What did I just do?
She gave him a smile that didn’t reach her expressive eyes and said, “Will you bring me back an iced coffee, dumplin’?” She placed slight emphasis on the endearment, and Kemp felt like she’d just called him a dickhead.
Fucked up good this time, dude.
The sheriff broke the awkward silence with a congenial tone. “Well, Summer. I appreciate you giving it some thought, anyway. You let me know if you need anything at all, okay?”
Summer turned her gaze to the sheriff after giving Kemp a silent look that dared him to spend another second in her office in an attempt to wait for the sheriff to leave first. It was official. His ass was grass. Kemp went in search of Ace to let him know he was leaving.
He found Ace on the front porch, caulking around a wall-mounted camera bracket.
“I think I need to get out of Summer’s hair for a little bit. I’m going to the hardware store and then picking us up some lunch.”
“What happened?” Ace said, the barest hint of amusement showing in his eyes.
“Let’s just say the kitten may want to lay her claws into my hide. I’m going to give her a chance to finish with the sheriff and cool down a bit. I won’t be gone long.”
The sheriff was still inside as Kemp backed out of the parking spot and drove into Morehead. He couldn’t believe he’d pulled that stupid-ass move without thinking it over more thoroughly.
He’d felt territorial when Northup had followed her into the back of the shop as comfortably as though he’d done it before. Of course he had. They’d had trouble recently, and he no doubt had been in to take her statement previously.
Kemp hadn’t enjoyed the jealousy that had prompted him to act without thinking. That was unlike him. Earlier that morning, Summer had him laughing and smiling, which had honestly felt a little weird to him. He’d even caught a funny look from Ace over it. Being around Summer made him feel…warm, as ridiculous as that sounded. Her bubbly personality made him feel less stiff and serious. She made him want to have a little fun. It was sad that it felt foreign to him to want that. Maybe he’d been on a crusade to right wrongs so long that he no longer knew how it felt to relax.
Kemp had never been big on outward displays of emotion. The seriousness of their job at times demanded that from him.
Very often they dealt with the underbelly of society, and the need to be serious was also bred into Kemp by his background. An abusive father who gave him the back of his hand at the first sign of weakness or defiance had also ingrained his naturally stoic countenance in him. It had paid to learn to hide his feelings and always maintain control.
He knew what he’d done the moment he’d pressed his lips to the corner of her mouth. Laying it on her like that without her permission was nothing short of marking his territory for the other man’s benefit.
She had every right to be pissed off at him. That kiss hadn’t been for her benefit, but for his. Solely for his own pride’s sake.
He picked up what he needed, got them a takeout lunch and her iced coffee, with extra sweetener and creamer on the side. He figured she could make it just the way she wanted it and hopefully be a little pleased with him for making the effort. He hurried back to the shop, knowing an apology was in order.
Ace met him on the porch. “I don’t know what you did, man, but she is pissed. I wouldn’t go in there if I were you.”
“Hell. Did she tell you what I did?”
“No. Not much anyway. She has a store full of customers right now,” he said, indicating the full parking lot. “She told me she doesn’t want to talk to you. At all.”
“Shit.”
Ace chuckled and said, “She’s got some spirit. Little sparks were practically shooting from her pretty hazel eyes.”
With a disappointed but resigned sigh Kemp said, “I’ll give her some time.” He handed Ace her iced coffee to give to her.
“Yeah, why don’t you work out here and I’ll finish inside for today. Give her a chance to cool off and think it over. She’s not the unforgiving type.” With a grin, Ace added, “Maybe I can put in a good word for you. What happened?”
Kemp told him, and Ace groaned, shaking his head. “That’s not like you, Kemp. Not thinking things through.”
“I know. She’s got me all wound up. I was jealous. You should’ve seen the way that guy was looking at her.”
Ace went inside to deliver her beverage and finish the camera install and the other items on Kemp’s checklist. Summer’s little boutique was evidently very popular with the local women. Over the course of the next few hours, customers came and went until the number of cars in the parking lot steadily dwindled to none.