Tom doesn’t comment, just continues whatever he’s doing, the silence settling comfortably over us and allowing me to really look at the man before me.
Not that it’s a hardship.
I’m fascinated by the way his arms flex as he drains the pasta, tossing the contents in the strainer before returning it to the stove. His movements are elegant.
Precise.
Competent.
And is there anything sexier than a competent man?
“Here you go,” he says, sliding a plate in front of me—the vision of himserving meno less appealing.
“Thanks,” I manage but it’s breathy like I’ve been running a race instead of watching a man cook in my barely used kitchen.
“Once we have more groceries,” he says pointedly as he stands across from me with his own plate, “I’ll be able to make a better menu.”
Having someone cook for me sounds great, and company during those meals sounds even better except…
“A menu,” I repeat, with noodles piping hot and twirled on my fork as I try and process what this means.
“To eat.”
“Yes, I understand that but…” I swallow hard. Tom Oakden is great to look at and I’m sure he’s very capable, but he can’t live here.
He cannot.
I have a routine and deadlines andthings that cannot be done with him in my house.
Unable to make my tongue work, I resort to motioning around the kitchen before dropping my non-fork-holding hand to the counter.
“It’s temporary,” he says, his sable eyes never leaving mine. “It’ll be over before you know it.”
9
TOM
“You’re not staying here,” Kat huffs as we eat in her kitchen. I keep my posture relaxed and my expression carefully neutral.
“You won’t even know I’m here.”
“I won’t have to pretend because youwon’tbe here.”
“Miss Harrington?—”
“We’re not doing theMiss Harringtonthing again; it’s Kat.”
Resistance is normal, but unfortunately, we don’t have time for this. Royce will have more for me by the time we’re finished with dinner, and right now, everything is time sensitive.
I need the woman in front of me to understand that.
“I’m really good at my job, but the only way this works is if I have complete access to you until we find out who is behind this.”
“But why do you need to behere?This was my brother’s idea not mine. I should have a say about who islivingin my house.”
I want to tell her it’s temporary but that’s not what she needs to hear.
“I believe that fire was the result of the envelope delivered here”—I nod toward where it still sits on the far counter—“notbeing found. That’s a serious escalation, Kat. It means the person was able to find you even though you allegedly didn’t tell anyone where you were going?—”
