by Janet Dailey
“Hi. It’s Paula. Just wondering how you were doing. Talk to you soon.”
Paula shook her head and called Zach back.
By the third attempt to reach him, she was frustrated enough to leave a voice mail for him too. Maybe he’d gone to work out at the gym. But it was late for that. He could be at a bar, unwinding. None of her business who he might be with. He could be sound asleep and safe in bed like the good little boy he wasn’t. But he definitely wasn’t answering his phone.
“Edith didn’t pick up. I’ll try to stop by her place tomorrow.” She hesitated. “Miss you. Big kiss. Sleep well.”
She wandered back to bed, pulling the laptop to her to send him the file of Edith’s photos. Paula resisted the temptation to scroll through her other, unopened e-mails. She shut the laptop down and put it on the nightstand.
“Phone tag is the worst game ever invented,” Paula said to Zach. “Of course, it’s not really tag if you never call me back.”
“I was asleep in the attic,” he protested.
Her new favorite fantasy. But she retained the right to be irritable. “And where was your phone?”
“Right here on the first floor.”
Which was where they were. It was interesting to be the only ones in the Christmas House and here alone so early. Paula had awoken before dawn. Her phone was chiming with Zach’s text as soon as she got out of the shower.
I know you get up early. Come on over.
The sun was bright but covered at times by scudding clouds in the morning sky. The wind made the sign outside creak and swing.
“I want to believe you.” She was only half teasing.
“Get over it, Paula. I texted you as soon as I could. I was thinking of taking you out for that champagne brunch I promised you.”
“On a Tuesday? Brunch is a Sunday thing. Besides, I have to work. I can’t sit around sipping mimosas.”
“You’re right. What was I thinking?” That slow smile of his speeded up some.
It . . . was effective.
“So did you speak to Edith?”
“She didn’t pick up, so I left a voice mail, asking her to call back.”
“And did she?”
“Yes, but I was asleep when she finally did. I didn’t pick up the phone in time. Here’s the message she left.” She took out her phone and put it on loudspeaker, then replayed the voice mail.
“Hi, honey. Thanks for calling and sorry I couldn’t talk right then. I’m not doing too well but don’t worry. Won’t be in for a few days. Touch of flu. It’s going around. Buy some hand sanitizer for the Christmas House and ask Norville to reimburse you.”
Zach shook his head. “Tough time of year to get sick.”
“I thought about calling her back, but it was so late. I didn’t sleep too well.”
“There’s the bed upstairs.”
Paula put her phone away, ignoring his reply.
“I’d have to show up at her apartment and risk getting sick to talk face-to-face,” she said.
“Listen, she and Brandon must both have it.
Best to stay away. I’m sure they’re all right otherwise.”
He didn’t sound one hundred percent convinced of that. Paula had the same feeling he probably did: There was something going on with the Claybornes that they—Edith and Brandon—didn’t want to talk about.
“I will,” Paula said anyway. “But not for long.”
“You’re a good friend, Paula. Which is only one of the ten thousand things I like about you.”
“Don’t get started.”
He slid his hand into her hair and lifted the auburn silk away from her face. She was in uniform, but she hadn’t braided her hair yet. Then he caressed her cheek. “You okay? I get the feeling you think I wasn’t here last night.”
“Could we not talk?”
Zach took the request seriously. He leaned forward and kissed her lightly on the lips, then more sensually. It was tender and sweet and very different to kiss and be kissed in a room that was drenched in morning light. He pulled back and looked into her eyes, masculine pleasure dancing in the depths of his. Then he took her in his arms and kissed her again.
“Mmm.”
“Like that?” Zach asked softly.
Paula nodded and turned slightly in his arms, enjoying the warm strength of his body against her.
“Want more?”
She shook her head.
“Why not?”
Paula nodded toward the front door. Her movement had allowed her a glimpse through the glass. Zach’s thick eyebrows rose.
“Look who’s here,” he muttered.
Norville was peering through the glass. Evidently he hadn’t seen them. They stepped apart and Zach went to let the older man in.
Norville looked sharply at Paula and then back at Zach. “I know why he’s here at daybreak,” he said, “but why are you?”
“Oh, I couldn’t sleep. I have a key, you know. I let myself in and Zach was already downstairs. I guess I could ask you the same question, Norville. Why are you here?”
“The man is coming to fix that damn boiler again. Only time he had open today. Boilers are blowing all over Denver.” The older man set down his thermos on the table. “Didn’t you two notice how cold it is in here?”
“No.” Paula looked at Zach.
“I didn’t,” he said.
She sauntered into the kitchen to make coffee before she went to work.
On patrol again, Paula and several partners spread out around downtown. This time of year, it was more important than ever to have cops walking where law-abiding citizens and bad guys could see them. The inside of a patrol car was comfortable but less effective for community policing.
The shopping area was crowded but no incidents reported thus far. One purse-snatcher off the streets didn’t mean that much. There were always others. But today she hadn’t spotted anyone who concerned her.
Paula took in the holiday windows. Edith was right about the sales starting early. She would be able to get a good deal on another party dress she didn’t really need.
And there it was. Paula stopped in her tracks. Her eyes widened as she looked at the cocktail-length dress on display. Made of shimmering white velvet with faint blue shadows where it draped, it was a stunner. The décolletage wasn’t as daring as the wine-colored gown she’d worn to the Frontier Ball, but the dress was equally as sexy in an understated way.
Even the glassy-eyed mannequin seemed to enjoy wearing it.
There was no price tag posted. Paula noted the discreet sale sign at the mannequin’s feet and the shoes that matched perfectly. One-stop shopping. She kept going. She would come back on her break.
What with one thing and another, though her patrol was routine with no drama to speak of, she wasn’t able to return until the evening. First she had to quickly change out of her uniform at her apartment.
She texted Edith before leaving there.
Feeling better?
The answer was swift.
Thanks for checking in, honey. Taking another day off. How is the House?
It was hard to tell from a short text, but Edith hadn’t answered the question. But Paula didn’t see the point of badgering her about it.
Be there in an hour. Will let you know.
Edith sent a happy face.
About to buy a dress. What is theme for dinner dance?
Edith replied after a minute with a longer text.
Not frills and furbelows. Very posh. White everything. Think snow and ice and winter elegance.
Paula smiled.
Got it. The dress I found is perfect.
A half hour later, she was in the dressing room trying it on. Paula looked in the mirror, turning for side and back views. “Wow,” she said under her breath.
Getting dolled up was worth it. And getting out of pants was feeling better and better.
“Could you bring the shoes?” she called to the sales associate.
No answer. Paula opened the d
ressing room and peeked out, then stepped into the common area and padded through it in ankle socks.
She heard hangers on a metal rod being shoved hard and turned to see the sales associate duck her head and step through the gap in a wheeled rack, pushing gorgeous dresses to either side.
“Sorry,” the woman said. “We’re so busy today. My name is Marci. Did you need help?”
Paula smiled. “I love this and I’m taking it.”
“It looks fantastic on you. And that’s the last one. You got lucky.”
“I guess so,” she said happily. “I’ll take the shoes to match if you have them in an eight and a half.”
“Let me look.” Marci stepped back through the gap.
Paula returned to the dressing room. The shoes quickly arrived, nestled in tissue paper in a designer box, pushed under the door by the busy sales associate.
“Thanks,” Paula called. She slipped them on and admired herself once more. Her legs looked long and graceful in the nicely balanced high heels. She went back out into the common area and walked up and down. No teetering. She could even dance in these.
And everything was half off.
Paula reluctantly changed back into ordinary clothes. She could hear the dressing rooms filling up as doors swung and hangers clattered. Women talked all around her.
She put the beautiful shoes back in the box and took them and the dress up to the register.
“Who helped you today?” the woman there asked. “And will this be cash or credit?”
“Marci. And I’ll put this on my card.” Paula handed it over without thinking twice.
The evening rush at the Christmas House was just beginning as she arrived. She hid the shopping bags in the front closet and threw herself into the routine of greeting visitors and doing whatever needed doing.
And now she could keep an eye on all the rooms from the front table with just a glance at her laptop screen. She did a quick check to see who was in tonight, noting the absence of Brandon.
Somehow she’d imagined the boy still might stop by, just to see the people he knew and pitch in, even if he didn’t want to be the doorman anymore.
Apparently not.
Norville and Chuck were a solid team, covering their responsibilities without having to talk much. The box atop the table quickly filled with cash and had to be emptied several times into the hidden box attached beneath. Both men would have to stay late to count and bundle it into bags to stash in the safe.
The cheerful hubbub of children was almost deafening. Without Edith, managing the flow of visitors didn’t go as smoothly, but they all got by.
Paula leaned over toward Norville. “Did the board hire a security guard?”
“He starts tomorrow. I think it’s a good idea. But I’m going to miss Brandon and his top hat.” Norville looked over his half-glasses at her. “Kind of a shy kid, but he did a good job. And he didn’t seem like a quitter to me. What’s going on?”
“I’m not sure,” Paula said absently. The laptop screen and the milling crowd of visitors in front of her competed for attention. “Edith will be back in a few days. She’ll probably fill us in.”
Chapter 16
Paula treated herself to a day at the spa before the evening of the ball. There was no part of her body that hadn’t been pampered. Her hair shone softly. She was definitely wearing it down tonight. Her manicured nails made her fingers look long and slender and sexy. Not suitable for work. But just right for a night out.
Still wrapped up in her old robe and fuzzy slippers, she kept the glamorous dress on its hanger and held it up against her for another look in the mirror. Paula sighed with happiness. Then she hung it back up on the outside of the closet door and set the new high heels beneath it.
Now for her makeup. The salon professional had showed her some great tricks—and sold her a lot of ridiculously expensive stuff.
What the hell. Why not end the year looking more beautiful than she ever had? She wanted to wow Zach, and it was worth the outlay in new cosmetics.
She arranged the tubes and bottles and tiny jars on her sink, going back out to check the dress tag to see if it was hand washable, spot clean, or dry clean only. If she got makeup on it, she could do a preemptive strike with a stain stick.
Paula knew she was obsessing. But the cocktail dress was something she could wear again, maybe to a wedding. It would never end up in a charity bag like those awful bridesmaid’s gowns.
She found the care tags in the seam. Hand washable and spot clean. Hooray. This one was a keeper for all time. The designer name on the sewn-in tag at the back wasn’t familiar, but then Paula knew zip about fashion. There was a tag below it. The Iced Velvet Collection.
That described the material perfectly. Paula ran a hand over the shimmering folds, then went back to the bathroom, shucking the robe along the way.
She emerged naked. It occurred to her that she hadn’t tried on the high heels barefoot. The last thing she wanted was an unexpected blister. She slipped her feet into them and walked up and down. Nothing rubbed and nothing pinched.
Paula caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. Her lustrous, carefully brushed hair fell over her bare shoulders and breasts. She ran her hands along her hips and struck a sexy pose. Without the delicate bra and panties she’d set out on the bed, she looked just fine. Fine enough to bring a strong man to his knees. Paula blew a sultry kiss at the mirror and kicked off the high heels.
Wouldn’t Zach love to see her like that. Not yet.
She checked her phone. He’d sent a text.
Coming. Almost there.
Terse, but it made her tingle. Paula hummed a romantic song as she put on her underwear and donned the dress. The smooth lining glided over her skin as she tugged it down, adjusting the fit and checking herself again in the mirror.
She looked fabulous. There was no other word for it. She reached for the zipper and got it halfway up her back. Then the material caught.
Paula swore in a very unladylike way. She could rip the dress if she tried to wriggle out of it. And if she yanked too hard on the zipper, she could break it.
The doorbell rang. “It’s me,” Zach called.
She smiled wickedly. Help was here.
Paula went to the door, still barefoot, and opened it.
Zach’s mouth dropped open until she put a finger under his chin and shut it for him.
“Like the dress?” she asked sweetly.
“Yeah.” His voice had a husky edge.
“My zipper stuck halfway.”
“Really.” He came inside.
Paula looked at his outfit. Classic black tie. Nothing flashy but totally elegant. The suit fit him perfectly. “You look great.”
“Thanks. You, too.”
She turned her back to him. “See where it’s jammed?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Think you can pull it out?”
“I’ll try.”
Paula stared straight ahead. His fingertips brushed lightly against her spine as he went to work. The zipper jam was below the back of her bra.
Zach worked at it with gentle tugs. He grasped the little tab and slid it up and down.
Paula closed her eyes. It was fun to be such a tease. He wasn’t teasing her. Zach was concentrating on the task. “There,” he said.
She didn’t turn around. The tiny noise of the freed zipper was audible in the quiet apartment. But he didn’t zip it up all the way.
Zach slid his hands inside the dress around her waist. Paula moved her hair over one shoulder, revealing more skin. She reveled in his sharp indrawn breath, feeling the warm exhalation as he bent his head to kiss the nape of her neck.
“Don’t leave a mark,” she whispered.
“I won’t,” he whispered back. “You’re flawless.” He stroked her sides up to her bra and down to her bare waist, pressing more soft kisses on her shoulders and upper back.
She surrendered to the feeling but not to him. Paula stood tall. His caresses grew bolder
, going farther down with each stroke, reaching the top band of her lacy panties.
Then his searching hands moved forward, sliding over the front of her until his fingers touched at her bare navel. Paula shivered with pleasure. He pressed in to pull her back toward him. Their bodies touched. Masculine strength kept her absolutely still. The sensation of restraint as he resumed kissing her was wildly sensual.
A low moan escaped Paula’s lips. She leaned back against the powerful chest in the fine suit. Slowly, ever so slowly, he withdrew his hands. She turned to look over her shoulder. “Don’t stop,” she murmured.
Zach’s eyes held a dark blue heat that could set her on fire. His mouth curved in a faint smile, then tightened. “We have a party to go to, beautiful,” he said in a low voice.
“We have time,” she pleaded.
He put his big hands on her shoulders and faced her forward. Then he pulled up the zipper all the way. “Maybe later.”
Paula’s disappointment must have shown on her face when she turned around. He stuck his hands in the pockets of his trousers, looking oh so gentlemanly. Except for the grin.
“I can tease too,” he said. “That was quite a show.”
She wanted to slap him. But she wasn’t sure how to do it without leaving a mark. Since he had respected her request on that score, she would do the same for him.
“Glad you liked it.” Paula tossed her hair back into place and went to get her high heels.
Chapter 17
A brand-new pickup truck was parked at the curb in front of her apartment building. Zach let go of her arm and gestured to it.
“There’s my new baby. The insurance adjuster gave me the check yesterday and I drove it off the lot.”
“That was fast. It’s huge.” Paula walked over and ran a hand over the gleaming finish. “Nice detailing.”