Page 529 of Dark Love

“A man?” Piper starts to turn her head again.

“Play it cool.” Savie points one of her needles towards the man. “Tall, dark, and scrumptious over at the restaurant has been watching you since we got out here.”

“Scrumptious?!?” Dylan raises an eyebrow at Savie.

“Well, I’m not going to say deadly. It might scare Piper.”

“He’s deadly,” Piper squeaks.

“Don’t scare the girl.” Garnet glares at Savie.

“If I had a man like that looking at me like that, I’d be terrified and checking my makeup.” Savie doesn’t wear makeup often. Though she wears enough hairspray to set a dozen heads of hair like a grandma of old.

“Piper, go sit next to Dahlia. That will give you a clear view of the man watching you.” Dylan moves her gaze between the rest of us as she says, “And all of you chill out. Eat some candy. And let’s see what happens before you torment Piper.”

As the person who’s going to be tormented later about Vex, I wholeheartedly support this idea. The girls go quiet. The only noise in our area comes fromthe clicking of Savie’s needles and the soft music that the resort plays in the background.

Piper slips into the chair next to me and I reach over and give her hand a reassuring squeeze. It isn’t easy seeing a sexy man for the first time.

She slowly eases her gaze over to the restaurant.

Their eyes meet and the whole world freezes.

I’d say I’ve never felt a moment like this, but I have too many times with Vex.

Piper gasps as the man stands up. “He’s coming over here.”

It sure looks like it.

“Now honey, just say something if you want one of us to step in and shoo him away. As delightful as he looks, you don’t have to do anything you don’t want.” Stella wouldn’t hesitate to speak up.

Nor would Garnet or Savie. The rest of us might get tongue-tied around a man that beautiful.

Piper’s gaze locks with the man’s like a tractor beam pulling him to her. The shy Piper never acts like this. She’s more likely to hide than to look at a man.

Piper doesn’t respond. I’m not even sure she knows how to speak anymore.

“Hello, ladies.” The man has an indistinct accent. “My name is Valen Linckester. I couldn’t help but notice how much fun all of you seemed to be having today. Might I ask what special event brought you to Vegas this week?” Valen stops across from Piper’s chair. Though he addresses all of us, he never stops looking at Piper.

His gaze moves down her body to her hand.

He’s looking for a ring. Smart man.

“We’re here for the writer’s convention.” Savie’s needles stop.

“Are you all book lovers or authors?” He couldn’t care in the least what we are.

Garnet grins. “Can’t we be both?”

“Of course. I know your time is limited, but I was wondering if I could borrow your friend for a short while? I’ve been eating lunch all alone and was hoping she might keep me company.”

With that amount of self-confidence, it’s doubtful that man cares about eating alone.

Piper just keeps staring.

I feel her pain.

“Piper would love to have lunch with you,” Junie jumps into the conversation.

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