Page 19 of Bobbing for Bodies
“Good.” His hand presses into my lower back, closing the distance between us. “If we weren’t having such a big day tomorrow, I’d invite you to my place right now.” There’s a glint of something decidedly naughty in his eyes, and I’m suddenly ready to eschew anything on my calendar tomorrow to explore the night in theFox’s den.
Then it hits me, and I tip my head back and groan.
“I forgot all about the funeral in the morning.”
“And I hope you didn’t forget about my real estate agent.”
I suck in a quick breath, hopping up on the balls of my feet with excitement. “The rentals! I did forget all about them. But now that you’ve reminded me, I’m thrilled about it.” I cringe a moment. “It feels so wrong to be excited about anything tomorrow.”
“I know.” He brushes a quick kiss to my lips, and my heart slaps hard against my chest as if it were trying to get out and get a kiss for itself. Noah Fox has pillow-soft lips, and I could eat them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
I’m not sure why, but there is a very real soul-crushing need for me to ask him about us, who we are, what we mean to one another. It sounds so silly, so schoolgirl to ask something as ridiculous asare you my new boyfriend?But inquiring minds would like to know if he’s interested in something more than just a few kisses.
“What are you thinking?” he whispers into my ear, his lips softly outlining my temple, and the sensation alone has me outright moaning.
“I’m thinking if you keep doing that I’ll need to take a dip in the fountain to cool off.” I pull back and look into his heated gaze. Noah is feeling something primal for me, and every last part of me is right there with him. “And I was wondering if”—my mouth remains open, but the words get lodged in my throat—“um, maybe we could grab lunch tomorrow. I really do enjoy spending time with you.”
“That sounds like a perfect plan.”
Lunch? That’s the best I could do? I frown over at him without meaning to. At least I’ll get to eat one of my favorite meals, and if Noah takes me to his place, I might get to take a bite out of something else my mouth is watering for.
Noah cups my cheeks and pulls me in gently while landing those magic lips over mine. There is a sweetness to Noah’s kisses, a willingness to linger, and we do. Noah and I kiss in front of that fountain as if we were offering up a nonverbal proclamation to the townspeople of Honey Hollow. We are saying here we are, together, and that’s how we’ll remain. We are real. We are falling hard for one another. The only thing I can’t say with certainty is whether or not we’re officially together. I’ve never felt this way about anyone before, and seeing that I’ve been engaged before, that’s saying a lot.
Noah has blown the doors off any expectations I might have had for the opposite gender. He’s blown the doors off what I thought I knew about the boundaries of my feelings, and that closed door to my heart has been taken right off the hinges.
Yes, I will give Noah his space as far as the investigation is concerned, but only so he doesn’t bump into mine.
Noah mentioned that Martinelle Finances may be dealing in dicey waters. And if he’s not looking to assist me in delving in further, I know a certain judge who owes me a favor for wrangling out the deepest, darkest secret from me.
Noah is right. He can ask me a lot of things, but it doesn’t mean I’ll listen.
And when it comes to solving Hunter’s murder, I sure as heck won’t.
Chapter 10
Honey Hollow Covenant Church is packed to maximum capacity as the entire town shows up to bid farewell to one of its own. The funeral is brief, and both Bear and his mother offer up moving eulogies. But once they roll that video montage of Hunter’s beautiful life, there isn’t a dry eye in the house. Then just like that, the service is over.
Keelie threads her arm through mine as the bodies disappear and the sanctuary begins to drain. “That was beautiful, Lottie. If by chance I happen to die before you, please make sure to vet any photos my mother is willing to toss into the pictorial. That picture with Hunter’s bedhead made me cringe. Rest assured, if anything untimely should happen to me and things at my funeral do not go as instructed, I’m not above ditching paradise to commence a good old-fashioned haunting.”
“Duly noted, and, might I add, more than a little morbid considering the venue.”
Keelie openly scowls at someone seated near the back, and I crane my neck to get a better look. “Can you believe he brought her?”
“Who brought whom?” No sooner do I say it than I spot them, and my heart lurches in my chest.
Noah offers a quick wave, along with what looks to be an apologetic smile, as a very unimpressed Detective Fairbanks stands dutifully by his side.
“That’s funny. He didn’t mention anything about her last night.”
A light tap lands on my shoulder, and I turn to find the good judge nodding solemnly my way. Keelie spots her sister and takes off singing hello in such an alarmingly cheery tone half the congregation turns to inspect her. But that’s Keelie. Nell always says you can’t keep a good Keelie down. And she’s definitely right about that. Knowing Keelie, she’d come back to haunt us just to say hello.
“Everett! What a surprise.” And as quick as the joy of seeing him comes, it dissipates once I realize what he knows. My cheeks heat on cue.
“Lemon.” He bows slightly. “My condolences.”
“Accepted.” I frown up at him because a part of me is waiting for him to whisk me away to some psychiatric facility for a prompt and necessary evaluation.
“Collette asked me to join her. She was extremely distraught so, of course, I couldn’t say no.”