“That’s what it feels like,” Doc muttered sullenly.
“See? There’s where you lost me. I’m a non-carbon-based life-form, remember? I deal in facts, not feelings.”
“Well, thefactis that Ifeelobliged to prove to you that last night was an aberration. I’m a big believer in not barking unless I plan to bite. So, come on. Give me another chance at the apple.”
“Wow.” Cami blinked. “Strangely enough, I was able to follow that euphemistic nonsense.”
Doc wiggled his eyebrows. “What do you say?”
She sucked on her front tooth and gave him a look that said,“Not on your life.”
“Ow,” Romeo blurted, thoroughly enjoying himself. And not only because Doc had turned his charm away from Mia to focus it on the lady lawyer—although that was a big part of it—but also because there was absolutely nothing in the world more entertaining than watching one of his friends get his ass handed to him by a quick-witted woman.
“What?” Doc glared at him.
“The look she gave you was a metaphorical kick in the balls.” He shrugged. “And now my balls ache in sympathy. That’s all.”
“I’m going to file that under Who Gives a Shit,” Doc declared testily before turning back to Cami. “You are a cruel woman not letting me evenattemptto salvage some of my pride. But I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. You know, given your chosen profession.”
“I’m not cruel.” Cami shook her head. “I’m smart.”
“You say tomato, I say cruel.”
“Is he always like this?” The lawyer hooked a thumb Doc’s way, but she posed the question to Romeo.
“Pretty much.” Romeo shrugged.
“How do you stand him?”
“It’s a talent very few people seem to possess.”
“Hey!” Doc protested. “No ganging up on the guy nursing a hangover. I thought everyone knew about that unspoken rule.”
“Pretty sure you have it bass ackwards,” Cami countered. “I think the unspoken rule is that everyone is morallyobligatedto gang up on the guy nursing a hangover.”
“Are youreallynot going to let me have a do-over?” Doc crossed his arms over his chest.
Any other woman might have thought Doc was taking his teasing too far. But not Cami. The way her mouth twitched told Romeo she was enjoying the drama and banter as much as Doc. And after Romeo had heard the two of them trading awful pickup lines the night before, he couldn’t say he was surprised.
“I mean I could let youtry,” she told Doc slowly, as if she were truly weighing the merits of the idea. “But I’d be worried about a repeat of last night. And we all know two wrongs don’t make a right. Just look at what your parents created.”
Doc stumbled back like she’d punched him.
“Oooh.” Mia’s lips pursed around a smile. “This is going to be fun.”
But not as fun as waking up with you in my arms,Romeo thought.Not as fun as feeling the weight of your head on my chest or having the smell of your shampoo tunneling up my nose. Not as fun as seeing your little nipples poking through the fabric of your blouse when you didn’t know I was looking...
The memory alone was enough to send his blood racing south, so he clapped his hands. “Okay, children. Recess is over. Let’s load up and get to Wayfarer Island before we run out of ways to make fun of Doc for...uh...suffering his very own mini Cuban missile crisis last night.”
“Hey!” Doc objected again. “I want it put on the record that there is nothingminiabout my missile. Also, what is this? Pick on the Poor Guy Who Suffered a Rare Case of Erectile Misfunction Day?”
“That’s a terrible name for a holiday,” Mia declared, still looking like she was fighting a grin.
“Agreed,” Cami nodded briskly. “It’s far too long. Doesn’t roll off the tongue. Plus, I don’t thinkmisfunctionis a real word. But even if itis, that isn’t what happened.”
“Isn’t it?” All the teasing left Doc’s face.
“No.” The lawyer pulled off her sunglasses, stuck the end of one earpiece between her lips, and narrowed her eyes. “Don’t you remember?”
