Hooked on a Feelin' [Clandestine Affairs 5] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting)

by Zara Chase

  Chapter Three

  Vasco and Tyler arrived early at the restaurant and sat at the bar, drinking light beers while they waited for a table to free up. They’d been there less than five minutes when a young woman of average height, with a scruffy little dog on a leash, appeared in the doorway. She scanned the bar, briefly looked at the pair of them and as quickly looked away again.

  “Is that her, do you suppose?” Tyler asked.

  “Could be.” Vasco continued to watch her. “She didn’t seem too impressed by us. Barely spared us a glance.”

  Tyler chuckled. “You’ve got so used to females coming on to you at the gym, and just about everywhere else for that matter, that you’ve forgotten how to take rejection.”

  Vasco grinned. “Ain’t had much experience at rejection.”

  “Not too hot on modesty, either.”

  Vasco waved Ty’s comment aside, still taking inventory of the woman and liking what he saw. She wore faded jeans and a long, loose top, obviously designed to hide the fact that she carried a little extra weight around her middle. It couldn’t hide her large tits, or equally large backside, but Vasco wasn’t complaining. Just because he toned bodies for a living, didn’t mean he couldn’t appreciate nature at her finest. This creature carried her extra weight well, mainly because her posture was good, and because she wasn’t trying to flaunt her assets by wearing tight clothing.

  She had a waterfall of natural brunette hair, held back with a clip, and an averagely pretty face with slightly jutting cheekbones, rendered interesting by the most remarkable greenish-silver eyes. She wore no makeup as far as Vasco could detect, and didn’t need to. He approved of her creamy, fresh-faced, natural look almost as much as he approved of her full, sensual mouth and delicate, symmetrical features.

  “I like,” Tyler said, giving her a third look.

  She still didn’t appear to have found whomever she expected to meet, so Vasco took a chance.

  “Sorrel?” he asked, standing up and beckoning.

  She looked at him like he’d spoken in a foreign language. Her eyes widened with considerable caution, like they had ax murderers tattooed on their chests, and didn’t move for a prolonged moment. The hostess approached her with a smile, which snapped her out of her indecision and she politely focused her attention of the restaurant employee.

  “Is it okay to bring the dog into the bar area?” she asked. “He’s well behaved…well, most of the time.”

  “That’s fine, honey,” the hostess replied. “But you can’t take him in the restaurant. Are you meeting someone?”

  “These guys, I think,” she said, gesturing towards Vasco and Tyler.

  The hostess looked astounded. “You mean you don’t actually know?”

  “No, but I’m about to find out. Wish me luck.”

  Sorrel walked across to them. Vasco and Tyler stood as she approached and shared a look, impressed by the natural grace and coordination of her movements. Vasco noticed a few men in the restaurant area look up as she passed, probably thinking the same thing.

  “She has possibilities,” Tyler muttered. “Think she’s one of us?”

  “If she is, she doesn’t know it yet.”

  “Well, I can teach her all she needs to know.”

  “This is work. Down boy.”

  “Too late for that. She’s gotten to me already,” Tyler replied, unabashed.

  Vasco shook his head, then extended his hand as Sorrel reached them “Hey, Sorrel. I’m Vasco Blaine. We spoke earlier.”

  “Hi.” Her small hand disappeared into his much larger one and Vasco held it there, in no hurry to release it. “It’s nice to meet you.”

  “I’m Tyler Dafoe.”

  Vasco let her hand go so Tyler could literally get to grips with it. “Nice to meet you too,” she said, in a low, husky voice. “I only hope I haven’t dragged you here under false pretenses.”

  “No worries. We were in town anyway,” Vasco said. “Who’s this guy?”

  “Oh, that’s Marley. He’s a stray who adopted me a while back. Now we’re joined at the hip.”

  Both men bent to pet the friendly little dog, who lapped up the attention as enthusiastically as he lapped at their hands. Sorrel slipped onto a bar stool between the two of them and the bartender immediately appeared with a bowl of water for the dog.

  “Thank you,” Sorrel said, smiling. “That’s very thoughtful of you.”

  “We take good care of all our customers,” the bartender replied, winking at her.

  “What would you like to drink, Sorrel?” Vasco asked.

  Before she could reply, the hostess walked up to them. “Excuse me, but if you want to eat in the bar, there’s a table free. It means you can keep the dog with you.”

  “Sounds like a plan.” Vasco smiled at the hostess, who blushed. “Thanks, honey. Lead the way.”

  Once they were seated, with Sorrel between them and the dog beneath the table, the hostess left them menus and the bartender came over again and took Sorrel’s drink order. She asked for a diet soda.

  “I’m trying to lose a few pounds,” she explained self-consciously.

  “Actually, you don’t need to lose much,” Tyler said, smiling as he gave her a probing look that made her blush.

  “Excuse me?”

  “We run a gym,” Vasco explained, “which makes us think we’re experts on the subject.”

  “Oh, in Seattle?”

  “Port Angeles. It’s called Body Language.”

  “Oh, I’ve heard good things about it. I know someone who’s a member, but I’ve never set foot in a gym. I’m allergic to exercise.” She laughed self-consciously and indicated her body with her hands. “As you can see. Well, I do walk. I have no choice now that I have this little guy, but I did before I got him, too. It’s my thinking time, if I get stuck with a slogan. Still, I don’t suppose walking really counts as exercise.”

  “Actually, regular fast walking is one of the best forms of aerobic exercise,” Vasco told her.

  “Oh, is it?” She looked pleased. “Well, I have dropped a few pounds since getting Marley, so perhaps you’re right. Mind you, I could do with losing more yet, as my mother and sister never tire of reminding me.”

  “Ty’s right about you, even if he is outspoken to the point of rudeness. You just need to tone up a bit and you’ll be dynamic.”

  Her blush deepened. “Thank you. I think.”

  Vasco chuckled. “No problem.”

  “Sorrel’s an unusual name,” Ty said. “Something to do with herbs, isn’t it?”

  “Yes, but Sorrel’s a pretty ordinary herb, actually.” She shrugged. “A bit like me. It’s been cultivated for centuries and used in soups and salads, stuff like that.”

  “I guess you get that question a lot,” Vasco said, smiling at her.

  She nodded. “Yeah, I do.”

  “Well, it’s a pretty name and it suits you.”

  And if you say you’re not pretty, I shall put you across my knee and spank you. Vasco couldn’t remember the last time he’d found a woman who was so unsure of herself and wondered who had knocked all the confidence out of her. Nowadays females were all so damned predatory it spoiled the thrill of the chase. Who wanted to pursue a woman who allowed herself to be easily caught?

  She blushed at the compliment and looked down at her hands. “Thanks.”

  They turned their attention to the menus. Vasco watched her while she considered her options, trying to get a handle on her. Ty was right. She was sensual, but she was also self-conscious about her body, and had probably never had a chance to find that out about herself. Shame. She struck him as a responsible, giving person, who put others before herself. After all, she’d taken in a stray dog because she felt sorry for the little guy, which said a lot about her.

  A server came to take their order. Both guys ordered steaks. Vasco thought Sorrel would probably like one too, but she ordered a chicken Caesar instead.

  “We were sorry to hear about your dad,” T
yler said when the server left them.

  “Thank you.” She swallowed. “Did you know him? You’re obviously ex-military yourselves.”

  “We were marines, and no we didn’t know him,” Vasco said. “But Raoul and Zeke did and they speak highly of him.”

  “Thanks again.” She looked on the verge of tears, which told Vasco that she and her father had been close. It had been a year since her father’s passing and she still got emotional at the mention of his name. “That means a lot.” She paused. “Dad told me Raoul was married to a Palestinian lady, but that she died. Is that right?”

  “Yes, but I’m surprised your dad knew. It was confidential because she worked for the US and Israel, trying to broker peace. She got killed on a mission—”

  “That’s so sad.”

  “Yeah, it was about three years ago. Raoul and Zeke got out of the military just after that and set up their investigation agency. They have people like us all over the country, ready to step in and help where it’s needed.”

  “I can understand why he would want to do that,” she said, idly fiddling with a salad fork. “No one could help his wife, but he might be able to help others.”

  “Right,” Ty said. “And talking of help, tell us about your problems.”

  “Well, now that I’m here, I’m not really sure that I actually have one.”

  “You must have thought you did, otherwise you wouldn’t have contacted Raoul. And he must have agreed, otherwise we wouldn’t be here. He gets dozens of requests every week and is very selective about the ones he takes further.”

  “Oh, I didn’t realize.”

  “You write advertising slogans?” Vasco asked.

  “Yes, and I design logos to go with each campaign. I thought that idea up myself, just to make me stand out from the competition. Now almost everyone does it.”

  “Do you work for an agency?” Ty asked.

  “No, I work freelance but some agencies do ask me for ideas sometimes. I’ve earned a bit of a reputation, you see, and have quite a broad client base.”

  Vasco suspected she was being modest. She didn’t strike him as the type to boast about her achievements. “Does slogan writing pay well?” he asked.

  “Not especially, but if your slogan is adopted, there’s every chance you’ll be asked to work on the campaign. That’s where the real money is.”

  “I see.”

  “Recently several of my ideas have been pitched to the clients, almost word for word, before I could submit them myself. At first I thought it was coincidence.” She shrugged. “I mean, when you’re talking just a short, snappy slogan based around the name of a product, it’s possible for several people to come up with the same idea, I suppose. Unlikely, but not impossible.”

  “But it happened enough for you to start thinking someone was actually stealing from you?” Ty suggested.

  “Yes, because my logo designs turned up as well.”

  Their food arrived, looking and smelling great. Vasco ordered a bottle of red and insisted that Sorrel take a glass. If nothing else, it might help her to relax.

  “Well, just one won’t kill my resolve, I guess.”

  “Presumably you do your designing and brainstorming by computer,” Ty said as he cut into his rare steak and blood oozed over the plate. “Hmm, this is good.”

  “The food’s always good here,” Sorrel said, glancing rather enviously at their plates.

  “You come here a lot?” Vasco asked.

  “Not as often as I’d like to. My family don’t think it’s trendy enough to bother with, nor does my ex.”

  “Good enough reason to be an ex,” Ty remarked.

  “Hmm, anyway, about my designs. Hell no, I don’t use a computer. I know how easily they can be hacked, especially in such a cutthroat business as advertising.” A flash of anger passed through her eyes, presumably because they hadn’t credited her with more sense. “If you thought I’d called you in on a simple case of computer fraud, then I’ve wasted your time.”

  “Sorry,” Vasco said. “But we needed to be sure. So, how do you work?”

  She smiled at them both, an uncontrived, natural gesture that illuminated her eyes and banished the anxiety that had been in her expression ever since she walked in. Vasco’s interest in her heightened. So did his cock. Shit, that was so inappropriate! There was just something about her that got to him, and he was already hooked on the feeling. Perhaps it was because she hadn’t once tried to flirt with either of them, which was unusual enough to get their attention. It was as though she didn’t think she was worthy of their regard, which was just plain dumb.

  “The old fashioned way,” she replied. “With pen and paper. I think better if I doodle at the same time and doodling on a screen just isn’t the same.”

  “So someone who has access to your apartment must be—”

  Her cell phone rang. She appeared annoyed by the interruption but pulled it from her pocket and checked the display. She rejected the call and turned her attention back to Vasco.

  “Sorry about that. You were saying.”

  “Do you live alone?”

  “Yes. Well, apart from Marley.”

  Upon hearing his name, the dog looked up hopefully and thumped his tail against the wooden floor, probably driven crazy by the aroma of steak.

  “Anyone else have keys?” Ty asked.

  Once again her cell rang.

  “Oh, for goodness sake! Excuse me, but he won’t give up until I take this. I’ll just be a moment.”

  Vasco expected her to leave the table for privacy but she didn’t, presumably because of the dog.

  “Yes, Pete, what do you want?” She listened. “No, you can’t. I’m not home right now.” Another pause. “None of your business where I am. Besides, I’m mad at you. What the devil did you think you were doing, sending Jordi around?” Pause. “No, I don’t and no I won’t. It’s a crazy idea and I want no part of it.”

  She cut the call, looking angry and upset. “Sorry, that was my brother, thinking he can push me around, like always.” She took a large sip of wine. Vasco picked up the bottle and topped off her glass. She looked like she could use it. “Where were we? Oh yes, keys to my apartment. The super has one, obviously, and I think my sister does.”

  “What about the ex you mentioned?”

  “Shit!” She covered her mouth with her hand. “Sorry, I’d forgotten. He does, but I can’t see him stealing my ideas.”

  “Do you know who sold the ideas to the clients?”

  “Obviously not. If I did—”

  “You wouldn’t need us.” Vasco nodded. “Was it an amicable split from your ex?”

  “No. He dumped me and I was devastated at the time, but I got over him.”

  Ty touched her hand, probably sensing that she was more upset than she was letting on. “How long ago was this?”

  “A year.”

  “He dumped you at the same time you lost your dad?” Vasco shook his head. “What a jerk. Sounds like you’re better off without him.”

  “It was just after Dad died. He seemed to think I was spending too much time grieving and not enough fanning his ego.”

  “Sounds like a real charmer.” Ty growled.

  “Well, I suppose part of what he said was true. I eat too much when I’m unhappy and he said I’d let myself go, which I suppose I had.”

  Vasco’s desire to spank some sense into her intensified by the minute. “It was not your fault,” he said softly, fixing her with a probing gaze. “And Ty’s right. Again. That’s twice in one day, which, I gotta tell you, is a rarity.”

  His quip produced the smile he’d been hoping for. “Jordi actually did me a favor, but it was a tough time and it took a while for me to see it that way.”

  “And he still has a key?” Ty asked.

  “Yeah, I’ll get the locks changed.” She shook her head. “I should have thought of that before and not bothered you. Sorry.”

  “It’s no bother, honey.” Vasco smiled at her, badly
wanting to banish the bruised, disillusioned look in her eye. “And if you’re right and your ex wouldn’t know how to go about flogging your ideas, it must be a rival.”

  “I agree, but…damn!”

  Her cell rang again. She shrugged at them both and took the call. “Maggie, what can I do for you?” Pause. “Orlando? Why on earth would I want to go there?” Another pause. “The kids want to go, so take them. Don’t expect me to drag along. Oh, or is it that you just expect me to pay?” Another pause. “What else am I supposed to think? We’re not exactly tight.” Pause. “This weekend? I’m not sure if I can. You’ll have to let me get back to you on that one. I’m not at home right now.” Pause. “No, I’m not with Jordi. Why on earth would I be?”

  She sighed and broke the connection. This time she switched her phone off. “I don’t often turn it off,” she said, “just in case it’s a work enquiry, but I’ve had quite enough of my family for one day.”

  “That was your family?” Ty asked.

  “My sister. She wants me to pay for a weekend at Orlando for her and her kids and have the kids this weekend while she goes off somewhere with her new boyfriend.”

  “You must be a very loving aunt,” Vasco said.

  Sorrel shuddered. “Hardly. Her kids are monsters. Undisciplined, rude, demanding, but I never seem able to say no to Maggie. She guilts me into helping her.”

  “What do you have to feel guilty about?” Vasco asked, slipping his hand beneath the table and feeding Marley a sneaky piece of steak.

  “You shouldn’t do that,” she said, with no real conviction in her tone.

  “Poor guy looked hungry.”

  Sorrel laughed. “It’s a look he’s perfected when he recognizes a soft touch.”

  “Well, he’s found one.” Vasco reached down to ruffle the dog’s ears. “I always had dogs as a kid. I miss having one around.”

  “I know just what you mean. My family thought I was mad when I took Marley in. They just don’t realize what good company dogs can be. They give unconditional love, and the only demands they make in return are for food and exercise. Seems like a pretty good deal to me.”