Deadly Testimony (Safeguard #2)(62)

Even if he’d already coaxed her out of the panties anyway.

Gah. He was all sorts of bad things. He made her want to entertain so many ill-advised little ideas, she wasn’t ever going to manage to remember them. Until he looked at her with those naughty eyes and that suggestive grin.

“Seriously.” She gave him a scowl, even if she was giggling inside. “Hand them over.”

He sighed. Then he made a production of pulling them out of his pocket ever so slowly. Staring at her, he kneeled down in front of her and held them so she could step into them.

Had she ever been so turned on by a man putting her panties on her?

Nope. But it was a great new experience.





Chapter Twenty-One

“Relax.” Kyle gave the hotel bellman a wink as he held out his hand for Lizzy.

She set her heels on the ground before standing up out of the cab, the hem of her cocktail dress whispering around her thighs.

“I can’t believe I let you talk me into this dress,” she murmured.

“I thought you liked it.” He definitely did.

“It looked fine when I was standing in front of the mirror.” She let him transfer her hand from his own to the crook of his arm so he could lead her inside to the ballroom. “I didn’t realize how short it was going to be when I sat down.”

“I did.” He grinned as she freed her hand and swatted him across the shoulder.

“You’re...”

“Incorrigible.” He supplied a word for her since she seemed to be having trouble deciding on a descriptor of her own. Reaching out, he adjusted the delicate lace mask she wore to better show her eyes. “And you are beautiful.”

She sighed. “I should’ve gone with my original idea.”

Anyone overhearing her in the somewhat crowded lobby might assume she was still talking about choice of wardrobe. But Kyle thought she was referring to the idea of slipping in with the catering staff.

“I like this idea better.” Hotel personnel directed them toward a set of escalators leading to the mezzanine level and the ballroom. “Besides, would anyone who knows you anticipate this as your method of arrival?”

There was a moment and then she responded. “No. And they’re never going to let me hear the end of it, either.”

He might be going to hell for it, but he was enjoying her discomfiture. “You’re acting as if this were prom and you were one of the teens that planned not to go.”

“I didn’t go to my prom.” She smoothed the layers of her skirt against her right thigh.

She had a small gun strapped high on her thigh. He was torn as to whether it was incredibly cliché or irresistibly hot.

For the time being, he’d go with the latter and figure the former was a cliché because it worked.

“Why not?” They worked their way past the coat check, and they were not the only ones without outerwear, then joined the line to get into the ballroom.

“I was one of those teens who decided it was fine if I didn’t go.” Her response was flippant.

“I was joking.” He regretted it too. Events like prom meant something to any teen growing up in the US, he thought, whether they went or not. It was iconic.

She shrugged, glanced at him, then smiled. “Hey, don’t feel too bad. I didn’t go because my brothers had a rule that anyone who wanted to take me had to ask them first. Only, they beat the sh—the bejesus out of anyone who got near me, so no one ever asked.”

“I see.”

“Your mouth is still twisted up in a frown. Let it go.” She gave his arm a squeeze.

Ah. That explained how she read him so easily even with his own half mask. Thinking about it now, he schooled his expression to what he considered his usual half smile. Polite. Not overly impressed. But inviting someone to surprise him.

It worked with most people.

“I’m going to need to walk around the perimeter.”

When she would have let go of his arm, he tightened his elbow against his side and covered her hand with his opposite one. “Going about things differently, right? You’re a guest. If you want to blend, then you mingle.”

She blinked. “You’re kidding.”

“I’m right.” He snagged a wineglass off the tray of a passing waiter and handed it to her, then procured one for himself. “This sort of social function is my element. You’re still thinking like security. Leave the security to someone else and enjoy the ambience instead. Even if someone is looking for me here, they’d have had to get past your own team. If I understand the situation correctly, this could be the safest we’ve been outside the hotel room.”

He couldn’t see her brows behind the mask but the corners of her mouth were drawn down in a frown.

“Blend. Yes?” He lifted his wineglass to her.

“I don’t know how you talked me into this.” Finally resigned, she lifted her glass to his and then joined him in taking a sip.

“It’s fun to go against what’s expected of you.” At least he thought so. “Perhaps I’m a bad influence on you.”

She huffed out a laugh. “I’d still be mad at myself because I’m the one who’s letting you affect me.”

They wandered the area for a few minutes and he greeted a few people. Ladies responded well to his compliments and men studied him, wondering if he was someone important.