Page 26 of Too Lethal to Love

He dropped his eyes to his lap and shook his head. When he raised his gaze, admiration shone in their big sky-blue depths.

“I thought Scarlett was the smartest, hardest working woman I’ve ever met, but I was wrong.”

She stared at him for a long heartbeat, then another, suspended in a compliment that shouldn’t feel so intimate. Finally, she looked away, afraid to let his high praise and the sincerity in his words sink too deep into her heart. “Thanks. The good Triple X will do for this world is immeasurable.”

Reaching over, he gently nudged her chin with his fingers and tipped her head up. “Triple X will save many lives, but it’s not the drug I find fascinating.”

The heartfelt, sexy words stalled her heart.

He nudged her chin with his knuckle and dropped hishand. “You still haven’t told me what you do in your spare time. Spill the details.”

His statement, delivered in that sexy twang with a good dose of gritty bossiness, amplified everything she shouldn’t feel for Kane and spiked a desire to give him what he demanded.

“I like to teach my science class to the kids at church because science is exciting, and the kids are fun. I like to go shooting with Scarlett. I like to visit the museums and monuments in DC even though I’ve seen them dozens of times. I like to organize things because it helps me feel like I’m in control, and I love Christmas.”

He smacked his hand over his heart. “Really? I would have never guessed.”

She swatted his arm. “Shut up. Your house had plenty of decorations too.”

“That’s mostly Gran. Tell me more about what you enjoy doing.”

“There’s not much more to tell except I like to go dancing and take martial arts classes.”

He quirked an eyebrow. “Lucky me. I’ll be the only guy at the party with a woman lethal in a fight and on the dance floor.”

“Yeah, you will.” She prayed he didn’t think she was lethal after she told him about her cursed past.

Beth motioned to the brick colonial two-story at the end of a cul-de-sac. “That’s where I grew up.”

Kane surveyed the quiet suburban street. “Your house has the best Christmas lights on the block.”

“It does.” Green garland with red berries outlined the porch and the garage. Two lit-up lofty pine trees sat on either side of the porch steps with large, colorful presents underneath. Lush wreaths with deep-red bows matching the red shutters and door hung from every window. She pointed to the sled and reindeer on the roof. “My father was pretty excited about those new additions.”

“They are damn cool. My dad used to put a giant Santa on the barn roof when we were kids.”

“Was the barn red?”

He pulled a photo from the sun visor and handed it to her. “Yup, and full of horses, including my sweet girl.”

“Oh my God, Kane, she’s gorgeous.” Beth stared at the huge, glossy black mare standing in front of a red barn with a wreath around her neck and a Santa hat perchedbetween her ears. “She’s the prettiest animal I’ve ever seen. What’s her name?”

His grin brightened the cloudy day. “Holly Jolly, because she was born on Christmas Eve.”

“I knew you liked Christmas as much as I do.” She wagged the photo at him.

He snatched it from her hand and tucked it into the visor. “Don’t tell the guys I dressed up my horse.”

“Ooh, Kane has a secret.” She shimmied her shoulders in her seat. “I’ll be keeping that tidbit in my back pocket for the next time you piss me off.”

“Great.” He rolled his eyes. “I’ll make you a deal. You keep your mouth shut and I’ll take you to West Virginia and give you a riding lesson once this is over.”

“And let me drive the Buick?”

“Don’t push it, sugarplum.” He held out his hand. “Do we have a deal?”

She placed her palm in his and shook. Driving the Buick would be fun, but seeing him astride a horse in tight jeans and his hat under a big blue sky was worth conceding her request. “Did you ever ride rodeo?” Her mouth watered at the thought of him in chaps on a bucking bull.

“A bit, but not competitively.” He pulled into the drive and turned off the engine. “I watched too many friends be taken away in ambulances. I played it safe and ran track.”

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