“We’d get her out of the country,” Score said.
He hadn’t paid an iota of attention to the previous conversation, but the new tangent engaged him for some reason. His statement suggested he’d look after her. Might be tough to do that when he wouldn’t look at her for more than three seconds.
“I always wanted to see South America,” she said in a tease.
None of the men laughed. “You want somewhere without an extradition treaty,” Beeks said.
“Montenegro,” Score said, putting down his fork to pick up his coffee.
“Beautiful there,” Beeks said.
Fish laughed. “Now we got a plan to get you out, what crime you want to commit?”
“I thought about sunbathing topless, does that count?” Fish dropped his fork; even Score raised his head. “Or not.”
Beeks laughed. “Might be indecent exposure… though not in this town. There are tits everywhere… naked maybe… if you went walking down the street… If you were playing with yourself on the patio downstairs or having sex… then you’d be in trouble.”
“What about on the terrace?” she asked, noting in her peripheral vision that both Fish and Score were focused on her.
Shyla pretended not to see either of them and went about her cleaning up.
“That’s private property; I guess you’re safe to do either out there,” Beeks said. “Though we do have other apartment buildings nearby.”
“This whole place is glass,” Fish said. “You do anything, even inside, and some dude is out there with binoculars…”
“I don’t think anyone is using binoculars to spy on us,” she said, laughing off the idea. Fish obviously wasn’t so sure. He actually glanced from Score to Beeks, who weren’t amused either. “I use tinted moisturizer… better for you than the sun anyway.”
“Then you need a new crime.”
“You need to do some work,” Beeks said. “You’ve got a bunch of stuff to do before tonight.”
“We all do,” Score said, sliding off his stool and putting his phone in his pocket.
None of the men had finished their food. Fish worked hard to clear his plate while Beeks gathered up his paperwork.
“Oh, okay,” Shyla said, wiping her hands on a towel. She moved with them to the end of the island and watched them head for the elevator. “Have a good day!”
She called it out like the wife saying goodbye to her family. A moment later they were gone and she was left alone. Turning around to look at what was on the island, she decided to concentrate on her own work.
Most days Shyla was happy to get on with things. That day was different. Maybe because Score had blocked her out. All morning she’d anticipated him getting up. The idea of seeing him again excited her; she’d thought he might feel the same. To say reality had been a letdown would be an understatement.
She didn’t understand why she’d become invisible all of a sudden. Questions swirled in her mind. Did he want to be with her or not? Had they started something or had he changed his mind?
It would be hours before she saw any of them again. All she’d have was time to wonder. Was she going to be Score’s girl or was their relationship over before it had started?
Dinner would be ready, that’s what Shyla was thinking while singing along to the song playing in her earbuds. Rushing out of the laundry room after folding a bunch of towels, she ran straight into someone in the hallway.
“Oh,” she said, jumping back, but sighed and pulled out her earbuds when she saw it was Score. “You scared me. I didn’t think anyone was back yet.”
Retreating a step, he gave her space to walk down the hall toward the living room. She anticipated finding Beeks and Fish except no one else was around. The clock revealed it was a few minutes earlier than normal.
Putting her phone and earbuds on the kitchen island, she figured it was time to set the table. But when she turned around, Score was right there behind her, up close.
When Shyla laid a hand on his arm to try moving him aside, Score didn’t budge. “Were you good?” he asked.
She blinked up through her bangs. “Was I… I don’t understand.”
“Last night,” he said. “Did you do as I told you?”
All afternoon she’d been preoccupied with how he’d ignored her and disappeared from the condo without a word. In sharp contrast, she felt anything but ignored as he examined her up close.
“You mean, did I…” Dropping her chin, the flames of awareness crept from her chest to her neck. “I didn’t… please myself, if that’s what you’re asking.”
The confession felt odd on her tongue. It wasn’t the kind of thing she’d discussed with anyone in the past, and yet, it was what it was.
“Were you naked?” his deep voice queried, arousing her in all sorts of stimulating ways.
“Phoenix,” she whispered. He touched the underside of her chin to hold it up, showing he was serious and wanted an answer. “Yes, of course I was.” He eased away, but Shyla had her own question. She laid a hand on his forearm to stall him. “Why did you ignore me today? I’ve spent all day thinking I did something wrong.”
“You did nothing wrong.”
Simple answer to him, though it didn’t alleviate her confusion. He retreated to the fridge to fill a glass with water.
Shyla went to the table to lay out the place mats and flatware. On her return to the kitchen, Score stepped into her path and held up the glass of water between them.
“Thank you,” she said, mystified by the offer.
Once the drink was in her hand, he turned, forcing her to do the same. Backed up against the counter, she was trapped when he planted a
