Chapter Thirty-Two

S heldon Harris's capture and return to Savannah had been all over the media. Kendall's phone had chimed several times with Google alerts when the news hit the internet. He'd held out for an hour before he clicked on the links and read the articles. The photos that accompanied the stories triggered tears of pride and sorrow. One of the links included a video of Ridge escorting Harris in chains to a waiting vehicle. Ridge stood tall and walked proudly. His expression was one of peace and victory, though Kendall suspected he was exhausted. It wasn't likely he'd slept much before the apprehension and not at all afterward.

Where would he lay his head down to rest now that he was back? The images were captured before dawn, but Ridge hadn't returned to his house. How long would processing Harris take? Surely not hours? Had Ridge decided to crash at Eddie's place? Why? To avoid an emotional scene or to spare Kendall's feelings? Would Eddie be the one to show up and collect Ridge's things? He discounted that idea as soon as the thought registered. No way. It wasn't in Ridge's nature to back down from challenging situations, and he'd vowed not to break Kendall's heart. Sending Eddie to retrieve the cat and his belongings would shatter his promise.

Kendall stroked the cat's silky fur and braced himself for the goodbye he knew was coming. "Not sure how much longer we have, big fella." The miniature lion purred loudly and rubbed his face against Kendall's palm. "I'm going to miss you too."

Kendall's thoughts shifted to the ingredients he'd need for the new sauce brewing in his mind. He'd need Carolina Reapers for starters. What other pepper burned as hot as heartbreak? No, this was deeper than heartbreak. This sorrow sank into the marrow of his bones. "Devastation," he whispered. It completely described his feelings, and Reapers were the perfect pepper to express them. But what could he add to counterbalance the heat and avoid searing people's taste buds for life?

He cycled through ingredients, some sweet and some savory, discounting ones that were too common or not feasible for a large-scale recipe. Sammy leaped onto the back of the couch seconds before Kendall registered the familiar sound of Ridge's SUV pulling into the driveway. The powerful engine rumbled to a stop, and Kendall forced a smile to his face as he stood up from the couch. He would stifle his feelings, congratulate the man, and not make this harder for either of them. Kendall wouldn't beg or barter or grovel at Ridge's feet. He cared too much, and Ridge's happiness was paramount to his own.

His good intentions started to waver the moment he heard Ridge's key turning in the lock, and then, there he was—big, beautiful, and bursting with pride.

"Hi," Ridge said.

Kendall set down his coffee cup and strode forward. "Fuck the high road," he said, pulling Ridge into a no-holds-barred kiss. Rolling over and playing dead wasn't an option. No mercy. No surrender.

Ridge met his eagerness with a surge of passion that left Kendall breathless. He released a slight growl as he backed Kendall up against the small table. The jolt pulled Kendall out of his trance, and he experienced a moment of pure panic. What if this was Ridge just working through the adrenaline of his big arrest? All the doubts and fears he'd shoved aside started to creep in. Kendall took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

"Don't," Ridge said fiercely.

Kendall reopened his eyes and met Ridge's intense gaze. "Don't what?"

"Don't you dare pull away from me."

Kendall blinked in confusion, then patted his strong shoulders. "I'm right here and haven't so much as moved a muscle."

Ridge lowered his head and ran his nose against Kendall's, nuzzling him before planting a soft, solitarily stingy kiss on his upturned lips. "Maybe you haven't pulled away physically, but I've watched you distance yourself emotionally from me for weeks now."

Kendall swallowed hard. "It wasn't intentional," he said. "Not at first, anyway. I wasn't aware you noticed."

"You've seen the drawings I've made of you. Those were all done from memory, by the way."

Kendall bit his lip to keep hope from bubbling out of him in a nervous giggle. "Even the one of me sleeping? You could've sketched it while I dreamed of you, and I wouldn't have known it."

"Stop watching so much true-crime shit," Ridge said, then cupped his neck and pressed their foreheads together. "Even the sleeping pictures were drawn from memory. You saw the attention to detail. Do you honestly think I didn't notice you picking up extra shifts nearly every day? Do you think I didn't feel the changes in your body? During sex, you couldn't hold me tighter, but afterward…"

"I pulled away," Kendall whispered. Instead of sprawling over Ridge, he'd kept to his own side. Kendall took a deep breath and leaned tighter into Ridge's embrace. "That was a completely subconscious decision."

"To protect yourself from me," Ridge said. "God, I hate that so much."

Kendall squared his shoulders, steeled his resolve, and put a little space between them. He didn't want to use sex to persuade or manipulate Ridge. "I know you didn't count on me showing up and throwing a wrench into your plans, and I'm sorry the situation with Stanton has caused trouble for you, but I…" Kendall's thoughts got tripped up, and he faltered before they could become words. I think I'm in love with you . I think we could have a real future together . I will travel the world with you . There were so many things he wanted to say.

"I submitted my resignation this morning," Ridge said. "It's partly why I'm so late getting home." Home?

"Why would you do that? Why not just transfer to—"

Ridge silenced his question with a kiss. "Before the mission, the chief asked for either my resignation or a transfer request."

"Because of me?"

Ridge stroked his cheek. "No, because of me . I was the one who let her down, not you. I essentially felt like she was asking me to choose between a life with you or without you. And I chose you."

Panic and joy surged inside Kendall, and it was hard to figure out which emotion was winning the war. "But you love your job, and you're so good at it."

"I'm good at many things," Ridge said huskily. "Doesn't mean I want to make a career out of them."

"No," Kendall said, shaking his head. "I will not be the reason you give up a job you love. If you want to transfer, I'll pack and go with you."

Ridge tilted his head. "You'd do that for me?"

"I'd follow you anywhere." His words were met with a dopey smile.

"What about your food truck?"

"We'll take it across the country. I have no idea what kind of permits and licenses that would entail, but I'm excellent at research." His mind started tallying the things he'd need to sort through.

Ridge chuckled softly. "Kendall."

"Hmmm?"

"Marks fed my resignation through the shredder. She said she wasn't standing in the way of love."

"Love?" Had Kendall spoken his earlier thoughts out loud? That was a fuckton of pressure to put on Ridge. They hardly knew each other. Love? It was too soon.

Ridge pulled Kendall into his embrace and trailed kisses along his neck. "No need to panic."

"I'm not," he said breathlessly.

Ridge nipped the tender skin where Kendall's pulse beat frantically. "Your pulse says otherwise. I see you. I want you. I lo—"

Kendall pulled back and stared into his eyes. "But we've only known each other for two months, and you've just gotten out of a relationship. We went from eye-fucking one another to living together. It's a bit of a leap, isn't it?"

"Does it make it less true?" Ridge asked, quirking a brow as he waited for Kendall's counterargument. When none was forthcoming, Ridge added, "It's okay if you're not ready to speak the words right now or slap labels on what we have. I'll figure out your feelings when you debut your next sauce."

Kendall grinned. "You'll eat my feelings?"

"Something like that."

Kendall couldn't deny the base ingredients for the next secret sauce had started to shift. He no longer wanted to punish; he wanted to…

"Adore. That's the name of my next sauce."

Ridge's rumbling purr rivaled the cat's. "I love the sound of that." He kissed Kendall for several long moments before pulling back from their embrace. "I don't suppose I can talk you into holding off on starting the sauce for a little while?"

Kendall took a few steps backward, tugging Ridge with him. "You have other things you'd like to do?"

"Uh-huh. And I need your help."

Ten minutes later, Kendall stood in the center of his bedroom, scowling. "This wasn't what I had in mind." He had to shout to be heard over the banging.

Ridge stopped hammering, then hung the second canvas. He stepped back to study his handiwork before adjusting each frame until he was happy. "There. Now I'm happy."

"I hadn't noticed," Kendall said as he trailed a finger over the erection poorly concealed by Ridge's pants. "You really like these images, huh?"

Ridge arched his hips, pressing into Kendall's caress. "You are by far the most exquisite person I've ever met. I'm not just talking about your looks and sex appeal. Those are only parts of the recipe. I love your heart." Ridge slid his hand down to cover Kendall's chest. "The one that's beating so hard for me right now." He pressed a kiss to Kendall's mouth. "I especially love the sass that comes from these sweet lips." Ridge nipped his earlobe and slowly dragged his teeth down the flesh until it popped free. "I adore how you listen so attentively and how deeply you care about the people in your life."

"Are you going to kiss all the parts you like?"

"Yes," Ridge said, but then pulled back. "I brought back a few things from Texas for you."

"Me?"

Ridge pulled out a leather cord necklace with a light blue heart pendant. "It made me think of your eyes."

Kendall smiled up at him. "I love it. Thank you."

"The salesman said you could wear it as a necklace or wrap the cord around your wrist a few times to make a bracelet."

"Or you could use it to tie me to the bed and fuck me."

"Oh, damn," Ridge said. "I should've bought two." He reached back into the bag and pulled out a cowboy hat.

Kendall accepted the gift but eyed it suspiciously as he traced the brim with his finger. "You want me to wear this?"

Ridge nodded and pulled a second one from the bag. "I have one too."

"So we can play ride 'em cowboy?"

Ridge's answering grin was full of wicked intention. "Yes, you'll need practice for where we're going."

Kendall tipped his head to the side. "And that is…"

"Montana. To meet my family."