Page 22 of In Another Lifetime

“My partner, Amber Anderson,” Dayton said to me, introducing the blonde woman with a frown darkening his expression.

“He put together my grill last night,” I defended.

“Oh, did he? Hmm… You must be the new girl, then. Nice to meet you,” Amber effused.

I shook her hand by rote, returning the sentiment.

“I’ve never seen his so taken—” the woman went on.

“Anderson,” he warned through his teeth.

She ignored him. “When Dutch looked over at you, Windsor about lost his shit. So possessive, so soon. This’ll be fun to watch.”

“That’s what happened?” I asked, startled both by Amber’s words and her amused, speculative demeanor. None of it led me to believe she was a hard-ass detective. But last night, Dayton had claimed she was.

“Yeah. Apparently, he ‘doesn’t get to make snide—’” She made air quotes, but she cut off, her hands dropping as I heard Kale behind me, apparently catching her attention. “Oh, hello,” she said. “And who is this?”

I turned toward Kale, and this time, it was Dayton growling. Seemed as if we had the same affliction.

“That’s Kale.”

“Her brother,” Kale added. “Twin brother. Protector. You know…”

Dayton thrust out his hand. “Dayton Windsor. Boyfriend.”

“So I’ve heard.”

I narrowed my eyes at Kale. “I didn’t say boyfriend.”

God knew, I didn’t want Dayton to think I’d made assumptions. But he’d just said…

“Well, I am. Are we still on for dinner?”

Somehow, in the next moment, I ended up reeled in against his chest, and he kissed the top of my head. So nice. I could stay right there forever, breathing in his woodsy Dayton scent and absorbing his warmth. I’d missed the feel of his embrace so much.

“Yeah,” I breathed, straightening away from him and forcing myself to step back. It took all my fortitude, though.

“You sure you’re okay?” he confirmed.

“Yeah. Yeah, I’m fine. Kale was here with me the whole time.”

Dayton hummed a soft noise, and I didn’t think he believed my answer. Smart man. He’d always been intuitive. After Seeing Dutch, having him glare at me like that, I definitely wasn’t ‘okay’. And from the way Day watched me, I wondered how long it would be before he figured out I was keeping more secrets than I let on.

Fourteen

Vale

It seemed appropriate that I’d never been to this restaurant with Dayton.

“This looks good. Have you been here before?” I asked after the waiter had left our meals—a spinach and artichoke pasta for me and a steak with baked potato and carrots for Day.

He shook his head while he unrolled his silverware then placed the napkin in his lap. “The place went up a few years ago, but I don’t really go out much. Brennan and I get takeout a lot when I don’t try to cook. You’ve witnessed how well that’s gone. Smoke alarms and charred food.”

“Maybe, we could cook together sometime. I love to cook.”

“Maybe, we can,” he agreed, and he sounded genuine and not as if he were placating me. “Fair warning: Gordon Ramsey would have fits over my pathetic attempts.”

“Do you think that’s all for show?”

---