Summer Breeze Kisses - Addison Moore Page 0,295

totally hot.”

Ava gives an eager nod as she picks up a chip off the platter. “He’s smokin’. But if you’re not into him, you’re not into him.”

Lucky picks up her own gob of chips dripping with the runny goo they pour over that dish by the gallon. “Some girl is going to be mighty thankful that you’re not. I predict he’ll be snatched up by fall.”

“By the Fourth,” Ava corrects as she crunches down on that first bite.

A familiar looking powerhouse attorney catches my eye at the door, chatting it up with one of the new hires, a petite blonde named Hunter, and my blood begins to boil. It looks as if her blonde ambition is on the hunt after all.

“Yeah, well, you girls enjoy your meal.” I take off and snatch Shep by the arm. “Your table is calling,” I toss the words over my shoulder to the stunned waitress who looks as if I just kicked her in the teeth. “And I need a word with you.”

I shoot a look to Cole, the bartender, and hold up a finger. It’s the Black Bear’s shorthand for I’m taking my break, and he nods in approval.

I land Shep in a booth and take a seat across from him. Our eyes hook to one another, and we spend an inordinate amount of time filling the gap between us with silence.

“How’s the app?” He doesn’t bother with a smile. In fact, he looks downright disturbed, and I’m not quite sure why.

“Eli is looking into it. He says it will most likely take longer than the summer. I’ll need a lawyer.”

That obnoxious grin glides easy over his face, and suddenly I’m back to being furious with him. Lucky was right. Shep is handsome, and not in some adorable frat boy way, but in a razor’s edge, sexy as hell, five o’clock shadow, owning that Italian suit, he’s got gray matter for days kind of a way. And right now, all of those titillating facts make me a little angrier than I was to begin with.

Shep flexes that obnoxious smile. “Then I’m your man.”

“You are most certainly not my man. And would you wipe that cat who swallowed the canary look off your face? It’s really starting to annoy me.”

“Fine.” He scowls in my honor. “How’s the drink?” He ticks his head to the bar.

“I don’t know. I haven’t exactly had time to rob a liquor store, but if you’re up for committing a felony or two, then meet me at George’s Liquor Store at about eleven.”

Still frowning. I actually think I like him better when he doesn’t look so smugly pleased. “I’d think twice about committing a felony of any kind. Did you happen to catch the news?” He whips out his phone. “They made an arrest in Barry Larson’s murder.”

I suck in a quick breath and snatch the phone from him. Scanning the article at the speed of light, I quickly glean the gist of it. “A transient, huh?” I expand the photo of the killer and get a good look at his grimy face. “Wait a minute. I recognize him. That’s Jarhead. He’s forever coming around digging through the trash cans. I can’t believe he’s capable of doing something like that. He didn’t seem dangerous at all. My God, I gave him a banana last spring. I fed a killer!” I shake my head at the thought before moaning. “It looks like Dirty Boy gets some justice after all. Well, I’m happy for him.”

“Dirty Boy?”

“Yeah, that was my nickname for Barry before he bit the big one. We had this little tussle and—”

“I know.” His dimples go off, just slightly, no smile, and something about witnessing the action makes my thighs jump in all the right places. “Bryson let me see the video footage.”

“I thought the police had the video footage?”

“They do, but he still has digital access to view it.” He takes off the jacket to his suit, and I can’t help but notice how alarmingly wide and solid his chest looks.

“Well then, the case is solved. How about I bring you a beer and watch you slurp it down in celebration? I’ll grab some fries for myself, and if you promise not to annoy me, I might even give you one.”

He leans in, a sly smiling creeping up his face just for me, and something about that bad boy look in his eyes makes me want to reach across the table and kiss him. I mean, really kiss him.