Page 7 of Filthy Liar

“What’s Sal’s?” I ask.

Spencer laughs softly. “A bar,” she says, although it’s clear that there is more.

“And a gambling house,” Shawn says.

“And a…” Ryan lets the words hang in the air, and I open my mouth to ask her what else could be there, but she finishes her thought. “A strip club.”

My eyes widen at the strip club part, but Ryan doesn’t stop. “Our friend Kyle, she works there as a waitress in the bar.”

Popping another piece of muffin into my mouth, I think about that as I chew, avoiding responding immediately.

“I tried stripping once, but it’s not for me. I’ve waitressed before, though. I could do that again. I’m not terrible at it.”

I’m not sure if I should have admitted all of that, but it doesn’t matter. I’m not ashamed that I tried to take my clothes off to pay the bills. It’s actually more embarrassing that I couldn’t actually do it. I completely froze.

Spencer sucks in a breath before she murmurs. “I don’t think stripping would be the way to go.”

Looking down at my small chest, I have to agree with her. I don’t think anyone would pay to see me naked. The one time I did it, I never made it to the part where I actually took all my clothes off. I ran off the stage before that happened. I don’t tell her that, though. Instead, I give them a smile.

“I agree. I don’t think stripping would work for me.”

Spencer reaches out and wraps her fingers around my wrist. I look down at her hand, her diamond ring flashing in the sunlight. That is until I hear something, the sound of a bumblebee rumbling.

But it’s not a bumblebee.

It’s a motorcycle.

And the man straddling that motorcycle is hot.

So hot.

Like, so hot that my entire body jerks in my seat. Pressing my thighs together, I can’t stop staring at him through the window. He pulls his bike beside my car, killing the engine but not moving.

I can’t stop staring at him. He’s mesmerizing. His attention is focused on the shop window. He’s wearing aviator sunglasses, a leather vest, jeans, boots, and a short beard. I’m not sure where to look.

Every part of him is appealing—every single inch.

God.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone as sexy as this man.

I think that he, without a doubt, gives my secret lover a run for his money—then again, I haven’t ever seen my secret lover’s face. Maybe their sexiness is matched, although I find that hard to believe.

This guy is excruciatingly hot.

My mouth goes dry as he moves toward the door. I cannot imagine he would want anything from this fancy organic bakery. I picture him eating steak and eggs every day, maybe drinking some black coffee, too.

But a fancy organic, gluten-free, vegan treat… not in a million years.

The door opens, and I hear the three women gasp simultaneously. They seem just as surprised by his presence as I am, but I don’t say a word. I don’t make a single noise—I don’t even breathe. Instead, I watch him, and my lips part in awe as he moves into the room.

I can hear his bootsteps against the tile flooring, one foot, then another, until he stops at the table, my table. My table. My breath hitches. I suck in a breath, holding it as I wait to hear what he has to say. It’s clear they are just as surprised as I am by his presence.

I’m not sure where I expect him to go, but it isn’t directly to Shawn and Ryan, to this table. There is no hiding the expression on my face. The complete shock and awe. My eyes widen as I stare at him.

I watch as he kisses them each on the cheek, murmuring what I assume is a good morning, then he turns to Spencer and gives her a smirk and a wink as well.

His gaze scans my face, and I watch as his lip twitches into a smirk, but he doesn’t say anything immediately. Instead, he turns to Shawn. “What’s new in the case this morning, babe? I’m starving.”

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