Page 15 of Love Me Darkly
Mateo bit the inside of his cheek and dropped his eyes again, determined to keep them down.
“Terrible,” he managed, his voice coming out harsher than he’d intended. From the corner of his eye, he noticed that her top was the same golden color as her shoes. It draped the front of her body, dipping low enough that he could see the curves of her tits.
“Unfortunately,” she said, “I don’t know anything about Scotch, but I can ask Rudy if he’s got anything better back there.”
Mateo went on scowling and trying not to stare at those tits. They were, quite simply, magnificent. Donovan gave her another charming smile.
“We appreciate it, Miss …”
“Melody,” she said with another smile.
“Thanks, Melody. I’m Jack, and this is Mateo.”
“I don’t think I’ve seen you before. Y’all from around here?”
“I am,” Donovan told her. “My uncle here is visiting from out of town.”
That, finally, got an outward reaction from Mateo. His head whipped toward Donovan hard and fast, while the younger man simply burst out laughing. He didn’t know why having his age pointed out bothered him just now. Letting his gaze move over Melody again, he estimated that she must be about ten years his junior. She was probably older than Donovan, but still closer to the young agent’s age than Mateo was.
“I am not,” he seethed, “this prick’s uncle.”
Melody giggled, collecting his tumbler and Donovan’s empty beer bottle. “Hang tight. I’ll be right back.”
Mateo had a hell of a time keeping himself from watching her walk away.
“She was checking you out,” Donovan said once she was out of earshot. “You’re insane if you didn’t notice.”
He had noticed. For the short moment Mateo had looked into Melody’s eyes, he had seen it. Curiosity. Intrigue. Attraction.
“This is work,” he reminded Donovan.
“Doesn’t mean you can’t mix business with pleasure.”
“Is that what you do? Fuck every piece of pussy that comes across you while you’re on a case?”
Donovan shrugged, not the slightest bit affected by Mateo’s sour mood. “Never anyone actually connected to a case. But clubs are fair game. You ought to ask for her number or something. Could be a nice distraction while you’re in town.”
Mateo refused to respond, unwilling to consider that idea for more than five seconds. It had only been a few days since the woman from the app, and a session like that was usually enough to last him for months. Besides, he didn’t want the waitress, no matter how gorgeous she was. He didn’t.
Melody returned, placing the beer and the shot in front of Donovan. Then, she rounded the table, reaching over Mateo’s shoulder to set a fresh tumbler in front of him. His senses were assaulted by a scent he couldn’t quite place. He only knew it came from her. Her hair or her skin. Some kind of perfume or oil. He made out vanilla and musk mixed with something spicy before she pulled her arm back.
“Rudy said this was the best he has. Something called Aberfeldy 12.”
Mateo lifted the glass and sniffed at its contents before taking a wary sip. It wasn’t the best Scotch he’d ever had, but it was smooth and far better than the crap he’d first been served.
“It’s good,” he said, finally looking her in the eye. It was the least he could do after she’d gone out of her way to find him a decent Scotch. “Thank Rudy for me?”
She smiled at him. A real smile that showed teeth. His stomach gave a violent lurch, followed by a twist.
“I will. Oh, and this round’s on the house. Our apologies for the bad Scotch. Wave me down if y’all need anything!”
She disappeared, leaving the air to Mateo’s right cold. Or maybe it wasn’t the air. It was him, coming down from what felt dangerously like a boiling point. He breathed a sigh of relief as the heat began to fade the moment she was out of sight. He wasn’t usually so easily distracted while on the job, and was annoyed with himself for reacting as if he’d never seen a nice ass or pair of pretty legs before.
“I think we got something,” Donovan said.
Mateo followed his gaze to the group of men making their way to the VIP section. Four burly guys trailed them, and he had seen enough like them to know they were the muscle. He and Donovan looked on as the men slid into one of the VIP areas, spreading out on the plush couches.
“Isn’t that our friend, Suede?”
