Chapter 52 Tom
TOM
“Can’t sleep?” I ask softly from the doorway of her office. It’s barely three in the morning but I know she’s been up for a while. The sheets aren’t cold yet, but cool enough to indicate she hasn’t been beside me.
She doesn’t startle, just looks up at me with sad eyes, her computer screen illuminating her face.
She’s exhausted.
Grieving.
And trying to figure out where she belongs.
We’d stayed at my apartment for the last week until Kat decided she was ready to come home, but I can see in her eyes that this place might never be home again.
“I don’t want to stay here,” she replies, her fingertips brushing over the top of her desk, “I was so proud when I bought this place, but I don’t know if I’ll ever feel safe here again.”
I nod because it’s reasonable. Jace and Ozzy had swept the house the night she’d been run off the road, and the results had been alarming considering I’d done the same the first day here.
Visual and audio bugs were hidden throughout the house, making me extra thankful Kat and I hadn’t gone any further that night on the couch.
But her privacy had been trampled.
For months.
“Where do you want to go?” I ask, stepping into the room. “I can build you an office anywhere.”
“Who said you’re coming with me?” she teases, but she can’t hide the pleased look on her pretty face.
“I don’t break all the rules for just anyone, Kitten,” I tell her, scooping her into my arms and holding her in my lap as I take her seat.
“If you break this chair, I’m going to be pissed.”
“I’ll buy you a new one.” She rolls her eyes but curls into my chest. “The cabin is too far away and neither of us would get any work done.”
“Some of us only had a notebook to do our work in,” she sasses without looking up.
“And what did we learn from that?” I fire back, making her shake with silent laughter against me. “Thought so.”
“I don’t want to go to Chicago. I like it out here. I just…”
“What?”
“Colt is going to be annoying with all the I told you so’s.”
“Meaning?”
“Well, needing a bodyguard for one.”
“I think we can both let that one slide.”
“Yeah but,”—she sighs, pushing up to meet my gaze—“he built me a house.”
I want to act surprised but I’m not. Based on my limited interactions with Colt, that seems exactly like something he would do. Royce probably mentioned something about it when we first started our investigation, and right now, I wish I’d paid better attention.
“Is it the one next to his?” I ask, trying to rack my brain and remember exactly what it looked like.
“Yeah, I told him not to do it but he didn’t listen.” She rests her head back on my shoulder. “I guess I should thank him for that.”
“We’ll get him a fruit basket.” She snorts and nuzzles her face into my neck.
“Kat?”
“Hmm?”
“I need to know if not having kids is a dealbreaker.”
“What?” Her tone is confused as she sits up again and threads our fingers together.
“Oh, do I want kids? No, I know you got a vasectomy and I’ve had my IUD for a while, and I just figured that when I was ready I would know but…
” Her voice trails off as she stares past me.
“It hasn’t happened and I’m more than okay with that. ”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah, I’ll let my brother have the honor of promoting our parents to grandparents.”
“What about being an aunt?” I smile as I tuck a piece of hair behind her ear. “Emerson’s cousin had triplets. I told her it was her penance for giving me such a hard time.”
“How’d she take it?”
“I think I’m on the hook twice more for babysitting.”
“You’re awfully sweet, Tom Oakden. You try to convince people you’re made of stone but you’re not. Not even close.”
“Don’t go spreading that around.”
“Fine, but what do we do about the house?”
“I want to build a life with you, Kat. I don’t care where it is.” Pausing, I add, “As long as you let me arrange the kitchen the way I want it.”
“So needy,” she teases and I pull her close, gripping the back of her neck as I slant my mouth over hers.
I’ll show her needy.
“Kitchen.” I enunciate. “Mine.”
“If you insist.”
“I do.”
“Speaking of that…” She shifts until she’s mostly straddling my lap, my body too big in the chair for this to work like it’s supposed to. “I think you should marry me.”
I can’t quite stop my eyebrow from creeping up my forehead, her grin growing wider at my surprise.
“I definitely plan on marrying you, Kitten.”
“Right now?” she asks with a hopeful twinkle in her eyes.
“I’m sure we could throw something together quickly,” I start but she shakes her head.
“I want to go to Vegas followed by a month-long honeymoon.”
“I want you to have the dress. It doesn’t have to be long or formal but something white I can peel off you when we escape back to the room.”
“I’ll even throw in a garter.”
“Now we’re talking.”