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L ulu was humming. Humming.

This morning, she’d caught herself humming while in the coffee shop, picking up coffees and pastries for Kai and herself. She’d told herself to stop and had succeeded for a little while.

Then she’d caught herself doing it again on the drive to the house. It wasn’t even a tune she recognized. It was simply a happy, light tune for someone also feeling happy and light these days.

I might be in love.

She hadn’t said it out loud yet. She’d thought about it a great deal, mulling over what a serious relationship with Kai would look like. They were both too mature to just “date around”. At this point in their lives, if they were going to spend their precious little time off with someone, it was going to be a person that they could picture themselves with long-term. Kai was no fuck boy, looking for a quick hit, and Lulu had left the hooking-up culture behind. She might not be looking for forever, but she was looking for a person she could share her life with. Someone who could be a real partner to her.

She’d had her fill of men who couldn’t commit, or didn’t have a job, or still wanted to pal around every weekend with his “bros” while she sat at home contemplating her position as a doormat in his life.

Of course, there were other men who were threatened if her life wasn’t fucked up, too. Her last boyfriend had adored her when she’d still been searching for what she wanted to do, but as soon as she’d started to make moves to improve her life and skills, he’d complain that she wasn’t paying enough attention to him.

He’d had the nerve to do this while not even giving her the courtesy of looking in her eyes. He’d been glued to the television where he was playing a video game. With his bros.

Luckily, she’d remembered what her mother had told her when she’d started dating.

“If you’re not important to him now during the honeymoon phase of your relationship, it’s not going to get any better later.”

Presley Reilly had also told her this one, “Don’t fall for a man’s potential. He may never get off the couch and meet it. Fall for what he is - right now - at this moment. With few exceptions, that’s who he will stay.”

That day he’d complained to her about not paying him enough attention, she’d taken a deep and long look at her life. It hadn’t taken long to realize - maybe a few minutes - that this so-called relationship was for the birds. She’d been so busy trying to convince herself that mature, adult relationships weren’t always fun that she’d forgotten that she was supposed to at least be happy to be with him.

After that revelation, she’d promptly risen from the sofa, put on her shoes, and gathered her purse and other belongings before disconnecting his router. She could hear his howl of outrage from the bathroom, where she was grabbing her eyeliner and toothbrush. She then marched out and told him that she wished him good luck in his life because he was clearly going to need it. She’d walked out without a look back.

He’d spent the next few weeks sending her texts telling her that she wasn’t ever going to do better than him. She’d sent back one single reply.

I’ll take that chance.

He’d even had the audacity to tell her that she wasn’t “fun” anymore like she was in the beginning. It was hard to be the fun one when he relegated her to being the designated adult of the two of them.

Brianna, of course, had told Lulu that she’d never liked the guy in the first place. Brianna had an instinct about people that was foolproof. She could sniff out a lying, cheating asshole a mile away. It was her superpower.

“You should have told me,” Lulu had said. “If you had, I wouldn’t have stayed with him.”

“No, you were in love,” Brianna had replied. “You would have made some excuse for him. I knew you’d eventually come to your senses. And if you didn’t, I might have had something else up my sleeve.”

Brianna never would say what she’d been planning, but Lulu had no doubt it was low-down devious, calculating, and ingenious. Brianna - in a nutshell - was fucking brilliant.

But with this man Kai Oliver, Lulu was so happy she was humming. She’d always sort of made fun of girls who walked around practically floating on air because some guy was so amazing. And now she was doing it, too.

In the middle of a murder investigation no less.

An investigation that just might get a break today. The DA had been able to procure search warrants for Allie’s apartment, car, and also her workspace. Maybe…just maybe the forensic unit would find something that would be helpful. In the meantime, Lulu could only wait for news.

She unlocked the front door of the house and walked in, juggling the two coffees and a box of pastries that Chase had packed especially for her. If she was lucky, there was a gooey cinnamon roll in that box. Or two, if Kai liked them as well. If not, well, she liked him so she might share.

She might even love him, but she wasn’t ready to make that declaration. Not yet.

Placing the coffee and pastries on the kitchen counter, she stepped back to happily survey her new home. So much more room than the tiny apartment she was sharing with Henry. The house was a three-bedroom ranch style with a primary bathroom big enough that Lulu could have all of her makeup strewn across the vanity. Her clothes wouldn’t even fill half of the closet.

She wasn’t sure how long Henry would stay in Harper, but he would have his own side of the house with a separate bedroom and bathroom. He’d even have a real bed if all of the furniture she’d ordered was actually delivered today. She’d had a few delays with the furniture company, and she still didn’t quite believe that today was the day.

Lulu hadn’t inherited the decorating gene, sadly. Her dad could barely put colors together that didn’t clash, and her mother had decorated their home simply, not liking clutter in any form. There had been no Pinterest fireplaces or pantries, no fresh flowers on the kitchen table each week, or handmade potholders for every holiday.

Her mother liked the color red, and her dad the color blue. That meant there were splashes of each throughout the house that was mostly beige as the backdrop. It had worked fine, too.

Brianna and Amanda both had a real eye for color - especially Amanda - and they’d offered to come help her decorate her new place. Amanda had even gone shopping with Lulu for the furniture. She’d wanted something attractive and functional without breaking her bank account.

But even without furniture, Lulu was thrilled. The maple hardwood floors gleamed, and the dark granite countertops were perfect with the farmhouse white kitchen cabinets. The fireplace was the centerpiece of the living room, and Lulu was looking forward to many evenings curled in front of it.

Her aunt and uncle had taken care of the home when they’d lived there, taking pride in their well-kept surroundings.

It had been Lulu’s grandparents’ greatest wish that all of their children had a house of their own on the ranch. Her parents did, her other aunt and uncle did, and now Chase had taken over their grandparents’ house. There was something about having family so close that made it feel truly like she was finally home after a long journey.

She heard a vehicle pull into the driveway and it sounded like the delivery truck. She hurried outside to see the men already opening the back of the truck to unload her furniture. It was finally happening. She would be sleeping in her new house tonight.

There were three men, and they knew what they were doing. Before she knew it, they’d unloaded the furniture in the long driveway and piece by piece were bringing it into the house. She was inside instructing the men where to place her couch and two armchairs when she heard Kai’s voice calling from outside.

“Hey,” he said, dropping a brief kiss on her lips. “Looks like I’m just in time to put some furniture together.”

“There’s coffee on the counter and pastries from the coffee shop. Help yourself,” she said.

After all the build-up and months of waiting, the delivery was done in a short amount of time. She was waving goodbye to the men as they drove away before nine in the morning.

“That went more smoothly than I anticipated,” Lulu said when they went back inside. “I was sure something was going to go wrong.”

She’d told him her tale of woe regarding the furniture order. Nothing had prepared her for the runaround she’d received from the company - giving one delivery date and then telling her they’d never given her a date. It had all been stressful and frankly, a pain in the ass.

“It’s finally here so now you can breathe easier. What’s first on the agenda? Putting the beds together?”

Most of the furniture was in one piece, but the beds and the kitchen table had to be assembled. Kai had shown up with a toolbox, ready to work. Bless him, because Henry wasn’t great with tools, but Chase would have done it if she’d asked but it would have been later after work.

“First, we finish our coffee, eat our pastries, and then we put the furniture together.”

“I like that you have your priorities straight. Caffeine, first. Work, second.”

There were cinnamon rolls in the pastry box along with a cruller, two chocolate frosted donuts, and a couple of cranberry scones. They could snack on this all day long. Chase had outdone himself this morning.

They were both sitting on the brand-new barstools at the kitchen island enjoying their breakfast. Kai’s gaze was running over the room and taking in all the details. She couldn’t help but wonder what he thought about her mediocre decorating skills. For some reason - that she didn’t want to ponder too hard - it was important to her that he was comfortable and at home here.

“You already have the television set up?”

The television was hung over the mantle of the fireplace which was the focal point of the great room. She had her kitchen at one end and the fireplace at the other with the living room furniture in between.

“Henry and Chase did it about a week ago. They wouldn’t take no for an answer when they offered. I think they did a pretty decent job. They even set up my streaming channels for me. They would have helped with the furniture, too, I just would have had to wait until tonight.”

“No sense in waiting. I’m here,” Kai said with a grin. “Wait, does this recliner do what I think it does?”

Ah, the recliner. Butter-soft brown leather that a person could sink into.

It had been a huge splurge on her part. Her mom and dad had one years ago, and she and her brothers had fought over who would get to sit in it. It was supposed to be her dad’s Christmas present that year, but everyone, including the dog, wanted to use it.

Eventually, her mother had declared the chair off-limits for any kids unless they were hurt or sick. That had been the best part of having a cold - getting to lie in that damn recliner. It had broken a few years back, and her parents had never replaced it.

But now Lulu had.

“Massage and heat,” Lulu confirmed. “My parents had one just like it. I always said that when I had my own home, I was going to get one. So, I did. It was my splurge. And now I don’t have to share it with my brothers, the dog, or my mom and dad. It’s all mine.”

“You won’t share?” Kai playfully put on a sad face. “How cruel. Can I try it out?”

She wouldn’t mind curling up in it with him.

“You can, but I warn you, you may never want to get out of it and become a productive citizen in society. Its seduction might make you a slave to its three levels of heat and full-body shiatsu massage.”

“Shiatsu? I’m in. It won’t break me. I’m stronger than this chair.”

“I’ve seen lesser men fall but go ahead.”

Kai carefully sat down in the chair and picked up the remote from the side table. He pressed a few buttons and then let out a long sigh, his eyes closing in pure bliss.

Yep, I’ve lost him to a chair.

“Can you imagine sitting in this after a long day of work, especially when it’s cold outside?” he asked, his eyes still closed.

“Yes, that’s why I bought it. How’s the shiatsu going?”

“It’s heaven. Damn, I may have to get one of these.”

“I can tell you where to order it.”

“That sounds great. In the meantime, I might just sit here and wait for it to be delivered.”

“Kai, there’s work to be done,” she reminded him. “And you said that you were stronger than the chair, remember?”

“I was wrong.”

“Kai, I’m the sheriff of this town, and I’m packing heat. Don’t make me use it to get you out of my chair.”

That made him open his eyes, but they were alight with mischief.

“You’d shoot me over a chair?”

“I’m very tempted. And I don’t think there’s a jury in the world that would convict me. Not once they sit in that chair.”

“I do believe you’re right about that.” He levered up with a loud moan. “But I am getting one of those. Shit, I didn’t even know real people actually had them. I thought they were just something you saw at the mall.”

“Real people do,” she confirmed. “Now are we going to get to work? Eventually, I need to check into the office and see what’s going on with that warrant.”

“They’re going this morning?”

“They are. Steve said he’d call if they turned up anything.”

Kai levered up from the chair and then gave it a gentle pat.

“It’s not you. I have to go help build furniture.”

“Are you afraid of hurting the chair’s feelings? I think it will be okay.”

“I just don’t want it to get a complex. It’s nothing personal.”

“You’re beginning to make me think I shouldn’t have let you sit in it.”

Lulu loved how goofy they could be with one another. She adored a man who could make her laugh and didn’t take himself too seriously.

He’s talking to a recliner. He definitely doesn’t take himself too seriously.

“You probably shouldn’t have,” Kai agreed easily. “But that genie is out of the bottle. And I’m going to need the store so I can order one as soon as possible. Now let’s put those beds together. I brought my toolbox.”

Hmmmm…if her bed was as comfortable as the chair would Kai never want to leave it?

The kitchen table was put together first, and it went together quickly and smoothly.

The bed in the spare room had been a bit trickier, but it wasn’t too difficult. Kai hadn’t read the instructions for the table, but he had for the bed. There had to have been a million different parts in that box, and he’d had a terrible feeling that a part might have been left out. Luckily, he’d been wrong, and all the parts and pieces were accounted for. There had been some extra screws, but he wasn’t worried about those.

The king-sized bed in Lulu’s room had been the toughest, and they’d left it for last. She’d picked a modern style with a dark oak padded headboard, and the frame had built-in drawers underneath. But of course, that meant that they had to construct the drawers which took a good bit of time. By the time they finished, they were tired, giggling, and wanting another pastry from the box in the kitchen.

“We have to put the sheets on,” Lulu instructed after they’d put the mattress in place. “I want to see the bed all made up with the pillows and everything. My friends helped me pick it out. I’m not great with what color goes with what.”

It simply wasn’t fair that Lulu looked completely adorable after their menial labor. Her chocolate brown hair - which had been piled on top of her head this morning - had fallen down around her shoulders, and it was all he could do not to reach out and run his fingers through those silken strands.

Her cheeks were pink with the effort of tossing around a king-sized memory foam mattress after putting together the heavy oak bed frame and headboard. She hadn’t made him do everything because “he was a guy” either. She’d been in there just as much as he’d been, and she had her own toolbox that Chase had given her as a housewarming gift.

“Okay, let’s go then,” he said as she disappeared into her walk-in closet.

She returned, her arms full of linens.

“I already washed them.”

“You’ll get no judgment from me.”

With Lulu on one side of the bed, and Kai on the other, they managed to wrangle the mattress cover, the fitted and flat sheet, a cozy blanket, and then the brightly colored comforter on the bed.

“Okay, now the pillows,” she commanded, pointing to a pile of them on the floor.

There had to be at least a dozen or so, all color-coordinating with the comforter and sheets.

“That’s a lot of pillows,” he observed. “You’re only one person.”

“I’ll only sleep with the bed pillows,” she said with an eye roll. “The other pillows are for decoration.”

“Call me a Neanderthal, but I don’t have any pillows in my house that are for decoration. They’re for use or they’re not there.”

“Are you helping me or not?”

“I am. Just making an observation.”

It only took a few extra moments to arrange them on the bed, although Lulu kept fussing with them as if it mattered where the blue throw pillow was located compared to the green.

It didn’t matter at all. But what do I know? I’m a guy.

Wearing a huge smile, Lulu stepped back to survey her work.

“It’s perfect. I love it.”

It did look nice. Like something out of a magazine. All those pillows were lovely to look at but not terribly practical. Was Lulu going to take them off every night and then put them back in the morning?

But it was almost too perfect.

Lulu wasn’t the perfection type either. She didn’t care if her lipstick was touched up, or her hair was windswept. She didn’t sweat the small stuff. She might nitpick during a murder investigation, but not about whether her sandwich was prepared exactly to specifications.

Kai simply couldn’t help himself.

He picked up the green throw pillow and casually tossed it on the floor, watching her reaction closely. Would she explode? Or would she laugh? His bet was on the latter.

She pulled her brows together for a moment as if she was surprised by his action, but then a smile bloomed on her far too beautiful face.

“You threw my pillow on the floor.”

“I did.”

“You know that’s just going to start a fight, right?”

“I’m counting on it, sweetheart.”

He couldn’t have said who moved first, but later, he would swear it was Lulu. She’d jumped on the bed and grabbed another pillow before swinging in his direction, hitting him on the arm.

The pillow war had officially begun.

He bonked her lightly on the head with a pillow, and she hit him in the stomach. Nobody was going to get hurt, of course, because they were wielding fluffy pillows. At some point, they were chasing each other around the bed, and he reached out to grab her ankle. They both collapsed, breathing hard, on the mattress, giggling like kids at a sleepover. All they needed were some s’mores and a scary movie.

They lay intertwined, no longer children but fully grown and consumed by mutual desire. He couldn't resist the urge to ravish Lulu, to feel her skin against his without the barrier of clothing.

She responded eagerly, straddling him and indulging in a slow and tantalizing kiss. Their tongues danced together in a game of passion, deepening with each passing moment.

His hands roamed her body, desperate to remove any obstacles between them. With Lulu, he felt completely lost in pleasure, unable to deny his desperate need for her.

The fabric of their clothing vanished in an instant, leaving their bare skin to ignite upon touch. His hands traced the curves of her body, each dip and curve an exciting discovery. Her flesh was like warm silk, inviting him to run his fingers along every inch. With every moan of pleasure that escaped her lips, his own desire intensified tenfold.

He explored her breasts with gentle caresses, teasing the hardened peaks until she cried out and gripped the sheets tightly. His fingertips then ventured lower, tracing the contours of her thighs until he found just the right spot to bring her to ecstasy. She whimpered his name as she surrendered to the waves of pleasure crashing over her.

Gripping her hips, he rolled them over so he hovered above her, allowing him to taste every inch of her neck and shoulders with his lips and tongue. She laughed playfully when he found a sensitive spot, her hands gliding down his spine and sending shivers down his body. Every touch from her was like fire igniting within him, fueling his growing urgency.

Luckily for him, Lulu felt the same.

She raised her hips eagerly, pulling him closer and locking their gazes together. With a slow and deliberate thrust, he entered her completely. They stayed like that for a long moment, basking in the intense connection between them. Eventually, he simply couldn’t stay still any longer.

Their movements were more confident this time, fueled by their growing knowledge of each other's desires. As she gyrated her hips with every powerful stroke, he couldn't take his eyes off of Lulu's stunning form. Her skin glistened with sweat and her long hair cascaded around them like a veil.

"Are you ready?" he growled, his voice rough with desire. "Tell me what you need."

Lulu didn't need to say a word as her body spoke volumes. With each thrust, she ground against him urgently, driving both of them towards the pinnacle. He could feel the heat building within him, the building pressure in his lower back.

It was hot and sexy, and it had him on the edge, ready to go over. But he wanted it to be the both of them jumping into the stars.

He fell only seconds after Lulu, giving in to the waves of pleasure that took full control of his body. He wanted to keep his eyes open to watch her orgasm again, but his lids squeezed shut as red-hot flames ran through his veins like lava.

When it was over, they collapsed together laughing and cuddling in the brand-new sheets. They couldn’t stay there all day, but for the next few minutes, Kai was going to simply enjoy holding Lulu in his arms.

And he couldn’t wait to do it again.