Page 56 of All I Need (Hearts of the South)
“She’s settling down.” Calvert jerked a thumb over his shoulder. “I reminded her that I know a different side of you and you weren’t likely to risk your career by doing anything stupid. Landra pointed out you’d left with Dr. Mills here and that she’d probably be helpful in keeping you in line.”
“I can keep myself in line without any help.”
“You and I know that, but face it, your mama had to clean up a lot of your teenage messes, and in her mind, you’re still her little boy.” Calvert pulled his keys from his pocket. “Go talk to your mama and put her mind at ease. And don’t be late in the morning. I found about fifteen more cold-case files that need to be digitized. Bennett’s going to have plenty to keep him busy when he comes back to work.”
Hand lifted in farewell, Calvert strode to the Chevrolet. As he backed out and exited, Emmett exhaled a long breath. “Don’t be late? What the hell? I’m never late for work. Like, in six years, I was never late for a shift.”
Savannah wrapped her hand around his biceps. “You okay?”
He glanced down and scuffed his hand through his hair. “Yeah.”
“Liar.” She exerted gentle pressure on his arm to pull him to her. With her other hand, she traced the taut line of his lower lip. “What can I do to help?”
“You’re already doing it.” He relaxed slightly under her touch, then glanced toward his door. “I need to check on Landra and talk to Mama.”
“Go.” She released him with a gentle smile. “I’ll be up if you want to come over after.”
He rested his hand at the small of her back and leaned down to kiss her. “I might take you up on that.”
Chapter Eleven
“I feel underdressed.” Savannah quirked an eyebrow at her reflection. She’d not brought her entire wardrobe over from Valdosta, leaving much of it in storage at her parents’ in hopes that SGM wouldn’t make her stay long. The green silk blouse and black slacks would have to do. Maybe she’d bring some things back after Hamilton’s baptism tomorrow.
“For the Cue Club, you’re probably overdressed.” Emmett’s thin gray sweater muffled his voice a moment as he tugged it over his head. “Trust me.”
She pulled her leather jacket from the closet and stepped into the sexy black shoes she’d worn the first night they’d had dinner. If he was right, the edginess of the jacket would tone down the formality. He sat on the foot of her bed to pull on his black boots. His hair, damp from a shared shower, stuck out from his head, and he ran his fingers through it. She paused, struck by the casual intimacy of this, getting ready to go out, and how completely not freaked out she was.
This living thing wasn’t too shabby, if it involved having him in her space, in her bed. With Landra staying in his room, he’d migrated to Savannah’s the past night or so, and she liked it, even if they weren’t sleeping together in every sense of the word.
He was a great kisser, and sheesh, the man was talented with his hands.
Not to mention he was an all-around good guy. She had the impression he was deliberately keeping his interactions with Landra separated from his interactions with her, but there was a protectiveness in the way he looked over his sister that warmed Savannah. A couple of times, she’d awakened alone, only to have him slip back into the bed minutes later. She knew without asking he had gone next door to make sure Landra was all right.
Savannah refused to look too closely at what was holding them back. That didn’t fit into the paradigm of doing today, then doing tomorrow. Today was a musical fundraiser for the local injured EMTs; tomorrow was celebrating Hamilton’s place in their family.
Then they’d see where they were.
“You ready?” He hefted his violin case.
“Yes.” She started for the door and paused. “Wait. Jewelry.”
In the ER, she didn’t wear any jewelry, so forgetting it when she went out wasn’t unusual. Her pearls were already laid out for tomorrow, but they weren’t what she wanted for tonight. She slipped on her thin gold watch and pursed her lips at the limited selection of earrings.
“So, um, speaking of jewelry.”
She glanced over her shoulder, frowning at the uncertainty in his voice. He pulled his wallet from his back pocket.
“I saw these the other night in Moultrie and thought they looked like you.” He extended a small plastic bag in her direction. A hesitant smile hitched the corners of his mouth and disappeared. “If you don’t want them, it’s okay. Landra said I could give them to her for Christmas.”
The caution in his demeanor made her chest hurt. She didn’t care what he handed her; she’d wear the tackiest Cracker Jack box jewelry to get that look off his face.
She stepped toward him, and he laid the bag in her hand. Opals sparkled up at her from a sleek gold setting. “Oh.”
“It’s really okay if you don’t like them.”
“They’re gorgeous.” Looking at them made her want to cry. He’d seen them, glowing and alive, and thought ofher. She swallowed against the lump in her throat and smiled at him. “You’re going to have to get Landra something else for Christmas.”
He made apfftin his throat. “Cash and a card and she’s happy.”
