Page 47 of The Hitman and the Psychic

“Thanks so much.”

We hurried out of the shop to the motorcycle. I slipped my leather gloves on before grabbing my helmet, and met Stone’s gaze. “If you didn’t guess it already, I’m sure they have nothing to do with your stalker.”

“Yeah. I got that.” His brows dipped. “What did you see when you shook hands with Grady, anyway?”

“A video game with a tank on it. I wasn’t sure what it meant, but when you asked about Tank, it made sense.”

“Does that happen often? Where you see something but you don’t know what it means?”

Shrugging, I nodded. “Yeah. Sometimes it’s like a puzzle that I have to put together.”

“So you don’t always know what your visions mean?”

“Not exactly. Most of the time, what I see is fairly obvious. But with this case, I feel like I’m missing something. It would help if we had more to go on.”

Stone huffed out a breath. “Yeah. It’s frustrating.” He checked his watch. “It’s still too early to head to the bar, but I don’t know what else to do. Do you have any ideas?”

I met his gaze. “Actually, yes. There’s one place I haven’t been yet, and that’s your house. Since this is about you, I might pick up something there. The apartment really doesn’t give off your personal vibe so much, but your house should be full of it.”

His brows rose. “Really?” He shrugged. “Well, if it helps find our guy, I’m willing to give it a shot. Let’s go.”

It surprised me that he was so nonchalant about me invading his personal space. Didn’t he realize I might pick up something he’d be embarrassed that I knew?

On the other hand… maybe he didn’t care because he didn’t get that same thrill I did when I touched him. So why care if I saw something personal about him? As long as it didn’t include a vision of him sleeping with a woman. Yikes. I sure didn’t want to see that.

We rode the bike back into the city and continued up toward the better, pricier side of town. Here, the houses were older and packed more tightly together, with stately trees and long driveways.

He took us through the neighborhood and along a street filled with older, craftsman-style homes. They were mid-size and cozy, with low-pitched roofs, protruding gables, and overhanging eaves.

I didn’t picture him living in an area like this. I thought he’d be more of a condo person. A minute later, he pulled into the driveway of a beautiful, stately house, with a wide, open front porch held up by two thick, tapered columns, covered in beautiful stonework. This was his place? It was gorgeous.

A heavy, wooden front door, framed by two large windows on either side, looked inviting, and the woodsiding, painted in earthy green tones with cream colored accents, complimented the design.

Softly rounded shrubs with colorful perennials and a stone paver walkway to the front door tied it all together, totally impressing me and making me a little jealous.

Stone drove down the driveway to the garage and parked in front. We got off, and I followed him through the gate into his backyard. A tall fence surrounding the space gave him privacy, and the garden landscape held trees and a water feature that made it cozy and secluded.

My mouth dropped open. What a great place to unwind. It was almost magical. There were even plenty of things I could photograph. I closed my mouth, totally enamored and wishing I could stay for a while.

He stepped to the back door and hesitated. “You want to touch the knob before I open the door?”

“Oh! Yes. Of course.”

Pulling off my glove, I placed my hand on the knob. Nothing came through, and I nodded. “It seems fine.”

Stone unlocked the door, and I followed him inside. After closing the door, he entered a security code into a panel beside the door and reset the alarm.

I stepped into his kitchen and dining room area, finding that it continued to the front of the house, leaving it open and airy. The kitchen sported a farmhouse sink, light wood cabinets, a stone tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances, and white countertops.

Standing still, I soaked it all in. It was amazing, and somehow it fit Stone perfectly.

He came to my side and raised his brows. “You want to start in here… or my bedroom?”

The way he said it sounded like an invitation, immediately sending tingles down my spine. I quicklystepped away, hoping he didn’t see how his closeness rattled me.

Not only that, but this house and his yard made me view him in a totally different light. I needed to get the stars out of my eyes before I made a fool out of myself.

Our gazes met, and I saw a hint of mischief in his eyes. Narrowing my own, I played along. “That sounds like a good idea. Where is it?”

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