Two Good Men Read online

  “Wow. Are Saturdays always like this?” she asked as she handed Curly her ID and filled out her paperwork.

  “Yeah, starts around three and gets even worse than Friday nights. Hope you’re up to it,” he said.

  “I’ll be fine.” Caro sure hoped she would be.

  She hit the ground running, slinging beer and filling drink orders even before she had time to settle in. The bar remained packed with some leaving at nine and others shoving their way inside. She was sure they were well over the limit set by the fire marshal. She doubted anyone cared though.

  To her surprise, the two men she’d met the night before showed up about nine thirty and parked themselves at the bar.

  “Hey there, beautiful. How are you doing tonight?” Phillip asked.

  She smiled and shook her head. “Doing great. What about you two?”

  “Doing good. Looks really busy tonight,” Jasper said.

  “Yeah, they’re busy on Saturdays. Starts early, too,” she told them.

  “We haven’t been here very often in the past. Seeing you might make us regulars,” Phillip said.

  “Flattery won’t get you anywhere with me, guys. Save it for someone you have a chance with,” she said with a chuckle.

  “Just stating facts. Don’t want to waste it on anyone else when you’re too pretty to ignore,” Jasper said.

  Caro sighed and shook her head before walking back to the other end to fill more drink orders and load the dishwasher. She polished the bar in between pulling beer and filling glasses. Her tip jar began to fill up and the night waned, but the two men continued to sit at the bar paying her compliments and drinking beer. Just like the night before, the closer it got to closing, they started drinking water.

  It was something that she admired about them. They weren’t going to drive drunk. There were quite a few others who did the same thing, but most of the men in the bar didn’t seem to care. She’d seen the bouncer pour more than one guy into a cab, and there were usually three or four cars left in the parking lot when they walked out each night.

  “So, do you guys always flirt with the same girl? Is it like a competition to see who wins or something?” she asked as she wiped down the bar in front of them.

  “We don’t compete. We’re best friends,” Jasper said.

  “We share,” Phillip said with a wink.

  “So, are you a couple?” she asked.

  Phillip burst out laughing. “No. We’re not into men. Only women, but we like to share them.”

  “Like at the same time?”

  “Yeah. There’s nothing like helping to bring a woman the most pleasure she could possibly experience. Seeing her face all lax with exhaustion after she’s come time and time again,” Phillip told her.

  Caro fought the need to fan herself at his words. Her panties grew wet just hearing him describe pleasuring a woman until she was worn out. What was wrong with her? Hadn’t she already said she wasn’t interested? She had bad taste in men and couldn’t risk another failed relationship. She couldn’t take it.

  Her heart couldn’t take it.

  * * * *

  Jasper smiled at the effect Phillip’s words appeared to have on Caro. Her face flushed, and her eyes widened. She was affected by what they claimed to be able to do to a woman. He was positive she was interested but cautious. That was good, but it would make their job of seducing her even harder.

  “Don’t you want to know what it’s like to have two sets of hands, two mouths all focused on making you feel good?” Phillip asked.

  “I-I don’t date,” she finally said.

  “You’ve told us that,” Jasper said.

  “Ever,” she said.

  “That’s a long time to go without the warmth of a man surrounding you, keeping you safe and satisfied,” Phillip said.

  Jasper watched as she ostentatiously fanned herself and smiled at them.

  “You talk a good game, but nothing is worth going through another relationship like the ones I’ve ended up in. I don’t make good choices, so you guys definitely wouldn’t be a good choice,” she said.

  “You aren’t choosing us, sweetness. We’re choosing you,” Jasper said.

  “Regardless of who does the choosing, the answer is no. Find someone who’s interested in a ménage because it’s not me.” Caro moved down the bar.

  “She’s playing hard to get,” Phillip said.

  “No, she’s playing impossible to get. I’m beginning to think we won’t get a chance at her after all,” Jasper said.

  “It’s only been two nights. Don’t give up so easily,” Phillip said.

  “Wonder when she works again,” Jasper said.

  “Don’t know. I figure we’ll come back Thursday night and see if she’s here then. The more we see her, the more we’ll grow on her.”

  “You hope.”

  “I know,” Phillip said.

  “I’m glad one of us is positive. She’s really adamant that she isn’t going to date. Makes you wonder what kind of relationships she’s been in that would make her give up on men,” Jasper muttered, more to himself than to his friend.

  “I can be positive for both of us. You just keep looking good, and I’ll do the courting,” Phillip said, tilting his head to one side.

  “God help us if we rely on your flirting with her. She’ll be running for the hills in no time,” Jasper teased.

  “Okay, everyone. Time to hit the road,” Caro called out.

  The usual boos and gripes could be heard as some of the men denied that they were ready to leave. The bouncer and the bar’s owner came out and started herding everyone outside. Jasper leaned over the bar and called down to Caro.

  “See you next week, beautiful,” he said.

  “Stay safe, baby girl,” Phillip said.

  She smiled but waved them off. They turned and walked across the room to the front door where the last of the stragglers were shuffling outside. He hated leaving her, but there was nothing he could do to stick around. He thought about waiting until she left and walk her to her car, but he figured either the bouncer or the bar’s owner did that.

  “I think she’s getting use to us,” Phillip said.

  Jasper snorted. “She’s getting fed up with us is more like it.”

  “I don’t think so. I think she likes us and is fighting her attraction to us.”

  “If you say so.”

  “Come on, man. Don’t get so down about this. We’ll win her over. You’ll see,” Phillip said.

  Jasper wasn’t normally a wet rag when it came to women, but Caro really got to him, and he felt like if they didn’t win her over to them, he would be devastated. He already felt a connection to her just from the banter they’d shared across the bar the last two nights. It was all happening too fast.

  “Look. Anyone worth spending time with is worth pursuing longer than a few days. We’ll get her to give in eventually. If for no other reason than to get us off her back. That’s when we’ll wow her and prove to her that we’re good guys.” Phillip punched him in the shoulder and then walked around the truck to get into the driver’s seat.

  Jasper climbed up and buckled his seat belt as his friend surprised him by driving around the building to the back parking lot.

  “That’s probably her SUV right there. It has a Missouri license plate,” Phillip said.

  “Probably.”

  “Now we know what she drives if we see it in town,” he said.

  “So now we’re stalkers?” Jasper asked.

  “No. Just highly interested in pursuing our woman.”

  “She’s not our woman, Phillip.”

  “Not yet, but she will be.”

  Jasper knew he couldn’t talk his friend out of something once he got an idea in his head. Obviously, Phillip was positive she could be the one for them like he felt. Getting her on the same page was going to take some work.

  They drove home talking about their plans for the next day with it being Sunday. They decided to work in the yard and
cook out on the grill.

  “Steaks or hamburgers?” Phillip asked.

  “Hamburgers. We’ll save steaks for when we cook out for Caro,” Jasper said.

  “See there, you’re getting on board.”

  “I’m not as optimistic as you are, but I still have hope,” Jasper said.

  Phillip parked the truck in the back, and they climbed out. Once inside, Jasper went to his bedroom and took a quick shower. All he could think about was how pretty Caro was and how much he wanted a chance to make her theirs. He was positive now that she could be the one for them. They just had to get past her fear of relationships.

  The next day, they moved the lawn, edged the drive, and picked up limbs that had fallen around the yard. By the time they had finished, Jasper was exhausted and looking forward to hamburgers, fries, and an ice-cold beer. They each took showers, and then while Phillip grilled the burgers, he put fries in the oven and browned the buns.

  They sat outside enjoying the cooler temperatures and talked. Being able to talk to Phillip about anything was why they’d gravitated to each other in the service. They’d hit it off instantly and were still best friends. They’d learned about what it was like to share a woman while overseas and hadn’t wanted to take one to bed by themselves since. There was just something about watching a woman come apart in his arms while he watched Phillip make love to her. It was what they wanted in a permanent relationship.

  “You know. I think she could be the one for us,” Jasper told Phillip.

  “Yeah. I think so, too. She’s perfect. Love her curves and that plump ass,” Phillip said.

  “Her breasts are the perfect size. And I love all that hair. I want to run my fingers through it every time I see her,” Jasper said.

  “Not going to be easy to hold back, but we’ve got to play it smart and not turn her off with all the courting. Just enough to keep her on edge without overdoing it,” Phillip said.

  “I’m already anxious about it.”

  “Yeah, me, too.”

  “When we get our chance, we can’t come on too strong with her.” Jasper looked over at his friend.

  “I’ll behave. I’m like you—I want to be sure we don’t scare her off for good,” Phillip said.

  They finished their beers and then called it a night. Thursday couldn’t come soon enough for Jasper’s peace of mind. He’d be hard-pressed to get anything accomplished over the next few days for thinking about her. She filled his mind with thoughts of how to please her. He wanted to send her flowers, give her gifts, and just hold her in his arms for no reason at all.

  Nope, he wasn’t going to get a lot done this next week.

  Chapter Four

  Caro walked into the bar Saturday at four and waved at some of the regulars as well as the waitresses. It had been a month since she’d started working there, but she loved it. Yeah, there were fights now and then and the occasional grabby man who she had to set straight, but all in all, it was a good place to work. She never would have believed it from the way the place looked and the clientele the place attracted.

  Then there were her two pursuers who hadn’t given up since her first week at the bar. They weren’t creepy and didn’t scare her, but they were persistent. She’d gotten used to them taking up the same two spots at the bar, so she expected them every Friday and Saturday night. She wasn’t sure how she’d feel if they didn’t show up one night.

  Sure enough, at nine thirty they arrived right on time and took up their spots at one end of the bar. The other patrons knew they claimed those spots and moved with only a little grousing.

  “The usual, guys?” she asked.

  “Yep,” Phillip said.

  “Love that blouse, sweetness,” Jasper said.

  “Thanks. It’s new,” Caro said.

  “Knew I hadn’t seen it before,” Jasper said.

  “Here you go, fellas.” Caro slid the two opened bottles across to them and then returned to the other end of the bar to fill a drink order from one of the waitresses.

  “How’s the crowd tonight?” she asked the woman.

  “Normal for a Saturday night. Got some grabby hands, but nothing we can’t handle.”

  “Be sure to let the bouncer know if someone gets out of hand,” Caro told her.

  “Oh, don’t worry. I will,” the woman said.

  “Caro, how about dinner Tuesday night?” Phillip said when she’d ended up at their end of the bar again.

  “How many times do I have to tell you guys that I’m not dating?” she asked, shaking her head.

  “It’s only a date if you say it’s a date. You can pay for your own meal, and we’ll share a table. How about that?” Phillip asked.

  “We’ll even meet you there. Just three people talking about the day they’ve had and what their plans are for the next day,” Jasper added.

  “You’re serious,” Caro said, narrowing her eyes.

  “Yep,” Phillip said.

  “If I say yes, will you guys back off some?” she asked.

  “Can’t make promises like that, babe,” Phillip said. “But we promise to be on our best behavior while we share a meal.”

  “Let me think about it,” Caro said.

  Their megawatt smiles made her laugh. You’d have thought they’d won the lottery or something instead of getting a maybe to sharing a meal with her.

  She noticed that they toned it down a bit the rest of the night while she thought it over. What would it hurt to meet them for dinner and just talk? Especially if it would get them off her back for a while. She’d eat and talk, and that would be it. She’d be in her own car and go home afterward.

  Alone.

  She could do that. Caro decided to tell them yes just before they left. She’d keep them guessing until then. They were fun to look at with their shit-eating grins. They were so sure she’d say yes that she nearly decided to say no.

  “Well?” Phillip asked as they got off the bar stools.

  “Okay. Where do you want to meet?” she asked.

  “The steak and fish house just outside of town. Do you know it?” Phillip asked.

  “Yeah. I’ve been meaning to check it out. I’ll meet you there Tuesday night at six,” she said.

  “Perfect,” Jasper said.

  “Can’t wait to talk to you when we don’t have to yell to be heard,” Phillip said with a chuckle.

  “True.” She waved them out. “Time to go. I need to do my work so I can get home.”

  “Be careful, sweetness,” Jasper said.

  “Always.”

  She couldn’t help but admire their asses as they walked out of the building. They were serious eye candy, but she could only look. No touching. Had she made the wrong decision to meet them for dinner? Maybe, but she wasn’t going to second-guess herself. The meet up had been made, and now she would stick to it.

  Tuesday night she found herself vacillating between outfits. She didn’t want to dress up too much since that would indicate that she considered this a date, but she didn’t want to dress down too much for the venue. Finally, she settled on a pair of navy-blue slacks and a pale blue blouse that had a small ruffle around the neck. She felt like it was the perfect compromise.

  Since she was ready long before time to go, she decided to wear a little makeup, as well. She didn’t normally wear much. Mostly a little mascara and some lip gloss. Tonight, she wore just the lightest amount of eye shadow along with the mascara and added lipstick with clear gloss over it. Then she put her lip gloss in her purse in case she wanted to freshen it up after eating.

  She pulled into the parking lot of the steak and fish house at exactly six that night to find the guys already waiting on her at the door. It amused her that they were already waiting for her.

  “Hope I didn’t keep you guys waiting long.”

  “We just got here ourselves,” Jasper said.

  “You look real pretty tonight, babe,” Phillip said.

  “Thank you. You guys look great, as well.” And they did.
/>   She was pleased to see that they were wearing slacks and button-down shirts. They’d dressed for her even if she’d agonized on not dressing up too much for them.

  They led her inside and waited to be seated. Once they’d settled down, they looked over the menu.

  “See anything you like?” Jasper asked.

  “It all looks good, but I’m leaning toward the baked salmon. I haven’t had that in a long time. I bet it’s good here,” she said.

  “Honestly,” Jasper said, “we usually get the steaks, so I don’t know how their fish is.”

  “Now why doesn’t that surprise me?” Caro asked with a laugh.

  “Hey, we’re men. Men like steak and potatoes,” Phillip said.

  The waitress came over and took their drink orders and then returned with them minutes later and took their meal order. Once she was gone, Caro asked them what they did for a living.

  “We both work with computers from home,” Jasper said. “I develop games, and Phillip writes programs for cybersecurity.”

  “Wow. You’re both geeks,” she said with a laugh.

  “Hey. We’re alpha geeks though,” Phillip said.

  “I’m just teasing. I bet that took a lot of education to learn how to do all that,” Caro said.

  “Actually, we didn’t need to go to college for any of it though we did. We’ve been playing around with writing code since high school. Then we both went into the Marines and kept working on computers while we were deployed,” Jasper said.

  “What about you? Have you always been a bartender?” Phillip asked.

  “Actually, I went to community college and got my associate degree in bookkeeping,” she said.

  “You’re kidding. Why aren’t you doing that instead of what you’re doing?” Jasper asked.

  “I needed a job, and that was the only one I could find at the time. I tended bar while I was going to college, so I always have it to fall back on.” Caro shrugged. “I like it, and I make good money.”

  “Don’t suppose you’d help us with our books, would you? We both suck at it, and when it comes time for taxes, the accountant shudders when we come through the door,” Phillip said.

  “I can give you some pointers,” she offered before she realized what she was doing.