Page 66 of Sinister Secrets

My mouth drops. “You watch me in the shower?”

He ducks his head guiltily. “It’s a translucent shower curtain. I’m only human. Besides, you’re missing the point, which is that you’re the only woman I will ever want.”

It feels childish that I wanted so badly to hear him say it. That I’ve allowed recent events—the sheriff’s betrayal, the secret I’m keeping from him about what’s going on with the case, the long nights made lonely by his absence—make me feel so insecure. But maybe I just need a reminder of what I’m fighting for.

“Would you want your woman to wear things like that?” I point to the underwear.

“No, I prefer my woman to wear nothing at all.” I hold tight to the knot in my towel as he tries to release it, earning a sigh. “I guess I’ve got to get out to the barn and unload the order anyway.” Pressing a kiss to my temple, he adds, “Keep me company?”

“I already put everything away.”

“What? Why?”

“I wasn’t sure if you’d have time to do it.”

“Cassie, I’ll always make time for this place. For you. You know that.”

Closing my eyes, I pray that it’s true, because I want to believe him with every ounce of my soul.

“You shouldn’t be doing something like that yourself. How did you get the hay bales to the top?”

“I made a staircase with them.”

He curses. “You could have gotten hurt.”

“But I didn’t.”

“What would you have done if you had?”

I shrug. “Get a really hot nurse to take care of me.”

I risk a glance at him in the mirror in time to see the corner of his mouth twitch. Though he tries to fight it, he loses the battle, his full-wattage grin appearing a moment later. “Am I the hot nurse?”

“It depends.”

“On what?”

“On how good your nursing skills are.”

His lips press against my earlobe, travel down my neck, lower to my shoulder. His voice husky, he asks, “Is that a good start?”

“No.” I meet his shocked expression in the mirror. “That’s not where I’m hurt.” His eyes widen, dropping to my body, searching for an actual injury. Turning to face him, I say, “You didn’t think that I could handle putting the delivery away. You should know that I have a very bruised ego.”

“Ah, then I have just the thing to help.”

“And what’s that?”

He drops his towel, revealing that he’s already ready for round two. “What do you think? Do I have the job?”

Releasing my own towel, I nod. “You’re hired. Please get started right away.”

CHAPTER 38

Though the task before me is dark and daunting, I can’t stop smiling to myself. It’s not being dependent to need the one you love—it’s medicinal. Restorative, not weak. Jake’s visit has renewed my confidence in myself. It’s only a few more days until he’s back by my side full-time, and I’m determined to have this case solved and over with before then.

Sitting down at the kitchen table, I turn on my laptop, open my notebook, and turn to a fresh page. Sometimes if what you’re doing isn’t working, it means it’s time to start over fresh and try something new. I’m not entirely sure what that means in this particular instance, but it’s time to figure it out.

I need to go back to the roots of the investigation—the known facts—and ignore any personal connection, which means treating Gordon as a stranger with whom I have no history. He was drugged, he was shot, he was frozen. Instead of looking for the link between the culprit and myself, I need to focus solely on their link to Gordon.