And being the alpha male that he was, he didn’t appreciate Tripp poaching on his territory, no matter how temporary it was.
Tague cleared his throat.
Tripp hopped to. “And for you, sir?”
“Standard cup of joe to go.”
The minimalistic order seemed to take the kid aback. Likely Tague’s hard-set jaw did the trick as well. “Um, that’s all?”
“That’s all.”
“Oh-kay,” Tripp said with a tinge of nervous anxiety. Noticeably about to crack under the pressure of Tague’s intense glare. “Full-on or unleaded?”
“What’s the point of decaf?” Tague asked.
“Exactly,” L.L. and the barista said at the same time.
She laughed, low and luxurious.
Tague’s groin tightened.
He handed over a twenty and collected his change, leaving a tip. They moved to the side.
“So,” he ventured, finding the entire exchange just bizarre and enticing enough that it called for him to feel out the situation a bit more. “Should you choose to accept this mission—”
3
“Funny,” she interjected while she yanked napkins from the dispenser and stuffed them into her jacket pocket, along with numerous packets of sweetener.
Tague’s brow furrowed. “You ordered a sugar-free drink.”
“Office supplies,” she said with a conspiratorial smile. “For clients. Gets a little expensive keeping them in coffee.”
He let out a small grunt, entertained by her.
“Anyway,” L.L. returned to their previous conversation. “I really just agreed to meet you as a favor to Chip. We don’t have to go any further. I think it’s safe to say I’m not your type.”
“You don’t know me well enough to make that judgment call.”
She gazed at him, her shimmering lips working into a slight pout that created an overwhelming urge within Tague to capture her mouth with his. Those luscious lips were plump and perfect. And he knew very few women who didn’t wear lipstick that would smudge disastrously were he to pull her into his arms on impulse and kiss her.
She regarded him a while longer, then told him, “You’re not like Chip, I can deduce that much. He’s big-brother material.”
“And I’m...?”
“Big Bad Wolf material.” He didn’t doubt there was a sparkle in her eyes as she added, “In spades.”
Tague wasn’t exactly caught off-guard by the assessment. What threw him was that she’d made the declaration, yet still stood her ground against him. Still seemed willing to go toe to toe with him.
She eyed him boldly, even though her gaze was slightly deflected by tinted lenses. His testosterone level hitched a few extra notches.
But before he got ahead of himself and made an indecent proposal right there in the coffee shop, Tague changed the subject. Took back control. “How do you know Chip?”
Her expression remained pointed. “How do I know a divorce lawyer? Is that what you’re really asking?”
“Okay, you got me.” He finally gave her his grin. She’d certainly earned it. He liked her no-holds-barred attitude.
“He’s helping me out with a legal situation,” she told him.