"How many you got on the trot now, Kels?" Ben asked, no longer drinking anything, just sitting back and enjoying the show.
"Five!" Kelly announced proudly.
"Five men?" I spluttered, and in the surprise of her announcement downed my shot of tequila without registering. The burn felt good, so when Kelly automatically handed me an already filled shot glass, I just accepted it. What the hell. Ben said this place was under surveillance and he'd stopped drinking, for once in my life I'd get a little tipsy.
Just a little.
"Spike, Matt, Dan," Kelly started listing names as she ticked them off her outstretched fingers, "Kane and, um, one other," she finished lamely.
"One other?" Abi queried. "What, you forget his name?"
Kelly snorted. "Not likely. He makes sure I remember it every time."
"Then what's his name?" Abi pressed.
"Um, Fred," Kelly offered, clearly picking a name off the cuff.
"Ah-oh," Abi said, wiping her lips after downing another shot. "Me thinks you got a secret."
"You thinks too much," Kelly shot back.
"Oh!" Abi gasped. "We know him, don't we?"
Kelly stared at her with a look that clearly threatened death if she continued this line of thought.
"Leave her be, Abs," Ben chastised softly.
"Thank you, Ben. A girl should never kiss and tell," Kelly said in an exaggerated posh voice, making Abi snort her mouthful of tequila out over the table.
"Abi!" Ben groaned. "Get a grip, woman."
"Sorry," she replied meekly. "It was the kiss and tell comment. I could have sworn Kelly said it, but that can't be right."
"Oh, har har," Kelly said, suddenly spinning to face me. "So, what do you think of our good detective? Not that I believe for a moment he's all good."
"Um," I muttered.
"Nooo!" Abi added. "That sinful body and bad boy goatee beard. Imagine the stubble rash you'd get..."
"Red!"
"Ooops."
"Marie?" Kelly prompted. "Your thoughts, please. This is a drinking session, you are entitled to blame your swooning on the booze."
"Um, I don't know," I said quietly, my eyes flicking from one expectant woman to the other and then landing on Ben.
He sighed, loud and long. "I'll get a start on the dishes," he offered, pushing up from his lounger and heading towards the door. He stopped at Abi's chair and leaned over to whisper something in her ear. She blushed, he chuckled. And then he was gone.
"I won't even ask," Kelly said, rolling her eyes. "Honestly, those two can't help themselves."
"Would you, if you had a man like Ben?" Abi asked.
"Touché, sweet pea," Kelly replied, returning clear blue eyes to me.
I shook my head in defeat.
"What do you want me to say? I met the man two days ago. He barged into my office, proceeded to ogle my butt while I was under my desk and has been a pain in it ever since."
"Oh, I like that description," Abi declared.
"What were you doing under the desk?" Kelly asked. "Hold on! Did you get under the desk before or after he arrived?"
"Good question," Abi said and then high-fived Kelly.
I laughed. "Sorting a tangle of electrical cords and it was before he walked in."
"Damn," Kelly said, downing another shot. "Could've been a good story."
"It's still a good story. He ogled her butt," Abi offered, then added, "And still does."
"Does not!" I blurted.
"Oh, he does," Abi shot back. "Constantly."
"Whatever," I replied, pouring my next shot down my throat hoping the burn would wipe the memory of Pierce's butt fetish out of my mind. It didn't.
"So, he likes your butt," Kelly said, fingers out to tick a list off again. "Has sworn to protect you." Second finger ticked. "Stormed off muttering about how beautiful you are and spanking said butt." I glared at Abi who just shrugged and started pouring more shots. "What else?"
"There is nothing else," I declared in frosty ice princess voice. "He's a cop wanting more filth on a criminal so he can secure the right sentence in court."
Silence met my clipped words.
"You really think that's the only reason why he's offered you protection?" Abi asked, sounding way more sober than I knew she was.
"It's his job, isn't it?" I declared.
Abi flicked a glance at Kelly, who sent a silent message back to her friend I had no hope of deciphering.
"It's just," Abi began, then thought better of what she was going to say and instead said, "Fuck it. Let's just drink."