I frown at her. “I don’t like it when you talk sense to me.”
“You love it.” She kisses my cheek. “It’s why you keep me around.”
“That and you’re an excellent seat assigner.”
Lily curtsies. Hannah comes in with a massive flower bouquet and sets it down on the table. Two dozen stargazers — my favorite flower. My entire body immediately tenses.
“This was left for you.” Hannah grins at me. “No name on the note. I called the flower shop, though. They refused to tell me who it was, but did confirm it wasn’t David.”
“It could be his assistant.” I scowl, even though part of me is melting. David hadn’t sent me flowers in years, but when he did, it was always roses. I check the note. “Meet me at Descanso Gardens this Friday at five. I can’t stop thinking about you.”
Lily and Hannah both stare, open-mouthed and start squealing.
“That is so romantic!” Hannah gushes.
“Fuck romantic, that’s sexy.” Lily grabs my arm. “What if it’s Eric?”
“Who’s Eric?” Hannah asks.
“No one.” We say in tandem. Hannah grins but steps out of the room and closes the door to give us privacy, because she’s the best assistant anyone could ask for.
“But seriously.” Lily lowers her voice. “What if it is?”
“That’s absurd.” I shake my head, unable to believe the man who glares at me across the table twice a week would send me flowers. “I mean, that’s insane… right? He only agreed to meet me because I bought him alcohol and he was probably drunk. I mean, he was drunk. We obviously couldn’t have sex and he probably, hopefully, remembers nothing.”
“Or. Or.” Lily draws the word out. “He was devastated that you kicked him out and is trying to seduce you now. You need to go!”
“It’s in a public place when the sun is up. I can’t do that.” I shake my head more to convince myself than anything else. Because I want it to be Eric and I want to go, but I can’t. “Vivian would kill me.”
“So be quiet about it. Wear a hat. Fuck him in the bathroom.”
“Lily!”
“Bathroom sex is hot. Or find a quiet spot around Descanso and fuck him by a tree or a pond. That’s super sexy.”
It is super sexy. My entire body runs warm just thinking about it. Having him throw up my skirt and press me up against a tree, or lay me down by the water and kiss my entire body while people walk past, none the wiser of what was happening? God help me, I’d die.
I take a deep breath so I don’t lose myself before my best friend.
“It has been a really long time.” I admit slowly. “I mean, a really long time since I’ve had anything good.”
“That last time with David doesn’t count. You need a good fucking. So go!”
I think about the night before mediation started, how he showed up and begged me for one last night together. How terrible it all was.
“Okay.” I nod slowly and slip the note into my wallet. “I’ll do it.”
CHAPTER TEN
ERIC
“Can you see me okay?” I shade my eyes and look across the park grounds. Unnecessary with my dark shades, but it added to the spy vibe. “Do I need to move?”
“I see you fine,” comes a slightly static-y voice over my Bluetooth ear piece. “I’ll go radio silence when she shows up.”
“I would hope so. The less she knows, the better.”
“I’m not an idiot.”
“Debatable.”
“I’ll remember that the next time you try to pull some shady shit like this.” Paxton chuckles, the static making him sound like a creepy circus clown.
“What the hell are you doing that’s making this connection so bad?”
“It’s fucking Descanso, man. It’s a signal blackhole. Way to pick some place terrible. This is further proof you’re a shitty attorney.”
“Fuck off. I’m turning this shit off. Just make sure you get some good shots.” I depress the button on my ear buds and drop them into my shirt pocket.
It’s been a while since I’ve pulled this sort of sting, and I only do it in desperate-measure situations. The women usually know it’s me in the photo and are too ashamed to say anything, but a few have guessed the set-up. I need pictures, not to be reported.
Kate, though, is a situation I still haven’t worked out. She’s been eye-fucking me for weeks, that was obvious. I’m much more covert about the entire thing because I’m a professional, no matter what the Attorney General likes to think. The late-night jack-off sessions to her naked beach pictures obviously don’t count.