Page 16 of Knotted Laces

Lex sighs. “You’ve always been a stubborn fuck, haven’t you?”

Thank God. He’s going to let this go.

“Takes one to know one,” I remind him.

His mouth kicks up. “And look where I am now.”

That strikes as deeply as the bullets I’d been shooting. Because my grumpy partner is changed, is better, is inlove.

He waves a hand at himself. “Don’t you want a piece of this?”

“No thanks,” I mutter. “Never have. Never will. Even though you made that move one time.”

“Asshole.” He slugs me. “I was an idiot recruit. And I was drunk.”

“That explains the sloppy ass kiss.”

“Reallyan asshole.” He bumps his shoulder against mine. “And you know what I mean. Don’t you want more? Don’t you want something that’s not just the job?”

“I already have it,” I tell him honestly. “I have you, and you gave me the Jacksons, and you know what you all mean to me.”

That’s about as gooey as I ever get.

Something he knows because he goes soft again.

Big, tough Lex Blackwell is a softie—it’s a side few people ever get to see.

“Speaking of the Jacksons,” he says. “What was going on with you and Cam on the porch?”

Nothing.

Absolutelynothing.

The urge to blurt that out is strong…and troublesome.

I ignore it.

Then tell the truth—also ignoring that my words are only a small semblance of it. “He was upset about the game and needed a hug and some encouragement.” I wrinkle my nose in disgust, though my heart’s pounding in my chest.

“Youwillingly hugged someone?” Lex asks incredulously.

I scowl. “I hug.”

He snorts.

Just not very often.

“And you know nothing’s going on,” I snap, “even before you tried with that fishing expedition.”

His mouth kicks up. “A big brother has to try.”

That has my heart rolling over in my chest for a whole other reason. “Lex,” I whisper.

“I know,” he mutters. “Just deal with the fact that I’m in your life and I know that you’re hurting right now. But you can’t keep running. Take it from me. That shit always catches up to you.”

My lungs hitch. “You know I’m not one to settle down.”

“No.”

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