Dangerous Attraction Romantic Suspense Boxed Set (180 page)

“Well, I
was
teasing, but sure, it sounds like a win-win. Relief from Vanessa for you and dessert for me.” Kate smiled to herself as she pulled on her jacket and grabbed her purse. “Let’s go.”

Ryan stood up and took Kate’s hand to help her slide out of the booth.

Kate noticed Vanessa watching them as they got up from their table. The angry look on her face exposed her feelings—she clearly thought that Ryan and Kate were more than just friends. And she didn’t seem to like that idea.

Chapter Six

Sitting at a little round table in Spoon Me, Ryan and Kate relished their cups of frozen yogurt—creamy chocolate covered with chopped-up Snickers bars. They soon discovered they both had an untamed sweet tooth, and chocolate was their decadence of choice.

“I was thinking, Kate,” Ryan said, as he was about to devour the last spoonful of the frozen dessert, “it’s still early. How would you like to drive up to Queen Anne Hill and take in the incredible views we talked about?”

She looked at the time on her watch, which read nine-forty-five.

“I wonder why we haven’t heard anything from the detectives tonight.” Although Ryan was a nice diversion from her worries for a couple of hours, Kate felt a little guilty for enjoying herself when her sister was missing.

“They probably don’t have anything to tell you yet. If it would make you feel better, why don’t you give them a call,” he suggested.

She pulled out her phone and started to dial the number.

“Although,” Ryan interjected, “it’s almost ten o’clock. Unless there was a break in the case, they’re likely at home by now.”

“You’re right. If they had anything to tell me, they would have called.” She sighed, resigned to waiting to hear from them. She cancelled the dial and stuck the phone back in her pocket.

They left the yogurt shop and drove up toward Kerry Park in the Queen Anne Hill district. Before reaching the park, Ryan pulled his vehicle over and stopped in front of a charming blue-gray two-story home with white shutters. It had a
for-sale
sign planted in the front yard.

“Why are we stopping?” Kate asked.

“I just wanted to show you something. See that house right there, the one with the for-sale sign?”

“Yes, it’s beautiful. Whose house is it?”

“It’s a foreclosure, so it belongs to the bank now. I was toying with the idea of buying it, if I can negotiate a fantastic deal on it. It’s the kind of home I’d like to raise a family in someday.”

“It’s very Leave It to Beaver.”

“Is that a good thing?” he asked.

“Yes, I’d say so. What’s it like inside?”

“Well cared for, big rooms, lots of woodwork. I previewed it last week. I’d show it to you now except there’s no electricity on.”

“Oh, too bad. Maybe tomorrow, if you have time.” She didn’t expect him to spend his time entertaining her, but unless something broke in the case, she would have a lot of hours on her hands. She’d like to fill at least some of them with something other than worry.

“Sure.”

“Well, let’s go see that gorgeous view you promised me.”

Ryan drove her over to Kerry Park, a small crescent-shaped park built in tiers into the side of the hill, just a couple of blocks away. He pulled his Land Rover to the curb along West Highland Drive and hurried around to open Kate’s door before she did. She wasn’t used to such chivalry.

“You didn’t need to open my door,” she said. “I’m fully capable—”

“I know,” he cut her off, “I didn’t
need
to, but my mama taught me right.”

She grinned at his colloquialism. They strolled across the sliver of a park, toward the metal railing, as the breathtaking skyline panorama opened up before them.

“Wow, Ryan. I’d forgotten how fabulous the city lights are from here.” A beaming smile spread across her face.

“It is pretty spectacular,” he agreed.

“Oh, and what a great view of the Space Needle,” she exclaimed, unable to hold back her delight. “I remember how Mom and Dad used to like coming here. Mom told me sometimes they’d just sit on one of the benches and take in the stars and the city lights, and talk about their future.”

Kate noticed Ryan watching her as she spoke about her parents. She wondered what he saw in her face. The excitement of a child? Sadness? Joy? Maybe all of that. He fidgeted as if he wasn’t sure what he should do. He changed the subject, drawing her attention back to the beautiful view.

“Do you see that tall building with the rounded top, just to the left of the Space Needle?” he asked, pointing toward the building.

“Yes.”

“That’s where my office is.”

“You must have a great view of the city.”

“There’s a view from some of the offices, unfortunately, not from mine. But it’s okay, I get to see it often enough.”

“Well, I don’t. Thanks for bringing me up here, Ryan. It’s breathtaking.”

“And to think you traded all this for Los Angeles,” he teased, making a wide sweeping motion with his hand, shaking his head. The gesture made her giggle.

“I have one of my cameras with me. I think I’ll take a few shots so I can capture this and take it home with me.” Pulling a small digital camera out of her purse, she adjusted a few settings and clicked an array of shots of the skyline.

Kate immersed herself in snapping photos, one of the few things that gave her pleasure these days. She felt Ryan’s gaze on her.

She stuck her camera in her bag and turned to him. “I can’t wait to get home and see these shots on my thirty-two-inch computer monitor. I’ll have to show them to my friends back in L.A.”

“Speaking of your friends in L.A., and I hope this isn’t too personal, Kate, but do you have anyone special waiting for you back there?”

“Like a boyfriend?” she asked.

“Boyfriend, fiancé, significant other?” he asked wearing a hopeful expression.

“No, not at the moment.”

“But there was someone?” he pried, seeming to sense there was more to the story.

“There was.”

“Don’t leave me hanging, Kate.”

She wrapped her arms tight over her chest and turned back to the city view. “I don’t really want to talk about it right now.”

“You’re right. It’s none of my business. Sorry I asked.”

“No need to be sorry. Maybe I’ll tell you sometime. This evening has just been so lovely that I don’t want to ruin it.”

“It has been, hasn’t it?” Ryan agreed. He draped his arm loosely around her shoulder and she leaned into him. They stood at the railing for a few minutes just gazing silently at the dazzling city lights.

The rain began to fall once more, suggesting it was time to leave.

Chapter Seven

Ryan sat at the computer in his office, when he heard a voice outside his door.

“Knock, knock.” The door eased open.

He looked up with a smile that quickly disappeared when he saw that it was Vanessa. He would have preferred it was Kate’s face he saw.

Vanessa’s own smile dropped, as she seemed to read the disappointment in his face. “Hello, Ryan. Are you busy?”

“Just working on the paperwork to get Raj Patel’s condo purchase finalized and closed so…”

“Raj Patel? I haven’t seen him in eons. How is he doing?”

“He’s fine. What do you need, Vanessa?”

“I just thought I’d stop by and say hi. It was so nice running into you last night.”

Ryan looked back at his computer screen and began typing again, hoping she would get the hint that he didn’t want to talk to her. “Yeah, it was nice of you to come over to the table.”

“I was wondering, if you’re not doing anything this evening, maybe you’d like to come by my place for dinner. I have a new recipe for scaloppini I’m dying to try out. What do you say?” She batted her eyes in typical Vanessa fashion.

“I don’t think so.” He stopped typing and looked up from his computer to face her. “I don’t see the point.”

“Just a friendly dinner, Ryan.”

He could see she was working to keep her voice light and casual, likely hoping he could not see through her ploy, but she couldn’t help her voice rising. It was clear she was trying to reel him back in, but he was not having any of it. “No, I have other plans tonight. Sorry.”

“You’re not sorry at all!” she shrieked.

“Whoa, calm down.”

“It’s that blonde, isn’t it?” Vanessa accused.

“I told you, we’re just friends. I only met her yesterday morning on the plane from Boise.” He didn’t really want to go into too much detail with her, but he was trying to calm her down.

“You went home to Boise?”

“Yes, I flew home to see my folks over the weekend and was flying back. She sat across the aisle from me on the flight, and we had a little conversation.” Not that it was any of her business, but maybe explaining things would get her out of his office faster.

“I don’t believe you,” she said, planting her hands on her hips.

“That’s up to you.” He flipped through a file on his desk, then stuck it in a drawer.

“There’s more to it than that, Ryan. I know there is.”

Irritated, he stopped shuffling the papers on his desk and looked her in the eye. “Okay, I’ll bite. What do you know, Vanessa?”

She leaned forward and placed both hands on his desk. “I saw the way you were looking at her, and the way she was looking at you. There was definitely something going on between the two of you.” She waggled her finger in his face to make her point.

“You were watching us?” Ryan stood up from his desk, his eyebrows knitting together.

She pulled upright, too, crossing her arms defensively. “I wouldn’t say I was watching you, more like I happened to notice you a few times.”

He saw she was back peddling now. She knew she couldn’t insert herself back into Ryan’s life if she made him mad. He wanted to grin, but thought better of it. “It’s really none of your business.”

“What’s none of my business?” Vanessa pressed.

“Me and Kate.”

“Aha! I knew there was something going on between you two.”

“You’re not going to quit, are you?” He sat back down in his chair.

“Quitting is not part of my DNA.”

“All right, all right.” Ryan raised his hands in surrender. “I’ll tell you the truth so you’ll drop it. Kate is only in town for a little while. I didn’t want to tell you this last night, not in front of her, but—”

“But what?” she interrupted.

“She came to Seattle because her sister has gone missing. You may have heard about her disappearance on the news—Whitney McAllister?”

“That sounds familiar.” Vanessa raised her eyes toward the ceiling, as if she was trying to remember something. “Wait! You said you met her on a flight from Boise?”

“Yes, so?”

“A story I read about a dead blonde woman…she was found in Boise.”

“And?” He tried patiently to humor her, but his patience was running out.

“Maybe Kate killed her sister and dropped the body on the banks of the river,” Vanessa exclaimed, as if she’d just solved a big mystery.

“That’s enough, Vanessa! She didn’t kill her sister. The fact that the woman is blonde is purely coincidental. Kate is here, working with the police as much as she can, trying to help find Whitney, but mostly she’s just waiting for news from them.”

“You sure jumped to her defense fast enough, didn’t you?”

“I’m simply trying to be a friend.” Ryan turned back to his computer.

“If you say so,” she said, pursing her lips. “I’d better let you get back to work. Call me sometime, Ryan, won’t you? I miss seeing you.”

He nonchalantly waived a hand in the air.

“You know,” she said as she opened his door and spun back toward him, “it could be her sister. Even if Kate didn’t do it, someone could have kidnapped her and taken her out of state. You hear about it in the news all the time.”

He raised his arm and pointed to the door without looking up from his work.

“I’m just saying…someone should tell the police to look into it.” She sauntered out of his office, letting the door slam behind her.

Chapter Eight

Kate had enjoyed spending time with Ryan and had been grateful for the distraction. However, once she’d gotten home and was lying in Whitney’s bed, smelling her sister’s perfume in the room, she had a hard time going to sleep. She’d tossed and turned most of the night, finally dozing off in the wee hours of the morning.

It was about ten o’clock the next morning when she’d dragged herself out of bed and into the bathroom to throw cold water on her face. Now, Kate sleepily wandered barefoot into the kitchen in her pink camisole and pajama bottoms to see if there was any coffee.

“Good morning, Kate.” Suki greeted her cheerfully from a seat at the table, looking like she had already been up for hours. “You were out late.”

“Not too late, but you must have already gone to bed.” Kate stood by the table.

“Yeah, I’m not a night person. I like to get up early.”

“It was only about eleven or so when I got home. I just couldn’t sleep once I got into bed.” Kate glanced around the kitchen. “I could really use some coffee.”

“Why don’t you sit down and I’ll get you a cup,” Suki offered. “The sugar and creamer are on the table.” Suki poured the coffee and set it down in front of Kate. “How was your date?”

“Oh, it wasn’t a date, it was just dinner,” she replied, looking off in the distance, a little smile curling on her lips.

Kate set her cell phone down on the table, tore open a yellow Splenda packet and stirred it into her cup of coffee.

“Spill,” Suki said, apparently interested in the details. “You were out pretty late for it to be just dinner.”

Kate took a sip from her cup, and then set it down. “Well, there’s nothing to tell, really. We went to a nice restaurant just down the street, Yellowfin’s Seafood Grille.”

“I’ve heard good things about that place.”

“After dinner, we went and had frozen yogurt down by the water. Then, Ryan drove me up to Kerry Park to see the view of the Space Needle and the city lights.” Kate took another a sip of her coffee. She noticed Suki flinch a little when she mentioned the view, but she couldn’t imagine why.

Kate suddenly recalled something else, running into Ryan’s old girlfriend. She was about to share the tidbit, but she decided to keep that to herself. The uneasiness she felt around Suki warned her that she’d better not disclose any more than necessary with the girl.