Whoa. Now this was getting to be too much. The fact that a gorgeous man was holding her in his arms and whispering in her ear and she felt not one iota of interest was enough for Crystal to freeze up a bit. Maybe give Brad a hint or two.
Crystal pushed back just the slightest, grateful that he didn’t protest, and she tried to sound kind as she let him down flat. “You’re a very . . . interesting man, Brad. But I’m afraid we’ll have to keep the dirty dancing out of it for the time being.”
Brad stared down at her for long seconds, then glanced back over to where Mollie and Josh sat. “I know you’re not with that big fella sitting at the table you just vacated, because he’s all over your girlfriend. So, who is it that’s keeping me from my fortune tonight?”
Crystal tried not to feel the kick in her gut as she thought of Trent. She looked away from Brad’s suddenly very serious brown eyes and answered his question. “His brother. But he’s not interested in me any longer. I only c
ame here tonight to . . . I don’t know why I came.”
Brad pulled her back into his embrace, only this time he seemed to keep it on a more platonic level. The intensity that had been radiating from him was gone, replaced by a man who admitted defeat with rather remarkable aplomb. “If you wanted to rile him up, don’t look now, but I think you’ve accomplished that particular goal. In fact, I’d hazard a guess that he’s none too pleased with either of us right now.”
Crystal started to swivel her head around to see if Trent was there—it had been too long since she’d seen his gorgeous, chiseled face—but Brad stopped her.
“Ah, now hold up there, darlin’. You want him to come after you, don’t you?”
“Yes,” Crystal replied, all the while wishing she could just go to Trent and smack some sense into him.
Brad winked. “Then just follow my lead and he won’t be able to resist.”
“He probably could care less if I’m dancing with another man. This whole thing was a mistake, I just knew it. I should just go home and put on my pj’s,” Crystal ground out, feeling more the fool every minute.
Brad chuckled low and bent to whisper into her ear, “Don’t bet on it, darlin’, it’s eating him up watching me tell you all my dirty little fantasies right now. Hell, he never even made it past the front door. He’s just standing there, looking for all the world like a raging bull ready to charge.”
Oh, now didn’t that just give a girl a grin? “So, you think if I whisper back in your ear he’ll maybe get the lead out?”
“I guarantee it.”
Crystal grinned, a bit of the naughty vixen surfacing, and she rose up on tiptoe, her breasts flattening against Brad’s chest as she did. She spoke in a low whisper for Brad’s ears alone, “There’s no way I’ll ever tell you my dirty secrets, Brad, but I don’t mind making that man a bit nuts, since I’ve been going insane ever since I met him.”
“Mm, you can tell me anything, so long as you keep that sweet body of yours pressed tight.”
Crystal pulled back and slapped Brad’s chest playfully. “You really are a flirt. And trouble, if I had to guess.”
“Right on both counts,” Brad said, as he straightened a bit. “Here he comes now.”
Crystal shook with nerves, but Brad’s strong arms around her kept her from falling on her face. Thank God for small favors.
“Whoa, he’s a mean-looking one,” Brad bit out.
“Crystal.”
The deep, dark voice was barely recognizable, it was so cold and remote. Where was the warm, cajoling tone she remembered?
She turned her head and pretended to just now notice him, even though she knew she was a lousy ass liar. “Trent! I didn’t realize you were here.”
“Just arrived,” Trent answered as he pinned Brad with a steely look. “Care to introduce me to your friend?”
Crystal looked back at Brad and saw the mischievous glint in his eyes. She knew two things in that moment. One, Brad was probably one hell of an ornery child. His mother deserved a medal. Second, there was about to be lots of bloodshed, because it was clear that her plan to get Trent to realize he’d made a huge mistake in offering her money for services rendered was about to blow sky-high. She’d seriously miscalculated just how jealous the man could be.
Damn and double damn.
“I’m Trent Dailey, and I own this nightclub. You are?”
Brad dropped his arms from around her, and Crystal suddenly felt very afraid. While Brad had been holding her, she’d had a false sense of security—sort of like having a cell phone handy when you’re driving down a lonely, deserted street, even though you know that, should something happen, the cell phone would probably be out of range and rendered useless. That was how she felt at that moment—rendered useless.
“Name’s Brad Mayes.” The two men shook hands as if they were greeting a new pal. As if you couldn’t cut the tension between them with a knife.
Trent nodded and then zeroed his powerful gaze on her. He looked at her from head to toe, and she watched as a muscle twitched in his jaw. He never said a word about her outfit. “I didn’t know you were coming here tonight,” he gritted out.