Page 34 of RAKEish

“Enjoy?” Doc managed to say between chuckles. “That’s like my gynecologist telling me to strap in and relax.”

Her explanation caused Scott to laugh. After a moment he shook his head, grinning. “You’re something else, you know that?”

A smirk played at the corners of her lips. “I aim to please,” she replied, the words wrapped in the same velvety tone as her laughter. She took another look around the restaurant. “I can’t help but wonder what diabolical reason Frankie had for insisting tonight’s lesson took place at a snob-fest like this.”

He leaned back. Snob-fest. Another new saying for him to add to the list of America’s unusual idioms. “It has been my experience,” he began, “that anytime Frankie gives a diabolical order—”

A server stopped at their table, cutting his reply short. “Is everything to your satisfaction?” he asked with a practiced smile.

Scott nodded.

“Excellent,” he said. “May I take your drink orders?”

Normally, Scott would order a bottle of their best Cabernet Sauvignon, but that would defeat part of tonight’s lesson, so instead he glanced at Doc. “What would you like to drink?” The drink a woman ordered told a man a lot about her personality. The right one was a pickup line all in itself, and after last night’s fiasco, it was obvious to Scott that Doc would be far more successful if the man approached her instead of the other way around.

She glanced at the drink menu and then blinked up at him as if caught in her undergarments. “You go first.”

“I’ll have a dry martini, Hendrix, in and out with the vermouth, stirred, not shaken, three olives.” He smiled at Doc. “And for the lady, she will have…?” He waited, giving her the space to choose for herself.

“I love olives,” Doc said, her tongue briefly darting out to wet her lips. “I’ll have the same but make mine dirty.”

Scott felt a jolt of surprise. Had it been his imagination or had the reserved psychologist just put a suggestive spin on the word dirty? Clearing his throat, he quickly regained his composure. “Please bring us an assortment of your appetizers as well,” he told the server. “We have work to do before we’re ready to order dinner.”

“As you wish.” The server departed their table, his nose in the air.

“So, what’s on the agenda for tonight’s lesson?” Doc inquired, her fingers grazing his arm.

The awareness the casual touch sent through him momentarily stalled Scott’s response. His mind wandered back to last night’s kiss—a moment that had lingered in his thoughts, keeping him awake and restless well into the early hours. Regaining his focus, he said, “I think we’ll start with the importance of your drink order when trying to capture the attention of a man.”

“Yes. Yes. I know,” she said, ruefully. “I’m not allowed to order water. Although I think the rule asinine.”

Scott leaned in, enjoying his role as seduction coach. Something Ms. Birdie had approached him to teach the group of men who’d be at tomorrow night’s gala. Men she’d set her fairy godmother sights upon. Men who—according to the dear busybody—desired to possess more rakish qualities.

He assumed she’d found another for the job. Was their coach any good? Would every one of them have the ability to capture Doc’s attention tomorrow night at the Flirtation Gala? Would tonight truly be his and Doc’s last evening together with him acting the part of teacher and her the naughty student? The possibility didn’t settle well.

He ordered himself to stop thinking about how his and Doc’s relationship would end. “One of the easiest ways to capture the attention of a man in a bar is by ordering a drink that intrigues him. Just like leather pants, it’s a silent pickup line.”

“How is it a pickup line?” Doc asked.

“Men will form an opinion about you based on your drink of choice. Something intriguing can be a perfect conversation starter.”

“In other words, a rake will come running if I loudly order a screaming orgasm?” The corners of Lux’s lips twitched with amusement.

Scott chuckled, appreciating her boldness. “You do that, and every rake in the room will think you’re confident in your sexuality and looking to hook up. On the other hand, it will scare off the nice guys.”

“And a Bloody Mary?” Doc asked, her eyes gleaming with interest. “How would you interpret that order?”

Scott mulled over the drink’s name. “I’d be intrigued and on alert.”

“Alert?” Her curiosity was evident.

“It says you’re comfortable with edginess, maybe even a bit of danger,” he said.

“How did your brain go there?” Doc asked, fascination written all over her face.

He shrugged. “The mention of blood.”

She nodded thoughtfully. “As a psychology professor, I find this entire exchange compelling.”

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