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“It wasn’t a date, and it wasn’t a secret. It was just two friends hanging out, in private, because there are some busybodies around here who specialize in making mountains out of mole hills.” I gave both of them pointed looks to make sure I made my point. “That’s all.”
“Sure.” Eva shook her head. “So, how was the night that wasn’t a date?”
“It was fine. We played darts and ate steak. Just us guys hanging out, ya know?” They didn’t need to know the details of our night together. It wasn’t their business. “Is that all?” If they stuck around any longer my mind might start to wander again.
“Not even close.” Sophie adjusted her seat even closer to me, getting right up in my face with her wide, unassuming smile. “Just tell us everything if you really want to get rid of us.”
“Oh,” I laughed. “Is that all?”
“Yep,” Eva agreed. “That’s all. Spill it, sister!”
“Sorry to disappoint you girls, but I told you everything there was to tell. We played bar games in his man cave and grilled steaks. Oh, and potatoes. They were delicious.”
“And what time did you leave this boys’ night for two?”
That was a difficult question to answer without flat out lying. “I don’t know. I had a few drinks and stuck around until I was all right to make the drive home, so latte-ish. I guess.” All of that was true, it just wasn’t the truth in its entirety.
“No kissing?”
Instantly my mind flashed to the way Chris had leaned in like a lamb, and quickly pounced like the wolf. Capturing my lips in a kiss that was so hot that for a moment I thought maybe my panties had gone up in flames.
“Nope. No kissing.”
Eva and Sophie looked at each other with smiles that grew by the second. “Lie!”
“It’s not a lie,” I insisted.
“Then why did it take you so long to answer?” Mara asked and quickly realized her mistake. “Shit. Sorry, Tara.”
“Because you both are being inappropriately nosy. Are you this gossipy with all of your customers?”
“Well, no,” Sophie insisted, properly chastised. “But you’re our friend,” she said with a genuine pout.
“And there’s the whole matter of the high compatibility rating. Remember that?”
“That’s your problem, not mine.” It was bad enough I’d come so close to sleeping with Chris. So close to making another mistake that would do nothing to further my goals. “Look, I appreciate your interest, really I do, but this thing with Chris just isn’t going to happen. I’m fine with it and I need you two to get fine with it too. Right away. Okay?”
Sophie sighed, defeated, as she pushed away from the table. “I’m not okay with this, Tara. Not at all.”
Eva put a hand to her shoulder, but her grey gaze remained steady on mine. “It’s obvious that you’re not in the mood to talk right now, so we’ll try again. Soon.” Her parting words was more of an ominous warning than a friendly request for a get together.
“Is it me or did that sound like a threat?”
Mara nodded. “Definitely a threat. So you better get your story straight, whatever it is. And maybe wipe off that orgasmic glow you have. It’s annoying as hell.”
I laughed. “That glow is battery operated, thank you very much.”
“Maybe battery operated, but definitely inspired by a man. A specific man, I assume.”
“Ugh, stop this. Please!” I couldn’t talk or think about it any longer. “What’s new with you, Mara?”
She grinned and stood. “Nothing as exciting as what’s going on with you, which makes me kind of sad that my break is over. Let’s do this again soon.”
“Dinner? Somewhere not in Pilgrim?”
She nodded. “Thursday or Friday works for me. Gotta go.” Mara sauntered off, leaving me along with my thoughts.
Thoughts that raced in all directions, no matter how hard I tried to focus on one particular topic. Myself. I needed to focus on my career and the upcoming detective’s exam. I needed to find a man who wanted a wife and kids some day, and Chris wasn’t that man.
No matter how much I was starting to wish he was.
Chris
And there Tara was, long thick sable locks blowing in the misty breeze as she knelt over the unidentified body.
“Dammit!” For the past two hours, hell the past two days, every word I wrote somehow ended up being about Tara.
It didn’t matter that I’d changed my protagonist’s hair to fiery red instead of a deep chocolate color, she was everywhere, appearing in every word and on every page. And it was all because of that non-date. Because I now knew that Tara’s skin was just as soft as it looked, her hard nipples as sweet as they appeared, pink and delicate. Or maybe it was because I knew how she sounded when she was turned on. Most of all, I knew how my name sounded coming from her lips in the throes of passion.
