Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 95107 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 476(@200wpm)___ 380(@250wpm)___ 317(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95107 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 476(@200wpm)___ 380(@250wpm)___ 317(@300wpm)
The man’s silence is answer enough.
“Did you find them in the Jeep?”
Again, just sullen silence.
“No. Because your plaintiff fingered the wrong man. Now, if you’d like, I can get security camera footage from our house, GPS data from his Jeep and cellphone, plus a dozen witnesses who saw him sitting on a barstool, and then bring a lawsuit against your department for false imprisonment. Or, you can admit your mistake, let him go, and I’ll leave you in peace.”
After some more back and forth and about forty minutes hanging around the cramped, humid lobby, my husband finally walks out with his personal effects in a plastic bag.
“You’re my hero,” he says with breathless relief, shoving his wallet and phone back in his pockets before tossing the bag in the trash.
“Marrying a lawyer means never having to spend a night in jail,” I tease as he wraps me in his arms.
We step outside, where Kevin and Bruce walk ahead of us toward the parking lot, as if they know we need a minute.
“I’m sorry too, by the way.” I stop walking and loop my arms around Tucker’s neck. “You’re right. I don’t want to fight either. I had no idea you felt neglected. I feel so—”
“Hey, let’s talk about it at home,” he cuts in, then tangles his fingers through my hair. “Right now, I just need this.”
He brings my chin up to kiss me. His hands, meanwhile, roam to grab my ass like he hasn’t seen a woman in months.
I laugh against his hungry lips. “You were only in jail for a few hours.”
“I’m a changed man, baby. You don’t know the things I’ve seen.”
Then with a smack on my butt, he takes my hand and leads me to Kevin’s SUV. After stopping at the marina to pick up our Jeep, we head back to the house.
“I’m sorry I stormed off,” he says, watching me drop my purse on the hall table.
“I’m sorry I caused you to storm off.”
“You didn’t cause it.” His lips quirk in a smile. “I was just being an immature ass. To be honest, I’m not even mad about anything.”
“That’s not true,” I chide.
“I’m really not mad,” he protests.
“Maybe not mad, but you’re definitely frustrated. And not just with your job.” I give him a pointed look. “You think I don’t make you a priority.”
“Sabrina—”
“And there might be some truth to that,” I finish, biting my lip. “My life has always been hectic. I can’t even remember a time when I wasn’t juggling two or three jobs with school and chores and whatever else needed doing. And then we had a kid and”—I groan—“I love her, I really do, but she’s a full-time job.”
“I get it. Jamie’s exhausting.”
“And I just assumed that if you were ever unhappy or feeling neglected, you would tell me. I always make a point to ask—”
“I know you do,” he interrupts, and it’s his turn to groan. “You always ask, and I love you for it. This is on me. I’m the one who always brushes it off because I don’t want to stress you out.”
“Your happiness shouldn’t be brushed off, Tuck.”
He shrugs. “Your happiness is more important to me. Can’t help it, that’s just how I feel. Making you and Jamie happy is what makes me happy.”
“Not always.” I lift a brow. “You said you want me to make us a priority, remember? Well, that’s what I’m going to do from now on. But you need to promise to be more honest about what you need, okay? Because I’m not a mind reader.”
“I know.” He smiles again, shamefaced. “I’ll try to be better at that.”
“Good. And I’ll try to be better about showing you that you’re my number one. Always.”
“Good,” he mimics.
We stand there for a moment, just grinning at each other. I guess Hope was right—sometimes couples do need to fight. Who knows how much deeper the roots of resentment would’ve dug in if everything hadn’t rushed to the surface on this trip.
“So…” He tips his head. “Can we go to bed now?”
“Why are we still even down here?”
In the blink of an eye, he practically chases me up the stairs until he corners me at the foot of the bed and presses his lips to mine. His tongue slides through my parted lips while he roughly peels my clothes off.
“You’re incredible,” he growls.
“You’re just saying that because you almost became someone’s prison boyfriend.”
“I’m too pretty to be locked up.” Tucker kisses his way down my neck, across my shoulder. “Let’s not fight anymore. Like, ever.” He pauses, meeting my eyes as his hands slide down to my hips. “I hate that we came all this way just to bicker with each other.”
“Me too. But we can’t just ignore everything. We’re going to have to figure out all the job stuff eventually. You know that.”