Page 16 of Close Encounters of the Sexy Kind
“Yeah, I can tell. I’ve seen happier pusses at the DMV. You need to let loose a little, Ryan. You’re too pretty to sit on the sidelines.”
“That’s what the bartender said.”
Betty’s eyes lit up. “Oooo, now he’s a hottie. You should totally hit that.”
“I amnotgoing to hit that,” Ryan said firmly. They guy was hot, but he was totally not her type. She preferred the quiet, serious guys, the ones who didn’t feel the need to flash their goods or flirt with every woman they saw. The kind of man who looked her in the eyes instead of her boobs. “And I’m fine, really. Ilikesitting on the sidelines. Besides,” she said, “we still have that cake and ice cream back at your place.”
Betty shifted uncomfortably. “Yeah, about that ... Q offered to give me a tour of the VIP areas.”
“Oh. You should go.”
“Yeah? You don’t mind?”
“No. I think I can manage to hold out a little while longer. I mean, how long can a tour take, right?”
“All night, if he knows what he’s doing.”
“Betty, I love you, you know that, but you don’t know anything about this guy!”
“I know he’s rich, handsome, and has areallyimpressive package.”
“How could you possibly know that?”
“I groped him while we were dancing.”
“That’s sexual harassment!”
Betty grinned wickedly. “He didn’t seem to mind. In fact, that’s what got me the private tour.”
Ryan shook her head. They had been friends long enough that Betty’s bold antics no longer surprised her, yet she was still disappointed they wouldn’t be having that cake and ice cream girl time. Looking forward to that had gotten her through most of the evening.
“Fine. Take your private tour. I think I’m going to take off, though, as soon as I get his info.”
“Stop being a cop for five seconds, okay? No ID check tonight. Q is one of the owners. He won’t be hard to find.”
Ryan frowned but nodded. If Q was an owner as he claimed, something she would confirm before leaving, there would be enough information filed with the township to track him down if necessary. “All right. Call me if you need me, okay? Any time, any reason.”
“Stop worrying so much. I’m a big girl, and I know what I’m doing.” Betty hugged her. “I’ll call you tomorrow, okay?”
“You better, or I’m putting an APB out on both of you.”
Betty laughed. “Fair enough.”
They made it back out to the bar, where “Q” was waiting. Ryan gave bonus points to him for sticking around and not moving on to another woman in Betty’s brief absence.
“I can arrange a private tour for you, as well,” Q offered when they approached. His wicked smile suggested he could arrange alotof things.
“Thanks, but no thanks. And just so you know, I’m a cop and she’s my best friend. If you so much as hurt her feelings, Iwillbe back here, and not for a social call, get me?”
Betty looked slightly mortified, but Q laughed as he smoothly slipped an arm around Betty’s waist and drew her close. “Everyone should have such fierce friends. She is in good hands with me, I assure you.”
“She’d better be.”
As Betty and her new bad boy made their way over to the bank of elevators, Ryan sighed and looked at her watch. Barely eleven p.m. It looked like getting up early in the morning wasn’t going to be an issue after all.
