Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 66330 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 332(@200wpm)___ 265(@250wpm)___ 221(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66330 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 332(@200wpm)___ 265(@250wpm)___ 221(@300wpm)
“Con,” Lily gasped. “What are you doing here?”
What an excellent question. I kept my gaze focused straight ahead. I knew if I looked at her, those cornflower blue eyes would be wide, and her pink lips would be parted with surprise. And more than that, I didn’t want to see how low the neckline of her dress dipped.
“Two Lunar Eclipses,” I said to Bam Bam.
When he turned around to pull them, I felt the pressure of Lily’s wide-eyed gaze more intensely. Reluctantly, I looked back at her. “What are you doing here?” I asked, returning her question unanswered.
“Victoria invited me.” Lily nodded to a dark-haired woman I recognized from Brand Development. So she was making friends. That was good, although I didn’t like the looks of this one. She had that deadly combination of ruthlessness and hunger that I’d seen propel people both to the top of the world and into an abyss. Their sheer determination violated the natural order of gravity, and if you stood too close, there was no telling whether they’d bring you up with them or step on you to get there.
I hadn’t realized I was staring at Victoria, my eyes slightly narrowed, until I felt Lily’s hand on my arm. Again, that combination of shock and lust. This time though, it wasn’t unpleasant. Still, I rolled my shoulders back, dislodging the gentle pressure of her fingers.
“I said, what are you doing here?” Lily repeated.
Bam Bam set our pint glasses in front of us. I paid for our drinks, ignoring Lily’s gentle insistence that she would pay for hers.
“Thanks, man,” Bam Bam said, his smooth affectation slipping when he saw the size of the tip I’d left. I heard a hint of the Midwest in his uncloaked syllables.
“It comes with a condition,” I said. “If that guy—” I pointed across the bar to where he could see Garrett standing at the edge of the interior room “—orders another drink from you, tell him you only have Pineapple Fantasy left, okay?”
“Uh, sure,” Bam Bam said uneasily, but I was already turning away.
I wasn’t surprised when Lily followed me. I’d never answered her question after all. But it would have been easier if she hadn’t. Not better. But fucking easier.
When we reached Garrett, I introduced them.
“Hi Lily,” he said, still distracted by his problem actor, who was leaning so close to another actor that they were either about to start kissing or swinging. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”
“You have?” she asked, surprised. She looked at me.
“I told him you were Halley’s friend and that you were here for a job,” I said levelly. “I’m not sure what Garrett’s definition of a lot is.”
“Not from him,” Garrett said, finally turning his full attention to us. A hint of a smirk played at the corners of his mouth. “You’ve met another friend of ours.”
Fucking Landon, of course. He’d sensed how I felt about Lily.
“Landon had a lot to say about me?” Lily said, clearly confused. “I only met him for a minute.”
“He said you made an impression.”
To anyone else, Garrett’s expression might have looked sincere. I saw the malice dancing in his eyes though. He was going to get me back for making him drink twelve ounces of monkey spit, and he was going to laugh his ass off about it later with Landon. I felt the tendons in my shoulders tighten. Maybe his client wasn’t the only one who would be throwing barstools tonight.
“I need to talk to you for a second,” I said to Garrett, trying to keep my voice level. Lily’s eyes widened again. Even Garrett looked surprised. He looked back at his actor, who at least for the moment, seemed reasonably docile.
“It’ll only take a second,” I said, baring my teeth in what I hoped Lily interpreted as a friendly grin. “It’s about a work thing.”
“Sure,” Garrett said, not fooled. “Lily, you see that guy in the orange shirt over there on the leather settee?”
She nodded.
“If he tries to pick up that settee, or any of the furniture in here, I need you to get my attention right away, okay?”
Lily looked concerned.
“It’ll only take a second,” I repeated. I led Garrett over to a corner a few feet away and dropped my nice guy act. “Don’t say another fucking word to Lily,” I ordered, my voice low and deadly.
Garrett raised his eyebrows. “Ever? That’s going to make the rest of the night pretty fucking awkward if you ask me.”
“You know what I mean.”
Over his shoulder, I saw Lily look over at us. She was mouthing something, but I couldn’t figure out what.
“I don’t know what Landon told you, but it’s not fucking true,” I continued.
“So you don’t want to—”
I cut Garrett off with a hard look. Then, behind him, I saw Lily smile reflexively as someone approached her.