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“What the hell is out there, girl?” Jordan said.
Honor glanced back in the direction again. Movement caught Jordan’s eyes. Her hand tightened on the handle of her gun. Her heart seemed to lodge itself in her throat.
A deer came bounding out of the trees and paused.
“Are you fucking kidding me?” Jordan sighed.
Bambi paused as if realizing she was not alone, before she raced down the road toward the highway. Jordan watched the animal disappear back into the woods. She relaxed and put her gun back in the holster. She turned to Honor who was wagging her tail. Jordan laughed and scratched her between her ears.
“Good girl. False alarm, but way to stay sharp. Let’s get home.”
Home.
Just saying the word brought a warm sensation to her chest. They continued their jog until the house came into view. The light on the front porch was shining bright. Jordan caught sight of Rhys sitting on the stairs. She wasn’t sure if her heart was now racing from the run or from the sight of her man sitting bare-chested waiting for her.
It was probably the latter.
The closer she got, she saw he had thrown on a pair of gray sweatpants and was barefooted. Honor, who saw him as well, left Jordan in her dust. The dog took off running toward Rhys. She let out an excited bark as if she hadn’t seen Rhys in years.
Jordan laughed at the pair. Rhys stood and came down the few stairs before Honor launched herself through the air toward his arms. Rhys opened them and caught the K9.
“Where have you been, girl?” Rhys placed the large dog down.
Honor sometimes didn’t understand that she was not a lapdog. She barked and danced in place, her tail wagging a mile a minute. Jordan closed the small distance between them and came to a halt near him and the dog. Rhys glanced up from rubbing Honor’s head, and his eyes softened. Jordan’s heart skipped a beat at the look in his eyes.
“How was the run?”
He turned around and snagged a bottle of water sitting on the steps and handed it to her. Jordan gratefully took it and downed half the bottle before she was able to speak. The man even had a towel for her as well. She snatched that up and wiped her face which was drenched with sweat. She would definitely need a shower after this workout.
“Decent. I didn’t go as far as I wanted, but it was good,” she said.
Rhys had a bowl of water waiting on Honor. He placed it on the bottom step for the K9 who wasted no time diving forth and lapping up the cool drink.
Jordan’s heart and breathing were still elevated. She knocked back the rest of the water, thankful Rhys was so thoughtful.
“You should have woken me. I would have gone with you,” he said. He came over to her side and gently took the towel from her hands and swiped at her forehead again.
“You were sleeping so good,” she attempted to joke. He had been dead to the world before she had left. But in all seriousness, she’d needed to go alone to try to sort out everything racing around in her head. Rhys would have been a distraction.
“Still. I would have gone with you, Jordan,” he murmured. He reached up and used the towel to wipe her chin. His soft drawl when he pronounced her name had her feeling slightly guilty. “You don’t need to be out there alone. You don’t know who is out there.”
“But I wasn’t alone,” Jordan said. She tapped on her gun hidden underneath her shirt and jerked her chin to Honor. She was capable to taking care of herself. She had been doing it for years and didn’t need anyone fighting her battles for her. She was a skilled fighter and an almost perfect shot.
“I’m being serious, Jordan,” Rhys’s voice deepened. He cupped her face and leaned down, pressing a chaste kiss to her lips.
Jordan practically melted from his touch. Where was the big bad policewoman now? The moment this man put his hands on her to remind her how much he cared for her, that persona disappeared, leaving just Jordan.
The woman.
“I am, too. Honor stayed by my side the entire time. No one in their right mind would take that woman on,” Jordan replied softly.
Rhys chuckled and nodded.
“That you are correct.” He took her hand in his and led her up the stairs with Honor behind them. He opened the door and allowed her and Honor to enter first before he shut it behind them. “Go shower and I’ll have breakfast finished by the time you come back down.”
“What would I do without you?” Jordan leaned into him.
Something shifted in Rhys’s eyes. He cupped her cheek, his thumb stroking it. She closed her eyes, briefly relishing the strength that radiated from him. She blinked and found Rhys staring at her. A small smile ghosted his lips.
