Page 12 of Pick Yourself Up (Heroes to the Core #3)

Kissing Up

A mber grabbed Gray’s sweatshirt to ground herself. Otherwise, the kiss might have had her floating off into the clouds.

She’d never been kissed with such tenderness and passion. The combination was heady.

She had no idea how long they stood kissing in front of the farmhouse. Minutes or hours?

They were breathing hard when they pulled back. Gray’s smile brightened, and he tugged her in for a hug. A warm, comforting hug that told her without words that he wasn’t about to rush her into taking things further.

Which was good. Someone needed to be in charge of their emotions and right now, that wasn’t her.

Which was a first.

Amber always controlled her emotions. More than that, she contained them. Right now, she wanted to let them loose and follow up that kiss with lots more. Right until they were naked, sated, and panting for more.

She’d never felt so amped up. And never felt so sure that a man wouldn’t take advantage of her.

Gray pulled back from the hug so he could see her but kept his arms around her. “No regrets about that kiss?”

She laughed. “Not a chance. That was a kiss that all other kisses should aspire to be.”

His rough chuckle sent shivers exploding over her skin. Everywhere. “Agreed. We’ll have to see if we can improve on things next time.”

“I like the sound of that.” Then she reached up on her toes and kissed him softly, making them both smile.

Finally, he brushed his finger over her lips and then stood back with a sigh. He took her hand and squeezed. “Can I come with you and Boomer while you check out your farmhouse?”

“I’d like that.”

When they moved, Boomer stood from where he’d been napping at their feet. He yawned and stretched before wagging his tail as he looked at them.

Gray reached down and patted the dog’s head. “I’m glad you approve, because I’d like to do a lot more of that.”

Amber knew her skin was flushed, and she couldn’t stop smiling, but she didn’t care. This really good, really sexy man who kissed like a dream wanted to do it again.

Sign her up.

Gray squeezed her hand again, and they moved up the porch stairs.

Amber had to let go of his hand to pull the keys out of her pocket. “Ford hasn’t spent any time in here yet. In fact, no one has been inside here since before Thea moved onto the property. I hope the floors are safe for Boomer.”

Gray frowned. “He’s well trained. If it’s not a construction zone inside, he’ll probably be safe. I’m guessing he’d stress if he had to wait here while we checked it out.”

She worried her bottom lip as she nodded. “We’re better when we’re together.”

Gray nodded and didn’t seem to think it was weird. That made it easier to tell him the whole story. “After what happened at The Sidderlight, I didn’t feel safe anywhere. Not even in my room at the hospital or the hotel once they released me.”

“You didn’t have to stay long in the hospital, I hope.”

She smiled. “Only a couple of days. Because of the concussion, they took out the bullet with a local anesthetic rather than putting me under. I didn’t have much recovery time to deal with.”

He frowned. “I’m so sorry I wasn’t quick enough. I should have been able to save you from all that.”

Amber laughed. “None of it was your fault. If it weren’t for you, things would have been much, much worse.”

He kissed her softly again. “I’m still sorry.”

She hugged him. “Seriously, not your fault. I’m fine. Well, most of the time. I’m working on it. You and Boomer help me through it.”

He raised one eyebrow. Sexy move.

She patted his chest. “Whenever the fear tries to overwhelm me, I picture you and those dark eyes. Calm, steady, determined. It helps.”

“When did you get Boomer?”

“I started researching when I was in the hospital. I couldn’t imagine having to work my next shift in the lobby alone. A nearby business that trains personal protection dogs popped up on my search. I visited, and it took about three seconds to fall in love with Boomer.”

Gray smiled and patted the dog on the head. “From what I can see, the feeling’s very much mutual. He’s a great dog.”

“He is. With him at my side, I was able to get through my shifts.”

Gray nodded. “Until?”

He was perceptive. “Until I decided I didn’t want to anymore. I didn’t want a job where I was nervous every moment.”

Gray rubbed his hand up and down her arm. “Good choice. Life is too short to hate your job.”

He said it with total conviction. “Is that why you left bodyguarding?”

He nodded. “I always knew it would be a stopgap job until I found something I loved, but I didn’t expect to hate it more than I loved it.”

“I’m glad you ended up here.”

His face lit up. “Me, too.”

Deciding they’d had enough introspection for the morning, she unlocked the door and swung it open.

Mustiness greeted their noses, and Boomer’s ears perked up while Amber sneezed. The dog woofed softly, a sign he was curious about something, but not concerned about anything that could bother either of them.

Gray opened the flashlight app on his phone and swept it inside the dim interior. The windows had been boarded up at some point, probably to protect the glass and stop vandals from accessing the building.

She pulled out the flashlight she’d found in a kitchen drawer. “I’m betting we can find a bigger flashlight in one of the barns, but I didn’t want to wait until everyone was up to ask about it.”

Gray chuckled, the rough rumble coating her skin with those shivers that had her thinking all kinds of interesting thoughts.

Glad for the dimness that would hide her flush, Amber moved her light across the floor. “Okay, Boomer, we can explore. I don’t see much debris on the floor. Just be careful of your paws. Explore.”

Boomer nuzzled her hand and moved about a foot ahead of her, nose to the ground.

She and Gray followed at the dog’s pace, checking with their lights for obstacles on the floor.

There weren’t many. “Whoever the last person in this house was, they appear to have cleaned up before they left.”

Gray splayed his light over the walls and into the gloom. “Even the furniture they left has been covered. So far, the biggest danger is dust. Maybe mold. We’ll have to get masks before any renovations.”

She agreed, thrilled that he used the word we .

The foyer of the house was large, with a wide staircase heading up. On either side, large double doorways stood open into other rooms.

Boomer paused and checked over his shoulder. Amber smiled. “Your choice, Boomer. Where do you want to go?”

When he wasn’t actively on guard duty, she spoke to the dog as if he were human. When she was scared or nervous, she used the shorter commands he was used to. Commands he followed instantly.

With Boomer and Gray at her side, she had no nerves exploring the empty house. Even in the shadows, with creaks echoing in the cavernous spaces, it wasn’t scary.

Relief that she wasn’t completely broken rushed through her. It helped to have her companions, but the excitement of exploring a new space and the anticipation of digging into a project filled her. If she could move past the debilitating flashes of fear and nightmares, she’d be okay.

As long as the Lauzon family didn’t follow up on their threats to make her pay for the mess at The Sidderlight.

With Chicago in her past, she should be safe.

She hadn’t told Nathaniel, Shirika, or any other staff member where she was going, just that she was planning to spend time with her family. She’d implied that she’d be visiting various family members in different locations.

Amber disliked being less than honest, but her small fib should keep her friends safe. If they knew nothing, there was no reason for anyone to bother them.

Better to be safe.

Gray’s voice broke into her thoughts. “Do you want to check out the furniture under the tarps or keep exploring the house?”

She realized both the man and the dog were at the next doorway, watching her and waiting.

“Sorry. Got lost in thought. Let’s keep exploring. I’d love to get an overview first.”

And she’d rather keep her thoughts on the present, not the past.

G ray knew Amber had retreated into the past. Back to the incident at The Sidderlight. Her body stood rigid, and her flashlight stilled.

Something had triggered her worry, and he wanted to figure it out so he could stop it from happening again.

Boomer stopped with him at the door. The dog wouldn’t cross the threshold without Amber. Gray felt very much the same.

After those spectacular kisses outside the house, Gray figured he was even more in tune with Amber. She was fascinating and fun. He should be itching to work in his gardens, but he wasn’t. Following her through the large house and finding out more about her was far more interesting.

Amber shook off her thoughts and approached, brushing her fingers into the fur on Boomer’s head.

It was something she did a lot, often unconsciously.

Probably a reassurance that her friend was near and she was safe.

Her dog was her touchstone, and he was glad she’d been smart enough to find a way to feel secure.

With the flashlights being their only source of lighting, the atmosphere was intimate. Dusty, but intimate. Like they were the only three in the world.

The main floor had four large rooms near the front. Without more light, it was impossible to see details, but they were probably living and dining spaces, possibly a library.

When Boomer led the way through a swinging door, they entered an even larger room. The spaces for the fridge and stove were empty, but it was obviously a kitchen.

“This is huge. It’s fantastic.” Amber’s voice reflected her excitement.

He loved her enthusiasm. “You can tell beyond the dust?”

She laughed. “Of course. There’s enough room to keep any cook or chef happy. They’ll love how many cupboards there are, and that long table will be a perfect prep space. There’s even enough room for a sous chef or assistant.”