Page 38 of Accidentally Engaged
My happy dreams cloud over when I hear an unpleasantly familiar voice beside my stall.
Patsy.
I force a smile for Liam’s sake, since the cold-eyed redhead is draped across the incubus like a cheap scarf. “Hi, Liam. Had a good day?”
“You know her?” Patsy looks at me as if I’ve just slapped her grandmother, face horrified and disgusted.
Liam waves an airy hand. “Just because I love to shop, darling. And you’re right, that bracelet would look so perfect on your dainty little wrist.” Liam picks up Patsy’s hand and kisses her knuckles. In seconds, she’s giggling as he slides a golden bangle over her fingers. “How do you two know each other? I thought you were new in town.”
“I’m just passing through... unless I find a good reason to stay.”
“Don’t you have a dog to get home to?” I ask.
“He’s out in the kennel. I’ll feed him when I get hometomorrow.” Patsy’s eyes are full of promises, all of them sinful, all directed at Liam.
To his credit, he’s a good actor, and his acting equals survival, so I’m not surprised when he inhales Patsy’s face like he’s sucking out her soul. If he were an evil incubus, that would be an accurate description. I can see fine white mist floating from Patsy to Liam, and his color goes from milk white to peach cream.
I hate to interrupt his meal and all, but... “Wouldn’t that mean that your dog’s been outside for two days at that point?”
“You sound just like Jared. The dog, the dog, the dog. He’s fine! He has a big container of food and a bucket of water in his pen.”
I picture him lonely and cold outside, no fresh water, no walks, no tummy rubs. My vocal cords itch.
Liam may be what some call a demon, but to me, he’s a saint. “I wanna see where you live tonight, sugar. And I’m just wild about dogs. Why don’t we take him on a long walk—before bed?”
“Ooooh.” Patsy giggles and simpers like a drunken virgin. “Okay, baby.”
“But not until you introduce me, of course. How do you know this lady? How does she know your dog, precious?” Liam asks, a faint pout on an otherwise perfectly seductive smile.
“She’s dating my ex-husband. I’m just here to handle some alimony stuff. Where is Mr. Know-It-All?” Patsy huffs, looking around with bleary eyes.
As if on cue, Jared strides over. “Patsy. You’re still in town?”
“Some stupid thing about cars. But, if I hadn’t had to spend the night in this hick hideaway from hell, I wouldn’t have met Liam. Sign the papers I—” Patsy digs in her purse, a frown on her face. “Wait, did I give you the papers last night?”
Jared could lie. He could simply switch papers. I know he has a printed copy of the agreement Alban drew up in the zipper pocket of his tan jacket.
But my man is a good man, and for some reason, Patsy forgot that. Her loss is my gain.
“Patsy, I think that I’d rather you sign this one. You keep everything you have, but my intellectual property is no longer your payday. And there’s got to be a limit on alimony. You’re going to find someone someday.”
Liam draws himself up. “Alimony? You don’t need that with me, sweet cheeks. Tell your ex that you’ll sign so we can get out of here.” He licks a serpentine tongue up her neck and flicks the back of her earlobe. Patsy sags at the knees, I wince, and Jared looks on, face flat.
“Well... I mean... We just met, Li.”
“But I’m crazy about you, honey. I want to go home and meet your dog. I showed you around my town. We spent the whole day together... and the night is just beginning.” His eyes flicker to ours before fixing Patsy with a lecherous gaze. “Don’t you want somethingserious?”
Patsy nods, white mist rolling from her, invisible to the naked eye, but crystal clear to me. This woman is giving off enough lust and need to power a generator.
Or a hungry incubus. Liam guides Patsy’s hand to the pen I keep next to the small cash box and card reader on my folding table. “Tell him you’re serious, sign the paper, and let’s gethome.” Liam’s hips jerk pointedly into her rear, and Patsy gulps, grabs the pen, and snaps impatient fingers at Jared.
“Papers, now!” she hisses.
Jared hands them over, wordlessly.
She signs.
“If you’re in such a serious relationship, you’ll need to sign this one, too,” he explains in a monotone voice, offering her another paper, which she signs without reading.
