Cipher by Aileen Erin Page B

danced, watched the games in progress, or tried to get lucky. A quick check of my com told me it was nearly nine. Mona was down there somewhere, probably annoyed that I was gaming instead of flirting.
    Guess I’d better stop stalling. I’d already beat him at this game. Why not try a different kind of game? “Sure.”
    I followed him down to the bar.
    Sandra patted the bar in front of where she was standing, yelling at the people in front of us to make way. “Another fancy drink for you?”
    It was really nice that she remembered. I grinned. “That’d be great.”
    “I’ll take a beer.” Knight glanced at me. “Fancy drink?”
    “Sure thing,” Sandra said and she got to work. This time she didn’t have to go underground to get what she needed. She had it ready for me.
    “French Seventy-Five,” I said.
    He leaned against the bar. “That does sound fancy.”
    I shrugged, trying to play off that his twinkling eyes weren’t getting to me, because they totally were. “It’s good. You can try a sip if you want.”
    His grin was startling. It transformed his face and I couldn’t look away even if I tried. “I’ll try anything of yours that you’ll let me,” he said.
    I tried to look cool, but if the bar were any brighter, he’d see my blush. “That’s some line.”
    “It’s not a line.” He pulled something out of his pocket. “For you.”
    The little square container fit in the palm of his hand. “What’s in it?”
    “Processors. Five of them.”
    No way. “I thought you said you didn’t have any.”
    “I didn’t. I made them this afternoon.”
    I’d been impressed before, but now I was blown away. He’d made this many by hand in a matter of hours? How was that even possible?
    “What do I owe you?” I reached for the box, but he held it out of reach.
    “A date.”
    I took a step back. I liked to deal in cash-only transactions. But a date? Not going to happen. “No date. I’ll pay for them. Normal rate?”
    “Nope.” His grin meant trouble. “The date clause is non-negotiable.”
    What was his deal? A date with me couldn’t be worth the grand I was willing to pay him. Why would he turn down the money? I didn’t trust it. No one wanted a date that bad. Especially not with me. I wasn’t sociable enough to be desirable. “Say I agree to a date, how do you know I won’t change my mind later?”
    “I trust you.”
    He trusted me? That was going to make me feel like an asshole when I blew him off.
    Screw it. I probably wouldn’t be in the area long enough to keep the promise. Leading him on wasn’t cool, but I needed those processors. “I’ll try. Depends on when you want to go. That’s the best I can do.”
    He lowered the box, and I snatched it from him before shoving it in my bra.
    “Here you go, Cipher,” Sandra said as she slid my drink along the bar.
    “Thanks.” I took a sip, letting the sweet tang run down my throat. “Perfect.”
    She grinned and handed Knight a bottle. He paid for both of us before I could stop him.
    A thought occurred to me. “Um. So this counts as the date, right?”
    “No. A date is when I pick you up at your place, and take you someplace nice and quiet and we share a meal. This is not nice or quiet, and we’re not eating. But good try.”
    I spotted a bowl of nuts on the bar, and grabbed a handful. “I’m eating,” I said as I munched.
    He gave me a grin that nearly melted my knees.
    “There you are,” Mona said, cutting off the retort that I was just about to come up with. If my brain would start working again.
    Mona wore one of her trademark micro dresses and perilously high heels. If she could pull that kind of outfit off, which she could, why not rock it? Oliver towered behind her with another guy who had shoulder-length blond hair. I’d bet good money he was Dex.
    Staying much longer was a bad idea, especially now that I’d gotten what I needed. It was time to go. I downed my drink in one gulp and set the empty glass on the bar.