Page 18 of Tucker
Sherolls her eyes. “I volunteer at the recycling center. We pick up recyclablesaround town. Sometimes they get the inmates or people assigned to communityservice to help.”
“Getyour ass in the truck,” I say through gritted teeth.
Thelittle vertical line that always appears between her eyes when she’s angrybecomes visible and I know this isn’t going to go well.
“Idon’t know what the hell your issue is, but I’m not leaving. I’ll talk to youat home.” She turns and heads back to the group of orange clad people acrossthe road.
Thehell she is.
“Tucker!”she screeches. “Put me down!” It wasn’t a conscious decision to throw her overmy shoulder, but she ended up there just the same, kicking and pounding herlittle fists against my back.
“Hey!”A correctional officer approaches us. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
“Shelives with me. I’m taking her home.”
“Notunless she agrees, you’re not,” he says, pulling out what looks like pepperspray.
Leahstops fighting and calmly says, “Fine. Put me down, Tucker, and you can take meto my car.” She turns to the officer. “It’s okay, Gary. He’s my roommate. He’sjust being an ass. I’m going to go. I’ll see you next week.”
“We’llbe on Main Street, spreading mulch on the playground,” he replies, stilllooking at me like he’s afraid I might jump him. He should be afraid. Pepperspray or not, I’d have no problem handling this guy.
Leahshoots me a hateful look and stalks back to my truck. “My car is parked at therecycling center on Green Street,” she says, glaring out the window.
“That’sall you have to say? You were hanging out with prisoners! You have no idea whatthose men are capable of!” My face heats up but I’m not sure if it’s from myfever or anger.
“Notthat it’s any of your business, but they are all low level non-violentoffenders and in case you’ve forgotten, my brother was once a prisoner too. Itdoesn’t make them any less of a human being! And you have no right to embarrassme like that!”
Iwas a prisoner too, but she doesn’t know that. It does make my actions a littlehypocritical, but I don’t care. My stomach roils but unfortunately, it’s notfrom anger. Jerking the wheel to the side, I pull over and get out just in timefor my lunch to make a reappearance.
Fuck.
“Tucker?”Leah gets out and walks around the truck.
“Justget back in,” I croak before heaving again.
Ignoringmy demand, she produces a pack of baby wipes from her purse and hands me acouple. She returns to the truck and gets in the driver’s side, leaving thedoor open to watch me as I catch my breath and try to let my stomach calm. Whenit settles enough to return, she points to the passenger side.
“Wecan leave my car for tonight.” A soft, cool hand lands on my forehead. “You’reburning up. I’m driving.”
Ifeel too shitty to argue so I just do what she asks. She may be worried aboutme now, but she’s still pissed, judging from the grumbling she does under herbreath. “Out running around when he’s sick and I’m the one who can’t take careof herself.”
“Ican hear you.”
“Ihope so.”
Ihave to fight the urge to grin. I can’t help it. She’s fucking adorable whenshe’s angry. My eyes fall closed and the next thing I know, she’s shutting offthe engine and opening her door.
I’venever been so glad to be home.
Chapter Five
Leah
Asmuch as I want to kick Tucker in the balls for the stunt he pulled while I wasvolunteering, I have to let it go for the moment because he’s really sick. Whenwe get home, he goes straight to his room.
Idig through the linen closet downstairs where he keeps most of his first aidsupplies and am relieved to find some acetaminophen. It should at least bringdown his fever. After grabbing a sports drink from the fridge, I run upstairsto his room.
Hemust’ve taken a quick shower because he’s standing in the middle of the roombare ass naked when I fling open the door. My feet are suddenly stuck in glueand my mouth pops open.
