Chapter 19
Matti was beginning to appreciate what being a full-time parent meant, and it was great, but she did miss her private time.
Having a night off from being a mommy sounded like heaven, and it would be wonderful to have some alone time with Ryan.
But she was worried about Sam’s safety if he was out of her sight.
“Tell you what,” her mother said. “I’ll call Jon and offer to make him dinner. Your father loves my cooking. And to further put you at ease, I’ll see if Cal or Wyatt are free to come over.”
“That would make me feel more comfortable.”
“Give me a few minutes.” She fished her phone from her purse and then stepped away.
While she was gone, the waitress dropped the bill on the table, and Ryan pulled out his wallet.
“I’ll get that,” Matti said.
“You will not. Today is my treat.”
“Thank you, then.” By the time he finished paying, her mother returned.
“All set,” she said. “All three are coming over for dinner. I need to stop at the grocery store, so go ahead and take Sam with you. Wyatt said he’ll pick him up around four.”
“You want to spend the night with Emily?” Matti asked Sam.
“Can I take my books and fire truck?”
“One book and your fire truck.”
“Yes.”
“Do you like spaghetti?” Emily said.
Sam’s brows furrowed. “I don’t know.”
“Well, you’re going to love my spaghetti.”
When they arrived home, Sam ran straight to his bedroom, and when Matti walked in, he had his new books spread out on the floor.
“I can’t decide which one to take with me.” His gaze darted to each one.
“Make it a surprise,” Ryan said from the doorway. “Close your eyes while Matti mixes them up, then point. Whichever one you point to is the one you’ll take.”
“Oh, fun.” Matti clapped her hands. “Close your eyes.” When he did, she mixed the books up. “Now point.”
He did, then opened his eyes. “I love that one.” He picked the book up and then his fire truck. “I’m ready.”
She glanced at her watch. “You have two hours before Wyatt gets here to pick you up. Let’s get you a bag packed.”
Once he was packed up and ready to go, he disappeared into the kitchen. Curious—and thinking she was about to confirm what she suspected—she eased to the kitchen door and peered in. Sam had his back to her with the pantry open, and he picked up the half-full bag of Oreos.
“What are we doing?” Ryan whispered from behind her.
Startled, she jumped back. “Shh.” She took his hand and pulled him back to the living room. By the time Sam appeared, she and Ryan were sitting on the couch.
“He’s got something under his shirt,” Ryan said after Sam disappeared down the hallway.
“Yep. He’s hoarding food.”
“Making sure he’ll not go hungry again. That breaks my heart.”
“Yeah, mine, too,” she said.
By the time Wyatt arrived to pick him up, Sam was bouncing off the walls in anticipation of seeing her mother and Wyatt and having spaghetti. Both Matti and Ryan were more than ready to send him off for the night.
“Why don’t you get him loaded in the car,” she said to Ryan. “I want to see if Wyatt has any updates, and I don’t want to ask him in front of Sam.”
“Are you guys any closer to finding the men who tried to take Sam?” she asked once Sam was outside.
“I wish.” Wyatt scrubbed a hand over his face.
“They’ve gone underground. We’ll find them, Matti, it’s just taking longer than I’d hoped.
This case is widespread, and we’re working around the clock with every available officer we’ve got.
Sheriff’s department, too. Someone’s pulling the strings, and right now, we haven’t a clue who that is.
That’s not to be repeated, not even to your boyfriend. ”
“Ryan’s not my boyfriend.”
Wyatt chuckled. “You sure about that?”
No, she wasn’t, but she wasn’t ready to put a name to what he was to her.
“I’ve got a spaghetti dinner waiting for me, and this is my first night off since this case landed in my lap. Enjoy your evening with your not-boyfriend.” He gave her a noogie.
She slapped his hand away. “Would you stop that, Wyatt the Pirate.”
“I will when you stop calling me silly nicknames.”
“Never going to happen.”
He noogied her again. “Then this isn’t either.” He walked out laughing.
“You’re a dork,” she called to his back.
He lifted a hand and waved.
A few minutes later, Ryan came back in the house. “Alone at last.”
“Do you have wicked plans in mind, Dr. Palmer?”
His lips curved upward. “So very wicked, Miss Colton.” He stepped to her, put his finger under her chin, and lifted her face, brushed his lips over hers, then dropped his hand.
“Let’s start with an adult beverage, sit, and decompress while having an adult conversation.
Sam’s always been our focus, and I’d like us to get to know each other a little more while we have a chance. ”
“I’d like that. Beer, wine, or something else?” She also liked that he wasn’t immediately hauling her off to bed, that he was letting the anticipation of what might happen build between them.
“You have any tequila?”
“I do, but I don’t have any margarita mix.”
“Wasn’t thinking margaritas. You up for a shot and a beer?”
“Oh, I can’t remember the last time I chased a tequila shot with a beer. Let’s do it.” She’d probably been in her early twenties, a time in her life when she still knew how to have fun.
“You have any limes?”
“Actually, I do.” She followed him to the kitchen. While he got their shots and beer ready, she sliced a lime, then got the saltshaker and set it on the counter with the limes.
After they each licked the back of their hands and added the salt, he picked up a shot glass. “To a wicked night with a beautiful lady.”
“To some wicked fun with a hot doctor.” She was attractive enough, but beautiful she was not. For tonight, though, here with him and the way he was looking at her with heat in his eyes, she felt beautiful. She picked up her shot glass.
“I like that,” he said, his voice huskier than it had been.
They clinked their glasses together, then after licking the salt from their hands, they downed the tequila. “Whoo,” she said as she fanned her face. “Out of practice.”
He handed her a lime slice, and they both bit the tart lime. “Again?”
She laughed. “Not even. Let’s take our beers out to the back patio.”
“This is nice back here,” Ryan said after sitting in one of her lounge chairs and stretching his legs out.
She settled in the chair next to his. “It’s my happy place after a long day.
” She’d spent time and money on her backyard.
A small waterfall—one of those things you could buy at a home improvement store—babbled from one corner of the patio.
The maple tree they’d had their picnic under was here when she moved in, but that was all.
She’d done everything else herself except for laying the slate patio.
“I can see why. Sitting here with the breeze blowing in my face and listening to the birds singing, I feel incredibly relaxed. Or, that might just be the tequila.”
“Or maybe a combination of all that,” she said, laughing.
“And you, Matti. You’re the cherry on the ice cream sundae.”
Well, just go and melt her heart. She stood and said, “Spread your legs.”
“Good golly, Miss Matti, wasn’t expecting that.”
She rolled her eyes. “Funny boy.” When he spread his legs, she sat between them with her back to his chest.
“That’s me, a funny boy. Before I start whispering sweet nothings in your ear, what did Wyatt have to say? They any closer to making an arrest?”
“Unfortunately, no.” Since she couldn’t tell him the rest, she leaned her head against his shoulder. “Now, you were saying something about sweet nothings?”
He tipped his bottle up, drained the little that was left in it, then set it on the table next to him. “Finish your beer, Matti.”
There was an ounce or so left, but she’d had plenty of alcohol for the night, so she handed him the bottle, which he set next to his. He reached for her hand and brought it up to his lips, placing a soft kiss on the inside of her wrist. No man had ever done that, and it was surprisingly romantic.
She could feel his heartbeat against her back as he dropped her hand and wrapped his arms around her waist. Even in August in North Dakota, the nights were cool, but his body heat radiated against her skin, keeping her warm.
She closed her eyes, savoring the nearness of him.
It seemed as if her senses were enhanced because the babbling of her little waterfall had never sounded so melodic, the stars had never been so bright, and his spicy scent was intoxicating.
He lowered his mouth to the side of her neck and nibbled, sending shivers cascading through her. When he lifted his face, she tilted her head, looking up at him with a mixture of emotions swirling in her chest. His eyes held a depth that captivated her, drawing her in like a moth to a flame.
Without breaking eye contact, he leaned in slowly, his breath mingling with hers in the space between them.
And then, finally, his lips met hers in an electrifying kiss.
The world around her faded away as she lost herself in his touch, in his intoxicating scent, and the heat of him.
She didn’t know how long they kissed, didn’t care.
He slipped his hand under her shirt and spread his fingers possessively over her stomach. He took his mouth away from hers and put it next to her ear. “How about we move what’s happening to your bed?”