eyebrow again.

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