Read Blue Christmas for Free Online Page B

a smile, “But I love it.”
    The pleasant exchanges, first with the valet and then the hat check clerk, buoyed her spirits. Maybe this evening wouldn’t be horrible. She admitted, even for her, spending Christmas Eve in her cold, lonely apartment didn’t make sense.
    Entering the ballroom, she was greeted by a chorus of happy voices, many of them calling out her name. Soon she was surrounded by members of her team and others, all welcoming her. One after another, people she barely knew came over to congratulate her and to say how wonderful she looked. Even the pointed stares at her risqué dress from the dumpy brigade—as she’d named the spiteful wives who occupied a corner at every event—didn’t bother her. She shrugged and reminded herself that if she looked like they did, she’d be mad too.
    The room was festive, and after sipping on a glass of holiday punch she began to relax. She smiled to herself, knowing she really had it bad when even the music didn’t bother her.
    And then she saw Brady.
    He was standing across the room in the midst of a group of men and women all seemingly eager to get his attention. He turned and met her eyes. A storm of sensation flooded her. She gasped for air but her lungs were too tight to catch the breath. A wave of dizziness made her legs shake and she grasped the edge of the table for support. Her heart was pounding so hard she was sure the people around her could hear it.
    He was gorgeous. Towering over the next tallest man, he looked like a Viking warrior. Tall, strong and muscular. Brady was wearing a formal dress suit, but rather than a tie or bowtie like the other men, his white silk shirt was open at the neck. His hair was tied back with a leather cord, a rakish counterpoint to his dark golden brown beard shadow. His jacket and trousers, cut in the latest GQ style, strained against his muscular shoulders and thighs.
    Tiffany forced herself to meet his gaze. A slight smile tugged at the corner of his mouth but his eyes were dark, a stormy green sea. He was like a panther. Lean, sleek, predatory. She struggled to suck in another breath.
    He raised his glass to her in an ironic salute, then turned back to answer General Thornton’s question.
    Tiffany glanced at the exit wondering if she could make it to the door without falling. She reminded herself, she’d walked in—surely she could walk out. Preparing to flee, she was stopped by the tinkling of a spoon rapping against a glass, the universal call to order.
    Colonel Marion stood at the front of the room and Tiffany’s heart sank, realizing that he was about to speak and that there was no way she could leave now.
    After welcoming everyone, Colonel Marion introduced the General, his wife, and other dignitaries. After the usual clapping and humorous introductions and good will amplified by the presence of punch and eggnog, the Colonel’s expression grew serious.
    “We have a special reason to celebrate this Christmas. One of our teams just participated in an unusually dangerous operation. To my joy and relief they all survived the mission. To my even greater joy, they took down a vicious international criminal who had the power to do more evil in the world than any of us can conceive.”
    Tiffany listened to Colonel Marion describe the mission as much as he could, given the high level of secrecy it entailed. A feeling of dread crept up her spine when she heard the Colonel begin to name the members of the team. Her fear eased somewhat when she thought he was simply going to list their names. But after he’d introduced the members of the backup squad, he stopped, allowing for a round of applause.
    Tiffany thought she might faint when her worst fear came true.
    Colonel Marion looked around the room and met her gaze. He smiled at her.
    “I’m pleased to introduce two people who deserve much more recognition that we can give them tonight—although appropriate medals are on the way. In truth these two people are heroes and