LAD: A British Bad Boy Romance Novel (Bad Boys of London Book 1) Read Online Free Page A

usual torn jeans, white shirt, and leather jacket. The only rule that I actually adhered to down here was the strict non-smoking rule— For the sake of the children and elderly guests who moved through here.

    Aunt Margaret, or Maggie, was, of course, as punctual as ever, waiting at her favorite table by the overgrown potted fern. Her wealthy appearance rivaled that of her husband’s, my Uncle Edward. Her knitted Chanel suit fit snug against her somewhat roundish figure, and her single row of sensible pearls rested easily on her chubby neck. She gave a modest smile upon seeing me and took a sip from her water glass.

    “No. No, no, no, no,” she tutted to my appearance.

    “C’mon now,” I said with a crooked smile and pushed my hair off my face.

    “Felix, one of these days you must follow the dress code, dear. You look like a right sore thumb in here. You’re making the ladies who lunch gossip about me.” Aunt Maggie smiled playfully. She would love nothing more than to see me in slacks and a blazer but did, at least, have a sense of humor toward the ridiculousness of the well-to-do lives we lead.  

    “A good afternoon to you, too.” I gave her a prim kiss on her cheek. “How’ve you been, Maggie?” She smelt of her usual variety of gardenias and rose, and made a kissing sound in the air.  

    “I’m well, thank you. Do be seated.”

    I gestured over to the waiter and mouthed him to fetch me a whiskey straight.

    “I’ve been meaning to discuss some things, dear,” she said.  

    “I’m not having another lecture today, Maggie.”

    “What on earth are you talking about?”

    I shook my head, wondering what I might be scolded for this time— the drugs, the booze, or the women? In that moment, Dan, the resident pianist, began his usual afternoon performance for the guests— A perfect soundtrack for the scrutiny of my bad ways.

    “Go on then. What have I done now?”

    Sure enough, Auntie began to talk about the weather, the temperature of her tea, the freshness of the Devonshire clotted cream. Not to be fooled as these were merely her tactics to segue into a more lengthy discussion about the faults of my character. I let Auntie have her speech whilst I glanced around the room hoping to catch the sight of some hot bird to distract me a while.

    Sure enough, the busty blonde waitress that I usually so much enjoyed the sight of was on duty today. I could sense that she had been eyeing me since my arrival so I gave her a wink and reclined in my chair. Of course, a few feet away from blondie stood Luisa, the Spanish hostess with the long legs and slim waist. She seemed a bit more conservative than the busty waitress and would, in my opinion, require too much groundwork to even have a chance with her.

    I sat up straight again and ruffled my hair.

    “You know, I and your mother were close, Felix,” Maggie continued.

    “I know, Auntie.”

    “And so, I think I owe her a service to…Ah, one moment. I need more biscuits.”

    While she became distracted with getting the waiter’s attention, I continued my survey, this time taking a chance to look over my shoulder.

    Over by the fountain, three young girls sat at a small round table taking tea. They were barely in their twenties, all cute, all definitely American. They giggled and conversed in a decibel higher than us Brits that made them easy to find in a crowd. I admire them one-by-one in the sleazy way I do— The petite Asian girl dressed in the blue cable-knit sweater stood and walked off toward the bathrooms. A girl with dark brown hair, Doc Martens, and sexy eyes trailed after her. Then the final one, whom, to be honest, looked oddly familiar remained seated at the table staring awkwardly around the room. I watched as she looked at her phone then put it back down, then took it out again and put it down. I smiled to the room.

    “Right, so where was I?” Maggie continued and I turned back to her.  

    “You were talking about career