“Let me get this straight—you invited people to have dinner with us and decided to tell me about it, oh”—Roan glanced at his watch—“two hours before.”
I cringed. When he put it that way, it did sound like I’d taken advantage of Roan’s position as innkeeper. “But there’s always food left over after the guests have eaten. I just figured we’d have that. It’s nothing fancy, Roan. I promise.”
He glared at me.
“A little vein in your temple is beating. It’s really cute.”
His mouth quirked. I’d almost won him over. Or so I thought.
“Don’t try to sucker your way past this.”
“You’re acting like a woman.”
Roan threw his head back and laughed. He swiped a finger under his lashes. “Okay, I guess I deserved that.”
“So can they come? Please? They’re helping me figure out who the spirit is.”
We stood in Roan’s kitchen. I’d dropped by with bottles of white and red. He’d been excited to see me, wrapping me in a hug. That was when I’d taken the opportunity to mention our double date.
Which was when his arms opened and I slid down his leg onto the floor. I’d managed not to lose my balance, and luckily I hadn’t dropped either one of the wine bottles.
“I’ll take those.” Roan whisked them from my hands and settled them on the counter. His dark gaze speared me. “And yes, they can come.”
“Thank you.” I slid my hands into my back pockets and tipped my face to him. His eyes widened and I smiled. “Tell you what. I’ll spend the next couple of hours keeping you busy.”
“In the kitchen,” he said.
I nodded. “In the kitchen.”
“You’re not going to try any funny business, are you? Because I might have to kick you out.”
I wound my hands behind his neck and pulled him down for a kiss. “Do you meanthatkind of funny business?”
He moaned. “Yes. That’s what I mean.”
Before I could protest, Roan hooked an arm under my knees and yanked me up.
The room raced by. “What are you doing?”
“Keeping you from distracting me.”
“How’s that?”
Roan settled me gently on a stool some ways from the counter. He rested his strong hands on his hips and leaned over. “You will stay here until I say you can get up. Otherwise there will be no dinner.”
I quirked a brow. “Why’s that?”
He pointed to the bedroom. “You know why and no, I’m not trying to rush anything, but a little exploration before dinner never hurt anyone—except when people are relying on the meal, that is.”
I laughed.
“No, it’s not going to happen. You promise to stay there?”
“For you?” I batted my lashes at him. Roan clutched his heart in a mock swoon. “I will.”
“Great.” He crossed to the counter and rubbed his hands together. “Now time to get cooking.”
I swear never in my life have I babbled so much to one man. I told Roan everything that had happened that day, including Alice’s lightning-bolt realization that the Hudsons may have a niece in town with a unique name.
