Page 79 of The Deputy's Secret Double
Not the naked part, not the vulnerable part.
It was the trusting that had him feeling all types of ways.
JJ Shaw had opened up to him about her past, she had let him into her bed, but neither was a promise to let anything else happen past that. He’d asked her about them, about her future plans, but he hadn’t gotten an answer. Not a verbal one at least.
Her letting him sit there now meant more to him than she knew.
Because the choices she was making now had nothing to do with Lawson Cole, the search for her brother or keeping her secret identity safe.
It was just a woman soaking in a bubble bath, talking to a man who had fallen for her all while sitting on damp tile in his boxers.
Because, while he hadn’t spelled it out to a tee, Price had also realized that he had fallen for JJ Shaw.
Straight to the bottom of the bottom.
Did JJ return his feelings?
He wasn’t sure how much.
He also decided not to push her right now to ask.
Especially after catching sight of something he’d already seen in bed the night before.
It was the same scar he had seen before they had left for the party. Angry, shining, and most likely undeniably painful when it had first happened.
A scar from the accident.
It sobered Price a bit, though he made sure to keep a small smile on.
Maybe it wasn’t enough.
JJ went from bantering and dove right into the complicated world outside of the bathroom walls around them.
“You never asked who my source was,” she said. “I feel wrong somehow not telling you, now with everything we’ve been through.”
“You don’t have to,” he pointed out.
She didn’t hesitate.
“It’s Riker. My godfather. I can’t remember if I told you or not, but when I went off to college, he married a really nice woman who ended up needing to take care of her parents. So they moved out of state and they’re still out there being all cute and happy.” She sighed. It moved some of the bubbles nearest her mouth. “It’s why I never told Riker about Mr. Cole coming to see me. Why I never told him about Mom surviving and having my brother. Why I never told him the real reason I left the city for a small town I’d only visited once or twice. He just—he just has a lot of guilt for what happened, a lot of regrets. I know, because we both tried to work on our feelings about everything through the years. He eventually said he found peace, but I know it eats him up that we never got the justice my parents deserved.”
She started to swirl some of the bubbles around. Her eyes stayed on them as she continued.
“I didn’t want to tell him what I’d been up to until I had it all sorted. I wanted to keep him in his peace as much as possible. But, if anyone could identify someone from the group, or know a different source that could, it’s him. And since they might try and use Winnie against you, I didn’t want to just wait and hope. So, yesterday I sent him pictures and described the men. Said they were working for Lawson Cole and asked if he could help.”
“What did he say?”
She kept swirling.
“He had a lot of questions, but I told him I didn’t have the time. That I was okay, and I’d explain everything once he got back to me. I told him I needed it fast. Then he said fine, he loved me and to stay safe.” She sighed again. “A part of me wanted to keep him out of this forever because I know once he finds out about Mom still being alive…he’s going to run himself into the ground with guilt, even though I don’t think anyone would blame him for what happened.”
“Just remind him that he saved a hurt, terrified kid and bluffed a powerful man into giving that girl a safe life to live. He did good.”
JJ nodded.
“He did. But the second he finds out about my brother, he won’t just keep living the life he has now. He’ll rush back here and join the fight. He’ll leave his happy, safe life and, well, that hurts my heart if I’m being honest.”
Price reached his hand out and took JJ’s in his. He let it sink a little in the warm water. Her dark eyes found his and sunk there too.