Sibling Rivalry

Chapter Three-2

Aimee stared at him. Did he just ask me out?

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Aimee left on her date that wasn’t really a date, leaving Karla alone. Karla hated being alone. After pacing around the apartment for a while trying to find something to do with herself, she decided the night called for alcohol and dancing, even if it was Sunday. She began to rummage around in her closet, looking for the outfit that would keep her from having to pay for her own drinks. Men were always so eager to help a slutty-looking girl. In the end, she chose a pair of white jeans, with holes in very strategic places, which hugged her ass almost as tight as her skin. She wore a blue blouse that tied in the front and fell open over the top of her breasts, revealing quite a bit of the softness of her round globes, and left her tummy exposed.

As she was running a brush through her hair, her cell phone went off. The number wasn’t in her contacts, which she thought odd. “Hello?”

“Karla Harper? This is Mitch Greenway. Brad asked me to reach out to you about your sister’s car.”

“Oh, yes, hey, thanks for calling.” She almost forgot Brad would be giving her phone number out instead of Aimee’s. Hell, she almost forgot why she hooked up with Brad in the first place. Not that he hadn’t been worth it. She was still sore from their after-hours activities. With a deep breath, Karla switched from rushing to get out of there to the sexy damsel in distress. “Will you be able to take a peek at it for us? Brad seemed to think very highly of your work.”

Mitch laughed into the phone. “Brad’s a great guy, but he wouldn’t know an alternator from a battery if his life depended on it. Can you swing the car by my shop tomorrow? I’m located out on Hillshire.”

“Sure. What time?”

“As early as you can. The sooner I get my hands on it, the sooner I can peek under your hood.” His tone was playful, and Karla was sure Brad had filled him in on their evening last night. Mitch Greenway was flirting without being too obvious, just in case Karla wasn’t interested or was actually serious about Brad. Sneaky. She liked sneaky.

“I’ll be sure to have it there when you open your doors. It’s always nice to have a man under the hood who knows what he’s doing.”

“I’m sure it is.”

“I’ll make sure it’s there,” Karla repeated, and then thought it was time to flirt back. “I’m rushing out the door right now for some dancing and music. The night calls for adventure.”

“And what night doesn’t? Where do you usually club at?”

“The old Sand Dune right off A1A. You can’t beat a bar on the beach. The inside has the music and booze, and the outside has the romantic setting. A fun combination with the right person.”

“Sounds like a good time. Brad tagging along?”

“Playing it solo tonight. Sometimes, it’s fun to see what fish are still lurking in the deeper waters.”

He laughed, his voice deep, masculine. “Well, have fun and I’ll see you tomorrow morning. If I don’t bump into you tonight, that is. You make Sand Dune sound very enticing.”

I bet I did, Mr. Greenway. You’ll be there. Of that, I have no doubt. “I’ll see you in the morning if not sooner, then. Thanks again.”

He said his goodbye and hung up. Karla tossed her phone in her purse and snatched up her keys. If she didn’t see Mitch Greenway at the club, she would be completely surprised. If men were anything, they were predictable.

The night was cool as Karla weaved her way through traffic down A1A. She didn’t exaggerate when she said Sand Dune possessed it all. She remembered a few nights that started in the bar only to end with her bare ass in the sand and some man who bought her drinks pounding into her. s*x on the beach was not just a cocktail. It was, however, amazing as the waves crashed nearby and the wind caressed your skin like a third lover joining in the romp. The sand was a scratchy mess afterward, but during the s*x you didn’t care. All you cared about was getting laid. She laughed to herself as she pulled into the parking lot. Karla, girl, you sound like a typical male.

Sand Dune wasn’t as busy as she would have liked, but then again, it was a Sunday night. She waved to Paul behind the bar and he nodded at her. Her usual would be at her side in a moment. Hopefully, it would be the only drink she would pay for all night. Of course, a little sweetness and cleavage tossed Paul’s way would guarantee she wouldn’t even need to pay for that drink, but she’d wait and see how the night panned out before using her t**s on him. He was her Old Faithful. He wasn’t bad in the sack, either.

She leaned back on the bar, facing the dance floor. Men were not the only ones who prowled the clubs. They were, however, at a disadvantage. Women possessed more tools in their tool bag for pick-ups. She found herself smiling. The one with the v****a always controls the night, and Karla Harper was always in control.

“Here you go, gorgeous,” Paul said, as he slid a rum and Coke beside her. “Any lucky man tonight or are you just trolling to see what pops up.”

She took a sip of her drink, as she batted her eyes at him. “What? You don’t think I came here to see you?”

He laughed as he wiped down a small section of the bar with a white towel. “I know you better than that. However, I’ll be here at closing if you strike out. The pickings are pretty slim tonight.” That was an understatement. “Hey, you still looking for a gig? One of our bartenders is moving to Miami.”

She glanced back over her shoulder at him. “Sure. When do I start?”

He laughed as he leaned on the bar. “Slow down, princess. You need to be interviewed first. I know you can down the drinks, but can you pour them? Pop by sometime during the week and we’ll talk about it.”

“You’ve got it,” she said, knowing she’d have no problem with the interview. Paul just wanted her alone. She gave him points for creativity.

Karla scanned the place, trying to see if anyone tickled her fancy, but so far Sand Dune seemed all paired up. That was okay. The night was still young and held promise. At least, the band was decent, a reggae beat to go with the beach theme of the bar. She held her drink and watched an older couple twirling out on the dance floor, not a care in the world from what she could see. That was the way she would be when she was older. She didn’t want to have to worry about anything, like her parents did when she was younger. They hardly ever ventured out that she could remember, the struggle to keep the bills paid always prevalent in their household. They weren’t necessarily dirt poor, but they struggled enough that Karla felt she never possessed what she wanted out of life. She vowed she would never feel like that again and used whatever means necessary to get what she wanted out of life. So far, everything worked in her favor.

She tried to do the same for Aimee, but her sister was too hung up on her definition of morals to allow her assets to work for her. She always preferred doing things the hard way. Even in school, Aimee was the studious one, always busting her ass to get good grades and trying to be Miss Popular. Karla was popular, but it was more behind the curtains than in front of them. Furthermore, she learned a long time ago that low cut blouses and bending over usually helped your grades go up, and if that didn’t work, there was always some nerd ready to do her papers for her in exchange for a quick hand job. She graduated with the same grades as Aimee, only she didn’t need to spend so much time at a desk. Well, not in the chair, anyway. Sometimes, she needed to step in and help her sister out, even when Aimee didn’t want that help.

“Quaint little place. I can see why you like it,” a deep voice said from beside her. She recognized him from the phone call earlier. She knew she could count on him to be predictable. Men rarely disappointed her in that area. Of course, there were always other ways to be disappointed.

Turning, she soaked in the broad shoulders and thick biceps of Mitch Greenway. He did not look like he would be a disappointment. She smiled as she raked him with her gaze, not even bothering to hide it, relishing his powerful stance as well as his short, dark hair and hazel eyes. The outline of his jeans held promise for later and Karla had no doubt his ass was going to be squeezable. He seemed to be over thirty, but to Karla that was perfect. Older men possessed the experience she preferred in the sack. Sometimes helping her sister out held its own rewards.

Glancing back up into his eyes, she ran a tongue over her dry lips as she raised her eyebrows in appreciation. “Quaint can be good at times.” She turned around, her ass now an invitation for his eyes, an invitation he gladly accepted. “Glad to see you decided to venture out.”

He shrugged, his smile an accessory that drew her eyes. “What else is there to do on a Sunday night except see what a sweet-sounding lady does with her time?”

She gave him a seductive grin. “Someone has to keep an eye on us. And I hope your lines get better as the night continues.”

He laughed as he leaned against the bar, his arm touching hers. She felt her chest flutter at the contact and her breath catch in her throat. He wasn’t playing hard to get at all. Of course, if he was, he wouldn’t have even made it out that night. He glanced behind her, obviously soaking in her ass and legs with his gaze. “Definitely well worth keeping an eye on. And I’ll try to do better with the lines.”

She blushed as she leaned into him a little. She took a deep breath, inhaling his fresh-out-of-the-shower scent. “Sure don’t smell like a mechanic.”

He laughed. “You would prefer oil and grease?”

She shook her head slightly. “Not at all. It’s just nice to meet a guy who doesn’t bathe in cologne.”

“Not into perfume for men. Sorry.”

“Don’t be. I prefer men who smell and act like men.” She glanced behind her at the crowd. “This place can fill up with boys pretty fast.”

Mitch turned and followed her gaze with a shrug. “Everyone takes time to mature. They’ll learn.”

“I just don’t have the patience for them to get it together. I much prefer finding someone already seasoned.”

He laughed as he leaned back and stared at her. “Did you just call me old?”

Paul came over and Mitch ordered a Jack and Coke. Paul gave Karla a pouty look as if his hopes for a sexy ending to his Sunday night were just dashed. She just winked at him. Paul was always good as a last resort. Besides, there was always the interview.

“Age is just a mindset. I plan on remaining twenty-five the rest of my life. I like how I feel right now.”

“Oh? And how is that?”

She turned back around, her chest pushed out as she felt confident in herself. “Alive.”