straw.”
“Shall I ask his opinion about lingerie?”
“Huh?”
“I don’t have any clothing, remember? Maybe he has a few suggestions.”
“No,” he growled. “Just get your shopping done and go back to Marnie’s. You’re a moving target.”
“You’re such a sweet talker, Detective.”
“Add it to the list,” he mumbled. “Just hurry the hell up.”
Alex raised an eyebrow at the following silence on the other end of the phone. She pulled the phone away from her ear and glanced at the screen, not entirely surprised to see that the call had been disconnected.
“We’re stuck with Ryker,” she told Marnie.
“Oh goody,” her friend drawled. “At least Giselle’s offers a great remedy.”
She silently agreed. Maybe after a few glasses of wine, she’d forget all about her shadow – or perhaps orchestrate a distraction. She gave her friend what intended to be a mischievous smirk.
Marnie’s eyebrows met in the middle of her forehead. “What?”
“Nothing.”
“Maybe we can get a head start.” Marnie punched the accelerator, steered into the opposite lane, passed the car in front of them, and then re-entered the driving lane – all in approximately five seconds.
Alex clutched the handle above her door. “A courtesy warning would’ve been nice,” she said through gritted teeth as she glared into her side mirror. “But it didn’t work. He took the same racing class.”
“I still got here first.” Her friend whipped the car into a parking space near the front door and killed the engine. “Hurry.” She unsnapped her seatbelt in one quick move. “We can lose him.”
Alex released a string of giggles while she unbuckled. “You know as well as I do that’s not even a remote possibility. Besides, even if by some miracle we managed to shake him, he’d call for back-up and we’d be on lockdown for sure.”
“Sorry.” Marnie grinned as they entered the store with Ryker only steps away. “A girl can dream.”
Once inside, it was only a matter of minutes before they both held a glass of red wine and a saleswoman had been designated to fetch and tote. Marnie sat in an oversized, pillow-cushioned, chair just outside the dressing room, kicked off her shoes, and curled her feet under her.
“I’ll be here until you’re finished.” She tipped back her glass, swallowed the contents and then smirked at the saleswoman. “I’ll need another, please.” She turned to Alex. “Take your time.”
Alex held out her hand, palm up. “Let me have your keys. I know how much you appreciate Giselle’s remedy .” Marnie relinquished the keys and Alex grinned while she tucked them into her pocket. “Enjoy your company while I shop.”
“Huh?” Marnie turned to accept the next glass of wine. “I’m enjoying the peaceful, testosterone-free environment.”
Alex headed for a nearby rack. “Not for long,” she tossed over her shoulder.
Ryker exhaled a hard sigh as he approached the dressing area and prepared for battle. Damn Stewart for setting him up. If he managed to come out of this assignment without injury, someone had hell to pay.
Very carefully, he lowered himself into a chair next to his opponent and hoped to hell she’d drink her wine and leave him alone. When she didn’t immediately acknowledge him, he thought he’d gotten lucky. Suddenly he was encouraged. With all the extra attention Alex seemed to receive from the sales staff, this mission would pass quickly, he’d deliver them to home base, and then quite gladly turn command back over to Storm.
Yeah, right.
He gave her a quick analysis in his peripheral vision, taking note that she’d almost emptied her glass. She kept her head turned away from him, an obvious hint that she wanted him to speak.
Might as well have a little fun.
“Who gave you a driver’s license?” he asked finally.
As predicted, she swung her head around to face him, her blonde curls bouncing with the force of her motion. “The state of
“Shall I ask his opinion about lingerie?”
“Huh?”
“I don’t have any clothing, remember? Maybe he has a few suggestions.”
“No,” he growled. “Just get your shopping done and go back to Marnie’s. You’re a moving target.”
“You’re such a sweet talker, Detective.”
“Add it to the list,” he mumbled. “Just hurry the hell up.”
Alex raised an eyebrow at the following silence on the other end of the phone. She pulled the phone away from her ear and glanced at the screen, not entirely surprised to see that the call had been disconnected.
“We’re stuck with Ryker,” she told Marnie.
“Oh goody,” her friend drawled. “At least Giselle’s offers a great remedy.”
She silently agreed. Maybe after a few glasses of wine, she’d forget all about her shadow – or perhaps orchestrate a distraction. She gave her friend what intended to be a mischievous smirk.
Marnie’s eyebrows met in the middle of her forehead. “What?”
“Nothing.”
“Maybe we can get a head start.” Marnie punched the accelerator, steered into the opposite lane, passed the car in front of them, and then re-entered the driving lane – all in approximately five seconds.
Alex clutched the handle above her door. “A courtesy warning would’ve been nice,” she said through gritted teeth as she glared into her side mirror. “But it didn’t work. He took the same racing class.”
“I still got here first.” Her friend whipped the car into a parking space near the front door and killed the engine. “Hurry.” She unsnapped her seatbelt in one quick move. “We can lose him.”
Alex released a string of giggles while she unbuckled. “You know as well as I do that’s not even a remote possibility. Besides, even if by some miracle we managed to shake him, he’d call for back-up and we’d be on lockdown for sure.”
“Sorry.” Marnie grinned as they entered the store with Ryker only steps away. “A girl can dream.”
Once inside, it was only a matter of minutes before they both held a glass of red wine and a saleswoman had been designated to fetch and tote. Marnie sat in an oversized, pillow-cushioned, chair just outside the dressing room, kicked off her shoes, and curled her feet under her.
“I’ll be here until you’re finished.” She tipped back her glass, swallowed the contents and then smirked at the saleswoman. “I’ll need another, please.” She turned to Alex. “Take your time.”
Alex held out her hand, palm up. “Let me have your keys. I know how much you appreciate Giselle’s remedy .” Marnie relinquished the keys and Alex grinned while she tucked them into her pocket. “Enjoy your company while I shop.”
“Huh?” Marnie turned to accept the next glass of wine. “I’m enjoying the peaceful, testosterone-free environment.”
Alex headed for a nearby rack. “Not for long,” she tossed over her shoulder.
Ryker exhaled a hard sigh as he approached the dressing area and prepared for battle. Damn Stewart for setting him up. If he managed to come out of this assignment without injury, someone had hell to pay.
Very carefully, he lowered himself into a chair next to his opponent and hoped to hell she’d drink her wine and leave him alone. When she didn’t immediately acknowledge him, he thought he’d gotten lucky. Suddenly he was encouraged. With all the extra attention Alex seemed to receive from the sales staff, this mission would pass quickly, he’d deliver them to home base, and then quite gladly turn command back over to Storm.
Yeah, right.
He gave her a quick analysis in his peripheral vision, taking note that she’d almost emptied her glass. She kept her head turned away from him, an obvious hint that she wanted him to speak.
Might as well have a little fun.
“Who gave you a driver’s license?” he asked finally.
As predicted, she swung her head around to face him, her blonde curls bouncing with the force of her motion. “The state of
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