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When she felt eyes on her and turned from the frying pan to see him leaning in the doorway, arms crossed, watching her, she knew he liked what he saw.
She let her smile come, though it was a little self-conscious, a little nervous. “Good morning.”
“Morning,” he said. “The whole house smells so good my mouth is watering. Sausage?”
“And pancakes.”
“Tyler loves pancakes.” .
“I know. That’s why I made them.” She turned her attention back to the pan, rolling the sausage links with a fork. The burner beside it held a griddle, pancakes bubbling on one side, ready to flip. “Is he up yet?”
“Not yet. Won’t be long.” He crossed the room to stand beside her, looking over her shoulder at the food. Then he reached around her to pick up a spatula, used it to flip the pancakes. The action brought him very close, his body rubbing against hers, his face close and bristly, his arm encircling her.
She could have easily closed her eyes and leaned back against him. But she managed not to.
“I could get used to this, Kara.”
She lowered her head a little, then started when first his breath and then his lips whispered across her neck.
“I like having you here when I wake up.”
“I... I like it,too.”
“Yeah?”
She turned to face him. His body was still very close, touching hers. She brought her gaze to his and asked, “Did you love your wife, Jimmy?”
He blinked. Clearly those had not been the words he’d been expecting to hear. “I did. I loved her a lot. She lied to me, cheated on me and damn near killed my son.”
She nodded. “I didn’t think you were the kind of man who’d marry a woman he didn’t love.”
He lowered his gaze a little too quickly, and a flutter of alarm came to life in her chest. She pushed it down and swallowed her fears. “And what about since then? Have you... dated a lot of women?”
His frown told her he wondered why she was asking so many questions. “No. Hardly any, as a matter of fact. I’d pretty much decided I didn’t need anyone again. But then I came back here and saw you again, Kara. And everything changed.”
“Did it?”
He nodded firmly. “What’s wrong?”
Hell, she didn’t know what was wrong—aside from the fact that she was falling and falling hard. For him, for Tyler, for this whole dream he’d planted in her mind. It was growing too fast, unfurling skyward like Jack’s bean stalk and carrying her hopes into the clouds as it grew. She was afraid to climb to the top, afraid she would find one giant heartbreak, instead of a dream come true.
But she couldn’t very well tell him all that.
“Nothing’s wrong,” she said. “I was just curious.”
He nodded but seemed to be studying her. “I think you’re worried. Maybe a little unsure of me. You shouldn’t be, Kara. Maybe... maybe if I tell you my plans for the day, you’d feel better.”
“You have plans?”
He nodded. “Our dinner by the falls got ruined last night. And I had such big hopes for that. I’ll make it up to you tonight, I promise.”
“You don’t have to apologize for that. You were worried about Tyler. And I’m not going to feel save leaving him with anyone but us. Even my family. I just... want him within reach at all times until we’re sure that creep who hurt Colby is behind bars.” She looked up at him, saw something like admiration in his eyes. “So if you’re planning to try again with that picnic by the falls, I think we should bring him with us.”
“I agree completely,” he said. “I was thinking of something else entirely. Later in the day. My first errand today is going to be to see your local police chief, Earl Wheatly.”
“I thought your first stop would be to visit Colby in the hospital.”
He nodded. “You’re right. That’s where I’m meeting Wheatly.”
