Page 14 (1/2)

"I wasn’t"

He looked up, and I fingered the neckline of o They stayed on my face

Hmm Passed the douche test

"No one carded me," I said, "and I didn’t offer to show ID, so of course it doesn’t have alcohol Bartenders are smart, especially in the Quarter"

"Here’s an idea," he said "How about you bottoms up with your citrus Shirley Temple and I’ll take you back ho hi face, a wide jaw, and a bow-shaped upper lip He s at his aze

His eyes were so damn sweet There was no other word for it His lashes were thick, and a scar sliced through his left eyebrow

He was still s I drained my drink "I need another one"

"You sure you don’t just want to grab a bottle of water at ho to make this hard on lass and fished out the re with his eyes again "How about we negotiate?"

Dune

Chewing on the fruit gave hts I stared at her "You look different"

An obvious statement, which hy it had to be said

Hallie raised her brows and sucked on the end of the plastic sword that had been in her drink Her hair was as dark as usual, but her nores were subtle, because her body was sli was off "Yeah"

She sle and the bustier were doing a nu a number on me--that was the difference There wasn’t usually so

"Not one bodyguard has been able to catch ot into the Quarter I’m offended--maybe impressed--that you’re here"

"You run away a lot?"

"Every chance I get"

"Why?"

"You’vethe plastic sword onto the table, she stood up straight, giving up the atte me the opportunity to breathe normally

"He’s not so bad" I shifted on ave me could’ve been an X-ray "If you’re in his corner, why haven’t you already started dragging ht now

Relief I hadn’t said it out loud ht-headed "I’,nicely"

"You aren’t going to threaten to tell et all blustery and self-righteous and et hoet in trouble, and they always do You’re so, she’d acted like she couldn’t remember ht the sparkles on her shoulders and neckline "Are you trying to uilty?"

"No Maybe" I needed her to move back I needed to stay objective I didn’t need to know that she sotiations Here’s the deal You stay here with o back together"

"I don’t--"

"Take or leave it" She leaned forward again, so I stared at the ceiling

I guessed I was taking it