"I'm sure it's just megawonderful, Tannie," Marty cooed back at her. "But I think I might have to work. You know how it is. Have to make the rent money."
Tanya's eyes widened, though she never for a second caught the small slur Marty had sent her way.
"Dear, I'm certain your trust fund could cover you," Tanya drawled with self-important sobriety. "After all, I do know your grandmother left you rather well off, even if your parents aren't inclined to do so."
Marty gritted her teeth. Her parents had taught her a strong work ethic--something that was uncommon among the glittering trust-fund babies and silver-spoon angels she had grown up with.
People like Tanya didn't realize the work that had gone into the fortunes they now lived off and rarely contributed to.
"And I still prefer to pay my own expenses." Marty's eyes rounded mockingly. "Go figure."
Tanya blinked back at her before turning to her husband, as though in confusion. The husband, an executive with Tanya's father's engineering firm, hid a smile.
"She's an aberration, sweetheart." Her husband, Mike Collie, sighed, as though he, too, was confused by Marty. "Remember how we used to pat her on the head when we were children and pray for her before sleeping?"
Tanya glanced back at her sympathetically.
"Yes, and now, Mike, I pray for you," Marty stated sweetly, as he chuckled back at her, clearly unoffended by her remark.
"And I appreciate each prayer, my dear." His blue eyes gleamed with amusement. He was one of the good ones. They were few and far between sometimes.
As pompous and arrogant as some of her childhood friends may be, most of them still had a sense of humor where it counted.
"Excuse me, I need to find my father for a moment," Marty said when she glanced to the side and saw that Khalid had managed to pry himself away from a small group of men who had delayed him and he was now trying to make his way across the room.
Perfect timing, she thought. No one made it through this crowd quickly, which gave her a few more moments before he got to her. Keeping Khalid carefully in her peripheral vision as she hid her smirk at the frustration on his face, Marty and Shayne made their way to where Joe and Zach stood along with Ian Sinclair, and the owners of Delacourte-Conovers, a rising electronics development and manufacturing firm in the area. The Delacourtes and Conovers were heavy contributors to her father's political funds, as well as friends.
"Marty." Joe stood back, making room for her and Shayne as they entered the small group. "I see you finally made it." Turning to Shayne, he extended his hand. "It's good to see you again, Shayne."
"You couldn't at least consort within your own branch of law enforcement?" Zach muttered beside her, though she heard the amusement in his voice.
"I thought it best to have friends in all branches. Besides, it doesn't hurt to look outside the box," she replied, looking up at him with a smile.
"You can always look," Zach reminded her, his gaze moving over her head before coming back. "Doesn't mean you'll succeed."
She could feel Khalid now. As though his very aura had reached out, wrapped around her, and claimed her; she could feel him moving behind her.
"Shayne. Thank you for escorting my lovely date. I'll take her off your hands now." His voice was dark, brooding, sending a surge of sensation racing up her spine as she and Shayne turned to him.
"Evenin' Khalid. And I must say, it was my pleasure."
There were days when it sucked being at the mercy of what she liked to believe were no more than hormones. After all, how could you love a man who made you insane every time you saw him? It couldn't be love, therefore it had to be a biological/chemical/pheromonal reaction that bound her to him.
"Marty." Khalid turned to her then, and the force of those dark eyes staring into hers seemed to steal her breath and the last bit of common sense she might have possessed as his head lowered and his lips brushed hers.
"Khalid." She tried to pretend that her reaction to him didn't exist, but the brush of his lips against hers stole her breath and left her knees weakening in response.
"Dance with me." The tone of his voice as he gripped her hand and pulled her to him had Marty's heart racing as heat began to swirl through her body.
The dark edge of hunger in his tone was barely hidden, but it was his eyes, midnight velvet, so deep and filled with sensual promise that had her flesh sensitizing, her br**sts swelling and her cl*t suddenly pulsing in reaction.
"I must admit Khalid, I didn't expect you to have your third pick me up tonight," she muttered as Khalid drew her against him and began moving her across the dance floor. "I was beginning to wonder if you had changed your mind concerning a relationship with me. Again." Innocence marked her face and belied the subtle mockery in her tone.
"I apologize again, love," he murmured, his thick lashes screening whatever emotion was in his eyes.
"Since he did pick me up tonight, that does rather make him my official date." Marty kept her voice calm, sweet. Innocent. "I believe, as such, he's entitled to certain privledges. Wouldn't you think?"
"I don't believe I would agree with that statement." He didn't beat around the bush. "Don't play games with me, Marty. We've gone too far for that."