Page 30 of A Dye Hard Holiday
“Don’t drop me, Captain Caveman!”
“Oh, that’s my new favorite!”
“Your caveman routine is hot as fuck, but I never try to bring that out in you on purpose.” Josh smoothed back the sweaty strands of hair that were plastered to my forehead. “Surely you know there is no one else for me.”
“I do, Sunshine, just as I know that you don’t make me insane on purpose.” Josh quirked his brow. “Poor word choice. You don’t deliberately poke the beast. It just happens naturally when it comes to you.”
“And I reap the benefits,” he said smugly. “Sorry I got home so late, but everything went sideways after lunch.” I raised my hands and began rubbing his shoulders to ease the tension from them. “Mmmmm. That feels so good.”
“Why don’t you go take a hot bath while I reheat the vegetable soup my mom made and fix you a grilled cheese to go with it.”
“The only thing better than a hot bath is one with my even hotter husband,” Josh said. “I’ll come downstairs and keep you company while you fix my dinner.”
“Don’t you mean supervise me?”
“Come now, Gabriel. I’m not that bad.” He laughed at the look of disbelief I gave him. “Okay, maybe a little.”
“Mmmmm, you’re getting really good at this,” Josh groaned.
“I’ve been practicing. You like?”
“Oh, baby. It’s the best you’ve given me yet.” He licked his lips before he took another bite.
“I came down for peanut butter and jelly on toast and a glass of milk, but maybe now isn’t a good time,” my dad said from the doorway.
“Have no fear, Dad,” Josh said, “I’m complimenting Gabe on his improved cooking skills.”
“All right, I’ll just go about my business then.”
I leaned closer and lowered my voice. “I think all of my skills have improved since I met you.”
Josh turned his head and slowly closed the distance between us while staring into my eyes and smiling like a man in love. My heart swelled with pride that I put that look on his face. Just as our lips touched, my cell phone rang on the table. The caller ID showed it was Adrian, and I knew it wasn’t good news if he was calling me instead of spending time with his family.
“I think we have a problem, Captain,” Adrian said gruffly. I heard scuffling in the background followed my shouting. “Shit! You were supposed to secure the detainee, Officer Anderson.”
I immediately went on high alert. “What’s going on, Adrian?”
“Damn rookie made a huge mistake that could’ve cost us our lives. Luckily, our suspect was only interested in escape and Anderson was a state champion sprinter.”
“I’ll be right there. Where are you?” I asked.
“The alley behind Books and Brew,” Adrian replied.
“I’ll be right there.”
“What’s wrong?” Josh asked once I disconnected the call.
“Adrian said they’ve made an important arrest—one that Barney Fife nearly blew.”
Josh snickered at Officer Anderson’s nickname. “Be safe,” he said then tilted his head up for a kiss.
“I’ll be home as soon as possible, but don’t wait up for me. The twins fell asleep early tonight so that means they’ll be up with the roosters. It’s your turn to get up with them.”
“I smell a conspiracy,” Josh said suspiciously. Between the two of us, he was the morning person. I grunted and used one-word replies until my second cup of coffee.
“I love you, Sunshine.” I dropped one more kiss on his pouty lips before I went upstairs to retrieve my gun from the safe in our bedroom. My dad was waiting for me at the bottom of the stairs when I came back down.
“Be safe,” he said, echoing Josh’s words. “I love you, son.”