The Mane Event
Page 13
Oh.
Youre running out of excuses.
I am not.
Your nipples hard?
Mace!
Give me something. Im dyin here. Every once in a while, Mace suddenly reminded her he was born and raised in New York when a little bit of an accent reared its ugly head. It usually only happened when he got emotional or, if she remembered her school days correctly, horny
She ground her teeth together. She would not have phone sex with a guy she hadnt seen in more than twenty years. Even she wasnt that desperate. What do you want from me, Mace?
There went that damn purr again. Deep. Low from his gut. Primal. Everything.
Dez closed her eyes. Good answer. But also the wrong one. She didnt have everything to give. She was a cop. Born a cop if you happened to ask her dad. The one thing in her life that made her truly happy. The one thing she did really well. She couldnt give that up for Mace. She couldnt give that up for anybody.
You got quiet all of a sudden. Whats wrong?
Dez sighed. Im thinking about the price I pay to be me. Mace chuckled. Whats so funny, Llewellyn?
You. You havent changed one damn bit.
Are you kidding? I am not the person you used to know.
No. Youre the person I always knew you were.
Dez pulled herself up to a sitting position. Is that right? And what deep insight do you have about me right now?
Thats easy. Youre thinking youre not about to give up being a cop for me or any man. Arent you?
Dez placed the phone on the comforter and scowled at it. She had the almost overwhelming desire to run from the room screaming. She forgot Mace used to do this to her all the time. That he saw what no one else saw. What no one else wanted to see. Sometimes her own family included.
Pick up the phone, Dez.
She shook her head. Its not a picture phone, you idiot!
I can hear you breathing. So pick up the phonenow.
Dez grabbed the phone and put it to her ear. How did youwhen did you?
Come out to dinner with me, Dez.
No way! She would not be dating Rasputin anytime soon.
You either come out here for a nice, normal dinner or I come thereand who knows what Ill tell you about yourself.
Would that be before or after her dogs rip his arms off? Or she fucks him on the porch. You knowwhatever.
This is
Blackmail. Yes. I know. Im a rich, white male not afraid to use the power of his position. She rolled her eyes,imagining Maces smile as he spouted that load of crap. So come out with me anyway. Just dinner. I promise.
Mace
Come out with me, Dez. His voice actually got lower. How? Come out with me tonight. Please?
The please caught her off guard. She didnt remember Mace ever asking for anything except the salt or ketchup. And then only out of politeness. Now he wasnt being polite. The man practically begged. She thought about that for a moment. She had someone like Mace Llewellyn begging her to go out with him? Had hell frozen over? Were pigs flying?
She let out a shaky breath and she knew he heard it. Closing her eyes, she wondered how huge this mistake would turn out to be.
Okay. Ill go out with you.
Good.
But just dinner. Dont go gettin any wacky, adolescent ideas.
Who? Me?
When and where?
Eight oclock. You pick the place. Any place you want.
Any place? You know, I have very expensive taste when other people are buying.
Any place.
Okay. Well, I heard theres a Van Holtz steakhouse that opened up in the Village. Another long, rather deafening pause. Is there a problem there, Mace? A little out of your price range, perhaps?
Smart-ass, and no. Thats not an issue.
Youre not a vegetarian or something, are you?
Maces almost-hysterical laughter at her offhanded remark seemed a little excessive, but she chose to ignore it. Well then?
He cleared his throat. Okay. Fine. You want Van Holtz? Well go to Van Holtz.
Jesus, Mace. Im not asking you to choose a political party here.
Might as well be.
What?
Nothing. So eight, in the Village, front of Van Holtz restaurant. That work for you?
Perfect. Ive gotta do some shopping anyway. So, Ill see you then. Kay?
Yeahsoare your nipples hard or not?
Bye, Mace.
She closed the phone. This is such a mistake.
Dez flinched when her phone rang again. She flipped it open. Im not telling you if my nipples are hard.
Thats good. Cause I really dont wanna know, stated a female voice Dez didnt recognize.
Who the hell is this?
Is this Detective MacDermot?
Whos askin? She shook her head. The reappearance of Bronx-Dez. She thought shed buried her
Youre running out of excuses.
I am not.
Your nipples hard?
Mace!
Give me something. Im dyin here. Every once in a while, Mace suddenly reminded her he was born and raised in New York when a little bit of an accent reared its ugly head. It usually only happened when he got emotional or, if she remembered her school days correctly, horny
She ground her teeth together. She would not have phone sex with a guy she hadnt seen in more than twenty years. Even she wasnt that desperate. What do you want from me, Mace?
There went that damn purr again. Deep. Low from his gut. Primal. Everything.
Dez closed her eyes. Good answer. But also the wrong one. She didnt have everything to give. She was a cop. Born a cop if you happened to ask her dad. The one thing in her life that made her truly happy. The one thing she did really well. She couldnt give that up for Mace. She couldnt give that up for anybody.
You got quiet all of a sudden. Whats wrong?
Dez sighed. Im thinking about the price I pay to be me. Mace chuckled. Whats so funny, Llewellyn?
You. You havent changed one damn bit.
Are you kidding? I am not the person you used to know.
No. Youre the person I always knew you were.
Dez pulled herself up to a sitting position. Is that right? And what deep insight do you have about me right now?
Thats easy. Youre thinking youre not about to give up being a cop for me or any man. Arent you?
Dez placed the phone on the comforter and scowled at it. She had the almost overwhelming desire to run from the room screaming. She forgot Mace used to do this to her all the time. That he saw what no one else saw. What no one else wanted to see. Sometimes her own family included.
Pick up the phone, Dez.
She shook her head. Its not a picture phone, you idiot!
I can hear you breathing. So pick up the phonenow.
Dez grabbed the phone and put it to her ear. How did youwhen did you?
Come out to dinner with me, Dez.
No way! She would not be dating Rasputin anytime soon.
You either come out here for a nice, normal dinner or I come thereand who knows what Ill tell you about yourself.
Would that be before or after her dogs rip his arms off? Or she fucks him on the porch. You knowwhatever.
This is
Blackmail. Yes. I know. Im a rich, white male not afraid to use the power of his position. She rolled her eyes,imagining Maces smile as he spouted that load of crap. So come out with me anyway. Just dinner. I promise.
Mace
Come out with me, Dez. His voice actually got lower. How? Come out with me tonight. Please?
The please caught her off guard. She didnt remember Mace ever asking for anything except the salt or ketchup. And then only out of politeness. Now he wasnt being polite. The man practically begged. She thought about that for a moment. She had someone like Mace Llewellyn begging her to go out with him? Had hell frozen over? Were pigs flying?
She let out a shaky breath and she knew he heard it. Closing her eyes, she wondered how huge this mistake would turn out to be.
Okay. Ill go out with you.
Good.
But just dinner. Dont go gettin any wacky, adolescent ideas.
Who? Me?
When and where?
Eight oclock. You pick the place. Any place you want.
Any place? You know, I have very expensive taste when other people are buying.
Any place.
Okay. Well, I heard theres a Van Holtz steakhouse that opened up in the Village. Another long, rather deafening pause. Is there a problem there, Mace? A little out of your price range, perhaps?
Smart-ass, and no. Thats not an issue.
Youre not a vegetarian or something, are you?
Maces almost-hysterical laughter at her offhanded remark seemed a little excessive, but she chose to ignore it. Well then?
He cleared his throat. Okay. Fine. You want Van Holtz? Well go to Van Holtz.
Jesus, Mace. Im not asking you to choose a political party here.
Might as well be.
What?
Nothing. So eight, in the Village, front of Van Holtz restaurant. That work for you?
Perfect. Ive gotta do some shopping anyway. So, Ill see you then. Kay?
Yeahsoare your nipples hard or not?
Bye, Mace.
She closed the phone. This is such a mistake.
Dez flinched when her phone rang again. She flipped it open. Im not telling you if my nipples are hard.
Thats good. Cause I really dont wanna know, stated a female voice Dez didnt recognize.
Who the hell is this?
Is this Detective MacDermot?
Whos askin? She shook her head. The reappearance of Bronx-Dez. She thought shed buried her
