Free Girl Gear 5: Wicked Games by Alison Kent

week to come up with alternative fund-raising ideas she could live with. Though Sydney with an idea was like a dog with a bone…
    Right now, however, there was a much more interesting mating game underway at Kinsey's side.
    While introductions were made, she watched Izzy watch Baron make a circle around the room, surreptitiously doing what she could to wipe away any dirt remaining on her face. She smoothed back her short chunky dreads, as well as the loose hairs curling over the wide cloth headband—today in bright red—that held her hair out of her eyes.
    Love amid the ruins. Kinsey chuckled to herself. "Uh, Isabel?"
    Izzy waved off Kinsey's teasing. "Hush with that. I'm busy here naming my children. Eloise Rose Baron has a nice ring to it, don't you think?"
    Kinsey could only laugh, chuckling again when Izzy let out a long, lustful moa and whispered, "Damn, but that man is hard, and so very fine."
    Izzy pushed up out of her chair as the chatter fizzled and Ray herded Sydney toward the door. Kinsey walked with Izzy into the hallway and toward the lobby, sensing the twitching of the other woman's man radar as she waited for Baron to follow. "I wonder what Sydney knows about him?" Kinsey asked.
    Izzy blew out a breath and shivered. "The only thing that matters right now is the lack of a wedding band on his left hand and what exactly that means."
    "That shouldn't be too hard to find out." The two women reached the lobby where, eyes closed, Sydney stood with her forehead resting on Ray's chest. "Except it doesn't look like Sydney 's in the mood right now to be pried loose from Ray for girl talk."
    "No need," Izzy said with a shake of her head. "I'm spending the night in her guest room. Mamma needed my room for visiting family."
    The corner of Kinsey's mouth quirked upward. "How convenient for you."
    "Girl, you had better believe it."
    Sydney stepped away from Ray then, pushed her hair from her face, telling him with her eyes that she wanted to go. Nodding, he glanced beyond the receptionist's station and lifted his chin in a questioning gesture. "Hey, dude. You ready?"
    Both Kinsey and Izzy turned their gazes toward Joseph Baron as he entered the lobby. He grabbed Ray's hand in one of those intensely complicated male handshakes that Kinsey had never understood.
    Izzy simply sighed one more time, whispering for Kinsey's ears only, " Fine, I tell you. Fine."
    "Right behind you, dawg ." Baron spoke to Ray, but his gaze had found Izzy's and had yet to leave. Kinsey would've wanted to run to the rest room and wash her face had a man been looking at her with such dark intensity.
    But not Izzy. Chin held high, she wore the remaining grit and grime of the day's labor with pride, and Kinsey had a feeling that her attitude as much as her clear cocoa skin, was responsible for Baron's attention.
    Sydney sliced the tension by clearing her throat. "Kinsey, why don't you—"
    The front door opened, bringing a burst of heat, the glare of the setting sun and, surprise, Doug Storey. Kinsey swore her grin spread all the way to her ears.
    "Kinsey, hey," he said, coming toward her, flashing a smile as wide as hers. Then his expression became concerned again. "Anton told me about the fire. Oh, hey, Ray, Syd ."
    Sydney looked up at Ray imploringly. "Ray? Please?"
    "Yeah. We're outta here." Forgoing more introductions, Ray tucked her against his side and took charge. "Doug, you and Kinsey come on out to the house. Patrick's cooking, and I've got to get Sydney home. Baron, you good with driving Izzy out in Sydney 's car?"
    "You got it," Baron said, tearing his gaze from Izzy to glance back at Ray.
    Nodding his thanks, Ray spoke to Sydney . "Baby, where are your keys? Good girl," he added when she dug into her pocket and handed them over.
    He tossed the key ring to Baron, who crossed the lobby and pushed open the door, then waited for Izzy to head out after Sydney and Ray. Izzy waggled her brows at Kinsey and followed. That left Kinsey alone in the