Page 87 of Wild Card
Holden smirked. “Very cute. “
“All right, fuckers.” I tossed the two truck keys to Gray. “You can finish unloading. The work order is on the front seat. I’m out.”
I strolled across the lot.
Holden called after me. “I’ll keep Banshee for you!”
I waved a hand to show I’d heard him and kept walking. My brother had never offered to come get Banshee without me asking first. It looked like he was getting attached, which would be good for both of them. Banshee deserved the best home she could find, and Holden deserved an outlet for all the affection he couldn’t give to anyone else.
An hour later, the gate alarm buzzed. I jogged over to open it, then nearly slammed it again at the sight of Dalton’s wide grin. He looked too damn happy to see me.
“Hey, you look great,” he said, brown eyes warm as they skimmed over my skin-tight jeans and low-cut tank that exposed half my chest. Clearly, I didn’t know how to do this date bullshit because I’d dressed like a manslut on the prowl.
“You too,” I said, taking in his strong jaw, stubbled just enough to look rugged without tipping over into scruffy, and the broad shoulders that filled out his uniform.
“Thanks. Sorry I ran short on time.” He gestured at his clothes with a chuckle. “I’ll change before dinner, so it feels like a date and not an interrogation.”
My mind was spinning too much to worry about his attire. What was I thinking, going on a fuckingdate?
“I don’t do this!” I blurted.
“What? Eat steak and drink beer?”
“You know what I mean. “
“I know.” One corner of his mouth tipped up in a wry smile. “I don’t do it either, for what it’s worth. But I’m making an exception for you.”
My stomach turned over. Why was Dalton breaking all his rules for me? I’d wanted to push him over the line for weeks, but now I wasn’t so sure I was worth it.
My brain jumbled with too many words to even speak. I was frozen, unsure if I should push him away or beg him to keep smiling at me.
Dalton took the decision out of my hands. He grasped my jaw and leaned in for a kiss. If he’d been too gentle, I might have freaked. But his mouth came down on mine hard enough to knock the thoughts from my head.
My body took over. My arms wound around his neck, and my mouth opened, tongue seeking his. He gave me a small taste, just enough to make me want more, and pulled away too damn soon.
“Ready to go?”
“Yeah,” I said, my unease quelled for the moment. I wanted more of his taste on my tongue. So what if we ate and drank first? We were both after the same thing.
A sharp bark reminded me that Dalton wasn’t the only thing in my universe.
“Wait, no,” I said. “I’ve got to take care of the dogs real quick.”
Dalton followed me while I gave the pack more food and water, a few consoling pats on the head, and escaped out the gate while they whined with discontent. If they had their way, I’d never go anywhere, but they’d be fine as soon as I was out of sight.
Banshee was the only one with attachment issues, and she was with Holden.
Dalton walked me over to his car, one of the patrol cruisers rather than the Buick he’d picked me up in the other day.
“Are you finally hauling me in, Deputy?” I teased.
He chuckled. “You say that like you’d enjoy it a little too much. No, I’m on call tonight, unfortunately. I take the cruiser home in case there’s a callout.”
Dalton opened the passenger-side door for me. Apparently, I got to sit up front.
“Do I get to play with the siren? Hooking up with a man of the law has its perks.”
Dalton frowned. Was he touchy about his siren or the fact that I said we were hooking up?
