Great Exploitations(17)

Other than what he’d done to me. That the one piece of evidence I had against Henry Callahan was what he’d done to me years before he’d even met Mrs. Callahan put me in a sticky spot. Especially since my traitor self emerged from time to time and pretended that nothing had changed between Henry and me.

If I didn’t keep that image of Henry in bed with another woman while I had his engagement ring on my finger, the Errand would continue being exceedingly difficult. If I didn’t separate myself from the man who seemed impossible to dislike, the Errand would turn into a disaster.

I was just looking up to catch the bartender’s attention when someone practically stumbled into my view. It had only been a day—I could have sighed with relief. But then I noticed his stumbling was paired with glazed-over eyes and a flushed face, and relief became the last thing I felt. Alcohol paired with a man like Rob Tucker was like lighting a stick of dynamite.

“There’s my girl,” he said as he bumped into the chair across from me.

Trying to be casual yet quick, I shoved the Callahan file back together and stuffed it into my briefcase. Once it was locked, I composed my face and took a deep breath before looking at Rob. I’d been anticipating him finding me, but that was the second time a Target had stumbled upon me while I was studying an Errand file. Even though he was at least a few drinks away from comatose, it still made me feel like some Eve rookie.

“I thought I made it pretty clear yesterday that I’m no one’s ‘girl,’” I replied, crossing my legs and leaning back. Thankfully, I’d worn something appropriate to the lounge instead of my tank and yoga pants.

Rob grabbed the chair in front of him, pulled it out, and sat. He barely kept from falling out of it, though. “And I thought I made it clear that whatever I want, I get.” He pointed his empty drink glass at me, almost in accusation. “I want you. So that makes you my girl.”

I wanted to shake my head so badly. “You had trouble with that whole sharing concept in preschool, didn’t you?”

“No. The other kids had trouble with my concept of sharing perhaps, but I had no trouble with that.”

Spoken like a true narcissist. “Because you took what you wanted whenever you wanted it. Here you are, forty years later, trying to do the same to a young woman you don’t know anything about other than her first name and that she likes fast, expensive cars.”

Rob leaned across the table. “I know more about you than that. A whole bunch more.” He wasn’t quite slurring, which was a good sign. Well, a better sign.

“Like?” Catching the bartender’s attention, I lifted my glass. I was definitely going to need a third one.

“Like that you’re so hot for me, your panties would need changing if you wore any.” A lazy smile that made me want to gag moved onto his face.

“And because you think you know that about me, you assume you know everything there is to know?”

Rob drained the last drop from his glass before slamming it down. “Everything I want and need to know.”

Why did every conversation I had with him feel like some great challenge not to dry heave? Never mind. Rhetorical question.

“How did you find me?” I asked, thanking the bartender with a nod when she dropped my fresh cherry Coke in front of me.

“I can find anyone I want, whenever I want. This is my city. I own it.” As the bartender passed him, Rob grabbed her arm and pulled her to a stop. The dude was all kinds of physical with all kinds of women. “Be a sweetheart and bring me two whiskey sours.”

“Two?” The bartender glared at his hand wrapped around her arm. “Don’t you think you’ve already had two too many?”

“No, I don’t think so.” Rob shook his head once. “And it’s not your job to think. A girl’s thoughts are never rational or worth verbalizing. So why don’t you smile pretty, nod, and serve me my drinks like your gender was created to do?”

Wow. Okay, so there was a nastier monster hiding inside of Rob Tucker than I’d guessed. Nothing like a few too many drinks to bring out that monster.

Whipping her arm out of his hold, the bartender gave me a look that said she thought I was crazy for being the woman sitting across from him. I answered with a shrug—I was crazy. That came with the job.

“So you found me because you own this town. Got it. But explain to me why you wanted to find me so badly.” I took a sip of my fresh Coke, keeping my calm and collected act strong. I wouldn’t buckle under my emotions like I had yesterday.

“Me and you.” He waved his finger between us. “We’ve got unfinished business.”