“Nah. Let’s get a drink.” Pete escorted her toward a long bar against the far wall.
“Pete Maxwell, you sexy man.” A sixty-something woman in a black dress and shiny shawl leaned in to kiss Pete’s cheek. “I was hoping you’d be here.”
Pete turned a nice shade of red. “Uh, hi, Judith. Um, this is my friend, Mia.”
Mia held out a hand. “I’m a work colleague of Pete’s.” No sense ruining things for the guy if he had a chance at romance.
“It’s so nice to meet you.” Feisty, dark eyes took her measure. “You’re a cop?”
“Yes.” For now, anyway. “And you?”
“Ah, dearie, I’m divorced. Several times now.” Good humor lifted Judith’s bright red lips. Her pale skin was smooth, her age impossible to tell. Score one for Botox. “I believe I’ve made a career out of it.” She eyed Pete and licked her lips.
Pete handed both Mia and Judith a glass of champagne, ordering brandy for himself.
Mia glanced around and stopped her glass almost to her lips as people parted and Seth came into view.
He was in profile, talking to several men. Untamed and raw, he stood in an Armani tuxedo that failed to camouflage the power beneath the smooth lines. The change from the relaxed country man in faded jeans to the animal in sleek black set something alight in her abdomen. He was James Bond to the nth power.
Judith cackled out a laugh. “Oh, sweetheart, good luck. Many a woman has tried to wrestle that man to the ground.”
Mia couldn’t help the slight smile that tickled her lips. She’d done exactly that the night before. “I’m sure. Is he seeing anyone?” She asked for the case, of course.
Judith shook her coiffed head. “No. At least, I don’t think so. He dated the mayor’s niece for a little while—talk about a barracuda, that one. These days, Seth stays pretty close to his power base at home. Though there were rumors about him and some gal from his town, but I never heard a name.” She patted Mia’s free hand, diamond rings flashing. “Don’t get your hopes up. Rumor has it he’s one cold bastard.”
“So I’ve heard.” A pang caught in Mia’s chest. She couldn’t be jealous, could she? Man, she was so screwed up. “Did he come to the party with the mayor’s niece?”
Judith leaned in, the delight of gossip flashing across her face. “No. Get this—his brother came with Shelly.”
Mia frowned. “Erik brought Seth’s ex-girlfriend to the ball?”
Judith nodded vigorously. “Rumor has it those boys like to share women. I don’t know if it’s true or not, though, and I just hate to gossip.”
Why did people who loved to gossip always deny it? More importantly, if the brothers liked to share women, had the Volk men both been seeing Ruby Redbird?
A woman on stage began crooningSomeone to Watch Over Me, and Mia fought a sigh. She loved classic movies that played the song.
Seth stiffened, slowly turning his head like a predator catching a scent. Blue eyes captured hers, and everybody else disappeared. Seth said something to the man next to him and pivoted, heading her way. People moved from his path like the instinctual animals they all were.
“Oh, my,” Judith breathed next to her.
Reaching Mia, Seth took her glass and placed it on the bar. The scent of sage surrounded her. “Dance with me.” Without waiting for an answer, he captured her hand.
Stunned, she followed him through the crowd to the dance floor, walking carefully in the high heels but keeping up with him. This was a mistake. She knew it and suddenly didn’t care. Once there, he turned and slid one hand to the small of her back, tucking her close. “You look beyond beautiful,” he breathed against her hair.
She tried to swallow, her mind reeling. Even in the heels, her head barely reached his chin. So she placed her cheek against his chest as the music surrounded them. “This is a temporary peaceful moment, Seth.”
“Life is about moments, green eyes.” His palm spread across her lower back, burning through the dress. “I hadn’t realized how small you are.”
“Don’t mistake small for weak.” Heat and the scent of man had her body relaxing into following his steps. She closed her eyes. “You’re a good dancer.”
“Only with the right partner. We fit.”
She wanted to argue, but they moved together like they’d been doing it for a lifetime. “I have questions for you.”
His grip tightened on her hand. “Not now. Not here.”
The beauty of the song wound down her spine. Muscles shifted beneath her cheek, and heat flared in her abdomen that slid beyond desire to need. She breathed deeply. “We’ll talk after we dance.”
