Page 15 of Shifter's Dream

“Got it,” Troy said. “Tell her my name?”

Rizzoli studied him quizzically, but nodded.

“It’s Troy Burbank.” He stumbled over his next words. “Tell her I could provide for her.”

Her expression didn’t change, but her scent said she was highly amused.

Troy grimaced, knowing he’d fucked that up. Damn, what had happened to his game? He nodded to Rizzoli and headed back the way he had come, already forming a new plan, glad when he realized he knew exactly how to get her to talk to him.

9 – Farewell, Face Skirt

“Zip it,” Troy growled, swiping drinks off the table and shoving at whatever males got in his way. “Move it.”

He maneuvered them all out of the booth they were in, to another booth in the female’s section, pushing them in the seats, swatting at the males for grumbling and winking at the females, pushing them all in so that he could sit on the outside.

They settled in and mostly had stopped whining about the seat switching. Rogue kept catching his eye and half-winking at him, daring him to wink back with Mac right there. Mac caught her doing it and growled at her. “Rogue, I am warning you. What did I tell you about instigating? You are gonna have a red ass in about two seconds. I will turn you over my knee in front of everyone and you won’t say shit about it.” Rogue laughed an evil, sexy laugh and dared him to do it with her eyes, the very tip of her tongue held between her teeth, looking like a red ass was first on her damn Christmas list that year. Rogue took her fights into the bedroom.

Dahlia rolled her eyes. “Can we make it through one night without hearing about Rogue’s sex life?”

Just like that, the bickering started again. Troy tuned it out and looked around, checking the bar. There she was, talking to Rizzoli and gesturing at… at him. Troy held his breath. He was dying to see her up close, to hear her voice, to speak with her. Instead, she disappeared through the door behind the bar, and Rizzoli headed their way. She sauntered up to the table, her scent apologetic, but her expression teasing.

“Sorry, Tom,” she said. “She asked me to switch sections with her. Something about pelvic popcorn.” Rizzoli shrugged and pointed her pen at him. He almost jumped. “Personally, I think your mustache is creeping her out.”

The table erupted in laughter, even Dahlia and Cerise snickering behind their hands. Troy didn’t give a shit. If the mustache was a mistake, he could admit it. He ignored the tiny stab of loss he felt at what he knew was about to happen, then stood up, heading straight out the front door.

If this worked, he would give Rizzoli the tip of her life.

***

From behind the bar, Reed watched the dead-sexy guy with the retro fashion sense head out the front door.Leaving.Reed ignored the swooping sensation in her stomach as he disappeared, and tried to be glad he was gone. His table was still laughing at whatever Sage had said that had made him leave. Sage was waiting on other tables like she hadn’t done anything.

Reed cut Sage off on her way to her next table. “What did you say to him?” she demanded, diverting her to a table that needed clearing. They worked as they spoke.

“I told him his mustache was creeping you out.”

Reed groaned. “Sage,” she hissed, trying not to break plates as she stacked them. “Why did you mention me at all?”

Sage shrugged, that small smile on her face. “I thought it would run him off. That’s what you want, right?”

Reed glared at her friend and leaned in close. “Don’t you do it, don’t you play matchmaker. I don’t like men like that.”

Sage looked at the door the man had gone out of. “What, all scrumptious and yummy and a little bit wild? I’d take him, but he won’t even look at me.”

A hot streak of jealousy at the thought of Sage being attracted to that man hit Reed in the chest like a laser beam and she almost staggered backwards. All the cops loved Sage, she attracted them like bees to honey.

Sage held up her hands, eyes wide, smile still on her face, voice sincere. “Hey, I was kidding. I get it, you don’t want him, but no one else can have him either. It’s totally fair. I have men like that.”

Reed shook her head, her emotions settling for a moment. Leave it to Sage to make a serious topic nothing but a big joke. She pushed at Sage and they separated, getting back to work, but within a few minutes, the front door opening pulled Reed’s attention, and her emotions hit the blend button.

He was back.

He had a bag from the drugstore across the street in his hand. Reed turned to escape into the kitchen, but stopped when she saw he was going the other way. He pointed at the guy still on the floor at his table and curled his lip, maybe he said something Reed couldn’t hear. He passed them and hit the door to the men’s room, disappearing inside.

Sage came up next to her, smiling. “Don’t you even want to know his name?”

Reed shook her head. “No.” But she did. She really, really did. But she shouldn’t, she really, really shouldn’t.

Sage smiled. “Oh, ok, because he specifically asked me to tell you. He told me his full name. Told me he was a cop and that he could provide for you. He talks a little slow, but seems sweet.”

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