Page 58 of Welcome to Murder Week

“I keep her in gin,” he says. “I stopped by Tracy’s flat at about five o’clock to give her a fresh bottle and thank her.”

“And where were you later that evening, specifically from eight o’clock to ten o’clock?” Amity says.

“I helped out at The Lonely Spider until 8:30, went home and took a quick shower, and was here by nine.” Dev raises his arm, calls over one of the waiters, who corroborates his alibi.

“We were slammed,” the waiter says. “Best night ever. We could barely stop to take a breather.”

“Now, what can I get you?” Dev says.

Wyatt and Amity get red wine and join Naomi and Deborah. I hop off the stool and jerk my head toward the back room.

“I’ve got questions,” I say.

The door swings behind us, and we’re kissing again. I kiss his beautiful lips, press my body against his. “This gin-bartering business. Who else are you trading favors with?”

His lips are on my neck, my collarbone. “What makes you think I’m so easy?”

“You’re not exactly playing hard to get.”

“I’m very discriminating,” he says, nibbling on my ear.

“You’re driving me crazy,” I say.

“Yeah? That’s good.”

Why can’t I stop kissing this man?

“I should get back,” he says.

His mouth is on mine again.

“Me too. I’m on the trail of a murderer.”

“Are you sure you don’t need to question me some more?”

“I probably should. I mean, to be thorough.”

“Let’s take this interrogation home, to my place.”

I pull back, look him in the eye. “For real?”

He puts a finger under my chin and tips it up. “No joke.” He kisses me lightly. “What do you say?”

Instead of answering, I kiss him back. And why not? It’s a foreign fling, all in good fun, nothing more.

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

On a quest to try all the pubs in Willowthrop, Naomi and Deborah convince Wyatt and Amity to join them at the Goat and Spur down by the river. I hang back at Moss, nursing my second Hanky Panky. By the time Dev’s closing up, I’ve had only half. I’m not completely sober but not buzzed enough that I’m not nervous about going back to his place. Was I jittery like this with that cute engineer I met at Kim’s New Year’s Eve party? I remember laughing a lot and having a few good nights. I must have felt skittish then too and just don’t remember it because the whole thing was over so quickly.

Neither of us says a word on the short drive. The full moon makes a mosaic of shadows throughout the garden as we walk to the cottage. I’m worried our earlier ease has vanished forever and that this is going to be awkward. But as soon as Dev latches the cottage door behind us, he turns and takes me in his arms.

“Now I’ve got you where I want you.” His lips are on my neck. Is he kidding?

“That’s a classic villain line.” It’s ridiculous how much the pretend danger turns me on.

“Is it?” Dev whispers. His lips move up behind my ear. “It’salso what’s said by a bloke who’s been thinking about this since the moment he met you.”

Between my fingers, his hair is thick and smooth.

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