Page 95 of Colton's Last Resort

Steel wool storm clouds converged in the east, washing away everything except the foreboding that had been with her since Noah had kissed her goodbye in the wee hours of the morning. He had thought she was still asleep as he’d bent over her still form and skimmed his lips across the point of her bare shoulder before brushing the hair from her neck to repeat the motion there.

She’d wanted to turn onto her back then, ring her arms around him and roll him into the sheets with her. But she’d kept her eyes closed as he’d kissed her cheek and lingered there, his hand moving down her spine to rest warmly in the curve of her hip.

He spooked so easily when he was like that—tender and unguarded. She’d continued to feign sleep, absorbing the sweetness and tranquility.

It wasn’t a simple thing, giving her heart to a man who could so easily break it. And yet, in that moment, she’d had no choice. She’d given it as she never had before. Freely.

Laura stared those storm clouds down, daring them to intrude on tonight’s festivities. She wanted to follow Doug, track his movements, make sure he stayed far away from Ariana Fitzgibbons and every other woman at Mariposa.

“Come on, Noah,”she whispered desperately before continuing to S Building.

The storm split and spread its quilting across the sky. Sunset burned ombré shades across, so the clouds glowed terra-cotta and apricot one moment, then orange and mauve the next. At last, the day died in a somber cast of mulberry, inspiring a round of applause from the multitude of guests who gathered at the rock labyrinth over steak and blue cheese bruschetta bites and spicy blue crab tapas.

“And that wasn’t even the part we planned,” Joshua said, amused, as he passed Laura a tall glass of champagne.

“No,” she said. She sipped. “You cleaned up well.”

“Thank you,” he replied, running a hand down the front of his blue button-down. He’d popped the first few buttons on the collar, but the shirt was pressed, and he’d combed his hair back from his face, leaving his striking features to be admired by all and sundry. He glanced over at her. “Let’s not pretend I’m the one turning heads tonight.”

She peered down the front of the glittering, long-sleeved cocktail dress she’d donned. Its color brought to mind champagne bubbles, and its open back from the waist up made her aware of the swift decline in temperature. “A girl needs to shine now and then,” she mused.

Joshua’s lips curled knowingly as his champagne hovered inches from them. “If Steele were here, he’d swallow his tongue.”

The thought brought out a full-fledged grin. “Perhaps that was the idea. It might’ve worked if he’d made it on time.”

Joshua raised his wrist to peek at his watch. “He could still make it.”

“I’ve learned not to hold my breath.”

Joshua sipped, swallowed and looked at her contemplatively.

She narrowed her eyes. “What is it, Josh?”

“Is there something you want to tell me?” he asked. “About you and Fender Bender?”

“What makes you think there is?” she asked, tensing.

Joshua lowered the glass. “Because I looked him up. Noah Steele has never played for Fast Lane.”

Her smile fled swiftly.

“How could he when he’s been working for the Sedona police for seven years?”

Oh, no.“Josh,” she began.

He stopped her with “Is he really even your boyfriend?”

She couldn’t miss the light of hurt beyond the forced jocularity on his face. “No. Yes.” Closing her eyes quickly, she shook her head. “I don’t know. I—”

“How could you not know?” he asked, bewildered.

“I don’t know how to explain,” she tried to tell him, but he was on a roll.

“Is this about Allison?” he asked. “Is that why he’s here? Did he manipulate you into being part of his cover?”

“He didn’tmakeme do anything,” she argued. “It was my idea.”

“So he’s not the reason you’ve been lying to me all this time?” he asked. “You decided that on your own?”

---