AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Good enough. Thanks, Kenny. Pass my thanks along to the rest of the crew.” He ended the call and turned to Jessica. “I sort of invited myself to sleep on your couch.”
He grinned at her. It was becoming obvious he had no idea what that grin did for her. The cute little dimples that appeared in the thoroughly masculine face with what appeared to be a permanent five o’clock shadow were somehow incongruous, and yet seemed to fit perfectly.
“I think we can do better than the couch,” she teased.
“How much better?” he bantered back, waggling his eyebrows at her and making her laugh.
“Depends…”
“On what?”
“I haven’t decided yet. The plot is continuing to unfurl, and I’m not sure where it’s going to lead me.”
“Do you know where you want it to end?” he asked, his tone turning serious.
“I think so, but as a writer, especially a mystery writer, I know that there are always twists and turns that can derail any plot. The only thing we can do is to enjoy the ride and hope we get the happy ending we want.”
He nodded. “Good enough. Let’s head back to your place.”
Jessica called Sudie en route to say that Thorn would be staying with them and asked if Sudie needed her to stop for anything. Sudie assured them they were all set, and dinner would be waiting.
Jessica suppressed her need to roll her eyes and groan as they entered the house. None of the electrical lights were on. Instead, there was a fire in both the living room and dining room fireplaces and lit candles everywhere she looked. Sudie was obviously matchmaking.
When she’d renovated, she’d opened up the floor plan, especially on the main floor, but had made sure the interior retained its charm and elegance from the mid-eighteenth century.
Tracer came romping through the house with Sudie not far behind him. She set a large salad in the middle of the dining room table. Jessica leaned down to talk to Tracer. The table, with candles, was set for two.
“I’ll take Tracer with me. That way you two can work on whatever you like without his snoopervision. Let me go get the bucatini.”
Jessica sighed. “She has all the subtlety of a freight train.”
“I’m not sure what you mean, but the house smells amazing.”
Jessica sniffed the air, nodding. “That would be the garlic and pancetta from the bucatini with lemony carbonara, or perhaps the fresh-baked focaccia bread with garlic and cheese, or then again…” She sniffed a second time. “…that could be the roasted pear flan. Take your pick.”
“I take it you don’t eat this way every night?”
“Oh hell no. Don’t get me wrong, Sudie is a great cook, and she takes really good care of me, but we’re a lot more casual. This, my friend, is all for you.” He had the silliest grin she’d ever seen on a man’s face. “Wipe that smirk off your face. We have yet to decide where you’re sleeping.”
“I don’t know, I feel pretty confident that I’ve got Sudie’s vote.”
“What makes you think I’m the opposition? Actually, your hardest sell will be Tracer. He doesn’t fancy getting booted off the bed.”
“How much room could a dog with that short of legs take?”
Jessica laughed. “Oh, you’d be surprised.”
“Well, what do you say we go lock this stuff up, and then come enjoy this lovely dinner and see how it goes. I may tease and flirt with you, Jessica, but at the end of the day, to me no means no. And it doesn’t matter when that no comes.”
Looking into his face, she realized he meant what he said. “Thank you for that.”
They walked into her office, and she turned on the vintage desk lamp, walked over to the fireplace, and tripped a lever on the mantle to open a panel on the wall that housed an antique safe similar to the one in Gregory Thompson’s office. Jessica removed one key from her desk and another from a concealed holder under a sewing machine table with ornate iron legs that she used to hold her printer.
“Your keys, sir,” she said, offering them to him.
“I’m tempted to ask if you might offer the one to your heart so easily, but it sounds a little cheesy to me.”
She stepped up to him, placed her hands on either side of his face, and drew his head down to press a brief but passionate kiss against his lips. “That’s okay, Wilder, I like a little cheese with my wine.”
