it best not to mention it to him either—not yet anyway—not until she was certain she could trust him.
A sharp rap on the front door brought her running from the kitchen. Seeing the crown of his dark brown hair, she took a calming breath and swung the door wide. Holding it open for him, she struck a sexy pose with one hand on her hip. “Hello, Colin.”
His eyes lit up and an enthusiastic smile spread across his face. “Wow, Emily. You look amazing.”
He stepped over the threshold, unable to take his eyes off of her. “Babe, you are smokin’ hot.”
“That’s the look I was shooting for,” she teased, pushing the door shut.
“Well, you definitely hit your target—three shots to the heart.” He groaned, throwing his right hand over the center of his chest and wincing as if he’d been hit.
He better be the real deal, ’cause this man is definitely stealing my heart.
She stepped closer and his arms were instantly around her, drawing her into him. He lowered his face to hers, their lips brushing softly together, sending a thrill down her body.
Her off-the-shoulder sweater invited his next kiss there, as his lips tenderly grazed her sensitive skin.
She couldn’t stop the little shiver that danced up her spine.
He leaned back, studied her face, as if he were memorizing it. When he closed his eyes, she knew what was coming next and she steadied herself against him as his soft warm lips claimed hers.
“You are such a distraction, Emily.”
“Is that a bad thing?”
“I wouldn’t say that. It’s just that I was going to tell you something when I came in, but when I saw you, everything else flew out of my mind.”
“What did you want to tell me?” Emily ran her hands over his broad shoulders, feeling the pulsation of energy streaming between them.
“It may be nothing, but there was a black sedan parked across the street. I’m pretty sure it was a BMW.”
Emily ran to the window and peeked out through the blinds. “No one there now.”
“It drove off when I swung into your driveway. I wasn’t able to see the license plate.”
“What about the driver?”
“Tinted windows, but it looked like a woman to me—light skin, dark hair pulled back, sun glasses.”
“Isabel drives a black BMW.” She hadn’t meant to say it out loud.
“Why would it be Isabel?”
“Oh…um, maybe she was coming to see me,” Emily covered, “but decided not to bother when you pulled up. She probably figured we wanted some alone time, you know, after everything that’s happened.”
It was probably best to keep her doubts to herself.
Colin looked puzzled. “Wouldn’t Isabel be at her house right now? I mean, the party is at her place tonight.”
“Yes, of course, you’re right. I don’t know why I said that.” She tightened her hold around Colin’s waist and laid her head on his chest, hiding her face. “The only other person I know with a black BMW was Delia McCall’s late husband, but that would be silly to think it was her.”
“The car would have passed to her when he died, right?”
“Yes. I think it was owned by her company, so she may still have it, but why would she be following me?”
“We don’t even know if it was her, or if it was even the same car. It could have been someone innocently visiting one of your neighbors, couldn’t it?”
“I suppose.” Emily leaned back and looked up at Colin. “This is your last night here, so let’s not talk about it anymore tonight.” Emily was determined to shut the thoughts of the black car out of her mind for the evening. She had more urgent things to concentrate on.
~*~
Camille planned the party menu around Josh’s favorite foods. He deserved it after all he had been through, thinking he was coming home for a happy wedding and then getting caught in the middle of a murder.
The food was beyond amazing—her rib-eye steaks, baby back ribs, grilled salmon, fresh corn on the cob, homemade sides, juicy watermelon and four different desserts. Maggie and Josh couldn’t stop raving.
Emily helped Camille bring the food out to the serving tables on the sprawling stone patio. And as Emily walked through the French doors with a platter of ribs, she noticed Colin standing on the lawn, talking to Alex and Jonathan. He looked in her direction when she stepped out and a warm, bright smile lit up his face. She returned the smile and moved to the serving tables.
As she set the platter down and covered