If She Dares (Contemporary Romance) Page 7

  “That’s awful,” Riley said, remembering how uncharacteristically frenzied Rochelle had been in the weeks leading up to her wedding. She could only imagine how stressful it must be to make last-minute changes.

  “Luckily, I have an awesome best friend who knows a lot of people in commercial real estate, and we have fixed the problem.” This came from a pretty strawberry blonde as she emerged from a back room. She grinned. “Hi there. I’m Meg Rafferty. And let me guess, you’re...Riley?”

  Riley nodded, unsurprised that Meg had noted the family resemblance but impressed she’d identified the right sister. “What gave it away?”

  Meg indicated Riley’s outfit, a long red ombre skirt with an open-weave dark orange sweater and beaded sandals. “Your clothes look a little more, um, free-spirited than how she described Rochelle.”

  Wren smirked. “I may have said our sister wears business suits at all times, except when she goes to bed—at which time she wears business casual.”

  Since their sister wasn’t here to defend herself, Riley tried not to laugh. And failed. “To be honest, I’ve been leaning more that way myself lately. Today I wanted to liven things up.” When she’d gone to the closet to get dressed this morning, she’d stared at the hangers, perplexed. When had navy, black and khaki taken over her wardrobe? Inspired by the bright sunshine outside, she’d dug around until she found something colorful and seasonally appropriate.

  “Well, welcome to our store,” Meg said. “Your sister has been a godsend. Nice to know I can go on my honeymoon without worrying or feeling like I left Marissa in the lurch.”

  Wren grinned. “Like you’ll give this place a second thought. No woman in her right mind could obsess over the store while she was in the Caribbean with Hot Architect.”

  “Wren!” Riley wasn’t sure how professional it was to call her boss’s fiancé hot.

  “What? That’s her nickname for him,” Wren said. “And it’s entirely appropriate. The first time she showed me a picture, I asked if he had any brothers. And he has an identical twin!” She sighed dreamily. “There are two of them.”

  “Yes, but his twin is head over heels for my bestie,” Meg said. “I tried to talk them into a double wedding, but Dani doesn’t share my bridal fever. They’ll probably elope one of these days.”

  “What about your love life?” Wren asked once her boss returned to the back office. “Any sordid details to share from last night?”

  “Nothing sordid happened! He only stopped by to talk, and— Oh. You meant that blind date Mom coerced me into, didn’t you?”

  “The better question is, who did you mean? Forget blind-date guy, and give me the real scoop.” Wren snapped her fingers. “It’s that hot new neighbor of yours, isn’t it? How late did he drop by? How long did y’all talk?”

  Riley rolled her eyes. “I don’t appreciate the air quotes. It was a couple of minutes of casual conversation, nothing more.” Yet she couldn’t help the warm, tingly feeling that spread through her every time she remembered that last look he’d given her. “I’m pretty sure Meg’s not paying you to stand around interrogating me. So let’s discuss size selection. There’s a robe over here I love.”

  “On it.” Wren grinned slyly. “After all, we want to make sure you look your best for any unexpected late-night talks.”

  * * *

  JACK HAD BEEN meaning to return the shelving unit all week; it didn’t fit in the new closet the way he’d hoped. Now that he’d returned it to the home-goods store at one end of the outdoor mall, he found he was in no hurry to return to his truck. The sun felt so good he was content to walk around a little longer. Maybe he’d grab lunch at one of the restaurants in the shopping complex and eat on an outdoor patio. Just up ahead, there were tables in a gated courtyard, but as he got closer, he realized it was a frozen yogurt place. Not exactly what he had in mind for lunch.

  Two adults and two young children sat at one of the tables—the perfect picture of a family outing, right down to the dog on the leash. Jack found himself grinning at the dog. With its oddly flat face and ears that looked three sizes too big, it was so ugly it was cute.

  The thought took him completely by surprise. Since when did he think of dogs as cute? Mostly, he just tried to avoid them.

  Must be Riley’s influence. Whenever she mentioned Mags, affection lit her entire face. She—

  Speak of the devilishly sexy neighbor. Up ahead of him, a familiar figure exited a store onto the sidewalk. “Riley?” As the word left his mouth, he second-guessed himself, wondering if he’d only mistaken the blonde for Riley because he’d been thinking about her. After all, the brightly colored outfit was out of character.

  But then she turned, the surprise in her gaze immediately giving way to a pleased smile. “Jack. Long time, no see,” she joked.

  “What are you up to today?” Maybe she’d like to join him for lunch.

  “Oh, I—” She cut her eyes back in the direction of the store she’d left, and her cheeks went as rosy as the pink bag in her hand.

  As he took in the silver logo, he belatedly realized she’d been lingerie shopping. Riley in lingerie. All the blood in his brain went south. “Dare you to show me what’s in the bag.” The impulsive words tumbled out before he had a chance to consider if they were wise.

  She pursed her lips, studying him. “All right,” she agreed in a low voice. “But not here.” She nodded toward a shaded corner with benches and a decorative waterfall, and he followed.

  He would have followed her to the Alabama state line.

  Running a finger over the edge of her bag, she peeked up at him through her lashes. “Before I show you what’s in here, you have to promise it won’t lower your opinion of me. I mean, what if I bought a leather thong or something?”

  The mental image damn near sent him into cardiac arrest. Then I’ll die a happy man. “I promise. No judgment.”

  “All right, then. I went a little crazy and splurged.” Her voice was husky as she reached inside and, with excruciating slowness, revealed...a clear bottle with raspberries on the label. “On body wash.” Merriment shone in her eyes. “Man, are you an easy mark.”

  The body wash, which should have been innocuous, only redirected his feverish imaginings. Now he was picturing Riley in the tub, her nude body glistening and slick with scented bubbles. “And you are an evil woman.”

  She cocked her head. “You almost make that sound like a compliment.”

  “Oh, it was.” Taking a deep breath, he tried to banish naked Riley from his mind. He didn’t relish walking around for the rest of the afternoon with a noticeable hard-on. “I hear evil never sleeps. Does it eat? I’m about to get some lunch.”

  “I was planning to go into the Halloween store and then swing by my parents’ house, but I can do all that after we eat. In fact, I’d like to buy you lunch. To say thank you for helping with Mags and recommending Dr. Burke.”

  “Not a chance. I invited you, so it’s my treat.” When her expression grew mutinous, he offered a compromise. “It’ll be your turn to buy next time.”

  “All right, but there had better be a next time—no trying to weasel out of it later.”

  “Deal.” He couldn’t imagine wanting to cancel. Spending time with Riley was proving to be entertaining, unpredictable and thoroughly addictive.

  * * *

  RILEY DIDN’T THINK it was fair that she was getting a free lunch and got to pick where they would eat. “But I don’t even know what kind of food you like,” she protested, pulling a pair of sunglasses out of her purse.

  “The kind of food that’s edible.”

  “Thanks for narrowing that down.”

  “Seriously, I have a big appetite, and I’m always open to trying new things.”

  Her thoughts turned abruptly from food to other hungers, and she wondered if the innuendo
had been deliberate, to pay her back for her teasing, or if her recent dreams about Jack were giving her an overactive imagination. Given free rein, what new things might she like to try with him?

  Food, Ry. You’re supposed to be thinking about food. And edible underwear didn’t count, she told herself, mentally cursing Wren for showing her a catalog of bachelorette party favorites.

  “Lot of people out and about today,” she commented inanely. “Maybe we should just stop wherever it looks like they have the smallest crowd.”

  “So we’re looking for the restaurant nobody else wants to eat at?” he teased. “Always a glowing recommendation.”

  The place they walked into was a standard bar and grill—wood paneling and brass railing with hamburgers and salads and baby-back ribs on the menu. It wasn’t any place special, but the food smelled good. The hostess handed Jack a buzzer and warned it would be a few minutes. They found space on the padded bench that ran the length of the wall but immediately had to scoot closer together when someone else sat at the end. Suddenly, her body was pressed against Jack’s, the heat and hardness of him, and she gasped at the sudden rush of desire.

  “You okay?” he asked.

  Not as okay as she’d be with his hands on her. How good would it feel when he finally touched her? When? Don’t you mean if, Riley?

  There was no longer any if about it. She wanted Jack Reed. Granted, she was out of practice with men, but the look he’d given her when speculating on the contents of her shopping bag had been far more carnal than neighborly. His dark gaze had been hot and hungry. All she had to do was convince him that a fling with someone who lived across the hall wouldn’t get too complicated.

  “I’m fine,” she said. “You just, um, sat on my skirt.” She tugged on the fabric to lend credence to her fib, letting her fingers brush the outside of his thigh.

  It was a light touch, probably barely discernible through the denim of his jeans, yet he went rigid. Some foreign, exhilarating emotion rippled through her. Power. After almost a year of cowering in her apartment, she felt powerful.

  “About your skirt.” His gaze met hers. “I like what you’re wearing today. You look very...fiery.”

  “Is that your way of saying I’m hot?” she teased.

  He grinned, the expression in his eyes one part mischievous humor and two parts knee-buckling seduction. “I—”

  “Hey, Riley.” A rangy man with sandy hair and a square jaw paused on his way out of the restaurant to smile at her. “How’ve you been?”

  Since Pete was a client, she managed not to scowl at the interruption. But just barely. “Great. Loving the sunshine today.”

  Then the buzzer in Jack’s hand began flashing, and Riley stood. “Well, that’s us.”

  “Enjoy your lunch,” Pete said. “I’ll call you soon.”

  “Look forward to hearing from you.”

  Jack didn’t comment until they’d been shown to a table. He peered at her over the top of his menu. “Friend of yours?” he asked so blandly that she wanted to pump her fist in victory. It took real effort to sound that indifferent.

  “Customer. I designed the site for his chiropractic clinic.” Was it her imagination or did Jack’s shoulders lower a fraction of an inch, as if her answer had caused him to relax?

  “How’d you get started with websites?”

  “Oh, I’m a computer nerd from way back. From the time I was little, my dad had all these movies where computers went rogue and were out to get people—2001, Electric Dreams, WarGames.” She gave him a cheeky smile. “I figured that when the inevitable computer uprising happens, people with IT skills will be superheroes. Mastering a programming language seemed more likely than developing mutant powers.”

  “Good to know that if my laptop ever turns on me, you’re right across the hall.”

  “So far it’s been more content management interfaces than saving humanity, but that’s probably because they’re lulling us into a false sense of security.”

  “Undoubtedly.”

  By the time the waitress took their orders, Riley was starving. “I’d like the buffalo shrimp salad please, tossed in the hottest buffalo sauce you have.”

  The waitress looked dubious. “The Don’t-Even-Think-About-It sauce? You sure about that, hon?”

  “I’m sure.” After the waitress was gone, Riley told Jack about her sisters daring her to eat spicy things while they were growing up. “Habanero, wasabi. Thank God my mom didn’t keep any ghost peppers around the house, or I’d probably be dead.”

  “Well, I don’t have siblings, but there were a couple of crazy dares from my track teammates.” He kept her entertained with stories until their food arrived.

  When Jack had first called out to her on the sidewalk, she’d been nervous that Wren might spot him through the window. Seeing Riley with a sexy stranger would have been more than enough to prompt her tactless sister to come outside. That could have become very humiliating, very quickly. But ever since Riley had led him safely away from the lingerie store, she’d been having a great time. Jack was funny and charming and attentive, and even though she wasn’t sure bumping into each other and deciding to have lunch technically qualified as a date, it was still the best one she’d had in months.

  “I told you what inspired my line of work,” she said, reaching for her drink. “What about you? Did you always know you wanted to go into law enforcement?”

  “Sort of. I knew I wanted to play a part in stopping bad people. But I didn’t envision myself as an officer. I was more of a behind the scenes person, like in drama club, where I worked on sound and sets.”

  What a shame. She imagined plenty of high school girls would have been happy to play Juliet to his Romeo or Sandy to his Danny Zuko.

  “I was pretty scrawny until I was fourteen,” he admitted. “I had a growth spurt that helped with confidence—you get less intimidated when people don’t tower over you—but by then I was used to fading into the background. And forensics was a good fit because I loved science, mostly because the sponsor of the science club—”

  “Wait, you ran track and you were in the drama club and the science club? And art,” she said, recalling his anecdote from the other day.

  “I was in every extracurricular activity I could cram into my schedule. They kept me out of the— Out of trouble.” He picked up his burger, his expression shuttered. He looked away, ostensibly following the football game that was playing on the big screen over the bar, but Riley had learned her lesson the other night. She needed to steer conversation away from his childhood.

  They ate in silence for a few minutes before she asked, “So how did you get started with the police department?”

  “Dispatch. I did that while finishing my degree. I was happy to take the less popular shifts, like late nights or holidays that other people wanted to take off.”

  To spend with their families, she surmised, thinking of the many seasonal traditions she shared with her parents and sisters. He didn’t have any relatives he wanted to spend special occasions with?

  “Eventually, I had certification to work as a civilian crime-scene tech—no badge or gun for me—and built my credentials as a forensic artist. I actually work with a couple of different departments and agencies now.”

  “I’m impressed by your talent. I can’t even draw a stick figure,” she said. “But I’m a genius with clip art.”

  By the end of their lunch, they’d worked their way around to the topic of the building’s rooftop Halloween party next Friday. “Truthfully,” Riley said, “a few weeks ago, I wasn’t sure I would bother going, but since I’m running for the board, I feel obligated to go and get to know my neighbors better.” There was a tenant meeting on Tuesday; she’d be sure to attend that, too.

  Jack shook his head. “It’s a Halloween party. Your only obligation is to have fun.”


  “And find a costume.” She checked her watch. “I want to take Mags to the park while the weather’s so pretty, but I should make one more stop while I’m here.” One of the stores at the end of the complex was, temporarily, a Halloween emporium. It had opened at the end of August, and she figured that by next month the space would be leased to a different company and selling Christmas knickknacks.

  “Now that you mention it, I should find a costume, too. Otherwise, I’m just going to show up in a suit and flash my crime-scene ID. Think they give a prize for lamest costume?”

  She laughed, but couldn’t help thinking that she wouldn’t mind seeing Jack in a suit again. Or out of one.

  “Do you mind if I tag along with you?” he asked.

  “Not at all.” She was enjoying every moment of his company. “Maybe you can help me come up with a costume idea.”

  Wicked humor danced in his eyes. “Oh, I have many ideas.”

  * * *

  AFTER A FAILED last-ditch effort to convince Jack to let her pay for lunch, they walked to the Halloween store. He opened the door for her, and as Riley stepped forward, a life-size ghoul just inside the entrance let out an unearthly scream. She recoiled, straight into Jack.

  His hands came to her hips, his voice close to her ear as he murmured, “Hell of a way for them to greet customers. You okay?”

  “Uh-huh.” Her heart was racing, and she could barely speak. But she was pretty sure that was from her proximity to Jack.

  During lunch he’d mentioned working on a haunted house fund-raiser for his high school, putting his skills with sound, lighting and sets to good use. He’d sounded like a fan of haunted houses; the last thing she wanted was for him to think she was too spooked to brave a costume store with motion-sensor special effects.