Jayme & Tripp (Game Wardens 1)

“Apparently, she lied. She wanted kids but agreed with me so I wouldn’t break up with her. She thought once we were married, she could convince me to have kids.”

“Wow. That’s really...fucked up.”

“Yeah. So, can I stay here for a few days until I figure out what to do?”

“Of course, man. Of course.”

“Jana won’t mind?” Jayme asked.

“Jana won’t mind what?” asked the woman who walked into the living room from the kitchen. She smiled at Jayme and opened her arms for a hug. He hugged his sister-in-law.

“Jayme needs to stay for a few days,” Ian supplied.

“Oh? Why? Something happen with you and Mallory?” Jana asked, blinking up at him.

Jayme narrowed his eyes at her. “Don’t give me that innocent act. I know you don’t like Mallory.”

Jana grinned. “Fine. Did you finally ask for a divorce?”

“Not yet, but it’s coming. I can’t trust her anymore.”

“Oooh, come sit, give me all the details. I need some gossip in my life.” She grabbed Jayme’s hand and dragged him over to the couch, then pushed him down onto it. Jayme chuckled. He told her and Ian everything that happened, from the fight that morning, to him pulling out, then the fight that happened afterwards.

“That bitch!” Jana gasped in outrage.

“Yeah. I’m really thinking it’s over. How could we possibly come back from this?” Jayme sighed and raked a hand through his short hair.

“Couples therapy?” Ian suggested with a shrug.

“I don’t even think that would help. I mean, we both want completely different things, and can’t come to a middle ground.”

“Get a dog,” Ian said.

“What?” He huffed.

“That’s your middle ground. A dog. It’s like a kid, but not. Maybe if you get a puppy, it will give Mallory that mommy feeling.”

Jayme scowled. “I don’t want a dog either.”

“I think what you mean to say, is you don’t want to be with Mallory anymore,” Jana said, giving him a pointed look.

“What kind of relationship can we have without trust? A pretty shitty one.”

“It’s already shitty.” Ian scoffed.

“It is. I think it’s over.” He nodded.

“Does she think that?” Jana asked.

“Don’t know. Don’t care.” He shrugged.

CHAPTER TWO

Tripp

TRIPP GLANCED over at Jayme, giving him an exasperated sigh. “Will you just answer the damn thing?” he said.

Jayme cleared his throat and shook his head. “I don’t want to.”

“Who keeps calling you? Your wife?” he asked, studying his partner’s profile as they drove to a call about ducklings stuck in a storm drain.

Jayme gave him a curt nod without looking at him. Something must have been going on with them if he doesn’t want to answer the phone when she called. “Did you guys have a fight?”

Jayme licked his full lips and it sent a jolt of lust straight to his cock. Shit. Jayme finally glanced at him and the look on his face said it all. They were having more than just a fight. It was serious.

“I don’t wanna talk about it with you,” Jayme grumbled, turning back to the road.

Tripp was surprised by the hurt that little statement caused. He knew they weren’t exactly friends yet, it had only been a couple days since they’d met and became partnered, but it still smarted that Jayme didn’t trust him with his personal problem.

“You sure? I might have some insight since I’m a neutral party here.” He tried.

Jayme was silent for a few minute and Tripp figured he wasn’t going to answer. Then Jayme sighed heavily and blurted, “My wife has been trying to get pregnant behind my back for months. We had agreed to never have kids.”

“She’s been cheating on you?” Tripp frowned.

Jayme sent him an incredulous look. “What?! No! She just hasn’t been taking her birth control and we don’t use condoms.”

“Oooh! See, when you said...nevermind...wow, so yeah, that’s kinda fucked up. How come you don’t want kids?” he asked curiously.

“I just don’t. I like my life the way it is. I don’t want to be tied down to a kid. You can’t just up and go out to dinner, or on vacation, or do anything spontaneous. I don’t want that.”

Tripp nodded. “Yeah, I get that. So, what happened? You aren’t talking to her right now?”

Jayme told him what had happened the other day and how he left and went to stay with his brother. She’d been calling him ever since. He refused to answer, saying he had nothing to say to her.

“You’re going to have to talk to her eventually,” Tripp said as they pulled up to the location of the little ducks in the storm drain.

There were people milling around and the mama duck a few feet away with two babies. Jayme grunted in answer and they got out of the truck.

It was a large storm drain. He shoved his hands on his hips and shook his head. He knew what had to happen here, and he didn’t like it one bit. His gaze met Jayme’s, and a slow smile crept across his partner’s face.