Page 27 of Falling Fast

And he probably expected Charlie to stroke other parts of him at some point later on, too. For sure the asshole had been fantasizing about it.

The thought made Jamie clench his jaw. He didn’t like that bastard even thinking about touching her, let alone imagining her in bed.

Charlie glanced at him when he opened the door for her, and paused, her eyebrows rising. “You okay? You look ready to kill something.”

Shit. He needed to get it together. This was an important op. “Nah, I’m good.” He smoothed out his expression, glanced around to get his bearings in the crowded restaurant while trying not to look too alert. The team had their back and he trusted them to have their six. But some things were deeply ingrained.

A smiling hostess came over and escorted them to their table. He stayed a few paces behind Charlie, spotted Logan and Taylor at a table on the other side of the room, briefly made eye contact with his teammate before searching for Baker.

The man was dressed in a light gray suit, standing at their table near the back of the restaurant, his avid gaze locked on Charlie as they approached. Baker didn’t even try to be subtle about the way he was checking her out, waiting until the last possible moment to tear his eyes from her breasts and drag them up to her face.

You don’t care. Let him look all he wants because it doesn’t bother you, Charlie’s just your neighbor, nothing more.

The reminder didn’t help. At all.

“Charlie,” Baker said, taking her hand in his when they reached the table and raising it to his lips. “You look incredible.”

Jamie had to give her credit for not yanking her hand free of his slimy grasp. “Thanks,” she murmured.

Baker spared him a glance. “James.”

“Hey.” I’d like to punch that oily smirk right off your face.

Dismissing him, Baker pulled out Charlie’s chair for her—directly across the table from him, probably so he could leer at her to his heart’s content—then sat down. “I took the liberty of ordering us some red wine. Would you care for some?” he asked her.

“No thanks. I’m a beer gal.”

An amused smile curved his mouth. “Of course.” He signaled the waiter.

Jamie cast a quick glance around them. He didn’t spot any familiar faces from the files he’d been studying, men thought to be involved with Baker in his business of cleaning dirty money for the cartel and other criminal organizations.

“How’s your system working? Any more trouble?” Charlie asked.

“No, everything’s running like a well-oiled machine now,” Baker said. “You performed a minor miracle yesterday.”

No, the miracle was that Charlie could sit here and do this without cringing.

“Glad I could help,” was all she said, smiling her thanks at the waiter who brought over her beer. “Did you want anything?” she asked Jamie, pulling her lip-gloss from her purse and applying it to her lush mouth. She’d been really good about remembering to use it every so often, so it wouldn’t seem odd when she used it around Baker.

“I’ll have a beer too,” he told the waiter, enjoying the slightly awkward lapse caused by calling attention to Baker’s lack of manners.

“You’ll pardon me if I tend to monopolize Charlie’s attention tonight,” Baker said with a tight smile as the waiter walked away. “It’s not often I have the pleasure of meeting such a beautiful and talented woman.” His gaze shifted back to Charlie, gleaming with a borderline predatory interest that made Jamie’s hackles rise.

“It’s all right. It’s not like he’s enjoying himself anyhow,” Charlie said with a laugh. “Pretty sure he’d rather be back in his apartment right now, on the couch watching a ballgame.”

“Well perhaps after we get to know each other better tonight, you’ll feel safe enough to meet me unaccompanied next time, and he can stay at home,” Baker murmured.

“Maybe,” she said, and left it at that.

Jamie stared at him across the table.No way in hell, asshole.

But Baker had already launched into a new topic of conversation with Charlie and didn’t even notice. Jamie internally shook his head at his predicament and sat back in his chair, resigned to enduring having to watch Baker attempt to woo the woman Jamie was falling in love with for the rest of the night.

He couldn’t freaking wait until they nailed this son of a bitch for money laundering and whatever else he’d dirtied his hands with, and put Baker in jail where he belonged.

****

“Wow, talk about a fifth wheel.”

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