Behind the Curtain - Page 102

“Where?” she whispered.

“Where what?” he asked, looking around when Rudy knocked louder.

“Where did we meet?”

He glanced back at her.

“The subway, of course,” he replied with a small smile.

• • •

She felt self-conscious walking out into the living room fifteen minutes later, fully dressed after her shower. But she’d forgotten Rudy’s no-nonsense friendliness and charm.

“Well, will you look at that,” he said, spinning around when she said hello. “It’s Laila Barek. I don’t believe it.”

She laughed. “Didn’t Asher tell you I was here?”

“Yeah, but I didn’t believe him. I just figured he’d grown a little delusional in his old age, wishing up some old fantasies from his past,” Rudy said bluntly, approaching her. Laila put out her hand to shake in greeting, but Rudy wouldn’t have it. He gave her a big bear hug, making her shriek in surprise. He lifted her feet several inches off the floor and swung her around. She snorted with laughter, noticing Asher’s mildly amused, forbearing expression over Rudy’s shoulder. “Look at you. You grew up good,” Rudy told her, giving her a frank assessment once he’d set her back on the carpet. “Asher says you live in Chicago now?”

“Yeah. With Tahi. You remember my cousin Tahi, right?”

Rudy’s expression flattened. He looked very much the same to her, with the exception of a few added pounds, a slightly receding hairline and his expensive-looking clothing.

“Tahi is here? In Chicago?”

“Yeah. We have a place on the Near North Side.”

“Is she still single?” Rudy demanded.

Laila nodded, grinning.

“Well what are we waiting for?” Rudy asked disbelievingly, spinning on his heels to look at Asher. “Get your clothes on, Ash. We’re gonna go find that girl and have ourselves some fun.”

Chapter Twenty-three

Although Rudy’s plan sounded like a good time, Laila had her doubts as to it panning out. She tried to text and call Tahi while Asher showered and dressed, but her cousin didn’t respond immediately.

“She’s probably getting ready or something,” Laila explained, wondering privately if her cousin had a date that Sunday.

“No problem,” Rudy insisted once Asher had rejoined them, looking mouthwatering in a pair of jeans, casual boots, a button-down shirt, gray hoodie pullover sweater and a rugged brown jacket. “We’ll just go over to your place and hunt her down.”

Laila gave Asher a doubtful glance.

“Will Tahi kill us for barging in on her?” Asher asked her with a small smile, seemingly reading her mind.

“I don’t think so,” Laila replied uncertainly.

“Because if not, I’d love to see your place,” Asher said.

She couldn’t refuse him after he’d said that. She couldn’t refuse him much of anything, apparently.

They drove to her condo in Rudy’s rental car. Rudy protested when instead of getting in the passenger seat, Asher got into the backseat with Laila.

“What am I, your chauffeur or something?” he complained. Asher didn’t bother to reply, just put his arm around Laila and pulled her against him. Rudy rolled his eyes in the rearview mirror.

“Jesus. Some things never change,” he said in a long-suffering, beleaguered tone before he started the engine.

Laila was a little worried as she unlocked their front door. What if Michael was there with Tahi? That would be awkward.

Tags: Beth Kery Erotic
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