On Monday I met up with my love Daniel and we did dinner together since we weren't working together tonight for the first time since I started at the bar.
"What if we add this seasoning?" I asked.
"Oooh. Good idea and this one." Daniel said excitedly.
Even though I never cooked for the restaurants I worked in or for this bar I do know how to cook and I'm damn good. It's something Daniel and I share with each other so it's our thing to try and create new recipes together. We always have fun and rarely do we have disasters. We both took a taste to see what if anything else we need.
"Salt!" We both said in unison while staring at each other.
"We already put salt in but I think it just needs a bit more." I said.
"Agreed." Daniel said while dashing some salt in.
Daniel and I are honestly soulmates which is why I call him my love. Plus it throws off unwanted attention. It's for this reason we've promised to marry each other if at forty we're both still single. I know neither of us will be but why not marry your best friend even if there's no sex. The sex in most marriages die anyways, right?
"It's done! Let's eat. After this do you want to go to that new cafe near us for some coffee? Everyone is raving about it." Daniel said.
"Sure I could always use the fuel to get through tonight." I said with a shrug.
"That's my girl. You know my love and need for coffee and you understand it." Daniel said as he kissed the top of my head before we sat at the table.
We both silently took a few bites of our experimental dish before looking at each other excitedly.
"This is perfect!" We said in unison.
"It's just the right amount of spicy!" I said.
"Yes, and the chicken is tender and soaked in the seasoning perfectly." Daniel said with a moan.
We then ate our meal and quite frankly we ate quite gluttonously together. After eating we cleaned up together and like always divided the leftovers. Then I dashed to my room to get ready for work. I decided since I'm officially behind the bar my legs won't be seen so no need to play them up. I did skin tight black jeans with a tight ribbed dark red top. I did neutral lips and smoky eyes and swept my hair up so it wouldn't get in my way.
"Take me Tinker Bell!" Daniel said dramatically as his eyes went up and down my body and he faked a swoon.
I giggled as I took his hand and we left for Coffleur De Bean. When I entered the cafe I noticed a handsome barista who made eye contact with me and maintained it as my feet took me to him. What's with all the extremely good looking men lately? I couldn't stop staring into his beautiful but different eyes. He had one blue and one green and they were mesmerizing.
"So what can I get for the beautiful little java bean that has just entranced me?" the barista asked.
"See Tinker Bell? He's going after your tiny tea cup size too. I think I like him. Choose him." Daniel whispered into my ear as he tickled me from behind.
"What happened to why choose?" I teased.
"Oh right. Sorry. I was letting my dick think for me for a second." Daniel teased back as the barista watched with amusement dancing in his eyes.
"You know what Cup of Joe I'll have whatever you want to bring me. But I like mine sweet." I said with a wicked grin.
"But never confuse her for sweet. Trust me on that." Daniel said.
"I'll keep that in mind. So what's your names?" the barista asked.
"I'm Daniel." Daniel said.
"And I'm Sangrida. And you are?" I asked.
"And I'm yours but you can call me Marc." Marc said with an easy grin.
Marc handed us our drinks and watched expectantly as I took a sip and let out a low moan.
"You've earned your title of barista mister." I said
"And you've earned your title Valkyrie." Marc teased.
I tilted my head as I stared at him. I've only known one person whose connected my name to it's Norse meaning. Surely he isn't here too.
"How do you know that I've earned the title?" I asked demurely.
"You're pulling off the innocent, demure act quite well. But I know that you took out nine different men with hot pink paint balls." Marc said.
He hadn't shown it when she said her name but he recognized it immediately from Luke, Gabriel, and Victor. It's not like there's a ton of Sangrida's running around.
"Were you one of the nine or one of the five?" I asked.
"I wasn't taken out by you yet. So I was one of the five." Marc said.
"Ah so I might have been the one to take you out." Daniel said happily.
"Here in New Orleans we always talk about how everyone knows everyone even if they don't know it because we're all connected by one person. Here I am talking to someone who knows the three guys who keep blowing up my phone with texts." I teased.
"Any chance I can have your number and also join the chorus of guys blowing up your phone?" Marc asked.
"Let me see..." I trailed off as I took another sip of the delicious latte he made me.
"Yes, yes you can." I said on a moan as I traded numbers with him.
As I put his contact info in my phone I noticed the time and darted out the door with Daniel on my tail. I shouted back that I'll see him some other time as I rushed to work.
"Tinker Bell you're just drawing them in like moths to a flame. Can you rub off some luck on me? I think I'll head to the rainbow end of Bourbon St and try my luck at being the flame." Daniel said.
As we stepped off the streetcar I wished him luck in his pursuit as we headed in opposite directions within the French Quarter. The bar I work in isn't located on Bourbon St. I refuse to work in that insanity. I walked confidently into work with a proud sway to my hips as I made my way around the bar.
"Oh look at our confident new bartender y'all!" Ian called out proudly as he hugged me.
"Hey sexy can I be your first customer?" a guy called from the end of the bar.
"Only if you promise to tip really well." I teased as I sashayed to the guy.
"I want a flaming Dr Pepper!" the guy said losing out on his chance to turn what I said into something dirty.
Which I was glad for since I wasn't thinking when I said it. I grabbed a glass and began filling it with beer then filled a shot glass with amaretto topped with rum. As I set the rum on fire I made sure to put on the BTS song Fire before dropping the flaming shot glass into the beer. I slid the drink to the guy. Before moving on to assist other customers. After two hours and beaucoups Flaming Dr. Peppers later it slowed down a little.
"Hey kid, what are you doing back here? You better fucking scram before I call the police!" a voice grunted from behind me.
I rolled my eyes before turning around the greet the asshole. When I did I saw that he was a very handsome asshole dressed all in black.
"Look here ass-" I started but was cut off by Ian.
"This is our very beloved and talented Tinker Bell. She works here. She may be the size of Tinker Bell but she's definitely not a kid. Tinks this is one of the new cooks." Ian said as he tried to smooth the situation over.
Ian put his arm around me which had the grumpy asshole narrowing his eyes but what he didn't know is this was Ian holding me back because I'd been ready to kick ass.
"Did anyone ever teach you to use your inside voice? It's a basic rule all kids learn in kindergarten. Use your six inch voice as not everyone needs to hear you just the person speaking to you." I said with a raised eyebrow.
"Don't mind my little brother that's his regular talking voice. I don't think they taught that in Greek schools. Oh-Cupcake?! We work together!" Luke said excitedly.
Luke bounced over to me pulling me into a hug.
"Aw it's my favorite Dreamer!" I said wrapping my arms around him.
"North this is Sangrida. I told you about her. She's the one that got the head shot on you!" Luke said quite gleefully.
I grinned quite gleefully myself as I stared up at the big hulk.
"You were quite the North Star making yourself an easy beacon." I teased.
"I can't fucking deal with two of you right now." North grunted before going back into the kitchen.
"Work just got so much more fun." I said happily to Ian and Luke.
Luke was in agreement while Ian just shook his head muttering about that poor guy. North went into the kitchen and shot a text to Mr. Blackbourne to let him know the mysterious Valkyrie Bird works at their bar and is currently there. Mr. Blackbourne replied that he's on his way.
I'd just finished making another Flaming Dr. Pepper when I looked up to see the man I'd thought of earlier walk into my bar. I'll never forget the summer I turned 18 and celebrated with a back packing trip through Europe. I met two different men in different countries in Europe who rocked my world sexually. This man with the molten silver eyes was one of them. I met him in Sweden and now here he is. I handed the Flaming Dr Pepper to hopefully the right customer as my eyes never left his. Before I knew it I was around the bar and making my way to him.
"You." I said.
It was all I could say as a dozen images of sex with him flowed through my mind.
"And you. I should have known it was you my favorite Blonde Devil." Mr. Blackbourne said as he backed me up against the bar.
He lifted me up onto the bar and I automatically opened my legs so that he could be close to me. It was as if years hadn't come between us as his lips met mine in the commanding way he has. I moaned against his lips. A throat cleared from behind us.
"We're still kind of at work Tinker Bell." Ian said.
"I don't know she might need a cold shower." Dana said.
Mr. Blackbourne slowly pulled away from the only woman that could strip him of his control.
"Holy crap Mr. Blackbourne." Luke said in shock.
"What the actual fuck." North all but shouted.
"I guess I can't keep you to myself anymore. My secret." Mr. Blackbourne said against my lips.
He'd met her three years ago on their mission in Sweden and never told his team about her. No one before or after her has ever compared and he'd only had her for one month. That month had been just that good. He swore the Valkyrie had taken him to Valhalla. Now that he has her he'll never let her go even if it means sharing her with his brothers which he knew he would just based off the elder Mr. Taylor, Mr. Coleman, and Mr. Morgan who are obsessed. Mr. Blackbourne cleared his throat and willed the mask back onto his face as he stepped back from his Blond Devil in Valkyrie disguise.
"Remember how we were in Europe for a few years? Well the summer we spent in Sweden I met Miss Sangrida. We had a month long fling. Fling isn't the right word. It was so much more than that. I never forgot you. I could never get you off my mind." Mr. Blackbourne said.
"When dipshit here told you her name was Sangrida why didn't you fucking say that you already fucking knew who we were looking for?" North growled.
"You're probably thinking I had to know it was her as she has to be the only person with that name but I didn't. I honestly didn't think I'd ever get lucky enough to find her again." Mr. Blackbourne said.
North stared at the tiny blonde that was turning his team upside down. He was even more suspicious now. I saw the look he was giving and rolled my eyes before turning my attention back to the molten eyes that haunt my sleep.
"Why were y'all looking for me?" I asked in confusion as the words North said sank in.
"I can't discuss that here. May we meet later?" Mr. Blackbourne asked.
"I'm pretty busy. After I leave here at 4 in the morning I have to get sleep before my classes and then I have work at my other job. Wednesday would be good. I'm off from both jobs on Wednesday so I'll only have classes." I answered.
"We'll meet on Wednesday then. May I have your number Miss Sangrida?" Mr. Blackbourne asked.
"Only if you stop being so formal with me sir." I said in a sultry tone.
"Blonde devil stop playing." Mr. Blackbourne said as he stepped back between her legs and put his fingers under her chin tipping her face back.
I grinned up at him as I wrapped my legs around his waist. While he was distracted by his lust I deftly lifted his phone out of his back pocket.
"I suppose sir." I said as I proceeded to give him my number.
I watched him pat around for his phone and frown when he couldn't find it.
"Mr. Lucian Taylor did you pickpocket me again?" Mr. Blackbourne asked.
Luke looked between Mr. Blackbourne and me and caught on as a grin widened on his lips. Luke came up behind me on the bar and wrapped his arms around me.
"We definitely need to keep her Mr. Blackbourne." Luke said as he handed the phone back to Mr. Blackbourne.
"I'll be punishing you for that later Blonde Devil." Mr. Blackbourne said with his molten silver eyes darkening even more with the promise.
"I'll hold you to that sir." I said happily.
Mr. Blackbourne let out a growl before kissing me again while Luke's arms were still around me. When he was done he untangled himself from me and stepped back. I watched in fascination as his mask slid back over his face.
"I'll see you two later." Mr. Blackbourne said to the two Taylors before leaving.
Luke released me from his arms as I hopped back down from the bar and came back around where Luke then wrapped me in a proper hug.
"You're going to be so much fun. The best addition to our group yet Cupcake." Luke said gleefully.
After work I jetted off before my besties or the Taylor boys could stop me. I had some thinking to do as I headed home.
A/N: Did you see that coming? That'd she'd already met one of them even if briefly? Based off what I wrote you can probably guess he wasn't the only one she met when backpacking through Europe. So what are your guesses for the second guy?