Sterling checked his watch and she chuckled. And then her focus locked on his wrist. She stroked the face of his G-Shock. “Nice watch,” she said. He could see the wheels turning in her head. She flicked a look at him. “Are you ex-military?”
Because a waitress would know what kinds of watches special ops guys preferred.
He took a draw on his beer and glanced away, feigning a disinclination to talk about it. He could tell, somehow he just knew, tipping too early would set off her alarms. They were alike, the two of them, predators in their own way. He had to appreciate that about her. “Yeah.”
“What branch?”
“I was a Marine.” He shrugged. “But that was a long time ago.”
She leaned against the bar and smiled up at him. He nearly came out of his skin when she raked her fingers through his hair. It was long now, down to his shoulders, hardly the buzz cut he’d had way back when. Her touch was like an electric shock. “You don’t look like a marine.”
“Like I said. A long time ago.”
“What do you do now?”
He shrugged. “I ride.”
“Is that all?”
“What else is there?” He glanced at her name tag, though he didn’t need to, and added in a sultry tone, “Candy.”
She shivered and touched the metal plate with her fake name inscribed on it. Her lips tweaked. “You have me at a disadvantage.”
“Do I?”
“What’s your name?” A whisper.
Sterling stared down at her. Damn, if she wasn’t good. If he hadn’t been tipped off to her identity, he might have believed she was really interested. He might have taken her out back just now and fucked her silly against the wall of the bar. The bathroom would have worked too. A man with less insight would have been completely fooled. He wasn’t fooled. And he wasn’t giving her his name.
He held out his hand. “I’m Steve.”
Her palm scraped against his; he closed his fingers around her and stroked her with his thumb. She shivered. Nice touch. “St-Steve?” Her tongue came out to dab her lips again. There was seduction on every line of her face. “You don’t look like a Steve.”
“Don’t I?” He leaned closer and took another whiff of her, though it was a bad idea. Her essence coiled through him like a snake. “What do I look like?”
She laughed and tried to pull her hand away. After a while he let her. “Not Steve, is all.”
“Yeah. Well, they call me…Cobra.” It was a stupid code name, cliché, one he’d stolen from a schlocky script he once read.
But she bought it. Her eyes glinted. Her muscles tightened with excitement. Anticipation hummed around her. “Do they?”
Hell no.
“Mmm hmm.” He tipped back his beer, keeping his eyes on her.
“So tell me…Cobra. Do you live nearby?”
Damn. She was going all-in right off the bat. Based on his assessment, in this situation, with this woman, his best tactic would be playing hard to get. An easy guy would never cut it with her. He decided to prevaricate. “You asking to come home with me tonight?”
“Maybe.”
Well, hell. “I live outside of town.”
“Where?”
“Outside. Of town.” Shifting gears, he shot her a cold glance. “You ask a lot of questions…for a waitress.”
She paled. Her throat worked. Her wheels spun. “I’m sorry. I’m just curious.”
“Yeah.” He motioned to Daryl for another drink. He wouldn’t drink it. Not now. He needed to be on his game. “Some guys don’t like to be asked questions,” he said. He turned away and, taking his drink with him, headed back to the table, leaving her frowning after him with irritation written all over her features.
Perfect.
The hook was set.
Chapter Two
Damn it. She should have kept her trap shut.
She should have waited until she had him drunk and hard and then started peppering him with questions.
She’d blown it, but good.
But damn it, she’d gotten close to him, drawn in his scent, and her brain had fizzled.
Roni picked up the tray of beers Daryl had poured for her and made her way back into the pool hall, attempting to fight off a shaft of disappointment, and maybe a hint of panic. For an entire week she’d been trying to unpeel the onion about the elite military team she was tracking. All she’d been able to do so far was connect the team to a motorcycle gang out of Dallas—and the fact that there might be a connection with Bone Daddy’s. She had a suspicion they