Page 24 of RAKEish

“And that is?”

“Get ready to go down,” she said, because even a boring arrow had a sharp tip.

Laughter ensued.

Lux glanced around. Why were they laughing at her? Even Scott. “What is so funny?”

Her question caused even more guffawing.

Scott took her by the elbow and led her away from the crowd. Once they were snugly tucked in a nook in the back of the bar, he said, “They’re laughing because you invited me to go down on you.”

Lux replayed her words. Hell’s fudging bells. He was right.

If her dumping her drink on him hadn’t already been viral worthy, her unintended double entendre certainly sealed the deal.

Frankie would be pleased as spiked punch.

CHAPTER 9

Scott’s gaze shifted from the crowd—now dissipated and going back to their business—to Doc, her blunder about ‘going down’ echoing in his mind. He couldn’t help but worry what would unfold for her when she didn’t succeed. While he had all the faith in the world in Ms. Birdie, even that darling busybody would have trouble helping Doc find employment at a university comparable to Columbia, given Doc’s current reputation.

“What?” The profound disdain in Doc’s deep green eyes as she stared back at him—eyes reminiscent of the finest emeralds, a stone as luxurious and captivating as her namesake suggested—made him wish for the freedom to reveal the truth about his exaggerated Manhattan reputation.

“What, what?” he asked, stalling while he continued to ruminate about the conundrum of a woman before him. Doc had more depth and facets than he’d originally given her credit for. This beauty was not a one-dimensional psychologist caricature. Not even a two-dimensional one. Hell, she might have more dimensions than all those in the establishment combined.

His gaze dropped to her mouth and lingered there, the memory of their first kiss still vivid in his mind. The way her lips had responded, both urgent and soft, left him craving another.

Doc shifted, a hint of pink coloring her cheeks. “Why are you staring? Do I have something on my face?” She reached up to touch her lips, now bare of their earlier glossy sheen.

“We can mark kissing lessons off the list of things I need to teach you to get the man of your dreams,” he replied, deciding it was time to get on task.

“Kissing—check.” Doc fidgeted slightly, the corners of her mouth twitching into an awkward smile. “I guess I’m not a complete disaster after all.”

The vulnerability in her voice tugged at him. He wasn’t used to being around women who weren’t extremely confident in their sexual prowess. “Not a disaster,” he agreed.

Her cheeks turned red, and the sight wrenched at something in his chest as well. Hell, if he wasn’t careful, he would become completely mesmerized by the woman.

“What’s next on Frankie’s list of techniques for you to teach me? Or have I just graduated early from the Scott Landshire School of Romance?” Her attempt at humor was a clear effort to mask her unease.

“It’s not on the list, but we could add a lesson on inviting a man to go down on you.” As he floated his outlandish suggestion, he watched Doc closely, not just for amusement but also to gauge her response. It was a test of sorts—he knew the dating world could be crude, and he wanted to see if she could handle herself against such bold advances. Or, at least, that’s what he told himself.

Doc opened her mouth as if to retort, then seemed to think better of it, closing it again with an audible click.

“Did you want to say something?” he asked.

“Um.” After a brief pause, she continued, her voice tinged with a mix of humor and nervousness. “I think I’ll pass on that particular lesson. But thanks.” Her fingers nervously toyed with the bracelet on her wrist. A clear sign she wasn’t as blasé as she’d like him to believe. “Let’s stick to the topics Frankie chose from your list of so many.”

He chuckled. She must have gotten a good night’s sleep last night, because she wasn’t as easy to rattle as she had been on Monday. It was a small, yet significant, revelation about her character. She would be able to hold her own in their upcoming adventure.

A waitress stopped at the table. “What can I get for you two to drink tonight?”

“Whiskey on the rocks for me, please,” he said, his voice carrying over the ambient noise of the bar.

The trendy-looking server turned to Doc, who paused for a moment before replying. “I’ll just have water, thanks.”

“Water?” Scott remarked, flashing a teasing smile at Doc. “We’ll have to get you to be a bit more adventurous.”

The server grinned, adding, “One whiskey on the rocks and one adventurous water, coming right up.” Her eyes lingered on Doc for a moment, a genuine admiration in her gaze. “By the way, I absolutely love your new look, Dr. Stone. It’s stunning. I’m on Team Doc all the way.” With a supportive smile, she turned and disappeared into the crowd.

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