Page 58 of Tough Justice

“You already said that.” And she ought to be grateful for it. She’d actually expected there to be bloodshed. The call-911 kind of bloodshed. “But an understanding about what? What were you talking about the whole time?”

A few seconds later, he pulled into her driveway, cranked the gearshift in park, then turned to face her. “Mostly, we talked about you.”

“Me?” What could they have possibly discussed about her for that long?

“Yes, you. The rest of the time he explained what happened ten years ago.” He shoved a rough hand through his hair, leaving some of the strands askew. “You should have told me. It would have explained why you hated me on sight.”

“I didn’t hate you on sight.” He gave her a duh look, telling her he knew she was lying. “Okay, maybe I did.”

But she hadn’t, not really. What she hated was what had happened to her dad, her mom, and how it had impacted their entire family. She’d never actually hated Deck and now realized she never could because she cared about him too much. Somehow, her father had seen that. Somehow, he’d managed to call a truce with Deck, and he’d done it for her. Because he loved her. If her dad could set aside some of his animosity, maybe she should, too.

Deck traced her jawline with the pad of his thumb. “I’m sorry for what happened to your dad. To you, your family. Don’t say anything yet, but I’m going to look into getting your dad’s license restored.”

“You don’t have to do that.” Although it was an awfully kind offer.

“I want to,” he insisted. “I can’t change the past, but I can help now.”

He would help, she realized, because that was who he was. Beneath all his drug-warrior toughness, he was a kind, compassionate man who’d sat through an uncomfortable meal, knowing something was off, then tolerated her dad’s rant enough to listen and wind up with a handshake at the end of the night.

“I’m sorry,” she said, feeling about as low as a girl could get. “I owe you as much of an apology as I owe my dad.”

“The only part of your apology I’ll accept is that you didn’t tell me yourself. For the rest, you don’t owe anyone an apology.” He continued tracing her jaw, his touch gentle and tender. “Then again, there is one thing you could do to make it up to me.”

“Anything,” she answered, meaning it.

He leaned in closer, his breath warm on her face. “Put your money where your mouth is.” Then he kissed her, his lips gliding softly over hers.

Before she could blink, he’d unbuckled their seat belts and hauled her onto his lap. He kissed her again, his tongue invading her mouth with the same swift assuredness that he used to break in doors at search warrants.

His hard chest pressed against her breasts while his tongue swept her mouth, seeking and tasting. Demanding yet gentle. She ran her hands up his muscled arms to link them around his neck. If she’d been hooked up to a heart monitor, that green line would be jumping all over the screen.

Deck’s erection pushed hard against her bottom where she sat on his lap. Just when she was about to slip her hands beneath his shirt and tear it over his head, he ended the kiss, pulling away and breathing as heavily as she was.

“I should walk you to your door.” He landed another kiss on her lips, this one quick, as he shut off the engine.

Walk me to my door? Really? After lighting a fuse that was still sizzling and sparking like a live wire?

He eased from beneath her, getting out of the SUV then holding out his hand for her as she shimmied off the seat and exited out the driver’s side. He opened Thor’s door, waiting for his dog to jump out and do his business on a nearby tree.

Pine boughs rustled in the breeze as Deck and Thor walked Tori to her front door. With her nerve endings still sparking with need, she managed to insert the key into the lock. Waves of warmth emanated from Deck’s big body only inches behind her, washing over her bare arms and neck. She pushed open the door, hesitating a moment.

All it would take was one simple invitation. To a man she’d fully intended to keep a safe emotional distance from. But after the last few hours, her entire belief system had been turned upside down. If her father could at least try to accept Deck being in her life, maybe that was one roadblock she no longer had to brake for.

Her next thought was both shocking and frightening. Maybe it was time to ease up on the death grip she had on the past.

“Um, do you want to come in?” She held her breath, waiting to see if he’d finish what he started so she could drag him inside and ravish him. Yes, that’s exactly what she wanted to do.

“Sure,” was all he said, but enough moonlight filtered through the trees for her to glimpse the unmistakable hunger smoldering in the hooded darkness of his eyes.

Tori stepped inside and flipped on the lights. The leap she was about to take was huge. As she set her keys and bag on the hall table, Deck closed the door. Her belly vibrated with nervous energy she hadn’t experienced in a very long time. She wasn’t a virgin, but right now she felt like one.

Needing something to do with her hands, she went into the kitchen and filled a bowl with water. The moment she set it on the floor, Thor drank his fill then padded into the living room and lay down.

Taking a deep breath, she turned to find Deck leaning against the kitchen doorway, watching her. No, make that tracking her, like he was ready to pounce and eat her up. Oh. Yeah. As she moved toward him, the pulse at the side of his neck ticked faster. Not faster than mine. That imaginary cardiac monitor she was hooked up to had to be beeping like crazy.

Her mouth went drier than a piece of litmus paper. He was so handsome, so raw and virile. Where this relationship was destined to go was still a mystery. Right now, the only direction she wanted to take it was down the hall and straight into her bedroom.

“Are you hungry?” she asked. What a stupid question. Then again, none of them had eaten much after the confrontation with her dad, and Deck was a big man.