10. Chapter Ten #2
“I don’t think so. I read them year-round.” I reach out my hand and grab onto the top, only he doesn’t let go. “May I have my book back, please?”
He waits a couple of beats, making me roll my eyes at our tug of war.
Laughter dances around his eyes. My tummy flips as I keep his gaze locked with mine.
Something inside me is unwilling to let him win, but then again, I don’t really need an excuse to stare at him.
I could get lost in his eyes if I let myself.
Finally, he seems to take pity on me, and he releases the tight hold he has on the book. I look down at it and wipe a small smudge of murky water away.
“I hope it isn’t ruined,” I mutter.
“It probably just needs to be laid out to dry.”
I nod and grab the last few things still scattered around, trying to look everywhere but at him before I sit back on my haunches and push back up.
He holds his arm out, ready to catch me if I fall, but I take great care not to touch even the tiniest inch of him without making it look like I’m avoiding contact.
I opt for a bright, cheerful, only-being-polite-because-I-have-to-be smile at his shoulder instead.
“What brings you my way on this fine day?”
He frowns at the chipper tone of my voice.
Too much, Maeve. Too. Much.
“You never brought back the thermos I lent you.” His voice is a little stilted. Formal. Gone is the playfulness from moments before, and there’s a blankness to his eyes I haven’t seen before. “It turns out it’s the only one I have, and I need it back, please.”
“Of course.” I dig out the keys from my coat and shake my head, taking the steps back up to the front door. “I’m so sorry, Aidan. I forgot.”
“It’s fine.”
I open the door and punch in the code. “It’s in the kitchen. Come in, please.”
My cheeks heat, this time from mortification that it slipped my mind to return something I borrowed. It’s so unlike me.
Aidan follows close on my heels through the small hallway and the doorway that opens up to the kitchen.
My heels click softly on the old brick stone flooring, but the sound is silenced now and again by the woven mats in various places around the square kitchen.
I fetch the thermos from its spot on the windowsill overlooking the front of the house.
Turning back, my foot gets trapped in one of the carpets, and I stumble.
I let out a short shriek, and the thermos slips from my fingers, and when it lands on the floor with the loudest clang I’ve ever heard, Aidan lunges for me, catching me before I end up smacking down into the hard brick floor e.
“Oomph!”
My voice is muffled by the thick dark-blue cable knit he’s wearing because his rescue results in my face firmly planted on his chest, and for a moment, his arms tighten around me instead of releasing me.
Somehow, my arms are wrapped around his waist, and I shiver, both from the scare and the sheer longing I feel being held like this.
But then the moment is broken.
“Maeve?”
I pull my hands from around his broad back as if the heat from his body burns me, and it’s not that far from the truth. But he can’t know that.
“I don’t know where my head’s at today. I’m really sorry. I didn’t hurt you, flying into you like that?” I’m babbling, and it’s horrible, but even though I’m fully aware of it, I can’t seem to stop.
He scowls at me as he holds a hand up. “Stop apologising, I’m fine. But are you?”
“Yup, I’m fine. Absolutely.”
“Good.”
“Great.”
He shakes his head and bends down to grab the thermos.
“I’ll get you a new one.”
“Don’t be ridiculous.”
A sharp pang of hurt slices through me from his harsh dismissal. Then I square my shoulders, and the hurt turns to indignation. “Don’t talk to me like that,” I huff.
His head snaps up. “Come again?”
“I’m not ridiculous. I’m being fair.” I cross my arms.
He chuffs out a laugh, baffled disbelief written all over his face. “It’s just a thermos, Detective. Not something precious.”
I give him a stiff nod. “Fine.”
Aidan narrows his eyes. “Right, I need to get going.”
“Yes, so do I.”
He scratches the stubble on his chin, drawing my attention to it and the fact that I wish I knew if it’s hard or soft to the touch. I shake my head a little.
“So, bye?”
“Goodbye.” He turns on his heel but then whirls back, his movements so quick that he almost gives me whiplash. “I almost forgot the other thing.”
I wait for a beat. “The other thing?” I prompt.
He clears his throat and nods. “Yes, the reason I stopped by this morning. Katie asked me to ask you if you’d like to come by the farm on Sunday.” He rolls his eyes, making my lips twitch with amusement despite my earlier irritation.
“Sunday?”
“Yes. She’d like to show it to you. And I’d like for you to see it as well.”
I hesitate, my resolve weakening with each second he keeps his eyes on mine.
“I have the early shift at work.” I should turn him down. I really should. His smile dims, and as if I’m a glutton for punishment, I give in. “But I can come by after lunch.”
His eyes light up, and my heart skip a beat.
“Great. I’ll see you then. Unless, of course, you’re going to stop by Holly’s pub on Friday evening?”
“Quiz night, was it?”
“That it is.”
I scrunch my nose. “We’ll see.”
“Right, okay, now I do need to get going. Try not to stumble on anything else today, Detective. I won’t be there to rescue you.”
I narrow my eyes at him. “I don’t need saving.”
His smile turns soft. “I know you don’t.”
Then he’s gone, leaving me even more befuddled than I was when he got here.
“I’m in so much trouble,” I whisper. I lift my hand to check my watch and mutter a soft curse. I’m going to be late for work. Determined to push Aidan to the far recesses of my mind, at least for the rest of the day, I grab my handbag and keys and rush out the door.