Read Online Christy Barritt - Squeaky Clean 04 - Dirty Deeds by Christy Barritt - Free Book Online
Authors: Christy Barritt
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“What was that?”
He shrugged, that same satisfied smirk on his face. “Riley. He’s … he’s different. He’s changed since I saw him last.”
I shrugged, really not sure what to say, which was unusual for me. “People do change.” I certainly had. In fact, I’d changed mostly since I’d met Riley, and it was all for the best. He’d shown me how empty my life was before. Not before him, but before I understood how desperately I needed Jesus.
There was a time when I’d never thought I’d say those words. Now I couldn’t imagine not saying them.
“All right.” Derek looked me up and down like I’d just offended him. “I’m just saying I never thought I’d see the day when Riley Thomas would turn down a party.”
I nearly choked. Thankfully I didn’t have anything in my mouth or it would have been ugly. I tapped my chest just to make sure I hadn’t gone into shock. “We must be talking about the wrong person.”
Derek grinned, his eyes lighting with amusement. “He didn’t tell you?”
“Tell me what?”
He nodded in that very urban, uppity manner that seemed to fit him so well. “You’ll have to ask him about it.”
My brain whirled faster than a computer at NASA. “I will. Believe me.”
Just then, Ajay rounded the corner. “Miss St. Claire!”
I caught a quick glimpse of Derek. Why were his eyes dancing in amusement? It almost seemed like he was making assumptions that he shouldn’t be making. The little turd.
Ajay held out something in his hands. “You left this.” He handed me some lip balm I’d left at his table.
I blushed as I took it from him, which was ridiculous. There was just something so chivalrous about the man, something that time seemed to leave behind as a relic of the past. Even Riley, who was extremely considerate, didn’t seem quite as charming when he treated me like a lady. “Thanks. Sorry about that.”
“No, really, it was my pleasure.” He offered a slight bow before continuing on his way.
When I looked up, Derek’s eyebrows were suspended and a sly grin stretched across his lips. “Interesting.”
My hands went to my hips. “What’s interesting?”
“This can be our secret, Gabby.”
My eyes widened, and I shook my head. “It’s not like that.” I was going to have to pull out some crime scene stories here soon, just to horrify him enough to change the subject. It worked every time.
He nodded, appearing unconvinced and as smug as ever. “It’s okay. I get it. Now I know where you were sneaking off in the middle of the night.” He flashed another grin.
I forgot about my crime scene story strategy. “You saw me last night?” My mouth gaped wider.
“I’m a bit of an insomniac. But it’s like I said. You don’t have to worry.” He straightened the starchy white collar of his shirt. “I make a living keeping secrets.”
I stepped close enough that I could hiss and still be heard. “I’m not worried about you keeping any secrets, because you have no idea what you’re talking about. You’re full of hot air.”
“Feisty.” His raised eyebrows clearly showed that he didn’t believe me. “I look forward to getting to know you this week, Gabby.” He snapped his arm up and glanced at his watch. “Now, I’ve gotta say that I’m late for my workshop. Don’t tell my boss. Oh right, that’s me!”
I let out a fake laugh, one that quickly ended as soon as Derek walked away.
Our conversation wouldn’t leave my thoughts quite as easily. Riley? A partier? Those words didn’t compute together in my brain.
Riley was the good boy who always went to church every Sunday. Who read his Bible every morning. Who turned to prayer right away when things got tough—and even when they didn’t.
Riley was not a partier. Certainly he would have mentioned that at some point during one of our conversations.
But now that I thought about it, we didn’t really talk much about his past. I knew he’d grown up in a Christian home, so I just
He shrugged, that same satisfied smirk on his face. “Riley. He’s … he’s different. He’s changed since I saw him last.”
I shrugged, really not sure what to say, which was unusual for me. “People do change.” I certainly had. In fact, I’d changed mostly since I’d met Riley, and it was all for the best. He’d shown me how empty my life was before. Not before him, but before I understood how desperately I needed Jesus.
There was a time when I’d never thought I’d say those words. Now I couldn’t imagine not saying them.
“All right.” Derek looked me up and down like I’d just offended him. “I’m just saying I never thought I’d see the day when Riley Thomas would turn down a party.”
I nearly choked. Thankfully I didn’t have anything in my mouth or it would have been ugly. I tapped my chest just to make sure I hadn’t gone into shock. “We must be talking about the wrong person.”
Derek grinned, his eyes lighting with amusement. “He didn’t tell you?”
“Tell me what?”
He nodded in that very urban, uppity manner that seemed to fit him so well. “You’ll have to ask him about it.”
My brain whirled faster than a computer at NASA. “I will. Believe me.”
Just then, Ajay rounded the corner. “Miss St. Claire!”
I caught a quick glimpse of Derek. Why were his eyes dancing in amusement? It almost seemed like he was making assumptions that he shouldn’t be making. The little turd.
Ajay held out something in his hands. “You left this.” He handed me some lip balm I’d left at his table.
I blushed as I took it from him, which was ridiculous. There was just something so chivalrous about the man, something that time seemed to leave behind as a relic of the past. Even Riley, who was extremely considerate, didn’t seem quite as charming when he treated me like a lady. “Thanks. Sorry about that.”
“No, really, it was my pleasure.” He offered a slight bow before continuing on his way.
When I looked up, Derek’s eyebrows were suspended and a sly grin stretched across his lips. “Interesting.”
My hands went to my hips. “What’s interesting?”
“This can be our secret, Gabby.”
My eyes widened, and I shook my head. “It’s not like that.” I was going to have to pull out some crime scene stories here soon, just to horrify him enough to change the subject. It worked every time.
He nodded, appearing unconvinced and as smug as ever. “It’s okay. I get it. Now I know where you were sneaking off in the middle of the night.” He flashed another grin.
I forgot about my crime scene story strategy. “You saw me last night?” My mouth gaped wider.
“I’m a bit of an insomniac. But it’s like I said. You don’t have to worry.” He straightened the starchy white collar of his shirt. “I make a living keeping secrets.”
I stepped close enough that I could hiss and still be heard. “I’m not worried about you keeping any secrets, because you have no idea what you’re talking about. You’re full of hot air.”
“Feisty.” His raised eyebrows clearly showed that he didn’t believe me. “I look forward to getting to know you this week, Gabby.” He snapped his arm up and glanced at his watch. “Now, I’ve gotta say that I’m late for my workshop. Don’t tell my boss. Oh right, that’s me!”
I let out a fake laugh, one that quickly ended as soon as Derek walked away.
Our conversation wouldn’t leave my thoughts quite as easily. Riley? A partier? Those words didn’t compute together in my brain.
Riley was the good boy who always went to church every Sunday. Who read his Bible every morning. Who turned to prayer right away when things got tough—and even when they didn’t.
Riley was not a partier. Certainly he would have mentioned that at some point during one of our conversations.
But now that I thought about it, we didn’t really talk much about his past. I knew he’d grown up in a Christian home, so I just
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