Page 130 of Bottles & Blades

I shoot him a look, make sure it’s laced with plenty of warning, but he ignores it. “I need to run to another meeting.” His gaze goes back to Marie’s. “Call me anytime.”

Then he’s gone.

And Marie is holding his card like she’s torn between deciding if it’s a ticking bomb or the most precious gift on the planet—that’s to say, she’s holding it carefully.

Verycarefully.

“Something you need to tell me?” I ask quietly.

Her throat works.

Then she shakes her head, whispers, “No.”

“Marie,” I warn.

She sighs, pockets the card. “We met a few months back. I didn’t know who he was, and he tried to take my Lyft.” She snags the papers, stacks them carefully, taking her time and making sure each of the four edges is carefully aligned.

Yeah, she’s got it bad.

“We had words.” A shrug. Another sigh. “And now he’s here.”

Now he’s here.

Giving her his card.

Watching her closely.

Wanting toliaison.

He’s got it bad too.

Hmm.

I file that away, focus on the biggest fire in front of me. “Tiff is waiting and I need to get home to her. Do you need me here for this?”

“No,” she says. “It’s the same as before—keep your distance, I’ll update you with what you need to know, and hopefully that’ll keep you well away from any investigation fallout and future court dates.”

“Let’s hope those court dates for her aren’t all that far into said future.”

Marie smiles, but it’s not her normal one. Not relaxed and confident.

It’s…distracted.

By Jace Henderson.

Yeah, I’m definitely going to have to do something about that.

Forty-One

Tiff

I never would have thoughta man scowling at me could be cute.

But it is.

Mostly because I want to kiss Jean-Michel until he smiles at me.

Chrissy’s here, though, along with Rome and King and Rory and a gaggle of rescue kittens that “need socialization.”

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