Page 3 of Diamonds & Deception

“I work at Four Aces.”

Interesting. He didn’t say he owned it, rather he works there. I pegged him as one to show off his wealth. Easier and quicker access to getting women naked.

“Isn’t counting cards illegal?” I hope my joke comes off as just that.

The corner of his mouth hooks upward. “Don’t tell the teenage me that. It’s how I made my first thousand in high school.”

“I didn’t think underage people could play?”

“It’s harder to control online. But I digress. I’m no longer the scrawny, ignorant math geek.”

“I’d say,” I mumble, my eyes raking in his rather wide and strong torso. Daisy sniffs around his ankles before tugging at her leash.

“Looks like Daisy’s getting antsy.” He reaches down and pets her snout.

Shit. I’m not ready to end this conversation. He hasn’t even asked my name or for my number. All he’s been interested in is the dog.

“I’m sorry again about crashing into you.”

“Not a problem. Mind if I join you for the rest of your run? Or walk? My boxers never ran too far. A mile, tops, then we would walk.”

“Um, sure.” I pretend to hesitate when inside I’m fist-pumping the air. “Daisy’s getting tuckered out, so a walk will be good.”

I have no idea how long she can run for. All I know is she likes to be on the move. We walk at a decent pace that gets my heart rate going while still being able to hold a conversation. Granted, the heart rate could be from standing so close to this Adonis of a man.

“So, it’s the flowers then?”

I tip my chin—because Drake is well over six feet—and furrow my brows. “Flowers?”

“Daisies. You said Daisy Buchanan is a rotten human being, so I take it you wouldn’t name your dog after her.”

I laugh. “No, I said Daisy was a bitch. It was Nick Carraway who told Gatsby they were a rotten crowd.” Nick was a boring narrator of the book, but I respect Fitzgerald’s writing style. He needed to have a boring narrator to not take away from Gatsby’s story.

“I guess I remember a little from my high school literature class.”

“And I fell asleep in all my math classes.”

“I guess opposites do attract, then. At least it’s a one-way attraction. Just putting that out there.”

I bite my lip to contain my smile. The growing grin has nothing to do with a handsome man being attracted to me and everything to do with solving the crime.

Yeah. The crime. How can I be flirting with a man who could be responsible in some way for my sister’s death? I’m a terrible human being. Might as well throw me in with the Buchanans and all the other superficial characters fromThe Great Gatsby.

I should ignore the comment, however, I planned to befriend him enough to get him to open up to me. Maybe let me hang out in his office unchaperoned, or better yet, his penthouse, so I can find dirt on him.

Drake isn’t likely to let afriendin on his secrets, but he’s more apt to speak freely in front of a girlfriend, or at least a woman he’s dating. Thisispart of my plan. To seduce him. So why do I feel like I’m betraying Carly’s memory by doing so?

Because he’s freaking hot and so far, is kind of sweet. I’m supposed topretendto like him so I can get in his good graces and gather more intel on him, or the people involved. Liking him is not part of the plan.

Especially if I find he had a hand in my sister’s murder.

“Sorry if I pushed. I’m normally not a pushy guy. One way’s cool. No pressure.”

My mind races, searching for the right answer. What sounded so easy an hour ago is anything but now.

“Tell me more about yourself, D—” I almost say his name, but he hasn’t even told me yet. “Do I even know your name?”

“I guess that’s the first step.” Drake stops and turns to me, holding out his hand. “Drake Reynolds.”

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