I smiled back, feeling very relaxed around her. “I'm sure it was fine, but I would love to see one of your concerts some time.” I made a point of grabbing a new flyer from the stand next to the counter. If James and I would be seeing more of each other, I'd find myself out here more and more, especially when school was out.
She smiled and opened her mouth to talk again, but her gaze lifted up to someone behind me. “Mr. Coleman,” she said.
I turned around and saw James there. His gaze swept over my body, and I watched the pupils of those green eyes dilate. He was close enough that he could just lean down and give me a kiss, and for a moment, I thought he was going to.
He looked like he was considering it, then shook his head and broke eye contact. “I see you've met Ms. Dean, my loveliest employee.”
Anne rolled her eyes. “Look at all this sexual harassment I have to deal with, Allie. It's a wonder Mr. Coleman doesn't call me 'Toots' and make me light his cigarettes for him.”
James shrugged. “All the other girls down at the office are okay with it, though I have different demeaning names for each of them. I guess the difference is that I actually like you, Ms. Dean.”
She fanned herself with her menu. “Be still my heart. Are you just here to bug me, or do you want some coffee?”
“I was actually just wondering if you'd take Allie to my apartment real quick so that she can drop her bag off.”
I turned back to him and glared. He wasn't going to take me back himself? It had already been two weeks since we had last had sex, and I was looking forward to a little tension relief, followed by me asking him about Audrey. “What?”
Anne interjected. “Oh, she's staying with you?” she asked. She sounded a little disappointed.
I whirled around and looked at James. I felt like James must have when Nicole was quizzing us the other night. Had he already said anything?
“Actually, Allie is my stepsister,” James said, making the decision for us. I wasn't one hundred percent sure it was the decision I wanted, but it would work.
“Oh,” Anne said very simply. I turned back to her and smiled.
“So can you take her over there? I'll have Ryan cover the register until you get back. He's worthless at setting up a sound system anyway,” James said, looking back at the stage and shaking his head.
“Sure thing,” she said, then reached under the counter to grab her jacket and purse. She skipped around the counter and went to the door. “Coming?”
I looked back at James, biting my lip again. He gestured to the door. “Go,” he said. “We're going to party after the concert and then I'll be yours for the rest of the weekend.” It sounded innocent enough, like something a big brother would say to his visiting sister, but I knew what it really meant. The “I'll be yours” made me shiver with want.
I nodded. “Okay.” He nodded and moved back toward the stage, yelling at people as he walked. Poor Ryan, I thought.
Anne was waiting by the open door, ushering me out. I smiled and walked out.
Chapter 29
I immediately shoved my hands in my pockets as soon as I was out the door. I regretted not wearing more clothes.
“I like those boots,” Anne said immediately. They were a pair of brown boots that extended up my calf, and probably the only thing that was keeping my extremities from freezing right off.
“Thanks,” I said. I looked up and down her body, looking for something to compliment other than her hair. “I like your jacket.”
“Thanks,” she said back to me. We walked in silence for a few more moments before she said, “So, he's your brother.”
“Yep. Well, my stepbrother anyway,” I said.
“So that must be why he's not your type,” she said.
She was clearly fishing for some kind of response. “There's more to it than that.”
She perked up a little bit. “Really?”
Oops, that might have been the wrong thing to say, I thought. “Yeah, really. He was a real jerk to me when we lived together as kids,” I clarified.
“Oh.” A silence hung in the air for another minute. “I'm sensing that this conversation is making you uncomfortable. Mind if I tell a joke?”
It was the last thing I expected. “Sure, go ahead.”