Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 71625 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 358(@200wpm)___ 287(@250wpm)___ 239(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71625 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 358(@200wpm)___ 287(@250wpm)___ 239(@300wpm)
I grinned as I caught the keys.
“Thanks,” I muttered, turning on my booted feet and marching toward the break room at a much faster pace.
Contrary to what Tally thought, I wouldn’t make Winnie late. However, I never said anything about not getting her messy.
I just hoped that she’d finished her meal because I had plans for the rest of her lunchtime.
Which—I lifted my wrist—by my count, was about twenty-two minutes.
I’d tried to get here earlier so I could share that lunch with her, but I’d been held up writing not one, not two, but three tickets on my way to the hospital. One was to a teenager who was barely out of diapers, another was a single mother—who I let off with a written warning solely because she had a screaming infant in the back seat—and then there was the dick with the black, jacked up truck. Chicks could be dicks, right?
This woman in her big black truck had refused to allow me to cross the street with Cody this morning, and then, this afternoon, when I’d seen her blow past a stop sign, I’d taken it as a perfectly good sign from above that she needed a ticket.
When I ran her plates, I saw that her tags were expired. So not only did she get a ticket for running a stop sign, she also got one for her expired tags—and expired insurance.
Though, she assured me that she actually did have updated insurance cards, just not with her.
I wrote the ticket anyway, and then she flipped me off and called me a pig.
That was just the icing on the cake of my already shitastic day.
I needed Winnie in my arms. I wanted to hold her. I wanted to bury my face in her hair and inhale. I just plain wanted her…which downright scared me.
I never needed a woman.
Women were pains in the asses—my ass especially.
I didn’t have the time, nor the inclination to deal with them, yet I was finding myself making an exception for Winnie.
I wanted her in my life. Hell, I even wanted her children in my life.
Which was why I’d taken Cody to school that day despite her assuring me I didn’t have to.
It was also why I’d thrown Conleigh’s name at the head of circulation and asked her to find room in her department for Conleigh to work part-time.
I pushed through the door to the break room and immediately my gaze honed in on Winnie.
She was leaning her backside against the counter, her face lost in thought.
The moment the sound of the door registered to her, she looked up, and her face broke out into a smile before she was running toward me.
“I thought you weren’t going to make it?” she questioned, rubbing her face on my uniform shirt.
I rumbled something deep in my throat and wrapped my arms around Winnie’s upper body and head, pulling her in a little tighter as I said, “Didn’t think I was going to, either. However, your favorite ex-husband took over my area for me so I could grab a quick bite to eat.”
Winnie leaned her head back and stared at me with a small smile on her face. “Favorite ex-husband. He could also be labeled as ‘biggest asshole ex-husband,’” she pointed out.
I laughed as I dropped my lips to hers, and she gladly took the kiss.
I felt her hand tighten on the loop of my belt at the small of my back, and I drew in a breath.
“You think you can run with me to Tommy’s office? I have something I want to show you,” I murmured against her lips.
She pulled back and away as she nodded once.
My eyes trailed down her scrub top, and I barely contained the grin that threatened to turn my lips up.
“Cold?”
She punched me in the chest, and I grunted.
“Ow!” I said, rubbing at the hurt with two knuckles.
“You wouldn’t have even felt that if you were wearing your Kevlar vest,” she pointed out.
That I knew.
Although, there was nothing I could do about it. Not without having the money for me to do it.
One day I’d get one, but for now, I’d continue to live like I was living.
I tugged on Winnie’s hand and said, “I spoke with the treasurer about it like you asked. They’re going to try to locate the funds.”
Winnie stayed at my side while I unlocked the door to Tommy’s office and then looked around curiously as I pushed it open and flipped the light on.
“What are you…”
The door to the office was kicked shut, relocked, and then up against Winnie’s back in a matter of moments.
“Steel,” she gasped. “What are you…”
I took her mouth then, tangling my tongue with hers, forcing her jaw up to take more of me.
“Steel,” she gasped. “What are you…”
She tried to repeat the same words when I let her up for air, but I just shook my head.