“You and your sisters just confuse the hell out of me.” Sam shook her head then, a grin edging at her lips. “You’re definitely Mackays, but nothing like your brother and his cousins. They were wild as the wind.”
“They were deviants when they were younger.” Lyrica laughed at the tactful way of describing Dawg’s, Rowdy’s, and Natches’s sexual exploits.
“They were at that,” Sam agreed, her gaze leveled on Lyrica then, the look in her hazel eyes interested and a little amused. “Yet Dawg’s sisters are kept perfectly protected?”
That was a question, not an observation.
Leaning back in her chair, Lyrica watched the other woman for a long moment, wishing she had another drink.
“Perfectly protected, huh?” She gave her head a little shake. “I believe we’re only as protected as we want to be. Dawg worries.”
“He loves you.” She nodded. “Everyone knows that. Hell of a burden, though.”
“Blessing,” Lyrica corrected her. “One we curse, berate, and rail at, but at the end of the day, a blessing.”
Sam chuckled at that before lifting her glass and sipping the liquor she was drinking.
As she lowered her glass, the detective directed her a frank, assessing, more-than-interested look.
“And what of you?” she asked then. “Are you as innocent as everyone thinks, or just as wild as your best friend?”
“Personal interest, Sam? Or just curiosity?” Lyrica tipped her head to the side as she met the other woman’s gaze directly.
Sam snorted at that. “Honey, everyone knows you have your heart and sights set already. We’re just not certain whose heart you’re set on yet. I was just curious as to whether or not you wanted to play a little until you decide what you’re going to do.”
Lyrica laughed at that, crossing one knee over
the other as she leaned forward to rest her elbow against her leg. “That’s proprietary information. Besides Sam, I didn’t take you for the playing type. You’d never accept not being first choice.”
“Hmm,” Sam murmured. “An interesting observation.” Then she shrugged. “Well, if you ever decide your first choice is a wasted cause, give me a call,” she suggested.
Hell, Lyrica couldn’t help but like this woman. Perfectly plucked brows on strong, well-defined features. If she wasn’t mistaken, those shapely fingers were well manicured as well. The men’s clothes should have hung on her, but she was so comfortable in them that she wore them as though they were made for her. Beneath the man’s shirt, shapely breasts were neither hidden nor emphasized.
Samantha Bryce was just Samantha Bryce, and Lyrica wished she could be more like her.
“You know, Sam, I just might be tempted to do that,” she stated, smiling back at her.
“Uh-oh.” Sam made the little sound as Lyrica felt a presence she hadn’t expected.
“Tempted, are you?” Graham growled as he moved around her chair, his fingers curling around her wrist as he pulled her from the chair. “You better be tempted to get your ass out of here because I just heard the bartender call Dawg. You have about . . .”
“Half an hour.” She sighed in resignation before glancing back at Sam. “Night, Sam.”
“Night, Lyrica,” Sam called back to her, definitely amused, probably ready to laugh at her again. “See you soon, honey.”
Hell, Somerset’s most eligible lesbian had just called her “honey.” She felt privileged.
Sam wasn’t known for her endearments.
Following in Graham’s wake, she stared at the black material covering the powerful muscles of his back and thought of the white shirt she’d managed to steal while at the Brock estate. She really liked that black shirt, too. She wondered if she could get him out of it and add it to her collection.
“Where are you taking me?” she finally asked curiously as he began dragging her upstairs.
“The second level has an exit by the main road.” He didn’t sound as though he were pleased. “If we’re lucky, we might get you past whichever Mackay comes looking for you.”
“Why bother?” She rolled her eyes as she made him work at dragging her up the stairs. “He knows I’m here. If he asks me about it, I won’t lie to him.”
“You make things far too interesting sometimes.” He didn’t sound as though he approved.