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Alana is frowning in that direction, too, looking unsettled as her eyes battle with the stranger’s.
I’m about to ask if there’s a problem, when Alana leans in close and lowers her voice. “Let’s get out of here, Davis.”
The words send a shockwave straight to my groin.
Despite the lilt of arousal in Alana’s voice, I have a pretty strong hunch that her sudden desire to flee this bar is more than just her wanting to jump my bones.
I don’t fault her, though. I get it. She’s uncomfortable being in public with me like this. I mean, it’s understandable that she’d want to be discreet aboutwhateverthis is, since we’re divorced and all.
Honey Hill is just like every small town across mid-America. It runs on gossip and home town scandals.I don’t want to feed the rumor mill, either. Especially not when I’m sitting at a bar in my cop uniform, for crying out loud.
“Okay. Let’s go.” I tap her thigh. Then I flag down the bartender to close out both of our tabs.
“Have a great night now, you two.” Jane tries to purse her lips against her face-splitting grin.
Alana rolls her eyes despite her own smile. “Good night, Jane.”
No way I’m driving my cruiser after drinking. So we make quick work of crawling into the backseat of a taxi together. A part of me expected Alana to turn shy on me now, but her lips are back on mine the moment the car door slams shut. We’re all mouth and tongue and wandering hands, making out in the back of the car just like when we were teenagers.
The driver is a local, someone I recognize. I mentally applaud the guy for doing his best to pretend not to notice. But who can blame him for stealing a peek?
I guess, it’s not every day he has the chief deputy sheriff and the town’s favorite veterinarian going at it on his sticky vinyl seats.
32
DAVIS
It’s a quick drive across town, and the second we pull into the driveway of ‘Alana’s’ house, my stomach goes queasy.
She immediately starts scooting across the seat, but she peeks at me over her shoulder when I don’t make a move to follow her.
“You…okay?” she questions, automatically sensing the slightest shift in my mood. As always.
I teasingly smack her jean-clad ass. Then I shoot her a wicked grin, pretending to be A-okay. “Hurry up and get your sexy butt out of this car. I can’t fucking wait to tear you up.”
I hear the driver choke on a surprised breath. In the rearview mirror, I meet his wide eyes.
Oops. I probably shouldn’t have said that out loud.
Giggling, Alana flings the door open and runs up the driveway.
“Thanks, man,” I say, staying back to pay the driver. “And sorry about the…”
“About the live action porn scene?” He titters under his breath. When I glare at him, he holds up his hands. “Hey man, no judgment. Everybody needs to get laid.”
I huff out a dry laugh, slapping a twenty into his hand. “Any chance we could keep this between us?”
He mimes zipping his lips shut. “Your secret’s safe, chief deputy.”Yeah right.
“Thanks,” I tell him anyway. “Keep the change.” And then I race off behind Alana as he pulls off down the street.
That knot in my stomach grows tighter as I make my way up the driveway, spotting the familiar oil stain that’s still there from the last time I did work on my Jeep.
The grass stands taller than I used to keep it. The clapboards could use a coat of paint. And as I climb the front stairs, the porch railing feels loose under my grip. All that bugs me for some reason. Somebody should be taking care of these things for her.
When I step into the familiar foyer, I feel a weight on my chest. The house is exactly as I remembered and nothing as I remembered, all at once.
This place is the complete opposite of my sad little brown house. Full of textures and colors and life.
