attractive.
âAre you ready to go, Syd?â her dad asked.
âYouâre leaving?â Burke put his hand at the small of her back.
âI rode into town with Dad and Loretta. So...â She shrugged.
âStay for a nightcap.â His eyes had just the right amount of intensity for a smitten man who didnât want to say good-night yet. âIâll drive you home.â
She wanted to protest that this wasnât part of the plan, but that would blow their cover for sure. âYou must be tired after a long day. I donât want you to go out of your way.â
âIf I can spend more time with you, driving you home is not going out of my way.â Now a definite challenge joined the intensity in his eyes.
Syd wasnât sure what game he was playing and was wary of jumping in with her âcome and get meâ high heels. Sheâd picked this particular dress on purpose, knowing it was a little dangerous. The point had been to prove that sheâd been dressing for a manâs approval. This was an inconvenient time to realize it had done the job maybe a bit too well. When push came to shove she really had no choice.
She gave him her most brilliant smile and said, âI would love to stay. You donât mind, do you, Dad?â
âOf course not. As long as you make it to work on time in the morning.â
She kissed his cheek while her own was flushed with the implication that sheâd spend the night with Burke. âI wonât be late tonight.â
âBut donât wait up,â Burke said. âWhen Syd and I start talking, we lose track of time.â
âTake good care of my girl.â Her dad had that protective expression on his face.
âI will, sir. Good night.â
When the older couple was gone, Burke took her hand and tucked it into the bend of his elbow before turning toward the lodge bar, where sheâd first met him to propose this unlikely collaboration. Somehow the situation had slipped from her control and having a drink could further fuzzy her faculties on top of what her attraction to him did. Instinct was telling her she should stay sharp.
She looked up at Burke. âWhat about a walk instead?â
âIn those shoes?â He took one step back and the corners of his mouth curved into a smile as he leisurely studied the four-inch pumps and her legs, all the way to where the hem of the dress stopped above her knees.
She shivered at the male approval clearly etched on his face. âIâm tough. Have you ever heard that Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did, only backwards and in heels?â
âI have actually. But Iâm not quite sure what your point is since weâre not dancing.â
Says who?
she thought.
âIâm not quite sure I had one,â she admitted. âBut as you probably know, thereâs a lighted walking path on the lodge grounds with benches here and there. If my feet canât take it, we can stop.â
âA walk sounds good. Itâs a beautiful evening.â
Burke put his fingers over hers, trapping her hand on his arm as they walked out the rear exit. To anyone observing them, they were a couple. Body language to support the story.
The evening air was cool, but not cold. As they strolled slowly down the cement path she noticed the moon peeking through the pine trees scattered over the grassy area.
âDid you know there was a full moon tonight?â she asked.
âNo.â He looked up. âBut now that you mention it, this one is more beautiful than it is in Chicago.â
âIt occurs to me that the stage is perfectly set for romance. Itâs just a darn shame this is all going to waste on us.â
âHow do you mean?â
âWeâre just playing at it.â
âThatâs the rumor,â he answered mysteriously.
âAnd speaking of starting rumors...â Sheâd intended to express her gratitude for dinner the
Learning to Kill: Stories