Page 24 of Seducing Cinderella

“I’m fairly certain I hate this lesson,” she said in a breathy voice between large gulps of air.

“Lesson number three: always leave them wanting more.” He chuckled—he actually had the audacity to find that funny—and nipped her lip, then soothed it with the tip of his tongue. “Have fun today.”

Incredulous, Lucie watched Reid disappear from the room then heard him say good-bye to Vanessa before heading to the bathroom for a shower. Yep. She definitely hated this lesson.

Chapter Ten

“Two usuals, Fritz!”Vanessa called down to the old, grizzled man at the other end of the bar.

“Don’t get yer panties in a twist, Red, I’ll get to ya in a minute!”

“I’d have to bewearingpanties to keep them out of a twist.”

“Well, that’s better than that ass floss these broads wear nowadays.”

“How wouldyouknow what broads are wearing? The last action you probably saw was World War II, geezer.”

“Ha! I got stories that would make yer hair even curlier than it is now, missy, an’ don’t you ferget it.”

Lucie laughed at the typical back and forth between Vanessa and the owner of the bar they’d been coming to since college. Fritz was more like a lovable uncle to them, but that didn’t mean their humor with each other didn’t cross into faux flirtation and dirty jokes. He was the quintessential dirty old man, and they adored him.

After Fritz served them their tap beers in large glass steins, he kissed the fingers of both his hands and placed one on each of their cheeks. “There. Now shut yer yaps and go kick some ass tonight, huh?”

“Will do, Fritzy,” Vanessa pledged before they made their way to the other end of the bar by the dartboards. They claimed their usual stools and clinked their glasses together with an enthusiastic “Salut” and took their first glorious sips. Nessie slapped a hand on the bar three times, which was her way of gaveling for an audience. “Spill.”

Lucie hitched her eyebrows under her bangs and looked at her beer. “I’d rather drink it if it’s all the same to you.” She might be a lightweight when it came to wine, but she could hang pretty well with beer from years of practice with Vanessa in their college years.

“I’m not encouraging alcohol abuse. I’m ordering you to tell me what’s up with you and the hottie staying in your apartment. I waited patiently all during lunch for you to bring him up, but you were sadly close-mouthed about your new houseguest. So, prepare for the witness stand.”

For the second time that day Lucie choked on her drink.Oh, for shit’s sake. You’d better learn to control yourself or eventually you’re going to need the Heimlich if you dare to eat again.“No need for cross-examination, Ness. Nothing’s up with him. He’s Jackson’s best friend, and I’m helping him out, that’s all.”

“Is he seeing anyone?”

“No.” Wait a minute. She didn’t really know that for sure, did she? He hadn’t mentioned dating anyone, but she hadn’t really asked either. There hadn’t been any reason to. They were just two friends who were helping each other. But the definition of “helping” had changed drastically in the course of a week. “At least, I don’t think he is. But he’s not your type anyway.”

“I wasn’t planning on pursuing him, but out of curiosity, why not?”

“Rule number three.”

“Really? What does he do then?”

“He’s a fighter like Jackson.”

Vanessa scrunched up her nose like someone had just shoved smelly socks in her face. “Oh, one ofthoseguys. God, how barbaric, not to mention completely irresponsible for planning one’s future. No thank you.”

Lucie didn’t bother defending Reid’s and her brother’s choice of career to her friend. There’d be no point. Vanessa lived by a very strict code of rules and refused to veer from them for any reason. She’d gotten the idea one night when they were just freshmen, drunk, and watching the television drama,NCIS. The main character of the show had over thirty rules he lived by, and Vanessa, in all her inebriated wisdom, decided she needed the same strategy to avoid following in her parents’ dysfunctional footsteps. Rule number three was “never date a man who isn’t gainfully employed in a successful career with longevity.” Athletes with the potential to permanently injure themselves at a young age, effectively ending their careers, did not qualify as dating potential.

“But why don’tyoudate him? I mean, come on, the man is a total hunk of man-beef.”

“Ew!” Both girls fell into a fit of laughter. The alcohol was already loosening them up from their long weeks. “What the hell is man-beef? Stick to legal jargon because you obviously suck at complimentary descriptions.”

“Don’t avoid the question. What about dating him?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“It’s not like that.”

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