“And now you’re back?”
“Yeah.”
She inclines her head. “Back for good?”
Getting my footing back under me, I increase from one-word answers to two. “For now.”
“What’s your big plan? I bet you’ve got it all figured out.”
I roll out my shoulders, shrugging off some of the tension. “I’ve got some applications in for a few agencies scattered across the state.”
“Agencies?”
“Yeah. Law enforcement agencies. You know, police departments, sheriff’s offices, and so on.”
“Oh. Kenzie said something about the FBI.”
Of courseshe did. Why wouldn’t my sister highlight my first failure?
“I did the initial assessment process with the bureau, but they passed me over for now. Said they want me to get some experience under my belt. After a few years of local PD work, I’ll try again.”
“Ah. That makes sense. I’m sure you’ll be ready for that soon. You’ve always been determined to go after your goals.”
“Right. I tend to lock in on something I want.” I inch forward, unable to resist the pull. “And then I don’t quit until I get it.”
“Yep.” She wobbles her head adorably, cheeks flaming red as she probably picks up on my innuendo. “That’s exactly what I meant. You’re very intense. About those, um, goals.”
Her gaze swipes from my eyes to my chest and up again. The column of her throat bobs with a forced swallow. She tries to play it off with a fake cough as she looks away. Her tongue dabs at her lips nervously, and she fiddles with her hands.
Oh, this is interesting. She’s taken with me too.
Then again, wasn’t she always? Not to be cocky, but I’m pretty sure she had a crush on me when she was younger. I ignored it then, but now? I don’t think I want to pretendthiscrush away.
I let the silence linger, all too happy to simply study her. It’s still almost impossible to believe this is the same girl who I caught shoving an entire plate of cookies into her backpack.
Like earlier, our eyes fasten back into place, and we settle into the moment, letting the connection amplify. She doesn’t shy away from my intense stare, nor do I try to escape hers.
In the distance, I assume the clock ticks the seconds away. But for all I know, time might have stopped.
Something inside me . . .shifts.
Shifts apart? Away?
Nope. It shiftsintoplace.
The longer I look into her eyes, the more noticeable the change becomes until it’s so profound it threatens to steal my breath.
It’s not lust or anything like that. Certainly not love.
It’s different. Almost foreign.
Yet I recognize the feeling all the same. It’s the one I’ve been searching for since I was a boy.
I never expected to find this sensation. Damn sure never thought I’d feel this way in this house, of all places.
No, I’m not talking about how my dick feels. Get your head out of the gutter.
This isn’t a physical thing. At least, I don’t think it is.
