Page 139 of Waiting Game

“You’re right. That’s me in a nutshell,” I agree, mostly to rile her but also because I kind of am. “Do you know what Gracie means to me?”

“Stop bringing her up. What I did to her and what you did isn’t some kind of karmic response—one doesn’t cancel out the other.”

“I did nothing wrong. You said it yourself—we hooked up. That’s it. When I saw how upset you were and you told me about Cupid, I had no choice but to call you.”

“It’s creepy,” she complains, but she flushes at my admission.

“Perhaps. Only if you’re ashamed of what you do. Which I don’t think you should be?—”

“I’m not.” Her hands ball into fists at her sides. “I make a lot of money and I kept people in jobs because of it.”

There’s my girl.

I hide another smile behind my glass, but she sees it anyway.

Her eyes narrow. “Cole.”

“Mia.”

“You’ve been hit in the head too many times by a puck.”

I beam a grin at her. “It’s good that you know that but I have it on better authority that women like crazy guys.”

Her scowl is so pronounced, I snort at it. Her words are beyond satisfying though.Jealousy—I’m in paradise.“Which women?”

“You should see the book groups I’m in. Feral.” I sigh in happiness. “My true people.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Book groups. Facebook. The Smuthood. Get with the program, babe.”

“The Smuthood?”

“Oh, yeah. Thirsty ladies are my jam.”

She rubs her temple. “The lime-green jeans should have warned me.”

“Hey, you said you liked those.”

“Oddly enough, I do.” Mia rubs her temple some more. “I…” She almost chokes. “…likeyou too. Even if you did pay me a small fortune to watch me jill off with various dildos.”

“You did a great job. Only right that you get paid the big bucks.” I smirk at her. “At least this time, you’ll be ready to take every inch of my dick.”

“Is that a challenge?”

“More a statement of intent.”

She taps her nails on the bar. “I should throw you out.”

“Where’d be the fun in that?”

Her exhalation is so heavy, it might as well trigger a hurricane. “You’re lucky you’re pretty.”

“My face has always been a blessing.”

She pinches the bridge of her nose then counts to three.

Softly, I murmur, “You know I’m teasing.”

---