Page 65 of After All

He lifted a brow. “Oh, sorry. I didn’t know the rules here.”

“I do or say something sweet—like asking you about good memories here in Sapphire Falls—and then you do something that makes me want to take my clothes off.”

“Got it.” He brought her in for a kiss, but just before their lips met, he said, “I know just the thing.”

She blinked, clearly surprised to havenotgotten her kiss. But Scott reached for the two bottles of liquor he’d brought along.

“What’s this?” she asked, as he unscrewed the lid on the schnapps.

“Derek and I invented a shot.”

“Really?”

“The Sapphire Shooter. It’s got more than this in it, but blue curacao and peach schnapps are the main things.” He tipped the schnapps back, taking a mouthful. Then he did the same with the curacao, mixing the two in his mouth. Then he brought Peyton forward, putting his lips to hers. He kissed her and then opened his mouth and gave her the shot of liquor.

She was clearly surprised, but she swallowed, then pulled back. “That’s how you do a Sapphire Shooter, huh?”

“It’s one way,” he said. “You can be boring and use a glass, I guess.”

She laughed. “It’s good.”

“I know.”

“But you shouldn’t have any. You’re taking pain pills.”

He shook his head. “Last ones were last night. Haven’t even had ibruprofen today.”

She tipped her head. “Honest?”

“Promise.”

Finally, she nodded. “Okay.”

“Want another?” He lifted the bottle.

“Yeah. But first you have to tell me something else.”

“Like what?”

She thought about it for a second. “If you weren’t a cop, what would you want to be?”

“Easy. Teacher and coach,” he said.

“Really?”

He nodded. “Definitely. Perfect way to interact with everyone, be a positive influence on the kids, be a part of the community.”

“That’s a really big deal to you, isn’t it? Positively influencing the town.”

“Of course.” All towns. The whole fucking world, if he could. But Sapphire Falls for sure.

“You didn’t come right back to Sapphire Falls though,” she said. “You were in Omaha for a while, right?”

He lifted the bottles. He could use a shot or two if they were going to talk about Omaha. “Come on now, that’s more than one question.”

“We’re doing a shot per question?” she asked. “We’re going to be wasted.”

“You really feeling talkative tonight?”

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