Page 56 of Desperate Justice

“I’m always decent.” She studied the black leather covering his broad back. His cool, efficient manner proved soothing.

Chucking aside the stained, ruined blouse, she shrugged into the clean shirt. “You’d make a good nurse, you know. Good in an emergency. No panicking.”

A slight chuckle. “I’ll consider that if I ever quit my day job.”

“All set.”

Rafe turned. The others headed for their bikes, chugging water, eyeballing the traffic jam.

“You were great. As usual.” Rafe’s gaze was steady.

“We make a good team, Rodriguez.”

He reached up, touched her cheek. “We do. Happy to be your sidekick anytime, Lexington.”

Her breath hitched as his finger lingered on her cheek. Warmth filled her. She’d been cold, oh so cold, and focused on the girl, but aware of the man beside her, providing steady support.

Life had a habit of tossing the unexpected into her lane. She’d learn to deal, embraced the new and exciting, never been one to bond with anyone because loss hurt and she’d seen enough loss in her line of work.

So many jobs and shifts, burning through hours like a kid glutting himself on candy. Saving money, working until she was exhausted, all so she could keep herself from having time to reflect and think.

Because the more she thought about the pain of her life, of shallow men who promised and loved and left, ghosting her without even a damn text...

Or worse, men who dumped her to pursue her beautiful and stylish sister...

Or parents who barely glanced at her accomplishments but gushed over Di... It felt better not to feel.

Not to care.

Cold and calculating was the best approach to her job and life. People lived, bled, lived again or died. They promised to care and abandoned.

But now, for once, she wanted to feel. Feel the hard embrace of a man drawn to women with smarts, a man who riled her, poked at her, made her feel awake and aware and, damn it...

Alive.

I’ve been like a walking zombie through life, and I no longer want this.

It felt daring, and scary, more scary than the first time she was faced with a crush injury in nursing school and not sure what to do. Then, her training kicked in.

Now? Unchartered territory.

But life was about risks and adventure.

Sex. Allison trembled as Rafe’s simple stroke became a deeper caress. He cupped her cheek, his thumb lingering over her lip. Traffic sounds, impatient beeps, the screech of sirens, the cough of exhaust, all faded away.

Nothing mattered but Rafe, and his touch on her skin, bringing her back to life.

A gentle cough. Glancing away from the burning intensity of sheer want in Rafe’s gaze, she saw Sam standing close. He shuffled his biker boots in the red clay of the swale.

“Uniforms said they’d let us ride in the breakdown lane to clear all this traffic as thanks for what you did, Allison. Best we get on the road before they change their mind.”

Rafe still did not drop his hand. “Get the others ready, Sam. We’ll take the rear. Be there in a minute. Make sure Diana rides directly behind you.”

Sam’s mouth quirked into a smile. “You got it. Don’t take too long. If we’re to make the border by night, we need to get cracking.”

“Guess we’d better get cracking,” she murmured.

Rafe finally dropped his hand. “Yeah. Can’t wait to get to the hotel tonight and bed.”