Page 38 of More Than a Hero (Baytown Heroes #12)

Pete’s eyes blinked open, and for a moment, he just lay, letting the warmth of the morning and the softness of the sheets settle around him.

He didn’t need to shift to know he wasn’t in his bed.

Angie’s sheets were softer and smoother, wrapping around him like a whisper.

The pale blue walls and lace curtains didn’t belong to his world but were integral in hers.

The way the light filtered through them softened the morning, making it feel less like a harsh wake-up call and more like a gentle welcome to another day with her.

And then there was her warm and faintly floral scent that had sunk into her pillow and into his skin. The silk of her hair brushed over his arm, and her body curled into his like she belonged there. Like she belonged to him.

He loved this. The ease of it, the rightness. He wanted to wake up like this every morning for the rest of his life. Was it too soon to say that? To even think it?

But he didn’t have a blueprint for love.

His parents sure as hell hadn’t modeled it, and the only real examples he had came from friends—friends who didn’t exactly sit around talking about feelings and forever.

But the way he felt with her? The way she made everything seem brighter, lighter, even when they weren’t talking? I want this for always.

A soft sigh stirred the air between them, brushing over his skin. She moved, shifting her body closer and pressing against him like a perfect fit. He held his breath, waiting for the first glimpse of her eyes.

Angie’s lashes fluttered, her eyes slowly blinking open, unfocused for a second.

And then—there was that flicker of honesty in her expression before she was fully awake but knew she was with him.

And when she did, her entire face softened.

A slow, lazy smile curved her lips, beaming up at him like she held the sun inside her.

She was beautiful. His heart gave an aching clench in his chest.

He rolled onto his forearms, hovering above her, giving her space but not too much. Her body knew his now and responded before she was even fully aware. Her thighs parted in a way that made heat rise sharp inside him as his hips were cradled.

His hands cupped her face, thumbs tracing the curves of her cheeks, memorizing how she felt beneath him. His breath hitched as her hands slid over his back. Her fingernails gently scraped over his skin, sending tingles throughout his body.

“Good morning, beautiful,” he murmured, his voice rough with sleep and need. Her knee was less swollen, and her joints were less painful. He was learning the little tells her body or expression would give when she was in pain.

She started to reply, but he was already kissing her, swallowing the words, stealing her breath, letting his body say what he wasn’t sure he knew how to put into words.

She moaned into his mouth, sending a fresh wave of heat rushing through him. Her fingers tightened against his skin, pulling him closer, letting her body tell him what she wanted.

And he gave it to her. With a slow, unhurried roll of his hips, he pressed into her, feeling her body welcome him in a way that made his chest go tight.

Her hands clung to him, her lips trembled against his, and she breathed his name in a way that let him know he was someone special. It no longer mattered if it was too soon. He was a goner.

Pete had never been a man to overthink things. Life came fast, and you either grabbed hold or got left behind. But this feeling in his chest was flaming out of control like a wildfire. It filled all the empty spaces he didn’t even know existed before Angie. And he’d never felt this way before.

She lay on the bed underneath him, and he drank her in. Her hair was spread out on the pillow, a little wild from his hands. Her lips were still swollen from his kisses. Yet there was hesitation in her eyes, like a battle deep inside. He wasn’t about to let her fight alone.

“You’re thinking too much,” he murmured, keeping his weight off her chest. He kissed her lightly, then pulled back, keeping her eyes on him. “I can see that little crease right here—” He smoothed his thumb between her brows. “Tell me what’s racing through your mind.”

Angie exhaled a soft, unsteady breath, her fingers digging into his shoulders. “It’s just… this seems like we’re going at the speed of light. My feelings… they don’t make sense to happen so quickly.”

Pete felt a slow smile pull at his lips. “Does it have to make sense?”

She blinked up at him, and he saw the battle still waging in her gaze. Logic and reason on one side, and the undeniable feelings between them on the other.

“Angie,” he said, voice steady as a promise, “I don’t know much about love.

Didn’t see it modeled when I was growing up.

But, as an adult, I’ve seen most of my friends fall in love, and sometimes very quickly.

That tells me that love doesn’t run on a clock.

It’s not always convenient, and it sure as hell doesn’t wait for us to make sense of it.

I’ve seen friends fall on a first date or after years of knowing each other.

It comes when it comes. I know what I feel, and I’m not about to argue with this.

” He finished, unsure he’d ever said so much at one time. Certainly not about feelings.

Her breath hitched, and he felt the tremor in her chest as she lay underneath him. “But how do we know it’s real?”

Pete kissed her lightly, his touch grounding them both. “Because it is real. Just like I know how to breathe, I know I want to be with you no matter what. I don’t need time to tell me what I already feel in my heart.”

She searched his face, and he let her. He wanted her to see that he had no doubts or hesitations. All she would find in his eyes was steady certainty.

Finally, Angie smiled, and the sun shone brighter. “Are you always this convincing?”

Pete grinned. “Only when it matters.”

She framed his face with her hands, her thumbs sweeping over his stubbled jaw. Her touch was warm, and her eyes were filled with something that made his chest tighten again. “You matter to me, Pete.”

That was all he needed. He bent, capturing her mouth with his, hoping she felt words he hadn’t said yet. This was their time, and as far as he was concerned, they were happening now.

After they’d made love, showered, and dressed, they ate breakfast quickly before needing to head to work. “I have to run home to feed Queenie,” he said, filling his travel mug of coffee.

She walked over and rested her hands on his waist while dropping her forehead to his chest.

“What’s the matter, babe?” he asked, setting the hot mug onto the counter.

She leaned back and smiled while shaking her head. “Nothing.”

“Uh-uh,” he retorted, then chuckled at her incredulous expression. “Don’t say ‘nothing’ when there’s something on your mind.”

Her eyes twinkled, but she pressed her lips together as though she still wasn’t sure if she should say anything. He waited, willing to give her the time to decide, even if it made him late.

“I just wish you didn’t have to leave,” she finally said.

He waited, still patiently, knowing there was more to come.

“I suppose that sounded dumb, didn’t it?” She sighed, then said, “I know you only live about fifteen minutes away, but right now, that seems huge. I wish we lived closer, that’s all.”

“How close is closer?”

This time, her smile widened. “Oh, I don’t know. Maybe… here? Sometime. Once we know that Queenie would be happy.”

Those words were almost as sweet as her saying she loved him… almost. He grinned and said, “I’m all in, Angie. Now we just have to see what Queenie says.”

Her laughter reached her twinkling eyes as she nodded. “I’m all in, too. And whenever you want, we’ll let Queenie try out this place.”

The air was thick with the scent of gasoline and fried food.

The neon glow from the convenience store sign flickered, giving the front of the store a happier appearance than the shadows and cracked pavement in the back alley.

Pete pulled the SUV behind the gas station, easing it into the same familiar spot near the overflowing dumpster.

Jacko was careful… always made them come to him.

Sure enough, a few seconds later, the rusted back door creaked open.

Jacko stepped out, dragging two overstuffed bags of garbage in each hand.

Hefting them over his shoulder, he let them slam into the dumpster with a grunt, then wiped his hands down the front of his stained shirt.

He shuffled toward the SUV with a tired sort of swagger. Jeremy popped the passenger door open and slipped into the back seat, letting Jacko slide into his spot up front.

Pete exhaled sharply. “What have you got for us?”

Jacko’s lips curled into something resembling a smirk. “Damn, I don’t even get polite conversation anymore? You just jump straight to the action without foreplay.”

Pete fought the urge to shudder. He did not need the mental image of what type of foreplay Jacko might engage in. “Just get to it.”

Jacko sighed dramatically, then twisted around in his seat so he could see both of them. His expression was half amused and half confused… the usual mix when he was in one of his moods.

“Word is, G-Shine wants to use the Eastern Shore as their transport route from Pennsylvania to North Carolina. They want the whole track themselves.”

Pete kept his face impassive, but Jeremy let out a scoff from the back. “Okay, tell us something we don’t know.”

Jacko held up a finger. “I was getting there. See, OGD ain’t happy about G-Shine trying to take the whole route. They got a guy, calls himself Flame. Apparently, he was originally working with Ciao… you know, that dumbass who wrecked his car?—”

“We know who Ciao is.” Pete interrupted, his patience thin.

Jacko huffed. “Man, you take the fun out of telling my story.”

Neither detective reacted. Jacko sighed again, more put-upon this time, before continuing.

“Fine. Okay, where was I? Oh, yeah. When Ciao got arrested by you all, Flame figured there was no reason he couldn’t take over the route from North Carolina through his home turf in Norfolk, then straight up to Pennsylvania.

It pisses all over G-Shine’s plans, but if he pulls it off, he moves up in his orbit. ”

Jeremy leaned forward slightly. “We know someone named Flame. We’re looking for him.”

Jacko shrugged, rolling his shoulders like the weight of the conversation was an inconvenience.

“Can’t say I’ve ever met him myself, but I hear he’s an ugly fucker.

” His chuckle turned into a raspy coughing fit.

He hacked into his sleeve, his whole body shuddering as he struggled to catch his breath.

Pete grimaced. “You’d live longer if you quit smoking.”

Jacko wheezed out a laugh. “Yeah, I heard you the first hundred times you told me that.” He finally managed to suck in a steady breath before continuing.

“Anyway, figured you boys should know. Word on the street is that Flame’s been hanging around up here.

Supposedly, he’s got some relative in the area.

Probably gives him a reason to be here, so it’s less suspicious.

Can’t say I’ve seen him, but I don’t stick my nose where it don’t belong—especially not where I live.

I’ll leave that up to you all.” He coughed again.

“I’ll tell you one more thing. Word has it that Flame is a helluva lot more ambitious than Ciao. ”

With that, he shoved the door open and climbed out, leaving behind the stale scent of sweat and unwashed body odor. The door slammed shut with a heavy thunk.

Pete exhaled through his mouth, trying to erase the stench. “Christ.”

Jeremy slid back into the front seat, only to wrinkle his nose. “We need to start getting out of the vehicle before we talk to him.”

Pete barked out a laugh. “Damn straight. Now, I gotta get my SUV detailed before I take Angie out.”

Jeremy grinned, shaking his head as Pete pulled away from the gas station.

The conversation with Jacko had been barely useful, but something about this whole situation sat wrong with him.

As they headed back to the station, the weight of it settled deep in his gut.

Flame was here. And not just because he’d come with Lashawn. And that meant trouble was coming.