In the Line of Fire by Jennifer LaBrecque Read Free Book Online Page A

winked. “You rascal, you.”
    Andi laughed aloud at the look on his face but she couldn’t deny the feeling inside her at the thought of having been his lover and actually being pregnant.
    â€œShe’s just hungry,” Colton said, giving her a quelling look. She watched him consideringly across the table as he placed his order.
    Colton was far, far too responsible to get a girl knocked up prewedding. Not that she didn’t think he had sex, but he’d just make darn sure everyone was protected because that’s the kind of guy he was and a woman had to admire that in a man. However, she didn’t want to think of him with another woman. The very idea made her queasy.
    How had he managed to dodge the marriage bullet for so long? Well, her brother had as well but Rion wasn’t the prize Colton was, even if he was her brother.
    â€œBehave,” Colton said across the table with a quirky smile as Rochelle sang out their order.
    â€œI’ll try to behave but as Rion would say, I’m up to my ass in alligators with a whole bunch of people,” Andi said. “So I might as well have fun while I still can.” And especially while she was with him. “It sure isn’t going to be anything but miserable when you take me back.” She pushed aside the thought. “And I’m not even going to think about it and ruin my meal.”
    Rochelle returned with their drinks, placing them on the table. She peered at Andi’s left hand. “Honey, that’s some ring, there.” Andi had gotten so used to wearing it she’d forgotten all about having it on. Rochelle nodded approvingly at Colton. “You did good.”
    â€œThanks,” he murmured.
    Andi liked watching him squirm. It was good to have Rochelle forcing Colton to see Andi in a different light. If that look in his eyes was anything to go by earlier, he was seeing her in a different light than simply Rion’s pain-in-the-butt younger sister.
    â€œWhere y’all heading on your honeymoon?” Rochelle asked, obviously in no hurry to leave their table.
    â€œJekyll Island,” Andi said off the top of her head.
    â€œOrlando,” Colton said at the same time.
    â€œSurprise, honey,” Andi said. “Change of plans.”
    Rochelle cocked her head to one side and eyed them for what felt like forever. “My husband’s alwaystelling me I mind business that isn’t mine to mind, so feel free to do the same, but are y’all really married or are you a bride on the lam?”
    Well, so much for going with the newlywed cover. But Andi was curious as to what gave them away unless it was just the honeymoon mix-up. “What makes you say that?”
    â€œWell, I love all those detective shows. Now when y’all first drove up, I just took everything at face value, your dress, his uniform, the way y’all were looking at one another in the parking lot. But then I got to noticing things. You didn’t go to see a justice of the peace wearing that dress. That’s a dress you wear for a big fancy wedding. And folks always decorate the car at a big fancy wedding, but your car isn’t decorated. And you might leave your reception in your wedding dress but it’s usually not to go to a Waffle House to eat. He’s not wearing a ring and lots of men don’t wear rings but if you just tied the knot, he’d still have his on. And last but not least is the way the two of you look at one another. When one of you thinks the other one’s not looking, you look at the other one the way someone just married would, but not when the other one is looking. And if I’m way off base, I apologize.”
    Across the booth, Colton looked at Andi and shrugged. “I guess we weren’t meant to be married, even pretend.” Andi pasted on a smile but his words made her want to grind her teeth. There was the powerof suggestion and then, better yet, there was definitive