green house next door. I went to college at FSU, then grad school at UCF. I’ve traveled quite a bit but always lived in Florida.” I settled against the headboard and drew my legs beneath me.
Aaron followed my lead and leaned his back against the wall. “They transferred Samuels and me to the Rivera case. With all of the media coverage, the chief is under a lot of pressure to find those kids.”
“He put the best detectives on it?”
Aaron ran his hand over the back of his neck. “Yeah, I guess.”
“Are you allowed to talk about it? I’ve seen some of the news coverage. It’s awful.” I couldn’t take my eyes off him.
“The father isn’t giving us any information. He’s our only suspect. It feels off.” Aaron shrugged. “Let’s not talk shop. I want to know about you.”
“What do you want to know?”
“Let’s see. You know how to shoot a gun. Do you hunt?”
“If you count tin cans as hunting.” I laughed. “Do you?”
“I used to with my dad. We’d camp out in the mountains and bring home enough deer to last months. I haven’t gone since I moved to Florida.” His eyes lost their sparkle.
“When did your dad pass away?”
Aaron tilted his head. “My senior year of high school. Both of my folks were killed in a car accident. How did you know?”
“I read people for a living. What they say with their words is only half of what they actually say.”
“You should have been a police officer.” He laughed. “You’d make a good one. You’ve had a rough go of it the last few days, and you’re still standing.”
I smiled and touched his cheek. “That’s because I was raised by two genuine southern ladies, sweet as honey and tough as nails.”
He leaned forward and brushed his lips across mine. The angle made the kiss awkward. I pulled back as the image of him hugging two young children flashed through my mind for the second time.
“Do you have kids?”
“Uh, no. Why do you ask?”
“I don’t know. It just occurred to me you might have kids.”
He leaned forward to put his beer on the nightstand and kissed me again. This time his mouth pressed more firmly to mine. He traced a slow line across my lower lip with his tongue as he pulled away. His eyes locked on mine, and I kissed him again. I’d imagined kissing him since we’d first met. The real thing was better than I thought it would be.
I ran my hand to his chest as he slid his arm around my shoulder. He eased me closer and tangled his fingers in my hair. We held each other, lingering in the kiss. When we parted, he nuzzled his face against mine. I melted.
He whispered into my ear, “Who takes care of you, Tessa?”
My breath hitched in my throat, and I shook my head. Any other time I would’ve said I could take care of myself. Lately, my life had had more twists than Mae’s soap operas. The idea of someone taking care of me sounded pretty darned good.
He pulled back and brushed his fingers over my cheek. “You look tired. I should go?”
“Stay.”
Chapter 24
I smelled bacon and snuggled into the pillow. Aaron’s cologne lingered, reminding me of the night before. I threw the blankets off and slid into my jeans. Where had Aaron gone?
I had to give myself props for keeping my hands to myself—well, mostly to myself. My lips ached from too much kissing. I brushed my teeth and splashed some water on my face. I pulled my hair into a ponytail and limped into the kitchen. The limp purely for Aaron’s benefit.
Aaron and Bryson sat at Mae’s table eating a mountain of eggs, bacon, and grits. Both men turned and smiled. They seemed too friendly with each other. I went for the coffeepot and stumbled over the box of old bottles.
“Are you okay?” Aaron stood to help.
“Yes, just not used to having a box in the middle of the kitchen.” I slanted my eyes at Bryson, and he shrugged.
“When do you have to be in the office?” I sat and sipped my coffee.
“I’m off, unless they call me in.” Aaron motioned
Aaron followed my lead and leaned his back against the wall. “They transferred Samuels and me to the Rivera case. With all of the media coverage, the chief is under a lot of pressure to find those kids.”
“He put the best detectives on it?”
Aaron ran his hand over the back of his neck. “Yeah, I guess.”
“Are you allowed to talk about it? I’ve seen some of the news coverage. It’s awful.” I couldn’t take my eyes off him.
“The father isn’t giving us any information. He’s our only suspect. It feels off.” Aaron shrugged. “Let’s not talk shop. I want to know about you.”
“What do you want to know?”
“Let’s see. You know how to shoot a gun. Do you hunt?”
“If you count tin cans as hunting.” I laughed. “Do you?”
“I used to with my dad. We’d camp out in the mountains and bring home enough deer to last months. I haven’t gone since I moved to Florida.” His eyes lost their sparkle.
“When did your dad pass away?”
Aaron tilted his head. “My senior year of high school. Both of my folks were killed in a car accident. How did you know?”
“I read people for a living. What they say with their words is only half of what they actually say.”
“You should have been a police officer.” He laughed. “You’d make a good one. You’ve had a rough go of it the last few days, and you’re still standing.”
I smiled and touched his cheek. “That’s because I was raised by two genuine southern ladies, sweet as honey and tough as nails.”
He leaned forward and brushed his lips across mine. The angle made the kiss awkward. I pulled back as the image of him hugging two young children flashed through my mind for the second time.
“Do you have kids?”
“Uh, no. Why do you ask?”
“I don’t know. It just occurred to me you might have kids.”
He leaned forward to put his beer on the nightstand and kissed me again. This time his mouth pressed more firmly to mine. He traced a slow line across my lower lip with his tongue as he pulled away. His eyes locked on mine, and I kissed him again. I’d imagined kissing him since we’d first met. The real thing was better than I thought it would be.
I ran my hand to his chest as he slid his arm around my shoulder. He eased me closer and tangled his fingers in my hair. We held each other, lingering in the kiss. When we parted, he nuzzled his face against mine. I melted.
He whispered into my ear, “Who takes care of you, Tessa?”
My breath hitched in my throat, and I shook my head. Any other time I would’ve said I could take care of myself. Lately, my life had had more twists than Mae’s soap operas. The idea of someone taking care of me sounded pretty darned good.
He pulled back and brushed his fingers over my cheek. “You look tired. I should go?”
“Stay.”
Chapter 24
I smelled bacon and snuggled into the pillow. Aaron’s cologne lingered, reminding me of the night before. I threw the blankets off and slid into my jeans. Where had Aaron gone?
I had to give myself props for keeping my hands to myself—well, mostly to myself. My lips ached from too much kissing. I brushed my teeth and splashed some water on my face. I pulled my hair into a ponytail and limped into the kitchen. The limp purely for Aaron’s benefit.
Aaron and Bryson sat at Mae’s table eating a mountain of eggs, bacon, and grits. Both men turned and smiled. They seemed too friendly with each other. I went for the coffeepot and stumbled over the box of old bottles.
“Are you okay?” Aaron stood to help.
“Yes, just not used to having a box in the middle of the kitchen.” I slanted my eyes at Bryson, and he shrugged.
“When do you have to be in the office?” I sat and sipped my coffee.
“I’m off, unless they call me in.” Aaron motioned
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