Page 41 of Tucker
“It’sfor the best,” he mumbles. His eyes bore into mine. “I don’t trust myselfaround you. You’re a damn hard woman to resist, Leah.”
Ithrow my arms around him and hold him tight. “And you’re a damn good man whodoesn’t give himself enough credit. Promise me you’ll take care of yourself.”
“Andyou keep yourself out of trouble, kid.”
Foronce, his nickname for me raises a smile on my face.
Ahorn blows outside and I step back to peek out of the window. “Derek’s here.”
“He’sgoing to kill me,” Tucker chuckles, grabbing two of the boxes I’ve packed.
“No,he doesn’t know anything and I have no intention of telling him.”
Tuckergives me a look like I may be proof evolution can go in reverse. “Come on,” hegrunts.
Derektakes my suitcase and hugs me when I meet him in the driveway. “Do you havemore stuff?”
“Tuckeris bringing some boxes and there’s another in my room. Thanks for coming.There’s no way all this would fit in my little car.” I shift my laptop bag andpurse on my shoulder.
“Putyour bags in your car. I’ll be right back. I want to have a word with Tuckerabout his electricity.”
Yeah,even I know that’s bullshit, but I also know better than to get between twofriends. And really, what’s the worst that can happen?
Tuckernods at Derek as he puts a box in the truck, and Derek follows him back to thehouse. After chucking my bags in my car, I lean against the trunk and watchthem. They’re just out of earshot, but the body language doesn’t exactly set meat ease.
Derekhas his arms crossed and his lips are pressed together while Tucker shakes hishead and looks at the ceiling as he says something. Damn, I wish I could readlips. Surely, he isn’t telling him…
Yep.He told him.
Mybody jumps as if I’ve been hit, but I’m not the one who just got slammed in theface with a fist.
“Derek!”I shout, racing up on the porch. “What the fuck?” I shove him, but it’s no use.The man is huge and I’m not that strong.
Tucker’seye is swelling, but he looks unfazed as he grabs my arm and pulls me back.
“Hehit you!” I shout, trying to shove Derek again.
“Babe,I fucked his little sister. He gets a free one for that. You can’t be mad athim.”
“Thehell I can’t! I’m not a child!” Even pissed off, I notice he called me babe.God, I’m pathetic.
“Thenstop throwing a tantrum,” Tucker replies. He looks me in the eye. “I’m fine,Leah. You need to get in your car and let us talk.”
Fuming,I turn to Derek. “No more hitting or…”
Derekand Tucker both grin as I struggle to think of some threat.
“OrI’ll tell Ayda.”
Derek’seyes widen, and Tucker laughs aloud, throwing his head back. Ayda is tiny, butshe’s the only person in the world who can put him in his place.
“Nomore hitting,” Derek agrees.
Givingthem both a backward glance, I get in my car and watch. They talk for a fewmore minutes, but there’s no more violence. Finally, Derek carries out the lastof my stuff and gets in his truck.
Tuckerleans against the pillar of the porch and watches as we leave, a sullenexpression on his face.
Ittook weeks for me to get him to smile and laugh with me and that’s what I wantto remember, not this moment when he looks like his heart is as shredded asmine.
