“It would?”
She smiled, which was a thing of beauty, even with the bruises. “Of course it would. You’re not the only one who’s developed… feelings… here.”
“You have feelings? For me?”
She surprised the living shit out of him when she placed her hands over the scratchy whiskers on his face and went up on tiptoes to press a soft, sweet kiss to his lips that nearly made his knees buckle. “Yes, you silly man. I have feelings for you. Big ones.”
“I… um… Mine are big, too. Like, really, really big.”
Her smile warmed him on the inside, where he’d gone cold with fear and outrage while searching for three missing kids.
She laid her head on his chest and sighed. “You’re supposed to be eating your breakfast.”
He wondered if she could feel and hear his heart pounding. “I will, but I’m not ready to let you go yet.”
“I’ll still be here after you eat.”
“Promise?”
Laughing, she nodded. “I promise.”
“In that case, I’ll let you go, but only temporarily.”
“Got it.”
Archie felt like he’d been through an earthquake or something equally dramatic in the last few minutes. The gorgeous, sexy, smart, funny, adorable Harlowe St. John had big feelings for him. That was the best news he’d ever gotten, because his feelings for her were immense.
He took a seat on one of the barstools and watched her every move as she got out a plate and served him the omelet, buttered toast and a bowl of fruit on the side. Then she went back to pour him a glass of orange juice.
“I figured you wouldn’t want coffee if you’re planning to sleep.”
“You figured right.” He took a bite of delicious egg, cheese and vegetables. “This is amazing. Thank you again for getting up to cook for me.”
She brought a second glass of juice for herself and sat next to him. “It felt good to do something for you after everything you’ve done for me.”
“You don’t have to thank me, Harlowe.”
“Oh, yes, I really do. I’m not sure what I would’ve done without your TLC while I was recovering. You’ve made me feel safe and cared for and… I’ll never forget this time with you.”
He paused in midbite. “That sounds like an ending rather than a beginning.”
“I didn’t mean it that way.”
His heart started beating again as soon as she said that. “Oh. Good. You scared me for a second there.”
“God, I suck at this.”
“No, you don’t.”
“I really do. The only guy I’ve ever really dated was one I grew up with, and we know how that turned out.” She’d married the guy, and he’d abused her, which her parents hadn’t believed because they’d known him all his life.
“I can’t even think about him or Offenbach without wanting to commit murder.”
“Don’t do that. You’d look terrible in prison orange.”
He gave her a withering look. “I’m not kidding. I want to track down your ex. I don’t like not knowing where he is.”
“I’m sure he’s long gone, making a new life somewhere where no one knows who he is or what he did.”
