Page 21 of Killian

Celine chuckled. “Not at all. My mother couldn’t stand him either. I should have listened to her instincts. I’m just glad I didn’t marry him. Something kept telling me not to.”

“Well, I’m glad you got away from him. Does he know you’re in Clifton now?”

“I’m not sure. I doubt he would show up here, but if he did, I would tell him to leave me alone. I would never go back to him. You and Blaine are so different; not just in manners or lack thereof, but also in looks. He was five ten and never let me wear heels when we went out. And he was blond with blue eyes, while you’re…”

“I’m what?”

“You’re the epitome of tall, dark, and handsome.” She laughed as Killian chuckled.

“Why, thank you, ma’am.” Killian grinned. “Have you ever married?”

“No. I dated a lot but none of them were marriage material, and the relationships didn’t last. The one with Blaine did though, but something kept nagging at me not to marry him. He asked me to marry him but I told him I didn’t want to get married. So, then he talked me into living with him. What a mistake that turned out to be.” Celine sighed. “He hid it so well before we lived together.”

They arrived at the restaurant and found a parking spot. Killian walked around the truck and opened the passenger door for Celine, taking her hand to help her step down. They walked hand in hand through the parking lot toward the entrance.

As they sat down at their table and looked over the menus, Celine glanced around the busy restaurant.

“This place is always packed,” she remarked. “How were you able to get a reservation?”

“Lucky timing,” Killian replied. “There was a cancellation right before I called.”

“That was lucky. We could have gone to the diner if you hadn’t been able to get one,” Celine said.

“We can go there the next time,” Killian replied.

Celine nodded. “Sounds good to me. Have you been here before?”

“I’ve been here a few times. The first time was with Creed after we solved his case.”

Their server brought out their food and set it on the table, wishing them anenjoyable meal before walking away.

****

Killian couldn’t take his eyes off Celine as they sat across from each other in the booth. To him, she was the most stunning woman in the entire restaurant. The warm glow of the candle on their table danced over her features, highlighting every curve and angle of her face. When she looked up and met his gaze, he was certain he had never wanted a woman more and every time she looked at him, it felt like a touch on his skin. She knew what she was doing to him.

“Why are you staring at me?” she asked with a playful smile.

“I was just thinking how beautiful you are,” he replied. A soft blush rose on her cheeks, making her even more alluring. “Why are you blushing?”

“I’m not,” she denied but sighed when he raised an eyebrow in disbelief. “Because I haven’t had a man compliment me like that in a long time. Blaine never did after we moved in together.”

“Well, get used to it,” Killian said with a grin as he took a sip of his iced tea.

Celine chuckled and leaned back against the plush seat. “So, how often do you see your parents?”

“About once or twice a month. My brother is actually in town. He’s staying with me and wants to talk to my boss about transferring here for work. He’s been taking care of my dogs and horses.” Killian’s grin widened. “I told him I miss my animals more than I miss him.”

Celine laughed. “I bet that went over well.”

“He threatened to not give them back,” Killian admitted with a sigh. “But enough about me, what about you? Do you have any family nearby?”

“My parents are in Spokane, Washington. I need to visit them. We’re pretty close.” Celine took a sip of her own drink before continuing. “You mentioned wanting to buy a house. Have you talked to a realtor yet?”

“Not yet,” Killian admitted. “I’ve looked at some houses online and driven by a few, but nothing has really caught my eye.”

“You should talk to Lydia Griffin at Clifton Realty. She’s amazing at finding people exactly what they want.” Celine tilted her head in thought. “So, what exactlyareyou looking for in a house?”

“I’d like a place with at least twenty acres of land and enough space for my horses.” Killian shook his head with a wistful smile. “I miss riding.”

---