by Boone, Lisa
“I think so; might as well take advantage of the best feature of the dress.”
Sarah turned to the full-length mirror and held it in front of her. “I haven’t seen this before. Where did you get it?”
Madison reached forward and pulled the dress out of her sister’s hands before she could get any ideas. “A couple of months ago.” She laid the dress back on the bed before reaching into her closet and picking up a pair of heels to go with it. “You’ve never shown this much interest in my dates.”
Sarah flopped down on the bed. “You’ve never talked about any of them the way you talk about Ethan.” She tossed her wavy blonde hair over her shoulder and propped her head up on one arm. She reached toward Madison’s nightstand and the framed picture of Ethan that Becca had given to her. “He’s pretty hot,” she said studying his face.
Madison smiled. “He’s okay.”
“Try to remember everything that happens tonight. I want details. I live vicariously through you now.”
Madison’s smile fell. “You could call Derek. There’s no reason for you to spend tonight cooped up in this apartment.”
“I have no intention of spending tonight cooped up.” She turned to the clock on the nightstand. “Speaking of which, I better get going.”
“Where to?”
Sarah rolled off the bed and started for the door. “Work.”
“Again? I thought you were off tonight.”
“One of the other girls quit. Tips are too good to pass up. I’ll get home a little after midnight. Don’t wait up.”
Madison grimaced. “I’ll come by to walk home with you.”
Sarah paused at the door. She looked back at her older sister with a soft smile. “You don’t have to. Emily’s working tonight too. She only lives a block from here. I can walk home with her.”
“I’ll be there,” she said as her gaze unconsciously flew to the scar on her sister’s cheek. It wasn’t so noticeable now. She could barely see it under the soft pink rouge as it curved along Sarah’s cheekbone.
Madison quickly averted her eyes and then felt silly for doing so. Sarah wouldn’t mind her looking. She liked to joke that the scar made her seem tough and scary; as if the thin scar would scare people away from the beautiful five feet four former ballerina with golden hair and bright blue eyes.
“There’s no reason for you to worry about me,” Sarah said with a laugh. “I’ll be fine. I promise someone will walk home with me. Besides, I’m a big girl.”
“That didn’t stop that creep from mugging you,” Madison said quietly. “Safety in numbers.”
Sarah made a face. “Safety in numbers,” she repeated in disgust. “My friend, Zoe, was with me at the time, remember? It happened in broad daylight too. He knocked her out cold before he attacked me. She wasn’t much of a deterrent to him.”
“She was five feet two. I’ve got three more inches than her and you know that I’ve been taking self-defense classes—”
Sarah crossed her arms in front of her chest. “So have I, and I’ve pinned you each time we’ve gone.” She lifted one blonde eyebrow. “So has Mrs. Kleinfelter, who’s seventy-two years old.”
The corners of Madison’s lips turned up in a quirky way. “Well, maybe I need you to walk me home.”
Sarah laughed. “Maybe we should ask Mrs. Kleinfelter to join us.” She glanced back at the clock. “I’ve got to get ready or I’m going to be late. Have fun tonight, Madison.”
“I plan on it,” Madison said as she combed out her hair. When she was finished, she walked back into her bathroom.
She picked up her hairdryer and turned her attention to the mirror. Several minutes went by as she dried her hair, only stopping to call out to her sister when she heard the front door slam shut with a loud bang.
She turned off the dryer and set it down on the counter, waiting for another sound.
“Sarah? Did you hear that?” she called out as she belted her robe tighter. When she received no answer, she left her bedroom and walked to her sister’s bedroom across the hall. She checked Sarah’s bathroom before moving on to the spare bedroom next to Sarah’s, then the office, and finally the living room.
Her gaze zeroed in on the unlocked door. Feeling a chill creep up her back, she rushed to the door and bolted it before turning and surveying the living room.
Nothing was out of place.
Moreover, there certainly wasn’t anyone here. She checked each room while searching for her sister.
She lifted a hand to her head with a sigh. “I’m becoming paranoid,” she said as she returned to her room. “I really need to relax or I’m—” She stopped at the foot of her bed and stared.
Her brow furrowed in confusion as she looked around the room. “Where’s my dress?”
She bent over and looked on the other side of the bed. Finding nothing, not even the shoes that she had laid out, she spun around and began a search of her room, only stopping when she found her dress hanging back in the closet.
Still frowning, she slipped it off the hanger and carried it into the bathroom.
§
9:34 P.M.
Madison melted into Ethan as the band began to play a slow, soft melody. She tipped her head back and stared up at the skylight above her head.
Slowly, her eyes drifted closed as he expertly led her around the dance floor. She didn’t even have to think of the steps, her body instinctively responding to his slightest touch.
She opened her eyes again and found him staring at her with a slightly amused smile.
Blushing, she turned her head away and tried to refocus, which was no small feat. Here she was in the grand ballroom of the best restaurant in the swankiest hotel in town, and dancing with the most handsome man she had ever seen in her life. She’d have to be dead not to be affected.
She felt Ethan lean in close. His lips brushed along her ear sending shivers down her back. “Did I mention how beautiful you look tonight?”
She turned back to him, her breath catching on a hitch.
If anyone was beautiful, it was he, she thought, suddenly at a loss for words. “Beautiful, huh?” she managed to get out after a moment’s hesitation, her voice huskier than normal.
“You do, but then,” he said spinning themselves around to avoid another couple, “you always look beautiful.”
She dropped her gaze to his chest as he spun them around again, leading her across the dance floor. Every brush of his legs against hers sent currents of desire through her.
She closed the distance between their bodies, needing to feel all of him against her. She wanted him with every fiber of her being and each day the feeling only grew stronger and stronger. She just hoped he was falling as madly in love with her as she was with him.
She tilted her head back slightly to look up at his face. Kiss me, she thought desperately as she said, “Thank you. It’s a shame it has taken you so long to ask me out, finally. I’ve been trying my best to get your attention for months now.”
He looked at her in surprise. “What do you mean by finally? We’ve been dating for months.”
Her eyebrow arched. “Well, this doesn’t bode well for our future since I don’t remember any of these dates.”
“There was that fabulous lunch two weeks ago.”
Madison tipped her head back. “Oh the lunch.” She scrunched up her forehead. “That was a date?”
His fingers lightly travelled down her bare back, causing currents of electricity to race up her spine. “You sat so close to me.”
“I arrived late for Nicole’s impromptu office meeting. It was the only seat available.”
“Then we got to know each other over delectable pastries.” He twirled her around and toward the back of the dance floor.
“Hmm, I remember introducing myself. I don’t remember eating any pastries. If I remember correctly, all the donuts were already gone by the time I arrived.”
“I tried to share mine.” He looked up at the skylight. “Then later we bonded ove
r a gourmet lunch.”
“A ham sandwich is your idea of a gourmet lunch?”
“While watching the sunset over the buildings across the street.”
“How could you see the sunset? There was a thunderstorm. We could barely see the building next door.”
He looked back down at her. “I could see you. I could barely take my eyes off of you.”
“It’s amazing how you can make a two hour lunch in the conference room helping Nicole prepare for her trial the next day sound so romantic.”
“It’s a gift of mine.” He clasped her hand tightly and cupped it to his chest. “Are you having fun?”
She nodded eagerly. “Very much. I didn’t know you were such a good dancer.”
“I’m a regular jack of all trades.” He grew quiet as he stared down at her. “So, what are you doing tomorrow night?”
She cocked her head to the side. “It’s Christmas Eve.”
“Oh, that’s right. I guess you’ll be with your family.”
“Well, since it’s Christmas Eve, I thought, why not?” she said with a grin. “Are you doing anything special?”
He shook his head. “It looks like I’ll be all alone for the holiday.”
Everything in Madison instantly rebelled at the thought of him alone on Christmas. “You’re welcome to come with me,” she said in a rush to convince him. “We’re having Christmas at my grandpa’s and he has—”
“Okay.”
She grinned. “Are you sure you don’t want to think about it first?”
“Nope.”
“Not even a bit?”
“Not even the slightest.” He lifted an eyebrow. “Does your invitation include Christmas Eve?”
“It sure does.”
“Turkey with all the trimmings?”
“That’s Christmas. Christmas Eve is sandwiches.”
“I like sandwiches.”
“Good. It helps get you through all the shopping.”
His face fell. “Shopping?”
She nodded earnestly as his body pulled away from hers slightly. “Pretty much all day and all night.”
“You know, I just remembered this thing I’ve got to do.”
“Oh really?”
“Yeah.”
She took a quick step closer to him. “Can you take me with you?”
“You don’t want to go shopping?”
“Have you ever been to the mall on Christmas Eve?”
“No, but I try to stay out of dangerous situations.”
“Is that why you joined the Navy?”
He chuckled. “I’m not entirely certain, but from what I’ve heard Christmas Eve or Black Friday shopping is about as dangerous as a war zone.”
“It’s a mad house,” she said with a shudder. “I don’t think there was ever a Christmas Eve that I wasn’t at the mall buying last minute gifts.” She let go of his shoulder long enough to press a hand to her heart. “Not for me. I get my shopping done fifteen days early. Everything is wrapped, bowed, and ready to go. My sisters, on the other hand…” She shook her head as she slid her hand up his upper arm, enjoying the feel of him underneath his suit jacket. “They’re always forgetting someone. It’s a sickness.”
“So, why do you go?”
“It’s a family tradition. What else would I do?”
“Relax?”
“Overrated. We don’t spend the whole day shopping. We take a break to go to church and then after that, we’ll head to my grandpa’s place.”
“Well, as much fun as it sounds, I think I’ll sit it out.”
She stumbled slightly. “You’re still coming for Christmas dinner, aren’t you?” she asked as he protectively tightened his hold on her.
“I was just teasing. I don’t want to impose.”
“No, please come,” she said, wincing at the strange desperate feeling that had taken hold of her. She forced herself to adopt a more casual tone. “Most of our family can’t make it this year so we’re celebrating later. It’s just going to be Sarah, our grandpa and me. He’ll disappear into his den shortly after dinner. Sarah will probably find a book…”
“If you really want me…?” he asked softly, his blue eyes hopeful.
“I do.” She smiled softly. “I definitely do.”
“Good. What time should I arrive?”
“Can you come at noon? We’ll probably come back into town around five o’clock. Sarah and I have to drive Grandpa to the airport the day after Christmas. He booked a six A.M. flight. He’s spending a couple of weeks at my Aunt’s house in Florida.”
“He doesn’t live in Lexington?”
“No, he lives in Winchester, about thirty minutes away. I’ll text you the address tomorrow.”
“Sounds good.” For the first time since they began dancing, his attention wavered from her to settle on the windows.
She looked at him quizzically. “You don’t have to come if you don’t want to?”
He turned back to her with a smile. “Of course, I want to go. What would make you think I don’t?”
“Well, I sort of jumped the gun last night when I assumed you were asking me out.”
“What are you talking about?” he asked holding her hand close to his chest. “I was going to ask you out.”
“No, you weren’t,” she said with a chuckle.
He looked ready to protest but then settled on a light shrug. “I wanted to ask you out but…”
“You weren’t going to.”
“Not right then, no,” he admitted. “Eventually, though.”
“Why were you waiting?”
He gave her a sheepish look. “To be honest, I didn’t want you to get into trouble and I wasn’t quite sure how to approach the situation.”
She looked surprised, a small laugh escaping from her lips. “How would you get me into trouble?”
“Your boss has taken… How should I put this?” He tilted his head back as he looked at the ceiling, “She’s taken a personal interest in me. I was afraid that if I showed an interest in you that Nicole might become… Well, that it might jeopardize your position at the firm and I didn’t want that to happen.”
“That’s very sweet but you don’t have to worry about that. I bring a lot of money into the firm and Nicole is ultimately a pragmatist at heart. She might not like the fact that you and I are seeing each other, but my ability to bring clients into the firm will trump her personal feelings every time.” She trailed her fingers along his shoulder. “However, if you’re worried that you might lose us as a client then perhaps we shouldn’t let this go any further.”
He shook his head lightly. “I’m not worried. Even if I lost your business today, I’d be fine.” He twirled her around again. “I do have other clients, you know.”
“Cheater,” she said in mock horror.
“Well, if it makes you feel any better, you’re my favorite out of all of them.”
She wiggled her hand. “Slightly better.”
“The only reason I spend so much time at your firm is in the hopes of seeing you.”
“Much better,” she said with a smile as she laid her head on his shoulder. “What were you going to ask me last night?”
“Hmm,” he murmured into her hair.
She lifted her head. “What was it that you wanted to know?”
His eyebrows drew down. “It can wait.”
“Oh come on, tell me. Otherwise, I’ll be wondering about it all night.”
He bit his lip before finally relenting. “Yesterday morning, I stopped by your office to see you, but you weren’t there.”
“I spent most of the morning at a deposition,” she confirmed.
“Becca told me. Anyway, I looked out of the window and I noticed you walking down the street away from the building.”
“The deposition was at another law firm down the street. It was nice out so I decided to walk.”
“I noticed that there was a man watching you walk away. I just thought it was strange and wondered if you notic
ed him.”
She arched an eyebrow. “I see. My capturing a man’s interest seems strange to you?” she asked playfully.
“No,” he said with a small smile, “that part wasn’t strange. It was what happened after that, which was a bit concerning.”
“What happened?”
“He followed you down the street.”
“Perhaps, he was just going the same way.”
“No, I don’t think so.” His face turned serious. “Have you noticed a dark blue four-door sedan hanging around lately?”
She froze, bringing them to a sudden stop on the dance floor. “I saw one in the garage last night. Why do you ask?”
“I’ve been seeing it everywhere. The first time I really paid attention to it was three days ago. It was parked in front of your office building and when you left work, I noticed it followed your car down the street. I didn’t think too much about it until I saw it again at Triangle Park while we were at the ice rink. When you left to go back to work, it left too.”
She felt a shiver go down her spine. “How do you know it was following me? There were a lot of people there that day?”
“Because I got into my car and followed him all the way to your office building.”
“Did you get its license plate number?”
“It was caked over with mud. When he parked, I got out and tried to talk to him but he took off down the street before I could get close. I lost him after that.”
“What did the guy look like?”
“I couldn’t tell. The windows were tinted and the thing looked like it hadn’t been washed in years.”
“No,” she said shaking her head, “the one who followed me on foot. What did he look like?” She stiffened as he described Paul Harris down to his horn-rimmed glasses. “I didn’t even notice him the other day,” she said after explaining who he was.
“Well, he noticed you.”
“Do you think I should be worried?” she asked as they resumed their dance.
“Maybe.”
Madison swallowed hard as fear started to take over. Maybe, was not the response she was hoping for. Her jaw tightened suddenly as she pushed the fear away. The last thing she wanted was to spend the best night of her life worrying about Paul Harris. She was with Ethan right now. She was in his arms, safe and sound. She wasn’t about to spoil it by worrying about some creep. She could do that when she returned to work. Right now, she wanted to have fun.
