reason. Other than you’re nice.”
“You know what they say about nice guys.”
“That they finish last?”
“Which could be a good thing in some cases.”
She laughed. “Not at all what I’m talking about here.”
“But you might want to bookmark it for future reference.”
She leaned against him, pressing her body against his side. “Or, for now.”
He looked down. “This isn’t the same sofa we made out on when we were in high school, is it?”
“No. Mom got a new one a few years back.”
“That’s too bad.” He pulled her toward him. “It was a pretty comfy sofa.”
This close, she felt his heart pounding. Hers was, too. Their faces were so close all it would take was her leaning in and their lips would touch.
She did, and he kissed her, his soft lips melting her. He took it slow and easy, just the way she liked it, sliding his arm around her waist to tug her closer. She sighed against his mouth and he uttered a groan and it was all she could do not to climb on his lap, but she was conscious of where she was. They weren’t alone. But she could indulge in a little kissing. And this was very good, reminding her of just how long it had been since she’d been thoroughly kissed.
“Mom?”
Kal broke the kiss so fast it made her head spin. He also got up and moved clear across the room.
Hannah couldn’t help but smile at his quick moves. She stood. “I’ll be right back.”
He nodded. “Sure.”
She went into Oliver’s room. “What’s up?”
“I heard a noise.”
“Yeah?” She went to sit down on the side of his bed. “What kind of noise?”
“I dunno. A noise. Like bumping against the wall outside.”
“It’s windy outside. Probably that piece of guttering that’s loose. But I’ll go check it out, and you go back to sleep, okay?”
“Okay.” He yawned, and she pulled the covers up, bent and kissed his forehead.
“I love you, Oliver.”
He was already falling back asleep. “Love you.”
She came back into the living room.
“Is he okay?” Kal asked.
“He said he heard a noise outside. There’s some guttering that’s loose above his window, and sometimes when the wind kicks up it rattles. I’m sure that’s what it was.”
“Want me to go look?”
She shook her head. “No, it’s fine.”
“I’m gonna go check anyway. I’ll be right back.”
“Okay.”
He went out the front door and was gone for a while. When he came back in, he shook his head. “Nothing and nobody out there, just in case he wakes up again. But you’re right about that gutter. It’s loose.”
“I’ll have it taken care of so it doesn’t bother him anymore.”
“Okay.” He looked toward Oliver’s room. “I think I’m gonna go.”
She didn’t want him to, even though she knew it was the right thing. “Sure.”
He walked toward her and pulled her into his arms, giving her a brief brush of his lips across hers. “See you soon.”
“Thanks for tonight. I had a good time. So did Oliver.”
“Me, too. Good night, Hannah.”
“Night, Kal.”
She walked him to the door and waited while he left.
“Lock the door behind me,” he said over his shoulder.
She smiled. “Okay.”
She closed the door and locked it, then sighed and went to her room, knowing she was going to be way too pent-up to sleep.
She had a hot man on her mind.
CHAPTER 10
KAL GOT UP EARLY, WENT TO THE GYM WITH JACKSON, then they met Rafe at his house. Carmen had the day off, so she fed them a breakfast of huevos rancheros with tomatillo sauce. Kal could have downed that all day long.
“How’s the new house coming along?” he asked as they sat at the kitchen table in front of the bay window.
“It’s perfect,” Carmen said. “Since the house was new, there wasn’t much to do, but we’ve started to put things on the wall, added shelves and area rugs here and there. It’s starting to feel like home.”
Rafe shot a smile across the table at Carmen. “It felt like home the minute you and I walked in here.”
“True. And soon we’ll be married. That’s hard to believe.”
“Yeah,” Jackson said. “Hard to believe anyone would be willing to marry this jackass.”
“Hey. You’re the one who took forever to ask Becks to marry you.”
Carmen nodded. “Sorry to say he’s right. What took you so long?”
Jackson looked at all of them, then shrugged. “It was Becks. She kept saying she wasn’t ready.”
Kal sputtered out a laugh. “Yeah, right. She’d have married you a year ago and you know it.”
“No, seriously. I asked her several