Page 3 of Lust
Lilo was Griffin’s wife. She worked at the Cardinal Copy News Network. This made her the Deadly Seven’s eyes, ears, and finger on the pulse of the city’s news. With wavy brown hair, the mixed Polynesian-Italian heritage woman looked like she’d just stepped out of a wind-blown tunnel. But perhaps the blush in her cheeks was from the two empty cocktail glasses.
Bailey’s outfit was unassuming, a black jacket and white shirt, but Liza would bet Bailey was carrying a concealed firearm, ready for the first sign of trouble.
So, a pregnant woman, a half-hammered news reporter, and a security agent pretending to be off duty… all so Liza could get laid. Bitterness swarmed in her stomach before a hit of resignation made her go cold.
They had good intentions, but maybe she should have kept up the charade of an active love-life for longer. This was going to be a long night if Liza didn’t make it easy for them. She shot back two tequilas, steeled herself, and then slid onto the bench seat next to Bailey.
“Nos-fucking-trovia, right?” she said to Misha. “Did I say that right?”
Misha laughed. “Yeah, except the f-word part.”
“That part was my favorite,” Lilo exclaimed.
Liza high-fived her across the table.
“Right,” Liza added. “So who have you picked out for me?”
“Um,” Misha giggled. “What do you mean?”
They all looked nervously at each other.
“I mean,” Liza continued. “You think we’re here to find me a date, right? So who have you picked out?”
Lilo blinked. “No one.”
Bailey held up her finger. “Yet.”
Liza slammed her palm on the table with a smirk. “I knew it. All right, then, let me save you some trouble.”
She shrugged off her scarf and jacket, popped the buttons on her blouse until her lace-covered cleavage showed, and then stowed her CCPD badge inside her jeans pocket. Her city-issued firearm was back at the precinct, so there was nothing else on her that identified her as a detective. She pulled the tie out of her long brown hair, fluffed the length, and swept a predatory glance across the room. Within seconds she zeroed in on the tall, handsome businessman who’d been eyeing her when she’d entered. He’d inched his way closer and was now near the entrance to the beer garden. Blond hair, aristocratic nose, square jaw. He looked like he loved his mirror and talked about seizing the day. Baby blue eyes watched her like he imagined her naked.
Huh. So her badge hadn’t scared him off. He might be a holster sniffer. Some dudes loved a confident woman with a badge. Good. This made it all the easier. Liza slid out of the booth.
“Where are you going?” Bailey asked.
Without taking her eyes from Baby Blue, she replied, “I’m going to ask the hottest guy in the room if he wants to buy me a drink.”
Bailey snorted. “That would be your brother, and gross.”
“You mean Wyatt,” Misha corrected.
Lilo laughed and sent her husband a fond smile. “Clearly, you’re both wrong.”
Liza rolled her eyes. “You ladies are all whipped. Watch and learn.”
Resigned to the task, she felt herself remove a little from her body, and strode into the front room with a forced sashay in her step. Lust intensified the closer she got. She’d picked the right mark.
Her lips curved on one side and she gave the man an approving once-over. Unlike his two friends, he filled out that suit like he benched weight. Screw the drink.
“Alley or bathroom,” she said to him.
He blinked. “I’m sorry?”
His friends shared a confused, but earnest look. She checked them out, dismissed them, and returned to Baby Blue. His fingers clenched tight around his beer. Lust virtually climbed out of him and down her throat.
She widened her smile. “I assumed since you were eye-fucking me across the room, you wanted a private moment. So where do you want to do this? The bathroom, or the back alley?”
Another gobsmacked blink.
