A sharp sting of humiliation jabbed at Coral. Her cheeks colored, and she stepped back away from the two of them. Yes, she had felt pretty lame bidding on a date with Flint McCoy, and spending a month’s salary on the date, at that.
Flint scowled at the brunette. “Melinda,” he said coldly, “I don’t need any help, and I am greatly looking forward to a date with Coral. I already told you to save your money,” and the woman grimaced.
Ha, Coral thought. Now who looks desperate?
“Excuse me, what did you just say to my friend?” Maybelle snapped, from behind Melinda, and when Melinda turned to see who was talking, she lashed out with a swift kick in the shins. Melinda yelped and staggered back a step.
“Don’t make me stick you with my hatpin,” Blanche threatened.
Dr. De Rossi had strolled up and was surveying the whole exchange with amusement. “Oh, my, I can see I’m in for quite an evening,” he said, looking not at all displeased. He had an accent that Coral couldn’t place – Italian, maybe? He was dead sexy for a man of his age, anyway. He looked dashing in his tuxedo and he had a sort of courtly old world air about him, like the descendents of royalty.
“You got that right, honey,” Blanche said. She linked her arm through his, and Maybelle quickly linked her arm through his free arm, and the three of them drifted off into the crowd.
Melinda stood there with her mouth hanging open. “I will see you on site tomorrow morning. Good night,” Flint said, turning away from her, and she stood there for a moment longer, uncertainly, before she turned and stomped off, looking as if she’d just sucked on a lemon.
“She works on my construction crew. That was completely inappropriate behavior on her part, and I apologize,” he said.
Coral shrugged, trying to keep her tone casual. “Listen, that was very gentlemanly of you, but I know you don’t want to go out on this date any more than I do. Why don’t we just do what we originally planned? Meet me at the Donut Hole tomorrow morning, fifteen minute interview, and we’ll also consider it a date. We’ll both get what we need.”
“Certainly not. I wasn’t lying when I said I was looking forward to a date with you. Dinner, and a boat ride on my family’s lake. Does tomorrow night work for you?”
“Ahhh – well –“
“I’ll pick you up at your place at six p.m.”
“Well, I-“
He grabbed her hand in his, brought it up to his lips, and kissed it. The feel of those soft, luscious lips on the back of her hand sent a flood of desire raging through her body, and she barely was able to swallow the whimper that rose to her lips. At least, she hoped she’d swallowed it.
He winked at her, and turned and walked away.
She was dismayed to realize that her body was reacting as if he were a rock star and she was a screaming fan at a concert. Her nipples were swollen and sensitive, rubbing up against the fabric of her bra. Her cleft was damp with the juices of her arousal, and her heart had sped up as if she’d just run a marathon.
If one chaste kiss on her hand had this effect on her, how would she survive an entire evening with her dignity intact?
Chapter Five
The next morning…
Blanche might be crazy, and a loudmouthed troublemaker, but she did show up bearing coffee and donuts, which redeemed her considerably in Coral’s eyes.
She set the bag of donuts down in front of Coral and plopped into a chair next to her. Maybelle immediately scooted her chair closer, because she clearly couldn’t stand to be left out of anything that involved her frenemy.
“I’ve got it,” Blanche said triumphantly.
“Got what? The clap?” Maybelle grabbed a donut from the bag and bit into it.
“Ladies, ladies! Language! There are virgin ears here!” Coral clapped her hands over her ears in a show of protest. Sadly, it was practically true. She was almost a born-again virgin.
“No, you senile old goat, I’ve got the connection,” Blanche smirked. “Both of the missing people are from families who are Original Shifters.”
“Hmmph,” Maybelle frowned, pursing her lips. “I suppose that’s true.”
“Original shifters? What’s that? Is that something like Original Gangsters?”
“Good heavens, you city folk.” Maybelle leaned back in her seat. “This requires a little history lesson. Did you know that Central Florida was one of the first places that shifters were first discovered and acknowledged, way back in the early 1800s?”
“Vaguely.” Coral was lying. History wasn’t her strong suit.
“Are you familiar with ley lines?”