Page 42 of Not That Complicated

Not the dominating twink who thought I’d roll over for him just because he told me to.

“You’re allowed to date me, right?” I said.

“Yes. But I’m intrigued to know why you think we might be breaking the law.”

“Dating the witness and all that.”

“Do you have a crime to report, Mr Underwood? Because if so, you should contact the police through official channels. Not Grindr.”

“I didn’t do anything. Or see anything. I’m innocent.”

He grunted and took a sip. “You have no idea how many times people have confessed their innocence to me.”

He’d dressed for our date in dark indigo jeans and a cashmere burgundy sweater. A manly dusting of gingery blond stubble glinted in the low lights of the pub, and his sandy blond hair was artfully tousled, with a faint curl to it.

“Is it more or less than how many times people ask you to handcuff them to the bed?” I said.

He blinked.

“Which I am not asking you to do. For the record. Just...curious. Um.” I did my best to get things back on track. “The dead body. An issue, or...? No?”

“Are you talking about the one in your bedroom? Or another one?”

“The one in my room. God, could you imagine me finding another?” I shivered theatrically.

He smiled. “The odds of that never happening are very much on your side. And the first body was unfortunate, but it’s not an issue. You’re not a witness or a suspect. It’s a cold case.”

“Do you think you’ll ever solve it?”

“I won’t, since I’m no longer on the case. It’s been punted over to another department.” He leaned back in his chair and gazed at me. “Is that why you wanted to meet for a beer? Trying to pump me for information?”

“I’d probably go about it differently if I wanted to extract information,” I said.

His gaze sharpened with interest even as he said, “Because I’m not talking about it with you.”

“We’ll see,” I said breezily. “For all you know, I’m incredibly subtle and I’m extracting information as we speak.”

He smiled. “I mean it, Ray.”

“I know. I’m messing with you.”

“He likes to do that,” a deep voice said behind me as a hand dropped onto the back of my chair. “Mess with people.”

I stiffened. Nash’s expression didn’t shift.

“Adam,” I said, twisting to glare up at him.

Oh, great. He had what I was calling hismodel faceon. Hard, and aloof. The planes and angles of his cheekbones and strong, elegant jaw caught the light and slapped it disdainfully away. He was so close, I could smell his laundry detergent, his body wash, and his skin.

“Ray,” he said. He glanced over to Nash. “Liam. Be careful with this one.” He ran a familiar hand up the back of my neck, and playfully tugged my hair. “He’s a bit of a tease.”

Heat rushed through me. A good fifty percent of it was arousal. Who knew I liked my hair pulled? Not me. The other fifty was fury. I twisted away.

“Do you mind?” I said. “I’m on a date.”

Adam’s eyes bored into mine. “How’s it going?”

“It was going fine until you showed up,” I said. “Any time you’d like to leave would be good.”

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