Read Online Deadly Lies by Chris Patchell - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Chris Patchell
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brown eyes.
“A Seahawks fan.”
“Oh man, I should have guessed,” the younger man groaned with a good-natured roll of his eyes.
His cell phone went off, and as he reached to answer it, Jill glanced back over her shoulder toward the door. Still no sign of Jamie, she surmised as she drained the last of her drink. She looked around for the bartender, hoping to catch his eye, but he was busy serving patrons at the other end of the bar. Her fingernails drummed the empty glass.
“Someone is in trouble,” the younger man beside her said, cell phone now resting on the bar. His friend had vacated his stool, leaving him alone with Jill, and he glanced over at her with a smile.
“Just running late,” she shrugged. Her fingers tightened on the coaster.
“Right,” he said as if he didn’t quite believe her. He nodded toward the empty glass in front of her. “Can I buy you another while you wait?”
Jill hesitated for a moment before tilting her head with a smile. What was the harm? He might turn out to be a fun distraction, and besides, it might needle Jamie to have another man buy her a drink. After all, he was making her wait.
“Why not? Dirty martini—”
“Straight up with two olives. Got it.” He winked and signaled the bartender.
“You don’t miss much.”
“I’m into details.” His shrug was casual, and despite herself she had to admire his easy confidence.
With fresh drinks in front of them, Jill sat back in her barstool and tried to relax, but she was keenly aware of each second that ticked by. Jamie’s meeting must have gone late. Damn Rachel for planting the seeds of doubt. Dana’s pretty face stayed rooted in her brain.
“Thanks.” She tipped the glass toward the man beside her in a salute.
“My pleasure.” He sipped his bourbon and water. “I’m Brent.”
She shook his outstretched hand and felt hers engulfed in his firm grip. “Jill.”
“Nice to meet you, Jill.” His warm smile enlivened his dark eyes, and his low, velvety-smooth voice pleased her ear.
Jill swirled the olives around in her drink, deliberately breaking eye contact. Oh, yes, he had charm all right. Brent looked like the kind of guy who was used to winning. Confident, but not cocky. It was a charismatic combination.
“Whoever he is, he should know better than to keep you waiting.”
Jill chuckled. “Yes, he certainly should. I’m not known for my patience.”
“Who needs patience when you have so many other lovely attributes?” His look was suddenly intimate, and her defenses shot off a warning flare. He had just crossed the line. Too bad, really. Playful banter aside, this situation could turn problematic in a heartbeat. It was time to shut him down.
Jill’s smile deepened as she leaned dangerously close to him. She concocted a look that was part conspiratorial, and part naughty. Taking her bait with a knowing grin, Brent leaned toward her, their arms almost touching on the bar. She could feel the heat from hisbody and the crisp, sweet scent of his cologne. Again she detected his total confidence. She looked up, and her eyes met his in an unflinching stare.
“You’re an inventive guy, Brent. Smart, creative, observant. Right?”
“So I’m told.”
“The kind of guy who doesn’t miss much?”
“True.”
“If that’s the case, I have to wonder … Is that the best line you could come up with? Really?”
She reached her hand across to rest casually on his arm for a moment, showing off her wedding ring to its best advantage.
“And I have to believe that a smart guy like you would not consciously hit on a married woman. What would your mother say?”
Brent’s laugh was good-natured. He sat back in his stool, angling his gaze to the television screen perched high at the corner of the bar.
Message received
. A few moments passed in silence before he turned back toward her.
“You caught me.” He smiled, cheeks slightly pink. “Sure, I noticed the ring, but you can’t blame a guy for
“A Seahawks fan.”
“Oh man, I should have guessed,” the younger man groaned with a good-natured roll of his eyes.
His cell phone went off, and as he reached to answer it, Jill glanced back over her shoulder toward the door. Still no sign of Jamie, she surmised as she drained the last of her drink. She looked around for the bartender, hoping to catch his eye, but he was busy serving patrons at the other end of the bar. Her fingernails drummed the empty glass.
“Someone is in trouble,” the younger man beside her said, cell phone now resting on the bar. His friend had vacated his stool, leaving him alone with Jill, and he glanced over at her with a smile.
“Just running late,” she shrugged. Her fingers tightened on the coaster.
“Right,” he said as if he didn’t quite believe her. He nodded toward the empty glass in front of her. “Can I buy you another while you wait?”
Jill hesitated for a moment before tilting her head with a smile. What was the harm? He might turn out to be a fun distraction, and besides, it might needle Jamie to have another man buy her a drink. After all, he was making her wait.
“Why not? Dirty martini—”
“Straight up with two olives. Got it.” He winked and signaled the bartender.
“You don’t miss much.”
“I’m into details.” His shrug was casual, and despite herself she had to admire his easy confidence.
With fresh drinks in front of them, Jill sat back in her barstool and tried to relax, but she was keenly aware of each second that ticked by. Jamie’s meeting must have gone late. Damn Rachel for planting the seeds of doubt. Dana’s pretty face stayed rooted in her brain.
“Thanks.” She tipped the glass toward the man beside her in a salute.
“My pleasure.” He sipped his bourbon and water. “I’m Brent.”
She shook his outstretched hand and felt hers engulfed in his firm grip. “Jill.”
“Nice to meet you, Jill.” His warm smile enlivened his dark eyes, and his low, velvety-smooth voice pleased her ear.
Jill swirled the olives around in her drink, deliberately breaking eye contact. Oh, yes, he had charm all right. Brent looked like the kind of guy who was used to winning. Confident, but not cocky. It was a charismatic combination.
“Whoever he is, he should know better than to keep you waiting.”
Jill chuckled. “Yes, he certainly should. I’m not known for my patience.”
“Who needs patience when you have so many other lovely attributes?” His look was suddenly intimate, and her defenses shot off a warning flare. He had just crossed the line. Too bad, really. Playful banter aside, this situation could turn problematic in a heartbeat. It was time to shut him down.
Jill’s smile deepened as she leaned dangerously close to him. She concocted a look that was part conspiratorial, and part naughty. Taking her bait with a knowing grin, Brent leaned toward her, their arms almost touching on the bar. She could feel the heat from hisbody and the crisp, sweet scent of his cologne. Again she detected his total confidence. She looked up, and her eyes met his in an unflinching stare.
“You’re an inventive guy, Brent. Smart, creative, observant. Right?”
“So I’m told.”
“The kind of guy who doesn’t miss much?”
“True.”
“If that’s the case, I have to wonder … Is that the best line you could come up with? Really?”
She reached her hand across to rest casually on his arm for a moment, showing off her wedding ring to its best advantage.
“And I have to believe that a smart guy like you would not consciously hit on a married woman. What would your mother say?”
Brent’s laugh was good-natured. He sat back in his stool, angling his gaze to the television screen perched high at the corner of the bar.
Message received
. A few moments passed in silence before he turned back toward her.
“You caught me.” He smiled, cheeks slightly pink. “Sure, I noticed the ring, but you can’t blame a guy for
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