“Yep,” Dalton said, and was gone in an instant.
“Back to parent-trapping?” Ford almost looked apologetic as he walked over.
“Seems so,” Andrew said, glad for the moment alone, to be honest, because the warmth came back just from seeing Ford. He knew what it was; he just hadn’t felt it in a while. And he definitely hadn’t said it. “I’ve, uhh… got nicer ice cream bowls in the end cabinet there.”
Ford moved to retrieve them, while Andrew took out the ice cream, the scooper, and a knife for the brownies, excitedly removing the tinfoil.
“You getonepiece,” Ford said.
“I’d like to see you enforce that.”
Ford chuckled, but it wasn’t only for the comment. After getting down the bowls, he pulled out the Santa mug that Andrew had drank wine from at Christmas. “I was wondering where he might be. You know, one of these days, you might find him mysteriously missing.”
“Like my T-shirt and sweatpants?”
“Why, Andrew, I have no idea what you mean.” Ford replaced the mug, and then moved slowly back across the kitchen to join him, making it clear that he was prowling on purpose. He leaned into Andrew’s body as he made to reach for the knife to cut into the brownies, but then merely hovered.
Andrew leaned closer too, drawn to Ford’s eyes, and his lips, and clutched at his shirt to pull them together—
“Do you have whipped cream instead of—” Kevin cut off abruptly as he blew into the kitchen, neither of them having enough time to pull away, and leaving it obvious what had been about to happen. “Never mind! Ice cream’s fine!” he blurted and bolted back into the dining room.
“Shit. That was stupid,” Ford grumbled, pulling away and snatching up the knife. “After that damn article, we need to be less careless.”
All at once, they were back to the animosity from when Andrew first welcomed him into the house. “I know you’re worried about Dalton, but I really think—”
“You have no idea what might happen.” Despite his anger, the brownie pieces turned out perfectly symmetrical. “This case is bad enough. The more Dalton gets pulled in, the more chance there is that someone will come after him to get to me.”
“Have you been threatened?”
“I get threatened every day,” he looked at Andrew snidely, “and not only by criminals. I don’t want Dalton to become a part of that world.”
“I hate to tell you this,” Andrew said softly, “but he already is. It doesn’t matter how much he knows about our work or us or your enemies. He’s at risk because youhaveenemies. But you’re not alone.” He tried to reach for him, but Ford stepped back like Andrew’s touch was corrosive.
“This isn’t permanent.”
“I know…” Andrew’s stomach roiled again, but he thought that, maybe, Ford looked apologetic for snapping. “But it is addicting. I’m sorry Kevin saw.”
“Think he’s in there telling them all?”
“No, but I’ll have to talk to him.”
“At least he and Riley are even now.”
“I wouldn’t say that,” Andrew sneered. “I almost wish the thief was you, running jobs through the classifieds again, so you could have some reassurance about Dalton. No criminal hotline to contact to find out more?”
Ford’s expression slackened.
“I’mjoking.”
“I’m not.” Ford stepped abruptly closer. “Willow G. I think she was giving me a hint.”
“Who?”
“Do you want to make this up to me? All of it?”
“Uhh… yes?”
“After dessert, once we leave, I’ll text you where to meet, and you go along with everything I say. Deal?”
