Page 29 of Too Hot to Sleep
"Toni, the man knows he gets on my nerves, and this is just another way to get on my nerves. I went along with it because it was for a good cause."
"That man has the hots for you. All that 'yes, ma'am-ing'—Lord, he's downright fattening."
"Stop it!" She didn't want to think about it. More than she already had.
"I'm serious—it's probably all that phone sex."
"Okay, you lost me."
"Vibes! You're giving off sex vibes, Georgia, and the cop is picking up on them. Sex begets sex."
"Ithought that to beget is tohavesex."
"You know what I mean."
"Well, I'm not interested."
"Why not?"
She swirled her spoon in her bowl and frowned. "Because I have Rob, and I think we're finally getting over the emotional plateau we've been on for so long. He's starting to open up."
"That's good... I guess."
"Of course it's good. Why wouldn't it be good?"
"I don't know... the expression on that cop's face. I've never seen Rob look at you that way."
"You mean with ridicule?"
Toni laughed. "If you ask me, I think this Medlock guy is getting you all worked up, and Rob is getting the payout."
Her spoon clanged against the bowl. "That's absurd. And I don't take love advice from a woman who lets a man call her by the wrong name just to spare his ego."
Toni sighed. "I'm going to tell Dr. Baxter tomorrow."
"Good."
"I'm going to tell him I changed my name legally from 'Terri' to 'Toni.'"
"You're hopeless."
"I'd better let you go so you'll be rested up for your date tomorrow with Officer Medlock."
She rolled her eyes. "It's not a date. It's vending food in a public park."
"Did you tell Rob about it?"
She hesitated. "No."
"I rest my case. Night-night."
Georgia frowned at the phone, then, pretending it was Ken Medlock, bounced it off a stiff cushion. Who was he to barge into her life just when things were starting to go so well with Rob?
Chapter 12
ALL MORNINGlong, Ken's moods swung between elation that he'd be seeing Georgia this afternoon for his victory "meal," and self-loathing for carrying the ruse this far. He'd had to cut the conversation short last night because she was venturing into territory that was likely to land him in deep hooey.
Things were getting out of control, namely, his attraction to the woman. Hoping that blockhead Rob had skipped town for good and this mess would somehow resolve itself, he'd called the man's office and was told by a messaging service that Rob was likely to return to Birmingham sometime Sunday. It didn't explain, however, why the man hadn't at least called Georgia from wherever he'd gone. Idiot.
