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I blow out a hard breath and look away. Jesus, those two just raised the temperature in here. I love that Gage is happy but seeing them together…I hate to admit it, but I’m a little jealous. My only hot and heavy, gotta have you now, relationship was Ben. And I was twenty and exploring my sexuality every chance I got. The fact that we had to keep things secret added another layer of hotness to it. After the hotness turned to a nightmare, I didn’t trust relationships the same, not to mention that I was now famous so dating got a lot trickier.
I turn to Jackson, still at the back of the vehicle. “Why do you call him D sometimes?”
He opens the hatch to the Mom-SUV so he can move over my luggage. “Because that’s what I called him in the military, D or Díaz. But now that he’s pussy-whipped, he wants to be called Gage. I’m trying.”
“Hey, I heard that. And if you think it’s an insult, you’re wrong,” Gage yells from the front of the garage.
Jackson cracks a smile and shakes his head. I look between him and Gage, who is grinning himself. It really seems like they have a strong friendship between them. And Gage clearly trusts Jackson with my unconventional job, which means I should be able to trust him too. Actually doing that though…
I look back at Jackson and the carefree expression from a second ago is gone and he’s concentrating on adjusting my luggage in the new car. Instant trust isn’t something I can afford to give anymore so if Jackson wants it, he’s going to have to earn it.
He turns to me then with that stern expression still on his face. “Get in.” He hooks a thumb toward the back of the SUV. Surely, he doesn’t mean the back. I go to the backseat passenger door and open it to find a child seat with a baby-sized doll strapped in. And the other passenger seat has a high-back booster seat with an older dummy kid in it, a hat on its head to conceal its fakeness. I look at Jackson.
“The back.”
I slam the door and return to the back of the car and glance inside. My luggage is stuffed in a vertical line down the middle of the back, leaving two small slivers of space on each side. This isn’t one of those giant bus-like SUVs. This is a mid-size with a third row that is only suitable for children.
“You want me to get in the trunk?”
“It’s not the trunk, it’s the back with the seats down.”
“It’s an SUV. Thatisthe trunk.”
“It’s not the trunk.”
I cross my arms and glare at him, not moving.
His jaw works in clear annoyance before he blows out a breath. “Come on, wildcat, just get in.”
The nickname sucks the breath from me, and I have to stop myself from laughing out loud. That was so on point. Or at least it would have been years ago when I let that side of me come out and play. It almost makes me want to get into the car without further argument. Almost.
When I don’t move, Jackson suddenly closes the space between us and leans down until his face is inches from mine. “Get. In. The. Fucking. Car.”
If he thinks I’m scared of the rough, barely contained control in his voice, he’s got another think coming. If he wants a wildcat, I’ll show him one.
“Autumn,” Gage says gently, before I can bare my claws. “You won’t be back there long, I promise. Everleigh is going to drive you to your place and I’m going to do a decoy run to a hotel.”
I break my glare from Jackson and look at Gage, now at my side, then at Everleigh, who is watching me with doe-wide eyes before giving me a smile that’s sympathetic yet encouraging.
“Can you at least give me some more room and move my luggage over?”
“No, I’m coming in there with you. Unless you’d rather snuggle up with me?” He drops the stern bodyguard look and those jewel-like eyes practically glitter with a mischief – and maybe a little heat – that catches me off guard.
Being pressed next to Jackson’s body wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world. But his hot and cold attitude is not something I’m interested in getting closer to.
“No, thanks. I can still taste your lunch. I’d rather not spend a whole car ride smelling it too.”
He presses his lips together and I can’t tell if he’s trying not to laugh or if he’s annoyed. He nods toward the car, and I crawl into the small space doing my best to look comfortable and dignified. He then moves into the space on the other side of my luggage. I can’t help but to smile as he grunts and groans as he struggles to fit comfortably. At least he’s suffering more than I am.
“Shut the damn gate and let’s get going,” he barks out.
Gage chuckles and hits the button, closing us in. The driver’s seat door opens, but instead of Everleigh getting in, I hear her and Gage kissing.
“Everleigh, stop sucking face and get in the car!” Jackson snaps.
“Hey, watch it,” Gage snaps back and I wish I could see his expression. I imagine it’s murderous for talking to his girl that way. His voice then softens as he says to Everleigh, “Be careful, baby. I’ll see you soon.”
The door finally shuts and we’re soon backing out of the garage. After we’re out of the neighborhood and on the way, Jackson asks her if our little friend stayed put and she ensures him they did.
