Page 27 of Mistletoe and Malice
Avery finished applying a coat of lipstick. “I wouldn’t be in a hurry to lose your detail if I were you, Riley. John said they’reno closer to finding the guy than they were at the beginning. You should think about keeping them around until they do.”
“We’ll see.” She smiled at her red-haired friend. “I noticed you and Detective John seemed awfully smitten. Did he ask you out, or did you ask him?”
“Both, actually. I asked if he’d like to grab a coffee after we did the composite sketch on Sunday, and when he walked me to my car after, he asked if I wanted to have dinner with him Wednesday. Then I invited him to Babs’ birthday party tonight.”
“You’ve seen each other two other times this week, and we’re just now hearing about it?”
Avery’s eyes glinted with her girlish giggle. “I didn’t want you guys thinking I was crazy. But he’s amazing.” Her smile beamed as she turned from the mirror. “I mean it. A man of faith, strong values, close to his family. Even Mom likes him, and you know how picky she is about the guys I date.”
“I’m happy for you.” She picked up her small black bag. “Let’s go back to the party. I want to dance, but I don’t want to keep these guys out too late. They’ve already put in a hectic week with me.”
Avery pulled her arm through Riley’s on their way out to join the other guests. “What does Graham think about your tall, blond, and gorgeous knight in shining armor?”
Riley winced. “He wasn’t thrilled to be watched at lunch on Monday. But I haven’t talked to him since then, so I don’t know.”
Fran shook her head. “Riley, you have to cut him loose. This is not a love match. You’re much too good for him.”
“Oh, I don’t think it’s that I’m too good for him. I just never intended for it to go anywhere beyond friendship, and it’s becoming more and more clear he has different ideas. I definitely need to rein it in, but I know he’ll be hurt.”
“Do it soon, sister,” Avery said over a heavy bass line thumping through speakers hanging overhead. “It’ll get harderthe longer you wait. And, besides, you have a much bigger fish to reel in.”
Riley rolled her eyes. “Oh, please. Trust me. Colton in no way finds me attractive.”
“I’m not so sure about that,” Barbara said with a coy smile, staring across the dance floor. “Isn’t he supposed to be watching the room, not just you?”
Following her friend’s line of sight, Riley’s gaze snagged onto Colton’s across the expanse of the dance floor. And for a split second, she thought there might have been a spark of something in those amazing baby blues. Until he looked away.
Annoyance. More than likely all it was. Probably for being out of sight for too long.
Frances grinned. “Yeah, switching tops was smart. That red is definitely eye-catching.”
Chapter Thirteen
Thunder cracked and lightning split the sky as Riley shrugged into her jacket on the way out the door of the club. With the deluge coming down, she was glad, for a change, to have the SUV brought to her. Perspective was a powerful thing.
Ducking under Colton’s arm, she scrambled into the back seat. “Get in on this side,” she called back over her shoulder as she slid across the seat behind Paul.
“Good idea.” He climbed in next to her and shut the door against the onslaught, both of them brushing raindrops off the shoulders of their jackets.
“Brrr.” She shuddered as they pulled away from the curb and rubbed her hands up and down her arms.
Colton leaned forward to remove his brown leather jacket, revealing the shoulder holster and gun she usually found easy to ignore since the guys always wore coats. Except dancing close to him on Monday. She’d been aware of it then, even under his tuxedo jacket.
“Here.” He draped the coat around her shoulders. “That should help.”
“Thanks. But aren’t you cold?”
“I’m fine.” The rain beating against the window drew his focus. “It’s getting bad. I got a flash flood notification about an hour ago, but I didn’t expect the cold. Mid-November is early for such a strong front.”
“I hope you guys get home all right.” She curled her arms up under the jacket and tucked it close, the warmth from it being on Colton’s body all evening seeping through her layers to her skin. “You could stay at the estate tonight, although clothes might be a problem.”
Trevor shook his head. “We never know what the dress code might be, so we always have extra duds with us. And toothbrushes. But we’ll be fine getting home. No worries.”
“I shouldn’t have kept you guys out this late, but I wanted to be with Barbara for her birthday. And after the week I’ve had, I needed to blow off some steam. Thank you so much for your indulgence.”
“Are you kidding?” Paul said. “Val and I have been dying to get to this place for months, but it can take a week to get a table. We’ll have to make plans to come back here when I can plan something farther out than a few hours.”
“After you’re through babysitting me, that is.” Guilt squeezed her chest. Her guys couldn’t even make dinner plans in advance with their loved ones due to her schedule.
