Page 78 of Unexpectedly Falling
Both options have my lips turning up into a smile.
“I better be the first to know if anything happens.”
“There’s nothing to know and—” Her rant is cut off when Remi fusses in her bassinet. Her cute babble turns to whines as I look at her on the monitor.
“Kins, I have to go. Remi just woke up and we’re surprising Jensen at work with dinner.”
“I didn’t know you could be so domesticated. It goes along with you trying monogamy.” She mock gasps before we both dissolve into giggles, finally saying our goodbyes and hanging up.
It was a much-needed reprieve from the butterflies in my belly just from thinking about being in Jensen’s professional space.
I’ve seen him in uniform plenty of times, but I’ve never visited him at work. Looking at the clock, I hustle around the room before getting Remi and loading everything into the car.
Garlic from the lasagna wafts from the passenger seat where I’ve stashed bread and a salad I threw together before we left. The streets are quiet, everyone tucked away with their friends and family.
My heart squeezes in my chest because Christmas had never been something I cherished as an adult. My family had mostlygone their separate ways with plans around the world and we caught up when we could.
But Jensen recognized the importance of his deputies being home with their families and sacrificed his own holiday traditions to make theirs a reality. Such a selfless act has tears clouding my vision, and I have to blink them away as I pull into the parking lot and put my car in park.
I want to blame my talk with Kins for making me emotional, but it’s been happening more and more since I landed in Blackstone Falls. Ignoring my internal struggle, I pull out my phone and type out a text to Jensen.
NESSA:Sheriff, I need your assistance
JENSEN: If that’s a role-play thing save it for tonight—it’s just me and the rookie and I can’t be walking around here half hard the rest of the shift
NESSA: (laughing emoji) (skull and crossbones emoji)
NESSA: Remi and I are in the parking lot and I have too much to carry
JENSEN: You’re here? I’ll be right out.
True to his word,Jensen appears in the doorway of the sheriff’s department like some kind of western cowboy, and my panties are soaked at just the sight of him.
“This is quite the surprise.” He grins before taking my face in his hands and kissing me slow and deep. “Merry Christmas, Trouble.”
“Merry Christmas, Sheriff. We brought dinner.”
“You’re full of surprises, Miss Hart.”
I blush at the compliment as he says something into his radio, a young deputy bounding down the front steps a momentlater. He’s green and hopeful, and I feel the same kind of passion radiating off him as I did coaching at the university.
“Merry Christmas. I’m Austin,” he says, holding out his hand. He’s handsome, his light hair cut short and his eyes like a muted cyan—less bold but still striking.
I shake it and give him a smile. “Nessa, and same to you. I didn’t know what y’all were eating tonight but I brought lasagna.”
“I’m definitely up for Christmas lasagna,” he says with a wink.
“Good, come carry it inside,” Jensen growls, making both of us chuckle as he grabs Remi from the backseat.
Austin maneuvers everything up the steps, the automatic doors opening at his approach. I’m about to follow him when Jensen’s hand lands on my forearm.
“Thank you,” he says, the intensity of his gaze threatening to swallow me up. “I can’t tell you what this means to me.”
Licking my lips, I confess just as much. “I couldn’t bear the thought of not spending it together. You deserve this and so does she.” I nod toward Remi who munches happily on her toy keys.
Leaning forward, he presses a lingering kiss to my temple, the gesture making my eyelids close as my lips part.
“We all deserve it, Ness.”
