Tooth and Nail by Jennifer Safrey

Author:Jennifer Safrey
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Night Shade Books
Published: 2012-02-17T18:56:35+00:00

CHAPTER 13

The kiss on my neck was butterfly soft, and the scent of aftershave floated under my nose. “You look beautiful,” Avery said, brushing my hair back to kiss me again.

“I look ridiculous,” I replied, rummaging through a blue satin-lined jewelry box for my other faux-diamond stud earring. “Aha,” I said, lifting it only to have it promptly slip from my fingers and roll under the bed. “Crap,” I said, just a little louder than necessary, as I hiked up my calf-length violet linen sheath dress to kneel and grope the dusty floor with the other hand. “I hate dress-ups,” I said. “I hate high heels, and I hate earrings. You’re lucky I’m even going.”

“I am,” he said. “And you’re getting a free meal.”

“It’d better be good. I’m talking caviar.” My fingers found the earring and I stuck it in my ear before standing.

“You’ve never eaten caviar in your life,” Avery said.

“Well, I’m just saying it had better be an option.”

Avery pulled me to my feet and held me close. “I will demand the caterer find caviar for you if that’s your wish,” he said, bending to kiss my lips.

Grasping at T-shirt to find bare skin, brick wall rough against my back, surrendering just for a moment…

I abruptly pulled back.

“Are you okay?” Avery asked, dropping his hands and releasing me. “You’ve been jumpy since you got back from the gym.”

“I took a bit of a beating today,” I told him, grabbing a pink freshwater-pearl necklace from the top of the dresser and looping it around my neck. “I was tired and not all there, and I just didn’t have it.” I fumbled with the clasp, and Avery turned me around and took over.

“Why can’t you take it easy? You didn’t leave work so you could work yourself silly at Smiley’s and develop insomnia.”

“No,” I agreed. “I left work for a full-time arm-candy gig.”

Avery didn’t respond, but fastened the clasp at my neck, and I instantly regretted my meanness. I didn’t handle guilt well.

“I’m sorry,” I said. “I’m a jerk and I didn’t mean it. I’ve actually been looking forward to tonight.”

In reality, I’d forgotten about this fund-raising dinner, and the last thing I needed was to totter around in black patent three-inch pumps and shake a bunch of wealthy hands. Not to mention, I could have used a few hours alone, lying in bed, maybe reading a book or watching a DVD. For almost two weeks, my waking life—and, in the instance of my first collection, my sleeping life—had been interrupted by my new obligations and self-discoveries. I may have been supernatural, but I still needed some time off.

But I needed, and I wanted, to stand by Avery tonight. I suspected there’d be a lot of check-writing potential, and Avery’s campaign deserved as many extra zeroes in his war chest as he could ask for. Besides, he was still reeling from his former aide’s betrayal, and although it hadn’t come close to a real public scandal, both CNN and MSNBC had made a couple of offhanded references to the D.

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