I had absolutely nothing to wear.
Which meant I had to call in reinforcements.
And I knew exactly the women for the job.
twenty-one
. . .
LANE
The night of the first responders’gala, I might’ve taken extra care with my appearance. I’d gotten a haircut that morning, had groomed my beard, and made sure my nicest suit was dry-cleaned so it was perfectly fresh and pressed in anticipation of the night.
I had to remind myself frequently that Sutton wasnotmy date. We were merely roommates who both happened to be first responders. Going together was convenient. Nothing more.
Still, I waited at the bottom of the stairs for her to make her appearance like a nervous teen waiting for his prom date.
And when she did? She took my fucking breath away.
I had no idea where to look first.
Her hair was left loose, something she rarely did, swept to the side with a silver comb studded with crystals. The ends were curled and draped over her shoulder and down her back.
Normally, Sutton didn’t wear a lot of makeup, and though she did tonight, it only served to enhance her natural beauty, not take away from it. Her eyelids were coated with a metallic bronze shadow that caught and refracted the light, making her amber irises seem to glow, lashes darkened and lengthenedwith mascara. Red coated her lips, the most vibrant part of the whole ensemble, dangerously drawing my attentionright. there. Giving me all kinds of ideas.
And god, thedress. It took everything I had not to groan. The fabric was pale blue and studded with beads. It had thick straps but a neckline that plunged a bit, showcasing a tantalizing glimpse of her cleavage, then draped all the way to the floor, clinging to every dip and curve of her body.
She paused halfway down the stairs, staring at me expectantly, and I cleared my throat, searching for something to say.
“You are radiant.”
I had no idea where that came from, but Sutton grinned, extending her hand so I could help her the rest of the way down, and I smiled back, satisfied I’d said something that pleased her.
“You clean up pretty well yourself, Chief.”
Chief.
The nickname she’d given me a long time ago, even though she knew I would never work for a department where that could become my title one day.
She was extending an olive branch, and I would happily accept it.
After helping her into her coat, we headed outside and sped off toward town.
The gala was being held at the local American Legion post, which was the only event space in the county large enough to accommodate all first responders, their partners, and high-ranking community members who had purchased tickets to attend this evening.
Upon walking inside, I almost didn’t recognize the room. The space had been transformed into a sort of winter wonderland, like being on the inside of a snowflake. The aesthetic matched Sutton’s dress perfectly.
Our first order of business was a trip to the bar, though Sutton only ordered soda water, then decided to scope out our seats.
Thankfully, we were sitting at the same table. The rest of the seats would be filled by the mayor, his wife, the superintendent of Dusk Valley schools,herwife, and, shockingly, my baby brother and his wife.
“Fancy seeing you here,” Aspen grinned, pulling Sutton in for a hug.
Crew reached out for a fist bump, which I obliged.
“Please,” Sutton said, rolling her eyes, and I frowned in confusion. Aspen giggled, and Sutton turned to me. “Aspen and Reagan are the reason I look like this.”
“We just provided the dress and accessories,” Aspen protested, but she studied me, as if gauging my reaction to Sutton’s ensemble. I sensed a protectiveness there, like this little pixie of a woman would go to bat for Sutton at the first sign of trouble.
