Frisk Me(55)

“So, Sawyer, if you’re free next week, I was thinking we could do a quick on-camera recount of your version of that day,” Ava said, taking advantage of the mellow mood.

Lopez leaned forward, wiggling his eyebrows. “I knew you’d see it eventually.”

“See what?” Luc asked, leaning back in his chair and casually dropping his arm around the back of Ava’s chair.

She was reasonably sure he hadn’t realized he’d made the gesture.

But Ava was aware. Very aware.

“That I’m a natural,” Lopez said, flexing his fingers. “Get calls from Hollywood agents all the time.”

“Weird, I’ve never seen that,” Luc muttered. “Ever.”

Sawyer ignored him, pointing at his own face. “See this chiseled jaw? The camera loves it.”

Ava turned slightly toward Luc. “Are you paying attention? This is what a willing and cooperative interview subject looks like.”

“Great!” Luc said, taking a sip of beer. “Then you can shift the focus of your America’s Hero thing to Lopez.”

“She probably would have,” Lopez broke in. “But then you had to go and buy a Barbie.”

Luc closed his eyes and groaned, and Ava reached out to poke a joking finger at his stomach.

His eyes flew open and met hers, and her hand faltered, just long enough to register that the man had very, very nice abs.

“I think it’s cute,” she said, yanking her hand back. “Did you pick it out yourself?”

“I bought it online,” he growled. “Free shipping. It was no big deal.”

Ava pressed her lips together. It wasn’t a big deal, not really. A few bucks.

But the gesture spoke volumes.

She knew it, Lopez knew it, and everyone who watched that segment would know it.

Hell, her female viewers would positively melt.

Scratch that. Her female viewers will be a puddle the first time they see the man smile.

But right now, Ava didn’t care about Lopez or her viewers.

She was thinking about Luc. And herself.

The man had surprised her.

She’d been clinging to the probability that on some level, Luc must have known that his dramatic dive-in-the-water routine would get him accolades.

He’d wanted to save that little girl, of course.

But did he really regret that the entire world was fawning over him? She hadn’t been sure.

But the Barbie…the Barbie, Ava couldn’t explain away.

“Does your family know?” she asked abruptly.

He broke off the argument he was having with Lopez about whether he had to turn in his man card because he bought a doll.

“Does my family know what?”

“About the Barbie,” she said.

“Well they sure as hell will when they see your stupid show,” he said grumpily.

“But you didn’t tell them before. Any of them. Not even Elena who could have helped pick out the Barbie?”

“Are you kidding me? Elena would have taken a simple task and turned it into a shopping expedition.”

“What about your brothers?”

Luc gave her a look. “Yeah, that’s what every younger brother yearns for. That moment when he can tell three big brothers that he bought a Barbie with his weekly beer money.”

Oh God he was cute.

Luc jabbed a finger in the direction of his partner. “You see how Lopez is responding? Multiply that by a thousand, and you’d have Vincent’s reaction.”

“Well aren’t you all, big strong men, being all manly,” she said in a mocking macho voice, making a Popeye-like gesture.

“We are, aren’t we?” Sawyer said. “Do you want to see me flex?”

Luc groaned. “Go home, Lopez.”

“And leave you two to wallow in all this sexual tension? Never.”

Ava froze, her eyes flying to Sawyer’s, but he merely gave her a friendly wink.

Then she turned to Luc and glared. “Don’t look at me. I didn’t tell him shit.”

Sawyer pounced. “There’s something to tell?”

Just a kiss that forever ruined all future kisses with its sheer perfection.

“No,” Ava said, turning back around to face Sawyer, her face composed. “There is nothing to tell.”

Luc laughed. “You are a terrible liar.”

“I am an excellent liar,” she shot back.

“Not really,” Sawyer said, giving her an apologetic pat on the hand. “So. Who wants to tell me? Are we talking accidental boob brush?”

Ava gave him a glare.

Sawyer’s eyebrow lifted. “Full-on cop-a-feel? Duuude.” He reached over to fist-bump Luc, who batted his hand out of the way.

Luc’s partner grinned and drained his beer. “This is nice. Me, Superman, Lois Lane, and unfulfilled lust.”

“It’s not…” Ava made a huffing noise and did what any skilled conversationalist knew how to do.

She changed the subject.

“So, I can’t believe I haven’t asked this before, but how long have you two fine officers been involved in your bromance here?”

“’Bout a year,” Lopez said. “I was doing the Brooklyn thing for a while, but got sick of looking at all the hipsters. There was a spot in Luc’s precinct, so…”