today. What kind of woman would ever have married such a jerk?
As if he had to confirm that fact, Ray opened his mouth. âIs this your new boyfriend, Becca?â His gaze focused on the bucket and the broom, and he smiled, except on Ray it looked like a sneer. âYou dating the janitor now?â
Â
Trent had been taking himself to task all the way to Eddie and back. Thinking with the brain below his belt instead of the one between his ears had led him to teasing and flirting with Rebecca. But she didnât need that. Sheâd said she didnât need or want anything from him.
He certainly didnât need to wind their accidental entanglement any tighter.
But those thoughts evaporated when he took in the man and woman talking with Rebecca. Trent didnât like that stiff expression on her face, an expression that turned even stiffer when the other man said something Trent didnât catch. Something about âthe janitor.â
He strode closer, then stepped over the short front wall of their booth. âExcuse me?â he said, meeting the other manâs gaze. âWere you talking to me?â
The guyâs eyes slid toward Rebecca. âI was asking about Beccaâs love life.â A faint smile looked nasty on his too-pretty face.
âMy love lifeâs none of your business, Ray,â Rebecca replied. She glanced over at Trent, then released a tiny sigh. âThis is my ex-husband, Rayburn Holley, and his friend, Constance Blake. Ray, Constance, this is Trent Crosby.â
â Doctor Rayburn Holley,â the man said. His gaze traveled to the bucket and broom Trent carried. âIâd shake hands but Iâm on duty in a few minutes. So youâre making time with my little Becca, huh?â
Aaah. Now if he put love life and janitor together, it was clear that Dr. Ray had been trying to put his ex-wife down. Trent smiled. âWeâre making something, all right, Ray.â He turned to the manâs companion. âHey there, Constance. Did your brother tell you I kicked his ass on the tennis court last week?â
If smiles could kill, Constanceâs would have flash-frozen him on the spot. His mother and his ex-wife had been expert at that kind of smile and he was expert at deflecting it.
He grinned back. âWhatâs the matter, Con? Toothache?â
âThereâs not a thing wrong with me, Trent.â
âNothing that a little warm blood wouldnât help,â he murmured for Rebeccaâs ears only and was gratified to hear her little snort of choked-off laughter. Then he raised his voice. âMy mistake. I thought maybe thatâs why you had an appointment with Dr. Ray here.â
âIâm a dermatologist, not a dentist.â The doctor shot a glance at his companion. âYou know this man, Constance?â
She gave him a nudge with her elbow. âHeâs Trent Crosby, Rayburn. Of Crosby Systems?â
Dr. Ray blinked. The he looked from Rebecca to Trent. From Trent to Rebecca. âWell.â He shook his head. âWell, well.â
Rebecca crossed her arms over her chest. âYes, well, letâs not keep you, Ray. Iâm sure your patients need you more than we do.â
âI donâtââ Ray blinked again. âSo there is a âwe,â Rebecca? You and Trent Crosby? â
The embarrassed flush on Rebeccaâs face was all the impetus Trent needed. He pasted on his best man-to-man smile. âWhat else would get me out of the office or off the golf course on a Saturday morning but a beautiful woman, right, Ray? A beautiful, desirable woman.â His arm looped around Rebeccaâs neck to draw her close. He pressed his mouth against hers in a casual kiss.
At the light contact, a fire flared. Trent jerked awayfrom it, staring into Rebeccaâs equally startled eyes. It took an effort to break her gaze and meet Dr. Rayâs. âAnd, uh, thanks, by the
Learning to Kill: Stories