Page 24 of Wild Card (Foster Bro Code #2)

Axel

All day, I ran behind schedule. Between my hangover, sleeping late, and melting down with Dalton, half the day was gone.

Not that I could complain about how Dalton handled me. That man knew what he was doing. But a dinner date? That wasn’t really my style.

Around five o’clock, I got saddled with a tow job. Gray was finishing up a bike repair, and Bailey was out with friends. So even though I was behind on paperwork, I fell on the sword. Though to be fair, I fucking detested paperwork.

When I got back to the empty shop at 5:30, I sent a quick text to Holden.

Axel:

Just brought in a job for you. Won’t be at dinner tonight.

Holden:

Why not?

Axel:

Busy.

Holden:

Busy with what?

For fuck’s sake, my brother was nosy.

Axel:

Nothing illegal.

Holden:

Setting the bar high, huh?

I snorted and pocketed my phone. That didn’t deserve a reply, and I needed to get the Corolla unloaded. I hit the hydraulic control, slowly tilting the bed of the truck down so the car could be backed down the ramp. Then I bent to unfasten the safety chains.

“Axel!” Holden called.

I turned with an exasperated sigh that Holden couldn’t leave well enough alone. Then I added an eye roll when I saw Gray loping behind him. Double-teamed, and not in the fun way. Lucky me.

“Trying to work here. I got somewhere to be.”

“Somebody else feeding you?” Gray asked.

I gave him a flat look. “I’m not a starving orphan.”

Just a neglected foster brat.

“Hm,” Holden said.

“ What ?”

“Bailey saw Deputy Harvey go by your place today,” Holden said.

Gray waggled his brows. “Apparently, he stayed over there almost an hour.”

I raised my eyebrow. “And you want sex tips on how to last longer? Sorry, Gray, but you’ll just have to practice some restraint.” I clucked. “I do feel bad for Emory, though.”

“Shut up!” He laughed. “You’re just trying to annoy me into changing the subject.”

“Change it from what? Dalton’s dick?”

“From dinner,” Holden said. “Is this getting serious?”

I scowled. “No.”

“I don’t know. Afternoon delight and dinner in the same day?” Gray gasped dramatically. “Do you actually have a boyfriend?”

“No!”

“You do!”

“Take that back,” I growled, lunging for him. He dodged and laughed like a maniac, running as I chased him.

Holden pinched the bridge of his nose. “Caring about someone isn’t a bad thing, Axel.”

I stopped running. Gray was in better shape than he looked. Must be all the sex gymnastics with Emory.

“Speak for yourself,” I grumbled.

Gray grinned and rubbed his hands together. “I’ve been waiting for this chance to get back at you for all the flirting with Emory. Just wait until I see Dalton again…”

“And how do you think Emory will like that?”

Gray opened his mouth, then closed it. Paused. Then scowled. “Dammit!”

I laughed. He’d obviously just realized his boyfriend wouldn’t appreciate him flirting with Dalton. Not that I would care. Because I wasn’t serious about Dalton, no matter what my brothers said. I didn’t do boyfriends.

“Okay, this has been fun, but I’ve got to go get ready. My hair takes forever to dry after a shower.”

“Aw, he wants to get pretty for his boyfriend. Isn’t it cute, Holden?”

Holden smirked. “Very cute. “

“All right, fuckers.” I tossed the two truck keys to Gray. “You can finish unloading. The work order is on the front seat. I’m out.”

I strolled across the lot.

Holden called after me. “I’ll keep Banshee for you!”

I waved a hand to show I’d heard him and kept walking.

My brother had never offered to come get Banshee without me asking first. It looked like he was getting attached, which would be good for both of them.

Banshee deserved the best home she could find, and Holden deserved an outlet for all the affection he couldn’t give to anyone else.

An hour later, the gate alarm buzzed. I jogged over to open it, then nearly slammed it again at the sight of Dalton’s wide grin. He looked too damn happy to see me.

“Hey, you look great,” he said, brown eyes warm as they skimmed over my skin-tight jeans and low-cut tank that exposed half my chest. Clearly, I didn’t know how to do this date bullshit because I’d dressed like a manslut on the prowl.

“You too,” I said, taking in his strong jaw, stubbled just enough to look rugged without tipping over into scruffy, and the broad shoulders that filled out his uniform.

“Thanks. Sorry I ran short on time.” He gestured at his clothes with a chuckle. “I’ll change before dinner, so it feels like a date and not an interrogation.”

My mind was spinning too much to worry about his attire. What was I thinking, going on a fucking date ?

“I don’t do this!” I blurted.

“What? Eat steak and drink beer?”

“You know what I mean. “

“I know.” One corner of his mouth tipped up in a wry smile. “I don’t do it either, for what it’s worth. But I’m making an exception for you.”

My stomach turned over. Why was Dalton breaking all his rules for me? I’d wanted to push him over the line for weeks, but now I wasn’t so sure I was worth it.

My brain jumbled with too many words to even speak. I was frozen, unsure if I should push him away or beg him to keep smiling at me.

Dalton took the decision out of my hands. He grasped my jaw and leaned in for a kiss. If he’d been too gentle, I might have freaked. But his mouth came down on mine hard enough to knock the thoughts from my head.

My body took over. My arms wound around his neck, and my mouth opened, tongue seeking his. He gave me a small taste, just enough to make me want more, and pulled away too damn soon.

“Ready to go?”

“Yeah,” I said, my unease quelled for the moment. I wanted more of his taste on my tongue. So what if we ate and drank first? We were both after the same thing.

A sharp bark reminded me that Dalton wasn’t the only thing in my universe.

“Wait, no,” I said. “I’ve got to take care of the dogs real quick.”

Dalton followed me while I gave the pack more food and water, a few consoling pats on the head, and escaped out the gate while they whined with discontent. If they had their way, I’d never go anywhere, but they’d be fine as soon as I was out of sight.

Banshee was the only one with attachment issues, and she was with Holden.

Dalton walked me over to his car, one of the patrol cruisers rather than the Buick he’d picked me up in the other day.

“Are you finally hauling me in, Deputy?” I teased.

He chuckled. “You say that like you’d enjoy it a little too much. No, I’m on call tonight, unfortunately. I take the cruiser home in case there’s a callout.”

Dalton opened the passenger-side door for me. Apparently, I got to sit up front.

“Do I get to play with the siren? Hooking up with a man of the law has its perks.”

Dalton frowned. Was he touchy about his siren or the fact that I said we were hooking up?

“Don’t touch anything,” he ordered. “And this is a date. Stop pretending it’s not.”

So both, then.

“It’s dinner and a hookup. You saying it’s a date doesn’t mean it is.”

“And you saying it’s not doesn’t mean it isn’t.”

“Dalton…”

“I know this is hard for you, darlin’, but a date is the general definition of what we’re doing. There will be dinner, there will be talking, and?—”

“Hooking up?” I suggested like a smart-ass.

Dalton caged me in against the frame of the car, raising his thumb to stroke over my bottom lip. Why was that so sexy?

“Only if you behave.”

He pushed his thumb into my mouth, and I closed my lips around it, sucking. My eyes slipped closed, and I gave my best pornographic moan.

A quiet groan escaped of him, and he pulled away. I grinned as he readjusted his dick in his pants.

“You sure you want me to behave?”

His brown eyes went molten. “Not too much. Just a little. Try it for me, okay? I want to know you better.”

Damn, how did he do that? I was sure I had turned the tables on him, but he got me again.

“Fine, we can have dinner, but we better fuck when it’s over.”

He laughed, low and dirty, making my blood fire with lust. “I’m looking forward to it.”

Dalton waited until I was buckled in like a good boy, and then he jogged around the car to slip into the driver’s seat. I reached for the receiver, but he intercepted my hand. “No touching anything in here.”

I changed direction, settling my hand on his thigh. “Not even this?”

He slanted me an amused look. “Okay, touch nothing but me.”

I inched my hand a little higher, smiling coyly. “Good to know.”

I spread my fingers, nudging up against his dick, and he grabbed my hand, enfolding it in his. “Maybe don’t distract me too much, though.”

“Always ruining my fun.”

He chuckled. “Sorry, darlin’, but I think you need someone to rein you in.”

“Darlin’?” I protested.

He raised an eyebrow. “You prefer asshole?”

“Maybe I do.”

His lips quirked. “Always denying what you really want.”

“Am not,” I muttered sullenly, to which he didn’t even bother replying. Not even to call me darlin’. Which was good because I didn’t need soft little pet names. That wasn’t who I was. This wasn’t even a real date.

Dalton drove down the rutted road that passed by the auto shop, then pulled out onto the blacktop. I was surprised when he didn’t head toward town.

“Where do you live?”

“About ten miles down the road. Got a little cabin in a stand of trees.”

A stand of trees was about right. But cabin was overstating the matter.

Dalton had a…shack set back in a field between two large trees.

It was small—maybe 900 square feet total—and the whole structure leaned slightly to the left.

It was built with planks of wood, but more shed-style than log cabin, and that wood looked weathered and rough.

I stared, speechless, as he drove down the dusty trail leading to his property.

“I know it’s not much to look at,” he said, sounding a little self-conscious. “It needs a little TLC.”

“I live in a junkyard, so no judgment,” I said, “but I’m not sure TLC is gonna cut it.”

He parked on a patch of dead grass and killed the engine. “Well, it was what I needed when I moved here.”

“What was that?”

“A place to hide.”

My eyebrows rose. “And just what did you need to hide from, Deputy?”

He rolled his eyes. “Will you please call me Dalton when I’m off duty?”

I unbuckled my seat belt and leaned into his space. “But we’re in your patrol car. You’re on call. Pretty sure you’re still a deputy right now.” I cupped my hand over his dick. “A horny, bad deputy…”

He laughed, sounding exasperated. “You never quit, do?—”

I silenced him with a kiss, which he returned, tongue hot and demanding as it met mine. I nipped his bottom lip, making him hiss, then soothed it with my tongue.

Dalton fisted my hair, yanking me closer, and I tried to climb into his lap. My ass hit the dash, and the sharp blast of a siren made us jolt apart.

“Shit!” Dalton lurched forward, silencing the siren.

“Oops,” I said with a snicker. “Should we try the back seat instead?”

He gave me an unimpressed look. “How about we try getting out of the car and eating dinner?”

I sighed. “Like I said, always ruining my fun.”

“Uh-huh. Well, fun is better when you have to wait for it. Haven’t you ever heard of anticipation?”

“I’m more of an instant gratification guy.”

“I never would have guessed,” he said dryly.

“Hey, did we not wait months to start fucking? That’s enough anticipation.”

“Well, you’re going to have to put up with a little more.” He opened his door and climbed out. “Come on. Dinner and talking first. Sex last.”

I followed him into the house. It was nicer inside.

A chocolate-colored shag area rug covered a swath of living room floor, coordinating with the leather love seat and sofa, which were also brown.

There wasn’t a lot of color in Dalton’s world.

The walls, covered in cheap paneling, lacked any paintings or pictures to really make the place homey.

Hell, I lived in an RV bus that felt more lived-in than this place.

“I’m going to shower,” Dalton said. “Grab a beer and make yourself comfortable.”

“The shower sounds pretty comfortable.”

He grinned and backed away slowly. “You’re testing my willpower, darlin’, but this date is going to happen.” He pointed toward the kitchen. “Beer’s that way.”

I smirked. “Fine. Have it your way.”

While Dalton got all wet and naked and slippery without me, I wandered around his house. I would have snooped, but there wasn’t much to see. A few pieces of junk mail lay on the counter by the sink. The most interesting thing there was a GameStop catalog. I didn’t take Dalton for the gaming type.

No sex toy catalogs, sadly. A lot of credit card offers. Just your typical batch of junk mail.

A parakeet in the corner chirped up a storm.

“And who are you?” I murmured, pushing a finger through the bars.

She swooped over, beak aimed right for my finger. I jerked my hand back as her beak snapped shut.

“Rude,” I told her. “Animals love me.”

She stared at me with beady, unimpressed little eyes. I decided moving on was the wise course of action. I opened the fridge and pulled out a Blue Moon. A magnetic bottle opener hung on the fridge. I grabbed it and popped the top, taking a long gulp.

The view out the window was nice, the sun hanging low over a field of golden wheat. I really wanted to climb into that shower. Maybe I could just have a peek into his bedroom?

I started across the living room. Halfway there, the door opened. Dalton stepped out, hair damp and curling around his ears, forest-green T-shirt complementing his warm brown eyes—not to mention what it did for his broad shoulders and the biceps straining the limit of his shirt sleeves.

“You hungry?” he asked.

“Starving.”

He smiled as if he knew I wasn’t talking about food. He came closer, leaning in just enough to send a rush of anticipation through me.

He wrapped his fingers around mine and put his lips next to my ear. I shivered as his breath gusted over my skin.

“Go grab another beer,” he murmured.

Dalton tugged my beer bottle from my hand and tipped it up to take a drink.

I glared. “Dirty trick.”

He chuckled. “Thought you liked it dirty.”

I raised an eyebrow. “And I thought you wanted dinner before I brought out my filthiest tricks.”

He grinned. “Good point. I’ll go fire up the grill before you tempt me too much. Fuck knows I’ve got no willpower when it comes to you.”

I watched him go out the sliding door, thinking he had a little too much damn willpower. But that was okay. I’d play along with this date, and eventually, we’d end up exactly where I wanted.

I’d already given up on resisting him. Maybe if we did this his way, he’d get tired of me and move on before too much damage was done.