He reaches to open the fridge door so he can peer inside. “The next time you see Cooper ask him if he knows that.”
“If I tell Cooper that you’re a fan of the solar system, he’ll…” I stop myself but not before Sebastian shifts his attention from the fridge to my face.
“He’ll what?”
“Nothing.” I wave the word away with a swat of my hand in the air.
“You were about to say something, Matilda.” His voice lowers. “Tell me what it was.”
I exhale softly. “Like I said Cooper is six and is fascinated by a lot of different things. One of them is policemen so when he found out I live with one, well…he asked if I could bring you along the next time I babysit.”
The expression on Sebastian’s face is impassive. I can’t read anything from it, so I keep talking to fill the silence. “I told him you’re very busy and besides, he doesn’t have any clue that webarely know each other. It was just the ramblings of a six-year-old who is fascinated by shiny badges.”
His gaze drops to where his badge is hanging from his belt. “If I’m around the next time you see him, I’d love to come with you to get an introduction.”
“You would?” I feel the edges of my mouth curl into a smile. “You’re serious?”
He leans his hand against the counter, narrowing the distance between us. “He sounds like a great kid. I already know I’ll like him.”
“Because he loves the moon as much as you do?” I laugh.
“No.” His eyes lock on mine. “Because he asked you to marry him. That tells me the kid is wise beyond his years.”
I break the moment when I feel a blush creep over my neck. “He asked me to marry him because I give him licorice before bed.”
“You’re a rule breaker?”
I nod. “Sometimes.”
“Good to know, Matilda,” he says in a low deep tone. “That’s good to know.”
I push a strand of hair back into the messy low bun I crafted after my shower this morning. I flick my tongue over my bare bottom lip, wishing I had applied the new pale pink lipstick I bought at Matiz.
“I need to get to work.” He rakes me with a glance. “Take care of yourself today.”
“I will,” I whisper as he brushes past me toward the apartment door.
I will take care of myself. I’m going to do it right now.
The scent of that man’s skin, the look in his eyes and the sound of his voice is all the fuel I need to get myself off before I go to work.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Sebastian
I closethe door of the interrogation room behind me as I exit. I’ve spent the past four hours trying to get a thirty-two-year-old woman to confess to killing her husband.
I already have all the evidence I believe we need to put her away for the rest of her life, but a confession will seal the deal.
Brant and I tapped out to let a pair of female investigators take a run at the suspect. They’re both highly skilled, and I have no doubt that by the end of the night, the district attorney’s office will be filing a first-degree murder charge against the demure blonde-haired woman who shoved a knife into her husband’s neck while he was fast asleep.
“You heading home?” Brant asks from behind his desk.
“Not yet.” I drop into my office chair. I never leave when a suspect is on the brink of a confession. This is my case, and I’ll follow through with the necessary paperwork tonight. I don’t want there to be any delay once this file is handed over to the district attorney for prosecution.
“I did it.”
I look over at Brant. “Did what?”
