I reared back like she’d slapped me. I was a law enforcement officer. If anyone in the world had their eyes wide open to the cruelties and harsh realities of this world, it was me. I wasn’tdelusional.
“Or maybe you’re jealous and looking for a problem with her when there isn’t one.”
The moment the words left my mouth, I knew they’d been the wrong thing to say,especiallybecause I knew how far off the mark they were.
“I don’t need to be jealous when I already have you.”
“I’m sorry,” I said softly. “I didn’t mean that.”
“If you love me, Lane, I need you to start looking at this like a cop instead of a man who caught himself in a sticky situation and wants to brush it under the rug and pretend it doesn’t exist.”
Getting to her feet, she crossed over to me, carding her fingers through my hair. I wrapped my arms around her waist and rested my face against her stomach.
“I’ll call Trey.”
She hummed in approval.
“I’m going to go up to Boise for a while.”
I pulled back and gaped up at her. “What? No. You’re not leaving.”
“I think it’s for the best if I take myself out of the picture for a while.”
“You’re running.”
Sutton cupped my cheeks in her palms, her thumbs rasping over my beard. “I’m not running. I’m giving us space to collect ourselves and approach this logically. I can’t think straight when you’re near, and obviously your judgement is clouded too.”
“Is not,” I protested, albeit weakly.
She chuckled. “If things quiet down while I’m gone, great. If not, well…either way, we’ll have our answer on Addie.”
“It’s not Addie.”
Fucking hell. Why couldn’t I give it up, even now, when the love of my life was about to walk out that door? When I had no idea when—orif—she’d ever come back? And why was I fighting her on this instead of getting on my goddamn knees and begging her not to go?
“It’s not forever,” she said in an attempt to placate me.
I squeezed her tighter. “I don’t want you to go, but…maybe you’re right.”
One of her hands slipped up to my hair again and tugged. “Holy shit. DidtheLane Lawless just admit he was wrong?”
“No. Technically, I admitted you were right. Not the same thing at all.”
With a giggle, she bent and gave me a slow, lingering kiss. “Whatever you say.”
Eventually, I let her go, though I trailed after her like a puppy dog while she packed her things and loaded Boots into his cat carrier.
“I don’t like this,” I said as I helped her carry her things out to her car.
With her bags safely stowed in the hatch and Boots strapped into the front seat, she turned to me, snaking her arms around my waist.
“I don’t either,” she admitted. “But right now…I can’t see another way.”
I nodded in understanding. “Text me when you get there?”
“Of course,” she said, rising onto her tiptoes to kiss me. Anchoring my hand at the back of her head, I took it deeper, plunging my tongue into her mouth and exploring lazily, wanting to brand her taste on my memory.
Wondering if it was the last time I’d have it.
