Page 35 of Caught Looking

“Nope,” Seth replied, eyes locked on me. “Have a good night, Janet.”

“Same to you both.” She closed and locked the door.

While Seth came straight to me. He moved so fast I didn’t have time to stand up. He dropped a kiss on my forehead, then my lips. “Hey.”

“Hey.” I froze. “Shit. I forgot to watch the game.” I almost always flipped it on in the background. I loved baseball, especially when my cousin was on the field.

And now Seth.

He brushed a thumb over my cheek. “Babe. It’s fine. You had a lot happen today. How’s the wine?”

“Excellent. You have good taste.”

“Wish I could take credit, but I pay people to pick the good stuff.” He took the glass I offered and sipped. “I like it. Refill?”

“Sure.” I let him pull me up to standing.

In a flash he wrapped his arm around my waist, hauling me against him. “Need a real kiss, babe.” Then without any hesitation he took it.

Not that I protested. Seth kissed with his whole being. Lips, tongue, hips, hands. Then he threaded his fingers with mine and led me to a stool at the island. I floated the whole way there. Each kiss was more electric than the last. If we kept this up we’d combust.

“It’s not Dottie’s,” he said as he filled our glasses, “but there’s wine here.” He slid my glass across the counter. “I’m gonna miss Dottie’s.”

“So am I.”

“It won’t be forever.” Our fingers brushed. “When the frenzy dies down we’ll go back.”

We’ll.

Seth and Annalise. As if we were already a unit.We are a unit.The moment he tucked me into his side and shook Owen’s hand we’d become one. A united front…but also two missing pieces finally clicking together.

Seth opened the fridge, pulling out ingredients. Pasta, blocks of cheese, cream, butter, and a handful of spices. “Rhett said he has the guest room ready for you and Roscoe.”

A small part of me already mourned leaving the condo. It wasn’t the frat house I expected and the security made me feel safe. “You have a lot of security here.”

His gaze jumped to meet mine. “I do. And you’re welcome to stay here if you prefer, but at Rhett’s you’ll have a yard. You can walk down the street. Here you’re stuck.” He waved at the walls, then Roscoe.

He made excellent points. “Rhett’s place makes sense.” Then why did it feel like a consolation prize?

Seth came around the counter and hooked a finger under my chin. “You like my place, babe?”

I shrugged. “You did a lot of nice things for us.”

His eyes danced. “And this is just the beginning.” He pressed a soft kiss to my lips. “I’m glad you like it.”

”You didn’t have to.” But damn did I appreciate it all.

He studied my face, his fingers stretching to hold it still while his eyes searched for…something. “I wanted to impress you. I crave your approval, Annalise. And you deserve nothing less.” He kept watching, kept studying.

I licked my lips as my heart thundered in my chest. Seth meant every word. And that…overwhelmed me. “Thank you.” It was all I could think to say with the level of emotional confusion threatening to drown me.

His thumb traced my chin, jaw, and then my throat. Memorizing, seeing something I didn’t understand. “Do you know how incredible you are?”

Incredible? I had coaches describe my abilities that way, talent scouts tell me I was beautiful, but I’d never had a man say it and mean it in every way, say it with a rasp in his deep voice and sin in his eyes.

When I didn’t reply something flashed across his face and he lowered his lips to the skin just under my jaw, sucking a soft, swirling kiss. Then he whispered against my ear, “Soon, Annalise. Soon you’ll know it.”

Then he was gone. Back to his stove and cheeses as if we hadn’t just shared the single sexiest moment of my life. And he’d barely touched me.