Page 6 of Sackett
The driver made small talk on the trip to the airport.Selena took advantage of the distraction.It kept her mind from playing her plans for the week, or even just the steps she needed to take to get on the plane, on an endless loop.She’d flown more times than she could count.There was no reason to think there would be any trouble, yet her mind insisted on showing her every possible thing that could go wrong.She’d dealt with this before, so many times she was practiced at pushing it away.But sometimes it was harder than others.She didn’t know why, and she didn’t have the time, nor the energy to try and figure out why.
Arriving at the airport, she thanked her driver, squared her shoulders and headed inside.She had things that needed to get done and she was going to make sure they did.
A little over six hours later, Selena stepped into her hotel room, set her briefcase on the table, and went to the large glass wall that took up one end of the sitting room.The view was stunning, she had to admit.She could even admit she wished she had a little more time to explore some of the mountains she saw.But from her research on the plane, even her trip to Fort Collins tomorrow would skirt the mountains, not take her into them.
Her stomach rumbled, reminding her she’d been on the plane at lunchtime, and the small cookie they’d served on the two-hour flight wasn’t enough for a small child, much less an adult.After checking the drawers of the desk, she found a binder that contained the menu for the restaurant downstairs.A quick scan told her it would do, but she wanted to unpack a little before going down.At least hang up her suit so she looked professional when she needed to.
As she worked, she found her mind drifting.Not for the first time, the bearded man who had accompanied Ms.McKenney to her office a couple of days before popped into her head.The deep rumble of his voice had made things low in her body warm, even though he hadn’t said much, she’d heard enough to know she wanted to hear more.
She shook her head and turned back to her tasks, determined to get this done and go get food.
On the elevator, headed to the restaurant, she tilted her head back against the wall as she waited and an image appeared in her head, the light gold eyes of the same man, a light in them she didn’t recognize but wanted to.Was it laughter and humor or something more visceral?More carnal.
Heat pooled low in her belly as she tried to turn her mind to something more appropriate but somehow, she couldn’t banish the image her mind had conjured.The elevator door opened, and she stepped out, doing her best to ignore the image she couldn’t push away as she went in search of food.That was it, she was hungry.Her mind would settle once she’d eaten.She hoped.
7
MondaySackettturnedupat the clubhouse, checking in with Tuck, Sadist and the rest of the officers on anything the Souls needed done.At the moment, there was nothing, although they told him there would be things coming up, but they were still a few weeks out.Too far out to worry about details, yet.
Satisfied he wasn’t needed for anything there, he signaled to Puck, today’s bartender for a drink then sat down and got comfortable at one of the tables where he could see the TVs so he could watch the news scroll across the bottom of the screen as he let his mind wander.
It hadn’t gone far when Puck appeared with a cup of coffee, Sackett’s standard before noon.
“You want something to eat too?”the prospect asked.
Sackett turned to look up at the kid, blinking as he considered it.“Do we have any sausage biscuits or burritos in there?”
“Not premade, but I can make a breakfast burrito, if you’d like.”
Sackett tried not to grimace.“Are you any better with eggs than with other things?”
Puck lifted one shoulder and let it drop.“I never had to do more than breakfast, but I can cook eggs and a few other things.”
“Good to know.”He watched the other man for a moment then decided why not?He didn’t want to go hunting for food if he didn’t have to.“Sure.Why not?”If nothing else it would give the prospect practice and if it was truly horrible, he had room for improvement, right?Maybe Sackett should give the kid a couple of lessons.When he looked up to offer, the prospect was gone, probably having headed into the kitchen to get started cooking.Sackett shrugged.He’d see how the prospect did with a breakfast burrito, then he’d have an idea where to start with those lessons, because he already knew he needed them for burgers and more.
He was still waiting for his food when the door that led outside opened and Savage and Donna came in, hand in hand.
“Hey,” Sackett said as they approached his table.“I didn’t expect to see you here this morning.”He motioned with one hand for them to have a seat.
“We weren’t planning to come in, but decided we need a distraction,” Savage said, pulling out a chair for Donna, and making sure she was comfortable before pulling out the chair beside her and sitting himself.
“A distraction?”Sackett asked, glancing back and forth between the two of them.
“Today’s when Ms.Leighty sees the judge to see if we actually need to file the paperwork for the divorce or if I’m free of him,” Donna said with a wry smile.
She didn’t need to say who she meant by him.Even if Sackett didn’t know all the details of her relationship with the ex, he knew who she meant and that the man was more than an ass.Sackett had been there when the fuckwad had shown up on the ranch to try and take her back with him.He’d helped with the show of force that had gotten her ex and the minion he’d brought with him to back off.
“Do you know when she is scheduled to see the judge?”he asked.
“Not exactly, only that it was this morning.I have no doubt she’ll let us know what she finds out as soon as the meeting is over, but the suspense is…” Savage trailed off, as if he wasn’t sure what he wanted to say.
“Tense.”Donna didn’t seem to have a problem saying how she felt about the waiting.
“That’s one word for it,” Savage agreed with a nod.
“So you’re here, looking for something else to think about.”Sackett nodded, glancing around the room, and noticing that other than the three of them and Puck, the room was empty, at least of people.It still held the usual tables scattered through one side of the room, pool table to one side and the couches surrounding the corner where the TV’s were mounted on either side of the stripper pole that saw far less action now than it had when Sackett had prospected.
“You got it,” Savage said.“So what are you doing today?”
