The ride home was the exact same distance as the ride to the resort, but it felt different, flying by so much faster than Kathryn preferred. She held tight to Jake’s hand, locked in a fantasy that had become her reality.
As they rolled up his driveway, a word hit her stronger than it ever had before.
Home.
She’d never moved in with a guy. Even with her husband, they didn’t move in together until after saying I do . . . which undoubtedly contributed to her biggest mistake.
She’d lived every moment of married life as an intruder. The house had been his, and he took every opportunity to mark it. A series of matrimonial missteps made wedded bliss an exhausting, eggshell-walking ordeal.
Her toothbrush should go here.
The cups don’t go there.
Although there were two walk-in closets in the master bedroom, they were taken, but she should feel free to use the others around the house.
From the second she’d moved in, divorce loomed closer. And the road to redemption would be filled with cold, mechanical, snore-worthy sex. For a guy who spent years fine-tuning his knowledge of anatomy, the surgeon extraordinaire couldn’t once find her clit. She’d once half considered drawing an arrow pointing to it using a Sharpie.
Jake was the polar opposite—easygoing and fun, with a dark side that made her wetter than a Slip ‘N Slide. Their bond was different. Deeper. A connection forged by his blood and her tears, forever binding them.
Jake insisted on a memorable entry into the house. No sooner had she hopped out of his truck than she was flung over his shoulder, butt up and giggling. “God, I love this gorgeous ass.”
“My eyes are down here,” she shouted from below.
“Pipe down,” he said with a strong smack on her cheek. Rubbing her jeans, he reminded her, “I’m not looking at your eyes.”
About to head to the stairs, their fun was interrupted by a call. With his phone in his back pocket, he asked, “Mind getting that?”
Upside down, she tugged the cell from his pocket and handed it to him.
“Hey, Scott.” Jake clicked it to speaker, then set Kathryn on her feet so he could talk with the detective. “Kathryn’s here too.”
“Jake, we got a break. A name.”
Jake’s hand smoothed over Kathryn’s shoulder as he responded. “If the name is Carter, we’ve got more investigating to do.”
Delaney’s irritation came through. “If you’re already two steps ahead of us, what the fuck are we doing? Pardon my French, Kathryn.”
“I’m an Army nurse, not a nun, Scott. And it’s not Jake and his team pumping the brakes. It’s me.” Kathryn’s calm pushed beyond her concern. “I wish I could say more, but it’s a very strong hunch.” Wincing, she said, “And there’s a Carter Reeves who is both military . . . and my ex-husband.”
“Say no more.” Delaney’s voice was insistent. “Let’s leave it at you’ve got a hunch. Let me know if I can help.”
Kathryn let out a small sigh of relief.
Jake pulled her close, tightening his hold with a soft kiss. With a telling gaze, he asked a question. “Since we’ve got you on the phone, Scott, we’re cleared to drop by Kathryn’s place so she can pick up a few things, right?”
“I’ll do you one better. I’ll meet you there. We’re done with her car. I can drop if off if you give me a ride back.”
“Deal,” Jake said, caressing Kathryn’s cheek and giving her a tender kiss as he disconnected the call.
* * *
Kathryn smiled, overflowing with excitement as they headed back to his beast of a truck to drive to her condo. Just a few months back, she’d pretty much written off romance. Before Jake, picturing herself as a spinster with a cat or two, or eight or nine, seemed inevitable.
But with the way his warm hand spread over her knee, any life without his touch would be impossible. Their connection was inescapable, not that she had any reason to flee. Her hand fell gently on his, giving it a lingering squeeze.
At her condo, Delaney was standing beside her HR-V, which was a sight for sore eyes.
As soon as they got out of the truck, Kathryn blurted, “I’ve missed you.”
Delaney’s grin was the largest she’d seen. “Well, at least someone appreciates me.”
She lifted off the ginormous hug she’d just given her car to pat him on the arm. “I always appreciate my favorite detective.”
Instantly, the silence filled with the unspoken questions about Carter. As she struggled to begin a sentence, Jake jumped in.
“Kathryn, how about you grab a few things? I’ll catch Scott up. My guess is he’s as glued to the indoors as I am, and the fresh air will do us both good.”
She nodded, keeping the PDA to a minimum with a subtle peck to his cheek. “I’ll put my car in the garage and grab a few things.”
“No rush. Take your time.” Between those bright hazel eyes and his dazzling smile, she needed just one more kiss.
The heavy, stale air of the condo hit her. Suddenly, very little about it seemed like the home she’d made for three years. As she passed the bathroom, the eerie feeling that someone had been watching her made her glad she was leaving.
In the bedroom, she grabbed a large suitcase she rarely used, and began collecting her things.
From behind her, she heard a man ask, “Going somewhere?”