But genuine interest also shimmered in the businessman's eyes, as though he was enjoying our sparring conversation as much as he would lifting up my skirt.
"But let's slow down, shall we?" Grayson said. "As I said before, I've always had a thing for sassy brunettes. I've decided I rather like you, Gin. You interest me. And no one's done that in a very long time."
"So what are you proposing - exactly? That the two of us go off somewhere quiet to talk before you make your move?" I mocked.
"Hardly." Owen scoffed. "Unlike some of Mab's other guests, I don't need to depend on her generosity for my satisfaction. I thought you might like to go out sometime. Dinner, perhaps a movie, dancing. Whatever you like."
My eyebrows raised. "You want to go out with me? Even though I'm wearing this?" I pointed to the heart-and-arrow rune necklace. "Even though I'm a hooker? Even though you could have me for free tonight?"
He shrugged again. "Call me crazy, but I thought it might be fun."
Fun? I didn't know about that. But there was certainly more to Owen Grayson than met the eye. He thought I was moonlighting as one of Roslyn Phillips's girls, and he was still asking me to go out with him.
To be seen in public with him. Which meant he was either genuinely interested in me or working some angle I couldn't puzzle out. Either way, I didn't have time for this tonight.
But there was something Owen Grayson could help me with. And I was ready to cash in on that goodwill he owed me.
"Let's say I believe you, that you really do want to get to know me and not just my br**sts," I said. "Do me a favor, and I'll consider your proposal."
Grayson nodded. "All right. What kind of favor?"
"Take me inside and introduce me to Tobias Dawson. I'm sure you know him, since the two of you are so heavily involved in the mining business in Ashland."
His eyes narrowed. "I do know him. But why would you want to meet Dawson? He doesn't strike me as your type."
I gave him a hard smile. "Because I'm here to service Mab's guests tonight, and I hear he's a really big tipper. And that's definitely my type."
Owen studied me in the hazy light. Disappointment sparked in his eyes. His free, easy lay was getting away.
"You said it yourself. You owe me for saving Eva, for saving your sister," I reminded him in a mild tone. "Well, this is how I want to cash in. Now, are you going to introduce me? Or am I going to have to take care of that myself?"
Pretending to be a prostitute. Propositioning Mab Monroe in her own bathroom. Hinting I was going to go f**k another man for the mere promise of money. Owen Grayson had seen and heard me do all those things in the space of five minutes. I resigned myself to the disgusted sneer that was coming my way and the harsh words that were sure to follow. No man liked being cuckolded.
But to my surprise, Owen Grayson just smiled. A familiar emotion shimmered in his eyes, one that had gotten me into trouble on more than once occasion. Curiosity.
It burned even brighter than his desire had a moment ago.
"Oh, I'll introduce you to Dawson, just to see what you're up to." Amusement colored Grayson's voice, and he held his arm out to me for a second time. "Shall we, Gin?"
Owen Grayson's curiosity might cause me problems later on, but this was too good an opportunity to pass up.
So I placed my hand on his arm. "Let's."
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Owen Grayson escorted me back into the ballroom. We stood by the terrace door, looking for Dawson. Finally, I spotted the cowboy dwarf, standing near the long, crowded bar. Tobias Dawson drank a shot of what looked like whiskey, chased it with a mug of beer, belched, and wiped his mouth off with the back of his hand. Classy.
"You sure you want to do this?" Grayson murmured.
I paused. Grayson probably thought I was reconsidering approaching Dawson, given the dwarf 's obvious disregard for napkins. But really, I was remembering Violet Fox and the way Trace Dawson had bashed her face in.
The way Tobias Dawson had spit tobacco juice on the floorboards of the country store. The way that diamond in his office safe had practically sung. The way Warren Fox's shoulders had drooped when I'd told him what Dawson really wanted his land for.
"Yeah, I'm sure."
Owen escorted me through the crowd. We passed Mab Monroe, who was now speaking to an elderly Asian vampire. The Fire elemental saw me on Grayson's arm and raised her champagne glass in a silent toast. I must have made more of an impression on her than I'd realized.
Not good, but I smiled and tipped my head to acknowledge her. More importantly, Mab's toast also told me she hadn't found Jake McAllister's body in the bathtub.
Which meant I still had enough time left to kill Dawson.
We also swept past Finn and Roslyn. Finn's bright green eyes flicked from Grayson to me, and he raised his eyebrow in a silent question. I shook my head the tiniest bit, telling him that I was okay. Still, Finn's eyes stayed on the two of us, even as he and Roslyn chatted up some Hispanic giant with legs that seemed to go on forever.
It took us about two minutes to maneuver our way over to the bar. Owen arranged it so I stood between him and Tobias Dawson, whose back was turned to me. Grayson ordered a Scotch.
"And for the lady?" the bartender asked.
"Gin," I said. "With a twist of lime."
Owen's mouth twitched with amusement, but he didn't say anything about my choice of drink. The bartender handed us our orders. I took a sip of the gin. The cold liquid burned down my throat, before spreading a pleasant warmth through my stomach. After we'd put a dent in our drinks, Grayson reached across me to tap Tobias on the shoulder. The dwarf turned. I made sure the first thing he saw was my boobs, pushed to new heights by Roslyn's power bra.
Dawson blinked.
"Hello, Tobias," Grayson said. "How are you this evening?"
The dwarf looked around me at the other man. "Oh, hello, Owen. I'm fine. And yourself?"
"Marvelous," Owen replied in a glib tone. "Allow me to introduce my acquaintance. This is..."
"Candy," I said in a flirty tone. "Because I'm so sweet."
The dwarf 's eyes latched onto my boobs, then flicked up to my blond hair, thick makeup, and blue contacts.
He must have liked what he saw, because he smiled. His yellow teeth matched the dirty, sandy color of his hair and mustache. The dwarf tipped his oversize cowboy hat at me. "My pleasure, ma'am."
Given what Roslyn Phillips had told me about Tobias Dawson's cowboy fetish, I decided to play the part of a hooker with a heart of gold. "Aw, aren't you just the perfect gentleman." I lowered my lashes and batted them.