Free Shot of Sultry by Macy Beckett Page B

Trey?”
    “Yeah.” June tossed some ice cubes into a martini tumbler and gave it a shake. “I think he’s still in the office. Said he wanted to talk to Luke about something important.” Lines of concern wrinkled her porcelain forehead. “Neither of them looked too happy when they went back there.”
    Interesting. “I’ll go check on them,” Bobbi shouted over the din, “and make sure they’re playing nice.”
    In the five minutes it took Bobbi to inch to the back office, she collected several unsolicited phone numbers, not to mention half a dozen ass-grabs beneath her floral minidress. Not that she needed protection, but she finally understood her brother’s insistence on having Trey on the project. The good ol’ boys of Sultry Springs couldn’t take a hint, especially after they’d sucked down a pitcher of beer.
    The clamor faded once she reached the other side of the employees only door, soon replaced by muffled shouts coming from Luke’s office. Bobbi tiptoed through the hallway until she reached Luke’s door, but instead of playing referee, she pressed her ear to the oak and snooped. A bubble of guilt rose into her throat, but she swallowed it. After all, this was her job.
    “…leaving me screwed!” Luke yelled. “You couldn’t’ve told me sooner? What am I supposed to do?”
    “I just found out a week ago. And besides, we both know a dozen guys who can take my place, so quit acting like I shot your dog.”
    “What’s this really about?”
    “I told you,” Trey said with a razor’s edge to his voice. “Clearing my record.”
    Bobbi perked up. Golden Boy had a record?
    “That’s bullshit. You finally caved to the old man, didn’t you?”
    “I don’t give a damn if you believe me or not. Either way, I’m going.” Trey snorted a humorless laugh. “Thanks for making it so easy.”
    With that, the door flew open, and Bobbi gasped, stumbling back against the wall. Luke came charging out and stormed right past her without the barest acknowledgment that she’d been eavesdropping. He clomped down the hall and out the rear entrance to the parking lot, slamming the heavy, steel door behind him hard enough for Bobbi to feel the floor shake through her ballet flats.
    She placed a hand against the door frame and peered inside Luke’s office, where Trey stared at the jellyfish floating in tranquil contrast to his rage. The muscles in his back strained the fabric of his T-shirt until she feared he’d rip the seams like the Incredible Hulk. Tentatively, she stepped inside and closed the door behind her. Trey whirled around, blue eyes ablaze in a way she’d never seen before. The heat from his gaze sparked a flame in the pit of her belly, and she instinctively backed away, pressing her spine to the wall.
    “How much did you hear?” he asked, advancing on her one slow step at a time.
    She held out a defensive palm. “Just enough to know you’re leaving, and Luke’s not happy about it.”
    Tilting his head, he studied her, no doubt weighing the plausibility of her story. Several seconds later, he nodded. “Fine. Go on, then. I’m not good company tonight.”
    She didn’t move. “Where’re you going?”
    A charged silence followed, rippling the space between them, until Trey eventually heaved a sigh and muttered, “Dubai. When summer’s over.”
    “That’s a long way from home.” The rigid set of Trey’s jaw told her she was pushing her luck, but she pressed harder. “What’s in Dubai that’s so important?”
    “You ask a lot of questions.” He inched closer, reminding her of a tiger stalking its prey.
    She shrugged one shoulder, maintaining a blank expression though her pulse quickened. “Occupational hazard.”
    “A civilian contracting job,” he finally said. “Two years security detail for some bigwig developer who’s working with the military.”
    He didn’t seem excited about the venture. “Why? I thought you were happy here.”
    Trey smirked, flashing one dimple.