Page 103 of Lovely Darkness

“You’re welcome. But I don’t know why you’re thanking me.”

“There’s nothing to see in there. Not even an ID. So.” Her shoulders shrug up to her ears. “I don’t care if you look. Just don’t steal the purse, please. It’s an heirloom. My gra-mere beaded it by hand almost a hundred years ago.”

I look at the little purse again and nod. “It’s beautiful. And for the record, I would never steal anything from a woman.”

This makes Miss Violet chuckle. “From a woman, huh? Men are fair game?”

“Absolutely. Bunch of worthless, cheatin’, backstabbin’ so-and-sos.”

“Is that who that is in the bed? Just another cheatin’, backstabbin’ so-and-so? A conquest, maybe?”

Now it’s my turn to chuckle. “McKay? No. He doesn’t cheat, he doesn’t lie, and there’s no way in hell that man would ever stab me in the back.”

“You sound pretty confident.”

I turn, grab another glass, then turn back. “Thirsty?”

“I’ll have water too.”

I get her water, hand it over, then lean on the back counter of the bar, crossing my arms over my bare chest. Which, I notice, she is appreciating. “I’m very confident in McKay. We’ve been best friends since we were kids. More like brothers, really.”

Her bright hazel-green eyes twinkle over the crystal glass as she drinks. “Except for the sex, right?”

“Yeah. Except for that. But it’s a new thing.”

“So you two don’t do this regularly?” She kinda twirls her finger around, indicating this scenario between us, I guess.

“Fuck girls together, you mean? Nah.”

“I’m your first?”

“Well.” I sigh. Thinking of Indie. Then decide to erase Indie so what I say next isn’t exactly a lie. “Yeah. You’re the first.”

“Hmm.” She smiles at this revelation. Like it pleases her. “Will you do it again?”

“I don’t know yet. I guess that depends on whether or not you’re up for it.”

“No.” She laughs. “Not with me. Anyone. Will you do it with anyone again?”

“Oh. I dunno. It’s a lot of work seducing a woman into to a threesome.”

She spits out a sip of water, then laughs out loud. “Adam, was it?”

I nod. “That’s right.”

“You’re fun. And that’s funny. There were no fewer than two dozen women in the club trying to work up the nerve to go over to you and your best friend still in bed.”

“I didn’t even notice.”

Her eyebrows go up. “Smooth, too.”

I am kinda smooth, so I keep it going. Why not, right? I like her. “We only had eyes for you, Miss Violet.”

She snickers, then offers me her hand from across the bar. “Perrine DeCoudreau. Very nice to meet you.”

“Perrine.” I step forward, take her hand in mine, kiss her knuckles until she smiles. “Adam Boucher. Very, very, very nice to meet you.”

She beams a smile at me. “You’re kinda flirty.”