Page 28 of RAKEish

“More like, what are you wearing beneath them?”

She frowned, recognizing his response for what it was…his need to reinforce his rake status. And as any good psychologist would do, she blocked the maneuver. Honesty was founded in vulnerability. “Since you’ve taken this conversation to a personal level, have you given any further consideration regarding my prediction about your…um, gentleman’s equipment?” Now might be a good time to put his mind at rest and explain her analysis of the dream.

Scott surprised her by coming to a complete stop—causing rude comments from those who now had to go around them—and gave her a look. One not laced with horror but instead humor. “You mean my penis?” he said, causing a few startled pedestrians to look their way.

She grinned. There was that humor again. She really liked a guy with a sense of one. “I do.”

Scott winked at her and continued to walk. “How does a woman as educated as you buy into the idea that repeating a nightmare before breakfast can make it come true? It’s like believing in the Tooth Fairy, but less fun and more terrifying.”

“The short answer is every proper romantic comedy heroine needs a flaw. That’s mine.”

“And the long answer?”

“I’m observant. Always have been, according to Mother. As such, I noticed patterns. For instance, any time Father left for an overnight trip, Mother would dress up and go out with friends. Or if they fought in the morning, Mother would buy a new expensive bauble and show it to Father as soon as he came home. Anyway, once I mentioned to Mother that I had a dream that one day Father was going to leave and never come home. The very next day, he did just that.”

“You’re a pattern seeker,” Scott said. “I can respect that. But Doc, you do realize that correlation doesn’t always mean causation, right?”

Lux glanced up at him. “Since when did you start using psychology terms? ‘Correlation doesn’t always mean causation’—that’s straight out of my professional playbook.”

A twinkle of mischief lit his brown eyes. “Ever since you tore into my first column on RAKEish, I’ve been tuning in to your show. A guy can’t help but learn a thing or two from that…even if the subject matter can be, well, a bit dry at times,” he finished.

Lux burst out laughing. “Dry? I’ll have you know I strive for the perfect balance of informative and engaging.”

“Oh, it’s engaging, all right,” Scott said. “Especially when I’m trying to figure out how not to become the subject of your next episode’s cautionary tale.”

Lux shook her head, a smile still playing on her lips. “Well, I’m both flattered and surprised. I didn’t peg you as the type to indulge in psychological discussions, especially those that don’t directly revolve around the art of being a rake.”

Scott patted her hands, which were still utilizing his arm for balance. “Let’s just say, you’ve opened my eyes to a whole new perspective. And who knows? Maybe one day I’ll surprise you by not being such a rake after all.”

Strangely, the thought of him doing just that pleased her. The only clear reason for her to care was the one that stood out plainly. “If you did that, you would have single-handedly proven my topic from this week’s Monday’s Musings—the importance of giving others second glances.”

Scott suddenly slowed his pace and came to a stop. “We’re here.” He gestured toward a dimly lit establishment.

Lux’s gaze followed his gesture, landing on a faded sign that read ‘Velvet Vice.’ Trepidation rippled through her and sweat formed on her nose. The outside had the whole vice vibe going on with its barred windows and security flanking either side of the door.

If Frankie had sent her here to practice her pickup line, Lux had no doubt it was a bar infamous for its clientele—a haven for the city’s most charming and notorious bad boy bachelors. The kind of place where hearts were won and lost in a single evening.

The kind of place where someone like Luxury Stone would make a fool of herself.

Her earlier confidence wavered. Was she really going to go through with this?

Scott leaned in closer and wiped the sweat from her nose. “Remember, I’ll be here the whole time. We’ll communicate with texts.” His voice was a soft but firm anchor in the night. “You’re not alone in this.”

Lux exhaled hard and mustered the same boldness that had carried her through the days following her first viral skirt-in-the-underwear faux pas. “Okay,” she replied, her voice steady despite the butterflies in her stomach. “Let’s do this.”

“Walk in and head straight to the bar. Have a seat and order a drink. Not water.”

“Why not water?”

“It’s not flirty.”

“Then what?”

“A glass of wine will do.”

“Fine.”

“Don’t try to pick up any man until after I’ve entered and you know where I’m sitting. It will be somewhere within earshot.”

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