My mouth opens, ready to correct him, and before the words ever tumble out, I chokeonthem.
Oh my shit. The Pelican God is Levi! This dark-haired Adonis is none other than Raven Masterson’s older, hella hotter brother. It’s no wonder she didn’t dare bring him into the sexy mix sooner. There’s no way in hell I would have—couldhave stopped myself from doing everything in my power to get this bad boy to yield on mymattress.
Raven’s battle cry comes back to me.And whatever you do, please, for the love of all things holy, DO NOT SEDUCE MYBROTHER.
I scowl over at him a moment because I can see her hiding there inhiseyes.
“I’m—” The lie skips in my throat, and as much as I try to swallow it down, I can’t seem to stop it. “It’s just, Lex, actually.” Oh hell, what’s a little fun and free food amongfriends?
Those eyes penetrate me right down to my most intimate part, and it’s as if I’ve already hit a home run for the evening—the first of many I’mhoping.
His lips twitch as if he had plans for the two of us this evening that involved copious amounts of munching—just not necessarily anything of the food variety that they may have to offer. He smacks his friend over the shoulder. “This is my business partner, Brody Wolf. He’ll get you started on your first dish.” He gives his buddy a shove without taking those lucent lenses off me. “I’ll take you toyourseat.”
“Business partner?” My heart skips a beat, and I’m not sure why. Most likely because Raven’s big bro is both dangerously handsome and reasonably financially stable—two qualities I never seem to find in a man. “Youowntheplace?”
“That’s right.” His grin snaps back into position. It looks as if Raven left all of the fun little financial details out of our conversation. “And soon, I hope to own yourheart.”
My entire body seizes with pleasure as if I’ve been waiting to hear those magic words all my life, but he grimaces just as fast as the words spewedfromhim.
“I meant to say stomach.” That charming smile bounces back tohislips.
“I think you had it right thefirsttime.”
We share a cordial laugh as he leads me to a nearby table. My God! Wouldn’t it have been nice if he meantheart? Imagine the meet-cute we could share with our grandchildren one day. Grandma was a fucking liar, and Grandpa, well, he was fucking hot. This could be the start of something amazing, and if I’m lucky, something low down and dirty in about an hourortwo.
This is going to be so much damn fun. Let the delicious gamesbegin.
Levi sits me close to the bar where the aged coeds take turns scowling at me for snapping up for myself the catch of the day—two of themactually.
Brody brings out dish after dish, and I diverightin.
“Thank you!” It takes everything in me not to lunge headfirst into the clam chowder set before me in a bronzed bread bowl that’s making my senses faint with desire. Both Brody and Levi stand hovering on either side of me, and I glance up with a greedy smile of my own. “Didn’t Shakespeare once say there has never been a sweeter meal than that which you didn’t have to pay for?” Okay, so quoting The Bard has never come naturally for me, but I’m pretty sure every food critic worth her salt says a few words before basking in bread bowls full ofcarbohydrates.
Levi’s brows furrow before he flexes those dimples at me once again. “It’s all for you, Lex.Enjoy.”
I indulge in a quick spoonful and moan the ever-loving shit out of it. “Oh myGawd!” I howl. “This is fantastic.” I take another loving, creamy spoonful before noticing a dapper, dark-haired dude in a full-blown suit squinting at me from the bar before he shoots a look to Levi and Brody. He’s probably just envious of the impressive spread laid before me. Either that or he thinks I’m a brazen glutton. He would so be right, but who the hell cares? Clam chowder forthewin!
I gobble up the chowder as fast as I can and note the fact he’s still ogling me, his eyes straining as if I had somehow offended him. He nods Brody over, and they take off for the back, but I really don’t give a crap because Levi has just furnished me with a smattering of appetizers that span from hot wings to coconut shrimp and for the next ten minutes I’m in smorgasbordheaven.
Levi clears his throat and glances over my shoulder with a look of apprehension, so I follow his gaze only to find two of Hollow Brook’s finest dressed in blue headed this way, each with a hand secured over hisweapon.
“Hello, ma’am.” The beefy one starts, and I nearly choke on a chicken wing. “It’s my understanding, you’re dining here tonight as a food critic. You mind if we see somecredentials?”
Shit. I bounce back in my seat and accidentally take the tablecloth with me, sending the wings flying once again as Levi tries his best to juggle them tosafety.
“All right, let’s go.” Officer number two lifts me out of my seat by the wrist. “I’m placing you underarrest.”
“No—it’s not what it seems!” I shout as he folds my arms neatly behind my back—much to the delight of those aging coeds seated at the bar. I open my mouth to say something in my defense and close itagain.
Oh hell, it’s exactly what itseems.
I’m going to kill Raven for this lousy idea. Then I’m going to hunt downLexand kill her for the other lousy idea. And lastly, I’m going to wring my own neck for being such adamnjinx.
Worst day ever,indeed.
