Free Playing Against Type: Soulgirls, Book 4 by Heather Long

outward. “I won’t ask you to switch hotels again.”
    She still considered leaving, but Heidi asked her to take care of this—yes, the word came down from the mysterious beings on high. The paranormal casino with its magical creatures and fantastical opportunities was her home. She’d lived with vampires, Amazons, nymphs and at least one imp, to name a few beings and adored each and every one of the women. The contrast between the mystical resort and the rather ordinary café they sat at now couldn’t be summed up easily.
    “Pepper?” Finn waited for her response and others in the café started to stare at her. She was making a scene.
    She reclaimed her seat, but gone was the whimsical fancy of the day. “Fine. But I want to go back as soon as we’re done with lunch.”
    “All right, but I’d planned to take you to M&M World.”
    She had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep her expression neutral. She and the other dancers had read about the decadent shop with its four levels of chocolate madness and delights. But she’d already taken a big bite out of the tempting crumbs he led her out of the casino with. No more. “Not today, thank you.”
    “All right.” He tilted his head, studying her as if she had done something to surprise him. Perhaps he wasn’t used to being refused. Or maybe she’d just made a complete jackass out of herself, starting with their crazy introduction to the towel greeting in her hotel room up to the manic fit of shopping.
    Though she was the tiniest bit relieved she didn’t have to return the green shoes. She adored them. Finn said nothing and the silence began to stretch uncomfortably.
    Why does he want me to move? It didn’t matter, because she wasn’t doing it. But maybe Heidi would want to know. Plucking a fry from the basket, she swirled it in the ketchup and bit into it. It gave her something to do rather than fidget.
    The waitress delivered their food, a burger for Pepper and a chicken fried steak sandwich for Finn. At the sight of the sandwich smothered in country gravy—though this gravy didn’t have sausage in it—Pepper nearly forgot her irritation.
    She finished about half the burger before the lack of conversation wore her down. Without looking up from the sandwich, she had to ask, “Why do you want me to switch hotels?”
    “I’ve been sitting here wondering how to explain. Unfortunately, you don’t know me well enough to trust my word.” He sounded disappointed.
    “I don’t even know what you do.” She cringed inwardly at her own lie. She knew a little bit of what he did. Heidi told her.
    “I work for the FBI.” And now Finn told her. That was unexpected.
    She stopped picking at the burger and stared at him. “Really?”
    “Really.”
    Worrying a nail, she leaned forward. “Do you have a badge?”
    His brief smile softened his features. “Yes, but I don’t have it on me currently. I’m not actually here on official business.”
    “Oh.” It was her turn to be disappointed.
    “Does knowing where I work encourage you to trust me?”
    She considered lying if it helped Heidi’s cause, but shook her head. “No. Not really. You could be lying after all.” I have been. “You could have left it with your CIA badge back in the room along with the keys to your rocket car.” Wouldn’t that be fun if it were true?
    Finn’s lips quirked in a half smile. “Then why stay?”
    No two truths were created equal. “Because I like you.”
    “You had to say something sweet.” He shifted and pulled his wallet open to show his badge. Another flip revealed his identification. “I didn’t want to pull this out. We’re in Vegas, after all. The waitress could be mobbed up.”
    Pepper felt her eyes go wide. That hadn’t occurred to her. “Really?” The mob didn’t really reach into the casino as far as she knew—not when security was hostile and possessed very sharp teeth.
    Finn chuckled. “I think we’re safe.” His amusement took her breath