Page 46 of Mountain Security

“Thank you,” Yvette told Celine, knowing anything she added to that would only make her look more guilty.

Yvette had bought the dress a few months earlier, when she and Pierre had decided to run for office one more time. The plan had been to wear it after they won the election. But tonight, she’d looked at the dress and known she had to wear it.

Alex saw her and strode towards her. His eyes were narrowed.

“That dress …” he whispered in her ear. “… should be illegal.”

Her belly heated.

“You like it?”

“I like what’s underneath. Unfortunately, I’m not the only one staring.”

Yvette turned to look behind her. His sharp intake of breath told her the second he saw her back—hervery bareback.

“Fuck me. You’re not wearing a bra.”

“I’d like that,” she whispered, feeling slightly naughty. “But first, I have to work.”

He nodded tightly, and she could see he was trying to get control of himself. “Don’t mind me, then. I’ll be around if you need me.”

Yvette sighed. It felt so real, Alex being here. But he was working, as well. She couldn’t let herself forget that.

“Would you like a drink?” Alex asked.

Yvette nodded. “Some tonic water, please, in a cocktail glass,” she said. She liked champagne as much as the next person, but didn’t like to drink when she was working.

It didn’t escape Yvette’s notice how many women turned to look at Alex as he strode through the room.

Somebody touched her shoulder.

“Yvette, you look lovely as always, my dear,” Pierre said, looking smart as ever in his tuxedo. He was smiling, but Yvette wasn’t fooled—she knew all his smiles well, and this one didn’t come close to reaching his eyes.

“Pierre?” she asked, looking around. “Where’s Vivienne?”

In all the years Yvette had known the mayor’s wife, Vivienne, she’d never missed a big event, and this particular event was one of her favorites.

“She wasn’t feeling well,” her boss said, clamping his lips together.

Before Yvette had the chance to inquire further, somebody came and grabbed the mayor, dragging him away. Yvette sighed. There were always plenty of people wanting to take pictures with him at this kind of event.

She said hello to several people, including several big donors. So far, she hadn’t seen anyone from her list, but she knew there would be several people here who might benefit from the kind of information that had been stolen.

A glass appeared in front of her. Yvette giggled as she saw the pretty pink umbrella in her glass.

“Wow. Fanciest tonic water ever. Thank you.”

“At your service,” he said. “Do you know all these people?”

“Some of them,” Yvette said. “Not all.”

“There’s a lot of money in the room.”

Yvette nodded. That was one way of phrasing it.

“Do you like money?” she asked, curious to know his answer.

“Not particularly. I like freedom. I like being able to live my own life the way I want to. That means a lot more to me than money.”

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