Page 43 of Love and Protect
“Then let’s do it.”
“The resort recommends you book well in advance to guarantee you get an appointment. This weekend, we should look over the packages and schedule one.”
“Just pick whichever one you want. I trust your judgment.”
In that case, Maddie already knew which one she’d book for them. “I’ll call and make a reservation tomorrow. What time do you need to be at Salty’s in the morning?”
Keith scrolled through the oldStar Trekepisodes until he reached the one labeled “Day of The Dove.”“Everyone’s getting there around ten o’clock. I don’t know why I agreed to help him.”
“He probably offered you free beer and pizza.”
Keith threw her a dirty look and tossed the remote on the table. “You’re hilarious. Hopefully, the rain won’t stop, and Salty will want to wait to move his stuff.”
“Sorry, the forecast for tomorrow is cool but sunny, my friend. Besides, if it rains, you’ll just have to help him some other time.”
“Maybe he’d change his mind and hire a moving company.”
She’d known it was only a matter of time before Salty and his girlfriend, Kenzie, moved in together. The unknown had been which house they’d live in. The two homes were nearly identical and on the same street. “He’s moving next door. I wouldn’t want to waste the money on movers either.”
“He’s still going to owe me one. I don’t care how much beer and pizza there is to eat tomorrow.”
Maddie had intended to bring up Keith moving in with her when she got home last night. However, she’d left Murphy’s later than she’d planned and found Keith asleep on the sofa when she got home. He’d woken up long enough to get into bed, but he’d been out again as soon as his head hit the pillow. And this morning, he’d been up and out the door before she woke up. So now seemed like as good a time as any to bring up the topic.
Grabbing the remote, she paused the television. She didn’t want to hear Captain Kirk tell the crew to go to red alert while discussing where Keith would call home.
“I’ve been thinking about this all week. You spend most of your time here. I don’t think you’ve slept in your apartment in over a week.”
“It’s been longer than that. The last time I slept there was when you were in New York City with Lady Haverston and her granddaughter.”
Yeah, he was right. “So basically, you’re paying rent for a place to keep your stuff. I don’t know how much longer you’ve got on your lease, but I think you should move in with me.”
“It’s up for renewal at the end of January. I got an email reminding me this week, but I have signed nothing yet.”
Talk about good timing.
“Sounds like you’ve got time, so you don’t need to give me an answer now if you want to think about it.”
“What’s there to think about? I’ve been hoping you’d ask, because it didn’t make sense for me to ask you to move into my apartment. I’ll let management know I’m not renewing my lease next week when I get back from babysitting Bond.”
* * *
The meteorologist had beenwrong about yesterday’s weather, but not today’s. When Keith opened the blinds on the kitchen door, a blue sky and puffy white clouds greeted him. And once again, he mentally kicked himself for agreeing to help Salty move. Although, on the positive side, since Keith was helping Salty, the guy wouldn’t be able to say no when Keith asked for help moving the stuff from his apartment to Maddie’s house. Or at least some of his things. Not everything he owned would fit here. Some things he didn’t care about. A few items, like the kitchen table, he’d barely used, and he’d find somewhere to donate them. Other objects, though, he’d have to either put in a storage unit or ask Maddie to make room for them. He knew Salty had a similar issue. And that was why today they were moving some of Salty’s belongings over to Kenzie’s house and some to a storage unit.
Keith removed the mug from under the coffee maker and put it on the counter as Maddie walked into the kitchen. “This one is for you.”
“I knew I kept you around for a reason.” Brushing her lips against his, Maddie reached for the mug.
“You can do better than that.” He grabbed her hand before it reached the coffee mug.
“Probably, but do you deserve better?”
“I did make you some coffee.” Keith slid his fingertips up her arms and to her bare shoulders.
“True. But I’m making dinner tonight for us, so I think that makes us even.” Maddie stepped closer and put her arms around his waist. “Now that I think about it, you’re going to owe me. Dinner will require a lot more than hitting brew on a machine.”
He wished she hadn’t bothered pulling on her tank top as his hands slipped from her shoulders and covered her breasts. Despite the material covering them, her nipples hardened against his palms, and he imagined closing his lips around one as he teased the other.
“Bad idea.” Maddie pulled his hands away and moved them back to her shoulders.