“Can you identify the thief? Did you get a look at her?”
“She’s almost my height, has the softest brown hair, and these blue eyes…have you ever seen the dawn sky in spring just before the sun rises?”
“You are really spreading it on thick.”
“You wanted me to report the crime, didn’t you?”
“Yes.”
“And describe the thief?”
“Yes.”
“These blue eyes,” he went on. “Like a spring sky before daybreak when everything is soft and possible.”
“Uh-huh. Eyes: blue. Hair: brown. Sounds like a fairly average description.”
“Oh, she’s not average. Do you want to know the best thing about her?”
“The best thing. About this thief who stole your heart?”
“Yes. The thief. Do you want to know the best thing?”
“I want all the facts. So let’s hear it.”
The door latch rattled, a key in the lock turned, and then the door opened. Ryder stepped into the little entryway. “She’s a part of my life. I couldn’t imagine my day, night, or whatever hour this is, without her.”
I thumbed off my phone. He pulled his away from his ear and looked at it. “Hello?” he said, bringing it back to his ear. “Hanging up on the victim of crime is very unprofessional.”
“I already heard everything I needed to hear.”
He shrugged out of his coat, hung it up, dropped his phone on the charger on the little shelf by the door, then started my way. “Everything?”
“Guy must have been delirious. He was spouting poetry about blue skies and eyeballs.”
“Maybe it was just blood loss?” He lowered himself beside dragon-pig, who grumbled and hopped over my lap to curl up with Spud. Spud stretched across me to give Ryder a lick across his face.
Ryder sputtered and pushed Spud’s head aside.
“Blood loss?” I asked.
“No heart, ’cause it was stolen.”
I smiled and cupped the side of his face, studying him for a moment. “Hey,” I said, loving him for being here—late hour, corny jokes and all.
“Hey,” he said.
“It’s really late.”
He nodded.
“Are you okay?”
“Tired.” He turned his head and kissed at my palm. They he shifted around until his big boots were hanging off the arm of the couch, and his head was propped on my thigh.
“You need some blanket?” I asked.
“No. This is good.”
