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He was about to head upstairs and remind her of the time when he heard her heels on the floor outside the kitchen, moments before she swept into the room.
All irritation at having to wait, and the tightness around his neck, disappeared.
She looked magnificent. A long red satin dress clung to those delectable curves and the neckline plunged to reveal an ample amount of cleavage. Gone was the unkempt, wild hair from the last couple of days; instead, a smooth, silky mane reminded him of an old-time movie star in the way it curved around her cheekbone. Lips touched in the same color as her dress begged to be kissed. But it was the warmth and strength in those brown eyes as she watched him that finally caught his attention.
Meredith, as always, was sin and sex and every computer geek’s walking wet dream.
He tried to find his voice, relieved that Claire wasn’t around to watch him flounder for words. “Were you trying to capture the attention of the whole place in that thing?”
“Honestly? At the time I selected it, I probably was. But now? Is it too much? I can put on something else.” She bit her bottom lip, clearly concerned.
It took a herculean effort not to close the space between them and draw that bottom lip into his mouth, sucking and kissing away all the uncertainty he saw in those eyes. But that would lead to his needing to kiss other parts of that delectable body, and then they’d end up infinitely later than they already were.
Head in the game, Travis.
“Mer, whether you wear that or a damn burlap bag, you’re going to have everyone’s attention tonight. So rather than make us any later than we are, get over here so I can get you wired.” He looked at the formfitting dress in a new light, wondering how he was going to hide the receiver.
“Wired? For what?”
He held up a small diamond brooch. “There’s a small camera and microphone in this that will allow me and Meems to hear any conversations in a twenty-foot radius, if there isn’t too much interference. She’ll be recording everything so if we find anything of use, we can forward it to the police. And this,” he said, holding up a smaller device, “I’m going to place in your ear. This way we can all communicate. I’ll be there with you, Meredith. Even if you don’t see me, I’ll be there. And last…” He held up a small knife, sheathed in leather binding. “This is for your protection. I don’t know what’s going to happen tonight, but I’m not letting you go in there without anything.”
“And, pray tell, where exactly are you going to place that?”
He smiled. “You’ll have to wait and see. You ready?”
“Absolutely.”
He smiled at the determination and fierceness in that one word. Whatever anyone could say about this woman, they couldn’t deny she was a force to be reckoned with.
Still holding his grin, he slipped his fingers down the front of her dress so he could attach the brooch, enjoying the look of shock followed by a shiver as his fingers almost caressed her skin. She was still as responsive as ever.
And then he wasn’t grinning anymore as he suffered his own private torture of
touching her body, feeling her respond, and not being able to do a damn thing about it as he put everything in place.
…
The hotel where tonight’s gala was being held was already swarming with attendees when they pulled up in front of the hotel so Travis could drop her off.
“Remember. You’re here only as the hostess. You’re not here to play Veronica Mars, girl investigator. That’s what I’m for. Meems has additional cameras set up inside, so she’ll have a visual on everything. If you see anything out of the ordinary or if anything happens, you’re to find me. Let me follow up on it.”
“Where will you be?” she asked and climbed out of the Rover.
“Close by. Remember, I can hear everything you say,” he said and pointed to his ear where he’d placed the tiny earpiece. “If you need me, say the word.”
She nodded and took a deep breath before shutting the door. She watched as Travis pulled away, turning the Rover around the next corner toward the parking garage.
Careful not to trip on her dress, she lifted the bottom up as she climbed the stairs, almost running directly into the crowd of women congregated at the top. It wasn’t hard to see who was in the center of the circle, grasping at any attention.
Annabeth Rivers.
Annabeth hadn’t seen her yet, and Meredith was hoping to detour around the group before she did when someone called her name.
“Meredith!” Sheila Poulson called and broke away from the group to come and give her a hug. Sheila’d been on the varsity cheerleading squad with Meredith and had actually been as close to a real friend as Meredith had had back then. Sheila was pretty and smart, which helped propel her popularity, but she hadn’t had the ruthlessness of the rest of them or the desire to be the queen bee, which had made it easy for her to stay under the radar. “I’m so sorry to hear about your daughter. Have you heard anything?”
“Not yet. But I’m trying to be optimistic. You’re looking great, Sheila.”
Unfortunately, the embrace had drawn the attention of the rest of the women who were now surrounding her. All except Annabeth, who didn’t disguise her sneer before Meredith caught it. Annabeth had always been in competition with Meredith through high school and had always come up short. Now, however, the tables had turned, with Annabeth in the spotlight as a local news personality, something she loved to remind her old dear friend.
