PHENOMENAL GIRL 5 (14 page)

My head snapped to look, but he looked away as soon as he saw me noticing.

“It was probably aimed at you, Selena. And is that the way they teach you to talk at the Five?”

She rolled her eyes. “I work with four other women on a daily basis. The lack of men is making me super horny, and I don’t switch sides. But he was looking at you, no question.”

“Well, he won’t be sticking around much longer,” I said, taking a bit of satisfaction out of that. “He wants me to circulate for him so he can go hide in the Reincarnist Cave, so she won’t have her nasty little hooks into him for long.”

Three dances and one trip to the bar with her later, he didn’t seem to be in any hurry to leave. And it was official: I had been ditched. No hot make-out sessions in the coat-check
room. I hadn’t even gotten a dance. I had blown a couple of grand for nothing.

“This sucks,” I said.

“Lainey, just go over and tell him you need to borrow him for a second, then go into an empty room and jump him.”

“And in what reality did I turn into you?” I wished I could be bold and go after what I wanted. Instead, I was always watching as the rest of the world made their moves. I was more like the man from William Graves’s poem, always hoping I’d take the next moment, but knowing deep down that I’d let it pass by like always.

Selena checked her watch. “I’ve gotta split, hon. I’ve got a trip to the Dominican Republic in my future. Michelle knows a guy who’s in business down there and is worried there’s going to be a government coup. He somehow convinced her we could keep an eye on his business interests, protect the people, and work on our tans at the same time. I’m more interested in trying to help the poor people trying to live their lives. I’ll call when I get back.”

“Be careful, okay?”

“Don’t worry about me. I’m nigh indestructible, remember?” She winked at me. “Good luck with the Reincarnist.” She glided off, lovely as ever, leaving me on my own.

While my date enjoyed the evening with another woman.

I was just getting angry enough to leave when I heard a male voice say, “Who is he?”

“Excuse me?” I turned to see an attractive blond man in an all-black suit standing before me. Tall, with an athletic build, he stood with that casual yet suave awareness some men master. He had blue eyes and a slight dimple that would make a girl swoon.

Only, I wasn’t swooning. My mind registered there was an attractive man before me, yet I didn’t get any tingly feelings. Maybe it was because I got a sense he knew he was attractive and used it to his full advantage.

“Who’s the idiot that left you unattended?” he said. “Because I have a feeling you didn’t come here alone.”

Or maybe I have bad-pickup-line awareness. “I came with
him
.” I pointed to where Robert was standing talking to Victoria.

He followed my direction and did a double-take. “You’re not serious.”

I nodded. “Afraid so. He’s my boss, though, so it’s not like a real date or anything.” I don’t know why I felt the need to qualify it like that to a random stranger, like there was no way I’d be here on a date with Robert.

The blond guy laughed. “Good. I was going to question your taste if you were dating him. And I’d have to wonder what else was wrong with him that he ditched you for her.”

Thank you, hot guy! Now why don’t I find you as attractive as I should?
“I’m Lainey Livingston.” I held out my hand to shake.

He kissed it instead. Smooth. And yet it did nothing for me. “Simon Leasure.” He leaned in closer, lowering his voice. “Inferno, from the Elite Hands of Justice. So you’re Phenomenal Girl Five.”

Now I recognized him, and I instantly went giddy from being in the presence of one of
them
. “Of course, I didn’t recognize you without the costume…and I’ve only seen pictures of you.”
God, Lainey, act like a professional!
“It’s so great to meet you!”

“The pleasure is all mine. Your pictures don’t do you justice.” He stood close to me. “So you’re the latest victim of the Reincarnist. We’ve all been there and made it through the experience relatively intact. I’m just glad you’re not his girlfriend. I couldn’t bear the thought of someone as lovely as you going to waste on him.”

“No chance of that,” I mumbled.

He laughed, mistaking my meaning. “He’s a real piece of work, isn’t he? If it helps, think of your time here like a
fraternity initiation—survive two years of him without losing your mind and you’re in.”

“He hasn’t been so bad,” I said, my tone a bit defensive. “He’s been nice to me.”

“That’ll change. But let’s not waste our time talking about him.” He turned his movie-star-caliber smile on me. “You know, when Rath and Kate made me come here, I thought I’d die of boredom, but now that we’ve met, things are looking up. Would you like to dance?”

A hot guy had just asked me to dance. The night had taken a decidedly better turn.

I smiled. “I’d love to.”

As he led me onto the dance floor, I caught Robert’s eyes. He was frowning.

What was his deal? He ditched me and then had the nerve to look upset that some hot guy my own age asked me to dance? Well, like Simon said, I wasn’t going to waste my time thinking about Robert. I was going to enjoy myself.

After a couple of dances, Simon and I walked to the bar to get drinks. I felt very cool as I ordered my Cosmopolitan and sipped it in the company of a guy who looked like a movie star. Except, he didn’t make my heart race like Robert did.

Forget about that
, I ordered myself,
and enjoy the hot male attention. You’ve already had your dance; a hot kiss might be in your future if you play your cards right!

“So I’ve been team leader on several missions,” Simon was saying. “The way things are going, you could end up working for me someday.”

“Really?”

“Paul’s grooming me to be the next team leader. I’m trying to take the lead on some of the higher-profile cases. It’s all about getting the right kind of exposure, Lainey, remember that.”

“Uh-huh.” So, he was attractive but full of himself. Typical.

A beeping sounded from his pocket, and he reached in, pulling out a communicator. “It’s the EHJ.”

“Oh, is it something serious?”

He looked at me as if I was slow. Duh. Of course if they were beeping it was serious. “It could be about the Kremordians. We’ve been off to space lately, trying to help a group of aliens with a peace treaty.”

Because there’s no countries on Earth that need of help in that department.
“I’ve heard.”

“I’m sure you have. The Reincarnist always has made a big deal about our space missions. Just because he doesn’t want to expand his horizons…” He trailed off. “I’d better be getting back, they’ll need me. But, assuming I don’t have to go into space tomorrow, would you like to go to dinner?”

You know your life is strange when your would-be date’s possible reason for canceling is space travel. I glanced in Robert’s direction to see that he was again frowning at me.

I turned back to Simon with a big smile. “Sure. I’d love to.”

I ate breakfast, worked out, and practiced magic by myself the next morning. Robert was nowhere in sight. That could be taken in any number of ways, but since the last time I’d seen him he was heading out to the garden with Victoria Dupree, I was expecting to see her do the walk of shame at any moment. Only, in her case, it wouldn’t be the walk of shame. More like the strut of pride. When I still didn’t see him at lunchtime, I didn’t know whether to be disgusted or impressed.

In either case, I was in a dark mood as I sat in the library, answering Robert’s correspondence. It was a job his assistants always did, but one I had let build up in favor of other more heroic pursuits. I took a moment to get the mental image of Simon Leasure acting as a secretary, and just couldn’t conceive it.

Robert was well-known in different circles—for forensics and criminal profiling in the law enforcement arena, and for his spell-casting skills in the world of sorcery. As a result, he was always getting requests for this book or that lecture circuit. He usually turned them all down. I did my job and wrote the proper no-thanks replies, but in my mind it was a different story.

No, I cannot come to your party because I am too busy screwing a stick figure.

No, I cannot give a speech at your committee meeting because I am an antisocial jerk.

No, I cannot co author your book because I am too lazy to even reply to my own letters and I make my overly jealous colleague do that
.

I have no right to be jealous
, I reminded myself.
He can date whomever he wants, even stick figures with hideous personalities.

That task finished, I started toward the door, only to be met by Robert.

We both froze. He took a step back and then seemed to relax. I, however, tensed more. All my pep talk about not feeling jealous went out the window.

“Good afternoon,” he said.

“Hey. Correspondences done. I was downstairs earlier and the world hasn’t exploded, so we’re cool. I’ll see you later.” I started to bypass him and he moved to block me.

Annoyed, I glared up at him. “Is there something else you need?”

“I am sorry I was not around this morning to give you instructions.”

“It’s not so complicated a job that I can’t do it on my own.” I winced after I said it. That was more than bordering on rude.

“You do a good job, Lainey.” He clapped me on the shoulder.
Great, I’m one of the guys now
. “I am sorry to have shirked my duties for most of the day, but I was meditating.”

“Is that what you kids call it nowadays?” I moved to slip away.

“What?” He blocked me again. “What did you say?”

“Nothing. I’m just…”
jealous
. “Cranky.”

“Did you think ‘meditation’ was an euphemism for sex?” He laughed.

God, Mister Blunt!
Anyone else would have softened that statement somehow. “Well…” I tried to think of the least embarrassing way to say yes.

“Because unless I am having sex with myself, I was upstairs alone, transcending to the astral plane.” He looked amused at my discomfort.

“It’s not my business anyway,” I muttered, desperately wanting out of the conversation.

“Who did you think I was with?” he continued, not letting me escape.

“I didn’t…I don’t…”
Oh, the hell with it
. I gave up. “Victoria Dupree.”

“God, why?” The look of astonishment on his face seemed genuine.

“Well, you ditched me for her all night, for one thing!” I said, a trace of anger escaping.

“You were going to circulate for me, remember?”

“And I did, but a gentleman doesn’t ditch his date to go off with another woman, even if his date is just a coworker.”

“True,” he conceded. “But I tried to get rid of her all night. She stuck to me like an annoying parasite.”

“You didn’t seem to mind.” Why had I just said that? Why didn’t I just scream ‘I have a not-so-secret crush on you!’ and get it over with?

He seemed to not know how to reply. Not that I blamed him.

“Forget it.” I waved him away. “Like I said before, I’m cranky, so just ignore me. ‘Meditate’ with Victoria or don’t, it doesn’t matter to me.”

“I can tell.” His lips quirked in amusement. “And yet, I saw you were not unattended for long last night.”

“Well, my old friend from the Red Knights showed up, but she’s not exactly the same as having a date.”

“That is not who I meant.”

A knock on the door interrupted us, and Mayhew stepped inside. “Miss Lainey, there is a phone call for you.”

I picked up the receiver, angling away from Robert so he couldn’t eavesdrop. “Hello?”

“Hello, Lainey. This is Simon Leasure, we met last night.”

“Oh, hi!” I said in an overly cheery voice, and then lowered my voice. “I was just thinking about you.” Robert cleared his throat behind me. God, was super-hearing one of his powers?

“Good things, I hope.”

“Of course.” I let my voice sound a bit more flirty.

“Is the Reincarnist hovering right behind you?”

I started to half-turn and about ran into Robert. “Yes,” I said, giving him a pointed look.

“Yeah, he seems to think he has to listen in on every conversation you have.”

I covered the receiver. “Do you mind? A little privacy, please.”

Robert moved backward slightly, hands behind his back. “Sorry.”

I gave him one last glare and turned away from him again. “Sorry, go ahead, Simon.” I ignored the annoyed cough behind me.

“Well, the good news is that we didn’t have to go to space. It was something easily fixed without leaving planet-side.”

“That’s great.”

“So, since we’re on the same planet, how about dinner to night?”

“Sounds great.” I’d take dinner with a hot guy over grousing about someone who liked stick figures.

“I’ll come by around eight. Will he have a fit if you play hooky from patrol?”

I glanced back at Robert, who was now seated at one of the sofas, glowering at me.

“It shouldn’t be a problem,” I said. “I’ll take care of it.”

He laughed. “Wish I was there to see it. You’ll have to tell me about it to night.”

“Alright. I’m looking forward to it.”

“Me too.”

We had barely disconnected when I heard, “Who was that?”

“God, he’s right, you are nosey.” I walked across the room, determined to make my escape this time.

“That had better not have been Simon Leasure.” He sounded like a disrespected parent as he said it, and it made my blood boil.

“And what if it was?” I crossed my arms as I turned to face him, completely up to taking on the challenge he was dishing out.

“I saw him latch on to you last night the moment my back was turned.” He was standing, arms behind his back and every muscle in his body tense, dark eyes flashing. He didn’t even bother to conceal his anger.

“He was nice enough to hang out with me after you ditched me for Victoria,” I retorted.

“Simon Leasure is an over-privileged brat with a chip on his shoulder for anyone in a position of authority over him. His senator father never made him take responsibility for any of his actions, and so he uses people to his advantage, especially women. This is just another way for him to try to get back at me—through you.”