Invisibility Cloak

by Jill Elaine Prim

  “You think?” Amanda lifted both hands into her hair.

  “Yes.” Kelsey said as she plucked out a shell-looking barrette from her drawer. “Here.”

  Amanda took the barrette and secured her fine hair up. “Ta da!” She swirled around all ready to go and looked at Kelsey. “Am I good?”

  “Yes, perfect.” Kelsey’s grin widened. “But I do need to go.”

  “Already?” Amanda protested.

  “Yes.” Kelsey reached over and slung her purse over her shoulder. “Your date will be here soon, my dear. Not to mention the hunk that is staying with you. Spend some time with him.” Her friend bobbed her brows up and down a few times. “If you know what I mean.” She walked down the stairs, but said over her shoulder, “Love ya! Call me tomorrow. Can’t wait to hear the details.”

  “Kelsey,” Amanda groaned quietly as she heard her front door open and close. “Don’t leave me. I’m not sure I’m ready for all of this.”

  “Jeffrey?” She plucked the clean, crisp tightly rolled-up one hundred dollar bill in her hand and sauntered over to the glass table in front of the sofa. “I need you to do something for me.”

  “What now?” The tall thin man strolled over to the dark liquor cabinet and poured brandy into the two snifters already sitting on the bar. Scooping the stems of both glasses up, he approached her. “Well?”

  “Tonight.” She reached for her brandy. “I need―”

  “I won’t do anything kinky,” He lifted the glass up and away from her. “I’ve already told you that, a million times.”

  She pressed her hand to her diaphragm to hold back a laugh. “Ah, no, darling.”

  He thrust the brandy into her hand. “What then?”

  She took a sip of brandy then set it down on the glass table, near the line of coke already laying there. “You aren’t even remotely my type.”

  “God, I’m sorry I brought it up, now,” he grunted. “What? Only rough-looking men, who look like they’d kill you without blinking an eye?”

  “Oh hush.” Pushing her index finger on her right side of her nose she sat on the couch and sniffed up the fine white powder in her left nostril. She lifted her chin up and swiped any powdery residue left on her nose. “I need you to get into Amanda Harris’ house, tonight.”

  “What?” He lifted the glass to his lips and pulled his brows down. “And more importantly, why?”

  She ignored his questions and picked up a small vial on the bar and held it out to him. “Just slip this into her drink sometime tonight. Take her home and call me when she’s passed out.”

  Jeffrey took a sip of brandy and then set his glass back on the bar. Grabbing the tube from her, he lifted his eyebrow as he studied the pink pill in the container. “Why? What are you involved with now?”

  “Someone is calling in some debts. Not much I can do about it, but play along.” She narrowed her eyes. “For the time being, that is. Now you’ll have to open the pill and mix the powder into the glass. Think you can handle that?”

  He nodded stiffly. “I suppose.”

  “Amanda,” Ryder called up the staircase. “Do you want another glass of wine?” His heavy footsteps thudded up the stairs.

  “Uh, okay.” Amanda felt frazzled. Searching frantically around her bathroom, she didn’t even know what she was looking for. Maybe she just needed a diversion? Ryder would see her in her long, elegant gown and she held her breath. Her hand automatically reached for her silver bracelet and her fingers followed the round loops. She hated dressing up like a kewpie doll. Cripes, she never was any good at this stuff.

  Did she look good? Panic engulfed her. How would she compare to all the other women there tonight?

  “Amanda.” He rounded the corner into her bathroom and stopped in his tracks.

  Swiveling on the bathroom chair, she turned and bit her lip. He looked gorgeous. Ryder’s hard build fit great in a dark suit, white shirt, and dark tie. He could have easily passed as a model. Even down to his burgundy wingtips.

  “You almost ready?” He walked to her with her wine glass filled up. “Here,” he grunted as he handed her the goblet.

  “Thanks.” Their fingertips brushed against each other as she grabbed the glass. Her body jolted from the contact. “You really didn’t have to bring me up another glass, I’ve already had one.” She smoothed her free hand down the side of her dress. “Do I even have time to drink this?” Not waiting for him to answer, she tipped up the goblet and took a big sip. The air between them was thick with something.

  Awareness?

  Amanda looked beyond him. “Jeffrey should be here soon.” She cleared her throat needing to break the silence. “You look great, by the way.”

  Ryder stood in front of her. “We have an hour.” Angling his body in front of the doorway in a protective stance, he said, “Plenty of time.”

  “Plenty of time?” Amanda’s body tingled. But trying to look calm and collected, she sipped some more at her wine. “For what?” She tilted her head up at him and set down the wine glass on her vanity.

  He stepped closer to her, reaching his arms out. “Amanda, I . . .” His palms came down on her shoulders.

  She closed her eyes. He ran his hands down her arms until he gently clutched her fingers with his.

  Pulling her up off her vanity chair, he brought her up against his body. “Damn it.”

  “What’s wrong?”

  Lowering his head, he said darkly, “I am so pissed off. I do not want you near this guy, Jeffrey Smeth.”

  Amanda shuffled back. “Why?” Her pulse skyrocketed. Was Ryder actually interested in her, like Kelsey said? For a relationship?

  “There is just something off about him, Amanda.”

  “Ooh!” she puffed out. Turning around, she studied her reflection in her bathroom mirror. Ryder stood behind her and pulled down his brows.

  Why did she even have to feel anything for him? No. She’d sworn to herself that she would never feel anything emotional about a guy again. So why were her insides turning to mush?

  Ryder reached out again to grip her arms. Her back was pressed against his front-side and her body was flattened against his chest. His suit-coat collar rubbed against the back of her nape. It was undeniably intimate. Looking in the bathroom mirror, she watched his dark head lower over hers.

  He planted soft kisses across the back of her neck and she shivered. “Amanda,” he growled. “You should be going out with me, not Smeth.”

  Angling her head so he could kiss the left side of her neck as well she whispered, “Then why aren’t we going together and why are you taking Sophia Edgington?” She closed her eyes and pushed her rear into his body.

  Ryder twirled her around so fast― she didn’t see how he did it. Now her breasts were plastered against his chest. “I don’t even belong to the fu―” He stopped and pulled her chin up so they could look at each other. “I’ll take you somewhere else on our first date. I don’t even belong to the Harbor Falls Country Club. The only―” he stopped and shook his head, “And I repeat―Only reason I am going with Edgington tonight is because she told me that you were already going with Smeth. And I don’t like it. Something fishy is going on.”

  Amanda opened her mouth and was going to say, Why? Don’t you think Jeffrey would ever ask me out? But she never got the chance, because he planted his hands on her back and pulled her tightly against his chest. And then he kissed her, instantly pushing any previous thoughts out of her head. She wove her hands around his neck as desire swirled through her body.

  Ryder picked her up in his arms while still kissing her. She realized they were moving and wondered slightly what he was doing, but she really didn’t care. Reason flew out the window as excitement soared through her. Her bare back was soon pressed against her quilt.

  This scene wa
s like out of one of her sappy, romantic movies she watched on television. Amanda had never in her wildest dreams ever thought a man would pick her up and carry her to bed. Ryder’s body followed her down and his mouth was on her neck, making his way toward her cleavage.

  “Ryder,” she moaned as her hands ran down his arms and onto his backside. Her fingers danced over the silkiness of his shirt until she pulled up the hem and touched hot skin. Slipping her fingers under his shirt, she gripped at his hard back. Amanda drew in her breath when coolness slipped onto her legs and Ryder’s calloused hand glided up her calf. She puffed out a panicked, “No!”, when she realized his hands would touch her brace and she tried to back away. Embarrassment moved in and filled every single pore in her body.

  “I could care less about that, Amanda,” Ryder’s deep voice rumbled through his chest. As if to prove he meant what he said, his finger lightly out-lined the hard plastic already fastened on her leg. With the pads of his fingers, he gently touched her left leg, softly messaging her calf as he ventured upward. With his other hand, he’d pushed aside the delicate top part of her dress and she groaned again as his mouth found her breast.

  Amanda reached for his belt buckle on his pants and this time, it was Ryder who moaned.

  He hissed out a swift breath when his fingers roamed around her skin underneath her dress and found only her soft skin. He pressed harder against her on the bed. “Amanda, I need you,” he said unevenly in between planting kisses on her throat.

  All she could do was nod as his hand found her welcoming and ready under the silkiness of her dress.

  He kneed her legs open and gave her a lop-sided grin. “I need to get rid of some things, first.”

  Jumping up from the bed, his unfastened pants slid down his hips while he unbuttoned his shirt. Greedily taking in his body as he undressed, her insides coiled with desire and she grinned back at him.

  He pulled one arm out of his shirt.

  DING DONG. DING DONG. DING DONG.

  Both of their eyes previously hot with passion, instantly widened in surprise.

  No!

  DING DONG. DING DONG. DING DONG.

  “Damn it!” He growled, “I’m going to rip that damn thing off its hinges.”

  DING DONG. DING DONG. DING DONG.

  “You have got to be kidding me,” Amanda groaned and she reached her arms out to him. “Let’s ignore it.”

  DING DONG. DING DONG. DING DONG.

  Ryder flipped his wrist over. “You aren’t going to believe this.”

  DING DONG. DING DONG. DING DONG.

  Amanda shook her head. “Don’t tell me, it’s time to go? That’s Jeffrey, isn’t it?”

  DING DONG. DING DONG. DING DONG.

  He nodded and swore under his breath. “FUBAR.”

  Amanda wasn’t sure what he said. Fubar?

  DING DONG. DING DONG. DING DONG.

  Buttoning back up his shirt he told her, “Go get freshened up. I’ll answer the door.” After he got his clothes back on, he pulled her off the bed. “We’ll finish this after the party.” And then he kissed her― hard and possessively―before he stalked down the stairs.

  “Oh wait―” she softly called out to him, but he was already opening the front door. “What does fubar mean?”

  Hearing Jeffrey’s voice pushed her into motion and she walked back in to the bathroom. Feeling dazed, she looked at herself in the mirror. Whoa, she looked like a wild woman; hair messed and sticking up around her flushed cheeks. She grinned because it seemed like she always looked and felt like this around him. Sighing Ryder’s name she attacked her hair with a brush. While she stuck the barrette back in, she listened to him and Jeffrey.

  “Stevenson?” She heard Jeffrey Smeth say, “What are you doing here? Where’s Amanda?”

  Chapter 15

  “Jeffrey.” Ryder shook his hand and stepped aside so Smeth could enter Amanda’s house, even though he seethed on the inside. Something was off with this guy, but he didn’t know what, yet. His instincts had never steered him wrong and this guy smelled bad from the get go.

  Smeth spun around on his well-polished heels and scanned the interior of her house before asking, “Where is Amanda?”

  “She’s upstairs. She’ll be down in a minute.”

  “So, what are you doing here?”

  “Aiding Ms. Harris in the installation of a new security system.” Ryder grimaced. Well, that wasn’t a total lie. He was going to get her the right security system installed and soon. No way was he going to let on to this jack-off he was here because he was interested in Amanda as a woman. Period. “Didn’t Sophia mention that?” Two can play at this game Ryder said to himself. Asshole. “Want a beer while we wait for her?”

  Jeffrey took a step back and glared at him. “We? I thought you were taking Sophia to the Club tonight.”

  “I am.” Ryder straightened his tie. “I just thought we could drive together, since we’re heading in the same direction.”

  Smeth stuck his nose up in the air. “No. I don’t think so.”

  “You sure? I’ll even drive.” He prodded him. “You can save on some gas.”

  Jeffrey shook his head. “No. I’ll drive Amanda myself.”

  Soft feet treading down the stairs directed both men’s eyes to Amanda as she slowly walked down the staircase.

  Ryder’s breath got lodged in his throat. Damn. Even though the dress was simply cut, she looked beautiful as she floated down. The sapphire blue gown hugged her body like a second skin. The shimmery fabric narrowed to a deep V only enhancing her breasts before it hugged her slight, luscious curves all the way to the floor. Ryder’s head got hot when he remembered touching her earlier and knowing someone else would be taking her to this freakin’ dinner dance.

  He suppressed his need to howl. Barely.

  “Amanda,” Jeffrey stepped toward her. “You look lovely. Are you ready to go?”

  “Yes” Amanda slipped her hand into the palm that Jeffrey held out. Her unique silver bracelet glittered under the lights before Smeth pulled her closer.

  “Ryder, are you ready to go?” She turned and asked him. He put that flush on her cheeks and damned if he didn’t want to just stay here and explore what she had underneath that blue dress.

  Oh yeah . . . nothing was on underneath her dainty little number. His head buzzed and wasn’t sure if it was because he knew that little fact or he didn’t want Amanda near Smeth. Let alone touching him. Dark thoughts flooded his head.

  Stand down. It would be wrong to tear the guy’s head off just because he was . . . Just exactly what was he? Was this jealousy? He’d never experienced this before and he didn’t like it. His eyes jumped to Smeth’s smug little grin and all that did was amp up his anger and he fisted both hands by his sides.

  Stand down.

  Fury reared up in his chest and he needed to cap it off.

  He grunted. “Yep.” Looking into her house he knew he needed a distraction, before he hit the guy. “Let me just shut off some of those lights.” Walking deeper into her home, he shut off various lamps and overhead lights left on from earlier. As soon as he walked out of the family room, the front door slammed shut.

  He ground his teeth together and sailed through the lower level, slamming down the wall switches and jumping at the lamps to turn them off. When he ended up in the kitchen, he decided to leave the light fixture over the table on, so when they got home tonight, they could see. Opening up the garage door, he saw Smeth’s BMW hauling it down the street.

  Jeffrey. He bit down on his back molars. What an asshole. After he closed up Amanda’s house, he hustled it to Edgington’s house. After all, he knew she could be downright mean if you were late picking her up. And he had enough shit going on that he didn’t want to deal with that.

  As soon as h
is headlights pulled into her house, his body shuddered. Her silhouette was plastered against the front door and he immediately flipped his wrist over to check the time. Ready to let a few choice words out―but low and behold―he was five fricken’ minutes early. Sophia had absolutely no reason to get all pissy.

  “FUBAR,” he grumbled to himself. This evening was going to be hard enough watching Amanda with Smeth, and he certainly did not want cat-scratching Sophia on his ass.

  At least they maintained pleasant small talk for the short drive they had to the Harbor Falls Country Club. This area surrounding the country club for the rich seemed vaguely familiar to him. Drug bust? Cheating spouse nailed around here? Hmm, what was it?

  It was nearing twilight when Ryder pulled into country club entrance road. Lush velvet mesquite trees were planted on either side of the winding road intermingled with willow trees. In-ground lights illuminated the path that they drove on for about two miles until the Club came into view.

  A huge water fountain surrounded by immaculate landscaping bordered in front of the clubhouse. Beyond the elaborate cascading water display was the equally elegant Harbor Falls Country Club. The roofline of the entire building looked like it was lined in white neon. But as they neared the entrance and onto the circular drive that led to the clubhouse, he realized the roof was outlined with small white lights that glistened. Additional lighting was scattered about the well-kept brick veneer that highlighted the beautifully manicured grounds.

  Impressive.

  He hadn’t been around this area in years. “Very nice place, Mrs. Edgington,” he said as he pulled up to an expectantly waiting valet.