“You’re going to get yourself killed working for someone like Dot.”
He placed a hand on the stone above my head. Leaned in. “Working with Dot’s not the only way to have me killed, Fin. Who is this bloke? You saw him at Penny’s. Then at the bar. Tell me about him. Close your eyes. Give me the goods. Use that lovely memory of yours.”
My heart sped up. “We don’t have time. What if he comes back?”
“I’ve got eyes out. Take a breather. Big cemetery for him to cover.”
I closed my eyes. Ignored the building fear pushing through my fingers and toes. Knocking at the walls of my heart. “He smokes a pipe. I told you that. Likes to talk with his hands. He’s rough. And local.”
“Local Atlanta or local Georgia?”
“Georgia. Maybe Atlanta. But his family isn’t Atlanta. I could tell by the way he talked. Speaking to someone local, too. I’m pretty sure. He spoke easy. It’s hard to explain.”
“I got you.”
“Likes to hear himself talk, too.”
“Good. I can use that.”
“Please don’t.” I opened my eyes. “He flung me up against a brick wall. He’s strong, Lex.”
“He’s got more than a few stones on you, love. But yes, I understand your point. He could easily take me down. He could shoot me. But you know me.” Lex winked. “Lucky Lex, as they say.”
“No one calls you that.”
“They should.” Pulled me in for a quick kiss. “It’s true.”
“Luck runs out.” I leaned back, my hands fisted on his chest. Feeling the anger bubbling out of my fear. “You think you can just hustle anyone. No matter who they’re affiliated with or how dangerous they are. Maybe this guy murdered Penny. Why can’t you take that more seriously? You’re playing games with me while this roughneck is on our tail. This is what scares me.”
“That’s not what scares you, Fin. You know I can handle the heat.” Lex drew an arm around my back. Tugged me against his lean body. Flipped us around to pin me against the Austell family tomb. “You’re like me. You like the kick too much. That scares you.”
His lips descended on mine, teasing and nipping. Plunging hard and deep. Backing me into the mausoleum. The stone bit my shoulders, fitting my body into his. My knee inched up the outside of his leg. He grasped my thigh. Hiked it higher. Pressed us closer.
Lex didn’t care that tourists could eyeball us making out behind the dead Austells. Or that a goon was wandering the cemetery looking for us.
I almost didn’t care, either. He made me want him despite where we were. And who we were.
My hands plunged inside his suit jacket. Slid over the hard planes of his chest. Around his waist. Up his back. I dug my fingers into his shoulders through his shirt. And held on.
Anything to keep him from leaving. To stop him from chasing after the thug.
“I know what you’re doing,” he murmured against my throat. “And I know something else.”
His mouth slipped from my neck. Trailed kisses along my jaw. Lightly bit my earlobe. “You like this too much. Us. Together. And that’s what really scares you.”
From THE CUPID CAPER, a Finley Goodhart Crime Caper by Larissa Reinhart (2018)
