He was antsy, restless.The thought of sitting behind a desk while a woman was being kept prisoner out there … somewhere… It didn’t matter that he didn’t know where to look.He only knew that sitting there wasn’t getting him the answers he wanted.
“You good?”Atticus asked from beside him.
As he’d done all morning, Archer avoided looking at his partner.Every time he did, he thought about that kiss.The one that had rocked him to the soles of his boots.He knew there was nothing he could do about it, but that didn’t stop his brain from hitting replay on that memory every few minutes.
“Jesus,” he grumbled, shoving to his feet.“I need some air.”
While everyone else worked to find Kylie, Archer headed outside.He pushed through the door and out into the humid morning.The chill had since dissipated, replaced by warming temperatures and an annoying stickiness to the air.
Still, it was better than sitting in the barn, listening to Atticus breathe.
When he heard footsteps on dry leaves, he turned in time to see Slade walking from the parking area.
“Hey,” he greeted, attempting to be polite.
Slade grunted, ignoring him.
“Well, that went well,” Archer muttered when Slade disappeared into the barn.
Rather than follow his instincts and go back to the barn to see what had brought Slade in, Archer paced.It wasn’t his business.Didn’t matter if Slade was there to work or if he’d come to talk to Atticus.It didn’t matter.
Because temptation was too great, Archer resisted the pull to go back in by heading toward the parking lot.The farther he got, the better off he would be.He took that to heart, following the path of the driveway to the road.When he reached the road, he turned around, came back.He had no idea how many times he’d repeated the back and forth when he stepped aside so Slade’s truck could pass.
Only it didn’t.
“You better treat him right,” Slade said, his tone rife with warning.
Archer met his gaze.“What?”
“You heard me.He’s a good guy.”
Feeling defensive, Archer said, “Tell me somethin’ I don’t know.”
“I’m not here to fight with you.”Slade looked at the road.“I just came by to get somethin’.I know you two have a thing.”
“A thing?”Archer fisted his hands at his sides.“He’s my partner.”
“Yeah.That’s what he says, too.Don’t worry.You’re not the first partners here to hook up.Fucking isn’t a crime.”
“You’re delusional, you know that?”
“No.You’re in denial.But don’t worry.I have no plans to get in your way.”
Archer opened his mouth, but then closed it.This was pointless.Slade wasn’t going to believe anything he had to say because the man was already convinced the world was out to get him.He was too blind to see a good thing when he had it, so it was his own fucking fault that he’d lost Atticus.
“Treat him right,” Slade called as he drove off.
Shaking his head, Archer started back down the driveway.As he was reaching the house, he looked up to see Atticus watching him, his green eyes intent, boring a hole right through him.
“What did he say to you?”
“Nothin’ important.”It was the truth.
He turned on his heel, gearing up to make a trek in the other direction.Before he could, Atticus grabbed his arm.
“Stop, dammit.”
He did, but he didn’t look at Atticus.He couldn’t.
