Theo stopped at her booth. Instead of sliding into the seat across from her, as Jules half-expected him to do, he sat right next to her, using his muscled bulk to nudge her over. She slid to the right, making room for him, trying not to be too conscious of the heat radiating from his side or his amazing smell or the way her heart flapped around like a crazed bird at his proximity.
He tipped his head at her abandoned breakfast, and she made a “help yourself” gesture. Tugging the plate—which still held the majority of her biscuits and gravy—toward him, he took a bite, keeping his gaze steady on her. There was something so intimate about him eating from her plate, using her fork—the same fork that had been in her mouth—that she felt heat rise in her cheeks and hoped her blush wasn’t obvious. Her throat was so tight she knew her voice would sound weird if she spoke, but she also knew she needed to say something; otherwise, she’d explode. Words were a sort of release valve for her overinflated balloon of a brain.
“What was—” Her voice came out husky—like, phone-sex-operator husky—and her face burned hotter. Clearing her throat, she tried again. “What was that whole thing with Norman about?”
Chewing, he studied her thoughtfully for a long moment before swallowing and then replying. “Just getting some answers.”
“Did you ask him why he’s so weird?” She was blushing hard now, but she couldn’t help it. The side of Theo’s knee brushed against hers, melting her brain until all she could do was shriek single-word thoughts like Knees! Touching! “Or why he only wears beige? Black, I think, would be more practical if he wanted to go monochromatic. Stains wouldn’t show on black.”
“No.”
“You don’t think black would be better?” Why was she still talking?
He stopped eating for a moment so he could look at her. His frown seemed to be more confused than angry, for once. “No, I meant I didn’t ask him… This is a strange conversation.”
“Sorry.”
His expression softened as he studied her. “I don’t mind.”
Jules wasn’t quite sure how to respond, and his careful regard was making her jittery—although in the best way possible—so she glanced around as an excuse to break eye contact. Hugh was giving her hungry-puppy face from their usual table, while Otto looked on in long-suffering, yet tolerant, amusement. “I should get back to work.”
Theo followed her gaze to his partner. “He can wait. Kids okay with going back to school?”
“The kids, yes,” Jules said with a grimace. “I’m the one who’s freaking out. They’re ready—more than ready. I keep watching for signs of trauma, but they’re not there. The kids are sick of me asking if they want to talk about it. Dee finally said she didn’t need to, but she would if I needed to.”
Theo made a sound that might have been a laugh if it hadn’t come from Theo.
“It was so hard not to lock them in the basement this morning so they couldn’t get on their bus.” This time, he choked a little on his latest bite of biscuit. “Not that I would do that…especially since the basement door doesn’t have a lock on the outside. It’s just tough not to keep them home, where it’s safe.”
“You want to protect them.” He said it like it was a good thing, an admirable thing, like she was trying to be a good sister rather than the unstable, clinging-to-the-edge mess she felt like she was right now.
Officer Theodore Bosco was a shockingly good listener. Jules gave him a sideways look. Such a short time ago, he’d seemed like the enemy. After he saved her life, and her sister’s life and her brother’s life, though…after he fixed their porch and said he’d like to be a dog and then snored on their couch, everything about him had turned in her mind. Now, it felt as if he was on their side.
That wasn’t good. No matter how big a hero he was, he would still arrest her if he knew what she’d done—what she was still in the process of doing. Theo was a good cop. He wouldn’t have any choice.
“I really should be getting back to work.” Although she tried to make the words sound casual, Jules must’ve failed, because he gave her a sharp look. She slid toward the opening in the booth that was blocked by his solid form, thinking he’d shift out of her way. He didn’t. All Jules accomplished was getting her body close to Theo’s—very, very close.
“You know,” he said quietly, tipping his head toward hers so they were the only ones who could hear his words, “this doesn’t give me much incentive to move.” His gaze dropped to where her thigh touched his. Heat radiated from him, warming her entire side, making her want to get closer. Theo’s gravitational pull had activated again, drawing her in until their planets collided.