Page 37 of Harvest Heat

“Wait. How do you know where I live?”

“We picked you up for the farm today.”

He laughed. “Oh shit, right. I’m not thinking clearly right now.”

“Me either,” Caleb said.

That had Rhys turning to look at him again. “You’re not?”

“No, I think it’s going to take a while for my brain to come back online. That was a damn good kiss.”

“Yes. I mean, you’re a good kisser, but I don’t think I’m all that good at it.”

Caleb shook his head. “You’re wrong. Don’t doubt yourself anymore.”

“I shouldn’t have kissed you. We can’t be more than business partners. Anything else is asking for trouble.”

Caleb knew he was right, but he still didn’t want to agree with him. “Things would be complicated, considering what we do and how small Frostwick Harbor is, but if you’re interested, I won’t say no to another kiss.”

“We can’t. I mean, it was… Your lips are so fucking soft.”

It was all Caleb could do not to pull the truck over and kiss him again right there. Rhys was so cute, and Caleb was fairly sure he didn’t understand the power of his shy smile.

“You’re welcome to feel my lips again anytime you like.” Rhys sucked in his breath, which reassured Caleb he wasn’t coming on too strong.

Rhys didn’t say anything else, but that was fine. The fact that he hadn’t run away after the kiss and had accepted a ride from Caleb was progress. He couldn’t expect everything to change in one night, no matter how much he wanted to follow Rhys into his house and right to his bed.

Rhys was right. Anything between them would be complicated, but he thought the risk might be worth it. He wanted to see more of the passion Rhys held tightly inside him. He’d only glimpsed a little that night when Rhys had closed the distance and taken his lips like he was starving for him, but he knew there was so much more.

When he pulled up in front of Rhys’s small, white cottage, he reached across the cab and laid a hand on Rhys’s thigh. “Thank you for working with me. We’ve got a good start, and I know we’re going to find the perfect drink, whether it’s a different version of this one or something else.”

“You really think so?”

“I know so.”

“I should go.” Rhys still didn’t look at him.

“I know. You need to get some sleep, and so do I.”

“Are we working together again tomorrow night?”

“I’m up for it if you are.”

“All right. I’ll come by after work. I’ll bring dinner this time.”

“Sounds good.”

Rhys turned for just a moment and gave him a small smile. It was enough. They’d see each other the next day, and who knew what might happen. So much had already happened in the last twenty-four hours it made Caleb’s head spin.

“Good night, Rhys.”

“Good night, Caleb.”

He waited until Rhys had unlocked his door and disappeared inside, and then he drove back to Cloud Nine, not sure if he would be able to sleep or not since he’d be thinking about nothing but Rhys.

Kate called when Caleb was almost home, and he remembered he’d promised to let her know how apple picking went. “Hi, Kate. How’s it going?” Maybe he could get her talking about herself while he had more time to figure out what he was willing to say about Rhys.

“I’m okay,” she said. “But everything is tense. I hate this stupid case I’m working on, but you don’t want to hear about that any more than I want to talk about it.”