Conflict of Interest

Chapter Seven

Kim

I kicked the door open with my foot, with Grace giggling into my shoulder like a little kid.

"Just put me down," she argued when she could catch her breath from laughter. "You're going to break the door."

"No way," I refused, holding her legs around my waist with only one hand as I struggled to do the lock on the inside. "I don't give up."

"You just want to show off how strong you are," she teased as I carried her into our bedroom.

I smiled, taking the opportunity to grab her from my back and lift her over my head, into my arms. I'm sorry, I what?" I challenged, changing my hold on her to become more and more impressive.

"Kim," she started squealing like always. I contemplated, momentarily, the fact that I could just tape record one of her Kim's and press play whenever I knew she was going to do it. She did it that often, the exact same way.

"Put me down," she pleaded.

I just looked at her and shrugged. "Okay," I decided, throwing her down on the bed.

"Geez," she lamented, hearing the furniture thud underneath her. "I paid good money for that bed frame."

"Right," I recognized, sitting down beside her against the headboard. "Good thing you make so much money down at the...you know, that place where you work."

"Someday you'll realize that that joke isn't funny anymore."

"Someday," I considered. "But not today."

"You're so stubborn," she condemned.

"But oh so attractive."

"And oh so humble."

"Don't forget charming."

"You're alright."

I flicked her in the side of the head for her remark, to which she promptly stuck her tongue out at me, and I realized how closely we resembled a pair of children.

"Did you have fun today?" I asked on a different note.

"No," she pouted.

"Are you lying to me?"

"No."

"Are you sure?"

"No."

"So you're not sure?"

"No. Yes. No, I'm not not sure, meaning that I am sure..."

"That you had fun shooting," I completed in the way I chose.

"You can't prove that," she stuck to her guns, pun intended.

"Everyone needs to be trained with a firearm," I decided. "You know, just in case."

"In case I someday need to stick up a convenience store?"

"Or in case the PD sells me as collateral to a Mexican drug cartel and needs you to take my place as a detective," I synthesized. "You know, whatever comes first."

"I'll keep that in mind."

I just smiled, looking at her, saying nothing. It was Grace that spoke next, somewhat at random, and catching me off guard.

"I love you," she told me.

I knew what I should have said, but I didn't, instead challenging, "You do?"

"Yeah," she said, in a kind of neither here nor there way. "I do."

"I know."

"I just..."