“Of course. We’re… a… you know… team, right?” I fumbled over my words because speaking from the heart wasn’t natural for me. I was getting better though.
“Thank you for being so sweet, Max.”
I shrugged. “I don’t know that I’m doing anything very amazing. I simply love you.”
Some of the strain left his face. “It’s nice to come home, knowing you’ll be here. When the stress gets to be overwhelming, I always think about how lucky I am that I have you in my life.”
“I feel the same way.” Perhaps that would have been the perfect time to tell him I wanted to live with him permanently, but I didn’t want that happy news tainted with the tragic death of Lincoln. I’d tell him in a few days. It could keep. I wasn’t moving out immediately.
He leaned down and kissed me, and I responded eagerly. There was nothing as perfect as the feel of his lips on mine. It centered me. Made me feel calmer. I inhaled his scent and pressed closer, aching for more. He slipped his calloused hands under my untucked shirt, and I sighed.
When the kiss ended, he pushed the hair off my face, studying me intently. “Let’s eat something quick and easy.”
“Okay.”
“Mind scrambling some eggs while I take a quick shower?”
“It would be my pleasure to burn some eggs for you, Sheriff.” I smirked.
He laughed. “I’ll be back in a minute.”
“Take your time. I’ll probably go through a few batches before success is mine.”
He disappeared down the hall, and I went into the kitchen. I whisked some eggs with heavy whipping cream and poured them into the heated, buttered skillet. I watched them like an eagle, slowly swirling them into a light and fluffy consistency. I wasn’t sure why, but they weren’t sticking to the pan like usual. Amazed I’d succeeded on my first try, I scooped them onto the plates I had ready. Then I made a pile of toast and carried the food to the table.
Royce walked into the kitchen two minutes later, looking more relaxed. His hair was damp, and he wore a fresh uniform. The scent of his coconut shower gel filled my nostrils as I joined him at the table.
“Dinner is served,” I said, taking my seat.
He grinned and picked up his fork. “Looks delicious.”
“You may not believe me, but I didn’t burn anything. I think I might have the egg thing down at long last.”
“Progress is a good thing.” He shoveled eggs into his mouth and took two pieces of the whole-grain bread from the plate. He didn’t talk for the next few minutes; he just concentrated on eating as much as possible, quickly.
I nibbled on a piece of toast, watching with awe at the way Royce packed away his food. He ate a lot but somehow never seemed to gain weight. I wondered if his eating habits would catch up with him as he got older. Perhaps they would, but for now, he seemed healthy as a horse.
Once the eggs were consumed, along with most of the toast, Royce got up and took his plate to the sink. I joined him and watched as he rinsed his plate andmine. He looked less stressed than when he’d first arrived home. I liked knowing I was a part of why.
“How soon do you need to go back to the station?” I asked.
He glanced at his watch. “Maybe forty minutes or so. Lincoln’s case deserves my full attention.”
“Of course.”
His smile was gentle. “You deserve attention too.”
“Oh, don’t worry about me. I’m fine. Before you know it, I’ll be seeing patients again, and there won’t be any time for boredom.”
“True.” His eyes flickered. “Any news on escrow?”
I hesitated. “Uh, yes. It closed today.” Since he’d asked point-blank, I had to be honest.
He lifted his brows. “Max, why didn’t you say anything?”
I grimaced. “You were in a bad place when you got home. I didn’t want to just brush over Lincoln’s murder. The escrow thing pales in comparison.”
“Not really. I mean, it’s a big deal for you.” He stepped closer. “Congrats, Max. I should have brought home a bottle of champagne or something.”
