The Surprise of Her Life. Helen Myers R.

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ to you,” Eve whispered. She grew sad as she felt this sweet, unexpected moment coming to an end.

      But instead of releasing her, Derek slowly lowered his head and touched his lips to hers. The caress was warm and gentle. He made her feel delicate and special. Before she could reason herself out of the impulse, Eve kissed him back.

      With a sigh of relief, or gratitude, he slid his arms around her again, only this time he brought her closer. Nevertheless, it felt as right as when they were dancing. Then he slanted his mouth over hers, seeking a deeper connection.

      “Eve?” Rae called as she swept into the kitchen. “Have you seen Special A—? Oh … and there you are!”

       Chapter Two

      Eve and Derek separated like guilty teenagers caught by their parents. Well, she did, which gave Derek little choice but to release her. She automatically smoothed her hands over her dress, while miserably watching Rae pat her hands together as though she’d just hit the jackpot at Vegas.

      “Do you need me to bring out something?” she asked.

      “No, no. Apologies, darling,” the redhead all but gushed. “I just had to tell Special Agent-in-Charge Roland that we need to arrange for a ride for him. The district attorney’s neighbor’s house is on fire, and he rushed off to make sure all is well at his home. He sends his deep regrets,” she added to Derek. “Eve dear, I’m thinking you should handle this, since you and Derek are longtime friends.”

      As Rae began bobbing her head up and down for emphasis, Eve started shaking hers. Leave the party with Derek Roland? They’d only been alone for a little while and look what had already happened! Besides that, she wasn’t about to drive down this mountain at night with the road still mostly covered in packed snow and ice. She was barely competent at driving in the stuff down on the flats.

      “Rae, did you forget that I was to stay and help Carmella clean up?” she asked, referring to the Graingers’ live-in housekeeper.

      Rae dismissed that technicality with a flick of her hand. “If I can’t adjust to a little unexpected glitch like this, I’m in the wrong business, aren’t I? Not to worry, dearest. We’ll get things taken care of. Enjoy the reunion, you two and—Happy New Year.”

      She dashed away before Eve could think of another reason her presence was vital. That left her and Derek in awkward silence.

      This was definitely a night for reality checks, she thought with increasing embarrassment. “I can’t decide whether she thought she was helping, or being sarcastic,” Eve told him. “I’ll go explain that she was wrong about what she thinks she saw.”

      “What was it then?”

      The question, as much as the way he was watching her, left Eve at a loss. She hadn’t meant to offend him. All she’d intended to say was that she’d gotten caught up in the moment. Rae might have even done her a favor before she’d made a bigger fool of herself.

      “You don’t have to feel obligated about the ride,” Derek said, suddenly reaching for his BlackBerry. “I’ll call for a cab.”

      To come all the way up here tonight of all nights? “The aspens will leaf out before you have any luck with that plan,” she told him, resigned to what had to be. “Rae’s right. I’ll take you.” It was the only principled thing to do. Tomorrow, Eve told herself, tomorrow she would talk to Rae. Explain that what she saw was just a bit of late-night craziness on top of a hectic schedule and too little rest or food. “Let me get started on loading the dishwasher.” Back in pragmatic mode, she felt more in control of herself. “We’ll have to wait a few minutes anyway, until some guests leave and there’s access to my car.”

      It was closer to an hour before that became possible, but it passed quickly with Derek insisting on doing his share to help. Eve didn’t know whether to be flattered or wonder if he was staying close because he suspected that she might change her mind and abandon him, too?

      Finally, after saying a formal good-night to the Graingers and the die-hard partiers, Eve led the way to her red SUV. Only a few steps out the front door and—despite the salt they’d spread earlier—she slipped on some resilient ice. Thanks to Derek’s fast reflexes and strength, he saved her from a nasty backward fall.

      “Those heels are suicidal. You should have brought boots to change into.” His breath creating puffs of vapor in the frigid night air that floated around the faux-fur trim of her red parka telling her what she already knew, since his hands were clasped tightly to her waist and her back was flush to his torso. He was leaning close trying to see her face. But now that they were more alone than ever, she couldn’t risk looking into those soul-searching, shaman eyes of his.

      “I did. They’re still in my suitcase,” she said, pointing at her vehicle. “I didn’t think I’d need them or my case until later.”

      “This is just not turning out to be your night, is it?” he said wryly.

      He didn’t know the half of it, she thought, as they continued on toward the SUV. However, as she began to key the door locks, she knew she couldn’t continue this way. “Full disclosure,” she blurted out. “I’m an insurance agent’s dream customer. Not so much as a driving citation, let alone a fender bender on my record. But the other reason I wanted to stay here tonight and help out wasn’t because of you. It was to avoid driving down this mountain in the dark. On the cliff side of the road, no less.” She held out her keys to him as though they were toxic. “Even if you didn’t go through one of those wild defensive driving courses I’ve heard they give you guys … would you mind? And feel free to resist confessing if your own driving record is the worst in the Bureau’s,” she quickly added.

      “It isn’t.” The speed with which Derek took possession indicated that he’d been trying hard not to suggest this solution from the moment they’d stepped outside. “Let me get your door,” he said, all solicitude and reassurance. Keeping his arm around her, he succeeded in getting her safely inside.

      When they were both settled and he had the engine purring, she fastened her seat belt, turned on her seat’s warmer. Then she basically continued with all of the little fussing movements that came with the reality that their close confines felt more intimate than the sunroom did.

      “I think I’ve lost feeling in a few toes,” she said, leaning forward to watch as she wriggled them in the strappy shoes.

      “I should have carried you,” Derek said. “It would have been faster and safer.”

      The idea of being in his arms again heated her body faster than the heater could. “You’re kind, but tongues will be wagging enough as it is.”

      She could feel his sidelong glance and just knew a question was coming; however, it didn’t. Relieved, Eve prepared herself for the nerve-wracking descent.

      As they started down the winding road, Eve was surprised to see that although there had been several people leaving at the same time, she could see only one car ahead of them. Everything else was dark, including most of the other houses tucked into the mountainside. By day she loved this area, loved the way nature crafted art via location and climate into every tree, the way sun and shadows played tricks on the eyes making you see things that weren’t there, and forced you to pay closer attention to not miss what was. But at this hour, all she saw was the sweep of snow cutting downhill and its steepness made her stomach roil.

СКАЧАТЬ