Page 99 of Bonds of Shame, Bonds of Lust

A chorus of groans went up. Josie threw a napkin at me.

Success. I'd put them off. They were no match for me.

Just as I opened my mouth to put the final dagger into this treacherous conversation, a deep bass voice cut me off.

"I've seen her, D," Terry said, in that slow drawl he seemed to turn on and off at will. "We all know she's way out of your league. But we ain't gonna stop asking, so just spill it."

Fucking Terry, I thought. Then said it. "Fucking Terry, of course it would be you."

His laugh sounded like breaking boulders.

"Where the hell have you seen her, anyway?" I demanded.

"Hospital. You told me to wait in the truck." He took a long pull on his beer. "But I didn't hear you, so I didn't wait in the truck."

"So you can do irony but can't take orders for shit?" I gave him an intimidating CO look. It hit him like a fly hits a windshield.

"Seriously, D," Katie added. "Does she know?"

I started rubbing my jaw.

Then Aaron, the comedian. "Does SHE know? Hell, Katie, ask Derek if HE knows. He's fucking oblivious."

She nodded at him, then asked, "Well, Derek. DO you know?"

Unfortunately, I had built this team on people who were smart, tactical, and relentless.

Then, the worst thing. They all just looked at me, expectantly.

No cover, no exit, and my own perimeter guys running the encirclement.

I was fucked.

"Okay, okay. What's not to like? Lacey's smart, tough, good-looking." I shrugged. "But it's not like I asked her out, or we're going steady. It was just dinner."

"Lacey," Josie said. "Not Dr. Bonds?"

She looked over at Katie, who shook her hips. "Oooh, Lacey!"

Then Aaron opened his mouth and in a once-in-a-billion event, he closed it without saying anything.

"Say it," I told him.

"Nope," he said, cheerful, and flipped a burger that did not need flipping. "I'm having a lovely afternoon." I squinted. Why isn't he going in for the ki—

Then the trap shut, coming in on my six. "Dr. Lacey? She's really pretty! Daddy made dinner for her!" Jessica climbed on the bench, then jumped into my arms.

"Do you like her, Daddy? I like her a LOT!"

"Where did you come from?"

"The fort." She said it like I'd asked something stupid. Then she reached up and pulled her own ponytail sideways, messing it up deliberately, watching my face the entire time, and waited. She learned that from Aaron, that bastard.

I lasted maybe two seconds. I fixed it, and she laughed like that was the funniest joke that has ever been made by anybody in history.

Aaron put on his Eeyore-mournful expression. "Oh D. It's over now, man. Just surrender and make it easy on yourself."

Jess gave him the stern four-year-old glower. "Stop being mean to Daddy."