Exposure - Kelly Moran Page 0,81

her on top. Because never let it be said he couldn't let his woman boss him around. He enjoyed every second.

Chapter Twenty

"What about that guy?" Nicole jerked her chin, indicating another prospect.

Raven glanced across the crowded bar to a man sitting alone, nursing a beer. "No."

Flipping her blonde hair over her shoulder, Nicole huffed. "Why? That's been no for about every guy I found."

Raven sipped her fruity cocktail, wincing at the sweetness. "If you can't pick a decent drink, you sure can't pick out a date."

Nicole narrowed her eyes. "What's wrong with him? He's cute."

They'd been at the bar for thirty minutes, fresh off another successful show at the gallery, and Raven wanted to relax. She hadn't been out for fun in ages, and this week had been a mad dash to pull their scheduled exhibit together after the forensics team was through.

Playing along, Raven glanced at the man in question. "He's in the right age bracket, probably early thirties, so he's mature enough. But he's in a swanky bar and ordered a beer on tap. He also hasn't made any attempt to take in his surroundings. He's fresh off a broken heart or too shy to go after what he wants."

Nicole shook her head, awe in her eyes. "You got all that after looking for five seconds?"

"Yep."

Before Noah, she'd made it a point to notice the details. The club where she'd found her dates was just down the street. Her pattern was to watch, catalogue, and approach only if they met her criteria--willing to be submissive, not into hard kink, and not the type to cling. It had only been two months since she and Noah started seeing each other, and already they were discussing marriage, buying a house. Granted, she'd brought up the subject, but still. She was sunk so deep she couldn't contemplate life without him. Part of her warned it was too soon.

"Who would you pick then?" Nicole turned her head to regard Raven.

She forced another swallow of diabetic shock and skimmed the bar from her stool. Her gaze bypassed Noah, sitting with his guard Hintz in the corner, watching every blink she made, and fell onto a man near the back, playing darts. He had two women watching him and a male standing near waiting his turn. Worn jeans, ripped at the knee, and a white shirt. He had muscles, but not overstated. His dark hair was this side of too long, but it was clean and he was freshly shaven.

Raven nodded. "Him."

Nicole followed her gaze. "Really? Why?"

"He's got a bad boy edge, but cares about his appearance. He also doesn't have a preference for easy women. He probably won't be boring in bed and won't cling the next day, yet there's the potential for more."

Nicole's jaw dropped. She slowly shook her head. "You need to work for Homeland Security. How do you know all that?"

She set her drink aside, as it made her teeth ache. "His clothes are worn, but clean, so he's comfortable in his own skin and doesn't care what people think. That type of man is confident in the bedroom. Plus, he's good-looking, so he's been around the block. He hasn't paid any attention to the skanks eyeing him. He tipped the waitress handsomely, so he has a job and respect for those who do. That means he can commit to something, once he finds what he likes. The distracted look in his eyes says he hasn't found that yet, but he's looking."

As Nicole gawked, Raven turned on her stool and called for the bartender. "Send the man playing darts a whiskey neat, compliments of my friend here."

The bartender nodded and filled the order. Nicole's cheeks flushed as she watched from the corner of her eye.

Raven cleared her throat. "Look right at him and give him your shy smile."

Nicole spoke out of the corner of her mouth. "Shy shouldn't be hard. Oh crap. He's looking at me."

Raven laughed.

"Why a whiskey neat? Hurry, he's coming."

"He looks like he has Irish roots and he wasn't drinking beer." Raven turned just as he approached. "My job is done." She slid off the stool and spoke to Nicole. "Call me in the morning. Or don't."

Raven left them chatting and made her way over to a scowling Noah. Wondering what the drawn brows and irritation in his eyes was about, she reached for her coat on the back of her chair. "Problem?"

He rose and shrugged into his jacket. Silent, as if measuring his words, he shook