Page 146 of Fire Fight

My brother snorted. “Hell no. We’re showing up unannounced.”

I grinned. I loved me an ambush.

“I’ll meet you at the station in a half hour.”

Lane hung up without another word, and I quickly shot Aspen a text, asking where she was and to meet me upstairs, knowing that’d be faster than searching her out myself.

Five minutes later, the door creaked open, and there my girl stood. By then, I’d managed to sit up and scoot to the end of the bed to wait for her. Wordlessly, I opened my arms, and she came to me, tucking herself between my thighs, my face coming to rest against her chest.

Aspen giggled, her fingers sifting softly through my hair.

“Good morning,” I murmured, then titled my head up for a kiss, which she obliged with a happy little hum I’d never tire of.

“You slept late.”

My palms skated down her sides, following the contours of her body until I cupped her ass. “Guess all those nights worshiping my girl finally caught up to me.”

Aspen sighed as I kneaded her flesh, sagging against me for only a moment before pressing my shoulders and stepping away.

“As much as I love and appreciate it, we don’t have time for any more worshiping right now.”

“Oh, we don’t?”

“It’s almost dinner time,” she explained.

“Why don’t we convince Mama to take the night off from cooking?” I asked. “Lane called, and Missy Plano is back in town. We’re going to interview her.”

“I want to come.”

“Later,” I smirked.

Aspen socked me in the shoulder, packing a surprising punch for someone so small.

“Crew.”

“Not on this one, little phoenix. If she’s connected to these murders in any way, I don’t want you anywhere near her.”

Aspen’s lower lip jutted out in a pout, an expression that would normally have me on my knees, ready to give her whatever she wanted.

But not this time.

I’d already taken too many chances with her safety, and I’d never forgive myself if she got hurt because of me.

Reaching for her, I brought my hand to her face and my thumb to that lip, brushing against it before cupping her cheek. “I’m sorry, baby, but the answer is still no.”

She huffed out a sigh but said, “Fine.”

“I’ll call you the second we leave the interview, and I’ll tell you everything when I get home.”

“Bring Lane too,” she said. “I don’t want you to leave anything out.”

“Deal.”

As promised,I rolled to a stop in front of the sheriff’s department a half hour later. Lane was already waiting in his cruiser, so I got out and locked my truck before hopping into his passenger seat. But Lane didn’t pull away immediately, and I found out why a beat later when Trey opened the rear door and got in behind him.

“He’s coming too?”

Lane shrugged. “It’s a family field trip.”