Once Craved (a Riley Paige Mystery--Book #3) Read Free

Now her schedule meshed with
April’s, and Riley dreaded the likelihood that this would someday have to
change.
    Best to enjoy it
while I can, she
thought.
    Riley went back into
the house just in time to hear the front doorbell ring.
    She called out, “I’ll
get it, Gabriela.”
    She opened the door
and was surprised to find herself facing a smiling man she hadn’t seen before.
    “Hi,” he said, a bit
shyly. “I’m Blaine Hildreth, from next door. Your daughter is over there now
with my daughter, Crystal.” He held out a box to Riley and added, “Welcome to
the neighborhood. I’ve brought you a small housewarming gift.”
    “Oh,” Riley said.
She was startled at the unaccustomed cordiality. It took her a moment to say, “Please,
come on in.”
    She accepted the box
awkwardly and offered him a seat in a living room chair. Riley sat down on the
sofa, holding the gift box in her lap. Blaine Hildreth was looking at her
expectantly.
    “This is so kind of
you,” she said, opening up the package. It held a mixed set of colorful coffee
mugs, two of them decorated with butterflies and the other two with flowers.
    “They’re lovely,”
Riley said. “Would you like some coffee?”
    “I’d love some,”
Blaine said.
    Riley called out to
Gabriela, who came in from the kitchen.
    “Gabriela, could you
bring us some coffee in these?” she said, handing her two of the mugs. “Blaine,
how do you like yours?”
    “Black will be fine.”
    Gabriela took the
mugs into the kitchen.
    “My name is Riley
Paige,” she said to Blaine. “Thanks for stopping by. And thank you for the
gift.”
    “You’re welcome,”
Blaine said.
    Gabriela returned
with two mugs of delicious hot coffee, then went back to work in the kitchen.
Somewhat to her embarrassment, Riley found herself sizing up her male neighbor.
Now that she was single, she couldn’t resist. She hoped he didn’t notice.
    Oh, well, she thought. Maybe he’s doing
the same with me.
    First, she observed
that he wasn’t wearing a wedding ring. Widowed or divorced, she figured.
    Second, she
estimated that he was about her age, maybe a little younger, perhaps in his
late thirties.
    Finally, he was good-looking—or
at least reasonably so. His hairline was receding, which wasn’t a strike
against him. And he seemed to be lean and fit.
    “So, what do you do?”
Riley asked.
    Blaine shrugged. “I
own a restaurant. Do you know Blaine’s Grill downtown?”
    Riley was pleasantly
impressed. Blaine’s Grill was one of the nicest casual lunch places here in
Fredericksburg. She’d heard that it was terrific for dinner, but hadn’t had a
chance to try it.
    “I’ve been there,”
she said.
    “Well, that’s mine,”
Blaine said. “And you?”
    Riley took a long
breath. It was never easy to tell a total stranger what she did for a living.
Men especially were sometimes intimidated.
    “I’m with the FBI,”
she said. “I’m—a field agent.”
    Blaine’s eyes
widened.
    “Really?” he said.
    “Well, on leave at
the moment. I’m teaching at the academy.”
    Blaine leaned toward
her with growing interest.
    “Wow. I’m sure you’ve
got some real stories. I’d love to hear one.”
    Riley laughed a bit
nervously. She wondered if she’d ever be able to tell anybody outside of the Bureau
about some of the things she had seen. It would be even harder to talk about
some of things she had done.
    “I don’t think so,”
she said a bit sharply. Riley could see Blaine stiffen, and she realized that
her tone was rather rude.
    He ducked his head and
said, “I apologize. I certainly didn’t mean to make you feel uncomfortable.”
    They chatted for a
few moments after that, but Riley was aware that her new neighbor was being
more reserved. After he politely said goodbye and left, Riley closed the door behind
him and sighed. She was not making herself approachable, she realized. The
woman starting a new life was still the same old Riley.
    But she told herself
that it hardly