Cast the Cards
***
Carey took her to a bar on the outskirts of town where they could blend in to the crowd. Shooters was what he liked to think of as an upper-class dive bar. They weren’t fancy but the place was clean, the bathroom didn’t look as if you’d catch an S.T.D from breathing the air, and the service was fast and friendly. It was the perfect place to drink in the middle of the day in nice clothing without batting an eyelash. Last thing they wanted was an audience for their forced reunion. Seated across from her at a table for two in the back, he studied her. Never in a million years would he have imagined Savannah West would grow up to be smoking hot.
Ebony tresses fell just below her shoulders. Her tall frame was slender but muscular, like Michelle Rodriguez if she’d been dipped in chocolate and gained five inches. It screwed with his head, having his cock strain against his pants for the childhood best friend who’d bailed when he needed her most. The waitress returned with a tray, setting a bucket of beer and two shots of straight whiskey on the table.
“Here you go. I’ll be back to check on you two later.”
“Thanks,” he peered at her name tag, “Mandy.”
The girl gave a muted smile. Her brown eyes darted toward a silent Savannah. He could see her mentally trying to figure out their relationship. Under other circumstances, he’d be amused.
“Of course.” Mandy walked off. Savannah tossed back her shot like a pro.
“Aaah.” She hissed through her teeth. “It always burns so good.” Her delicate pink tongue darted out to lick her lips.
Fuck.
He arched a brow. “Drink a lot?”
“Nope.” She shook her head, sending strands of black silk flying. A layer fell into her eyes, marring her buttoned-up agent style. His mind began to form images of what she’d look like out of the black slacks and conservative button up shirt. Would her underwear be as bland? It was all too easy to see her curves highlighted in a black corset and thong.
“Gotta stay sharp and keep the reflexes up.” Her answer pulled him from his lustful haze.
I seriously need to get laid. Apparently six months is too long.
“You see a lot of time in the field?” Swirling his shot glass, he watched the amber liquid shift.
“Not usually, but you know they shuffle us around like a deck of cards when necessary.”
He nodded. “You have a partner though, right?”
“Yeah. Are we gonna keep bullshitting?”
“Jesus, Savannah.” He pushed air out through his teeth. So much for polite conversation. The cold tone put a halt to the massive swelling of his cock. Wah Wah Wah played in his head.
“It was a simple question.” She shrugged.
“It was a copout.” Refusing to let her put her wall back up as though she hadn’t been shaken to her core twenty minutes earlier, he called her out.
“Why?” The haughty look she issued rankled. He wanted to wipe the expression off her face. Peel back the persona she wore like a shield and retrieve the Vannah he knew still existed, held hostage inside her, like Rapunzel in her tower.
“Because you’re acting like we just met.” Narrowing his eyes, he leaned forward.
“No.” She shook her head. “But we’re not besties either. We don’t know each other anymore.”
“You really believe that?” The dismissive words wounded. Sure, over the years they’d changed, but stranger, seemed a pretty harsh label for two people who’d known each other since they were in diapers.
“You don’t?” She arched an eyebrow. “You said yourself I’d changed.”
“I can’t work with you like this.” I don’t like this new Savannah one bit.
She rolled her eyes. “I don’t even know what you’re talking about.”
“This is personal. I can’t pretend otherwise. How can you?” he whispered.
The walls she hid behind collapsed. The dark abyss of pain visible in her deep brown orbs was a revelation.
“I have to. Emotions make you sloppy and vulnerable. If I get lost in my own head on this one, I’ll be of no use to anyone. I’ve waited far too long to do that. Don’t think for a moment this isn’t ripping me to shreds on the inside. You have your way of dealing, and I have mine. I’m not saying it’s right, but it gets me by.”