Susan Mallery - Hot On Her Heels

“Damn straight.”

He held up both hands. “I’m not trying to run your life. I just want to keep you safe. I don’t want anything bad to happen to you.” He lowered his hands. “That’s it. You can yell at me now.”

One corner of her mouth twitched. “I’m not a yeller.”

“Right. You’re calm and diplomatic. An iceberg of emotion.”

The twitch turned into a smile. “You can call me Ice if you want.”

“Can I?”

The tension eased from the room, leaving them alone. Dana walked toward him. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head.

“I just want you safe,” he repeated.

“And Jed in jail.”

“I’ve always been a high achiever. Is this okay now? Are you going to turn on me again?”

She looked into his eyes. “I won’t turn on you. At least not for this.”

“At the risk of making you froth at the mouth, are you going to sign the papers?”

She glanced at the folder, then back at him. “Yes, but I won’t like it.”

“Duly noted.”

She stepped back, then slugged him in the upper arm. “Next time, keep my secrets.”

The place she’d hit stung like a sonofabitch, but he was a guy. He couldn’t rub it. “You have my word.”

“Like I believe that.” She sighed then went into his arms again. “Want to get Chinese?”

“I thought you cooked.”

“Like I know how.”

“That’s my girl.”

THE DOWNSIDE of not being annoyed with Garth meant having to go with him to events like this one, Dana thought a few nights later as they circulated through a business cocktail party held at a large, fancy hotel. She wasn’t sure of the purpose of the party. Her best guess was someone had opened a new law firm, but she hadn’t seen the invitation. Garth had tried to explain but she’d glazed over.

Dating a captain of industry was time-consuming and expensive. She didn’t have anything close to the right wardrobe. Not that she cared about being fashion forward, but she didn’t want to embarrass him. Fortunately she and Skye were nearly the same size and her friend had opened her impressive closet for Dana’s borrowing pleasure.

“What are you thinking?” Garth asked as he passed her a glass of wine. “That you’d like to be anywhere but here?”

She looked around at the well-dressed crowd. At least it was an after-office-hours event that wouldn’t go too late and she’d been spared having to wear shapeware.

“That tomorrow I’m going to stand in front of the mirror practicing telling you no.”

He leaned in until his mouth brushed against her ear. “But I like it when you say yes.”

A shiver tiptoed down her spine and her skin broke out in goose bumps. He was good, she thought, resigned to being weak where he was concerned. Better than good.

She distracted herself by looking at the jewelry the other women were wearing and trying to calculate an approximate cost. The flaw in the plan was that she had no idea what your average diamond was worth, let alone twenty set in a fancy necklace. Or bracelet. Or in earrings.

She frowned. Talk about people with money, she thought, turning in a slow circle and taking in the sparkle. Jewels glittered from every direction.

“What are you doing?” Garth asked.

She stopped and discreetly pointed to an older woman in a black suit. “Look at that leopard pin on her lapel. Do you think it’s real? Are the blue eyes sapphires?” She frowned. “Is that the blue stone? I know emeralds are green, but isn’t there another blue stone?”

“You’re checking out the jewelry?” He raised his eyebrows. “Socialites everywhere would be so proud.”

She rolled her eyes. “I’m not checking it out as in I want it. I’m amazed at how much there is.”

“An entire industry survives because we like pretty things. Wars have been fought over diamonds.”

“You’re making that up.”

“You ever hear of blood diamonds?”

“No, and I don’t want to talk about them now.” She touched her simple gold hoops. “Skye offered to lend me a couple of things along with the clothes. I should have said yes.”

Garth got the strangest look on his face.

“What?” she asked.

“You’re borrowing clothes from Skye?”

“Do I look like the type to have a wardrobe suitable for this kind of stuff? I bought the dress for the foundation party, but I’m not spending a bunch of money on clothes I’m never going to wear again.”

“Would you let me take you shopping?”

“No.”

“It’s my fault you’re here,” he said, sounding almost reasonable. “It could be fun.”

“No and no. Not every shopping experience is like what happened in Pretty Woman. I don’t like shopping. Skye’s closet is great. Lexi’s would be better but she’s so damn skinny. Well, not now, but I’m not ready to settle into the maternity look.”

He glanced at her neck. “Maybe some pearls.”

“Don’t make me shriek in public. No pearls. No anything. I took that stupid stock because I had to, but that’s it.”

“I’d like to buy you something.”

“I could use a new handgun.”

“I don’t want you armed.”

She smiled and sipped her wine. “Too late. I already am.”

He dropped his gaze to her small handbag. “Seriously?”

The man knew nothing about women’s accessories, which wasn’t a bad thing. The handbag was way too small to conceal a regular handgun, but there was no need to tell him.

“You’ll have to wait and find out.”

He looked like he wanted to say something more, but wisely didn’t. Dana returned her attention to the mammoth ring on a woman walking by and wondered if the money wouldn’t have been better spent on the national debt or saving a third world country.

Not that she objected to pretty things, as Garth had called them. She wouldn’t mind a few little pieces that sparkled…one day. But they would have to be subtle and something she bought for herself. No gifts of obligation, although she wasn’t sure if she meant the giver would feel obligated or she would.

Husbands bought their wives presents, so that would be okay. Or an engagement ring. If she were ever going to get married, which she couldn’t imagine. Marriage was another form of surrender. Although plenty of people seemed happy doing it. She would have to be sure-more sure than she’d ever been in her life.

“Senator Davis is here,” Garth said, pointing. “I want to say hello. Do you mind?”

She took a step forward, only to have one of the servers passing by her trip and bump her arm. White wine splashed down, sprinkling Skye’s black pants with tiny drops.

“I’m so sorry,” the waiter said quickly, looking terrified. He reached for the glass. “Are you all right?”

“Fine.” She shrugged. “It happens. Don’t worry.” When he’d left, she turned to Garth. “I want to go wipe off the pants so they don’t get stained.”

“Should I wait?” he asked.

“No. Go have your bondy moment with the senator. I’ll clean up, then join you in a few minutes.”

He leaned in and kissed her on her neck, just under her ear. “Don’t be long.”

The stupid shivers returned, but she ignored them. Maybe she could find some kind of Garth vaccine. Something that would keep her from reacting every time he was close by.

She made her way to the restroom. It was huge and contained everything from hairspray to spot-removing cloths. She wiped off the few drops of wine, decided nothing was ruined, then washed her hands and returned to the party.

It took her a few minutes to spot Garth, then wished she hadn’t. He was in the same crowd as the senator, but instead of talking to a portly older man, he seemed to be having an intense conversation with a petite, beautiful blonde.

The woman was maybe thirty, with features so perfect they didn’t look real. She was almost a doll come to life. A doll with large breasts that moved under the low-cut fitted top she wore over a slim, dark skirt.

It wasn’t so much the conversation that got her attention, or the woman’s exquisite features. It was the way she looked up at Garth, all wide-eyed and hopeful. As if he could make her world exactly right just by smiling at her.

Dana shook off the thoughts, reminding herself that unless she’d had a recent brain injury, being fanciful wasn’t her style, then walked up to join them. Just before she got there, the woman excused herself.

By the time Dana joined Garth, he was talking to the senator and there was no chance to ask about the blonde.

Garth introduced her to everyone in the group. She nodded and smiled and did her best to remember names, but couldn’t seem to keep her attention on the conversation. Instead she found herself watching the other woman, who circulated through the party. She seemed to know nearly everyone. When she stopped by an older woman, dripping in jewels, they embraced.

The blonde laughed, then put her hand on the older woman’s arm.

If Dana hadn’t been watching so intently, she wouldn’t have seen what happened next. There was a quick shift with the blonde’s hand, then the diamond bracelet that had been winking from the older woman’s wrist disappeared. Seconds later Dana watched the blonde slip it into her small handbag.

“Excuse me,” Dana said then walked toward the blonde. Even as she crossed the space between them, she argued with herself.

She had to be wrong, she thought. But she knew what she’d seen and every instinct, not to mention her police training, insisted she find out what had happened.

Dana walked up to the blonde, who had started to move on, and stepped in front of her. The other woman smiled up at her.

“Hi.”

“Hi,” Dana said, staring into eyes the color of the Caribbean. True aqua-blue fringed by long, dark lashes. “Tell me she’s your grandmother. A relative? Not that it would necessarily help your story.”