Page 12 of Act of Passion

Shrugging, Edee headed back into the main area of the suite. “He didn’t like seeing you manhandled and he really didn’t like that douchebag calling you awhore.”

“Right, but why?” asked Brooke, trying to make sense of the way Malik had made her feel. “He doesn’t knowme.”

“Because real men don’t hurt women or call them whores. And he’ll get to know you,” said Edee. She slipped on her heels. “Stop overthinking it, Brooke. You always dothat.”

Her friend was right. She did tend to overthink everything. She slipped on her knee-high, heeled brown boots, much to Edee’s dismay. Edee hated Brooke’s choices infashion.

Edee groaned. “All right. We’re nearly thirty minutes late. They probably think we stood themup.”

Brooke snorted. “They probably forgot they even asked us to join them. I bet they’ve already all found other women to keep them company. None of them look as if they’re hurting in the way of attracting theladies.”

Edee stuffed money into her bra and smiled as she headed for the door. She opened and then turned, staring at Brooke. “I don’t think they forgot they asked us to jointhem.”

Snorting, Brooke finished zipping her boots and then looked around the room for her small backpack that doubled as a purse. “Have you seen mybag?”

Edee glanced out into the hall and then back at Brooke. “I really hate that bag. And it’s notneeded.”

“Of course I need it. I never go anywhere without it,” argued Brooke. “You can never be too prepared. What if I need a flashlight, or tissues, paper and apen?”

“Brooke, I love you but you are so weird,” said Edee with a snort. “Let’sgo.”

Brooke bent, looking under the coffee table. “We’re already late because of my mini freak out about everything. And I think you’re wrong. Those guys looked like they have lines of women at the ready. They won’t notice we aren’t thereyet.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t be too sure of that,” said Edee, sounding amused. “In fact, I can guarantee they didn’t start the party without us. Okay, most of them didn’t. Get a move on or I’m going to start throwing stuff at you just to watch your freakish reflexeswork.”

“I don’t have freakish reflexes,” Brooke said, bendingmore.

“Brooke, I think your reflexes need to be studied, because trust me, they’re freakish,” said Edee. Something in her voice told Brooke her friend was about to prove apoint.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the TV remote coming at her. Calmly, she snatched it out of the air and kept looking for herbag.

Edee laughed. “Freak.”

“Diva,” Brooke shotback.

“Thank you,” repliedEdee.

“Found it,” said Brooke as she spotted her bag tucked partially under the sofa. She wiggled to reach it and her backside felt hot all of a sudden. Like it was getting stared at. She reached farther and grabbed thebag.

“Dear Lord, woman, you really need to stop shaking that rump or you’re going to have a super-hot dude trying to mount you,” Edee said,laughing.

Brooke came up too fast and bumped the back of her head on the coffee table. “Ouch!”

Edee laughed more. “The idea of getting mounted wigged you out thatmuch?”

Sensing something coming at her, Brooke put her hand out without looking behind her and caught a small figurine that had been near the entrance to the suite. She set it down on the coffee table. “Stop throwing stuff atme.”

Getting off the floor, Brooke turned to find Malik standing just inside the door to the suite. He was dressed in an off-white dress shirt that looked expensive. The shirt was partially undone, showing off some of his chest and tattoos. The black leather pants he wore fit him like a glove. He wore a gold watch and a gold bracelet. His hair was down and hung to his mid-back.

She’d thought he was sexy when he was in a shirt that looked like it had survived a fire. The man was downright delicious cleaned up. She blinked as her throat went dry. “How did you figure out our roomnumber?”

“He paid the desk clerk an obscene amount of money,” said Striker from thehall.

Edee cackled with laughter. “See, doesn’t look like he found another woman to keep him company. He brought the Scottish jerk though. Win some. Losesome.”

“Yer full of piss and vinegar, lass,” said Striker with a growl. “Want to doit?”

Edee rolled her eyes. “Come on, big guy. Let’s head down to the restaurant and let these two have a moment together. You okay with that,Brooke?”

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