Page 57 of Unexpectedly Falling
Not here.
Nessa turns her face up to mine, joy written plain as day there, and I’m overcome with a sense of gratitude. Her being here has made all the difference, not just with Remi—but withme.
I like coming home to her and my daughter, I like having her in my space, and I want more.
But first I need to get her home.
To explore and find out if she could feel this thing between us, if she wanted it like her next breath the way I did.
Because I wanted everything and more with Nessa Hart.
“You’re thinking awfully hard over there, Sheriff,” she says as we walk across the parking lot to her car.
“You’d be right about that,” I admit, her head tilting slightly to the side in question when I don’t say anything more.
We stop in front of her car, and I help get Remi out of the carrier, making sure my fingers brush against Nessa as my eyes lock on hers. I want there to be no doubt about my intentions tonight.
Because I’m done keeping my distance when all I want isher.
Snuggling my daughter, I let my focus return to her, the sweet little girl in my arms who has brought more joy and contentment to my life than I knew possible. She’s everything, and I’ll live every day making sure she knows it.
Kissing her cheek once more, I place her gently in her car seat and secure the straps. A fuzzy blanket with cows on it sits at her feet, and I tuck it around her legs before closing the door.
The interior light goes off and we’re cast in enough of a shadow that we have the illusion of privacy in this corner of the parking lot. Nessa opens her mouth to speak, but I make better use of it, slanting mine over hers, swallowing her gasp as I cage her against the car.
Her hands grip my forearms as she tries to pull me closer, her leg trying to hook around mine, my duty belt sandwiched between us.
“I take back what I said about the uniform.” She growls as my radio crackles to life, the call for assistance not one I can ignore.
Panting, I pull back, taking a second to admire her swollen pink lips, white puffs of our breath mingling together in the chilly night.
“I have to go,”—the words are full of regret—“but it shouldn’t take long and then I’ll be home.” I search her eyes, finding desire reflected back at me. “No more interruptions. No more second-guessing.”
“I don’t know if I like you bossy, Sheriff.”
“I don’t need you to like me, Trouble,” I murmur, dragging my nose along the underside of her jaw. “I just need you to want me.”
“Debatable.”
“Debate all you want, Miss Hart.” I push back from the car, my steps taking me farther away from her. “You’re mine tonight.”
28
JENSEN
The house is quiet when I finally drag myself inside more than two hours later than I expected. One call had turned into five, and in a town where sometimes we don’t take five calls in aweek, I’m more than a little pissed.
This was probably one of those instances that people talk about where you’re supposed to tell your partner you’re gonna be late. Normally, I would’ve, but I’d been so anxious to get home I’d lost track of time. That and aside from Mama, I’d never needed tocheck inwith anyone.
It was a massive oversight.
And I was stupid to think I’d find Nessa waiting up for me. It was even worse to think I’d blown my chance with her.
Kicking off my boots, I take a breath and try to ease some of the tension ricocheting through me, suddenly thankful I’d changed out of my uniform at the station. Nessa has only been here a few weeks, but she’s burrowed so far and deep under my skin there’d be no getting her out. She’s become an obsession I never expected but I couldn’t help myself.
Logically, her arguments against why anything should happen between us made sense. But I was no longer interestedin sense because all I want is to feel her come apart. I want to be the one who makes her lose control—and not just a little.
I want wrecked and writhing and screaming my name.
