a desk all day, he’d take his service weapon and blow his brains out. Adrenaline freaks, the two of them.
This sneak-and-peek, he supposed, was kindergarten stuff. If he took her along, he might score points for the next time he threw his weight around. Yeah, that’s a plan . He’d take her, but insist she stay in the car. Which she’d debate. No doubt there. Whether she’d realized it or not, they’d fallen into a rhythm. He’d give a little, remind her that he’d given a little and she’d give some too. Perfect harmony in their fucked up world.
He closed the car door and headed to the trunk for their gear. “Here’s the deal. We get checked in and then we find this address. See what’s what. When we get there, if I think it’s safe to take a look, you wait in the car while I go in.”
She folded her arms, watching him retrieve the bags. “If you’re with me, why can’t I get out?”
“Uh, because someone might shoot us?”
“Oh, stop it. Nobody knows we’re here. Who’s going to shoot us?”
Stranger things had happened and he wasn’t risking it. That sheriff could be in bed with any number of people. “I’m not kidding. I could lock you in the hotel room. And you know I’ll do it. Take what you can get, Jo, and live with it.”
“You wouldn’t dare.”
“Yeah, I would. My guess is this big Victorian has a nice, heavy bed I can cuff you to. I’m not talking for sexual reasons either, although, we should definitely explore that.” Definitely explore that . “That’s my offer, Counselor. Take it or leave it.”
She bumped her fist against her leg. “I wouldn’t put it past you to confine me. You’re mean that way.”
“If it keeps you out of harm’s way, you bet your ass I am.”
Jo stood back while Gabe, being the macho man that he was, unlocked the hotel room door. Why not? This minor stuff gave him a sense of control and let him feel like a gentleman. Down deep, under her I’m-an-independent-woman attitude, she kinda liked having a man to rely on. Not that she’d ever admit that to anyone. Her inner feminist was already preparing to launch the first stone.
Plus, there were other perks. Standing back like this gave her an exceptional view of Gabe’s equally exceptional jean-clad butt. Not to mention the way his rock hard shoulders angled into narrow hips and long legs. She focused on his right shoulder. Hidden under his shirt was the tattoo of an eagle, wings spread, holding a submachine gun in one talon and a lightning bolt in the other—the unofficial S.W.A.T. insignia that members of Specials Operations Groups often wore. They were a proud bunch, and no matter how they ribbed and argued, they always took care of their own. In many ways, they were a family.
He shoved the door open and stepped in to do his little surveillance sweep.
“There’s a king bed. As they say in the South, ‘thank you, Jesus!’”
She entered the room, spotted the brick fireplace first, then the huge sleigh bed. And lucky her, or depending on how one looked at it—unlucky her, there were no posts to cuff her to. “You’re safe, sergeant.”
Gabe didn’t fuss over much, but not having the right bed did him in. In his line of work, the man needed solid sleep. Thankfully, it seemed he’d get it in this room.
If she didn’t distract him, which she’d most certainly do.
He tossed her suitcase on the bed and swung around. “Nice room.”
She waited, as she always did, for him to complete his inspection. The law enforcement officer in him wouldn’t let him enter a room without giving it a visual sweep. Instinctively, she never moved, preferring to stand just inside the doorway until he finished.
His gaze slid to the fireplace, then to the tall dresser, the cute drum table in the corner where a large gift bag sat. There, he halted.
“What—the hell?”
He rushed to the bathroom, cleared it and then went to the table. Angling his head this way and that, he checked either side
This sneak-and-peek, he supposed, was kindergarten stuff. If he took her along, he might score points for the next time he threw his weight around. Yeah, that’s a plan . He’d take her, but insist she stay in the car. Which she’d debate. No doubt there. Whether she’d realized it or not, they’d fallen into a rhythm. He’d give a little, remind her that he’d given a little and she’d give some too. Perfect harmony in their fucked up world.
He closed the car door and headed to the trunk for their gear. “Here’s the deal. We get checked in and then we find this address. See what’s what. When we get there, if I think it’s safe to take a look, you wait in the car while I go in.”
She folded her arms, watching him retrieve the bags. “If you’re with me, why can’t I get out?”
“Uh, because someone might shoot us?”
“Oh, stop it. Nobody knows we’re here. Who’s going to shoot us?”
Stranger things had happened and he wasn’t risking it. That sheriff could be in bed with any number of people. “I’m not kidding. I could lock you in the hotel room. And you know I’ll do it. Take what you can get, Jo, and live with it.”
“You wouldn’t dare.”
“Yeah, I would. My guess is this big Victorian has a nice, heavy bed I can cuff you to. I’m not talking for sexual reasons either, although, we should definitely explore that.” Definitely explore that . “That’s my offer, Counselor. Take it or leave it.”
She bumped her fist against her leg. “I wouldn’t put it past you to confine me. You’re mean that way.”
“If it keeps you out of harm’s way, you bet your ass I am.”
Jo stood back while Gabe, being the macho man that he was, unlocked the hotel room door. Why not? This minor stuff gave him a sense of control and let him feel like a gentleman. Down deep, under her I’m-an-independent-woman attitude, she kinda liked having a man to rely on. Not that she’d ever admit that to anyone. Her inner feminist was already preparing to launch the first stone.
Plus, there were other perks. Standing back like this gave her an exceptional view of Gabe’s equally exceptional jean-clad butt. Not to mention the way his rock hard shoulders angled into narrow hips and long legs. She focused on his right shoulder. Hidden under his shirt was the tattoo of an eagle, wings spread, holding a submachine gun in one talon and a lightning bolt in the other—the unofficial S.W.A.T. insignia that members of Specials Operations Groups often wore. They were a proud bunch, and no matter how they ribbed and argued, they always took care of their own. In many ways, they were a family.
He shoved the door open and stepped in to do his little surveillance sweep.
“There’s a king bed. As they say in the South, ‘thank you, Jesus!’”
She entered the room, spotted the brick fireplace first, then the huge sleigh bed. And lucky her, or depending on how one looked at it—unlucky her, there were no posts to cuff her to. “You’re safe, sergeant.”
Gabe didn’t fuss over much, but not having the right bed did him in. In his line of work, the man needed solid sleep. Thankfully, it seemed he’d get it in this room.
If she didn’t distract him, which she’d most certainly do.
He tossed her suitcase on the bed and swung around. “Nice room.”
She waited, as she always did, for him to complete his inspection. The law enforcement officer in him wouldn’t let him enter a room without giving it a visual sweep. Instinctively, she never moved, preferring to stand just inside the doorway until he finished.
His gaze slid to the fireplace, then to the tall dresser, the cute drum table in the corner where a large gift bag sat. There, he halted.
“What—the hell?”
He rushed to the bathroom, cleared it and then went to the table. Angling his head this way and that, he checked either side
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