AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Was he going to kiss me? Did I want him to?
Just as our lips were about to meet, a loud, indignant bleat from the top of the stairs shattered the moment. We jerked apart, heads swiveling to find the source of the noise. There, at the top of the stairs, stood Gertie, her little goat face scrunched up in clear disapproval.
The sound of hooves clattering against the wooden steps filled the air as Gertie charged into the basement, and I couldn't help but burst out laughing at the absurdity of the situation. Tucker wore a bemused expression on his face as Gertie trotted over to us, her ears flicking back and forth.
She stopped right next to our faces, her nose mere inches from ours. With a huff, she wedged her little head between us, clearly displeased by our compromising position. Her soft fur tickled my cheek as she bleated again, clearly scolding us.
I rolled off the behemoth who’d broken my fall with his body, landing with a thud on the dusty floor beside him. He sat up, resting one long arm on his bent knee, the other propped on the floor as he stared down the goat. “How’d you get in here?”
“She doesn’t talk, ya know.”
He flicked me a glance, then turned back to the newest member of the kissing police. “Did you leave the front door open?”
I knew the question was for me, not the goat, so I shook my head. “No, but there was a window open in the kitchen. She’s kind of a ninja, too. Y’all would get along great.”
He grunted, then turned his attention to the hole I nearly fell through. I felt the shift in him almost immediately, and I popped up from my position on the ground to see what he’d seen.
"Is that…?" I asked, scooting closer to get a better look—but that also meant closer to him, the warmth of his body radiating in the chilly basement air.
Gertie huffed, as if already disapproving of our proximity.
I chuckled softly, leaning back on my heels, as Tucker reached down to fish the key from between the floorboards. His strong hands made the delicate object look even smaller.
“This doesn’t go to anything I’ve seen down here,” he muttered, studying the intricate design of the key. His brow furrowed, the intensity of his focus only making my heart beat faster.
“Tucker.” My voice came out quieter than I’d intended, and when he looked up at me, his eyes locking with mine, it felt like the air between us thickened.
“What?” he asked, curiosity sparking in his eyes, as if he knew exactly where I was going with this.
"You’ve gotta let me help you with this case. Please."
The corner of his lips twitched, just enough to hint at a smile, as he held the key up between us. "You true crime girls, I swear."
"Tucker, that key looks like it fell straight outta Jack Sparrow’s pocket. Please. I’ve gotta be a part of this."
He narrowed his eyes at me, but it wasn’t in frustration. No, it was something else. Something… teasing. The way he was looking me over made my stomach flip. “I don’t know. Will you promise to stay out of trouble if I do?”
I bit my lip, trying not to laugh. "No."
He finally chuckled for real, a deep, rumbling sound that sent a shiver down my spine.
"What?” I asked. “You want me to lie to you?"
"Never."
"I can promise that."
"Never to lie to me?" His tone softened just slightly, enough to make me pause.
"Yep. We can shake on it right here." I offered my hand, holding it out between us, the air charged with something unspoken. “But you have to promise the same thing.”
He stared down at my hand, and for a second, I thought he might not take it. But then, slowly, he reached out, his much larger hand enveloping mine. The warmth of his skin against mine sent a bolt of electricity up my arm, making me catch my breath.
But before I even had a chance to process that spark, a new sensation shocked me even harder.
Wet and slimy.
We both jerked our heads down just in time to see Gertie’s tongue retract after giving our joined hands a thorough lick.
