Page 34 of Love Expert

“I’m gonna go now. I’ve got a lot of work to do, and possibly a few deals to make with the devil. Ya know, to find a handful of women who wouldn’t mind dating a total jackass for a few hours.”

I choke out a fast, breathy laugh.

“She’ll need a heart of iron, a submissive streak a mile wide to put up with your shit, and although I can’t promise to deliver, I do promise to keepmassive titsat the forefront of my mind while I’m searching. I’ll come back in a few days and let you know when your first date is.”

“I think you’re missing a key detail, Ms. Sava.”

Don’t leave yet. I’m not done looking at you.

She wanders to the doorway and stops with her hand on the frame. Eternally patient, she brings beautiful golden eyes back to mine. “Oh yeah? What key detail am I missing?”

“I have a son, and he’s not old enough to drive me and my tata-licious dates around just yet. Can’t take him with me, can’t leave him home alone. Kinda ruins all your plans, huh?”

She grins. “You got thewholeMagnolia Sava package, Detective. That includes baby-sitting, too.”

“You’re shittin’ me, right?”

“Not at all. Plus, being here at the conclusion of each date makes complete sense anyway, since we’ll need to debrief while the details are still fresh in your mind.” She taps the door frame and reveals a sexy little smirk, then she turns on her heels and heads back into the living room. “I’m leaving now, Jeremy. But I had fun eating dinner with you.”

“Aw man!” The movie pauses, then something hits the floor with a thud. “I don’t want you to go yet, Maggie. We didn’t even have dessert yet!”

I push away from the sink in silence and cross my kitchen on light feet. Stopping where she was a moment ago, I peek around the corner and watch my son throw himself at her legs, wrapping his arms around, and pressing his cheek to her thigh.

Does he know I loved her when we were kids? That he’s already touched her more than I ever did?

“Please stay a little longer,” he whines. “Or, ya know what?” He leans back and stares up into her eyes. “Maybe you could go home and get some of those donuts you made, then bring them back and we can watch Spy Kids 2!”

“Jeremy.” I swear, I don’t mean for my voice to come out so low, for his name to sound like an angry grumble. But the single spoken word still pulls two sets of frowning eyes. “Let her go, bud. Maybe you could toss aball in her yard tomorrow and scream at the side of her house until she comes out and hands it back.”

He bounds to his feet, whirlwind movements and clumsy hands crashing against her body more than the time I almost arrested her in the dark. Crooking his finger and drawing her closer, he whispers,loudly, “My dad is a policeman, and did you know policemenlovedonuts?”

Maggie snickers, straightening her back and nodding. “Clichés are clichés for a reason. Maybe I should drop a whole dozen off at the station sometime soon.” Her lips quirk into a smug grin. “But not when your dad is on shift. He didn’t earn my homemade donuts yet.”

“But did I?” His eyes flare wide with panic. “Did I earn one, Maggie? Cos I didn’t mean to squish your flowers with my soccer ball that time. It was an accident, and I told you right away.”

“Your honesty was very brave.” She cups his cheek, melting a little as he leans into her touch like a well-loved kitten. “I’ll save you a donut next time I make a batch.”

“You promise?”

“Promise. I have to go home now though, okay?” She presses a kiss to the tips of her fingers, then presses her fingers to his forehead. “Catch you tomorrow, maybe.”

He stumbles back a step, dreamy-eyed and head over heels, straight up stupidly in love with the woman he didn’t know a month ago. “You should take your fortune cookie.” He goes to the couch and takes one of the three, setting it in her palm. “It’s gonna be good luck.”

“Thank you.” She collects her folder and pen and carefully places her cookie on top, then she winks and makes her way to our front door. “Goodnight, Jeremy.” She peeks my way. “Goodnight, Wilbert.”

I firm my lips and follow her all the way to the door. I grip the handle in my palm and stare at her back as she skips down my porch steps and strolls toward the shadows between our yards.

“Hey, Magnolia?”

Damn it, Billy. Shut up!

She pauses just six feet before her boundary garden and peeks back with a smile. “Hmm?”

“Goodbye.”Shut up, shut up, shut up!“Lock up on your way in.”

Her cheeks warm with a stunning blush that makes her gaze drop to the grass. Bringing a hand up, she tucks her hair back and nods. “Goodbye.”

“Come on.” The instant her front door closes with her safely tuckedinside, I grab my son’s head and yank him back through ours. “You’re smooth, Rico Suave. But you got that from me.”