Page 77 of The Saint

“Do you have a designer you like?” Beth asked.

Amelia jumped. “Uh.” She caught Beth glancing at her in the rearview mirror. “Me?” She wore a lot of department-store dresses that blended into the background of events. Her look was professional and unremarkable. No one was supposed to notice her at work. “No.”

“What about you?” Beth asked Camden.

He chuckled, seemingly unaffected by the mask and feather they’d been charged with exploring. “I wear whatever is provided for the job and don’t care who makes it.”

“Oh, come on. You two aren’t any fun.”

“I think we’re plenty of fun,” Camden drawled. “This might be the best gig I’ve ever had.” He glanced over his shoulder and winked. “You having fun?”

An instantaneous heat rocketed down her spine and into her cheeks. He must’ve noticed her blush and took it for an answer.

They were going to attend a party at which clothing was optional. How would this help her find Hailey? Simple: Hailey attended clothing-optional parties. Her sweet, introverted sister and responsible and quiet brother-in-law worked with a dominatrix. They’d partied and played, and now Jonathan was dead. Was this a good idea?

The Lexus accelerated onto a highway. Camden messed with Beth’s dashboard until music flowed from the speakers. He was at ease everywhere. Every person and conversation was effortless. He would probably take his clothes off at a party if the situation worked for him. Maybe he’d done so for work in the past.

She wanted to take her clothes off with himalone. She needed to feel his arms around her again. His touch erased the worries and grounded Amelia in a way she’d never known possible. She felt as if she could breathe in a new, better way.

Going to bed with Camden was more than she could have hoped for. Now, they had a blindfold and feather to play with. Chill bumps rushed down her back. He would know what to do. She could close her eyes and let him work his magic. Even better, they couldbothbe active participants. Again, he wouldknow what to do. Warm thoughts rolled deep into her stomach, tightening desire in her core.

“Do you like full-length gowns or short and strappy?” Beth asked.

Amelia blinked hard. Beth checked the rearview mirror expectantly, waiting impatiently for her to answer. Dress discussions were the business at hand. They had an assignment—sort of. And Beth was ready to talk business. Amelia had to be too.

“I usually dress to blend in.”

“Doubt that’s possible, babe,” Camden tossed out as though Beth weren’t sitting next to him.

Her eyes flashed to him. “I work in event planning.” Fire ignited in her cheeks for the hundredth time. “I probably have a dress that would work if you can share details.”

Beth laughed. “Nothingwill work if you try to blend in.” She glanced at her again in the mirror. “Do you like your hair better in updos or down?”

“Up and out of the way.”

Beth bobbed her head back and forth, contemplating options as she hummed. “Up and sexy. I have ideas.”

Amelia’s nerves skyrocketed and stayed stratospheric as Beth and Camden chatted calmly on the way back to their new safe house. He pointed at a highway exit advertising every store under the sun. “We need to make a pit stop.”

Amelia spotted the sporting goods store and understood where they were going. Knowing what had caught his eye made her smile. Twenty minutes later, he returned to their idling car with a football under his arm and a plastic bag in hand.

“Hungry?” He offered Beth a drink and a granola bar then handed Amelia the bag, which was filled with snack options. “Take this.”

Hunger wasn’t anywhere on her mind, but they hadn’t eaten in a while. She peeked at the options. He’d raided the shelves by the checkout area and, by the looks of it, bought one of everything.

“You need to eat, Amelia.”

He liked taking care of her. That made her insides feel gooey. She decided on a chocolate peanut butter protein bar and bottled lemonade. The first bite was unappetizing, or so she thought. The truth was she was famished. By the time Beth dropped them off at their one-bedroom condo, Amelia had uttered a grand total of no more than ten words, but her blood sugar and sanity were within normal ranges.

Camden set Esme’s gift box on the coffee table. Just as in the car, no matter where in the small condo she walked, the box had her attention.

“You doing okay?” He tossed the football to himself and dropped onto the couch. “You’ve been pretty quiet.”

She side-eyed the box and tilted her head toward it. “You don’t feel like that thing is sucking the oxygen out of the room?”

His smile reached his eyes. Camden lofted the ball.

She caught it and tossed it back with far less amusement. “How did she know we slept together?”

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