Susan Mallery - Lip Service

“Fight him?”

“I could take him.”

“I’m sure you could and, while that’s really sweet, this isn’t your war.”

“It became mine when he involved me.”

Her mouth twisted. “You involved yourself.”

“I know. But not the point right now. I went to see him and-”

Well, damn. Saying this was harder than he thought. Would she even believe him?

“T. J. Boone was there. They’re in it together.”

She went pale. “He’s working with Garth.”

“He was. Now he’s complaining about something. His reputation being ruined and people laughing at him. Your doing, I hope?”

She sat on the corner of the desk. “Yes, mine. At least it was my idea. Lexi made most of the phone calls. We’re saying terrible things about him. He could sue us.”

“Only if he’s willing to go to court to prove they aren’t true. Did you really come up with the idea of a rash?”

“That was Lexi. I said to tell people he stole my dog. This is Texas. A man doesn’t do that here.” She squeezed her eyes tight, then opened then. “I can’t believe he’s working for Garth. To do what? Make trouble?”

“Probably. T.J. mentioned he hadn’t been paid enough.”

She groaned. “He did it for money? He screwed with us for money? Izzy is going to be so pissed.”

“Why Izzy?”

“It’s a long story, but the bottom line is she slept with him.”

“Why would Izzy have sex with a guy you’re dating?”

“Because she was trying to make a point. She said that T.J. wasn’t really interested in me. That he was pretending because of Jed. She thought Jed had made him the offer.” She stood and walked to the window, standing with her back to him.

“She was right about his motive, but wrong about who was footing the bill,” Skye murmured, as if she were talking to herself and not him. “Not my father, who was fooled by T.J., too. My half brother. T.J. didn’t want to go out with me at all. He wasn’t interested.”

Mitch didn’t know what to do. This was guy hell-should he move close and offer comfort or keep away? Worse, why was Skye upset? Was she just pissed or had she given her heart to that two-bit, cheating, suit-wearing-

“I wasn’t even sure I liked him,” Skye continued. “He was very charming, but there was no chemistry. Izzy was right. Why would a guy like that be interested in someone like me?”

That got him moving. He walked up behind her and put his hands on her shoulders.

“Have you looked in the mirror lately?” he asked. “Why wouldn’t he be interested? You’re beautiful. You’re smart, you’re funny, you’re a great mom and you have a body designed to get men to sell their souls. I know. I’ve made a couple of down payments.”

She hunched her shoulders. “You’re just being nice.”

“When am I ever nice?”

“Now would be an example. I fought with my sister because of a guy I wasn’t even sure I liked. I was difficult and judgmental and mean because of him. And all this time, he was working for Garth.”

Her shoulders shook slightly.

He turned her and pulled her close. “You fell for a smooth line. It happens.”

“Not to me. I’m so stupid.”

She was rigid in his arms but he didn’t let go. “How could you know?” he asked.

“I should have guessed. If I wasn’t trying so hard to be some guy magnet, which I’m not, I wouldn’t have been such an idiot.” She stunned him by socking him in the arm and glaring at him. “This is all your fault.”

He took a step back. “What? How?”

“You came back and confused me. One minute you’re the guy I remember, the guy I was in love with, the next you’re a total asshole. You hurt me and kicked my heart to the gutter.”

He held up both hands in front of him. “What does that have to do with T.J.?”

“Nothing, but it’s still your fault.” She started to cry.

He grabbed her and shook her, then he bent down and kissed her.

Her lips were soft and yielding. Then she pushed away.

“This is my office. I’m not having sex here.”

“We’re just kissing. No one said anything about sex.”

“So you don’t want me anymore? Was Garth paying you, too?”

He swore. “Skye, I swear.”

“What?” she demanded, looking defiant and beautiful.

“You make me crazy.”

“How do you think I feel?”

“Like you need medication?”

“Not funny.” But the corner of her mouth twitched. “I could take you.”

“On what planet.”

“Zorgon.”

Then she was wrapping her arms around him and kissing him as if she would never stop. She leaned into him, pushing her tongue into his mouth. He responded with a surge of passion that left them both gasping. They each pulled back and looked at each other.

“Better?” he asked.

She nodded.

“Good. Now, what can I do to help?” he asked. He was willing to do anything to help, although his first vote was for sex.

“I don’t know. Can I get back to you?”

“Sure. I should probably let you get to work.”

“Okay.”

He started to leave, then turned around. “I’m sorry about T.J.”

“No, you’re not.”

“I’m trying to be polite.”

“I’ll give you points for effort. I’m surprised, and I feel stupid, but I’m not hurt. We weren’t involved.”

Are we?

But he didn’t ask. Mostly because he realized he didn’t want to hear her say no.

SKYE MET Lexi and Dana for lunch at Bronco Billy’s. She waited until they’d ordered to share the news.

“T.J. was working for Garth.”

Dana paused in the middle of pouring sweetener into her iced tea. Lexi sagged back in her chair.

“Are you kidding?” Dana asked, then waved. “Don’t answer that. Stupid question. T.J. working for Garth. Of course.”

“It makes sense,” Lexi said. “He waltzes into your life and Izzy’s and totally messes up things. He gets between you and causes trouble.”

Skye sipped her diet soda. “He didn’t cause trouble on his own. We let him. I have to give him credit-he was really good. He pitted us against each other and all he had to do was sit back and watch the show.”

Lexi leaned toward her. “Are you okay?”

“If you’re asking if I’m hurt, I’m not. If you want to know if I feel like an idiot, absolutely. I can’t even remember how the fight with Izzy started. She was defending me and telling him off and he came on to her and…” It was a blur. “She was telling me there was something wrong, she just didn’t know what. I wouldn’t listen. Her gut was right but all I could hear was that some guy wanted her over me and I was tired of being the dateless sister.”

“Izzy will understand,” Dana told her. “She’s good that way.”

“I know.” Izzy would torture her for a few minutes, then let it go. Skye would be left wallowing in guilt on her own.

“I was so quick to jump to conclusions,” Skye murmured.

“You were looking for a distraction and T.J. provided a good one,” Lexi said.

“What do you mean, a distraction?”

Dana and Lexi looked at each other. The glance was quick, but Skye recognized it. It meant they’d been talking about her, that they’d figured everything out.

“What?” she demanded.

“You haven’t been yourself since Mitch came back,” Dana said. “I totally get why. It’s a big deal. T.J. got lucky with the timing. If he’d shown up a month earlier, you would have caught on to him much sooner.”

Skye didn’t bother pointing out she hadn’t caught on to him at all. Izzy had.

Was it as simple as Dana said? Had T.J. been nothing but a distraction? Skye knew she didn’t care about the guy-they’d only gone out a few times. It was more what he represented.

“Score another one for Garth,” Lexi said. “He’s managed to come between us.”

“I’ve sent Izzy a text message asking her to call me when she gets a chance,” Skye told them. “I hope she doesn’t wait too long. I want her to know. I just hope she wasn’t too involved with T.J. This could hurt her.” Which wasn’t anything Skye wanted.

“But you’re okay?” Lexi asked.

“Yes. On the surface, he seemed like the perfect guy. I’m more upset I was fooled.”

“How did you find out?” Dana asked.

Skye told them about Mitch going to confront Garth.

Lexi sighed. “He’s always been like that. A guy who gets things done. You have to respect that.”

“You still in love with him?”

Dana’s blunt question nearly made Skye choke on her drink. “Excuse me?”

“Should I talk louder?”

“No.” Skye glanced around to see who was sitting close. Fortunately, they were early and the place was fairly empty. “I’m not in love with Mitch.”

“You sure? It sounds like there’s something going on.”

“Don’t push,” Lexi said.

“Why not? The only reason she was involved with T.J. at all was because of Mitch.”

“Don’t forget that Jed wanted her to marry him. That would have had some weight.”

“You think Skye is going to do that twice?”

Skye slapped her hands down on the table. “Hello. I’m sitting right here.”

They looked at her and shrugged. “Feel free to step in at anytime,” Lexi told her.

“I have nothing to say on the subject of Mitch.”

“Which is part of the problem,” Dana told her.

Their lunches arrived. Lexi had ordered a salad, and both Skye and Dana dug into burgers. Skye was feeling the need for red meat and fries.

“Mitch and I are friends. That’s all.” Friends who fought and made up and had hot sex in strange places.

“You’re not friends,” Dana said. “I don’t know what you are, but it’s more than that.”

“You’re still in love with him,” Lexi said as she stabbed a piece of grilled chicken. “I don’t think you ever stopped loving him, even when you were married to Ray, but that’s just me.”

Skye stared at her. “I’m not in love with him.”

“Oh, please,” Dana said, then frowned at Lexi’s salad. “Your healthy eating is starting to get on my nerves.”