Lip Service

by Lori Foster

  He’d upped the ante by denying her request to rendezvous at her hotel. He’d forced her into the storm—into the wet night. Yet by suggesting she ask her sister to give her a ride, he’d waylaid any reluctance she might have had about meeting him on turf she couldn’t control. Of course, Lacey also hadn’t argued when Eve insisted she have Seth Kingston professionally checked out before they went anywhere. One call to the local FBI office and twenty minutes later, Eve and Lacey agreed that Seth was exactly who he claimed to be—a respected former cop caught in a political crossfire, but apparently doing okay on his own. He wasn’t a man to be afraid of—not unless you had something to hide.

  Thanks to the rain, her clothes were damp enough that the air-conditioning in Eve’s tiny sports car spawned an annoying chill. She turned off the device only to succumb to the sultry Atlanta heat. Thankfully, she’d pulled her hair into sleek ponytail, wrapped with a scarf that matched her dress. She’d glossed her skin with a light touch of makeup, but had generously spritzed her flesh with her favorite, citrus-scented perfume. The night might conspire to wilt her, but Lacey wouldn’t surrender so easily. Fresh and excited and on the verge of something remarkable, she wasn’t about to let the weather get in the way.

  Or her sister, who glanced sidelong at her during the entire drive, her mouth a straight line of worry.

  “Lighten up, Eve,” Lacey demanded, certain she couldn’t take another moment of her sister’s disapproving silence.

  “You sure you want to do this?”

  “Do what? Have a romantic evening with one of the sexiest men I’ve met in my entire life? Perhaps make love—again—to a guy who planned a unique, sensual interlude for a woman he just met and likely won’t see after tomorrow? Really, Eve, what’s wrong with this picture? You’re no wallflower. You really want me to believe you wouldn’t go if you’d met a guy like Seth?”

  Eve’s mouth curved downward. “Of course I’d go. But I’m not you. You’re leaving tomorrow. You seem really hot for this guy, yet you came to Atlanta one hundred and ten percent convinced that relationships are off limits for you because of your job.”

  Lacey crossed her arms, “And you have reasons that have nothing to do with your career for avoiding relationships. You sleep with whatever man excites you, but then you send him out the door shortly thereafter.”

  Eve pushed a lock of her dark blond hair away from her eyes. “You make it sound like I’ve had a thousand lovers. I haven’t you know.”

  “You’ve had your fair share.”

  “So have you.”

  “Which is why I know that Seth is special.”

  “I’m not arguing that point. If half of what you’ve told me about him is true, he’s a rare catch. Which begs the question—how are you going to leave him tomorrow? You’re setting yourself up for heartbreak, Lacey.”

  She shrugged, not wanting to address this question again when she had no answer. Not that she hadn’t contemplated the conundrum herself several times today. But she couldn’t veer off course—in her career or her weekend fling. Not when she was so close to the promotion she so desperately wanted. Not when Seth satisfied something deep inside her—a void she desperately needed to fill.

  “I’ll deal,” she concluded, hoping the finite sound in her voice would quell the butterflies in her stomach. “I can’t run away from Seth just because he might be the perfect man. I have to grab this chance while I have it.”

  “I’m not disagreeing. But if he’s the perfect man, why do you have to decide now that a relationship—a real relationship—isn’t a possibility? At least keep your mind open, if he’s interested.”

  By nature, Lacey wasn’t a close-minded person. She saw possibilities where others thought none existed, a talent that added to her effectiveness on the job. But that very job stood like a ten-ton roadblock barring anything more with Seth than a two-day affair.

  No matter how many strides women had made in law enforcement, old-fashioned expectations worked against female agents. She’d watched too many colleagues lose their upward momentum when they got wrapped up in love affairs and wedding plans and pregnancies. Lacey had seen how these wonderful transitions in life had hurt the promotional value of women who, like Lacey, had wanted more than anything to achieve success in their careers. Lacey didn’t deny that she wanted a lover, a husband, a family. But she had made the decision to waylay those goals until she attained what she wanted from the FBI first.

  Sacrifices had to be made. As long as Seth understood, he wouldn’t get hurt. And if she got hurt, she’d have only herself to blame.

  “I don’t have a choice,” Lacey concluded.

  “You always have a choice,” Eve countered.

  “Yes, and I choose to continue on my career track. I can’t mess with a relationship right now, Eve. Especially not a long-distance one. I just want to grab life while I can, and milk the most out of this night with Seth. Is that so wrong?”

  With a noncommittal shake of her head, Eve turned off onto Dunwoody Road, as Seth had instructed. The neighborhood was one of the older ones in Atlanta—not a subdivision, but definitely sporting houses outside Lacey’s price range. The Chattahoochee River flowed nearby and various lakes dotted the tree-thick backyards of homes set on several acres of land.

  When the mailbox with the correct numbers came into view, Eve made a right turn up the long, winding drive. The tall gabled windows of the three-story, brick structure blazed with light, bright and welcoming, between swipes from the windshield wipers. Despite the lingering rain, Lacey rolled down her window and the scent of freshly burning firewood teased her nostrils. As they pulled up beneath the covered driveway, Seth appeared in the doorway, devilishly handsome in navy slacks and a forest-green shirt that would match his eyes.

  When Eve came to a full stop, Seth jogged around to her side of the car and tapped on her window, sending a friendly wave Lacey’s way.

  “Seth Kingston,” he said, leveling his hand through the now open window so Eve had no choice but shake it.

  “Eve Baptiste. Nice to meet you. Seth.”

  Lacey groaned. Her sister’s calculated hesitation had been a not-so-subtle reminder of Seth’s initial lie about his name. Geez. Eve could be such an overprotective older sister when the mood suited her.

  If Seth caught the backhanded chastisement, he didn’t acknowledge it. “Pleasure’s all mine. Thank you for driving Lacey out here. I saw no need for both of us to have cars. Especially since we’re not planning on going anywhere.”

  Lacey rolled her eyes. Seth brimmed with charm, but she could see right through the arrangement. He’d heard Eve giving her a hard time over the phone this afternoon about her running off with a stranger. And being the perfect gentleman that he was, he couldn’t abide her sister not approving. Not that Lacey cared about Eve’s opinion on the matter, but her sister wasn’t usually so uptight and Lacey didn’t like the idea of ruining what little time she and Eve would spend together tomorrow with arguments over Seth.

  “Well, I’m glad I had a chance to meet you, too.”

  Her sister’s response sounded genuine, so Lacey decided the time had come to exit the car. Before she had her purse gathered and her hand on the handle, Seth had sprinted around to open her door and help her out. Lacey didn’t have to glance over her shoulder to feel Eve’s wide-eyed shock boring through the back of her head.

  She’d told her he was a gentleman. Now, she got to see for herself.

  “Is this your bag?” Seth asked, pointing to the back seat.

  “I packed a few necessities,” she countered, loving the way Seth’s eyes darkened with desire at the mere possibility of what she might have brought along.

  He reached into the car and snagged the overnight case. When he stood straight, Lacey succumbed to her instinct to press close to him, loving the dry warmth radiating from his skin. A gust of wind sprinkled them with tiny droplets of rain, but Lacey had no desire to make one move that might take her out of Seth’s intimate space.
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br />   Seth glanced down briefly at the bag. “You didn’t have to pack. I’ve got everything you’ll need tonight.”

  Lacey licked her lips, suddenly noticing how the rain had moistened Seth’s mouth. “I bet you do.”

  Eve cleared her throat, then wiggled her fingers in a sarcastic wave, clearly annoyed that they’d indulged in sexy repartee with her sitting right there. Lacey leaned across the seat, gave her sister a peck on the cheek, promised to call her tomorrow, then watched the red taillights recede down the drive.

  Silence reigned long enough for Lacey to hear James Taylor crooning from inside the house. She turned and gave an appreciative sigh, then commented on the size and beauty of the house.

  “You must have been the best-paid cop in Atlanta.”

  Seth laughed. “Not likely. This place isn’t mine. Belongs to a good citizen who helped my department bust up a ring of art thieves about six years ago. He lent us the house for the sting and in return, I taught him how to fish.”

  Lacey stepped back. “Fish?”

  Seth gestured toward the front door, then cupped Lacey’s elbow as they walked up the marble steps. “Funny what the rich don’t know. This guy has caught swordfish off a charter yacht in the Mediterranean, has gone lobster trolling in the Keys, but he didn’t know how to scrounge for worms, bait his own hook and catch a decent catfish in the lake behind his house.”

  Lacey grimaced, shaken by the thought of digging for slimy worms and impaling them on a sharp object just to catch a fish. What was wrong with the seafood section at the grocery store? Or better yet, the live tanks at her favorite restaurant? This was not exactly a sexy topic, in her opinion.

  “I take it you don’t fish,” he said.

  She shook her head, then wondered if she’d put him off. Then again, she wondered if she should care. Despite her own distaste for that particular outdoor activity, Lacey couldn’t help but find the fact that Seth engaged in such a manly pursuit incredibly attractive.

  He probably watched football, too. Maybe he’d played in high school. She’d bet he had a poker night scheduled at regular intervals and that other than ESPN and the local news stations, he couldn’t find anything to watch on his satellite television. All the speculation jolted Lacey. Why would she want to know these things? Why would she care? So what if a real guy’s guy appealed to her on an elemental level. She was leaving Atlanta tomorrow night.

  “I’ve never had the pleasure,” she finally said, hoping to avoid any bright ideas he might have about using the lake around back to give her lessons tonight when she had something much more intimate in mind.

  “I bet you can’t say that about much,” he quipped, reaching for the shiny brass doorknob.

  She yanked his arm back. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  Her flash of temper caught them both off-guard. Lacey pasted on a quick smile and exhaled. “Sorry.”

  His brow tilted high over his wide eyes. “Tense?”

  “Didn’t think so, but apparently…never mind, okay?” She rubbed her suddenly sweaty palms down the sides of her dress. “I can’t deny that I’ve been around the block a few times. It’s part of my charm. Don’t know why I’m so sensitive about it all of a sudden.”

  Seth dropped the bag at their feet, then slid his hands around her waist and tugged her close. Lacey knew from that instant that she’d forever associate the scent of warm leather and spice with him, no matter where the future led her.

  “I don’t know, either,” he said, brushing his lips across her forehead, inhaling deeply, as though the essence of her perfume rocked him just as his cologne shook her. To the core. “We’ve both done a lot of living in our short lives, Lacey. Heck, we’ve done a lot of living in the past twenty-four hours. I hope you’re not harboring any regrets. Not now. Not when I’ve got an amazing night planned for you. For us.”

  “Regrets? Me?” She swallowed deeply and willed her assertion to be true. “I don’t know the meaning of the word.”

  “Good,” Seth opened the door. “Because if tonight goes as planned, I certainly won’t be teaching it to you.”

  9

  SETH TOSSED THE LAST takeout container into the garbage pail beneath the sink, nearly missing when he heard the creak of the screen door leading from the den to the rustic back porch. With the bright lights shining in the kitchen, he peered through the windows that led to the wooded backyard, but couldn’t see a thing. The rain still spattered on the glossy panes, but Seth wouldn’t put it past adventurous, spontaneous Lacey to venture outdoors anyway.

  He finished disposing of their meal and hurried into the den. The thick blankets he’d arranged in front of the fireplace were empty. But Lacey left him a clue to her whereabouts wrapped around the knob of the back door—the scarf she’d worn on her sassy ponytail just a few minutes ago.

  She’d ventured into the light, drizzling rain barefooted and beautiful. Seth quietly opened the door and watched from the porch, enraptured by the sight of her. She skipped from stone to stone down the path, which was lined with gas-fed torches, not spilling a drop from her wineglass, not the least concerned about how the rain seeped into the material of her sexy dress. She stopped, looked up into the rain and slicked back her unbound hair.

  Despite the weather, Seth’s mouth dried to the texture of sandpaper. He longed to kiss her, to ease his parched state with the moisture from her sweet lips. They’d spent hours together already, yet except for a few stolen touches—fingers brushing as they shared takeout Chinese food, shoulders grazing as he took her on a tour of the house, toes meeting as they snuggled beneath blankets by the fire—they hadn’t kissed, hadn’t made love. The tension crackling between them rivaled the lightning that had sparked slashes of light across the night sky during dinner. He had no idea why sassy, aggressive, sexy Lacey had held back—but he knew why he had.

  And he was in deep.

  Seth couldn’t remember when he’d felt so broadsided…except for the time he’d been involved in a police chase with two bank robbers and he’d ended up broadsided, literally, by a 4x4 driven by a teenager who’d somehow missed the sirens and the flashing lights. Seth had spent several days in the hospital, contemplating his navel and grumbling to anyone who might listen until the doctors finally released him.

  Now, like it or not, Seth was contemplating his life. Unlike his time in the hospital, the pain Lacey inspired wasn’t limited to the physical. Yes, he’d endured a non-stop hard-on since the moment she’d driven up with her sister and yes, his head and chest pounded from a wild combination of nerves and lust and anticipation. But mostly, Lacey’s entrance into his life, unexpected and unbidden, had caused him to realize that his dismissal from the force was likely the best thing that had ever happened to him.

  Now, he had a chance to grab the kind of exciting, no-holds-barred love affairs he’d watched his brother, the pilot, and his sister, the artist, throw themselves into like sky divers jumping out of a plane. Yeah, they got hurt sometimes, but man, what a rush.

  For once in his life, Seth wasn’t bound by the pressures of his job to keep his relationships neat and easily disposable. As a police detective, he’d barely had the freedom for any kind of personal life. As a P.I., he had a much more flexible schedule and only himself to answer to. He was on his own, free to pursue whatever woman he wanted whenever he wanted. Yes, his current case was important to him, but he couldn’t deny that investigating what was sparking between him and Lacey Baptiste interested him way more than whatever secrets Gina Ralston possessed.

  Unfortunately, Seth also knew that Lacey had decided in no uncertain terms to return to Quantico with nothing but delicious memories. They’d spent the entire evening discussing everything from childhood to college to current goals and dreams. When he admitted that the night before, he’d recognized her from the club scene when he used to work vice, they’d had a fascinating discussion about her past and his perceptions of her life back then. Her attitudes, friends and lovers. She’d been captivated by his
insights, which struck him as odd. Here was a woman who seemingly didn’t give a damn what other people thought, yet she couldn’t get enough of his perspective.

  He could only come to one conclusion about that. Lacey missed her old life. She’d admitted as much by her actions this weekend, but he suspected her return to nostalgia meant more than he had the smarts to figure out. And apparently, she had no intention of confessing more than she had. Whatever the cause, her need to revisit her wild days had sent her into his life where she’d turned things so topsy-turvy, Seth wasn’t sure which way was up.

  And now she was dancing in the rain to the music of the night, with a wineglass in one hand and her clothes growing more and more transparent by the minute. Why he was still inside, he hadn’t a clue.

  He treaded softly, eliciting a surprised yelp when he snagged her out-stretched hand, yanked her close and twirled with her. Her wine splashed on his shirt, but he didn’t care. For the second time in two amazing days, Seth was going to grab life with gusto—something that was so easy to do with Lacey in his arms.

  “You’re soaked.”

  She smiled up into his face, her brown irises twinkling with the firelight from the gas torches. Droplets of rain clung to her eyelashes and mascara smudges rimmed her eyes. Her lips, red from the wine, curled into a heart-stopping smile.

  “I don’t care. Do you?”

  “Should I?”

  “Not if you like getting wet with me.”

  “I can’t think of anything I want more.”

  She handed him her wine, then twirled out of his embrace. He stepped forward; she stopped him with an open palm. “I don’t do things halfway. You want wet? I’ll give you wet.”

  With one tug, she released the sash that held her dress snugly around her body. One flick of the snap at the neckline and the thin fabric unraveled, revealing a lace teddy in pale pink, soaked through so it adhered to her breasts, belly and hips like a second skin. She spun out of the dress, tossing the fabric to the ground and allowing him a three-hundred and sixty-degree view of her, from her sweet, rounded buttocks to her slim, bared back.