iceberg.
“Sorry,” Nate mumbled. “Had a case.”
“Oh, I know all about your case,” Mary told him. She ran her fingertip down Nate’s lapel, her eyes devouring him inch by inch. “But work has never gotten in the way of pleasure before.”
Wow. That was her best line? I groaned out load before I could stop myself.
Mary’s head snapped around (and down), her eyes narrowing. “Something to say, Red?”
I batted my eyes at her. “Sorry? What was that?”
“I asked if you had something to say,” Mary repeated with forced patience. “I didn’t want to be rude and miss the chance to hear your captivating contribution to our conversation.”
My lips curved into a wicked smile. So many smart-ass remarks came to mind. It was a pity to have to choose only one. “I was just going to compliment you on your witty repartee.” I screwed my face in an imitation of her smug grin the day before. “Well done, Mary. Bra- vo. . . . ”
Mary’s face contorted with such contempt she looked like she could have murdered me, but she apparently thought better of it—considering she was standing next to a homicide detective and all—and quickly draped a patronizing smile across her lips instead. “So good of you to acknowledge my superior skill.”
I resisted the urge to roll my eyes, but felt my restraint fading fast.
“Study hard, Ms. Little, and perhaps someday you can be witty, too.”
Don’t roll your eyes, don’t roll your eyes, don’t —
“Did you just roll your eyes at me?” Mary sputtered.
Damn. Busted.
I felt Nate take a step closer to me. “I hate to interrupt,” he said to Mary, “but we need to get back to work.”
“Of course,” Mary replied. “Forgive me for keeping you.” She gave Nate a seductive smile, then sauntered away, glancing over her shoulder to make sure he was watching the exaggerated sway of her hips—at least, that was my take on it.
And, of course, he was.
I made a noise of disgust and started walking. I didn’t bother glancing over my shoulder. A few beats later, I heard Nate hurry to catch up with me anyway.
(So there, Mistress Mary.)
“Where did you want to have lunch?” he asked, as if the encounter with Ms. Sex-in-a-Suit hadn’t just taken place.
I glanced at him askance and increased my pace. “Mary Smith?” I muttered. “Seriously? Don’t ever talk to me about my love life again.”
Nate had the good grace to flush a little. “It’s not what you think.”
“She didn’t leave a lot of room for misunderstanding,” I retorted. “God, you could at least be a little more discreet about it.”
“I’m not fooling around with Mary Smith,” Nate insisted loudly. Then, seeing that he had drawn the curious stares of some of our colleagues in the bustling hallway, he lowered his voice. “She and I were supposed to get together to discuss a case over dinner. I stood her up when Hamelin offed himself last night. I was with you instead.”
The knowledge that I had ruined Mary’s plans made me all warm and fuzzy inside. The fact that her plans had included Nate was just coincidence, of course. I would have felt the same sadistic glee had her plans involved anyone I even remotely liked and respected. Really.
Nate took hold of my upper arm and pulled me to a stop. “Listen, I know you don’t like her, but you might try being a little less antagonistic.”
I frowned up at him. “I’m not antagonistic.” When he gave me a knowing look, I said, “Okay, I’m a little antagonistic. But she started it.”
Nate shook his head. “Nice. Very mature.”
I huffed and crossed my arms, my bottom lip poking out a bit. I stopped just short of sticking my tongue out at him. “Fine. I’ll try to play nice. But I won’t like it.”
Nate chuckled and put his arm around my shoulders, leading me forward. “I’m not asking you to like it, or even like her. I’m just asking you to try to be civil.”
I sighed, conscious of the arm still around me. “I
“Sorry,” Nate mumbled. “Had a case.”
“Oh, I know all about your case,” Mary told him. She ran her fingertip down Nate’s lapel, her eyes devouring him inch by inch. “But work has never gotten in the way of pleasure before.”
Wow. That was her best line? I groaned out load before I could stop myself.
Mary’s head snapped around (and down), her eyes narrowing. “Something to say, Red?”
I batted my eyes at her. “Sorry? What was that?”
“I asked if you had something to say,” Mary repeated with forced patience. “I didn’t want to be rude and miss the chance to hear your captivating contribution to our conversation.”
My lips curved into a wicked smile. So many smart-ass remarks came to mind. It was a pity to have to choose only one. “I was just going to compliment you on your witty repartee.” I screwed my face in an imitation of her smug grin the day before. “Well done, Mary. Bra- vo. . . . ”
Mary’s face contorted with such contempt she looked like she could have murdered me, but she apparently thought better of it—considering she was standing next to a homicide detective and all—and quickly draped a patronizing smile across her lips instead. “So good of you to acknowledge my superior skill.”
I resisted the urge to roll my eyes, but felt my restraint fading fast.
“Study hard, Ms. Little, and perhaps someday you can be witty, too.”
Don’t roll your eyes, don’t roll your eyes, don’t —
“Did you just roll your eyes at me?” Mary sputtered.
Damn. Busted.
I felt Nate take a step closer to me. “I hate to interrupt,” he said to Mary, “but we need to get back to work.”
“Of course,” Mary replied. “Forgive me for keeping you.” She gave Nate a seductive smile, then sauntered away, glancing over her shoulder to make sure he was watching the exaggerated sway of her hips—at least, that was my take on it.
And, of course, he was.
I made a noise of disgust and started walking. I didn’t bother glancing over my shoulder. A few beats later, I heard Nate hurry to catch up with me anyway.
(So there, Mistress Mary.)
“Where did you want to have lunch?” he asked, as if the encounter with Ms. Sex-in-a-Suit hadn’t just taken place.
I glanced at him askance and increased my pace. “Mary Smith?” I muttered. “Seriously? Don’t ever talk to me about my love life again.”
Nate had the good grace to flush a little. “It’s not what you think.”
“She didn’t leave a lot of room for misunderstanding,” I retorted. “God, you could at least be a little more discreet about it.”
“I’m not fooling around with Mary Smith,” Nate insisted loudly. Then, seeing that he had drawn the curious stares of some of our colleagues in the bustling hallway, he lowered his voice. “She and I were supposed to get together to discuss a case over dinner. I stood her up when Hamelin offed himself last night. I was with you instead.”
The knowledge that I had ruined Mary’s plans made me all warm and fuzzy inside. The fact that her plans had included Nate was just coincidence, of course. I would have felt the same sadistic glee had her plans involved anyone I even remotely liked and respected. Really.
Nate took hold of my upper arm and pulled me to a stop. “Listen, I know you don’t like her, but you might try being a little less antagonistic.”
I frowned up at him. “I’m not antagonistic.” When he gave me a knowing look, I said, “Okay, I’m a little antagonistic. But she started it.”
Nate shook his head. “Nice. Very mature.”
I huffed and crossed my arms, my bottom lip poking out a bit. I stopped just short of sticking my tongue out at him. “Fine. I’ll try to play nice. But I won’t like it.”
Nate chuckled and put his arm around my shoulders, leading me forward. “I’m not asking you to like it, or even like her. I’m just asking you to try to be civil.”
I sighed, conscious of the arm still around me. “I
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