Page 84 of Hot Shot

“Liz. Oh,Liz.” I turn wide eyes to Marco. “This is the woman you were engaged to?”

Marco’s mouth opens but nothing comes out.

I turn back to Liz. “Of course you are! So what brings you to Conquistadors? Looking to sample a fine extra-añejo tequila?”

Liz blinks more. She has fabulously long eyelashes, which appear to be natural, the bitch. “Tequila. Um, right.”

“Are you here alone?” I peer around, searching for a companion.

“I am.”

“Oh.” I put on a surprised air. “Well, that’s okay, it’s a friendly clientele here at Conquistadors. And totally safe for a woman alone. Which of course it would be, run by three former SEALs who watch out for all their customers.” I wrinkle my forehead as if a little puzzled, though, why a woman would come to a bar alone.

The reason is obvious. She’s here to see Marco.

Does she want him back?

I’m starting to run out of steam in my little act. Marco needs to get his shit together.

“It’s a great bar,” Liz says. “I can’t believe this is what you’re doing now.”

“It’s going well,” Marco says.

I slide that arm back around him and squeeze his waist. His muscles relax minutely, and he meets my eyes again. I smile and his face eases into a return smile. I brush my lips over his stubbled jaw, lowering my eyelids. Marco turns his lips to my ear and whispers, “You’re amazing.”

“I know.” I pat his chest and keep my hand there, smiling into his eyes. His skin is hot beneath the shirt, his heart pounding.

Am I doing the right thing? What if this woman wants to get back together and Marco wants that too?

Doubt prickles inside me. My intuition is pretty good, but not infallible.

“I can see that.” Liz looks around. “It’s busy here.”

“Yeah. Saturdays are our busiest night.”

“Of course,” Liz murmurs. “So, uh . . . you two . . . ?”

Marco’s arm slides around my neck and I plaster myself to his side, smiling expectantly at Liz, not letting her off the hook by answering before she finished asking the question.

“Yeah, we’re together,” Marco says, going easier on his ex, whose cheeks are becoming quite scarlet.

“We met when I came to one of the tequila-tasting events here,” I bubble. “It was so fun. I didn’t know anything about tequila, but Marco knows so much. All three guys make it really fun.”

“Fun,” Liz replies, the corners of her lips drooping.

“Are you coming back to the table?” Carrie asks Marco. “Oh, maybe you want to invite Liz to join us!”

“That’s okay,” Liz says quickly. “I’d better get going. Just thought I’d stop in and see what your bar was like and say hi.”

“Great to see you,” Marco says. “Sorry to hear about you and Rudy.”

My ears perk up, but I’ve already seen the woman isn’t married or engaged.

“Brody,” Liz says.

“Right.”

Liz slings her purse over her shoulder and makes her way out of the bar.

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