Faking It d-2 Read online

  She swallowed. “Oh. So, to review here, just to make this perfectly clear, you’re not going to bust me?”

  “First of all, I couldn’t,” Davy said. “I told you, I’m not an agent. Second, nobody’s filed a complaint, so you’re not wanted for anything.” He looked at her jacket. “Well, you’re not wanted by the law. Third, I’m not even sure you broke the law because I’m not sure that painting the Scarlets was a scam. Unless you know something I don’t.”

  Tilda sighed.

  “And even if you do,” he added hastily, “I don’t care. Fourth, I want you naked. And I figure I’ve got a fighting chance if you’re relieved and grateful, and your vibrator is four flights up.”

  “You want me?” Tilda said.

  “Hell, yes,” Davy said. “I crave your crooked mouth.”

  She looked at him, dumbfounded. “I thought you’d never speak to me again.”

  Davy snorted. “Not a possibility. Take off your clothes, and I’ll recite limericks if you want.”

  She put her hand on his arm and looked at him, immorality flickering in her weird blue eyes, and then she smiled that bent smile at him, the one that made him dizzy, and he lost his breath.

  “You don’t care that I’m a forger,” she said, looking like crime made flesh.

  “Honey, for the first thirty years of my life, I scammed everything that moved. Where do you think the FBI found me? Church?”

  “You’re twisted, too.”

  “Like a pretzel.”

  “So I can confess to anything and you won’t-”

  “Matilda,” Davy said as her nefarious little art-forging hand warmed his shirtsleeve and his blood. “Tell me you have the Hope diamond stashed behind the jukebox, and I will fuck your brains out.”

  “Oh,” Tilda said. “The Hope diamond is not behind the jukebox.”

  “That’s what I figured.” Davy sighed and took her hand, separating her slender cool fingers with his. “I can’t believe you thought I’d bust you, Scarlet.”

  “It would have been fair,” Tilda said. “I lied to you.”

  “No,” Davy said. “It wouldn’t have been. That’s not us.” She was quiet after that for so long that he ducked his head to look into her eyes. “What’s wrong?”

  “Us,” she said, sounding a little breathless. “Oh. Well, there is one other thing.”

  Davy closed his eyes and laughed. “Of course there is. Let me have it, Scarlet. Then we’ll go fix it.”

  “The Hope diamond.”

  Davy turned and saw her smile widen.

  “It’s behind the vodka.”

  He blinked at her, not sure he’d heard her right.

  “It’s hard to see because it’s the same color as the vodka, and of course it’s dark in the cupboard, but-” Her smile quirked a little. “It’s there. Kiss me.”

  Davy’s brain shorted out, and he lunged for her mouth, shuddering when her tongue touched his. She wrapped her arms around him and fell back on the bed, taking him with her, laughing against his mouth.

  “I can’t believe this!” She stretched her arms over her head. “You know. I’m free?”

  “Oh, good.” He slid a shaking hand under her jacket. “Anything I can do to help? Please?”

  She wrapped her arms around him again, smiling at him. “You already did, Ralph, you hero, you. God, I feel wonderful. No more secrets.” She looked around the half empty white basement. “At least no more secrets from you.” She kissed him hard, her body sliding against his, and he held on as she began to unbutton his shirt. “I can tell you anything. Anything.”

  “God, yes,” he said, trying not to lose his mind as her fingers moved against his chest. Every cell in his body screamed, Take her, but he held back, wanting to make sure, wanting this time to be the time he got it right.

  “I forged my first painting at twelve,” she said, still trying to unbutton his shirt. “What is wrong with this shirt?”

  He pulled it over his head and then sucked in his breath as she licked his chest. “Keep talking,” he said as he started on the slippery knots of her jacket. This time they’d both get it right.

  “My dad sold a Monet I faked when I was fifteen.” She yanked her jacket over her head before he could start the next knot. “Your turn.”

  “I played three-card monte in Bible School.” He stripped her T-shirt off, leaving her in her black bra, looking rounder than he’d remembered and hotter than he could believe.

  “More,” she said.

  “When the teacher caught me, I told her I was doing it for the Lord and she gave me a gold star.” He stared at her as she rose up to meet him, all black lace and round flesh, but she caught his hand as he reached for her.

  “Con me,” she said.

  “I’ll respect you in the morning.”

  She laughed, and he leaned in, but she pulled back. “Con me.”

  Right. The con. First the smile, then the “yes.”

  He kissed her on the neck and then bit her softly where he’d kissed her, and she caught her breath. “More?” he whispered, and she said, “Yes.”

  He bit harder, and she trembled under him, digging her fingers into his shoulders. I want you now, he thought, but she wanted conned. What was next? Think. Right, make her feel superior. He looked down at her beautiful crooked face and thought, God knows, you are. “I can’t believe the way you played me,” he said. “You’re incredible.”

  She melted against him, breathing deeper, and he curved his hand around the firm heat of her breast and felt her tighten as she gasped. “Asthma?” he said, not sure, and she said, “Tom,” and stretched against him. Lust rolled over him and blanked out everything but her.

  “That’s it?” Tilda said, her voice soft in his ear as he pulled her close. “That’s the con?”

  He smelled the cinnamon in her hair as he kissed her shoulder. Her fingers trailed down his chest, and he shook his head to clear it. Come on, he told himself. Smile, yes, superior… “I can’t remember the rest,” he told her. “You’re ruining me, Scarlet.”

  She glowed with heat under him. “Ask me for what you want, but make me think you’re doing me a favor.”

  “Right,” Davy said. “Thank God you listen at doors.”

  She ran her hand down his stomach, and he lost his place in the conversation again.

  “So what are you going to do for me, Ralph?” she whispered.

  “Celeste,” he said, searching desperately for something good, anything good.

  “Yes, Ralph?” She kissed him, and he was lost in her heat again, and then she slid her hand lower and inspiration hit Davy everywhere.

  He pulled back a little and looked down at her sternly. “Celeste, for your own good…”

  She smiled that crooked grin at him, and the room grew hazy.

  “Out of the kindness of my heart-”

  She pressed closer, that lush mouth just millimeters from his.

  “-I’m going to cure you of your vibrator addiction.”

  “Save me,” Tilda said, and Davy moved to take her mouth and everything else she had.

  UPSTAIRS, GWEN watched Clea try to collect Mason. The preview still had some time to run, but things were winding down. Nadine looked tired but happy, which wasn’t surprising since she’d worked nonstop all night. Even Steve looked fairly content, stretched out on the snake armchair, waiting for another stranger to come by and pet him. Louise was safely back at the club, singing with Andrew. Tilda had her last Scarlet back.

  Everybody’s safe, she thought. It’s a good night.

  So why did she feel like smacking somebody with a blue armadillo footstool?

  “This was so cool,” Nadine said, coming up to her, Steve now in her arms. “I’d be bummed it’s over, but we get to do it again tomorrow night.”

  “Yeah, lucky us,” Gwen said. “How’s Steve?”

  “He loved it,” Nadine said. “People kept coming up and petting him and calling him ‘Steve Goodnight’ and telling him he was a good dog and