Deadly Beginnings by Jaycee Clark Read Free Book Online

out of it. Or he didn’t seem to.
    She watched as the clerk rang up the sale, bagged the supplies, and passed them onto Jock. He frowned, pointed to an area behind the counter.
    “How much is that camera?”
    The clerk turned. “Which one?”
    “The Kodak Instamatic.”
    “Oh, the 126?” the clerk asked Jock, who nodded.
    “Ring that up too.”
    Kaitlyn didn’t say a word. Then again, if she ran hotels, she could probably buy anything she wanted as well.
    She held out her hand but Jock pulled the bag away. “Nope, I get to carry them. You didn’t want them.”
    Kaitlyn felt her cheeks warm. “You’re right, that was rude of me, but I’m used to taking care of myself.”
    They walked down the sidewalk and she felt his gaze on her. “Yes, I can see that.”
    The sarcasm wasn’t lost on her.
    “I can take care of myself. I did it for years just fine before I met him.”
    “Hmmm.”
    She took a deep breath. “Thank you for doing something nice, and I apologize if I seemed ungrateful.”
    He transferred the bag to his right hand and took her hand in his left. At his car, he tossed the stuff into the back and said to her, “I want to go back to the bluff tomorrow.”
    “All right.”
    “You could bring your art stuff and I’ll bring the camera.”
    She tilted her head. “All right, why?”
    He paused, the passenger door open for her, her behind him.
    He shook his head, his gaze running over her face. Softly he said, “You really don’t know, do you?” He grinned. “So will you go?”
    “Probably, if you’ll tell me why.”
    He leaned in and kissed her on the forehead. “Maybe I’ll tell you some other time.”
    They were both quiet as he drove her to her cabin.
    The day had been . . . easy. Easy and fun and . . . wonderful. It had been wonderful. She’d been herself all day long. She didn’t remember having to watch what she said, or how she said it. She hadn’t worried about what she was wearing, if it was appropriate or if Jock would think she needed to change. She hadn’t worried about what she told him, or didn’t tell him.
    He’d given her a wonderful, beautiful day and she’d been rude to him when he’d bought her a gift.
    Kaitlyn swallowed. Her parents raised her better, Grammy did as well. Not looking at him, she took a deep breath and said, “Thank you, Jock.”
    He turned into her driveway. “For what? I had a great time today. I made you smile. I made you laugh. I even riled you.” He smiled. “It was fun.”
    She couldn’t help but chuckle.
    He slowed as he pulled up to her cabin, which looked nothing like his. The porch roof sagged so the house looked like it was smiling.
    “Is this place even safe?”
    Kaitlyn shrugged. “I assume. They gave me the key. It’s some old family place and they were nice enough to let me stay. Floor’s sound, walls don’t creak.”
    He glared through the windshield. “Not the floor or walls I’m worried about.”
    She laughed as she reached into the backseat to get the bag of art supplies. He turned so they were looking at each other.
    “Thank you. I don’t suppose you’ll let me pay you ba—”
    “Nope.”
    “You could at least let me finish.”
    “Could, but figured it was wasted breath, so I’d save you the trouble.”
    “Hmm . . .”
    He glanced back at the house and she grabbed her bag, reaching over to open the door.
    “I’ll get it.”
    Kaitlyn waited for him to walk around the car and open her door. He’d done that all day. Opened the door for her, waited for her, she wasn’t used to it.
    He held her hand when she climbed out but didn’t let her go when he shut the car door. They walked to her porch and he looked around the shadows. “Your place is really back off the way.”
    The teasing was gone from his voice.
    “I’ll be fine. I was fine last night and the night before.”
    He looked around, a frown between his brows. “All the same to you, I’ll see you safely inside and make certain no one is waiting on