Numbers Never Lie (Crimson Romance) by Shelley K. Wall Page B

have a little more color and her lips, full and shiny with lip-gloss. She looked fantastic. He wanted to smash his lips against hers again and lick the lip gloss off. Forget it? Yeah right. Easier to say than do.
    “I didn’t really need your help. I can take care of my own problems,” she said.
    “Then why did you put me in the position of playing the part of a non-existent boyfriend?” He arched a brow at her, unsmiling.
    Sophie shrugged and turned to look out the front window. “I don’t know. You were there, and you were just so … ”
    “So, what? So safe?” His interest was piqued.
    “No. So … so … sexy! Okay?” She blurted it out. “There. Is that what your ego wanted to hear?”
    Trev was startled at first. Then his lips twisted into a grin. “That’s not really what I expected to hear, but I guess I like it.”
    “Shut up. I’m sure you’ve heard that before.”
    “No. I’ve been called a lot of things, but that’s never been one of them.” He observed her obvious discomfort. He would catch hell about this when he talked to Nate again. The guy was probably laughing his ass off just listening. He pressed the button to turn off the listening device. They’d just have to let him wing it from here. “So, did it measure up?”
    “Measure up? What do you mean?”
    “The kiss. Did it meet expectations?” He quirked an eyebrow, enjoying the fact that she squirmed a little under his scrutiny.
    “Stop it, Trev. You’re messing with me.” She twisted a curl between her fingers and looked out over the dashboard, averting her eyes.
    “That’s not an answer, Henry. You sidestepped the question.” He pulled the curl from her hand and looked at it briefly before shifting his eyes to hers. “Did the kiss fulfill your goal to ward off your friends?”
    “Oh.” Her fingers were fumbling against each other now as she averted her eyes from his. “Yes, I suppose so — as fake kisses go.”
    “There was nothing fake about it, Henry, but go ahead and tell yourself that if you want to.” He watched her fidgeting with curiosity, his eyes glancing slowly across her face and down to her lips. “I’m hungry.” He wanted to change the subject. This repertoire was interesting but uncomfortable. He wasn’t one to discuss this type of thing, never had been. He usually bought the girl a drink or two, maybe dinner. If luck smiled on him, he got to spend a few hours in bed with her and then he left. Sophie wasn’t the type for that. The only woman he ever stayed with, well, that didn’t turn out so great. Trev pulled the keys from the ignition and opened the door to get out of the car. “Come on, let’s eat.”
    He left her sitting in the car and came around to open the door, not looking at her as she stepped out. She wasn’t making it easy, though.
    “What’s the plan now?” she challenged him.
    “No plan. I’m hungry. I’m going in here to eat. If you don’t want to come, then you can leave or wait in the car,” Trev explained. As much as he liked looking at her, he wasn’t interested in any more tap dancing around whatever they had going on.
    “Wow, you’re a real charmer.”
    “I wasn’t trying to be,” he answered smartly.
    “That’s a relief, because you were failing miserably.”
    Trev held the door for Sophie to enter the restaurant in front of him. The strong smell of garlic and oregano hit them. He stood in the entry, his chest almost touching her back, and he got the hint of that spicy perfume again for a second. He leaned down to speak softly in her ear as he stood behind her at the door, “I liked your first description of me better, anyway.”
    Sophie’s big eyes darted a quick look up at him just as a small chubby man hustled up to them and clasped Trevor’s hand. “So good to see you, my friend, and wonderful to finally meet your beautiful lady. Come right this way. I have a great table for you.” The man motioned for them to follow.
    Sophie fell in behind the man,