Carolina gets in front of her and touches her chin. “Hey, Mara. Whatever happens next, I want you to walk out there with your head held high. You did nothing wrong, and I’ll be damned if you’re going to act as if you did. You got me?”
My chest squeezes as I watch my woman.
My woman.
Well,shit on a sonic screwdriver.
I am abso-freaking-lutely in love with Carolina Saber.
Chapter 37
Sexy Hot (adjective): smoldering. See also: Rand Kestrel
-Carolina’s Word of the Day Calendar
I skip downstairs, feeling lighter than air. It’s a beautiful day. A sexy hot man is cooking breakfast based on the smells coming from the kitchen. And the monster who tormented my nightmares for years is behind bars.
Mara was reluctant to give her statement to St. Petersburg and Tampa Police officers who showed up at the game. But after they assured her Dash wouldn’t be getting out of jail anytime soon, she told them the whole story. And showed them her bruises.
She also sprained her wrist about a month ago. An injury that required hospitalization. There are records. Damning records that prosecutors will use against him in the trial.
“Morning, puffin,” Rand calls out from the stove. “I hope you like pancakes. Because we’re having pancakes.”
I get a glimpse of the plate beside the griddle. “I see we’re having ALL the pancakes in St. Pete Beach this morning.”
He shrugs with a grin that shows off that dimple. Damn that sexy grin. I can’t hold back a second longer. I shuffle over to him, run my fingers through his hair, and kiss that dimple. “Good morning, Rambling Man.”
He wiggles his eyebrows. “Good morning to you, sexy lady.”
Rand turns off the stove, grabs me around the waist, then yanks me up on the opposite counter, stepping in between my knees. He lays a deep, claiming kiss on my mouth. I grab his shoulders. I can’t get close enough to him.
When we come up for air, he brushes a thumb across my lips and smiles. “That’s better than pancakes.”
I blush. “Better be.”
I hop down, swat him on the ass, then grab the plate of pancakes and silverware, heading toward the dining room. “Have you heard from Tatiana this morning?”
After police arrested Dash, Tatiana packed up and headed back to Flamingo Cove.
“She told me she and Lou were sleeping in today,” Rand brings the butter, syrup, and coffee with him. “And if I bothered her before noon, she’d - and I quote here - hogtie me and drag me through a field full of thistle.”
“Ouch!”
Rand kisses my cheek, then sits down. “I took that to mean - don’t call her before noon!”
“You’re so smart.”
We doctor up our pancakes and eat in comfortable silence. I’m practically bouncing in my chair.
“You’re in a good mood,” Rand sips his coffee.
“I am. Dash is in jail. My secret is out. I had amazing, earth-shattering, mind-blowing sex the other night. It’s a great day.”
“Earth-shattering?”
I shrug. “Not that I have a lot to compare it to, but yeah. Earth-shattering.”
As I say this, a change comes over Rand’s face, and I know what’s coming next. He’s about five seconds away from pushing all of the dishes off the table, then ravaging me.
