Caught in the Frame (Ponderosa Pines Cozy Mystery Series Book 3) by ReGina Welling (novel24 .TXT) 📕

killer, and you couldn’t even let me have that much room on my chain. You had to go and do it for me.” EV saw a hint of actual resentment still lingering in him about that one, although she still maintained the timing had been against her.

“Evan Plunkett. Hah!! You were floundering around with no clue, so I had to step in and handle things. Like I always do.” It was her turn to poke him in the chest. “You should be thanking me, not throwing it in my face!”

Dalton pulled it back from taking the argument to a more real place. Finding her in her own home facing the wrong end of a gun was an image he would probably never get out of his head.

“Maybe if you let me take my balls out of your purse once in a while, I’d get something done.”

The visual on that one was nearly EV’s undoing, but she held it together even though her eyes were alight with amusement.

“Fine, you want ‘em? I’m through with you and your balls!” EV swung on her heel and stalked away, leaving Dalton standing there for a moment before he, too, stomped off in the other direction.

From where he stood, conveniently hidden behind one of the battlements above the terrace, Remy listened with a smarmy, self-satisfied smirk, and no clue that the entire scene had been staged for his benefit.

EV would be headed back to her room to change into running gear. He’d bet it was still her preferred method of blowing off steam. If he hurried, he could probably intercept her. The smirk turned to a leer. There were other ways an angry woman could channel her emotions. If he was lucky, he might just get lucky with her.

* * *

“Jerk alert. Behind you,” Chloe leaned against one of the columns in the foyer; she hissed the warning to EV when she passed by. In answer, EV waggled her eyebrows and put a little extra sway into her step that didn’t match the black look on her face. Making the quick decision to keep to public spaces, she stepped into the homey little pub. More than one head turned to watch her pass.

Plunking down on a tufted bar stool, EV rested her elbows on mahogany with an inch-thick finish polished to a gleam. “Scotch rocks,” she barked at the bartender. Poor man, he didn’t deserve to be dragged into this.

She felt, rather than saw Remy ooze onto the next stool over—schooled the lip that wanted to curl when his thigh brushed against hers. As it was, he took the shiver running through her as an indication of interest, rather than the revulsion it actually signified.

Asshat follies, act two.

“Here we are again. Face it, EV. Fate keeps drawing you to me.”

What? Like flies to a fresh pile? “Go away, Remy. I’m in no mood to deal with you right now.”

“You don’t want me to leave. We both know that.”

I’d better get an Oscar for this.

EV let her eyes fill with tears and said, “I’d really like to be alone.” In the past, playing the hero had been his favorite role. Assuming some things never change, she tapped into his fantasy.

“Man trouble? You need someone to cheer you up. I’m just the guy. Do you still like to dance?” He pulled her out on the floor. This early in the evening, it was practically empty. Only one other couple occupied the space. EV let a smile hover as she watched a dapper gentleman in his mid-seventies with nimble feet twirl his wife out and back, then bend her into a dip that ended in a kiss.

“Loosen up.” Remy admonished, when EV remained stiff in his arms.

“I’d rather just go back to my room.” For once, her thoughts and her words matched.

“We’d have more privacy if we went to mine.”

Not if you were the last man on earth.

“Why are you here? After all this time, what’s behind this compulsion you seem to have for mending fences? Lila says you two have managed to successfully avoid each other for years, despite running in similar circles. So, why now?”

“I came for you, EV. When I heard Lila was getting married, I knew you’d come. I had to see you.”

“Why? We don’t even know each other any more.”

“I’ve never forgotten you. Us. You can’t tell me you don’t remember how good we were together.”

I think I threw up in my mouth a little.

“I remember.” EV let her body loosen and become more pliant. She dropped her head onto his shoulder. He pulled her more tightly against his body; dipped his head to bring his lips closer to hers.

Nope, nope, nope. There’s a limit.

EV pulled back, pushing him away. “I can’t be with you right now, I need to go.” She let him think she was torn by her own desire for him. With his ego running rampant, he reached that conclusion on the tiniest of leaps.

In the rush of getting away from Remy while she still had enough control to keep from breaking cover and telling him exactly what a jackass he really was, she passed right by Dalton, who glowered in the shadows. He, however, had no problem giving Remy a piece of his mind.

* * *

With EV clear of the room, Remy returned to the bar, a smirk on his face. No way he could lose now. This should have been his plan all along. What better way to take down the community he hated than by turning their own figurehead against them. All he had to do was get her into bed; get her addicted to him again. She’d do anything to please him, just like before. He wondered if she was still a tiger in the sack—maybe he would take his time with it. Inject the poison slowly, then watch her burn Ponderosa Pines to the ground. Figuratively, of course.

Too busy gloating, he paid no attention to the man who