Undenied - Unspoken #3 - Maya Banks Page 0,1
the other hand, he had no desire to hurt her feelings. He’d already done enough damage to her.
“Of course I remember you, Payton.” He even managed what he hoped was a sincere smile.
“I can’t believe you’re still here, I mean living here. I figured you’d have left right after high school. Didn’t you have a scholarship to A&M to play ball?”
Her smile and enthusiasm discomfited him. Why was she being so damn nice to him? He eased awkwardly back onto the barstool and motioned for Zack.
Zack walked over, a smirk on his face that Wes really wanted to wipe off with a well-placed fist.
“Can I get you a drink?” Wes asked, not really knowing what else to say to a woman he’d never expected to see again.
She bounced onto the stool next to him and turned her dynamite smile on Zack, who promptly melted into a pile of slush. Damn fool.
“I’ll take a water,” she said.
She turned back to Wes, a million questions burning in her eyes. “Well? Tell me about you. What are you doing these days?”
His tongue felt thick in his mouth. Like he’d just swallowed a cup of sawdust or eaten a dozen crackers without a drink.
She looked beautiful, but then she’d always been gorgeous. The years had been good to her, how long had it been? Eleven? Twelve years? Good God, it had been twelve years. She’d been sixteen then. Sweet, innocent and so very beautiful.
She hadn’t changed much. Not now when he soaked in her appearance up close and personal. She still had a sparkle about her, something that inexplicably drew him to her, just like it had twelve years ago.
“Wes? Are you all right?”
He blinked and opened his mouth to try and say something to smooth over the awkwardness of the situation, but damned if he knew what to say. Sorry? Apologize for hurting her? Apologize for being a clumsy, inexperienced dumbass?
“I’m fine,” he mumbled. He looked around…for what, help? He met Zack’s gaze, sure panic was etched in his features.
Zack looked curiously back at him, nodded once in silent understanding then reached for the phone under the counter. A few seconds later, Wes’s cell phone rang.
Wes yanked up his phone, knowing when he answered there wouldn’t be anyone on the other end, but he gripped the receiver like a lifeline.
“Yeah,” he said shortly. He waited an appropriate amount of time before saying, “Okay, I’ll be right in.”
He closed the phone and donned an expression of regret. “That was the station. I’m a local cop. They need me to come in. I’ll, uh, catch you another time.”
“Oh,” she said. “Well, it was nice to see you again.” She flashed a smile that didn’t quite reach to her eyes, eyes that reflected suspicion.
“Uh, yeah, you too,” Wes hedged. He nodded in Zack’s direction. “Thanks, man. I’ll see you later.”
He turned tail and all but ran the hell out of the bar. When he reached the outside, he sucked in several breaths, trying to rid himself of the embarrassment blazing a torch over his face.
Bless Zack for resorting to the oldest trick in their repertoire. It wasn’t something they’d done in a long time, the last when a very drunk, very married woman had come on to Wes. He definitely owed Zack for this one, and he’d be more than happy to pay up.
Payton sighed and turned her attention to Zack. She pinned him with her stare and arched one eyebrow. “Slick move if I do say so myself.”
His eyes widened in exaggerated surprise.
She snorted. “Don’t play innocent with me. Come on. That has to be one of the lamest tricks ever. You guys were so obvious, a blind man could have ratted you out.”
He chuckled but had the grace to look abashed.
“So what’s his problem?” she asked as she looked again at the doorway Wes had fled out of. “I mean it wasn’t like I threatened to rape him.”
Zack shrugged. “Honestly? I have no clue. I’ve never seen him act like that. I was kinda hoping you could clue me in. How do you two know each other anyway?”
She smiled, the soft echo of a memory, a much younger, innocent memory whispering across her mind. “I knew him in high school.”
“That’s all? I was sure by the way he was acting that you were some crazed felon he’d arrested before or something.”
“Yeah, you’d think,” she murmured.
“Can I get you something stronger than water?” he offered. “My treat to make up for the dirty trick I