Beneath These Lies (Beneath, #5)(36)

“I’m going to add unique to the list.”

The server returned with my glass of wine and Hennessy’s two fingers of bourbon before I could respond, and asked for our orders. I opted for the bouillabaisse and Rhett chose the duck.

After the server collected our menus, I turned the questions back on Rhett. “What do you like to do? Besides fight crime and keep the city safe?”

He smiled and sipped his bourbon. “Spend time with my folks, watch football, hunt, fish, and take out beautiful women.”

My eyebrows went up. “Women as in plural?”

“I try to keep them to one at a time. I don’t often find myself in my current predicament.”

“What’s that?” I asked.

“Being more interested in her than she is in me.”

Wow. He was just going to lay it all out like that, was he?

“Excuse me?”

Rhett leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms. “There’s something going on with you, and I know you don’t want me to know what it is. But I am a detective, and that means I know when something’s not right. Why don’t you save us this song and dance and just tell me what’s happening? If I can help, I will. If you’re in trouble, I can get you out.”

I dropped my gaze to my wine and took a drink. A really, really big drink.

“Guess that’s all the answer I need then.” He set his glass down on the table. “So cut the shit, Valentina, and tell me what it is.”

I sucked back the rest of my wine, not meeting his eyes until I lowered my glass.

“I’m not in trouble. I’m fine.”

“I don’t believe you.”

I had to give him something. He wasn’t going to leave it alone. And I sucked at lying. “You said you’ve taken out multiple women. Well, I’m seeing someone else too. And no, I’m not telling you who he is.”

Hennessy reached for his bourbon and knocked back the rest. “Guess I was right, then. I’m definitely more into you than you’re into me.”

I smiled weakly. “I . . . This wasn’t exactly planned.” To myself I added, And “seeing” isn’t even accurate because I don’t have a clue what I’m really doing with him.

“Some of the best things aren’t planned.”

The server stopped by our table to deliver another round of drinks, and both Rhett and I reached for them immediately.

“So, I totally understand if you just want to take me home and forget I exist,” I said after another gulp of liquid courage.

Rhett shook his head. “Nah. I’m not out of this race yet. I’m sitting across from you, not him. That means I’ve still got a shot.”

I was an idiot. It took me until just that moment to recognize that I’d found myself caught between two men who were the rare and mystical alpha breed. And I’d just made this a competition. Neither Rix nor Rhett were the kind of guy to turn down a challenge.

“Well . . . um . . .” Come on, Valentina, think of something to say.

I was rescued once again by the server who asked if we were interested in dessert or needed boxes. I took that moment to excuse myself and headed to the ladies’ room.

Once inside, I locked the door and stared at my reflection in the mirror. “What the hell am I doing?”

I pulled my phone from my bag and saw I had missed a text message from Rix. It was a single word.

RIX: MINE.

Would he be inside my house waiting when I got home tonight? What if Rhett kissed me at the door? Would Rix come storming out and . . . God, what would he do? My anxiety jumped several notches.

What the hell was I going to do about this mess? Rhett was the better choice. The safer choice. I didn’t even know what to categorize Rix as other than not a realistic option. Did I want him to be an option? My ongoing fascination with him, not to mention me being flat on my back in his bed this afternoon, said I did.

After washing my hands in cold water and giving myself another pep talk, I ignored Rix’s text and walked back to the table. Rhett was gone.

I turned in a circle, surveying the restaurant. Had he changed his mind and left? Was I wrong about the competition? I had a hard time believing that, but there was no sign of him.

The server hurried over. “Your boyfriend had to step out to take a call. He’ll be right back. He ordered you a latte and the chocolate torte. I’ll have both out in a second.”

I opened my mouth to protest the boyfriend label, but decided the server didn’t care. At least the mystery was solved. I took my seat, and she came back with the most divine chocolate confection I’d ever seen. I was scraping the remnants from the plate and trying to talk myself out of licking it clean when Rhett came back inside.

“Sorry about that, Valentina. I need to cut this short and get you home.” He gave me a rueful smile. “Work. Never stops.”

Being a cop was ingrained in every aspect of Rhett’s life, and seemed to rule it too. I wondered if the other ladies in his life had found it to be trying, but I was more curious about what had come up. Thoughts of Trinity were never far from my mind.

“Is everything okay?” I asked.

“Not usually. Let’s get you home, and I’ll get back to fighting crime and keeping the city safe.”

I stood, and as we left the restaurant, his hand rested on the small of my back. It was a clear sign that he wasn’t giving up on this yet, and I needed to figure out exactly what I thought about it.