Free It's Only Make-Believe by Shawn Lane Page A

Lane
    "You're more of a bore than usual, Kincaid," Ming declared, reaching down to pick up her purse. "What's got your tighty-whiteys in a wad?"
    Sebastian ignored her and handed his credit card to the waiter.
    Ming rolled her eyes again and turned her attention back to Melody. "Don't you want it to be something more?"
    "Sure, but if Luther doesn't, what can I do?"
    "Precisely," Sebastian agreed, signing the slip. "She doesn't want to appear pathetically desperate like all those women Winthrop wants to avoid, does she?"
    They rose from the table, and Ming grabbed Melody's arm.
    "Let's go for drinks after work and we can talk about this further. You know, develop a strategy."
    "Well..."
    "How about Barton's?" Ming looked back at Sebastian.
    "And you aren't invited, Kincaid. Ladies only."
    "I assure you I have better things to do with my Friday night than drink fruity martinis and discuss Melody's lack of sex with Luther Winthrop," Sebastian said.
    "All right," Melody agreed. "But I can't stay too long.
    Luther wants to have a late dinner."
    Swell.

    * * * *
Sebastian set his coffee cup on his desk and read through the latest brief on his most important case. He leaned back in his chair and yawned. Saturday morning in the office. How sorry was that?
    9

    It's Only Make-Believe
    by Shawn Lane
    His better thing to do last night was to watch a crime-show marathon on television. What a bloody idiot he was. Melody wasn't attracted to him.
    "Get over it already."
    "Get over what?" Melody, also known as the object of his lust, poked her head into his office.
    God, he hadn't known anyone else was there. He plastered on his most-fake smile. "A headache. I have a habit of talking to myself."
    "Oh."
    She nodded and stood in his doorway with her arms folded across her chest. Too bad. She was blocking her pert breasts.
    She was dressed even more casually than during the week, wearing gray sweatpants and a thin white T-shirt. Her thick mass of brown and blond braids had been pulled back by a gray twist. No makeup either. His cock didn't seem to care. It leapt to attention.
    "I didn't expect to see you here this morning."
    "I just had a couple of things to do since I left early to go to Barton's," she explained. "You didn't miss much. Too crowded. How was your date?"
    Sebastian's mind blanked. "Date?"
    She shrugged. "You said you had better things to do, so I assumed..."
    "Right, right. It was extraordinary." Lord, he was a geek.
    "Couldn't have been that extraordinary. Look where you are first thing in the morning." She smiled. For a moment, she hesitated, looking like she wanted to say something.
    10

    It's Only Make-Believe
    by Shawn Lane
    "Want to have a seat?" He gestured to the chair in front of his desk.
    "Yeah, there is something I kind of want to talk to you about. Let me get my coffee and I'll be right back."
    Sebastian watched her disappear down the hall. He certainly hoped he hadn't screwed up a case. Though he was new to the firm, he'd been practicing law in California for a few years. He scooted closer to his desk. Wouldn't do for her to see his boner.
    She smiled when she came back with her travel mug of coffee and sat down. "I'm glad you're here, Sebastian. I could really use a guy's opinion."
    "Uh-huh. What's up?"
    "About Luther."
    Great, just great.
    Melody sighed. "The thing is, I'd like to take our friendship further. I've been in love with Luther for the longest time."
    She peered at him over her coffee mug. "I kind of doubt you've ever been in love with someone who doesn't feel the same way."
    Um, welcome to my life, Sebastian thought.
    "Sebastian?"
    "Uh, yes, as a matter of fact, I'm in a similar situation myself," he admitted.
    She raised her eyebrows. "Really?"
    Sebastian pushed away the annoyance. "Why is that so difficult to believe?"
    "I don't know." Melody shifted in her seat. "You just seem so—"
    11

    It's Only Make-Believe
    by Shawn Lane
    "Put together?"
    "I was going to say standoffish. Unemotional." She