Page 25 of Dangerous Deception

“I’m gonna regret this in the morning.” Marie giggles. “I should have worn different shoes.”

Blinking through the slight alcohol fuzziness, I lean away from the bar and gaze down her long legs to her gorgeous shoes. It’s impossible to tell how her feet are in the low light, so I pat her shoulder and giggle. “You’re fine.”

“Really?” She looks at me with wide eyes, which makes me laugh harder.

“Totally!”

“Amazing.” She puffs out her cheeks and sags into me. “I love you.”

“Love you too.” I force a few calm breaths and shake my sweat-soaked hair away from my shoulders, then I raise my hand to catch the bartender’s attention. Just as I do, two men in tight black T-shirts appear on either side of us.

“Evening, ladies,” says one with a charming smile and golden skin. “Can we buy you a drink?”

My instinct is to say no, but Marie looks one of the men up and down like he’s the most delicious thing she’s ever seen. “I don’t know,” she purrs. “Can you?”

“It would be our pleasure,” says the man standing next to me. He’s tall with jet black hair and muscles for days. He’s attractive,but as I look up at him, Raffaele pops into my mind. Nowthatman is gorgeous, and this stranger doesn’t hold a candle to him in the looks department. But I won’t say no to a free drink.

“Whaddaya say?” Marie giggles in my ear, not as quietly as she might think. “It’s free booze, right?”

My thumb skims over my palm to the warm ring around my finger. It’s not like we’re in a relationship. My marriage is just a business deal, and feeling desirable for a free drink can’t hurt, right?

“Alright.” I smile up at the man. “If you can get the bartender’s attention before us, sure. You can buy us a drink.”

“Excellent.” The man next to me smiles. “I’m Jim, by the way.”

“Adelina.”

“Marie!”

“I’m Geoff.” The other man chuckles. “Nice to meet you, Marie.”

“Mmhmm, you bet it is.”

“So, what brings you out, Adelina?” Jim asks, leaning on the bar with one arm.

My eyes are immediately drawn to where the muscles of his arm bugle out and my pounding heart begins to race faster. “We’re just having a girls’ night.”

“No men allowed, then?” He gives me an easy smile.

“Depends,” I say. “What have you got to offer?”

Jim snaps his fingers, and the bartender is in front of us a second later. “A drink, for one.”

Impressed by how quickly they got the bartender’s attention, Marie throws her arm around Geoff’s shoulders and cheers.

“Cool.” I smile. “What other tricks do you have up your sleeve?”

Jim winks at me. “How long have you got?”

We order a few more cocktails while Jim and Geoff choose beers. Marie shares details about her college course, her aspiration to start her private practice, and her interest in cosmetic surgery. The music thumps and the lights flash, and both men appear to be enjoying themselves while they’re with us.

I quickly see where this is going. In the beginning, I was kind of into Jim, and the thought of getting together to one-up Rafaele was exciting, but when Jim suddenly moves in for a kiss, my stomach turns.

Is it guilt? I’m hardly betraying Raffaele when we aren’t anything in the first place.

Is it because of Carlos?

No, this is different. My stomach tightens, and what feels like guilt suddenly turns into a very real urge to throw up. Jim gets closer, but before he kisses me, I place my hand on his sticky chest and push him back.

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