Page 87 of My Secret to Protect

‘You want to see my office?’ I ask, and she looks up at me to see me wink.

‘Does the door lock?’

‘Yes, it fuckin’ does.’

‘Then yes, I fuckin’ do.’

As I lead her up the stairs to my office with every intention of fucking her on every hard or soft surface up there, Cali calls out, making us laugh.

‘I have to work in there, boss man. Y’all keep it in your pants.’

Can I Say Goodbye?

Bree

Todaywasamazing.

After the trauma of last night, meeting Arlo’s team at the shop was the best medicine. They were all so fun and welcoming, and they clearly adored Arlo. When Calista told me that every single person working there had served time in prison and Arlo gave them all, including her, a fresh start, I was so proud of him. When they asked what I did for a living, I looked to Arlo a little awkwardly, and he answered on my behalf;Bree’s a police chief, he’d said, holding my gaze with his as though he was so proud of me for achieving what I always wanted to, but it hit me that I didn’t feel proud at that moment. I didn’t feel anything. I had wanted to be a cop for as long as I could remember, but now, I just felt so disconnected from that dream and from the job.

We decided we would stay at his place for another night. Jenna texted that she’d secured Arlo’s house, but we needed to talk as soon I was home. Then, questions started to flood in from my family about what had happened and where we were. I told my mom that I was okay. I was in the city with Arlo, and then I turned off my cell. I didn’t have the headspace for their questions right now, and even if I did, I didn’t have any answers that I could give them. So, I just wouldn’t think about it right now. Arlo and I had some stuff to figure out tonight, and we were going to deal with one thing at a time.

First, the brand-new air mattress that we bought this afternoon needed pumping up.

‘Did we need to get the biggest one they had?’ I ask, breathless from my turn at pumping, and Arlo laughs.

‘You’ve seen me, right?’ He steps forward to push me aside, and I swat at him.

‘No, I’ll pump. You fix us something to eat, and a beer would be good after this workout.’

‘Fuck.’ I turn to him as he tips his head back and groans. ‘I left the groceries in the office, and Cali has the keys.’

‘Oh.’ I frowned. We’d headed straight back to the shop after picking up some things as he’d bought lunch for the team.

‘I’ll call her.’ He pulls out his cell, and I shake my head.

‘No, she said she has a family thing tonight. Just go pick us up some take-out and six-pack.’

‘I’ll order in.’

‘Arlo, there are at least seven different food places on this block. Just go. I will finish this and make it cozy.’

He looks torn, like he can’t decide what’s the right thing to do, so I head over to him, pressing my hands against the hard muscles of his stomach and coming up onto my tiptoes to press a kiss to his mouth.

‘Go, baby. Your woman needs feeding.’

A low growl of possessiveness rumbles out of him, and he turns for the door.

‘Any requests?’ he says before he leaves, and I shake my head.

‘Surprise me.’

Arlo leaves, and I look at Beans, asleep on the sofa. He had a busy day getting all the attention from the team and customers in the shop.

‘Well, at least one of us has somewhere to sleep,’ I say softly as I raise my foot onto the pump and take a breath, ‘back to it.’

After five or so minutes, the bed is almost pumped when I hear the sound of footsteps on the stairwell and look at the door. I see Arlo’s keys still on the hook next to it and smile. He forgot his keys in his reluctance to leave, so I wait for the knock at the door before heading over with a smile and pulling open the door.

‘You forgo…’

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