Samhain Publishing

Paolo’s Playhouse, Book 1

When it comes to sexy and sassy, Piper, the most popular waitress at Ben’s bar, has it all going on. Now that they’re dating, though, Ben wishes she’d dial down the skimpy clothes and flirty attitude, and her habit of dancing around the bar and flashing to her favorite song. Every teasing peek at her body, every laugh at some customer’s lousy joke, is certainly good for business—but it sends his jealousy meter into the red zone.

Sure, they’re dating, but he’s no muscled, tattooed stud with diamonds in his ears. How can he compete, especially when she refuses to even spend the night at his place?

Desperate, Ben books a room at his friend Paolo’s fantasy club, hoping an erotic night in front of a two-way mirror will get her exhibitionist streak out of her system. Praying it won’t prove his greatest fear—that she lives only to show off. And he’s not that special to her at all…

Copyright © 2011 Natasha Moore
All rights reserved — a Samhain Publishing, Ltd. publication

 “Whoa, you weren’t kidding, Dave. That waitress is hot!”

Ben narrowed his eyes as the burly bald guy hauled himself onto a stool next to his buddy and immediately swung around to stare at Piper. After taking a deep breath, Ben plastered a smile on his face for the two guys who’d just sat at his bar. Customers. They were customers. He slapped a square white napkin down in front of each of them, but they didn’t even notice him as they blatantly gawked at Piper.

She was taking drink orders at a table of four regulars across the room, laughing and talking and moving her hips to the beat of the music pulsing through the speakers all at the same time. Ben’s cock twitched as he watched Piper’s ass swishing beneath her short skirt. He never got tired of watching her, even though he had to hide the bulge in his pants. He was glad his job kept him behind the bar because she kept him in a perpetual state of arousal.

Piper worked the room like the pro she was. She’d been teasing him—and everyone else at the bar—for the past year with her short skirts and tight shirts. She was the only woman he knew who could make plain old canvas sneakers look sexy. She had them in every color and pattern imaginable. Today they were hot pink.

She glanced over her shoulder and he could tell when she noticed the two guys at the bar watching her like she was putting on a show. She raised her brows and worked her hips as she crossed the floor, making a beeline for them. They must have noticed her heading for them because they suddenly swiveled around on the stools as if they could pretend they hadn’t been ogling her.

Dave, nearly as wide as his friend but with a head of shaggy brown hair, had been coming into Scandals pretty regularly. He nodded at Ben and opened his mouth, probably to order his draft, but he froze as Piper wedged her tiny body in between the two big guys. Her head barely reached the top of their shoulders. Did she know how much cleavage they could see from that angle? She draped her arms around their waists and then winked at Ben.

“Hey, Dave, great to see you tonight. Who’s your friend?” she asked.

“This is Tony,” Dave said after he cleared his throat and got his mouth moving again. “I told him that this place had the prettiest waitress in town.”

“Well, aren’t you just full of shit.” She laughed and pulled him down to place a quick kiss on his cheek. “Thanks.”

Ben’s gut twisted as she rubbed up against the guys. Customers. They were customers. Well, she wasn’t really rubbing her body against them, but she might as well have been. Every part of her body was touching part of theirs and it made him want to growl and push them away from her.

“Welcome to Scandals, Tony,” Piper said, her bright smile lighting up her face. Ben knew there wasn’t a prettier waitress in the whole damn country. “How come you guys don’t have any drinks yet?” she asked with a wink. “Aren’t you thirsty?”

“Oh yeah, we’re dying of thirst,” Tony said as if they hadn’t had their tongues hanging out of their heads watching her instead of ordering.

“Isn’t this cute bartender taking care of you?” she asked. Ben frowned but she just grinned up at him. “I have to keep him on his toes, you know. Ben, get these guys some drinks.” Ben swore she rubbed up against them again. “They’re so thirsty.”

They quickly ordered their drafts. Ben almost handed them some extra napkins to wipe up their drool. Piper pushed out from between their broad bodies and stepped away. From behind them, she caught Ben’s eye and wiped imaginary sweat off her brow. Then she climbed up on an empty stool at the end of the bar.

“Hey, lover,” she said, her voice lower, seductive. Desire surged through his system, just like that. “The usual for Bob’s table.”

But before he could turn away to mix a Bloody Mary, pour a whiskey and water, and two white wines, she leaned over the bar and kissed him. The crowd whooped it up as they always did, but Ben tuned out everything but the smooth slide of her lips over his and the sweet taste of Piper. She pulled away all too soon.

“Be right back.” She headed over to wait on some newcomers he hadn’t even noticed. Good thing she kept track of the customers. It took all Ben’s time and energy to tend bar and keep track of Piper.

While he continued to fill drink orders, he snuck glances at the petite blonde who’d turned his life upside down. She laughed and joked with the happy-hour crowd, taking orders, clearing dirty glasses and leaning—oh shit—leaning across an empty table to wipe it clean.

Ben froze as Piper’s short skirt rose up to reveal two firm, pale cheeks divided by a narrow strip of black lace. His mouth was suddenly dry as dust. He had to swallow before he slammed two drafts onto the bar. He didn’t even bother to check to see how many of the patrons had noticed her too.

He still couldn’t seem to control his reactions to her, even after they’d begun seeing each other outside of work. And she hadn’t changed at all either since they’d become lovers. She still came to work scantily dressed, still left her bra at home. Hell, maybe she didn’t even own a bra. The customers loved to ogle her pert little tits and tight nipples, loved to check out her slender legs and sneak peeks at her firm ass. As the proud owner of Scandals he knew he should be happy she drew in a crowd. But the jealous caveman inside him wanted her to save her exhibitionist side for him alone.