Page 14 of Had to Be You

There was a flash of something in Laura’s eyes, but he couldn’t quite place what it was before it disappeared, and she answered, "No, not yet. Do you?"

"No."

"Ms. Lopez. It’s nice to see you out on the dance floor." The comment came from a rail-thin woman with a slicked-back salt-and-pepper bun wearing a shawl and a stare that could wilt a flower as she and her partner waltzed by.

Laura’s demeanor softened, and she smiled sweetly. "You too, Mrs. Chen."

Mrs. Chen. She was the third member of the notorious Needlepoint Mafia. The only member Knox hadn’t met yet. He smiled widely at her as she was led across the dance floor by a man not much taller than her with an equally frail frame.

"Be careful who you flash those dimples at," Laura warned. "Mrs. Chen might be tiny, but she’s not as harmless as she looks."

"She doesn’t look dangerous to me."

"I guess that depends on your definition."

"What is your definition of danger?"

Laura’s eyes lifted to his, and his heart thumped wildly in his chest. "You."

"Me." Knox couldn’t help but smile. "You think I’m dangerous?"

Laura shook her head. "Iknowyou’re dangerous."

"You just met me."

"And?" Her left shoulder lifted in a shrug.

"And how can you tell I’m dangerous?"

"I have my ways."

"Do you?"

She nodded as they continued swaying in time to the music.

Knox loved the back-and-forth between them. He’d always enjoyed flirty banter, but this was different. Usually, he played along with women, but this time he actually wanted to know what Laura was thinking. The more mysterious her answers, the more drawn he felt to her.

He tried not to think about how perfectly she fit in his arms. How in sync the two of them felt, and he wasn’t just talking about the rhythm. How her body felt like the missing puzzle piece to his own.

After a few moments of silence, Knox challenged her, saying, "Name one."

Her chin lifted, and her hazel eyes once again met his. "One what?"

"Name one way youknowI’m dangerous."

Instead of responding, Laura stared at him as if she were trying to figure him out. Figure out what his game plan was. Figure out if he was serious or not. He wasn’t sure what she was trying to figure out, but he definitely felt like he was being put under the microscope of scrutiny, and he had no problem with that.

She could look as hard and as long as she wanted; he had nothing to hide. He was an open book. Knox lived his life honestly. He didn’t lie. He was a hard worker. He never made promises he couldn’t keep.

"What’s in it for me?" she finally responded.

"What do you want?"

Laura didn’t miss a beat. "I’ll answer your question after you answer ten of mine."

"You answer one, and I answer ten?"

"Yep."

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