Page 11 of Catch Me If You Can (The Mancini Way)

Chapter 8

Cierra

I think he’s toying with me. It’s the only explanation I could come up with. But why? There’s no way he can know my true purpose and yet I can’t quite put my finger on it but I know he’s playing me. It would be really embarrassing to go back to my superiors with my ass handed to me so soon. I see now how he’s always outmaneuvered the others that came before me; he’s a smooth one Hank Mancini, his trick; never want what the other guy was selling.

Okay, I made my play and got rebuffed but this is just the beginning and though I prefer to go a different route, it looks like I’ll have to use the old clichéd strategy though he didn’t exactly bite. I felt my face heat up at the thought and refused to let myself go down that road of self- castigation again. I’d always been more focused on my career choice than my social life so I had never really had time to notice what men thought of me. My one short lived affair had been pretty tame according to some of the stories I’d heard around campus, or maybe it was just me, maybe I’d been so focused on my goal of vengeance all my life that I hadn’t taken time to notice anything else, like what kind of effect I had on the opposite sex. I know one thing it was so not a good feeling getting shot down by a known player.

“Well I guess that’s that then Mr. Mancini thanks for your time.”

I got up to return to my table, it felt like the walk of shame for some reason but I kept my head up and my shoulders squared thinking all the while what my next move should be. I had no intention on giving up but the elusive Mr. Mancini had no way of knowing that.

“Ms. Stone!”

Gotcha!

I erased the sudden smile from my face before turning around to face him again.

“Yes?”

“Why don’t you join me for the rest of the evening since it appears we’re both flying solo? Sit, relax what are you drinking? Let me get you a new glass.”

I returned to my seat across from him and sat gingerly; my heart started racing now when it hadn’t before at least not like this. That other felt like work, it was easy, simple; somehow this felt more personal like I was meeting him on a more intimate level. He’d shot down my offer but now had opened up the playing field again and somehow it felt different with him being the one to instigate my return, more personal.

“So what’s your poison Cierra?”

“Riesling please.”

He raised his hand and beckoned someone behind me; the same waitress from before came over to take our orders and she wasn’t smirking this time. It looked more like she’d swallowed a lemon.

“What can I get you sir?”

“Get the lady her Riesling and bring us the Mediterranean platter please.”

How very cordial and professional I wonder if he knew she wanted to jump his bones? And why should that thought bother you? You aren’t interested in the slightest remember?

Mancini

“So Cierra Stone tell me about yourself.”

“What would you like to know Mr. Mancini?”

Did she have any idea of the danger she was in right now with that flirty look she was throwing my way? I wondered how much of that was real and how much was her job because I had no doubt that she was attracted as I was but she was a cool one; not by so much as a twinge did she give away any sign of discomfort at this new turn of events, in fact other than the slight color in her cheeks there was nothing to give her away; well done agent Stone.

I’d read her profile from front to back so I knew this was her first real field operation; so far she’d been tested in controlled situations but this little gander was her first foray into the real world; too bad she was going to fail.

“What would you like to tell me Cierra?” Like a cat with a trapped mouse; the imagined visual almost made me smile.

“That’s a weird way to put it what if I wished to remain a mystery? After all there’s an allure in that isn’t there?”

“For some yes but I prefer my relationships to be upfront and open I’m not so big on secrets.” Make of that little tidbit what you will special agent; she made a slight shift on her seat before settling herself again, had I not been watching so closely I would’ve missed it. Good to know she wasn’t exactly comfortable with the deception. I’m still going to make her pay for it though before I fuck her to within an inch of her life.

“I’m not sure I’m comfortable discussing myself with you on such short acquaintance after all what do I really know about you?”

“This is true; so what would you like to know? Ask me anything.”

“Well I didn’t exactly come prepared with a list of personal questions this might take some thought.”

Liar! You know down to the last question mark what you want to ask me; I bet you’ve dreamt about it every night since my name and file came across your desk. I didn’t utter a word of my inner thoughts just smiled innocently and watched her, it was hard not to; she had this one lock of hair that kept falling forward into her face every time she moved and my fingers itched to touch. Her lips were wide and sexy as fuck conjuring up all manner of illicit activities in my mind. They were painted a natural shade that did not distract from their sensuality but enhanced. I wonder what she’d do if she knew just what I was thinking of doing to her? What I absolutely planned on doing to her in the not too distant future. I brought my thoughts back to the conversation at hand putting aside my more lascivious thoughts for later.

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