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Only a step away, she turned around with a smile. “Hi.”
“Hey.” He dropped a kiss on her cheek. “How was the rest of your afternoon?”
“Good.” Her cheeks were flushed, eyes a little hotter than before as she nibbled her lip. “I know we said we’d be casual. So I guess you’re surprised I’m here.”
“It’s a good surprise.” He grabbed a carrot off the cutting board and threw it into his mouth.
She stared at his lips longer than necessary. “Kinsley wanted to make you dinner, and since I’m going to be staying with her, she insisted I come too.” Her teeth bit down on her lower lip, calling him forward. It didn’t surprise him when she blinked and turned away, getting back to work on cutting the vegetables.
“Only Kinsley wanted to make me dinner?” he murmured, letting his gaze roam over the sweet curves of her body, tempting him.
“No, I did too.” Her voice was husky, soft, and eager. “I also wanted to see if I could help any more with the case.”
Knowing all she’d been through lately, he softened his voice. “Is that the only reason?” He shoved his hands into his pockets so he wouldn’t grab her and kiss her until she was melting beneath his hands.
Slowly, she glanced over her shoulder. Their gazes held. The air between them heated, rich with all the things she wanted and all the things he wanted to give her. “What if I say no?” she asked playfully, her eyes hooded now.
“I’d say let’s skip the dinner and go straight for dessert instead.”
She gave him a sexy smile, then went back to her cutting. “Kinsley’s outside grilling the steaks.”
“Of course she is.” He stayed put, not trusting himself to get any closer. “Did everything in the shop go well?” he asked, wisely changing the subject.
Peyton nodded. “Better than I thought it’d be. It’s just weird, you know, trying to get the image of that poor woman lying there out of my head.”
Sometimes images never left, no matter how hard you tried to scrub them away. “It’ll take a while to forget.” He spotted Kinsley now through the window as she stood at his grill. “But life goes on, and that’s the way of it.” He sidled up next to her. “Anything I can help with?”
“Wanna break up the lettuce?”
“Sure.”
He washed his hands, then settled in next to her right as she said, “I guess you’re kinda used to that kind of thing, huh?”
“You never get used to death.” He ripped the lettuce into smaller pieces, placing them in the salad bowl. “Every single victim is right there in your mind. Of course, some stay with you longer than others, but you never forget them. Just like you’ll never forget Lauren Francis.”
“I sent her family flowers today,” Peyton said.
He glanced sideways at her. “Did you?”
She nodded and gave a little shrug. “I mean, I don’t even know her, so I feel weird going to the funeral, but I”—she smiled softly—“I felt like I had to do something.”
“You’re a kind woman, Peyton, and I’m sure they appreciated them.” It occurred to him that, from the time he met Peyton, she’d always seemed inherently good. And her soft manner warmed parts in his chest he’d thought long dead.
Once he finished up with the lettuce, Peyton added in the veggies she’d been cutting. “I haven’t stalked your house or anything, but what I’ve seen of it is really beautiful.”
“I’m glad you think so.” He smiled, liking being next to her. He felt…comfortable. “Most of the work I did myself, but Rhett and Asher helped with the big renovations.”
“Really?” She glanced around, reassessing. “How did you know how to do this? I can barely hang a picture up straight.”
He chuckled, catching the strands of hair that fell from behind her ear and tucking them back again. “My grandfather loved carpentry and building things in general. When I was growing up, he taught me what he knew.”
“Wow.” She leaned back against the counter. “Consider me even more impressed than before.”
“I’m not sure why that impresses you so much.” He took a step toward her. “I thought you already knew I’m good with my hands.”
A sexy smiled curved her mouth. He closed the distance between them, watching as her chest lifted and fell heavily. Her cheeks flushed pink, her eyes holding his intently. Compelled to get closer still, he took another step until he placed his hands on either side of her. Her chin tipped up, lips parted for his kiss. His fingers instinctively slid against her cheek, sliding into her hair, as his desperation to claim her overwhelmed him.
And then there was only his mouth on hers as he kissed her gently, teasingly, seeing how much she would offer him. She gave him everything, closing the rest of the distance, pressing all her soft curves against him. He tightened his fingers in her hair, tilted her head, and deepened the kiss, his tongue softly stroking hers in a perfect rhythm.
