In Her Sights (34 page)

“Now, that’s a good man. You already know I like him.”

“But I’m not interested.” Someone was attempting to get Uncle
Sammy’s attention, so she politely dismissed herself. She worked her way over
to Clayton. She forgot to tell him about her suspicions. Doubts concerning the
mayor’s involvement kept circling her mind, but it was still a possibility.

A tap on her shoulder pulled her from her thoughts.

“Ms. Olympia, do you dance?”

She slipped her fingers into William’s hand. She wanted
Clayton, but she could possibly dig out a little more if she danced. “Of
course. And please, call me Lexie.”

He glided her through the small crowd of dancers. Dancing was
something she’d always enjoyed, and rarely did she miss an opportunity to take
part in it. It was just relaxing and easy. Dancing often offered a break from
the nonstop political chatter.

He pulled them in a turn. “You fooled me with Mr. Addison.”

“Did I? I didn’t mean to.”

“And not just you. Him, too. Would have never thought you
two weren’t together.”

“You think so just because of lunch and that we came here
together?”

“That and because of the way he looks at you.”

“Looks at me?” She nearly stepped on his toes.

“Looks at you like he knows your deepest secrets.”

Well that would be because he does. “Clayton and I are good
friends, so yes, he does know some of my secrets.”

“Can you tell me just how good of friends the two of you
are? I don’t want to step on any boundaries.”

If there’s one thing she and Clayton didn’t have and probably
needed, it was boundaries. Or rules or guidelines. Anything. “At this moment,
just friends.”

There, that wasn’t a lie.

He turned her around the room. “That’s not a complex answer
at all.”

She laughed. “I know.”

“Well maybe by the time I come back through town, you’ll
know more. I’d like a chance to talk with you more than in passing.”

“Regardless of my relationship with Clayton, I would like
that, too.”

The song worked to a slow close, and he stared down over
her. “He probably wouldn’t. I’d like to discuss more than just my political
attempts.”

Oh. And she didn’t care for that, not since she was still
weighing her options on him. She didn’t appreciate being dated just to try to
win her over. If that’s what he was trying to do or not, she didn’t know. She
just knew how it felt.

“Do you mind?” Clayton tapped her on the arm.

“Will! Can you come here for a second?” Mayor Porter stood a
few feet away. Lexie had been blocked from her view, and when she saw Lexie
standing there in Will’s arms, she shook her head. “Never mind, dear! It can
wait.”

Lexie shook her head. “It was nice seeing you again,
William.”

He leaned in and kissed her cheek.

Clayton took her hand and spun her around in his arms. He
let go of her back and swiped his knuckles down the spot on her cheek where
Will had kissed her. His hand froze alongside her jaw, and he met her gaze. He
got that adorable shy-boy look, same as the day he had picked a flower for her
in the park.

She welcomed the feel of his arms around her. “I thought you
didn’t dance?”

“Never said I didn’t. I said I didn’t like to.”

“Why the change of heart?”

He gave a little grin and tugged her nearer to whisper. “I
don’t know.”

He held her so close, her ear rested alongside his cheek. This
was all very sensual while in the middle of a crowded room. She was thinking
about his fingers easing down the zipper of her dress when instead she needed
to be thinking about all the people watching.

She cleared her throat and needed a safe topic. “I don’t
want to believe it, but I’m thinking the
she
we’re looking for could be
Mayor Porter.”

“Why?”

“I don’t want to go into it heavily here, but she makes
sense. It fits the bill that Carter had described in his office.”

“You might be on to something.”

The music changed from the soothing waltz to the erotic tango.
Thoughts of everything but the man holding her left as Clayton pulled her
around the floor in a tight grip, pushing her out, snapping her to his side,
and then back in front of him.

His arm was strong under hers, his hand forcefully held her.
He turned with her, spun her out, and brought her back in. Air was gone from
her chest. Pulse throbbed, and the room was lost as he kept her turning.

Swaying and crossing through other couples dancing. Somehow
he guided her through and they never touched anyone. He pushed her out one last
time. She breathed so deep, she feared how well the strapless gown was going to
hold up.

He brought her in, stopping her flush in front of him. Slim
pieces of hair had fallen from her up-do and caught on her lashes and lips. He twirled
his finger around the strands and pulled them loose.

She just breathed. “I think we should talk more.”

He watched her mouth. His gaze lowered to her breasts and
back to her face. “Talking is the last damn thing on my mind.”

Sounded like they were absolutely on the same page. “Good
talk.”

A bark of laughter sounded out of him and he bent his head
forward. Whispers of air touched her shoulder. No space existed between them
from breast to pelvis.

She closed her eyes and brushed her lips against his temple.
His chuckling stopped. She couldn’t feel anything but a pounding in her chest
and his lips gingerly touching the curve of her neck in return. Instead of
hearing fireworks, it sounded like rain beating on a tin roof at a steady,
relaxing pace. Her eyes opened, and she saw the sound originating from people
clapping.

Slowly he straightened. Clayton tucked her palm against his
chest and lost them in the crowd of swirling dancers.

“Where did you learn to dance?” she whispered in his ear. Whispered
because her breath was so taken, she didn’t feel she could handle a normal
tone.

“My mother owns her own studio. She used to make me dance
with the girls so they could learn partner dance. I hated it.” His thumb
caressed over the back of her palm. “Can we leave now?”

She licked her dry lips. “Only if we go to your house.”

“I had nowhere else in mind. Let me leave instructions. I’ll
be back in a minute.”

She took the opportunity to lift a glass of champagne from a
waiter’s tray. She drank half her glass, and the tingling down her throat
activated her senses back to functioning.

“I’m ready to tell you now.”

She curled her wrist around the stem of her glass and turned
to see Adam looking at her with a smirk of disgust that included narrowed eyes.
A few illegal ideas came to mind. If only she could catch him in an alleyway on
a dark night. She smiled through it because anyone could be watching this
exchange.

“I waited to say this because I didn’t want the department associated.”

She tilted her head and waited. By his jaw tightening, her
serene and calm look only irritated him more.

“You may have everybody else in this town wrapped around your
little finger, but you’re not fooling me. I know you’re nothing but a fake and
a—”

“Detective, where I’m from, talking to a lady like that
would get one horse whipped.”

The deep voice echoed through her head and caused Adam to
spin on his heels and face Reid’s broad and puffed-out chest. Adam lifted his
chin up, up, and further up. Reid crossed his arms beneath his chest, enlarging
the size of his already huge biceps in the black t-shirt he wore. Veins ripped
to the surface of the exposed dark skin, and his chin touched his chest because
he had to look down so far to see straight into Adam’s eyes.

Adam’s shoulders dropped like weights in water. If only
Lexie could see his face right then.

“Ms. Lexie, your uncle is looking for you. Perhaps you would
like an escort?” He was talking to her, but his stare never left Adam’s.

“Why, yes, I would. Thank you, Reid.”

Reid moved to stand next to her, and Adam pivoted to keep
their eye-to-eye stare. She took Reid’s arm. Adam didn’t say a word, but hell, who
would in front of Reid? Adam may not be all that clever, but he certainly
understood when to shut his mouth.

She walked away and glanced up at one big teddy bear. “So,
did Clayton tell you to keep an eye on me?”

“No, ma’am.”

“Did he tell you to lie if I asked?”

He smiled, and his straight, white teeth shimmered against
his dark lips. “Maybe. But I would have done that for anybody. I don’t like
him.”

“I don’t either. And what did I tell you about using ma’am
on me?”

“You’re still a client, and, it looks like, my boss’s
girlfriend.”

She snorted. God, girlfriend. Not even close. “And you’re
his best friend. Is that right?”

“That’s right.”

“Good, then. Enough with the ma’am-ing. I’d like us to be
friends, too. Did you know Clayton when he was in Georgia?”

“Where I met him.”

She looked at the floor, not wanting to fish around, but
then again, she did. “He told me what happened. With his family.”

“Very sad. It was hard, on us all. Kate was a blessing, and
their daughter very beautiful and bright.” He sighed. “I have family here, and
Clayton came with me one time when I visited. Never could go back.”

She sighed, thinking of her parents’ bedroom and that entire
end of the house on that floor. “I know the feeling.”

“Lexie.”

She turned and smiled at Uncle Sammy. “Hey.”

“So much for just friends, huh?”

She shook her head. Tired of saying it. “I think we’re about
to go.”

He pulled her into a hug. “I hate the idea you won’t think seriously
about a relationship with anyone just because your parents couldn’t get along.”

She shook her head. Where would she fit a relationship into
her life? Her parents’ marriage was mostly fighting, but plenty of other people
managed to be happy forever. She just didn’t need someone else to make her
happy.

He eased back and held her at arm’s length. “I’ve been
married nearly fifteen years now, and it’s been good.”

She shook her head, trying to pull some humor back into this
sudden serious talk, but he wouldn’t have it. “Just think about it. I don’t
want you to be alone.”

She blinked back unexpected tears and only nodded as he
excused himself. She turned for the ladies room to dry her eyes and check her
make-up. Instead, she nearly ran right over Clayton.

His arms went to her elbows and steadied her. “Something
wrong?”

“No, but ready to get out of here before anyone has me
married off to someone.”

“Who,” he said flatly.

“William Canner from Mayor Porter, and you from Uncle Sammy.”

“Me?” He nearly choked.

“It’s a common theme in my life. Everyone wants me to marry.”

He stared at her and laughed. “Well, of course they do.”

“I don’t know why. And they act like it needs to be done
tomorrow.”

He tucked her hand on her arm. “You’re in your early
thirties and the sole owner of a multi-billion-dollar company. People want to
see some heirs, and you’re not seriously dating anyone and never have, from
what I recall. Your time clock is ticking.”

Her mouth dropped. “I am not getting married and having kids
just to have someone to pass my company along to.”

His hands went up. “Don’t shoot the messenger. I’m just
telling you why they’re interested.”

She shook her head. “I don’t believe you. That’s ridiculous.”

He chuckled. “I’m usually doing security at these things. Security
should blend into the background. People talk, and I’m telling you, people
wonder what’s going to happen to Olympia if you never marry and have kids.”

She frowned because it was a logical question. She had no
idea what would happen if she died since she didn’t have kids. It wasn’t
something she had ever considered. Something to ask Uncle Gabe.

“Lexie.” Reid stepped forward. “I don’t think the detective
will bother you so long as you stay with Clayton for the evening. Excuse me.”

She turned to Reid and smiled because he had finally dropped
the
ma’am
. “Thank you.”

She looked back at Clayton in time to see hard eyes with an
equally hard nod go to Reid. Well, if that wasn’t a smooth little tattle-tale,
she wouldn’t know what was.

Clayton focused back on her. “What happened with Breeze?”

“He’s pissed and confronted me about it.” She downed the
last half of her glass of champagne and placed it on a side table along the
wall as they moved on.

Men didn’t get to her like Adam had managed to. People in
general didn’t. He was a dog with a bone who would be sniffing around until he
found something that would stick. He’d made that perfectly clear.

Once inside Clayton’s Lotus, she checked her phone to see
she had a missed call from Kyle. Without a word to Clayton, she listened to the
voicemail.

“Got the information you wanted on Janet. Check your e-mail.
I think you might be surprised.”

She erased the message before ending the call. “Looks like
we have a change of plans. Just got a message from my contact. I’ve got some
information waiting for me at home. He sounded excited, so he must have
uncovered something big.”

“Can I talk you into swinging by my place first for a change
of clothes?”

She dropped her phone in her purse and leaned on the consol.
“The information can hold for a few minutes.”

Or a couple hours.

Chapter Thirty-Five

Clayton dropped his keys in the small dish next to the front
door. It was habit, but nothing else about coming inside tonight would be
routine or ordinary. Could be the fact that he was dressed in a suit. Or that
he just got off work that felt nothing like work. Perhaps because he had danced
for the first time in a long time.