Page 17 of Murder in Calusa Cove
“It’s not like I deliberately kept it from them. At the time, everyone had their own mess to deal with. Keaton was wrapped up in relationship drama—this was before Petra died. Ken had just started dating his wife and was at odds with his sister. Dawson had just lost his Nana and was in a dark place. Fletcher and Baily were in one of their many off-again phases. I didn’t want to dump a situation on them that didn’t even feel real. And it’s not like I was in love with Tiana—not in any epic, life-altering way.”
“I’ve always admired your logic and level-headedness,” she said, arching a brow, “but right now, you sound like a cold, detached robot living on his own private island.”
“Betsy used to tell me I was the most unfeeling, unempathetic idiot she’d ever met.”
“Okay, first of all—you’re incredibly empathetic, so whoever this Betsy woman is, she clearly didn’t know what she was talking about. And second—who the hell is Betsy?”
Hayes burst out laughing.
Chloe swatted his arm. “I’m serious. What’s so funny about that question?”
He cleared his throat, still grinning. “She was someone I dated for over a year. Probably the closest thing I’ve had to a real relationship.” He leaned in and brushed a kiss against her nose. “I cared about her, once—but it was never going to work.”
“Why not?”
“A hundred little reasons,” he said. “But none of them matter. Because the only person I want to be with now is you.” He gave her a pointed look. “So tell me—why’d you break up with me?”
“You already know why.”
“Yeah,” he murmured, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her close. “But are you going to make me beg for a second chance?”
“I can’t promise anything.”
“I’m not asking for promises. I’m not asking for forever because we both know I’m not capable of that. I just want to see where this goes, one day at a time. I know what your job demands, and I get your obsession with finding your sister’s killer. I’m not going to ask you to stop. In fact, I plan to help.”
Before she could respond, he captured her mouth in a searing kiss. His tongue found hers, deep and urgent, drawing a moan straight from her throat.
That was all the encouragement he needed.
5
Chloe’s nails dug into Hayes’s shoulder blades. She should’ve pushed him away—instead, she pulled him closer, kissed him harder. Gratitude pulsed beneath the surface—relief that he’d accepted her apology, and something deeper now that she’d glimpsed the man behind the armor.
But going any further with this so-called fling? That was a direct path to heartbreak—hers, not his. He’d all but admitted he wasn’t built for the long term.
It wasn’t that she doubted his capacity to care, or even love, in his own way. He’d proven that time and again in how fiercely he protected his team. She had no doubt Hayes would lay down his life for the people he trusted.
Still, despite everything they’d shared this morning, one truth echoed louder than the rest, and that was Hayes had never truly been in love. And maybe he never wanted to be. Maybe that kind of vulnerability wasn’t something he’d ever let in.
She, on the other hand, had tasted it once—with Nick. And as much as it hurt to admit, she craved that kind of connection again.
Just not yet.
Not until she found justice for her sister.
Hayes curled his fingers around her thighs and hoisted her right off the floor, wrapping her legs around his waist.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“Taking you to the bedroom.” He winked. “Unless you want to do it right here in the kitchen. I could get on board with that.”
A wicked grin spread across her face. “Now who said anything about doing it at all?” she teased, clasping her fingers around his neck and pressing herself tighter against him.
Holding her gaze, Hayes let out a low chuckle. “You didn’t have to say anything, your body is quite expressive,” he replied, his voice thick with desire.
A shiver of anticipation ran down Chloe’s spine at his audacious words. Her fingers tightened involuntarily, drawing circles on his skin. It was like her body had its own mind, responding to Hayes’s masculine command.
“Is it now?” she murmured, playfully biting her lower lip. Though she tried to keep her voice steady, a wave of wild excitement surged inside her, making her words tremble slightly.
