Wolf in Gucci Loafers (Tales of the Harker Pack #2) - Tara Lain Page 0,1
with his lavender neck scarf. Rolf might sweat, but Lindsey only glowed. “It must be all my suppressed hostility at lack of gay civil rights, darling.” He didn’t mention predatory instincts that went with his genes.
Rolf leaned against the wall. “I’m sure that’s a serious problem for the son of the fourth wealthiest family on the eastern seaboard. Has someone refused your polo ponies access to the community feed trough?” He smirked.
Lindsey narrowed his eyes, and Rolf had the good sense to pale. Lindsey cocked his head. “You wouldn’t know.”
Rolf sat up straight. “Sorry. My mouth ran away with me. I don’t know, and I apologize. I’m sure being gay is tough no matter what your circumstances.”
Lindsey took a breath and fluttered the scarf. Off the hook this time. “Ta, darling. Think nothing of it.”
“Besides, you’ve got nothing on our grandma vigilante. Have you heard about her?” He sipped his water.
Lindsey glanced at his manicured nails. “Something, I think.”
“It’s all over the news. Some woman walks into the police station and says they’ll find this asshole rapist in this alley and some grandma saved her. The cops go where she says, and here’s this guy they’ve been trying to nail for months, trussed up like a Thanksgiving turkey. The woman who I guess he planned to rape says the person who caught this guy was an old lady. Go figure.”
Lindsey fluttered the scarf. “What is the world coming to when a self-respecting villain can’t ply his trade without interference from senior citizens?”
Rolf stared at him for a second, realized he must be joking, and started to laugh, then sobered. “Seriously, between grandma the rapist catcher and the kidnapping, this town feels pretty comic-book weird lately.”
“Lindsey.” His mother’s voice came from behind him.
He turned. “Hello, Mother. You arrived just in time to save Rolf’s life.” He crossed to the door of the huge indoor gym and kissed her pretty, pink cheek.
“Are you torturing Rolf again?”
Rolf stood and tossed the empty water bottle. “Yes, ma’am, he is. But I’m going to tuck my tail between my legs and leave.”
Interesting analogy.
His mother peered around Lindsey at the fencing teacher. “Don’t let me run you off, Rolf. I just need Lindsey to start dressing. He has a hot date.”
Lindsey rolled his eyes. “We’ll see how hot it is, but I do have a date.” He glanced at the Patek Philippe on his wrist. “Really, Mother, even I don’t need three hours to dress for an engagement.”
She looked him up and down. “Since when?”
Rolf laughed. “I’ll see myself out. Have a great date, Lindsey.”
“Thank you, darling. Sorry about the assault.”
Rolf kept laughing and walked out the gym door, which had a pathway that led to the circular drive and the parking lot. The separate entrance, one of three, kept sweaty people out of his mother’s entry hall. It also gave Lindsey an exit on those occasions when he preferred to keep his activities private—aka often.
He racked the epée and came back to his mother. “Okay, love; tell me all about this perfect match you’ve set up for me.” They walked down the hall with its long, Turkish runners.
“You know the Westerbergs, darling. Bruce has come home with his Harvard MBA to take his rightful place in the family business.”
“So how old does that make him?”
“Twenty-three, I think. Just a little younger than you. He graduated at the normal time, not with your superhuman impatience.”
He’d just wanted out of school. One more full moon might have killed him. They got to his suite of rooms, and she stopped. “I so want to see you settled and happy.”
“I know.”
“I know Ga-Ga and Pop-Pop would love it if you were married before they die.”
He crossed his arms. “Okay, reduce the drama, dear. Pop-Pop will be shagging corporate takeovers when I’m old and gray, and Ga-Ga will still head the best-dressed list.”
“Life is uncertain. Look at your father.”
He gazed at her steadily. “Which father do you mean exactly?”
“Lindsey!” She stared at her very chic shoes. “You know full well I mean your father father. The person whose name you bear.”
He kissed her forehead. “Very well. I guess uncertainty is appropriate in either case.”
She crossed her arms tightly. “And with all these horrible kidnappings, I like to know you’re in safe places with nice people.”
“Actually, one of the victims was at home, so I’m not sure the locations are that important.”
Her eyes got huge. “Dear God, who would do such a thing? And the finest families.”