Page 69 of By Invitation Only

Lorelei dropped her black, plastic fork in her bowl. “I need a Cuffs. I want to get a concussion from hitting my head on the headboard.”

I laughed. “It wasn’t like that.”

“Sounds like it was.”

I shook my head. “It wasn’t my head. I was—facing and holding onto the headboard.”

“Ohhh.” She smiled. “Gotcha, but please, please,please, take me with you to the next party. I’ll love you forever.”

“You’ll love me forever no matter what,” I corrected.

“Yes, but I will love you more if you get me in.”

I grinned. “I’ll see what I can do.”

Later that afternoon, Lorelei buzzed my office phone’s intercom. “Cuffs is on line two.”

I turned my head and looked at her through the window that separated my office and her desk. “Don’t call him that if it’s about a case. Just say his real name so it’s not suspicious.”

“So many rules,” she murmured and hung up her handset.

I rolled my eyes, grabbed my handset and pushed lined two as I motioned for her to close my door. She was still staring at me through the glass.

“Hey,” I greeted.

“Hey,” he said back. “Have a moment to chat?”

“Sure.” I smiled.

“I’m going to be at my office until late. I’m not sure until when.”

“Oh,” I sighed.

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay. We didn’t have plans or anything.”

“I know, but I want to see you.”

“I want to see you too, but I know you want to make partner. I told Lorelei to refer any conflicts I have to you.”

“You did?”

I grinned. “Yeah. I heard some hot shit is trying to take it from you.”

He laughed. “Yeah, he is. I called Trent to tell him you’re filing the dismissal, and to also have him spread the word that I’m hot shit.”

I giggled. “Yeah, you are.”

“I do want to see you tonight. I just don’t know how late it will be, and you’ll probably be asleep.”

“Just call me, and I’ll let you in.”

“Okay, gorgeous. I’ll see you later.”

My heart fluttered at the thought. “See you later.”

“Oh, and Peyton?”

“Yeah?”

“Be naked.”

I laughed. “Maybe.”

“Bye, beautiful.”

“Bye.”