Page 18 of Chasing Kaylee Kringle

“I told you. I’m not letting you out of my sight. So, if you want to go grab food together, we can do that.”

Her jaw tightened. “Your obsession with me would be adorable if this were a dark romance, but being a real-life stalker is creepy.”

Rick gave her a thoughtful look. “I’m just keeping my promise to you.”

“And what promise is that?”

“I told you I’d protect you. Can’t do that if I’m not close by.”

She grumbled, stomping into the kitchen and searching through her menu drawer. Most places in Holiday delivered, especially since the town was so small and had a lot of tourists around. However, being cooped up in her home was making her stir-crazy, and it had only been a few hours.

“So, who tased me this morning?” he asked from behind her, and she turned with menus in hand to see him in the doorway, his hands above him on the frame, hanging off. Kaylee’s mouth went dry as the defined muscles flexed with the motion, his black T-shirt stretching across his chest as he rocked forward. When his shirt rode up, revealing a flash of abs, Kaylee looked away, clearing her throat.

“A friend.” Crap, was that a voice crack? “She didn’t know you were a cop, so if you’re thinking of arresting her—”

“I’m not,” he said, his voice drawing closer. “I was just going to say you’re lucky. Seems like you have friends in town. Even the kids who aren’t old enough to shave want to protect you.”

Kaylee rolled her eyes. “If you’re talking about Noah and Quinton, the high school kids come in sometimes and grab breakfast. They think I’m cool cause I’ll throw in a couple cookies every once in a while. There’s nothing creepy going on.”

“Of course not,” he murmured, and Kaylee sensed him hovering behind her. “It’s perfectly normal for a young kid to fantasize about an older woman.”

“Are you speaking from experience?” God, why was she firing back a question like that? This was exactly how their last interaction went, except that their earlier banter was playful, bordering on flirtation. She remembered sitting on the floor with him, waiting for him to take a drink of his soda. While he’d been in the bathroom washing his hands, she’d poured the laxative powder in his cup, stirring it with a straw in a hurry to dissolve it. He’d come back all smiles, letting her pick a slice first, and telling her about his stance on why fruit belonged on pizza. He was so sweet and charming, guilt had bubbled in her stomach when he finally took a long pull of his soda and grimaced.

Kaylee sucked in a breath. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, just their syrup-to-carbonation ratio is off.”

She’d laughed, a high, nervous giggle. He’d studied her for several moments, those warm eyes so intense; it seemed like he could see into her soul.

“I know you’re scared, but what you’re doing? It’s really brave.”

Kaylee didn’t want to hear this, especially when she wasn’t. She was going to take off, disappear into the night in his car, and he’d probably get in trouble. It made her stomach lurch, and she couldn’t eat any more.

“Hey,” he said, his hand brushing hers, and when she looked up, he’d leaned in closer. “I got you, you know that, right?”

Fluttering erupted in her chest at those words, reminding her so much of Elasia that tears burned her eyes. She’d lifted her hand to wipe them away, but his thumb stroked her cheek unexpectedly, catching an errant tear. Their mouths were so close, too close, and her gaze dropped to his full lips.

They both froze, and Rick pulled away, his cheeks a deep, burnished red. “Jesus, I’m sorry. That was completely unprofessional.”

Surprising herself, Kaylee reached for his hand and caught it, holding it in hers. “Thank you. I’m sorry you’re meeting me … like this. I wish …”

The loud gurgling coming from his stomach interrupted her, though, and Rick’s eyes widened. “Excuse me.”

He got up from the floor and hurried into the bathroom, breaking the tender moment. Kaylee heard the faint groan through the thin bathroom door and jumped up, throwing her things back into her bag. She pushed away the regret, snatching his keys and phone off the nightstand, along with whatever cash was in his wallet, and rushed out of the motel. She’d dropped the phones into the ice machine and driven out of town.

She’d thought about that night every day for two years, thought about how kind Rick had been, how sensitive and empathetic, so unlike the man in her kitchen now, talking about age-gap relationships like he wasn’t holding her hostage and invading her life like a parasite.

“Sure, I thought about older women. I had a high school English teacher who was fresh out of college. Very hot.”

Kaylee ignored him, studying the papers in her hand, and finally decided on the Mexican restaurant around the corner called Nacho Average Taqueria. She pulled her flip phone out of her pocket and tapped out the number.

He took a seat at her small dining room table, the scraping of the chair legs drawing her attention, and he waved toward the phone in her hand. “Using a burner phone was smart.”

“I guess I should thank crime shows for that.” She pressed the green phone button and waited for Elonzo Reyes to answer.

“Nacho, this is Elonzo,” he answered the phone with a heavy Hispanic accent. “What would you like?”

“Hi, Elonzo, it’s Kaylee. Could I get a number two with no pico and a Dr Pepper?”