Tonight, there had been laughter in her house, and Peyton couldn’t quite remember the last time she’d heard so much laughter there. Sure, her mom tried to joke during the past year, but Peyton never felt like laughing after Adam died. Not like she had tonight, anyway. And there wouldn’t be a day that went by that she wouldn’t look at Boone and be grateful to him for that.
After a couple drinks, and more snacks than they could eat, Boone crashed almost the moment they hit the bed. She knew that she’d been the reason. The last week had been exhausting and scary and everything in between. She should probably be sleeping too, but she couldn’t; all she could do was think and stare at the man who brought life back into her soul. The light from the post out on the street gave off enough of a glow to admire the masculine lines of his face and stare at his kissable lips.
“You’re supposed to be sleeping,” Boone murmured into the silent dark night.
“Seriously?” she muttered, her hands beneath her cheek on the pillow. “Your cop instincts can tell if I’m sleeping or not?”
He peeked open an eye. “It’s got nothing to do with co
p instincts. When you look at me, I notice.”
She wormed her way closer and smiled. “Maybe I should keep looking at you, then.”
Both his eyes opened now. “Go on.” His hand began to slide up her thigh then, inching her nightgown up higher.
She laughed, but she jumped out of bed and tugged on his hand. “Come with me somewhere.”
“Now?” He frowned.
She nodded and pulled on his hand. “Please. Come.”
He grumbled something incoherent, then slid out of bed in only his boxer briefs. He grabbed his jeans from the floor, quickly stepping into them and zipping them up. Wearing just her thin nightgown she’d grabbed from the drawer of clothes she’d left at the house, she smiled, then hurried to the window and opened it. The screen had been gone since she accidentally pushed it out as a teenager, and it had never been replaced.
“Should I be concerned here?” Boone asked behind her.
Peyton laughed, reached for Boone’s hand again, and tugged him forward. “Come on, Mr. Big Tough Guy.” She carefully climbed out the window, hearing Boone curse behind her. Out on the roof she climbed along the ledge moving up the slight incline.
“Peyton,” Boone said tightly.
“Just follow me.” She reached the top of the roof, waiting there while Boone had moved out onto the ledge.
“I am not nearly awake enough for this,” he grumbled.
She laughed, when suddenly she heard a crack and that laugh faded when Boone suddenly cursed and charged up the side of the roof. The ledge splintered, half of it staying in place, the other half falling to the ground.
A breathless Boone frowned up at her.
“Okay, when I used to do that, that never happened.” She gave him a tight smile, staring down at the broken pieces of wood on the ground below.
“That might be because you’re slim and not a man.”
“Maybe.” She grinned, then took his hand again and turned. “Okay, come on, we’re almost there.” She climbed over the roof’s top, then slid down a little to the flat part on the back of the roof. “See. Look.”
Boone glanced out. Over the houses’ roofs and the trees was a most spectacular view of Seattle. “All right,” he said, taking a seat next to her, “this is worth the splinter in my foot.”
“I’ll help with that later.” She pointed at herself. “Nurse, remember.”
Boone gave her a soft smile, then glanced out at the perfect view of Seattle’s downtown skyline, including the Space Needle.
“I’ve never taken anyone out here,” she said, staring out at all the sparkling lights. “It was always my spot. To think. To dream. All that stuff.”
He wrapped an arm around her, and she dropped her head onto his shoulder. “I’m honored to be in your favorite spot, then.”
She smiled, thinking that the last time she’d been there was the day before she left for Stoney Creek. God, she felt so different than she did then. Almost like two different people, and yet kind of exactly the same.
Boone eventually broke the silence. “Speaking of nursing, do you ever think you’ll go back?”
She pondered that, then found her answer. “No. Nursing was the past. I can’t go back there anymore, you know?”