Page 51 of Chasing Sparks

“You owe me twenty bucks.” Braden snaps his fingers at Zane.

“Damn it,” Zane mutters, pulling a twenty from his wallet and handing it to my brother.

I motion between the two men. “Wait a damn minute. You’re placing bets on where I’ve been sleeping?”

Braden shrugs, like it’s the most normal thing in the world. “Not where, so much as with whom. Zane figured you were changing it up, but I had a feeling you were with Ori every night.”

“You two need a damn hobby. What made you so certain I was with Ori, anyway?”

Braden rolls his shoulders, stretching his arms out. “You’ve been in a good mood the last few weeks. You’re always in a good mood around Ori.”

Damn, I didn’t realize it was that obvious. But being in a good mood is a good thing, right? Far better than being aggravated and uptight.

I click my tongue against my teeth, glancing towardOne More Page.“What can I say? She’s a talented woman.”

Braden snorts, shaking his head. “You’re a dick.”

“What? It’s a compliment.” I snatch a few bucks from the register and motion toward Ori’s shop. “I’m grabbing a coffee. You want one?”

“Your girlfriend is going to have to wait,” Zane says, jerking his thumb toward my office. “You’ve got company.”

“Who?”

Please don’t tell me someone from the zoning board has decided to drop by unannounced. That would kill my good mood quick.

Zane smirks. “Casey Rinbauer.”

Also known as the lead talent scout forInk Spot.The woman who, along with two of her friends, interviewed me last month for the magazine. The same woman who dropped plenty of hints about wanting to get to know me on a moreintimatelevel—right before Ori burst into the room to stake her own claim.

To be honest, I’d forgotten all about her.

“What does she want?”

“She claims it’s a business proposition, but judging by her outfit, I’m not sure what kind of business she plans to conduct.” To emphasize his point, Zane mimics cupping an invisible chest, a smug grin plastered on his face.

Well, well, well. This should make for an interesting afternoon.

I stroll into my office and smile at the buxom beauty sprawled across my armchair. “Aren’t you a surprise?”

“A good one, I hope.” She slides off the chair, her voice a low purr as she perches on the corner of my desk.

“Always.” I play it cool, but I’m no fool—I smell trouble. Casey is gorgeous and used to getting what she wants. And right now, judging by the bedroom eyes that she’s flashing my way, she wants me.

Tricky, tricky.

Why? Because over the past month, I’ve been asked on about two dozen dates—give or take a handful. I’ve gone on zero. The renovations on the speakeasy have eaten up most of my free time. What little I have left, I spend with one woman—Ori.

Hey, I wasn’t kidding. She’s superbly talented—both in and out of the sack. Suddenly, other women don’t feel like a temptation anymore.

But Casey Rinbauer isn’t just any woman. She holds the keys to the proverbial city, and while I loathe the idea of singing for my supper, I’m not one to bite the hand that feeds me. A headlining feature inInk Spotwould be one hell of a feast forBlack Lotus, putting the shop on the national map.

Still, maybe I’m getting ahead of myself. Just because most women around here seem to want nothing more than an evening with me between their thighs doesn’t mean that’s Casey’s deal.

Time to check my ego and hope her visit is purely professional in nature.

Casey leans over, dragging her nails down my arm. “I’m taking you to dinner tonight. There’s a business prospect I want to discuss with you. Trust me, you don’t want to miss it.”

She’s not asking, but rather demanding my presence, which hopefully means it really is only business.

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