When We Met (Fool's Gold #13)(26)

But that wasn’t to say she was going to make it easy.

She shifted so she was more angled toward him. She drew one leg up, resting her thigh on the seat, parting her legs slightly. Her dress rode up obligingly.

She took the hand that had been on her leg and put it back on her bare skin, then guided it higher until his fingers came in contact with the hot, damp wisp of silk that was her thong.

She’d thought to shock him, to make him squirm. But instead of hesitating, he slid two fingers under the elastic and brushed them unerringly against her swollen, hungry core.

Heat and need shot through her. She had a bad feeling she both flushed and gasped as need threatened to take control. He touched her again, rubbing more firmly once, twice, three more times, then withdrew his hand.

“Think you’re playing with a kid?” he asked, his eyes bright with confidence.

She faced front and tugged down her dress. “No. I was making a point.”

“Me, too.”

And he’d won, damn him. Instead of rattling him, she was the one who wanted to squirm. She had to hold on to her martini with both hands to keep from grabbing his hand and shoving it back under the table so he could keep touching her. She’d never in her life wanted to have sex in a public place, but apparently exceptions could be made.

What was it that he’d just told her? That he would learn how to make her come anytime, anywhere? So much for delusions of grandeur, she thought grimly. From that very brief demonstration it looked as though Angel was going to make good on his word.

* * *

“WHAT?” LARISSA ASKED the next morning when she and Taryn met for breakfast. “Didn’t you sleep?”

So much for her new “look refreshed” concealer technique, Taryn thought. “No. I had things on my mind.”

“Work stuff?” Larissa’s voice was sympathetic.

Taryn hesitated. While she didn’t like talking about her personal life, she and Larissa were friends.

“It’s the guy,” she admitted.

Larissa scooted forward on her seat. “Seriously? Wow. You don’t usually let them get to you enough to keep you up at night. Start at the beginning. You said hi and he said hi.” She paused expectantly.

Taryn laughed. “Okay, then. How we met isn’t important.”

“It might be to me. I have no love life. I have to live vicariously through yours.”

“That is just plain sad.” Taryn picked up her coffee and took a sip.

“It’s the orchid guy,” Larissa said, perking up. “The bodyguard school person. You said he couldn’t own a grocery store, which I thought was unfair because he was just so nice that way.”

Taryn sighed. “You’re insane, you know that, right?”

“I refuse to accept that. So what happened?” Larissa paused. “Or didn’t happen?”

“I’m not sure. It’s both.” Taryn thought about their dinner. There’d been no shortage of conversation or sexual tension. “He confuses me.”

“I didn’t think that was possible.”

“Me, either. Just to make it all interesting, he needs my help with an unexpected project.”

She told Larissa about the FWM and Angel being a Grove Keeper. “With Kenny and Jack trying to land the LL@R account, I’m going to have to suck it up and go camping. We’re sharing knowledge.”

Taryn waited for Larissa to burst out laughing. It wasn’t as if Taryn knew much about little girls. Or children of either gender, for that matter.

Instead Larissa sighed. “Those girls are going to adore you.”

“Really? Because I’m kind of nervous about it. At the time I thought it would be fine, but then I started thinking that kids aren’t exactly my strong suit.”

“Don’t,” her friend told her. “No doubts allowed. You’ll be straightforward with them, and they’ll love that. Plus, if things get too quiet, show them your shoes and you’ll win them over.”

“I hope you’re right.”

Taryn had never thought much about children. Her unexpected and brief pregnancy had terrified her, but before she could figure out how she was going to be a decent parent when she’d never seen one in action, she’d lost the baby.

“Enough about me,” she said firmly. “How are you doing?”

“Great. I’m all moved in and getting to know the town. People are friendly here. I like that.”

“You would,” Taryn told her. “I have to say the boys are better now that you’re here.”

“I live to serve,” Larissa said with a grin. Then her smile faded. “Kenny is going to need surgery on his knee again. When it gets bad, I can barely touch it. I have to admit I don’t get the thrill of the game. Sure, it’s wonderful while it happens, but then the guys have to deal with the consequences.”

There was plenty of pain to go around, Taryn thought. “You know they wouldn’t give up what they had for anything.”

“Glory days,” Larissa said. She glanced around, then lowered her voice. “But don’t you think it’s strange none of them are married?”

“Sam was and that was a disaster.”

Larissa pressed her lips together as if trying not to laugh. “I know,” she managed. “It’s very sad.”