Wine, Tarts & Sex

Liv grinned back. She didn’t have to say, You’re right. Shelly knew it.

And really, for up to ten minutes at a time, Liv was able to forget that Jake was sitting across the room with his newest bed partner. Okay, honestly, maybe it was more like five minutes. And she wouldn’t actually swear on a Bible about the accuracy of that five-minute thing.

As a result of her stubbornly irksome resentment, Liv drank a little more than usual trying to dismiss the image of Jake looking sexy and gorgeous-and even more so, the picture of Miss Peru looking totally smug.

She swore the bitch had smirked.

The only sensible recourse was for her to decide which of these really great men she’d prefer to have serve as surrogate for Jake Chambers tonight. Shelly was right, of course. She really did have to move on, get back in the game.

Maybe she’d just have to shut her eyes and point.

Or maybe Sonny was available?

If he was as good in bed as he was at concocting fabulous drinks, she could look forward to a potentially gratifying diversion.

Speaking of drinks, she’d had so many, she had to pee. Tapping Shelly on the shoulder, she nodded her head toward Quantum’s famous powder room. “I’ll be right back,” she semishouted to be heard above the din.

Every new club in town was competing to have the most innovative, glamorous, or bizarre restroom. These fabrications ran the gamut from mirrored Art Deco splendor to rustic facsimiles of cabin outhouses. Quantum’s fell somewhere in between. It was arty, colorful, semiretro, and had the added advantage of soft, comfy chairs for those who needed a five-minute nap. Right now, one of those chairs was luring her tush. She’d rest for a few moments, try to come to some decision in terms of getting back into the dating game, then return to the bar and do the deed.

Jake saw Liv walk toward the restrooms.

As did Elena. Quickly coming to her feet, she murmured, “Order me another drink.”

Jake grabbed her hand. “Don’t.”

“What? I have to go to the bathroom.” Shaking off his hand, she slid from behind the table and followed Liv.

Eduardo gave Jake a resigned look. “There’s trouble on the move.”

He could have stopped her, Jake thought. Then again, what for? “Maybe Elena will let it go.”

Sam snorted. “Yeah, right. And world peace is right around the corner.”

Jake shrugged. “It’s not my problem. They’re old enough to take care of themselves.”

“You’re throwing that blonde to the wolves,” Gunther murmured in warning. “If Elena’s not back in ten minutes, someone better go and stanch the bloodshed. Don’t look at me like that. Remember Carla?”

“I thought that was an accident,” Eduardo noted.

Gunther rubbed his bleached buzz cut, slouched lower in his chair, and looked at his companions with a jaundiced gaze. “Maybe it was, and maybe it wasn’t.”

“Elena doesn’t have a knife this time,” Jake pointed out. “Consider that a plus, but okay-maybe you’re right.” He glanced at his watch. “I’ll give her ten minutes.”

Forty-one

Quantum’s powder room was extra large, so there weren’t the usual long lines outside. But it was busy inside. Definitely too busy, Liv decided, when she walked out of a restroom stall and saw Elena stationed like a sentry near the door into the lounge. Damn, she’d been thinking longingly about resting in one of those comfy chairs. Not likely now.

Liv was hoping to brush by with just a quick nod.

No such luck; Elena grabbed her arm.

“We have to talk.”

No we don’t, Liv felt like saying. But she was pretty sure she wouldn’t get her way with Elena’s steely grip on her arm. “Look, I don’t have anything going with Jake. I’m not in your way, if that’s what you want to talk about.”

“If that were true, I wouldn’t be here now, would I? You are in my way.”

“We’re holding up traffic for sure,” Liv said, even as a little voice inside her head was screaming, What did she mean, “You’re in my way?”

As Elena pulled her toward the lounge, Liv debated making a scene. She could break away if she wished. Farm work built muscles, too. On the other hand, in a few moments she could just explain to this woman as simply as possible that she wasn’t interested in Jake. A few succinct words would clear the air, Miss Peru’s issues would be resolved, and they could get on their way. More or less politely.

Elena came to a stop in a quiet corner, and Liv pulled free. Figuring the sooner she made her case, the sooner this embarrassing situation would be over, she immediately spoke up. “Seriously, I have no interest in Jake. I’m not in your way-or anyone’s way. I don’t know how to make it any clearer.” She turned to go.

Elena quickly stepped in front of her, the large red stones on her necklace and earrings sparkling like fireworks as she moved. “You must have done something to him,” she said, bitterly. “He’s into some Zen celibacy kick. And, that’s not Jake.”

Here’s where it was real tempting to say something bitchy like, Maybe you don’t turn him on. But a “Hallelujah Chorus” had just started up inside Liv’s head, because Jake was about the last person in the world she would have pictured celibate. In fact, the idea was so preposterous, Liv blurted out, “You’re kidding!”

Crap-she should have said something mature and noncommittal instead-like Maybe you should find him a therapist. And she might have, if the choir in her head had stopped singing so she could concentrate.

“I’m not kidding.” Elena leaned in, the brilliant scarlet of her mouth set in a sullen pout. “And you’re pissing me off, because it’s your fault.”

Liv didn’t back up an inch, even with Elena’s breath on her face. “Don’t blame me,” she muttered. “I haven’t seen him or thought of him in weeks.” So part of it was a lie. But she’d never get this woman out of her face if she said she was missing him-like twenty-four/seven.

“Then tell him it’s over.”

“I already did.” Even her perfume was fabulous. Did she have any defects at all? Outside her bitchiness, of course, which was pretty much out there.

“I don’t believe you.” Elena’s black brows came together in a scowl. “Obviously, you didn’t make it clear enough.”

“Believe me, I did. This is not my problem.” How many ways could she say this? More important, how could she get the hell out of this worthless conversation? “Look,” Liv said, speaking very slowly and carefully, “whatever you two have going has nothing to do with me. Nada. Zip. Diddly. Okay?”

“You fucked him up some way. You must have cast a spell over him,” she hissed.

The look in Elena’s dark eyes was a little alarming. But Liv calmed herself by noting that a crowd of women was within earshot. “Listen, I wouldn’t know a spell if it wrapped itself in gold lame and knocked on my door,” Liv firmly noted. “Maybe Jake has a virus or something. Maybe he’s overworked getting his restaurant open. Maybe some bad karma dropped in.” Oops, that bitchiness slipped out. “I gotta go,” she quickly added and walked away before she said something rude.

Liv was halfway to the outside door when she began to think she might have actually gotten through to the resentful, in-your-face Miss Peru. A couple more steps, and she was home free.

Just as she opened the door, a hand on her shoulder pulled her to a stop.

“Just a damned minute.”

Why me? Liv thought. She started counting to ten, figuring she could hold it together and act like an adult if she really tried.