Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 91461 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 457(@200wpm)___ 366(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91461 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 457(@200wpm)___ 366(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
“I just want to be comfortable with my people.”
I understood what he meant.
Sunday dinners were normally reserved for family, which for us means we either have Dane and Aja over along with Sam’s parents and whatever kids can make it—theirs and ours—or we pick up Sam’s parents and go over to Aja and Dane’s and whatever number of kids will join us. That Sunday, Sam’s folks were out of town visiting friends in New York, and all the kids had plans, so it was the four of us at a restaurant Dane liked downtown.
Sam had to go to work for a short time, as there were some interdepartmental shenanigans, and sometimes the people in charge would only take the word of the person at the top of the food chain. Chris Decker had picked Sam up that afternoon, and I had driven later, closer to six. When I got there, I got a text from Aja that said they were running just a bit behind, as Dane had his own work snafu, but they would be no more than ten minutes late. I let the hostess know when I arrived and told her I just had to collect my husband from the bar. Big smile from her as she said no problem, which was impressive, as the place was a zoo.
Making my way toward the bar, I got a rare sighting of Sam Kage alone in the wild. He was in a very well-tailored Tom Ford suit, no tie, and I alone knew that he had an ankle holster on above his black dress shoes. I looked around and saw all the people surveying the gorgeous specimen of a male that my husband was. The broad shoulders, the height, the wide chest, and most importantly the square jaw and slate-blue eyes. He was having an old-fashioned, leaning on the bar, and would have been, I was certain, fielding offers if not for a scowl that could peel paint. People always talked about their golden retriever husbands on social media, and I wondered, dog-wise, how to describe Sam. German shepherd maybe? He was fine with everyone until they did something stupid and had to be forcefully corrected.
What I loved more than anything was that when I stopped moving and stood still, and he scanned the crowd, looking for any of his people, the moment he saw me, you could read it all over him. There was the smile I loved that warmed his eyes, softened his gaze, and curled his lips just slightly. His body relaxed, it was like he sighed, and then, always, the lift of his hand as he gestured me over with fingers, the “come here” gentle, but still, a command. When I reached him, there was the arm that went immediately around my shoulders as he brought me in close. Tight. Tucking me up against his side. The moment I lifted to see his face; he bent and kissed me. It was quick but solid, and when he eased back, I smiled up at him. Smug male grunt then because he knew I was all his.
“Oh,” I gasped and stepped back from him. “I’m so sorry, I thought you were my husband. Pardon me.”
“Ha-ha, very funny,” he grumbled, taking hold of my bicep and pulling me in close again. “Yes, I’ve been in a bad mood for the past three days, but none of that has anything to do with you and you know it.”
I squinted up at him. “No more dragging your crap home from work, Chief Deputy, unless you plan to share and let me help fix it.”
He opened his mouth to say something and then closed it just as fast. “You know what, that’s fair, and okay. I do have some personnel issues I would like some input on.”
Reaching up, I wrapped both arms around his neck. “That’s what I’m talking about. Communication, my love.”
Another grunt before he kissed me again. That time there were lots of awwws from around us, and when I looked, several women on barstools were smiling at us. In contrast, a couple of men were scowling, and one of them was shaking his head.
I arched an eyebrow, because I was bulletproof at that moment. Nothing bothered me. I was standing in my husband’s arms. I could not have been any safer.
“Come on, man, you’re setting unrealistic expectations for the rest of us.”
I smiled at him, and he made a sweeping gesture with his hand as Aja and Dane joined us. Clearly, he wanted us all gone.
“Oh for crap’s sake,” another man muttered under his breath.
“Why are you making out at the bar?” Aja asked jovially, slipping under Sam’s arm as he lifted it for her.
I leaned sideways into Dane, who put his arm around me and gave me a quick clench before he let go.