04 - Shock and Awesome by Camilla Chafer Read Free Book Online

    I checked my reflection in the floor-length mirror. "And I'm still damn pretty!"
     
          "Bright side. Okay, ‘meeting,’" she said, making skeptical bunny ears, "with a dating agency. How about this... this... and this...?" She pulled out three dresses, one after the other, turning the hanger hooks around and looping them over the rail so I could see them. One was a plain navy shift with a demure cowl neck. The second had a slightly flared skirt with a delicate floral print; and the third was a pale blue shift with matching cropped jacket.
     
          "No to number one, maybe to number two, though I'm not sure it's warm enough yet, and yes to number three if it fits."
     
          "It'll fit. Try them on." Serena held her hands out for Victoria, who gave a tremendous wriggle and pretty much launched herself from my arms. "There's matching shoes, but I don't think they'll fit you. Fortunately bags fit anyone, and they're on the shelf above. I have to feed this one, but call me if you need anything," she said, while Victoria tried to latch on through Serena's shirt.
     
          "Thanks. I really appreciate it."
     
          "Don't mention it. Just dry clean and return everything when you're done." With that, Serena swept from the room, leaving me like a kid in a candy shop in her closet. It was all I could do not to rub my hands together in glee, before throwing all her belts and scarves on the floor and rolling on them.
     
          ~
     

     
          Solomon and I stood looking at my VW in the Solomon Agency parking lot. Fortunately, the interior was clean, and all the traces of my last surveillance job were gone. However, the trunk was crammed with borrowed items from Serena's closet. Most were actually job-appropriate, while a couple I just really, really liked, including several purses. There was only a small chance she wouldn't get them back. Okay, a big chance. Eventually, I knew, she would hunt me down and force a return.
     
          "Nope," he said, after several long moments of silence. "That won't do."
     
          "Could have told you that without all the quiet contemplation," I murmured. Really, I could have told him via text if he told me why I was summoned to the office, and saved us both the bother. That would have given me extra time to go home to bed and catch up on my beauty sleep.
     
          Solomon gave me an arched eyebrow in response. He looked so hot when he did that, not that I meant to think about it at all. No. My boss had to remain off limits. Not least because he hadn't given me any intimation that he was, er, available, in recent weeks. Or even interested. What was it with him? And me? The less interested he seemed in me, the more I wanted to know why. It was so annoying.
     
          "I know a guy," he said.
     
          "And there I was, thinking you were the Lone Ranger. All cool, but no friends." Actually, even though I was joking, it wasn't far from the truth. I wasn't sure I'd ever seen Solomon socialize with anyone outside the office. Even with my colleagues, I never got the impression they all hung out after work. That is, except with me. I'd been to dinner before at his smart Chilton townhouse, and that evening had a distinctly date night feel. Of course, we hung out during our undercover case at Fort Charles when we posed as a married couple, but that was work, really. Except for the sex stuff. That was definitely off the clock... and off the charts.
     
          "You think I'm cool?" The corner of Solomon's mouth edged upwards and his eyes sparkled. I probably made the last bit up, but whatever, he had really nice eyes.
     
          I shrugged. "Nah."
     
          He smiled then. "You think I have no friends?"
     
          "I know Captain McAuley is your friend," I said, recalling how Solomon was drafted by his old buddy to solve the murder at Fort Charles, a local army base.
     
          "Anyone else?"
     
          " Ummmm ..." I