Chapter 63

Celia started to light into Riley as soon as Pete was gone from the room but found herself pinned against her desk by a prickly bear. The words got stuck in her lungs when she saw the heat of anger in his eyes. If it were just anger she saw there, she mightÕve found her voice and ripped him a new one, but there was something else there, something that looked a lot like fear.

Riley was so mad he could hardly see straight. He wasnÕt in his right mind when he grabbed her by the front of her shirt and brought her in close until their noses almost touched. ÒAre you out of your fucking mind?Ó Celia felt a sensation similar to a cold wind blowing over her skin at the guttural words.

Fighting back was not the way to go in this instance she realized, he needed to be soothed. In her head, she was already throttling back and trying to assess the situation to come up with the best solution. Telling him that this was her job and that sheÕd been in worse predicaments and probably would