The Bridesmaid's Best Man

For some reason his assurance was met with a frosty stare. He watched with fascination as Angie’s skin flushed red. “Don’t worry about me,” she said in a clipped tone. “Give me all that you’ve got.”

“Angie, I know you’re uncomfortable with all this.” He saw the flash of injured pride in her eyes and he fell silent. Everything he said was being taken the wrong way.

“No, no, Cole. I’m curious. I’ve already seen some of your new moves. I didn’t realize that you had been holding back with me.”

“Holding back?” He never held anything back with Angie. Well, not physically.

“Go ahead, Cole.” Angie leaned back in her chair. “Drive me wild.”

2

COLE DIPPED HIS head and Angie closed her eyes. It was a defensive move but it didn’t help. She could still feel the heat from his body. She licked her lips, remembering how his skin tasted. Warm and masculine.

“I need to talk to you,” he said against her ear.

She felt his breath against her skin and shivered. “Apparently so. You’ve gone through a few life changes since I’ve seen you.” Cole’s bare chest grazed against her breasts and she jumped. She opened her eyes wide. “Or have you?”

Cole paused. “What do you mean?”

He was so close that she found it difficult to think. It was as if her body had been asleep and now energy sparked inside her. Her heart pounded against her chest and her blood pumped hard through her veins. Her skin stung with awareness. Why? Why did she only feel like this around Cole? It wasn’t fair.

A sickening thought occurred to her. “How long have you been a stripper?” she asked. “You’re very good at it.”

“Should I be flattered by your surprise or insulted?” he asked as he rolled his hips.

Angie curled her fingers tight into fists. She wasn’t going to touch him. Hold him. Guide his hips. No, she wasn’t, no matter how much her hands tingled with need. “I notice you’re not really answering the question,” she said, all too aware of how her voice cracked. “Were you stripping when we were together?”

Cole jerked back as if he’d been struck. His smile disappeared and his mouth tightened. “Do you really think that?”

“I don’t know what to think.” She really hoped he didn’t have a secret life, but the man had always been private. He kept things to himself and now she wondered if she knew him at all.

“This is not what it looks like,” he said as he kneeled down before her.

She tensed up as her heart pounded faster. “It never is.”

“I’m not a stripper.” He placed his hands on her knees and pulled them apart.

“Really?” Her voice was high and every muscle in her body locked. How could he touch her so intimately and yet so casually? “Because you’re faking it very well.”

She looked down at him and tried to fight off the memories. How many times had they been like this? How many times had their position been reversed? Cole knew how to touch her, please her with his hands and mouth. She never found that kind of satisfaction anywhere else.

Cole lifted her leg and placed it over his bare shoulder. Angie saw his expression. She recognized the desire and something else. Something bittersweet. She didn’t know why he felt that way. He was the one who walked away.

She couldn’t fight the pang of misery. Angie yanked her leg away. She held up her hands in defeat. She couldn’t do this. Not with Cole. When they were together, the sex they had was romantic. Intimate. It had meant something. She didn’t want to respond to the same routine he did for any woman who had a dollar. “This lap dance is over.”

“Not yet.” Still kneeling between her legs, Cole slowly slid his body up against hers.

Angie inhaled sharply as she remembered every plane and angle of his body. How it felt to curl up against his hard chest, cling to his broad shoulders and wrap her legs against his waist.

She felt the sweat beading on her skin and tried to remain calm. She saw the knowing twinkle in Cole’s eyes. Did he remember, too? Or did he know the effect he had on her? Angie looked away. “I’m not sure what you’re trying to accomplish here....”

“Then this must be your first time at a strip club.”

She turned back and frowned at him. “But you’re wasting your time with me.”

Cole gave a crooked smile. “It’s never a waste of time being with you.”

She stilled as the words washed over her. How could he say that when he’d dumped her and never stayed in touch? “We’re done.”

“No, wait.” He quickly straddled her legs and grabbed the back of her chair again. She was trapped and considered pushing him away. But that meant touching him. Pressing her hands against his naked skin... “I have something to tell you.”

“Yeah, I got it.” She searched for a safe spot to focus on, trying not to notice the way his broad chest rose and fell, or how his rock-hard abs gleamed with sweat from dancing. “I heard what you said. You’re not really a stripper. Let me guess. You’re in between jobs. You’re doing a favor for a friend?”

He thrust his hips to the music. “I’m undercover.”

Angie slowly shifted her gaze to meet his. That was one excuse she didn’t expect. A chuckle erupted from her throat. “That’s a good one.”

Cole stopped moving and frowned. “You’re not supposed to laugh while getting a lap dance.”

“I’m sorry. I can’t help it.” She shook her head as she continued to laugh. “It’s not like I’m pointing.”

He sighed and moved forward until his mouth was against her ear. “Angie, this is serious.”

The bubble of laughter died in her throat as she felt his lips against her skin. “Then stop joking.” She squirmed away. “I know you’re not undercover. You quit the police force after you broke up with me a year ago.”

“Hey, Angie, it’s my turn,” Heidi called out as she approached them.

Angie was unprepared for the fierce territorial streak that sliced through her. She knew Cole was no longer hers, but she couldn’t share him. It was bad enough seeing him dance with Brittany. She didn’t want him anywhere near Heidi.

“Stall her,” Cole demanded.

Angie felt a flash of relief at his reluctance to leave, but she knew it wasn’t because he favored her over the others. He needed something from her and it wasn’t to relive the memories or have one night together.

“Come on. No playing favorites,” Heidi said as she waved a fistful of cash. “I have money to burn.”

“Why should I do what you ask?” Angie asked Cole between her teeth. “I should throw you to the wolves.”

He looked into her eyes. “I really need to talk to you.”

His voice was harsh, but she saw the pleading in his gaze. What was so important? Curiosity got the better of her. She sighed and looked at the maid of honor. “Sorry, Heidi. I’m still waiting for him to rock my world. I’ll send him over to you once that happens.”

Heidi rolled her eyes. “I’ll be back.” She stormed off into the crowd of women, who were encouraging the other strippers to take it all off.

“Really?” Cole said. “Like you couldn’t come up with something more flattering?”

She shrugged. “I didn’t want to set her expectations too high.”

Cole did a sinuous roll of his hips that made Angie squeeze her legs together. “Get some money out so you can hold me here longer,” he suggested.

Angie shook her head. “I told you that I don’t have any cash.”

“You always have money in case of emergencies.”

She was surprised that he would remember that. For some reason she assumed he’d forgotten all about her when he’d moved on. “This is not an emergency.”

“Angie,” he warned.

She pressed her lips together as she considered her options. She decided to do as he asked if it meant she didn’t have to share him with the others. “Fine.” She reached inside the front pocket of her skinny jeans and pulled out a twenty. “What will this get me?”

He shook his head and clucked his tongue with regret. “You’re not ready for that.”

“Don’t be too sure,” she said with an angry smile. She wasn’t going to let him see how his assumption hurt. “Now what do you need to tell me?”

* * *

COLE HESITATED. SHOULD he tell Angie? He hadn’t planned on it. Was he considering it just to prove he wasn’t a stripper? No, he decided. He needed her help and her insight. In the past he had no problems confiding to her about his job when he worked in Missing Persons. He trusted her and valued her advice.

And his instincts told him that he could still trust her. She wouldn’t do anything to hurt him or sabotage his assignment. He didn’t have a lot of faith in people, but Angie was different. She would help him even though they were no longer a couple.

Angie moved to get up. “It was good seeing you, Cole, but I was about to call a cab and leave.”

“You can’t leave,” he said, refusing to move out of the way. His hands clenched the back of her chair. He didn’t want her to go. It had been too long since he’d seen her and it was difficult to keep up the pretense while he was conducting surveillance. There were a few times when he wanted to forget about his professional distance and approach Angie. Now she was right next to him and he wanted the moment to last.

“Why?” she asked as she crossed her arms. “No one will notice.”

He would, but she wouldn’t care about that. “The bride will. She’ll never forgive you.”

“How would you—” Her voice faded when he abruptly turned around. He grabbed her hands and rubbed them against his chest and he swayed to the music. “What are you doing?”

“Keeping my cover,” he said. He dragged her hand down his chest until her fingers brushed against his waistband. His stomach clenched as she lowered her hand even more before she snatched it away.

“Will you stop that?” She pushed against his back. “It’s kind of hard to listen when you’re distracting me with those moves.”

He paused and turned to face her. “I’m a private investigator.”

She nodded. “You went over to the dark side?”

“Yeah, I did.” He liked being a cop, but this was something he needed to do. His goal was to find missing relatives and reunite families. He always wanted to do that ever since he was a teenager.

Angie narrowed her eyes as she watched his face carefully. “Let me see your P.I. license.”

He clenched his jaw. This was a side of Angie he hadn’t experienced before. He didn’t like how she questioned his word. “It’s not like I have it on me.”

“You don’t have to make up a story for me. So you’re a stripper and you take your clothes off for a living. I’m not going to judge.” She tilted her head and pursed her lips. “Much.”

“Why don’t you believe me?” he asked irritably.

“I don’t know.” She shrugged. “But I’m very curious what you would do for a twenty. Is it something I’ve seen before?”

Cole stopped moving and slowly stood to his full height as the cold anger seeped through him. “Are you comparing what we had together with this?”

“Don’t worry.” Angie held up a hand as if it would erase his hurt and frustration. “I get the feeling that there is no comparison. You needed to find excitement elsewhere and this is where you wound up. How could I possibly have competed with this?” She splayed her hands out and gestured at the club.

“I didn’t leave you for this,” he said through clenched teeth. The anger gripped his chest and he took a deep breath. “I really am a private investigator.”

“Mmm-hmm. And you needed to infiltrate a strip club? Why? Are the guys jewel thieves by day?” She made a show of looking around her before she leaned forward and stage-whispered, “Is Tiger really an assassin?”

“I’m investigating the maid of honor.”

“Say what?” Her voice went high. “Heidi?”

Cole clapped his hand over her mouth before she said any more. “Yes. And don’t look for her. We can’t let Heidi know we’re talking about her.”

“Heidi,” she repeated against his hand. She pulled his hand away. “Why are you investigating her?”

“I can’t tell you. I’ve already said too much.” He had to keep some things confidential but he wanted Angie to know what he was doing with his life. Despite the fact they were no longer together, he wanted her to be proud of his accomplishments.

She pressed her fingers against her forehead as if she were trying to wrap her mind around the news. “Heidi is not interesting enough to have a secret life.”

“Don’t blow this for me.” He looked over his shoulder. Everyone was still cheering as Tiger and Robin played up to their audience. He didn’t see Heidi in the crowd.

“You already blew your best bet for the night. Heidi wanted a lap dance from you. Why are you wasting your time with me?”

He refused to give a lap dance to Heidi or any other woman in this club. It was different with Angie. “I can’t interrogate her while I’m thrusting in her face.”

“That would require special coordination,” Angie admitted. “But listen, I won’t say anything to Heidi.”

“Thank you.” He stood between Angie’s legs but was reluctant to leave. “One more thing.”

“Oh, my God, what?” She looked upward and groaned with frustration. “I swear this is the longest lap dance in history.”

“What can you tell me about Heidi?” he asked. “What do your instincts tell you?”

Angie’s eyes widened as if she were shocked. “Is this why you came over?” she asked indignantly. “To pump me for information?”

“It’s not the only reason.” He also had to stop her from telling anyone about his work history. But he wasn’t about to mention that to Angie.

“I don’t know much about her,” Angie said through clenched teeth, “But I can tell you that she’s no criminal mastermind.”

“What’s your impression?” He could rely on her opinion. Angie had to figure people out very quickly as a personal trainer.

“She’s shallow. Fake,” Angie stated. “Doesn’t play well with others.”

From the surveillance he’d done, that could describe the bride and the other bridesmaid. “What else?”

“She’s very loyal to Britt— Hey—” she flattened her hand against her chest “—I’m not your informant. If you want to know anything, go give a lap dance to Brittany’s assistant. Cheryl knows everyone and everything about this wedding.”

Cole sighed. There were occasions when he really questioned what he had to do for his job. Think of the end result. You are bringing a family back together. You are giving someone else the happy ending you didn’t get.

“Here.” She thrust her twenty-dollar bill in front of him. “Don’t let me keep you.”

Cole looked at the money and waited. He had called in a lot of favors to masquerade as a stripper for his surveillance, but it had been made very clear that he had to act like the other dancers. No exceptions. “I can’t take it like that. House rules.”

She made a face. “Like there’s a policy?”

“Actually, there is.” He smiled, knowing Angie wasn’t going to like what he had to say. “If you don’t want to put it in my pants, I can take it with my teeth. But first you would have to put it between your—”

“All right! I’ll just give it to you.”

Cole braced his legs and laced his hands behind his head. He leaned back and tilted his hips forward. He watched Angie silently, wondering what her next move would be. He assumed she would be quick, but instead Angie curled her fingers around the waistband of his leather pants.

His muscles clenched as her knuckles rubbed against his hipbone. Cole hissed in a breath as he felt his penis get hard. He wasn’t going to be able to hide his reaction. It would take the last of his self-control not to take her hand and press it against his erection.

Cole closed his eyes, praying for restraint, when a frightened scream ripped through the air. He whirled around and instinctively held Angie back when she jumped from her chair.

“Over there.” Angie motioned at Brittany, who stood by an empty table. The bride-to-be pointed at the floor.

Cole ran forward. He felt Angie right behind him. There was something about that scream that had sent a chill down his spine.

He saw a woman lying on the floor, partially under a table. She was facedown and a tablecloth hid her from the waist up. All he saw were two legs and silver stilettos.

“It’s Heidi,” Angie said.

3

“BACK UP,” ANGIE ordered the women surrounding Heidi. She followed Cole, pushing her way through the crowd. “Give her some space.”

Angie crouched down next to Heidi and watched Cole carefully roll her onto her back. She knew first aid and CPR for her job, but she was glad he was with her. He was calm and in control during times of crisis. She knew she could depend on him.

“Someone call an ambulance,” she called out to the crowd as Cole checked the maid of honor’s airway.

“I’m on it,” Cheryl said as she got her phone out of her tiny purse.

“What do we have here?” she asked Cole. She slid Heidi’s golden bracelet aside so she could check the woman’s pulse. She noticed Heidi’s skin was warm to the touch.

“Airways are clear and she’s breathing.” The relief in his voice was unmistakable.

“Pulse is strong.” Angie addressed the other guests. “What happened? Did anyone see her fall? Did she faint?”

She saw the women shrug and shake their heads. From the murmurs and snatches of conversation, it was clear that no one had seen Heidi after her lap dance. She had her spotlight and then melted back into the crowd.

“Is she on anything?” Cole asked in a low, confidential tone.

“I have no idea.” She had spent a lot of time with Heidi in the past week, but she wasn’t that knowledgeable about the maid of honor.

“I didn’t catch that.” Brittany was at Cole’s side. Her movements were choppy and frantic. “What did you ask?”

“Is she on any medication?” Angie quickly rephrased the question and Cole gave her a look of gratitude.

“How should I know?” Brittany tossed up her hands as her voice rose to a shriek. “Check her purse.”

Angie looked around. The floor was sticky and pink from a spilled drink and a martini glass was next to Heidi’s hand. She found the handbag under the table and opened it. “Cell phone. Credit card. Dollar bills. Lipstick.”

Cole glanced up. “That’s it?”

Angie had thought the same thing. For someone who was as high-maintenance as Heidi, she expected more. At least a bag of beauty products. “I don’t think anything is missing. This purse is too small.”

“Keys? Driver’s license?”

“I don’t think she brought them along,” Angie said. “She took the party bus like the rest of us.”

“We should roll her onto her side.”

Angie knew why Cole suggested that. Heidi could vomit if she was intoxicated or under the influence. They eased her sideways and put her in the recovery position.

To her, it was very obvious how she and Cole still worked in sync. In the past they could share a mere look and understand. Or she could say a word—not a sentence, not even a phrase—and Cole would know what she was talking about. She thought the year apart would diminish their shorthand communication, but it was all still there.

“Does anyone have a jacket I can use?” Angie asked the other women. “Something to keep her warm while we wait for the ambulance?”

“I’ll go find something,” Cheryl said before she hurried away.

Cole gently tipped Heidi’s head back to keep the airways open. He went still when he cupped her head. Angie was immediately aware of his wariness. That was one thing she wished had disappeared since they broke up. She was too aware of him. She knew the instant when his mood shifted. He would show no change in expression but somehow she knew.

She leaned over Heidi and blocked Cole’s face from the crowd. “What is it?” she asked.

He pulled his hand away. She saw the dark stain on his fingers. “Blood.”

“What did she fall on?” She examined the table next to Heidi. There was no blood on the white tablecloth.

Cole’s expression was grim. He leaned forward to whisper in her ear. “I think she got hit.”

“With what?” She glanced around. All the tables and chairs were in place. The metallic vases were upright and not a flower was out of place. The drinking glasses were plastic. She had no idea what could be used as a weapon.

“This isn’t happening,” Brittany wailed as she stomped off. “I should have known Heidi would do this to me.”

Robin ran over to her and wrapped her arms around Brittany’s shoulders. “It’s going to be okay.”

“How can you say that?” Brittany started to cry. “My party is ruined.”

Angie rolled her eyes and moved closer to recheck Heidi’s pulse. “Remind me never to be around Brittany when there’s an emergency.”

“I recommend staying clear when she finds out one of her friends did this.”

* * *

COLE SQUINTED AS he checked out the strip club. The building was a lot different when all the lights were on and the music stopped. The paramedics had left with Heidi on a stretcher and now the place felt barren and deserted. The white tablecloths and colorful flower arrangements couldn’t hide the utilitarian setting.

“Anything else?” he asked Linda, the first officer on the scene. He remembered her from the force. Sometimes he missed the camaraderie at the police station. He missed having a partner. Having backup.

“Yeah, I really like the outfit, Foster,” Linda said as she tapped her pen against her notebook. “It’s so you.”

He crossed his arms and glared at her. He couldn’t wait to get out of these leather pants and put a shirt on. “Yeah, yeah, yeah. I’ve already heard it from the other guys. I’m sure all the customers are curious about how I know everyone.”

“They can think you’re friends with a few guys in law enforcement. Get over it. We have more important concerns. Now let me go over this statement again.”

Cole took a deep breath. Linda was right. It didn’t matter if they found out he was an ex-cop or a private investigator. He needed to know what happened to Heidi. It bothered him that he got distracted and she was injured on his watch.

“So,” Linda began as she perused her notes, “you were giving a lap dance.”

He pressed his lips together. “I was undercover.”

She raised her eyebrows. “To your ex-girlfriend.”

“She’s a bridesmaid.” He glanced over to Angie. She was sitting alone, her arms and legs crossed, her face tilted away from the rest of the guests. She was quiet and thoughtful while the others chatted or used their cell phones.

“And the lap dance was how long?”

“I wasn’t keeping track.” Cole spotted Linda holding back a smile. He winced. He was never going to hear the end of this. “What hospital is the victim going to? I should notify her family.”

The woman’s smile disappeared and she gave a nod, sliding back into her professional demeanor. “I’ll find out and get back to you.”

“Thanks.” He gestured back to where they had found Heidi on the floor. “What do you think happened?”

Linda shrugged. “I think drinking and high heels don’t mix.”

He shook his head. “I don’t think that’s it. Something is not right.”

“You suspect foul play? Because I don’t see that. I see it as bad luck. Is there something about your case that you’re not sharing?”

“It’s about the angle that she fell. We found her face-first but her injury was on the back of her head. And why didn’t she break her fall with her hands?”

“That doesn’t necessarily mean someone hurt her.” Linda pocketed her notepad and stepped away. “We’ll find out more when she regains consciousness.”

Cole rubbed his hands over his face. He had found Heidi two weeks ago and had been investigating her life. He wished he had more answers.

He turned and walked over to Angie. He paused in midstep. Was that wise? She was distracting him. It would be best to talk to the other women and to ignore her presence.

No, he couldn’t do that. He quietly sat down next to Angie. He wasn’t sure what to say but he wanted to be there for her. He knew what she was like after a scare or an emergency. She did what needed to be done and then her adrenaline kicked in. He wanted to keep watch over her.