Page 51 of When He Lies
Harry looked over at her, aghast. But Ryan kept his gaze on his prey. You will not hurt her.
“I am not planning to kill anyone,” Simone announced. “Not a soul. As the saying goes, I’m a fantastic lover, not a fighter.”
What? Ryan’s head swung toward her.
She smiled at him. “Hi, there, lover.” Simone winked.
He growled.
“I’m about five seconds away from hangry, so how about we head out?” She’d swiped some slick, red lipstick across her mouth. Put a little dark shadow over her eyes. The lipstick made her mouth look all the more tempting. The dark shadow somehow had her eyes appearing even bluer. Simone extended her hand toward him. “Shall we?”
He took her hand. Curled his fingers with hers. “No one is killing you.”
“Right. Because you’re my protector, and they’d have to go through you in order to get to me. That’s the deal, isn’t it?” Mocking words.
“Yes.” Not mocking. One hundred percent serious. “That is the deal.”
But her expression changed. What could have been alarm flared in her eyes. “I promise not to kill…” Her stare darted toward Harry. “I will not kill either of you. But in return, how about you two charming gentlemen promise not to die? Because I truly do not want anyone’s blood on my hands.”
Oh, he did not intend to die.
And he would make no promises as far as killing was concerned.
“I won’t die,” Harry swiftly said.
Ryan lifted Simone’s hand to his mouth. He just could not help himself. His lips brushed over her knuckles, and he reminded her, “Pretty sure I told you before that there’s something I intend to do before I die.”
Her brow crinkled in thought. Then her eyes widened as she remembered.
I’m damn well not dying before I fuck you.
“Time for you to get the hell out of this suite, Harry,” Ryan ordered. “Keep your eyes open. You pick up intel that I need, then you come to me, right away. Until then…” He lowered Simone’s hand. “I’ll be staying close to our very important witness.”
As close as humanly possible.
Chapter Twelve
“I kind of thought that you’d stop the elevator. That you’d turn to me as we were halted between floors, and you’d pin me against the elevator wall.” Simone took a sip of her wine. “Then you’d come in close, and you’d kiss me as if your life depended on it. My lips would part beneath yours. Your tongue would slide into my mouth.” Another sip. “Your hand would dip under my shirt?—”
Ryan’s growl cut through her words.
She sent him a sunny smile. “But you didn’t do any of those things. You just escorted me down here.” She lifted her glass to indicate the busy restaurant. “And I realize now that seduction was not your game. Instead, your strategy is to publicly parade me around town so that the people who want me dead can find me in a very swift manner.” She lowered the wine glass to the table because her fingers were shaking, and she didn’t want to send the wine sloshing all about. “How incredibly charming of you.”
He reached across the table, seemingly intent on reaching out for her. But the back of his hand hit the salt shaker, sending it falling down and scattering a bit of salt over the dark tablecloth. Ryan’s hard jaw locked as he brushed aside the salt. “I am not parading you around town.” His hand casually waved toward his left shoulder. “I am sitting with you in a restaurant because you were starving. I’m feeding you.”
But her eyes had gotten caught on his waving hand. Only, had he been waving? Pursing her lips, Simone leaned forward. She looked at the salt shaker. Then his shoulder. “Excuse me.”
That jaw of his appeared extra hard.
“Did you just toss salt over your shoulder?” Simone inquired.
He stared her dead in the eyes. “Why would you think I did that?”
Her mouth curved. “Because the lady in the fancy fur coat just got hit in the eye by salt, and she’s wiping it off her face.”
“Shit.” He turned. Saw the lady. “Sorry.” He cleared his throat. “My bad.”
The woman frowned at him.
