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“The friendship or the guest house?” It was a struggle to keep it light with the pressure sitting on my chest.
The slightest hint of a smile ticked at the edge of her pretty mouth.
Dangerous to my resolve. To my discretion. To my sanity.
“I’m thinking the guest house thing,” she said, eyeing me like she thought I might have ulterior motives. I wasn’t entirely sure I could promise that I didn’t.
Savannah dropped her gaze for a second before she fluttered those lashes back up to me. Hesitation clashed with some kind of determination. “But maybe we can consider the friendship thing as time goes along.”
It was a bad sign that disappointment cut me through.
“Why would you turn down the guest house? Not high enough for your standards?” I arched my brow, prodding her with the tease. The problem was that below it ran a needy desperation.
That aqua gaze narrowed, sassy vixen back in full force. “It fits my standards just fine. Maybe I just don’t want to live by you.”
A chuckle scraped my throat. “I’m that bad, huh?”
“I told you that you are too overbearing for my taste.”
I had to restrain myself from asking exactly what tastes she had. If she liked to be fucked hard and fast and ruthlessly, or if she wanted it tender and slow and sweet.
A shallow breath left her like maybe she’d plucked the visions right out of my mind before humility filled her voice. “I told you I couldn’t afford it.”
“I never told you what the rent was.”
She let go of a slight huff. “I think I could deduce it just fine.”
“Well, maybe it’s been sitting empty for too long, and I’m desperate to rent it out.”
Doubt filled Savannah’s laughter, and she shook her head as she sat back in the booth, staring across at me like she could see straight through me. Not to the other side, but to the middle, like she held the power to forage around in my secrets. In my shame and regret. All the way to the determination of what I was willing to do.
“And maybe what you’re really desperate for is to find someone to save, and you’ve pegged me as someone who needs it.” It rolled out a challenge, gaze flashing in a torrent of blue, liquid fire. “And I can assure you, Officer Patterson, that I’m not in the market for someone to look after me. And don’t think I’m not grateful for what you’ve done for me because I am, but I am much stronger than you think.”
Pushing from the booth, she started to walk.
I couldn’t stop the urge, the compulsion, and one second later, I had her by the wrist, a fool stopping her from leaving.
Surprise left her on a gasp, and my voice was coming out far too low as she shifted to peer down at me. “Maybe I do want to keep an eye on you, Little Trespasser. Maybe I like looking at you.”
Disbelief had her frozen while I sat there wondering what the fuck I thought I was doing. Crossing a clear line, that was what.
Because there was no mistaking what I’d meant. Where my mind had gone.
It sent that energy swirling around us, awareness thrumming thick.
I didn’t know how much time passed before Savannah finally let go of a throaty, knowing chuckle as she untangled herself from my hold. Only she didn’t move away. She leaned in close, her voice pure captivation as she murmured, “I think you need to ask yourself just how closely you want to look, Officer Patterson.”
Then she turned and strolled off, her long legs exposed in the denim cut-off skirt that hit her mid-thigh, a blue tank hugging her torso, white tennis shoes on her feet.
Casual.
And to my ultimate demise, the sexiest thing I’d ever seen.
I had no choice but to watch her go, attention tracking her as she moved around the café checking on her tables.
I jolted when Ryder suddenly slipped into the booth opposite me like I’d had my hand dipped way down deep in the cookie jar.
Perfect-fucking-timing.
I’d been too caught up to even realize he’d shown. I was meeting him, our other cousin Caleb, and our best friend Cody for lunch. I’d come early so I could get a chance to talk to Savannah alone, which of course I’d had to go and take that conversation fifteen steps too far.
Ryder nudged my shin under the table with the tip of his shoe as he ran a tatted hand through his jet-black hair. He was tall and lean but packed with muscle, covered head to toe in ink. Dude oozed mayhem, but luckily, he’d put that sordid period of his life behind him.
“Ah, I see Dakota isn’t the only one who’s enamored with the town’s newest resident.” The words were filled with insinuation.
I scrubbed a palm over my face to break up the trance Savannah had me under. “Don’t know what you’re talking about.”
