“Hmm.” I let out a breath, letting go of the jealousy I’m feeling, knowing she doesn’t need me acting like a Neanderthal right now, regardless of how badly I want to do just that. “Don’t worry about that. Just focus on the fact that you don’t have to go to battle with him.”
“I still don’t buy it. I won’t believe it until I talk to Mandy and confirm he has called his lawyer and agreed to settle this outside of court.”
“That’s probably smart, baby,” I agree, and her face softens as she moves her hand between my brows and down the bridge of my nose. “How was Hunter last night?”
“He loosened up after Max told him he wasn’t taking him back to Seattle. Until then, he’d been on edge. I think Max finally saw for himself what his reaction caused. They have always been close, but before Max put him at ease, Hunter was standoffish with him, and I think it freaked him out.”
“Maybe he needed that,” I say softly, and she nods.
“Maybe.”
I run my hand up under my shirt she slipped on last night after I cleaned her up. “I have to say, I hate that he’s staying at your place. That he’s sleeping under the same roof as you,” I confess, cupping her breast, watching her back arch. My cock twitches in response.
“Jealous?” she jokes smiling, and I tweak her nipple, hearing her gasp.
“Absolutely, he got years with you. Years that I missed out on, and I hate he’s getting even more of your time now.”
“He’s not you,” she says softly, searching my face, and I feel myself harden even more when I see and hear the sincerity in her eyes and tone.
“How much time did you say we have before you have to sneak home?” I question, sliding my hand down her stomach and over her pubic bone.
“We have no time. You have to help me get back over to my balcony.”
“You’re going through your front door.”
“No, I’m not. It’s locked.”
“You sure about that? You seem to leave it open all the damn time.”
“Max locked it last night, and I didn’t think about unlocking it before I came over. So yes, I’m sure it’s locked now, Mr. Sheriff.” She rolls her eyes, and I slip my hand into her panties and cup her sex.
“I know you think it’s funny, but you really need to start locking your doors, baby. I understand you feel safe here, but this town is growing and it’s summer. We don’t keep track of who’s coming and going off of the fishing boats that dock.”
“I’ll be more careful from now on,” she complies, and I feel my body relax. My fingers slide inside of her. “I really need to get up and get home,” she moans.
I press my forehead to hers and let out a frustrated breath before pulling my hand away. “We’ll use my key for your house and you can get in that way.”
“No, I’m not doing that. I’m half dressed and I don’t want anyone to see me sneaking home.”
“Christ, I can’t believe I’m going to do this,” I mutter, knifing off the bed and pulling her up with me as I go. As soon as we’re both standing, I take her mouth in a kiss then move to the dresser and grab a shirt, putting it on as she slips back into her shorts and my flannel. “This is the only time I’ll help you do this,” I inform her, opening the sliding door in my room and stepping out onto the deck. I feel the chill in the air hit me when I do.
“Whatever.” She smiles, walking past me to the edge of the balcony. There is only about a two-foot gap separating our decks, but it’s still dangerous, with a seven-foot drop to the rocky ground below between them. Thinking of her doing this last night in the dark sets my teeth on edge, but I push the feeling back, walk to where she’s standing, put my hands on the ledge, and hop over, landing on her deck.
“It’s really annoying how easy you make that look,” she grumbles.
Ignoring her, I lean over and wrap my hands under her arms. “When I say hop, I want you to jump up and tuck your knees backward.”
“Um…” She looks down at the ground below. “Maybe I should just use a chair or something, and stand on the edge and step over.”
“You’re not doing that either, now hop.” When she does, I use her momentum to lift her up and over then set her down in front of me.
“Holy cow,” she breathes, looking up at me then back behind her. “That was…” She pauses licking her lips. “You picked me up like nothing.”
Smiling down at her, I shake my head then take her face in my hands. “Have a good day at work, and I’ll see you tonight.”
“I’ll see you tonight,” she agrees, resting her hands against my chest and leaning up on her toes. Bending down, I kiss her gently then place one more kiss on her forehead before stepping back and sliding open her door for her to go in.
“You need to get ready for work,” I remind her quietly, when I notice she isn’t going inside.
“I know.” She smiles, leaning against the doorjamb. “But I don’t want to miss you jumping back over. It’ll give me something to think about today while I’m at work.”
“What’s that?”
“Just wondering if you can fuck me like that up against a wall, or while standing in the middle of the room,” she answers cheekily, and I move back to her, kissing her again, this time with tongue while feeling her up pulling back only when she moans.
“I can definitely fuck you against a wall.” I mutter against her lips. “Standing in the middle of the room, we’ll have to try out, but I’m game if you are.” I grin before turning and leaving her there as I go to the ledge and hop back over to my deck. When I turn around, her eyes are glossy and a small smile is playing on her lips.
“Have a good day, Sheriff,” she says, before disappearing and sliding her door closed.
Going back into my room, I don’t even bother getting back into bed. Instead, I head right for the shower. The very shower where I plan to fuck her tonight.
Chapter 10
Shelby
“Hey, kiddo. How was camp?” I ask, walking into the kitchen while taking off my jacket, stopping in my tracks when I see Max in front of the stove, stirring something in a large pot, and Hunter nowhere to be found.
“He’s upstairs. I got him a telescope today, so he’s been up there setting it up since he came in from camp.”
Hanging my coat on the back of one of the chairs, I drop my bag to the top of the table and cross my arms under my chest. “I was going to get him a telescope for Christmas. I think I told you that,” I say, trying to keep the annoyance I’m feeling out of my voice, even though I’m irritated with him for not listening to me. I told him over three month
s ago on the phone, when Hunter mentioned wanting a telescope, that I planned on getting him one for Christmas, because I knew he would jump at buying it for him.
“Christmas is months away.” He shrugs then goes back to stirring what looks like pasta sauce. When he learned to cook, I have no idea, since he never cooked when we lived together. I think the only thing he knew how to make that tasted halfway decent was mac and cheese from a box. And even that was hit or miss.
“Max”—I pause, running my hand through my hair—“you know what? Never mind.” I shake my head, knowing it’s pointless to even try to explain to him why what he did is messed up. Going to the fridge, I grab the pitcher of water then get a glass from the cupboard.
“Where did you sleep last night?” he asks, and my back goes straight as his eyes come to me over his shoulder.
“Pardon?”
“I went to talk to you last night, after Hunter fell asleep, and you weren’t in your room or anywhere in the house.”
“I stayed with Zach last night,” I answer honestly, seeing no reason to lie about it. Besides, if he did search the house, he would’ve known I was lying if I said I was here.
“You left our son at home to go sleep with your boyfriend?”
“No, I left our son with his father in the house so I could go sleep with my boyfriend,” I say calmly, as his eyes flash.
“Do you do that often, leave him alone so you can stay out all night?”
“Excuse me?”
“Just answer the question,” he barks, slamming the spoon down on the counter, causing red to splash all over the surface and me to jump slightly.
“One, I’m not on the witness stand, so do not treat me like I am, and two, no, I have never stayed the night over at Zach’s house. Not once. But since I knew you were sleeping a few feet from Hunter, I didn’t think it was a big deal,” I reply, setting my glass of water down on the counter and turning toward him.
“What if Hunter needed you?”
“You had obviously put two and two together. You could have called or walked next door to get me. If he needed me.”
“This isn’t working for me,” he states, resting his hands on his hips.