“Did you get… involved with Mara too?”
“Fuck no. She’s bangin’ a cop.”
Well, that was firm. It was also good to know.
“And last, Elvira?”
“Elvira works for Hawk. She’s in Gwen’s posse. She lassoed Mara into Gwen’s posse. The shit that went down with Gwen meant four men were involved. One of them was Hawk. One of them was me. One of them was Mara’s man, Lawson. And one of them was a man named Lucas who claimed himself a woman named Tess and it’s likely she’ll be wearin’ a dress and heels at Club come Wednesday night. I don’t do chick so I have no clue what’s in store for you. All I know is, Gwen’s got a big heart. Elvira’s is arguably bigger. And Mara’s is off-the-charts big. Gwen’s drama started that posse and with each new drama, that posse grows. They wanna suck you in, worse things could happen.”
“Right,” I whispered, intrigued but I’d let it go until chops. “So, I’m at your house tomorrow night?”
“Yeah.”
“Did you think of maybe asking if I’d like to be at your house tomorrow night?”
His lips twitched.
Then he said, “No.”
“Annoying,” I muttered.
“Yeah, you say that, baby. What you didn’t say was that you aren’t coming to my house tomorrow night.”
Damn. I was totally figured out.
I sighed.
Tack chuckled.
Then he squeezed me with his arms and dipped his face close.
“Give me that mouth again, babe, then get outta here.”
“Is the word ‘please’ in your vocabulary?”
“No, but you throw more attitude at me before givin’ me your mouth, tonight, that word is gonna be in your vocabulary and I’m gonna make you use it often.”
Oh boy.
That didn’t cause a quiver. That caused a quake and it shook me from top-to-toe.
“Babe,” he growled, “mouth.”
“Oh, all right,” I muttered, saw humor light his eyes then I gave him my mouth.
He took it and the way he did, that caused a quake too.
He’d let me go, turned me, scooted me toward the door with a hand at my ass and I was wandering there, slightly dazed by his kiss, slightly dazed by the girl posse’s visit but mostly dazed in a happy way I was hoping I was right about when I heard Tack call, “Red.”
I turned to him and my hand shot up automatically as he sent the key to the office I’d dropped on the desk sailing in my direction. Dazed, it was a miracle I nabbed it in the air but I did.
Then I stood at the door watching him pick up the envelope that contained the resignation letter I’d laid on the desk. Then I watched him rip it in half. Then I watched him toss it in the trash.
Finally, I watched his eyes settle on me.
Heated but it was again there.
Steely determination.