AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Well, there was the time when he and our older brotherAdamcut school.Adam’stwelve years older than me, andJack’sten.Sothese two, they cut school and where do they decide to go?Thesesuper cool guys?Thezoo a few towns over.AndIhappened to be there with my first grade class on a field trip.Whenthey knewI’dseen them, they threatened to feed me to a lion ifItold.”
RosaliesmackedJack’sarm. “Whatkind of loser cuts school to go to the zoo?”
“Thekind without a car and without much money who hadn’t studied for his chemistry test.”
“Orthere was that time he smashed a window playing hockey inside.Neverfessed up to that one either.”
“Wow, hockey and zoo animals.Definitelya bad boy.”Rosaliegrinned atJack, who grinned back.
Beckettlaughed. “Jackdoesn’t have a bad bone in his body.He’sbasicallyCaptainAmerica.”Hestepped out from behind the bar to clear some tables, leavingRosalieandJackalone.
“What’ssomething you did that your parents never found out about?” he asked.Rosalielooked down into her beer.
“I’mgonna be honest,Jack.WhileIlove hearing about your family, mine’s a bit of a touchy subject for me.”
Heeyed her appraisingly, and she braced herself, ready for the pitying expression.Butit wasn’t there.Justa gentle understanding.Henodded.
“Fairenough.Godknows we’ve all got our shit.”Herubbed a hand over his chest as if trying to soothe an ache there.
Shelaid a hand on his thigh, leaning in close. “Solet’s not think about the shit we all carry around with us tonight.It’ssnowing, theRangersmight come back, andI’mhaving fun.”
Heswallowed thickly. “Yougot a boyfriend back in the city?”
“Nope.”
Hegrimaced. “Shit.Husband, then?”
Shelaughed. “Definitelynot.I’mvery, very single.Areyou?”
Pleasesay yes, please say yes, please say yes.
“Verysingle.”
Theireyes met, and for several seconds, they just stared, not even reacting when theRangersscored to tie the game.
Six
Despitethe way it had started out, tonight was turning out to be a pretty freaking great night.TheRangershad come back and won the game inOT, meaningBeckettwould be the one hauling his ass over toMom’sfirst thing tomorrow morning.Andthen there wasRosalie…if he was reading the vibes right—and he was pretty sure he was—she was into him.Butthere was more to it than a sexy woman flirting with him.Therewas something abouther.Itwas the rasp of her laugh, feminine and sexy.Itwas the way talking to her felt like the easiest thing in the world.Itwas the way he wanted to know more about her.Hell, if they spent the entire night just sitting heretalkinghe’d go to work an exhausted but happy man tomorrow.
Itsounded trite and cliché, butRosaliewas different.Ormaybe she just made him feel different.Andthat difference was creating a pull he hadn’t experienced in a very long time.
Itwas strong enough that it was making him rethink his resolution to go home alone tonight.
“Youpaying tonight, or amIjust adding this to your tab?” askedBeckett, wiping down the bar.Itwas after ten, the game was over, and the customers were filtering out into the snowy night.Technicallythe bar closed at eleven, but with the snow and everyone heading out,Beckettobviously intended to close up a little early.
“Tab,” saidJack. “I’llclear it up next week.”
Beckettjust shrugged. “Noworries.Iknow where you live.”
Jackchuckled.Heusually ran a tab at the bar.HeandChloehad aThursdaynight tradition of nachos for dinner at the pub, and the majority of his bill was food, not alcohol.Heenjoyed a drink, but being the police chief in a small town meant he could never fully let loose.Atleast, not with booze.
Rosaliereturned from the ladies’ room and glanced around. “Oh…are you closing up?” she asked, andJackdidn’t miss the note of disappointment in her voice.
Beckettnodded. “Yeah.”
“Well…” she said, her bottom lip caught between her teeth. “Itwas nice meeting you both.”Sheshrugged her coat on, and everything insideJack’schest went tight.Shewas about to walk out into the snow, and that would be that.He’dprobably never see her again.
Thatthought was enough to push him to his feet as he pulled on his own heavy-duty winter coat. “I’llwalk you back to the hotel,” he said, wondering if she could hear the hope and the need in his voice.
