Page 109 of Mistletoe Mischief

Chapter Thirty-four

Are you trying to get me killed?”

Ryler stopped walking at Pike’s greeting, cocking her head to the side. “Um, no?”

“Then why are you wearing that?” His eyes swept over her from the toes of her boots to the top of her head, and Ryler self-consciously tugged her jacket closed. She’d put on the black in-case-of-an-emergency dress she always packed with the sole purpose of making Pike lose his cool in a good way.

Apparently, she’d missed the mark.

Ryler looked down at the tight black dress that dipped into a low V in the front, showing off a generous amount of cleavage and then addressed Pike waspishly. “I thought I looked good in it.”

“You do! Too good. I’m going to get my teeth knocked out for just walking into a room with you.”

Ryler laughed. “Okay, you don’t have to lay it on so thick.”

“Sorry,” Pike said, taking her hands and pulling her in for a kiss. Ryler melted into him, inhaling the woodsy scent of his cologne. He wore his heavy winter jacket, but she could see the collar of his shirt peeking over the top. He’d dressed up, too.

For a non-date night, they’d put in a lot of effort. Ryler had even put on a full face of makeup and curled her hair. Alia and Neil had believed it was because of their celebratory dinner, but when she’d ducked out to go hang with Holly, Kit had given her a rather knowing look, and she wondered how much her cameraman had picked up on.

Pike’s hands moved under her jacket, cupping her butt through the dress, and she laughed. “Hey now, it took me hours to look this good, so we are not just going to waste it staying in.”

“Believe me, it wouldn’t be a waste,” Pike said.

Ryler’s knees weakened at his rough voice, and she placed her hands on his chest, giving him a light push backward because if she didn’t put some space between them, they were never getting out of here.

“We have plenty of time for that after. Right now, I’m starving and can’t wait to see what you have planned for us.”

“Well, I hope you’re not disappointed, but I grabbed some tacos from my favorite place because for our first stop, we don’t even have to get out of the car.”

“I’m intrigued,” she said, watching him open the passenger door and hold it open for her. Sure enough, there was a white bag in the middle console that had a happy taco cartoon on the side and two drinks in the holders. Ryler slipped into the seat, and he closed it after her.

Pike climbed into the driver’s seat and handed her the bag. “Help yourself while I get us going. I didn’t know if you prefer beef or chicken, so I got both.”

“I like both.” Ryler pulled out the first taco she grabbed and a napkin, a little afraid of eating something so messy in her dress. The fixings inside were liable to fall out and drop right down her neckline into her bra.

She fashioned a makeshift bib with her napkin to cover up her chest, then unfolded the taco wrapper carefully in her lap.

“What you got going on over there?”

Ryler smiled, leaning over the wrapper so as not to spill anything on her dress. “I don’t want to end up with anything down the front of my dress.”

Pike opened his mouth but then snapped it shut, smothered laughter sputtering from between his lips.

“What?” she asked.

“I was going to say something, but on reflection, don’t think it was very sexy after all.”

“Oh my God, were you going to tell me that I was just saving it for later?”

“No! I was going to say I’ll find it later.”

Ryler laughed. “You’re a sick man.”

“That’s why I wasn’t going to say it,” he said, making a left. There was a line of brake lights in the distance, and Pike slowed down, getting in behind the last car.

“What is this?” Ryler asked.

“The best Christmas lights display in Idaho.”