Page 16 of Running For It

The new one hadn’t done what I wanted it to. I was wearing a black leather mini when I met Ramsey, and that night, as well as the many others we were together, he could do a whole lot to me when I was in a little black dress, and no one around us was ever the wiser.

Need pulsed between my legs at the rush of memories, and I squeezed my thighs together. Little black dress? Bad idea.

Which must explain why I tugged it from my closet, pulled it on, and accented it with matching heels and thigh-high stockings. At some point, I’d have to admit to myself I wanted this. Wanted him. That having him around in more than a passing-hello way made my pulse skip rope, and I was okay with it.

Being honest about that didn’t change the nagging voice, asking me,What happens when he forces me to choose between him and how we act in public again?

He’d apologized and I’d avoided him since because I knew spending time with him would break my resolve.

I pinched the bridge of my nose, to stem the flow of conflicting thoughts. It didn’t work.

The doorbell ringing did the trick, though.

I grabbed my purse, gave myself one last glance in the mirror, and tried to pretend I wasn’t hurrying to answer the door. The way Ramsey looked me over, eyes wide and lips pursed in a silent whistle, didn’t erase my frown. He and Hunter were dressed casually, in T-shirts and jeans. Though Ramsey’s look was more expensive than my dress.

“Ah. It’s that kind of night.” I forced a chuckle. “Give me five, so I can change.”

“Don’t you dare.” Ramsey grabbed my wrist before I could turn away, his rough grip sending a fresh wave of desire through me.

I sucked in a sharp breath through my teeth, and gestured down with my free hand. “I’m not—”

“You’re fine. Better than fine.Fuck.” Ramsey finished with a low hiss.

At least the dress had the desired effect. I handed Hunter his freshly washed clothes. “Thank you for these.”

He handed the shirt back. “Pull this on.”

“It doesn’t really match.”

“It’s perfect. Trust me.” His smile was more friendly than hungry, setting an odd contrast of tone. He jerked his thumb behind him. “You’ll see the rest outside. Come on.”

I pulled on his T-shirt, feeling silly as it hung down almost as far as my dress. I trusted him, though.

We headed down to the parking lot, where Ramsey’s Cheyenne waited in a visitor spot. Not that I’d ever seen it before, but it was the most ostentatious-but-practical-for-the-weather thing here. The locks clicked off with a flash of lights, and Hunter headed for the back of the vehicle. He emerged after only a few seconds, holding two suit coats and ties.

That was so familiar, it muted my muddled emotions around Ramsey and my dress. Both men slipping on the ties over their T-shirts, then shrugging into the jackets was less expected, but it did even things out with my modified outfit.

Ramsey held the front passenger door for me, and grasped my fingers for balance as I stepped up in the seat. Hunter passed me a tablet between the seats, from the spot he’d settled into behind me. There was a bullet-point list on the screen that had to be his.

“This is what Dottie has planned for tomorrow. If she needs a decision from you, it says so. If you have veto power, it says that too. Some things had to be set in stone from the start, like location, so I apologize you don’t have 100% control.” Hunter leaned in to indicate specific list items. With him this close, his aftershave teased me, and softer memories flitted in my thoughts. Of great conversation. Of curling up next to him and falling asleep. Of so many things.

What was wrong with me?

Eight

As Ramsey drove and offered running commentary, Hunter went down the party list with me.

“It all looks good.” I handed the tablet back. “I’m struggling with the whole gala-overnight thing. Will this really work?”

Hunter huffed a laugh. “Of course. Think of the viral potential. You get a message that saysPop-up Party in Vegas, to Support LGBTQ+ Youth. You know that the biggest and best will be at the Luxor, and like Cinderella, it all turns back into a pumpkin at midnight. You want people to know you were there.”

Well,Ididn’t care if people knew I was there—not for the reasons he meant—but I got the point. If word got out, if we drew a quarter of the expected donations, I could fix up the shelter. I didn’t know what I’d do with the kids while repairs were taking place, but I was working on that. I twisted in my seat, to look at Hunter. “I love it. Thank you.”

“Anything for Ramsey’s favorite lady.” His smile warmed me to my core, but something about his words made my brain stutter.

I couldn’t grasp the thought, so I let it go for now.

A short while later, we pulled into a strip-mall parking lot and picked a space in front of a local diner that specialized in ice cream. If you weren’t happy with that, they had burgers as well.

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