Page 2 of Tack’s Bounty

Tack huffed. “Willis, go across the street and help them.”

“Dr. Woods, is there anything we can do to help this situation?” he offered.

“Can you build a time machine to take me back to three years ago and tell me not to have that drink with the cute nerdy guy and definitely don’t fucking marry him?” she asked.

He chuckled. “No time machine here but let me leave you a card so if you need us,” he directed, reaching to pull one out.

“Nope, what’s the number?” she asked, pulling a pen from her pocket.

“913-965-323x,” he replied. He bit his lip watching Sophia write his number in pen on her arm and his name, Officer Lawson, with the words ‘hot swat officer’ beside it.

“You don’t want a card?” he dryly noted, fighting to keep from laughing.

“Nah, paper blows away or gets eaten by one of the animals. This way, I’ll write it on the board when I go inside,” she disclosed. Pounding on the ground had Tack turning toward the sound.

“You should get on the other side of the fence. Sometimes he’s an asshole when he first gets out in the morning,” Sophia insisted.

Tack wasn’t leaving Sophia to face whatever it was alone. A donkey came running around the house, his hooves clicking on the rocks of the driveway. He ran toward them. Tack worried the donkey would knock Sophia over. He stepped in front of her.

“I wouldn’t do that,” Sophia warned.

“I’ve got this,” Tack assured her.

The donkey ran toward them and skidded to a stop right in front of Tack. He wasn’t full-size. Either he was a baby or he was a miniature donkey. Tack looked over his shoulder at Sophia.

“Can I pet… unh,” Tack groaned, grabbing his crotch and swallowing the nausea that threatened to have him throwing up all over the ground. The cute little donkey had headbutted his crotch.

“I warned you,” Sophia reminded him, walking around Tack. “Naughty, naughty, Pudding. What have I told you about headbutting people?” she scolded.

The donkey brayed at her. Heck, if Tack spoke donkey, he’d say the little asshole was telling Sophia to fuck off.

“You okay there, Officer Lawson?” Officer Willis called from across the street.

“Fucking peachy,” Tack snapped back.

“If anything’s damaged, let me know, and I’ll pay the bill. Can’t have a hot SWAT officer unable to use his dick—that would be a shame,” she teased, winking at him.

Tack grinned. The longer she talked, the more intriguing he found her, despite his crotch hurting and continuing to fight the nausea bubbling in his throat. She had this happiness around her that was contagious.

“I appreciate it. It’s my fault for not listening. I’m sure I’ll be okay. I’ll know better next time. Now, remember, if you need anything, call me,” he reiterated.

Sophia stared at him, her tongue peeking out to lick her lips. He’d give his next paycheck to know what she was thinking.

“I appreciate it. I will,” Sophia confirmed.

Tack nodded, cautiously straightening to make sure he could control the nausea. Despite preferring to stay with Sophia, he headed across the street as his captain was finishing up talking with Jolene.

“Ma’am, I appreciate that you have a disagreement with your neighbor, but you cannot call in a child abduction because your squirrels like her house better,” Captain McKendrick pointed out.

“She just makes me so mad. It’s like she thinks she’s the queen of the animals. Is there anything I can do?” Jolene whined.

“Ignore her. She’s not hurting you. I’m giving you a gift by not citing you for calling in a false report. Don’t make me regret my leniency,” Captain McKendrick cautioned.

The woman nodded. Tack limped back to Gretchen, taking his seat.

“His leniency. More like Cap didn’t want the paperwork,” one of the guys teased.

“She doesn’t need to know that,” Cap announced, slipping into the front seat.