The two women immediately stopped talking. “Sorry,” said Valerie as Jenn appeared. “We were cleaning.”
“Right.” She gave the tray a suspicious look, then left, Fernie trailing behind her. Neither offered to help.
“Well, that was interesting,” said Valerie when they were alone.
“Now we know David needs the money from Malcolm’s inheritance, so he has reason to keep quiet if he knew about Rogette.”
Valerie shook her head. “What a bunch. What do you have to say about joining Team David?”
“This might be another point in your favor,” Nico allowed. It certainly looked like David had made a poor decision about something.
“I’m hearing I’m right.”
“Maybe a bit right.”
“Or completely right.” She laughed and nudged him out of the way to the sink when he raised his eyebrows. “Fine. I’m almost possibly right. Are you happy now?”
With Valerie’s touch still lingering, he could honestly say yes.
Seventeen
“Are you staying for lunch?” Roger stood at the BBQ with a plate of raw chicken. “After all, the thyme is cumin.” He picked up a seasoning jar, laughing to himself.
Nico shook his head. “We’re going to a friend of Valerie’s for the afternoon.” He’d mentally prepared himself for a day of socializing with strangers at Dalia’s party.
David looked over at the BBQ. “I told you to clean that,” he said. “You should let me do it.”
“Adds to the flavor,” said Roger. He clicked the tongs twice and picked up the chicken, which sizzled on the grill and sent up plumes of smoke.
“Too hot.”
“Nope.”
“It’s going to burn.”
“No, it won’t.”
Nico left David to micromanage Roger’s cooking with a level of concern he never applied to his own job and went to find Valerie. Theywere supposed to leave five minutes ago. To his surprise, he found her waiting at the car.
“Gotcha,” she said with a cheerful wave that made him feel light. He’d once read an article on how moods were contagious and had been somewhat skeptical, but being with Valerie made him realize how true it was. “You thought I was going to be late, didn’t you?”
She had him, but he couldn’t reply past a mumble because Valerie was wearing a loose white cover-up over a pair of jean shorts. The shirt was buttoned almost to her neck and came down past her thighs but somehow left nothing to the imagination. He could make out every heart of the tiny bikini top she wore under it, and how the little triangles emphasized her generous curves. The strings were tied in a jaunty bow that peeked out of the collar, visible since her hair was tucked under a hat, and he could see where they dug slightly into her shoulders. The small V of skin visible at her throat shone with sunscreen, and when his gaze went down, it was to see that chain around her ankle.
“You look nice,” he said.God, what a loser. Nice?She looked fantastic. Gorgeous. Luminous. Hot. Irresistible. He added, “Very nice.”
She beamed at him. “So do you. I like that shirt.” She stepped forward and tugged the front pocket, and his skin felt it like a touch. “You look good in black.”
Goodbye, green. He was only going to wear black the rest of his life.
Valerie stood in front of him with a heady spicy scent coming from her skin, along with her usual bug spray. He’d never noticed the details of women’s perfume before he’d met Valerie, usually only categorizing scents intoniceortoo strong. He took a chance and reached out to pull a lock of hair out from where it had fallen to catch under her collar. She didn’t say a word and she didn’t stop looking at him. He briefly thought of Penny, who could be watching from the house, and just as quickly decided he didn’t care.
Valerie bit her lip, like something out of a movie.
“Thanks,” she said, a little breathless.
From the house came the sound of David crowing that the flames were too high. Valerie rolled her eyes and stepped away. “We should get going,” she said. “Want me to drive?”
“No, and you know why.” She wasn’t allowed to drive his car once he found out how many parking tickets she had in her sordid past.
