Page 14 of Worst in Show

“Just someone she’d rather not see,” Micki volunteers.

I elbow her to silence. Leo doesn’t need to know that. When I look again, Sweaty Lips has spotted me and is making his way through the crowd. “Shit, he’s coming over. What do I do?”

“I’ll stall him.” Micki sets off.

Is there a place to hide? Bathrooms? Behind the bar? I look up at Leo and make a split-second decision. Good idea or not, I grab his arm. “Quick, act like you’re into me.” I step into his space, the crisp, clean scent of aftershave wafting around me.

He stills. “What?”

“Prove me wrong—that you can do something unselfish. Pretend we’re on a date. You can’t get enough of me.” I let one hand slide inside his sport coat and around his waist. Taut muscle greets my palm. So that’s what the proper surface is hiding. I allow myself a moment to be impressed.

“Um… okay.” He remains immobile, staring down at me.

I sigh. “Put your hands on my ass. Pretend to whisper something in my ear.” I nudge his sleeves to make him move. “You know—make believe.”

Now he gets it.

Large palms settle on my hips, tentatively at first, then with more confidence. He bends down close to my neck. A pause and then a whisper: “Is this what you had in mind?” His breath is warm and humid against my ear, making the fine hairs on my arms rise.

“Yeah, that’s good.” I shift and tilt my head.

“You want me to tell you a joke?”

The giggle that bubbles up my chest is equal parts acting and a knee-jerk surprise at the ball of heat suddenly present at my core. His breath smells like malt and mint.

I twist a little to locate Sweaty Lips, and Leo’s fingertips dig more firmly into my flesh. I shiver.

“He’s to my left,” he whispers. “He’s watching.” He straightens and pushes a strand of my hair back as if he’s done it a million times before.

I take a deep breath and let my hands run up Leo’s chest. He’s still keeping tabs on the guy, so I grip his lapels. We have to make this convincing. Sweaty Lips’s pursuit ends here. “Look at me,” I mumble.

He does.

In the golden light from the bar, Leo’s blue eyes turn the turquoise of tropical waters. They’re bottomless, vibrant, and locked on me. I flinch when he lifts his hand and runs the back of his fingers along my jaw. It takes effort to keep my eyelids from fluttering closed.

This is very convincing. Was he in the school play back in high school?

Leo glances one more time to his left, and then he hooks his arm behind my waist and pulls me closer. From chest to knee, my skin tingles at the contact. My hips want to press harder even, but I’d never. Not for a million bucks. Especially not when I spot the glint of a challenge in his heavy-lidded gaze. He’s enjoying this now. He thinks he has the upper hand. Well, two can play at that game.

“Is he still there?” I ask on a breath, slowly sliding one hand up to his neck and into his hair. It’s soft and thick. God, what a waste on a man.

“Behind you. Moving. Ohh…” The last noise escapes him when I tug, ever so gently, on his strands. His gaze flashes hot to mine.

“Everything okay?” I say as innocently as I can. “Did he leave?” I turn to look, still in Leo’s arms.

He inhales deeply before he lets go of me with a pinched, “Yeah.”

“Did you just smell my hair?”

Micki waves to me from the door and shows a thumbs-up. Good. Be gone, Sweaty Lips.

“No.”

“Huh. Could have sworn you did.”

“Don’t flatter yourself.” He scoffs. “Just because you were in my face while I was breathing. Normally,” he adds. He runs a finger beneath the collar of his shirt and straightens his sport coat.

“Okay, okay. No need to get your tighty-whities in a bunch.” The noise level around us has risen, and the bar is two people deep now. I should get back to the table.

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