The other woman hesitated. “Then he wins, and that’s not how I play this game. I’ll have to figure out another way to pay Mr. Shotelle back.”
With that, she flounced off, leaving Lynn to stare after her in amusement.
Her smile faded when Suz suddenly appeared in the aisle. Lynn’s best friend glanced at Dana’s retreating back, then picked up her pace, crossing her arms as she marched into Lynn’s work space.
“No, no, no. You are not allowed to be friends with her.”
Lynn was quick to reassure her. “We’re not friends. I swear.”
Suz relaxed. “Good, because that woman is poison.”
“She knows about Phil, and she’s not impressed.” Lynn rocked her office chair.
“Well, duh. Dana’s awful but she’s not stupid.” An enormous smile slowly spread over her friend’s face, making her green eyes sparkle. “So, I got to chat with your boyfriend this morning. He’s one sexy mofo, I must admit.”
“Stop it.” Someday Lynn hoped to make it through an entire twenty-four hours without blushing. She changed the topic as fast as possible. “Hey, you left so quickly this morning I never got to ask. Did your date with Dean yesterday end up being one for the record books?”
Suz looked momentarily confused. “Parker asked me that as well. But no, and I don’t understand it. We hit it off—I mean, Dean’s ripped to the max, and according to this rumor I heard, he’s got the moves—” she waggled her brows, which only made Lynn chuck a pen at her, “—but no. Nothing in the bedroom, or up against the wall, or over the back of—”
“Enough. I get it. There was no horizontal or vertical mambo between you two.” Lynn was laughing now. “It makes sense, though. You guys having sex would be like…”
Masturbation was the first word that came to mind, but she couldn’t say that here.
“Dean is sweet. And fun. And the thought of doing him does nothing for me. I’m pretty sure I do nothing for him, too, or else he would’ve made a move.” Suz shrugged. “Well. I guess it’s good for me to have one guy who’s not family to hang out with and not have to worry about breaking his heart.”
“You’re so kind.”
“Ain’t I just?” Suz reached overhead in a stretch, the move making her skirt ride up.
In the hallway behind her one of their male coworkers tripped and slammed into the floor, his eyes still stuck on Suz’s bare legs. Suz clicked her tongue as the man scrambled to his feet and down the hall. “Silly boys. Well, time to get back to work. I’ve got this great feature article to finish on DreamMakers, and then after work, my bestie and I are going shopping.”
It was the first Lynn had heard of it. “Really?”
Suz winked. “Someone needs a few special bits and pieces of soft and silky to put an even bigger smile on her guy’s face.”
Her guy.
After only a couple of dates, Parker already felt way more hers than after months with Phil. And the sensation was very, very nice.
Dean
“But I like the brown one.” Frank Gabbert folded his arms and damn near pouted.
It was not a good look for a sixty-four-year-old man. Especially not while wearing nothing along with the expression but boxers and a white dress shirt.
Dean fixed his smile more firmly in place and wished to hell he could simply allow his client to buy the brown rag he wanted. Only the cut of the suit made the man look like a demented time traveler, and if Frank showed up to his anniversary party wearing that kind of crap, his wife would be upset, and one thing would lead to another, and…
Dean did not fail his assignments. No matter what it took, this job was going to get done, and done fucking right. Even if he had to stand right in the goddamn dressing room with Mr. Personality and sweet-talk the ass.
“You and your wife agreed to wear the same outfit—or close proximity to it—as you wore for your first date. Which means no brown. You need blue.” Dean held out the jacket and helped the man slip his arms in.
“I hated that suit,” Frank muttered. He glanced at himself in the mirror, turning sideways to check his profile. “This can’t be the size I asked for. I’m a forty-two. What the hell is wrong with this store?” the man demanded as he sucked in his ample girth and attempted to do up the buttons.
Dean tightened his lips, stepping outside the door to wave down the girl behind the counter. The sweet thing had retreated out of Frank’s shouting range five minutes after they’d arrived. “Honey? You think you could find me this suit in a size forty-two regular? Blue.”
While he spoke he flashed his fingers, her eyes widening as he silently increased the order to size sixty. “No problem,” she answered loudly, a flash of amusement lighting her previously concerned face.
By the time Sandra had brought pants and a tie to match the jacket, her eyes were sparkling nicely again. And when she stood a little closer than necessary while Frank paid the cashier, Dean eased his stance to make contact between their bodies.