My head jerked backward. “Come again?”

He jumped up from his chair and headed for the door. “I’d do it as a favor to you.”

I followed close behind, rubbing the tension from the back of my neck. “How is that a favor?”

“I figure”—he glanced over his shoulder—“I’ll fuck her so good, she’ll forget you exist.”

When I arrived at my office, I turned to face his back as he continued down the hallway. “You’re such an amazing friend.”

He stopped and turned toward me. “I’d take one for the team.”

“I don’t care who puts his dick in her.”

He rubbed his hands together and licked his lips. “I’ll see if I can get her mind off you. She came into the Cowboy this weekend. When I see her again, I’ll hit that shit.”

As I opened the door, I shook my head and laughed. “You’re truly a sick fuck.”

“I never claimed to be normal,” he called out as my door closed.

I pushed away the clutter on my desk and checked my calendar. By noon, I had to be on a stakeout, trying to catch a cheating wife suspected of having more than lunch with her boss. In the evening, I had another stakeout, but this time to catch a husband in the act, and I still had to drop off the photos to Mrs. Green.

All the cases that dealt with marriage made me question the possibility of there really being a happily ever after. In my line of work, I only came in contact with unhappiness and deceit. I had to remind myself that it was just a small section of the population.

I opened my new case, read over the information one more time, and called my new client. In between stakeouts, we’d meet and I’d gather the important information I’d need to ascertain if his wife had lied about how she’d gained her wealth.

I couldn’t wait until my day ended. I saw a stop at the Neon Cowboy in my future. An evening with the guys was just what the doctor ordered, but before that could happen, I had to tackle my workload.

***

Georgia: What are you doing tonight?

As soon as her text came in, I set down my camera and replied.

Me: Heading to the NC for a drink. You?

Georgia: Maybe I’ll relax with a glass of wine and read.

Although I liked a good book as much as the next person, her night sounded boring.

Me: I’m on a stakeout right now and bored as hell.

Georgia: Want company?

I rubbed my chin, staring down at the screen and thinking about her question. Sitting here with Georgia sounded a hell of a lot better than spending the next however many hours by myself, listening to the radio and trying to stay awake.

Me: YES!

Georgia: Where are you?

Thankfully, I was close to her place. I gave her the directions and she texted me that she was on her way.

I checked my watch and started to count the minutes until she arrived as I kept an eye on the current love nest of my client’s husband.

The couple arrived separately to the seedy motel far away from his home and work, trying to stay out of view as he cheated on his wife. Before he went inside, he glanced around, checking his surroundings and totally missing me.

When I started working at ALFA PI, I had the windows tinted as dark as legally possible. It’d been a tremendous asset, except when I needed to snap a photo. Typically, I had to do some major acrobatics and try to take it by way of the windshield. It took me a couple stakeouts to figure out just the right angle to park my car to not be seen but still be able to take photographs. Now I had that shit down pat.

Within twenty minutes, there was a knock at the passenger window. I could see the outline of Georgia’s body illuminated by the streetlights behind her.

As soon as I unlocked the door, she slid inside. “Hey,” she said, closing the door quietly before fixing her dress.

“Gimme a kiss.” I leaned over the center console and puckered my lips.

She moved toward my waiting mouth. The kiss was tender, sweet, and left me wanting more. Her eyes were still closed when she backed away. “I needed that,” she whispered.

I touched her cheek, caressing it with my thumb, and sighed. “Me too,” I admitted, dragging my lips across the opposite cheek and relishing the softness and her smell.

“So is this what you do?” she asked as her eyes fluttered open.

“What?” I murmured against her skin.

She laughed, backing away and staring down at me. “Kiss random girls in your car when you’re supposed to be working?”

“You’re hardly random, and I’ve never had someone with me on a stakeout.”

A soft smile spread across her face. “So I’m special?”

I wrapped my hand behind her neck, pulling her lips to mine again. “You’re mine.”

“Oh.” Her lips formed a tiny circle against mine. Her eyes shifted before I had a chance to deepen the kiss. “There’s a couple.”

“Fuck,” I said, backing away, and I reached for my camera.

“This is so exciting and kind of tragic too.” She rubbed her hands together and leaned toward the windshield.

I lifted the camera, positioning the lens against the windshield to get the best photo. “They always are,” I told her, holding my finger down on the button and snapping photo after photo until they separated and sped off in their own cars.

“I feel awful.” She clutched her stomach and stared out the window.

Setting the camera in the backseat, I gave her a halfhearted smile. “It’s hard to see day after day. My entire life has been with unfaithful people, including my work.”

She waved her hand, motioning toward the motel. “How can you believe in love when every day you see it being destroyed?”

I shrugged one shoulder and sighed, pressing my head into the headrest. “I don’t know, Georgia. It’s hard to have faith when I see so many of the lies.”

She shook her head, peering down at her legs. “I just couldn’t do it and still believe in a happily ever after.” She swallowed hard, dragging her eyes to mine. “Do you think all love is doomed?”

“I don’t,” I lied with a straight face, wanting to believe my words were true.

“I’m not like these people.” She pulled at her front lip, letting it snap back. “I could never cheat on someone. I’ve been the one being deceived, and I know how gut-wrenching and devastating it is. Have you ever cheated on someone?”

I shook my head vigorously. “I’ve never cheated. It’s not my style. If I want to see someone else, I just end a relationship before jumping in bed with another woman.”

She shifted in her seat, turning to face me. “Promise when you get bored of me, you’ll let me down easy and say goodbye before you touch another woman.”

“I promise.” I reached for her hand. “Come here.”

“Where?”

I patted my lap with my free hand, pulling her toward me with the other. “Climb over here.”

She climbed over the console, straddled my legs, and shifted until our bodies were flush with each other.

“I would never cheat on you, Georgia. I ask the same of you, though. When you get bored of my old ass, let me down gently.” I stared up into her dark eyes.

She giggled, her body shaking and her pussy teasing my hardening dick. “You’re not old and sure as hell aren’t boring.”

I slid my hand under her dress, feeling the edges of her lace panties. “Want to try something new?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

Her body shuddered and her giggles evaporated. “Here?” She looked out the windows.

I dipped my finger inside the lace, finding her wet. “Here,” I growled.

She adjusted in my lap and rubbed against my dick roughly. “Wait, let me get these panties off.” She tried to climb off.

I grabbed her ass and pulled her against me. “Don’t.” I squeezed her cheeks in my hands. “I can get them off.”

She rested her hands on my shoulders. “You can?”

I didn’t have a magic trick, but lace panties were no match for my hands. I gripped them at the sides, giving them a quick twist before I pulled. They crumbled in my hands.