“That sucked, babe,” he said softly.
“Tell me about it,” I agreed and walked into my house, dumping my bag and purse on my couch and turning to find he followed me and he did it close.
I tipped my head back to look at him.
“I don’t have any tequila,” I remarked and he threw his head back and laughed. His laugh was just as gravely and rumbly as his voice and I had to admit, I liked it.
Shit.
Time to lay ground rules.
“You should know, yesterday, I made a new life decision. I’ve sworn off men.”
His brows went up. “You have?”
“Yep.”
“Hawk know this?”
“I haven’t shared directly but I sent a message.”
His eyes grew intense. “Why?” he asked.
“It’s a long story and I don’t mean to be rude or anything but I have to get some work done. Then I have to gather up all my little black dresses and high-heeled shoes and take them to Goodwill. Then I have to go help clean up fire damage. Then I have to come home and make cookie dough. So maybe we can have your talk.”
He ignored my suggestion. “Sounds like you got a full day.”
“I have a full life.”
“Seems to me your fixin’ to punch some holes into that, no Hawk, no high-heeled shoes.”
“I’ve decided to take up hiking.”
He grinned.
“And ferret rescue,” I added.
His grin turned to a smile.
“Um… you wanted to talk?” I prompted.
“Yeah –” he started but didn’t continue because right then, the room exploded.
That’s right, exploded.
One second we were standing there bantering and the next the windows blew inward, glass shattering, plaster burst from the walls everywhere and then, of course, there was the loud noise of multiple automatic weapons all around.
I stupidly froze but luckily Tack didn’t. He picked me up at the waist, bent low but somehow managed to carry me through the living room to the kitchen where he put me on my feet and threw the door closed.
“What’s happening?” I shouted forgetting to pause and, say, check for bleeding gunshot wounds on him or me.
“Fuck,” he muttered, yanked his phone out of his jeans and flipped it open all the while crowding me across the kitchen until I hit the wall at the back at the same time the noise came into my living room.
I put my hands on him as he pressed in, shielding me with his body. “Tack!”
The noise stopped.
He had his phone to his ear and he had obviously engaged. “Drive-by, Gwen’s house. Sounds like three, four weapons. I’m cut off from my bike and Gwen’s car. I need immediate recon and I need to know why the f**k they targeted her house for a drive-by.” He paused. “Right.” Then he flipped his phone shut.