Page 4 of S.O.S. Perk

“Uh, huh,” he said, without missing a beat. “Why do you think I invited you today?”

“Because, uh, closure? With the Jakes case. Like putting a period at the end of the whole thing?”

Perkins shook his head. “No. I mean, yes. That too. But I actually asked you here because I want to get to know you better.”

Damn.That wouldn’t fly.

Perkins was nice. He was attractive. He seemed sincere. And the heat that had shot up her arm when he’d taken her hand earlier had been unexpected. Still, she wasn’t available, and she had to let him know that a connection between them was never going to happen.

He was watching her, expectantly. A nerve in his cheek, twitching, the only sign he was nervous.

Sloane blew a stream of air out from between stiff lips. She’d try to be gentle.

“First of all, how old are you, Perkins?” she asked, putting off the inevitable.

“Twenty-eight,” he answered without hesitation.

“And I’m thirty-four,” she told him, hoping that might quell his interest.

“So?” He shrugged. “That’s only six years. Not a deal breaker,” he challenged.

Dammit.Perk wanted to do this the hard way. She’d tried to let him down easily, but he wasn’t taking the hint. She hated to burst his bubble, but…

“Listen, Perkins. Here it is in a nutshell.” Sloane gave him her best, stern expression. “I. Don’t. Date.”

CHAPTER TWO

Perk figured he should be discouraged. But really? He’d kind of known what Agent Ves…uh, Sloane’s response would be. He could fight her on it, but where, in the past, had that ever gotten him? Nowhere. Because of his youthful appearance, most people tended not to take him seriously when he attempted to argue. Butbecauseof that fucked-up situation, he’dalso inadvertently discovered a more effective arsenal. Something that often worked for him: a cute smile, a flash of dimples, and a noncommittal shrug.

Perk couldn’t begin to count the number of times those things had him winning a would-be disagreement.

He hit Sloane now with his locked and loaded soft ordnance.

She scowled at Perk. “What, exactly, does that mean?” she asked, pointing to his face with a finger and circling it like exhibit A.

“What does what mean?” he asked, innocently blinking.

She rolled her eyes. “Come on, Perk. You know exactly what I’m talking about,” she chastised him. “That…face.”

Perk opened his baby-blues even wider. He wasn’t beyond using the tools that had been God-given. “Myface?” he questioned. “Seriously, Sloane? This is just who I am.”

“Cut the crap.” She clearly wasn’t buying it. “Right now, you’re doing some over-the-top, innocent, charming thing.Thatgrin you’ve plastered on is not your normal one.”

Perk wanted to pump his fist. Her comment wasn’t the negative she thought it was. The woman had clearly been taking note of his expressions. She knew the difference between what he was flashing now, and his everyday good-natured attitude.

He’dhopedshe wasn’t impervious to him. That she’d been paying attention to his displays, said a lot. Which was the main reason he’d gone out on a precarious limb and invited her to the wedding. He’d wanted to see if some of her normal barriers would drop, and he could coerce her into admitting her interest in him.

Now, to see if he could circumvent her “I don’t date,” edict.

He gave her another innocuous, aww-shucks shoulder shrug. “I guess I didn’t realize I was smiling at you differently. But, Sloane,” he liked how her name felt on his tongue, “it must mean I really like you.”

She grunted. “There’s nothing to like.”

“Oh, come on,” he prodded. “You’re smart, dedicated, and…” Should he go for it?Why not.Sloane already had him pegged as a young, pretty-boy player. “…very beautiful.”

Her brows scrunched together, forming a V between her brown eyes, and he wanted nothing more than to soothe the worried lines away.

“Cut the crap, Perkins. I’m nothing special to look at. But even if your visual acuityisn’tcompromised and you believe what you’re saying, flattery won’t get you anywhere. I’m still not interested in dating you.”

---