“Well, they’re likely long gone by now. We suspect they were here for the rodeo.”
“I’ll certainly keep my eyes open—and the phone close at hand.”
With a nod, he said, “The sheriff intends to increase the downtown patrol this week, so someone will be stopping in from time to time.”
“Good to know. Thanks again.”
He took the flower and headed out. Back at Reese Middleton’s B&B, he stripped down and stepped into a hot shower. Then he towel-dried his hair and selected a pair of pewter-colored dress pants and a button-down shirt in a slightly paler hue. He would’ve donned a tie were it not overkill in Wilder.
Six o’clock neared and he drove downtown again, parking his truck in the public lot a couple blocks from Pietro’s. He walked in the opposite direction, though, to Ginger’s boutique.
As he came through the door, she jumped and the bank deposit bag she held slipped from her fingers and dropped to the cashier’s desk.
Placing a hand over her heart, she said, “I swear, every time that bell over the door rings these days, I practically jump out of my skin.”
Ryan frowned. “You’re worried those guys are going to come back.”
Despite the sheriff thinking they’d taken the money and moved on, the thought of the robbers returning to the lingerie shop had crossed his mind more than once since Friday night. Especially if they considered Ginger an easy target, given her size and the fact she worked alone. Had she been open past six last night, he would have stopped in after he’d wrapped up his business. But the store’s lights had been off when he’d walked to his truck.
Admittedly, he’d beaten himself up a bit for letting the dark-haired culprit get away. True, Ryan hadn’t known at that point he’d robbed Ginger. He’d initially thought they were harassing her, which was all it’d taken to make Ryan tackle the bastard. In the end, though, it was unfortunate the thief had slipped through his fingers.
“I can’t imagine they’d come back,” Ginger mused, breaking into his thoughts. “We get a lot of tourists during the rodeo, and now that it’s over, I’m sure they’ve gone home.”
“It’s a possibility. You should be on the lookout for anything suspicious, regardless. And having some pepper spray handy wouldn’t hurt, either.”
That would certainly ease his mind a bit, since he knew she was here alone all day long. He’d also be on patrol, and that made him feel a little better. It was news he intended to share with her over dinner.
Handing her the long-stemmed rose, he asked, “You ready to go?”
She smiled as she took the flower from him. “This is lovely.” She sniffed the bud, then said, “Yes, I’m ready.”
After she collected her purse, she seemed to debate whether or not to bring the rose with her, as she stared skeptically at it.
“Everyone’s going to know we’re on a date, Ginger,” he told her. “Bring the flower.”
“Right.” The apprehension in her bright green eyes was unmistakable. But she didn’t hesitate further.
Ryan followed her out, admiring the gentle sway of her hips and the bit of bare legs she showed. Her black dress had the same modest hem as the skirt she’d worn the first time he’d seen her. The material pulled in tight around her narrow waist and it dipped low in the back, partially revealing her shoulder blades and the delicate line of her spine. The neckline, however, was conservative, not that she needed to show off her cleavage. With the dress hugging her enticing chest, it was a more sophisticated, alluring visual than anything blatantly put on display. Her tanned arms were bare and she carried with her a light wrap, also in black.
Her heels were higher than the others she’d worn, and Ryan wondered if she’d changed clothes prior to their date. She certainly looked fresh and vibrant with her long, plump blonde curls and the makeup she’d applied, once again wearing the red lipstick that made it difficult for him to take his eyes off her tempting mouth.
He held her belongings as she locked the door. Then she dropped the keys in the small clutch that she tucked under her arm. She carried the rose and the wrap in one hand as she linked her arm with his.
Ryan’s groin tightened at her nearness. The woman did crazy-wicked things to his body without really doing anything at all.
Glancing down at her, he said, “You look great. If anyone’s staring at us tonight, it’s because you’re a knockout.”
She let out a soft laugh that made his gut twist. Damn, he had it bad for her.
“I doubt that’s what anyone will be thinking. They’ll all be wondering who’s going to break the news to Lydia.”
“Already did that, sweetheart.”
Ginger stopped dead in her tracks, tugging on his arm and then releasing it. Alarm flashed in her eyes as he spun around to face her. “You told her?”
“You can’t keep this a secret. Besides, I don’t mind her knowing. You shouldn’t, either.”
She looked distressed as she said, “Maybe we shouldn’t do this.”