this afternoon, but she hadn’t had time to try another shop. The dress she’d chosen was a filmy, flirty sundress with a plunging halter neckline in emerald green. She wore strappy jeweled sandals, dangling earrings, and a matching locket that nestled between her breasts.
Trudy was right. It was a different look for her, one she probably wouldn’t have tried had she not been desperate and running out of time. But the minute sheput the dress on, she’d loved it. She’d wanted it. The dress made her smile. It made her feel pretty. It made her feel sexy.
And yes, she wanted Mac to take one look at her and babble like an idiot. Swallow his tongue. Drool with desire. Go from soft to stallion in 2.3 seconds.
Or at least, that’s what she had thought she wanted. Now that the moment was upon her, second thoughts consumed her. She knew better than to let it show, however, so she smiled brightly and said, “Thank you! I thought it was time to shake things up. I’ve become just a little too dependent on twin sets.”
“Darling, that is no twin set.” The writer glanced around, then asked, “I assume you’re meeting Mac here? I’m hoping he’ll introduce me to Sandberg’s defense attorney, Christina Fiore. I’m sure she’ll be here tonight. That’s not inappropriate now that he is a judge, is it? I certainly don’t want to do anything untoward.”
Untoward? Trudy Hartsworth had built a career on untoward.
“I’m sure Mac will do whatever is right,” Ali said as they walked into the luxurious hotel lobby and made their way toward the Grand Ballroom, where the dinner was being held. Trudy saw someone else she knew and flittered off, disappointing Ali, who had hoped to have the woman at her side when she approached Mac.
“This is stupid,” she murmured beneath her breath. He wouldn’t make a scene in public. Mac didn’t make scenes in private. Just walk up to him and say hello and get this behind you .
Ali stepped into the ballroom and glanced towardthe reserved tables in the front of the room. She didn’t see him, but it was still early and most people had yet to take their seats. Mac was always on time and usually early. His height ordinarily made him easy to spot in a crowd.
She moved through the room making her way slowly toward the front. Halfway there, she again heard her name, and she turned toward the sound. This time, the person doing the speaking was a complete surprise. “Zach?”
He offered her an easy, welcoming smile. “I can’t tell you how glad I am to see a friendly face in this crowd.”
“I didn’t know you were going to be here.”
“Yeah. I couldn’t get out of it.” He grimaced and rubbed the back of his neck. “Things like this are so not my cup of tea.”
Ali wouldn’t have guessed it. Zach looked perfectly at ease in his charcoal pinstripe suit and an aqua tie that complimented those amazing eyes of his.
She liked Eternity Springs’s sheriff. She’d spent time with him on a handful of occasions since their first meeting, and she found him to be intelligent, industrious, and a lot of fun. He was certainly the most laid-back, charming lawman she’d ever met. “Are you here with a date?”
“No. I’m stag tonight.” He gestured toward one of the bar stations set along the wall. “Can I get you something to drink? Champagne? A gorgeous woman like you wearing a stunning dress like that … You need a glass of champagne in your hands.”
She couldn’t help smiling. “Thank you, SheriffTurner. You’re too kind. I don’t ordinarily drink at events like these.”
“Well, this time is different. I insist.” He made a show of looking her over. “The dress demands it, and besides, you can’t say no to me. I’m one of tonight’s stars.”
“You’re a speaker?”
“No, I’m an award winner.”
“You are?” Ali beamed a smile at him. “I didn’t know that! How did I miss this news?”
When he simply shrugged, she persisted. “I know that Alton
Trudy was right. It was a different look for her, one she probably wouldn’t have tried had she not been desperate and running out of time. But the minute sheput the dress on, she’d loved it. She’d wanted it. The dress made her smile. It made her feel pretty. It made her feel sexy.
And yes, she wanted Mac to take one look at her and babble like an idiot. Swallow his tongue. Drool with desire. Go from soft to stallion in 2.3 seconds.
Or at least, that’s what she had thought she wanted. Now that the moment was upon her, second thoughts consumed her. She knew better than to let it show, however, so she smiled brightly and said, “Thank you! I thought it was time to shake things up. I’ve become just a little too dependent on twin sets.”
“Darling, that is no twin set.” The writer glanced around, then asked, “I assume you’re meeting Mac here? I’m hoping he’ll introduce me to Sandberg’s defense attorney, Christina Fiore. I’m sure she’ll be here tonight. That’s not inappropriate now that he is a judge, is it? I certainly don’t want to do anything untoward.”
Untoward? Trudy Hartsworth had built a career on untoward.
“I’m sure Mac will do whatever is right,” Ali said as they walked into the luxurious hotel lobby and made their way toward the Grand Ballroom, where the dinner was being held. Trudy saw someone else she knew and flittered off, disappointing Ali, who had hoped to have the woman at her side when she approached Mac.
“This is stupid,” she murmured beneath her breath. He wouldn’t make a scene in public. Mac didn’t make scenes in private. Just walk up to him and say hello and get this behind you .
Ali stepped into the ballroom and glanced towardthe reserved tables in the front of the room. She didn’t see him, but it was still early and most people had yet to take their seats. Mac was always on time and usually early. His height ordinarily made him easy to spot in a crowd.
She moved through the room making her way slowly toward the front. Halfway there, she again heard her name, and she turned toward the sound. This time, the person doing the speaking was a complete surprise. “Zach?”
He offered her an easy, welcoming smile. “I can’t tell you how glad I am to see a friendly face in this crowd.”
“I didn’t know you were going to be here.”
“Yeah. I couldn’t get out of it.” He grimaced and rubbed the back of his neck. “Things like this are so not my cup of tea.”
Ali wouldn’t have guessed it. Zach looked perfectly at ease in his charcoal pinstripe suit and an aqua tie that complimented those amazing eyes of his.
She liked Eternity Springs’s sheriff. She’d spent time with him on a handful of occasions since their first meeting, and she found him to be intelligent, industrious, and a lot of fun. He was certainly the most laid-back, charming lawman she’d ever met. “Are you here with a date?”
“No. I’m stag tonight.” He gestured toward one of the bar stations set along the wall. “Can I get you something to drink? Champagne? A gorgeous woman like you wearing a stunning dress like that … You need a glass of champagne in your hands.”
She couldn’t help smiling. “Thank you, SheriffTurner. You’re too kind. I don’t ordinarily drink at events like these.”
“Well, this time is different. I insist.” He made a show of looking her over. “The dress demands it, and besides, you can’t say no to me. I’m one of tonight’s stars.”
“You’re a speaker?”
“No, I’m an award winner.”
“You are?” Ali beamed a smile at him. “I didn’t know that! How did I miss this news?”
When he simply shrugged, she persisted. “I know that Alton
Similar Books
