Page 32 of Renegade

At home, I stuck with the cop script. But here, I was looking to change things up.So, what if I was feeding them a line?These women were desperate and eager to please. Who was I to deny them their fantasy? Tonight, I was Jack, depressed widower.

“Maybe I didn’t make myself clear,” The woman purred before slipping her hand beneath the waistband of my linen pants, her voice dropping to a whisper, “I want to be fucked.”

“Whoa there, Sandra. Okay, I’m cutting you off.” I looked up and locked eyes with my ten. She was stunning and a red head—I’d never had a red head before. I wondered if the carpet matched the drapes before she removed Sandra’s hand from my pants. “I’m so sorry.”

John shook his head, laughing, and moved away from the bar as I turned on the charm. “Don’t be sorry, Darlin’. It led to me meeting you. I’d say it’s been a good night.”

“You hear that?” Sandra slurred, “He wants me. You can go, Lauren. I’ll take it from here.”

She moved to step back, but I grabbed onto a lock of her hair, holding her in place. “I meant you, Darlin’. Think you can get this one to bed and come back to me?”

I watched in amusement as her chest flushed red before the color moved up into her cheeks. Thank god for pale skin. It was a great barometer.

“S-sure,” she stuttered, “Just give me a few minutes.”

I was waiting by the front entrance with a bucket of beer when she got off the elevator. She looked around the lobby and once she spotted me, I swore she jumped up to a twelve.

“Hey there. What’s the plan?” The breeze coming off the ocean lifted her hair up around her face as she approached me.

I had an uncontrollable urge to wrap it around my fist and kiss the hell out of her. I shook my head to clear my thoughts. I needed to stay in control. So, I offered her a beer. “Thought we’d grab a few drinks and take a walk on the beach. How’s that sound?”

She looked back toward the reception hall. “Won’t they wonder where we are?”

Ah, a wedding virgin.

“Darlin’, they’re surrounded by family members who want to discuss the most boring of wedding details. I doubt they’ve even noticed we’ve snuck out.” I held my hand out and she didn’t hesitate before taking it.

I led her across Seawall and down to the beach. There were still a few chairs left from the ceremony and we made our way over to them. “So, Red. Tell me about yourself. What brings you to Galveston? And you can’t tell the truth.”

She set her beer down in the sand and kicked off her sandals. “I can’t tell the truth?”

I nodded. “Nope. Make it up. Bonus points for creativity.”

She grinned again and bit the corner of her lip in concentration. Damn, I was rock hard.

She cleared her throat. “Okay, my name is Charlotte. I’m an art dealer in Dallas. I was told that I had to get down to Galveston and check out Salvadore Goya. He’s a young painter that’s generating a lot of buzz in the art world. He could be the next van Gogh. His work is exquisite; you can see his passion in every stroke of the brush. Your turn.”

My mouth went dry. She was good.

I wanted her to stroke my brush.

I nodded, “That was okay, Red. Now, watch a pro. My name is Jack and I’m originally from California. I grew up on the water with a board in my hand. People said I had to get down to Galveston and try tanker surfing,” An image of Patrick falling toward the curb crept in and I stopped mid-sentence.

Charlotte prodded my thigh with her hand. “C’mon, don’t stop in the middle. Remember? Bonus points for creativity.”

I swallowed past the lump in my throat and nodded, trying to play it off like I was just trying to think of good material. “Right, where was I? Oh yeah, so I’m here and ready to try tanker surfing tomorrow. Care to join me?”

Where the hell had that come from?

First, I thought of Patrick, who hadn’t crossed my mind once in the last nine years. Then, I invited her out for tomorrow?I was a one and done kinda guy; there were no second dates.

Her eyes widened in surprise. “Oh, well, I’m actually leaving in the morning. Gotta get back to work—unless you weren’t really asking me and it’s part of the game—never mind, I’ll shut up now.”

I chugged the rest of my beer and cracked open another one before responding, “Yeah, I was just getting into character. I’ve actually got to head home early tomorrow too.”

Charlotte extended her hand. “I win. Pay up.”

I smirked. “And what makes you think that, Red? Maybe I’m not done yet.”

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