Page 75 of Cavern of Silence
"Tinker doesn't give compliments easily. It's not in his wheelhouse."
He grunts. "Not true."
"Mmm, kind of," I insist. "Julieta, tell him how old you are."
"How do you know my age?"
"Your file."
"Oh, right."
"Tell him."
"How old do you really think I am?" she asks.
"Twenty-eight," he says sincerely.
"He's not lying. He's black-and-white and no between."
She steps forward and assesses his face.
"What?" he nervously asks and reddens.
Yep, you can't handle a hot woman staring you down.
"I'm trying to see if you're blind."
"Blind? I'm not blind! I may be older, but my eyesight hasn't failed me yet."
She puts her hand over her mouth and stifles a laugh.
"Why are you laughing?"
"I'm forty-two."
He gapes at her, then looks at me, then back at her. "Do you get those shots?"
"Shots?"
"You know. Those jabs women get to get rid of their wrinkles."
"Ummm...no. I've never had those. And now you need to get your eyes checked because I definitely have wrinkles."
He steps closer and squints. "Where?"
She points to the corners of her eyes.
Tinker spins away from her. "I'm getting an eye appointment this week. My eyes must be failing me."
Julieta furrows her brows.
I grin and put my arm around her. "You don't have wrinkles. Plus, you're a natural beauty, so when you do get them someday, don't you dare inject yourself with any of that crap."
She gives me a little salute. "Aye, aye, boss."
Vanessa comes into the room, wiping her face.
Julieta puts her hand on her back. "What's wrong?"
