Rough and Tumble by CRYSTAL GREEN

would’ve guessed that she was something similar anyway. A librarian maybe. Either way, she hadn’t exactly looked like she crunched numbers by day in that sundress she’d been sporting earlier. And with that blond hair flying free.
    The only nonaccountant part of her now that he could see was a pair of black high heels with peekaboo toes and straps encircling her ankles, a subtle tease. All in all, he had the feeling that she was a laced-up nerd who needed only a nudge to undo that strict bun again.
    Heat shot to his groin, and he ran a hand through his hair, which was still damp from the shower he’d taken. It wasn’t like he’d gone out of his way to dress up, but somewhere inside of him, excitement had been flickering all day—the anticipation of a kid on his first date.
    But that was fucking dumb. Still, as she talked with her friends—were they arguing?—he stood from his chair, wanting her to see that he was already waiting. Wanting her to tell her buddies to go away so she could come to him.
    Funny, because he was usually running the other way.
    Just as the thought tailed off, their gazes locked, and a yank of desire made him tense up. So pretty. So off-limits. So not-his-usual type. And that made him want her more.
    She raised her chin, then walked toward the lounge’s entrance, waving to her friends. They stood by a bank of slot machines, their hands on their hips, but he didn’t care about how they stared at him. Molly was cutting a path through the tables, smoothing a hand over her skirt like she was nervous. Or maybe there was another reason she picked at her clothes an awful lot. It was one of her tells.
    He pulled a chair out for her, then waited until she was sitting before he took his again. He knew from experience that manners were only a warm-up, a sort of foreplay that got a woman thinking good things about a guy, letting him go further and further until he got what he wanted.
    â€œYou made it,” he said, grit in his voice. He hadn’t expected it to be there.
    â€œI told you I would.” She ran a hand down the strap of the purse she’d slung across her chest, then nodded toward his drink. “That looks like soda.”
    â€œI’m driving, and I’d hate to crash my car.”
    She slanted a gaze back toward her friends, giving them a subtle get-out-of-here gesture. Arden, the redhead he’d cleaned out at the poker game, frowned until the tiny exotic-looking Sofia reluctantly pulled her away.
    Molly laughed uncomfortably. “They wanted to make sure everything started smoothly.”
    â€œGood, but I’m glad they won’t be hovering all night. Your posse’s not a part of the deal.”
    Freezing in place, she gave him a wide-eyed look. But then she laughed and shook her head. “Sorry. I thought you said something else.”
    â€œWhat—that your pussy’s not a part of the deal? I wouldn’t discount that, Molly.”
    Now her mouth opened wide, too, before she clamped it shut. Damn, this woman was out of her element with him, and that made this meeting even more fun. He’d tapped virgins before, when he was younger, but most of his usual type now was of the heavy-eyeliner category. Molly made him think about what he might have been like if he’d been dealt a whole other set of cards in life. Made him . . . want.
    A spurt of anger flared deep inside his gut, but he put it out like he always did. And when the cocktail waitress dropped by again, he looked to Molly.
    â€œWhat’ll you have?” he asked.
    â€œI don’t know. I drank a lot of whisky this afternoon, and I’m not quite over it.”
    â€œThen you need the Hair of the Dog.” He looked at the waitress. “One shot whisky, one tablespoon honey, and double cream for her. A glass of water, too.”
    As the waitress left, Molly sent him one of those suspicious glances he was getting to know so