Page 36 of A Taste of Trouble

Now this was the type of inspector she'd been expecting the first time. Ben Barnes had redeemed the profession.

“One more word of advice,” he said. “Under normal circumstances, these renovations are your landlord's responsibility, but check your lease agreement. I've come across some crooks in my few years on the job, and sometimes they include the cost of building renovations in your lease.”

“Thanks.” On second thought, maybe nice wasn't the best way to conduct business. She felt so pathetic, helpless, incapable. She walked with him to the door.

“Ms. Crawford—”

“Liv.” She held out her hand. “Please, call me Liv.”

He nodded. “Liv, I'll see you soon.”

Ben headed across the street to his car, bundling up his jacket.

Another setback. Another problem. Hopefully this time it wasn't going to come out of her pocket. But at least this wouldn't stop her from opening on time. Just a little fire hazard. No big deal.

She was so close. So close she could taste it. And success, the success she knew she would achieve, was going to taste so sweet. But first, some damage control.

Liv scrolled through her contacts until she found the number she was looking for. She hit the send button and waited for the husky, accented voice to answer on the other end.

“Mr. Luko? We have a huge problem.”

Chapter Eight

Jake agreed to meet his friends at McLean's because he knew it would be safe.

Liv no longer worked at the pub, making it impossible for him to run into her. He had played along with her request and given himself some time to recuperate. Time to figure out whether or not he should pursue his feelings for her. Not to mention, tone down his raging libido. If he was going to risk everything, he needed to make sure it wasn't only his cock that wanted her.

“We could leave.” Brian's voice knocked him out of his trance. “You seem to be preoccupied.”

Jake straightened in his chair and met his friend's stare. “Not at all.”

Tony scoffed from across the table.

“I'm here. I'm listening.” He slumped against his chair. “What were we talking about?”

“About how Miles here is such a ladies' man.” Tony pointed his thumb to the right, where Miles sat beside him.

“We can't all have your unwarranted ego,” Miles spat in retaliation.

“Sorry if I'm the only one who's taken pointers from our lucky friend here.” Tony referred to Jake. “One of us had to take advantage of his skills.”

“He's a real Yoda.” Brian placed his glass on the table. “Rule number one: girls are easy, they are.”

Despite his preoccupation, even Jake laughed. But he knew his mediocre attempt at denying his troubles wasn't going to suffice. The only question was, how much did he tell them?

“What's with you, man?” Tony asked. He wasn't one for heart-to-heart conversations, so Jake knew something must have been seriously bugging him.

Jake had a bad feeling. Like he'd just walked into his own intervention.

Tony set his beer down on his coaster and looked at Brian and Miles before he spoke again. “You're never around.”

“And when you are, it's as if you're somewhere else,” Brian said.

“Miles thinks you're cheating on us.” Even Jake had to laugh at Tony's comment.

“Hardy, har, har.” Miles sneered at Brian and Tony. “You've been distracted. You're not hanging out. Is everything all right with your family?”

His sister had been a distraction. More like a worry in his life. She was the reason he had to leave Liv, naked, wet, and wanting him. But coming clean about his sister would've revealed something far too intimate for a relationship built on selfish ambition.

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