He shook his head and swore softly under his breath before lowering his mouth to kiss her. Soft and persistent, this was a kiss to remind her of something and that thought pissed her off. She pulled back even though she wanted to sink in deeper.
“Is that a problem?” She blinked at the awful thought that Rafe might not want her to have that kind of a job, something bigger than a 7-3 shift. Something that wove into the fabric of her being, like his work did.
Again he swore, and this time he was the one that stepped back. “No, jeez, of course not. It’s just…I didn’t realize. So when I saw you…”
She waited. Guessing wouldn’t help. Neither would filling the silence. If this was hard for him, let it be hard. Figuring out a new normal might take a few fights like this, if this could even be called a fight.
“Your hair is down.”
She did a double take. “I’m sorry?”
“You never do that. And for a second, I thought it was for him.”
“Him who?” She shook her head in confusion.
“Him. Your boss, I guess. The guy you were so cozy with in the booth.”
She blinked in disbelief.What the hell?“Rafe, honey, you have completely the wrong idea—“ He was pissed at her for herhair? Well, two could play the irrational game. “This is ridiculous. You think I’mcheatingon you? After watching you bring a woman here for breakfast after a damnsleepover? You’ve slept in my bed every single night for weeks now. How can you doubt that I’m yours?”
“Keep your voice down. I didn’t accuse you of anything.”
“You keep your damn voice down, Rafe Minelli! This is stupid!”
He had the good grace to at least look chagrined, but he didn’t apologize.
“You’ve never been a jealous person, what the hell is going on?”
He twisted his lips into a flat line. It was better than a scowl, but not by much. “I don’t know.”
The last thing she wanted to do was placate him, but she had to get back to work and she didn’t want their first fight to linger, unresolved, because she’d walked away from him. “Well, I don’t know either. But I don’t like it.”
His jaw clenched and he stared at a point high above her head for a minute. “Today was a shitty day at work. The kind of day that makes me wish we had a hot tub and a beer fridge on the deck.”
And no drama from the wife.She could read between the lines and it made her sad.
“No. Liv, I can see where you’re going in your head and that’s not it, I promise. It’s just that I forgot for a minute. Even when we got divorced, you were always…”
She stepped forward. It was her turn to use a kiss to stave off a fight. She grabbed the front of his uniform and tugged him down to her level. “Shut up.”
“I thought you told me that wasn’t a nice thing to say,” he whispered.
“It’s not, but drastic times…” She licked her way inside his mouth, making him groan. Good. He needed to remember she was his, and he was hers, and drama was stupid. Maybe she needed to remember that, too. “Come on. Can I introduce you to them?” She extended her hand and wiggled her fingers.
They both gave sighs of relief when he took her hand. He tugged her close and she tipped her face up to his. “I love you, you idiot.”
“I don’t want to lose you, Liv.”
She shook her head. “If you do, it won’t be over another man, I promise. But it might be because you’re a lunkhead.”
“Got it.” He kissed her again, this time a sweet brush of his lips against hers.
“Why are you here, anyway?” she asked quietly as they walked back into the dining room.
“Your meeting. The commander wanted to send a community officer. I volunteered.”
That helped. A lot. She grinned up at him. “Really?”
He nodded. “I’m proud of you, Liv.”
