Page 156 of Out Of A Fix

“Always.”

“I want to go home, Nash.”

“I will go anywhere with you, and home works, as I have groceries sitting in the garage. Wink is probably wondering what the hell is taking me so long to come in.”

“The shit you care about,” he rumbled, holding on, not ready to let go.

“Our cat? We care about our cat.”

“I know!” he choked out, clearly upset, the adrenaline pounding through him. “But how about you focus on the man having a nervous breakdown in your arms at the moment.”

“You’re okay,” I soothed him. “You knew I was gonna be all right.”

“I don’t wanna be scared anymore, you hear me?”

“Yes.” I nuzzled into the hollow between his neck and shoulder. “No more scaring you. Cross my heart.”

Luke held my hand in his all the way home, lifting it to kiss, and also glancing at me every few seconds.

“You realize you can’t watch me every second of every day any more than you can watch your kids. There’s some jeopardy involved with living.”

“I know that.” He pulled into the garage, shutting off his truck as the door slowly closed.

“Have faith in me, and I’ll have the same in you.”

He nodded, turned his head, and brushed away tears before facing me again.

“Why don’t you concern yourself with getting plane tickets to Maine,” I told him. “I feel we’re late getting started on that.”

Instant scowl.

“But see, you feel better, don’t you?”

“Just don’t fuckin’ scare me.”

“No, love, never again.”

He climbed over the center console and straddled my hips, hands on my shoulders, staring into my eyes. “Do I have your attention?”

“Always,” I promised him, loving the warmth in his beautiful eyes, holding his granite thighs, and hearing his low moan of contentment. There was no doubt that Luke Duchesne loved me. It was stamped all over him.

“Always?” he asked, sounding almost angry.

“Yes. I swear.”

His eyes narrowed as he studied me, and then he moved back to his seat and was out of the truck in a flash. As I watched, he unlocked the door and went inside.

Strange.

I scrambled out of the car and walked to the Jeep. “I guess I’ll bring in the groceries, then,” I called out to him.

Nothing.

Getting the bags, I went into the house, slammed the mudroom door behind me, and when I turned, Wink was right there to howl at me.

“Why didn’t you yell at the first guy who came through,” I muttered, toeing off the sneakers I’d worn, since for once it wasn’t raining.

He leaped at me, dug his little claws into my right calf while I called him a little fucker, then let go and darted away.