Page 37 of Deadly Secrets
“Hang on a minute, Win.” He muted the phone, then rose from his chair, coming over to her. His blue eyes bore into hers and he smelled like a fresh shower. “Hey, doc. How’d you sleep?”
“Great.” She covertly breathed in deep, enjoying his freshly showered scent and lifted her empty coffee mug. “But I’m going to need more of this excellent stuff.”
He took her empty hand, leading her over to the counter. A glass carafe like she’d seen in fancy coffee shops sat half full. “Help yourself,” Roman said. “I’m just getting an update from Win about your rental car, and then I’ll get dressed and we can grab some breakfast on the way to the range.”
Oh, right. The gun. It was still sitting on the nightstand. She was afraid to touch it. “Yeah, about that—”
“Let me finish this call,” he said, giving her a peck on the forehead that startled her before he returned to the breakfast bar and started talking to Winslow again.
She tried to listen to what Winslow said about Detective Benedict’s report, but her pulse skipped and her ears rang from Roman’s kiss.
It wasn’t a kiss, just a friendly peck. Get over yourself.
She poured fresh coffee and opened the fridge, keeping her back to him. Even first thing in the morning, he looked like a Greek god and already had her tongue-tied. Last night was one thing—she’d been shook up and slightly tipsy from the brandy—but this morning was a whole other beast. She had to get control, quit fantasizing, stop letting him get under her skin.
There were eggs in the refrigerator, bread too. She started pulling things out, setting what she needed for omelets on the counter. Then she searched the cabinets for a skillet.
Roman appeared at her side with a half-smile on his face and led her where she needed while he talked to Win. Ignoring the tingling she felt at his nearness, she waved him off, snatched up the biggest skillet in the assortment and went to work.
While the omelets cooked and the bread toasted, she dialed David and got his voice mail. She almost breathed a sigh of relief. It was much easier to leave a message explaining why she wouldn’t be flying to Utah and the dig site for several days than it was to explain it all live. She’d still have to handle his disappointment, but at least with last night’s rental car ordeal, she had a good excuse to delay her departure from California.
Roman was refilling his coffee cup when she finished, finally done with his call. “No news on your perpetrator, but Win got hold of the video footage from the parking lot. He’s sending it to me so we can review it.” He leaned a hip on the counter. The lines around his eyes and the shadows under them told her he hadn’t slept nearly as much as she had. “Thanks for making breakfast. It smells amazing.”
She slid the omelets onto two plates and carried them over to the bar. “Grab the toast.”
He did, also digging through the fridge to unearth some jelly and two apples. He handed one of the apples to her and sat down. His thigh bumped hers as he reached for a piece of toast. “No one but my mom has cooked for me in ages.”
No girlfriend?she wanted to ask, but shoved a bite of egg into her mouth to stop the question. “Maybe you need an upgrade in your overnight company.”
He chewed a big bite of toast and gave her a funny look as he swallowed. “I’m not sure I follow.”
“Never mind. I’m being weird.”
He bumped her leg again with his, on purpose this time. “I like your brand of weird.”
She nearly choked on her eggs. Her brain searched frantically for a safer topic. “I’m afraid of that gun you gave me. I left it upstairs. I’m having second thoughts about learning to shoot.”
He got up, went to an upper cabinet and pulled out two glasses. “Why?”
“I don’t want to kill anyone.”Or hurt myself by accident.
From the fridge, he withdrew a carton of orange juice and poured both glasses full before returning it. “You should know how to defend yourself.”
“I’m not an agent. I’m a consultant. I sit at a desk most of the time, analyzing criminals, not going after them in person.”
“I’m not talking about for protection when you’re working dangerous cases.” He plunked a glass in front of her. “I’m talking about for your personal safety.”
The orange juice, the apple…Mr. Healthy was still taking care of her even though she’d made breakfast. “Let me guess, you’re the oldest of your siblings.”
His gaze darted away and she realized she’d accidentally hit a nerve. “Not quite. I had an older brother. Percy.”
Had. Something had happened to Percy and Roman didn’t want to talk about it. “Sorry. It’s just you’re always taking care of everyone and you’re an overachiever. Classic first-born syndrome.”
“True.”
That was it. No further explanation. She sipped at the orange juice, fishing for a new topic. “This isn’t fresh squeezed.”
He did a double take. “What?”
