Total pages in book: 121
Estimated words: 113812 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 569(@200wpm)___ 455(@250wpm)___ 379(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 113812 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 569(@200wpm)___ 455(@250wpm)___ 379(@300wpm)
Blue and red lights surround the truck and, “Pull over,” is blasted over a speaker. Pris and my eyes connect. She rolls hers right after, and I roll down my window.
I can see him in the rearview mirror, taking inventory of the truck and tags, the registration stickers and the tires. When he reaches the window, I sit up. “How are you this fine evening, Deputy McCall?”
He tilts his head to make eye contact with Pris before me. When he looks at me, he says, “We’re well past evening time, Mr. Grange.” Shining a flashlight in my eyes forces me to squint. “You broken down?”
“No, sir.”
“You’re obstructing traffic.”
I check the rearview mirror and then swing my gaze forward. “There is no traffic.”
Pris leans over. “Can we go?” I have a feeling he won’t appreciate her direct approach.
“Ms. Greene, you’ve been pulled over—”
“We weren’t pulled over, Dirk. We were having a conversation that we thought was best, safest to have on the side of the road so we wouldn’t obstruct traffic.” She throws her arms up, and yells, “We can’t win.”
Ten minutes later, the cuffs are removed from my wrists, and he says, “All clear. You can get back in the vehicle, Mr. Grange.”
It’s not the first time I’ve tangoed with the law, but this is the first time I haven’t broken it. I rub my wrists and get back in the truck. I know he tightened the cuffs because I’m sitting with the woman he can only dream about being with.
As soon as I shut the door, I shoot a glare in her direction. “Happy?”
Sympathy lies in every feature of her face, and she says, “I’m sorry. I didn’t know he was going to search you . . . and the truck . . . and my bag.”
“He didn’t search you, though, the mouthy one who got me frisked and cuffed in the first place.”
“He was never going to take you in.”
“Let’s not push our luck. Getting booked into county jail isn’t something I want to do. So zip those lips, and I’ll handle it from here.”
In the side mirror, I watch Dirk returning by walking close to my side of the truck again.
She says, “I think he’s just lonely and jealous of you, Tagger.” She spies him one second too late. “Oops.”
“Step out of the vehicle, Mr. Grange.” He opens the door wide for me. “And put your hands behind your head.”
“Fuck,” I mutter under my breath and glower in her direction. You have got to be fucking kidding me. Don’t miss these small-town cops. Not one fucking bit.
He starts into the spiel, “You have a right to remain—”
Pris says, “Hold your horses, Dirk.” Hopping out of her side of the truck, she comes around. “Put the cuffs away. You’re not arresting him.”
“I am, too, Christine,” he says indignantly while cuffing one of my wrists, “so stick to your business.”
“He is my business.” Her voice is firm, but I think she’s playing with fire. “And my boyfriend.” This is really not going to go over well.
Trying to calm tempers, I say, “It’s okay, babe. Take the truck and—”
“No,” she replies with a stamp of her boot, giving me the sass that’s getting me arrested. She marches right up to him and pokes him in the chest. “Release him now.”
Four minutes later . . .
“First time here?”
She bursts out laughing. “Don’t make me laugh. It hurts with my arms twisted like this in the back.”
“You’ll get used to it.”
“I don’t want to get used to being arrested and shoved in the back of cop cars.”
Leaning my head against the seat in front of me, I try to keep her mind off being arrested for the first time. I don’t want her scared. “What’s your dad going to say when he finds out you’ve been arrested?”
“He’s going to kill me.” She’s grinning, a good sign, but then shrugs. “Kidding. What can he really say to me?” She leans forward, mimicking me.
“Fair.”
McCall gets in the driver’s seat and buckles in. “You both struggle to keep your traps shut, but I expect silence out of the two of you.”
Pris and I exchange looks and then laugh.
The car pulls out, grinding gravel under the tires. The laughter fades as does her smile. She sits up and looks around once before taking a deep breath.
I sit back up but inch closer to her. “It’s going to be okay.”
She sighs. “I’m not worried about being arrested. My boss is tough, but since it’s me, I’m okay hiring a hardened criminal.” Angling in my direction, she bumps her knees against mine and looks into my eyes. “What about us?”
“We’re going to be okay as well.”
With a playful grin, she asks, “Promise?”
“I promise, but I’m thinking this is the last one I should ever give. They tend to get me in trouble.”