Page 71 of A Shot at Love
He nodded.
“I’ve helped him with photography, and he’s helped me with improving my shooting skills. That’s it.”
“He likes to touch you,” Ky said before he could stop himself.
He sounded like a jealous idiot.
She rolled her eyes, shook her head, “Rick likes to touch all women. But it doesn’t mean anything. Not to me, anyway.”
Ky wanted to tell her how happy that made him, but he kept it to himself.
“Look, I originally came down here to say good night. I got a little sidetracked with all this talk of agency moles and potential deaths.”
She crossed her arms over her chest again. “I wanted to tell you I’ll do breakfast duty in the morning. You don’t have to cook every meal. I can pitch in.”
“I like cooking,” he said, simply. “It…I don’t know,” he swiped a hand in the air, “calms me. Helps me to think. To focus.”
Gemma nodded. “I get that. Kandy’s the same way, but you don’t have to do all and be all. I can manage. Dinner tasted okay, right?”
His mind immediately flew to how she’d tasted, not the pasta. The food had been nourishment for his body, but sampling her, savoring her, had been nourishment for his soul. His thoughts must have shown in his eyes because her face went bright pink and she bit down on her bottom lip again, a sign he’d noticed of nerves building in her.
“Dinner was delicious,” he said.
He stood and crossed to her. He shouldn’t do this. Not here. Not now. But he had to know the truth. Had to know what was in her mind.
When he was within the distance of a breath from her, he stopped and circled his hands around her upper arms. She jumped, ever so slightly, at his touch, but her shoulders immediately relaxed and he felt her lean into him, not retract.
“You believe me when I tell you I’m not involved in any of this, right?”
He captured her gaze with his own, wanting—needing—to see the truth in her answer.
Without a moment’s hesitation she said, “Of course I do.”
“Why?”
“Why do I believe you?”
He nodded.
Her eyes never left his. “Because you’re one of the good guys, through and through. I knew it the moment I met you.” Her eyes darted between his. “You were obnoxious, overbearing, and so arrogantly alpha, you practically oozed cop from every pore.”
His lips twitched at the description. He knew it wasn’t far off the mark.
“You’d never sell out your men. Or anyone close to you.”
“You seem awfully sure.”
She rolled her eyes again. “Please. In the brief time I was with you and Jon, I saw for myself the respect and loyalty you two had for one another. You can’t fake that.”
Ky’s insides calmed and settled.
“Don’t forget,” she added, “I’m a trained observer. I see things most people miss. My internal bullshit-ometer is the best there is. I never doubt it.”
He squeezed her arms. What he really wanted to do was yank her to his chest, put his mouth on hers again and slake the waterfall of desire cascading wildly within him.
Her belief in him was monumental. She may never admit it, her pride might not let her, but he knew she trusted him. And to Ky, trust was everything.
When he lowered his hands to his thighs he swore he heard a tiny whine blow through her lips.
He took a step back, never breaking eye contact with her.
Confusion creased her flawless brow and her luscious lips pulled into the hottest pout he’d ever seen. He was as hard as steel and the pressure of his erection pushing against his zipper was growing more uncomfortable by the second.
Gemma crossed her hands to the spot he’d just held and said, “Well, I guess I’ll say good night then. Finally.”
Ky nodded and dropped his hands into his pockets. “I’ll make sure everything is safe and secure before I call it a night.”
Gemma stared at him and then shook her head. As she walked away from him she muttered, “No surprise, there.”
Once she closed the bedroom door and was out of sight, Ky fell back into his chair and dropped his head into his hands. With a deep inhale, he settled back, legs splayed, and his gaze flicked to Theo’s laptop.
