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Mind made up, she opened the door to find him standing on the other side, fist raised to knock.
His brows rose. "Um, I was going to see if you wanted to watch that movie we never got to last weekend."
She smiled, her cheeks heating, and nodded. "Sure, I don't know why I said I was going to write. I'm not in the right headspace."
He stepped back so she could walk ahead of him as he said, "Oh? What's on your mind?"
She almost tripped on the steps and was glad he was behind her. She knew her face would've shown all her thoughts. She cleared her throat.
"Wondering how that whiskey and cheese tastes."
He chuckled. "I was hoping you'd say that. I just finished making popcorn and have a nice whiskey glass that's begging to be used."
You and me both, whiskey glass.
Good God, where had that thought come from? Her cheeks burned as she hit the bottom of the stairs and went into the kitchen.
He cleared his throat and grabbed the glasses while she found a plate and knife for the cheese. "So tell me more about this book you're writing."
They stepped into the living room before she replied. She set the whiskey and cheese on the coffee table while he brought the glasses and bowl of popcorn.
"It's a space fantasy with some romance sprinkled in. The girl moves to a new planet and stumbles on a dead body. There's a local cop who tries to keep her out of the investigation, but she's nosy and won't let it alone."
"Ahh, I see. And what made you decide on that type of book?"
She sank onto one end of the couch and poured a glass.
"Nana and I used to watch Murder She Wrote and Matlock all the time when I was a kid. That and Jeopardy. I play a mean game of trivia. Do you play?"
Mason scowled and shook his head as he sat, making her laugh.
She teased him. "Oh come on. Who doesn't like trivia game night? Every bar these days has a trivia night."
He hunched his shoulders and crossed his arms. "I don't get out much. If I go to a bar, I'm probably undercover. I like to play pool or darts. I'm good with my hands and like to have easy access to something that can be used as a weapon."
She glanced at his hands, big and rough and—she blushed, pulling her gaze away.
"I like fun space movies too, like Star Wars, Star Trek, even Spaceballs and Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. I don't like the sad space movies where people die though. Not a fan of that emotional turmoil. I'd rather there be a problem to solve, you know?"
He continued after an awkward beat of silence. "I can understand that. But for the record, I don't think you're allowed to be a fan of both Star Wars and Star Trek. I think you have to pick a side and defend it as better."
She frowned at him. "Who says?"
He shrugged. "Everyone. Plus, Star Wars is clearly superior quality and story line."
She burst out laughing and punched him in the shoulder, making him smile. "I see which team you root for. Have you even read the books, though?"
He shrugged. "I like reading, but all I read are Star Wars canon and old western books like Louie L'Amour. I used to watch Walker, Texas Ranger with my Pops. And all the Lethal Weapon movies."
She nodded as he grabbed the remote and turned on the streaming service. "I assumed you'd love that show, just based on your occupation. And you seem like a Lethal Weapon kind of guy."
He chuckled, low and deep, the sound vibrating through her body as she took a sip of the whiskey. It burned as it went down. Without a chaser, she relied on cheese and popcorn, and it was a tasty combination.
"What's that supposed to mean? A Lethal Weapon kind of guy." He hit play on the movie and kicked his boots off.
She poured him a drink into his new whiskey glass and set it on the coffee table in front of him.
"I'm just saying, you've been in law enforcement your entire career. I'm guessing you're thirty-something, right? You would've been too young for Rambo or Top Gun. But the Lethal Weapon franchise made three more movies within ten years. Those would've been prime childhood absorption years."
