“Fine, but you’re not driving home with a sprained ankle. I’ll drive you.”
“Then how will you get home?”
“I’ve walked all over this town, Tully. I think I can walk from Old Lady Crawford’s house.”
She stared at him. “You know where I live?”
He knew a lot of things about her.
He knew that she blushed at . . . everything. That she loved to read books about tattooed guys and had a weird preoccupation with Honky Tonk Heaven. That she was scared of heights and not very proficient with guns. And that she had a soft body that fit nicely in his arms.
“Everyone in town knows you bought Old Lady Crawford’s house,” he said. “Now give me the key so I can lock up.” He set her down by the back door while he locked it. Once he finished, he took the key off her key ring and pocketed it.
“What are you doing? That’s mine!”
“Sorry. I won’t be able to sleep at night knowing you’re stumbling around in the dark in flip-flops.”
“Fine, I’ll wear boots from now on.”
“That still won’t make me sleep better.” He lifted her back into his arms.
She huffed. “I want to see what’s going on, Jaxon.”
“Then you’ll have to get up enough guts to stop by during the day.”
That shut her up. The rest of the drive to her house was silent.
The other day when he’d gotten her cell number, Jaxon hadn’t noticed the inside of her old truck. So he was more than a little surprised to find it so messy. There were empty take-out cups, half-full water bottles, and an assortment of other trash on the passenger side floorboard. A crushed box of tissues, a makeup bag, a half-eaten Snickers bar, and a bag of popcorn on the bench seat. The ashtray was overflowing with coins, hair ties, Chapstick, and gum wrappers.
When he carried her inside her house, he discovered it was just as messy. Mail was piled high on the table by the door, along with more half-empty water bottles and her badge and holstered gun. Huge piles of unfolded laundry filled two chairs in the living room. Pet toys were scattered around on the floor, along with running shoes, one sock, and a sports bra.
As he stared at the bra, the truth finally dawned on him.
Rule-following Tully was messy.
He didn’t know why that struck him as funny, but it did. He started laughing and couldn’t seem to stop.
She socked him hard in the arm. “Don’t you dare laugh at me, Jaxon Hennessy. I’ve just been busy and haven’t had time to clean.”
He sobered and looked at her. “Or maybe this is the one place you can just be yourself. Messy and unorganized and the complete opposite of the spit and polished deputy you want the town to see.”
Those big brown eyes widened and, then to his complete consternation, filled with tears before she tucked her face against his chest. He moved to the couch and sat down with her on his lap, tipping her chin up so he could see her face. Her cheeks were wet with tears and her eyes filled with a thousand more.
It broke his heart.
He brushed the tears away with his thumb. “It’s okay to be messy. It’s okay to read sexy books. It’s okay to like rowdy country bars.” He took off her cap and smoothed wisps of her hair back from her forehead. “It’s okay to have curly hair.” He smiled. “It’s okay to be you, Tallulah.”
She swallowed hard as more tears dripped down her cheeks. “Even if I’m not what people want as their deputy?”
“I’ve discovered there’s no way to give everyone what they want. People’s expectations are always changing and it’s impossible to keep up. So maybe it’s time to be who you are and live how you want to live . . . with no apologies.”
She stared back at him for a long moment with those watery Bambi eyes as if trying to digest his words before she finally spoke. “Maybe it is time.”
Then she completely blindsided him by leaning in and placing her soft lips on his.
He tried to remember the vow he’d made to his siblings, and to himself, but it was impossible when she opened her mouth and offered her sweet, wet heat. There wasn’t a chance in hell he could decline the offer.
All he could do was surrender.
