Katie loved the warmth of Kaiden's hand around hers. She had forgotten how much she missed the simplicity of someone to hold hands with. Nathan wasn't a touchy feely kind of guy. He always made her feel bad for needing that sort of attention. Now she found herself caught in a limbo of attraction she didn't know how to handle. Nathan put her in a crazy situation—but not nearly as crazy as her feelings for the man beside her. It felt like no time at all had passed since he left the hospital. The simple act of holding hands had her heart racing, blood heating, and palms sweating. She felt thirteen with her first crush all over again.

"I know Hunter came off as sort of a jerk this morning at the hotel but he really is a decent guy. He has always had my back—especially when my ex and I split. I was a wreck there for a while. Another boss would have told me to put up or shut up but Hunter sent me on vacation at my mother's place in the mountains. He was right on, sending me home. Not to mention my mom's place—quiet, secluded. Just what a man nursing a broken heart needed."

"She lives near the hospital then?"

"About forty-five minutes up the side of a mountain actually. Down the end of an unmarked dirt road."

"That explains why you came in by helicopter that night."

Kaiden chuckled. "That and the fact that my mother's friend likes to play with his toys."

"How is your heart now?"

"Come again?"

"Your heart? Has it healed?"

Kaiden lifted her hand and brushed a kiss across the knuckles. "Perfectly."

They reached the ground floor and started down the sidewalk in the Waterside area of Norfolk. She could see how it got its name as they strolled a few hundred feet from the water to what seemed like another bland office building.

"How did you get shot that night?" Katie realized she had never asked him. She assumed it had been work related since he told her he was in law enforcement but the incident occurred a long way from home.

"We were fighting off a couple of mercenaries sent after a woman who is now my cousin Logan's new bride."

"Ah… the tuxedo you interrogated me in." Katie smiled remembering how incredibly well that tux had fit his broad shoulders and trim, muscular frame.

"Yes, ma'am." They reached the door to the building and Kaiden flashed an ID card at a little machine that read it and buzzed them in. She followed him to the elevator, admiring the way his jeans also fit him well from behind. Katie imagined Kaiden would look good in anything he put on—or took off. The thought of Kaiden out of those jeans brought back images of what she knew lay under that shirt he wore. How she wouldn't mind getting her hands on that hard chest without any bandages getting in her way.

"You okay?" Katie looked up to find Kaiden staring at her with a curious look on his face, like he knew exactly what she had been thinking.

"I'm fine."

"Well, the elevator is here. Shall we go up?"

Not another elevator. She realized that he held the doors open waiting for her to enter the car. For a split second she thought about taking the stairs but then it occurred to her that getting locked in the car hadn't been so bad the last time. What the hell, it would be worth a ride if it meant she might end up on top of Kaiden again.

It had to be all the excitement of the past couple of days that had her limbic system all riled up. Right. It had absolutely nothing to do with the handsome hunk and his blue eyes that seemed to be undressing her right there at the elevator doors. She stepped into the car.

"Let's get this over with."

Following her into the elevator, Kaiden pushed the three button and watched as the doors closed before turning to her again. "I promise you Hunter is a good guy. He wants to solve this case as much as I do."

"If you say so, but I am pretty sure he thinks I am some sort of floozy."

Kaiden burst into laughter as the elevator slowed to a stop. "A floozy? Who says that anymore?"

He led her into the hall and she followed him to a glass door at the end. There were no markings on the door, only another key card reader.

"I do. What's wrong with it?"

"Nothing." He chuckled as the door buzzed open. "You just reminded me of my mother for a moment there. She already liked you before but now…? It's a done deal. She will be sending out invitations by Christmas."

Katie shook her head in disbelief. "Invitations to what?"

He didn't hear her or he chose not to respond, either way Kaiden had moved several strides ahead of her when another man called out to him from an open door.

Invitations. Oh my, was he talking about a wedding?