Page 89 of First Surrender

“Uh, should you park here?” I point to the no parking signs so he knows what I mean as he holds my door open.

“Those don’t apply to me.” He taps the roof of his cruiser with his palm.

“Oh, right.” Duh. Emergency vehicle. I’ve somehow forgotten the perks of Jackson’s job. He’s gotten my defenses down so easily, I don’t see him as a blue-bleeding anti-hero anymore.

“When they called 911, it went to Lawson PD. The responding officer didn’t think it was necessary to call me, even after the principal mentioned my name,” he explains through gritted teeth as we rush to the entrance.

The three officers are standing in the hallway outside the principal’s office when we get there, one of them I recognize from that day at the drugstore. It reminds me why I still feel justified in my hatred of law enforcement, despite sleeping with one.

“You go make sure Dec is okay. I’ll be a minute.” He holds the door open for me and then shuts it once I’m inside. Dec flies up to hug me as soon as he sees me.

“Hey, you okay?” I ask against his head.

“Yeah. My dad’s here,” he whispers like it’s a secret.

“I don’t think he’s here anymore. I’m going to take you home though, just in case.”

“Is Jackson here, too?” I don’t have a chance to answer because we both hear the booming voice from the hallway.

“I don’t give a damn about procedure. As soon as my name was mentioned, someone should have called me directly! This isn’t about jurisdiction, that’s my boy in there! The next time one of you overlooks that, I’ll have your badge!”

Someone responds, bravely or idiotically. Either way, it doesn’t seem like a good idea since Jackson is officially in papa bear mode, absolutely melting my heart.

“I’ll go to your Chief, I’ll go to the state board, I’ll go to the God damn Governor. Try me!”

Dec giggles while the principal and secretary look at me with wide eyes. “Maybe next time, call him first.” I shrug, trying not to laugh myself.

* * *

“We’re getting a dog.” Jackson’s still fuming even after Dec’s gone to bed for the night. “I’ve been wanting a k9 for the department. I’ll get it trained and teach Dec how to handle it.”

I appreciate his concern about Dec’s well-being. His over-the-top anger is undoubtedly making my insides boiling hot for other reasons though. I love seeing the stoic put-together man with steam coming out of his ears.

“Do you think that’s necessary? Declan was crossing a boundary but do you think it will get worse?” I ask, even though I know that it’s not likely he’ll give up quietly.

“I don’t know. I’m not risking it when it comes to Dec.”

“Because he’s your boy?” I ask, wrapping my arms around his waist in the kitchen.

“Of course he is.” He holds me tightly, pressing a kiss to the top of my head.

“You’re a good man, Jackson.” My admission makes his arms tighten around me.

“I love it when you’re sweet to me.” His hands are suddenly under my thighs, plopping me onto the counter easily.

“You said that you loved it when I was mean to you,” I remind him.

“One of these days you’re going to accept that I love everything about you, sweetheart.” His fingertips skim up my thighs reaching the hem of my shirt, his shirt that I’m wearing, and he snakes them underneath to get a hand full of my bare breasts.

“Maybe one day.” I kiss him hungrily, pouring all of my feelings from today out.

He takes all of it greedily, tugging my panties off and spreading my thighs wide before he drops to his knees below me.

He’s kissing up my thighs when we both hear the click of a door down the hall being opened.

A brief look of “Oh shit” and we’re both scrambling to act normal. I jump off the counter and Jackson stands up, leaping away from me like I’m on fire. He notices my underwear lying in the middle of the floor and kicks the fabric around the corner of the cabinets. Thank God my shirt’s long.

“Sissy,” Dec wanders into the kitchen sleepily, looking younger than he has in a while. He’s growing up but he’ll always be a little boy to me.

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