A Most Shocking Revelation Read Online Free Page B

a ponytail. Just once he’d like to see her hair down. He’d really like to see it flowing across his bare chest or belly. Maybe if he’d stuck around a little longer last night he might have had that opportunity. And if he really believed that, then he definitely needed more rest.
    Gavin walked up behind Val and peered over her shoulder. “Smells great.” And so did she, like some kind of flowers he couldn’t quite peg. “You didn’t have to go to all this trouble.”
    â€œIt wasn’t any trouble.” She briefly regarded him over one shoulder. “Scrambled eggs and sausage links, your favorite.”
    â€œHow did you know?”
    She sent him a frown. “Because you order it at the diner almost every morning.”
    â€œTrue, when I don’t have Manny’s pancakes.”
    She gestured toward the dinette with the spatula. “Have a seat. It’s ready.”
    Gavin was more than ready to kiss her. He had been for a while now. He could wait a little longer, when she wasn’t cooking. Otherwise, she might whack him with the egg turner, or worse, take the frying pan to his skull. That was a hell of a lot heavier than a mop.
    He poured a cup of coffee, black, reluctantly took his usual seat and waited for her to serve him. She was in his house and playing waitress. He didn’t really like that at all. “I don’t expect you to do this every morning.” And that sounded as if he expected her to stay indefinitely. Not a bad idea at that.
    She disagreed, apparent when she said, “I don’t plan to be here much longer.”
    Gavin sat back and laced his hands behind his neck. “Sometimes plans go awry.”
    He almost laughed when she jumped as the toast popped up. No doubt, she was nervous about something.
    She filled his plate, turned and approached him with a small smile. “Here you go, Sheriff. The usual.”
    He straightened and accepted the fork she offered. “What do I owe you?”
    â€œYou’ve already paid me by providing me with a place to land for a bit.”
    He started to tell her he would have preferred she land in his arms. “Not a problem. You’re welcome to stay as long as you’d like.”
    She took the chair across from him, rested her bent elbow on the table and supported her cheek with her palm. “I’ll be leaving as soon as I find a place to stay.”
    â€œA decent place to say,” he added between bites. “And that might be tough with Christmas only a few weeks away. People don’t usually move during the holidays.”
    She sighed. “You’re right about that. I might have to go back to the no-tell motel until after the first of the year.”
    â€œNo way are you going back there. You’re better off here with me.”
    The look she sent him said she had her reservations about that. “What will the good people of Royal think if they learn I’m living here with you?”
    â€œI don’t care what they think. I only care about your well-being.”
    â€œWhy is that, Gavin?”
    Having her call him by his name pleased him. A lot. He pushed his plate away and sat back. “Because you’re a nice lady, Val. Besides, if you stay for a while, that will give us a chance to get to know each other better.”
    She took his plate to the sink and kept her back to him. “You might just decide you don’t like what you learn.”
    An odd thing for Val to say—a woman who seemed to have a world of confidence under normal circumstances. Gavin wondered if she’d been treated badly by a man, maybe even had her heart stomped on a time or two. That would certainly explain her wariness. And he had every intention of proving she was a woman worth knowing, starting now.
    Pushing back from the table, Gavin rose on his bare feet and walked to the sink to stand behind her. He rested his hand lightly on her waist and leaned close to her