Free Edge of Desire by Rhyannon Byrd Page A

her, so that she couldn’t read his expression. But there wasno mistaking the curious edge to his words, no doubt brought on by her embarrassing reaction to seeing Riley yesterday, after so many years of brooding over the way that he’d treated her.
    Though a part of her still believed that he’d deserved everything she’d literally thrown at him, Hope couldn’t help but feel mortified that so many people had witnessed her violent reaction. With the way that gossip ran wild in a small community, she had to assume that everyone in Purity had probably heard about the infamous “pie fiasco” by now.
    Coughing to clear her throat, she set down her coffee and responded to Kellan’s question with one of her own. “He, uh, didn’t tell you?”
    “Riley?” he snickered, fiddling with something that made the device make a low, buzzing sound for a few seconds. “Naw. That guy doesn’t tell me anything. But after yesterday, I have a feeling it’s gotta be one helluva story.”
    “I don’t normally do things like that,” she murmured, her cheeks burning with heat.
    He shot her a disarming grin over his shoulder. “The pies? They were a riot, but I was talking about Riley. About how he acted.”
    She blinked, not understanding. “What about him?”
    Turning back to his work, Kellan said, “The guy completely lost his cool when he saw you. In the time that I’ve known him, I’ve seen Ri in some pretty intense situations, and he’s never batted an eye. Never lostcontrol, not even once. He always just pulls it all in, never letting anything out, and then he sees you and whap! The guy’s been shaking like a leaf ever since.”
    A shaky, girlish giggle escaped before she could choke it back, and she covered her mouth, wondering where the quiet, detached Hope had gone. The one she’d lived with for so long now. “I’m sorry,” she said, “but that’s not exactly the imagery I would use to describe Riley. He seems so…intense. Grim, even.”
    “Yeah, well, it’s been a rough time for his family lately. Hell, for all of us.”
    “How so?” she asked, thankful that he’d eased into the subject on his own.
    He hesitated for a moment, as if deciding how best to respond. “It’s a long story,” he finally rasped, putting his tools back in the pack that sat on the floor beside him. “One that—”
    “You won’t be telling.” Riley’s gruff, husky voice suddenly cut in, making Hope jump, as if she’d just been caught doing something that she shouldn’t.
    “And that’s my cue to go,” Kellan murmured, flashing her another deep-grooved grin over his shoulder. “I still need to install some sensors in Millie’s room, but if you come over here, I’ll show you how they work. This one on the window will operate exactly the same as the one I installed on the back of your door.”
    Without looking at Riley—though she could feel the force of his presence filling the room, sharp and aggressive and insanely male—she moved to Kellan’s side andlistened as he explained how to set the high-tech gadgetry when she went to sleep at night.
    “Wow, that’s impressive,” she said when he was done with the simple explanation.
    Kellan flashed her a killer smile. “I’m more than just a pretty face, eh?”
    “And not an immodest bone in your body,” she drawled, rolling her eyes.
    He stood up and tapped her on the nose. “Let’s leave my body out of it, sugar, or I’m going to get myself in trouble.”
    A soft laugh fell from her lips as Riley looked between the two of them, then slowly shook his head. Kellan grabbed his backpack, winked at her, then headed out into the hallway, turning toward Millie’s room as he left them alone. Riley kept his eyes on her face while taking a drink of his coffee, the white mug appearing fragile in his strong, sun-darkened hand, then tore his gaze away, looking around the room. His eyes darkened as they roamed the white wooden furniture and froth of antique white lace on