She pouted but didn’t argue. “Fine,” she said with a sigh. Standing on her toes, she whispered another kiss over my lips. “But I hope you dream about me all night and all the wicked things we did together.”
A groan ripped from my throat. “You’re evil.” Already, images of our night together played on a reel through my mind.
She laughed, low and wicked. “Maybe a little.” Taking a step back, she eased toward the door. “Goodnight, Luke.”
Swallowing around the lump of need in my throat, I responded. “Goodnight, Mina. Sweet dreams.” I knew mine would be.
Very sweet, indeed.
CHAPTER 16
Mina
Words swam before my eyes as I studied the café plans spread out over my kitchen counter. Ozzie had been true to his word, and tomorrow—finally—I could get back into the antique store and Luke could get crews working again to bring my dream alive.
Luke’s shoulder bumped mine as he shifted, flipping a pencil between his fingers. “So, once you have the keys, I’ll have demo rolling again. The crew is ready, and the dumpster is already scheduled. We’ll hit the back rooms first, then the common wall. Hopefully, we won’t find any more surprises hiding behind the plaster.”
A snort left me. “Yes, please. One skeleton is enough.” I tried to keep my focus on the neat grid of lines he’d sketched out on graph paper, attempting to envision what it would look like finished. My brain was just too tired, though. It was only Tuesday, but it had already been a long, busy week.
Reaching up, I rubbed at the knots in my neck.
Luke’s hand covered mine, pushing it out of the way. “Geez, Mina. Your shoulders feel like you’ve been stuffing rocks in your muscles.”
I groaned as he hit a particularly sore spot. “Yeah, well, I’ve been a little stressed.” I had an employee quit Monday morning right before her shift, which left me short-handed at one of the busiest times of the year. I didn’t know when—or how—I would find the time to replace her.
“I can think of a few ways we can de-stress you.” Luke’s low voice rumbled in my ear, sending a delicious shiver through me, unraveling a few of the more stubborn knots.
“Mmm, I like that idea.” And boy was I ready for it. In the four days since our conversation on my doorstep, we’d been together every evening, and he’d been the perfect gentleman.
I was tired of it.
Spinning in his arms, I locked my hands behind his neck and brought his face down to mine. Our lips brushed.
Ding-dong!
A groan ripped from the depths of my soul, and I turned to glare at the front door. For half a second, I debated ignoring it, but the frantic knocking that followed the bell told me whoever was on the other side wasn’t leaving, and it might just be important.
Reluctantly, I released him. “Hold that thought.”
Grinning, he swatted my butt as I walked away.
Feeling the delightful sting from that all the way to the door, I drew in a breath, locked my dirty thoughts away, and unlocked the door, swinging it open.
One look at Claire’s wide eyes banished the last of my thoughts about what I wanted to do to Luke and told me this wasn’t a social call.
“Ozzie’s not home yet.” She fluttered a hand in the air as she stepped inside. “He caught an assault case earlier today and is wrapped up in that, so I don’t want to call him and disturb him, but I had to tell somebody. It’s eating me alive!”
Curious, I frowned, casting a quick look at Luke as I closed the door. He wore a similar expression of confusion.
Claire walked toward him, pulling her satchel off her arm to drop it on the counter next to Luke’s plans. “Sorry to interrupt. I’d leave, but this is…” One brow quirked, and she shook her head. “It’s something.” She took out a sheaf of papers.
Luke crossed his arms. “What kind of something?”
“Motive, something.”
“Motive?” Even more curious, I sidled closer.
She nodded. “Here. Look.” Flipping through the stack of papers, she handed me a page.
