Excerpt
“Hey,” he said as he stopped and joined their circle. “Ladies you look gorgeous as usual.” He stopped to focus on Ginger. “Especially you.”
She locked eyes with him, the slight tilt of her head a quick but silent thank you before she broke eye contact and looked down at the drink in her hand.
The iron woman façade she had in place tonight was light years away from the molten hot lava lover he’d held in his arms earlier today. He couldn’t forget her. It was like the first touch of their mouths had unlocked a reserve of want that he couldn't lock back up. But nothing about Ginger indicated that she was burning alive like he was.
“What about me?” Lucky asked, looking down at his tuxedo with a bewildered expression on his face. “Aren't I gorgeous?”
Beck cocked an eyebrow at Teague and Jack. “Is it my turn to stroke his fragile ego? I thought his getting married got me off the hook.”
“Don't be an ass, we’ve got company,” Teague motioned to a man standing next to Ginger. He was tall, African-American and had his hand on Ginger’s waist. Beck didn’t like the twinge of irritation that flared in his chest.
“Beckett, this is Peter Fox” Ginger said, her voice cool but her glance warm as she looked at her date. “Peter this is Dr. Beckett Sutherland.”
“Pete,” he said, extending his hand in greeting. “Nice to meet you.”
“It’s Peter,” he said with a wry twist to his mouth. “Nice to meet you.”
Beck wasn’t a dick but the sight of the guy putting his arm around Ginger and pulling her in close flipped his switch. He couldn't help himself.
“So, Pete, how do you know Ginger?” To his right, Teague groaned at his childishness. He ignored him.
The guy’s jaw tightened at the sound of his name abused but then flickered with curiosity as he looked at Ginger. She smiled at him but it was tight, her own irritation just under the surface if you knew what to look for.
“Virginia and I met up again at a law school alumnae event a few weeks ago.”
“Well, that was poor timing on your part.” He flashed a smile at Pete’s confused expression. “Starting to date right before she moves here.” He let out a long whistle. “Long distance is tough. I presume you aren’t from around here.”
“Peter lives and works in DC,” Ginger offered, her eyes flashing a warning just for him. “He’s a lobbyist.”
“Right.” Beck didn't have anything against ole’ Pete. It’s just that he kept touching Ginger. And he had all kinds of problems with that shit. But her old man would love this guy. Admiral Crawford hadn’t said much to him the weekend he’d gone home with Ginger but he’d referred to him frequently as “that white boy” when talking about him.
Beck spotted a waiter going by and motioned him over. “Jack Daniels. Neat.” He looked at the full wine glass in Ginger’s hand and he remembered that she didn’t drink. Her mother had been an alcoholic who’d drunk herself into a stroke. “You want a club soda with lime?”
She paused, her eyes flaring with her surprise. Her voice was less poised as she nodded. “Thank you.”
Beck took the glass from her and handed it to the waiter, watching her face for any reaction when he deliberately brushed against her fingers with his own. Nothing. Not even a twitch as she kept her gaze mostly on her date. Were they a thing? Was he her boyfriend? He’d never thought to ask and he didn’t like not knowing. Not one little bit.
“You didn’t like the wine?” Peter asked, his glance at Beck showing a little bit of an edge.
“It was fine. I just don’t drink alcohol,” Ginger said, her cheeks tinted a little red as she glanced at Pete and gave him a smile. “No worries.”
“Wait,” Peter snapped his gaze back and forth between the two of them, his face screwed up in the universal expression for confusion. “You guys know each other?”
Biblically. Beck thought and clamped his mouth down to keep from saying it out loud.
