Dancing with Deception by Kadi Dillon Page A

it but a part of her was so smothered in her own guilt that she didn’t dare hope that they would help her. Or maybe, she thought as Rose made her way to the window, she felt guilty because she wanted their help. They hadn’t said anything about helping her. They could still send her back.
    “It’s raining,” Jess commented from beside her mother at the window.
    “Here they come.” Rose went to the door and opened it. The three men walked in and Gideon put their flashlights up. “Did you find anything?”
    “Nope.” Charles drew his wife into his arms. “They must have followed him to see where he’d gone. Keep your phone off, Gid.”
    “Yep.”
    “And Colin should sleep here tonight,” Rose insisted.
    Colin snorted. “Pass up my warm, comfy bed for the couch? Get real.”
    “But I’ll worry about you.”
    “I’ll take Zoey-girl with me.” Hearing her name, Zoey bounded toward Colin. He hunkered down and accepted her wet kisses. “That’s my girl,” he murmured rubbing her.
    They all seemed so normal, Rebecca thought. Charles was murmuring something into his wife’s hair as he held her. Colin was playing on the floor with the dog. Jess was laughing at them and trying to talk her brother into staying over—Colin snorted again. And Gideon—
    Her gaze met his and their eyes locked. He’d been watching her, she realized, feeling her cheeks heat. He always seemed to be watching her when she wasn’t aware. She turned her attention back to Gideon’s parents. There was so much love and affection, she realized. It would make anyone envious. She felt petty for the little bit of jealousy she was feeling. But she also couldn’t help the lovely warm glow she felt for them.
    She went to bed that night dreaming of her own happy ever after. If she were to have one, she wanted a man as strong as the Avery men. She would take one as handsome, too. Rose was a very lucky woman but then again she completely deserved her good fortune.
    She sighed and shifted in her bed as she listened to the downpour outside her window. Even the rain sounded different on the island. It sounded magical and went a long way to calming the fears and doubts still lurking in her mind.
    The painting was locked away in a safe where even she didn’t know where it was. She was keeping it hidden and keeping her promise to her father. So, why should she feel so uneasy? Rose was completely right, she mused. The Avery men did know exactly what they were doing. It was a different feeling, this confidence in another person.
    She trusted Gideon to see this thing through even if she didn’t quite understand his motives. Jess had told her a story of an injured bird once. Gideon had been twelve years old and brought the robin home to his mother who patched it up the best she could. They’d taken it to an animal shelter at Gideon’s insistence. He was a nurturer, she mused and smiled in the darkness.
    Finally, sleep found her. She dreamed of a dance. Gold and red lights lit the floor as she whirled into strong and capable arms and laughed, feeling it from the bottom of her soul. She hadn’t laughed like that in so long. The music changed, became slower and more seductive. Her partner twirled her around so that she was snug against him.
    So familiar, it was to be held in those strong arms, so comfortable and safe. Rebecca closed her eyes and let him lead her where he would. Her trust was so complete, she didn’t hesitate. The last thing she remembered before the dream faded into the night was looking up into a pair of stormy eyes and feeling content and completely happy.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter Seven
     
    Zoey watched her family passing dishes of food across the table with big, brown eyes. Her tongue shot out in all its pink, wet glory, and caught a piece of ham. Rebecca lifted her gaze from the dog to see who her champion was.
    Gideon winked at her from across the table. She couldn’t hide the smile that tugged at her lips,