Jump Start (Texas Hotzone 1)

Shadowy turbulence flitted across his face. “I would never hurt you—”

“You left me without a word for seven years,” she hissed. “Yes. Yes, you would hurt me.”

“I was trying to protect you,” he said, “because I love you.”

She drew her spine stiff. “Is that why you didn’t tell me you were up for reenlistment? You wanted to keep your options open, and you thought telling me that would hurt me?”

“Ah, sorry, Bobby,” Ryan said. “And they want us in the office.”

“I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want you to feel any pressure,” he said.

She hardly knew what to say to that. “There is no pressure,” she said. “You left. I don’t want you back.”

She walked to the other side of the doorway where Ryan had discreetly stepped. “Please help me down, Sergeant Walker.”

Bobby made a frustrated sound and was in front of her, grabbing hold of her hips in an instant. Before she could stop him, he’d slid her down the front of his body, molding her close, her feet dangling off the ground. He was warm and hard, and she wanted to hit him and kiss him at the same time.

“We’ll talk when this is over,” he vowed.

“You and Ryan can talk,” she said. “About your life. The one I’m not a part of.”

“Jennifer—”

She shoved on his shoulders. “Put me down, Bobby.”

“This isn’t over, Jennifer.”

“So you keep saying,” she said. “But you see…it is over. It was over seven years ago. I am just finally willing to admit that.”

***

BOBBY WASN’T ABOUT to take that answer from Jennifer. Not now. Not ever again. He set her on the ground, snagged her hand and cut Ryan a hard look. “She was never here.”

“Understood,” Ryan said.

“Make sure everyone else, Rocky included, understands,” Bobby ordered, and was already walking, pulling Jennifer along with him. “I don’t want you anywhere near these people Rocky is involved with.”

“Then you shouldn’t have brought me here and pretended it was a date,” she said.

“I’m glad we agree it was a date,” he said, casting her a sideways look. “Because it was.”

“A date is not a mission to take down some drug lord, Bobby,” she said. “You used me as an excuse to come here.”

“Bringing you here was a mistake,” he said. “I know that. It’s dangerous. Exactly why— Now isn’t the time for this conversation.”

She grabbed his hand. “Bobby, wait.”

He stopped walking and slid his fingers to her face. Raindrops began to pelt down on top of them; the cold splattering, a contrast to the hot summer night. “I need you to walk fast and get out of here before someone decides you should be a witness, and you become a target for some very nasty people. Understand?”

She visibly paled and nodded. He took her hand and made a quick path between the buildings, to the parking lot. Cars were lined up, exiting the graveled path. The rain pounded into the rocks and dirt, and clung to their clothes, wetting their skin.

Bobby stopped at the driver’s side of the rental and pulled Jennifer into his arms, his mouth slanting over hers in a passionate kiss that defied the cold rain pounding down around them. He drank of her with wild abandon, blocked out the weather, blocked out his duty. Afraid this would be the last taste of her, the last, sweet, blissful piece of Jennifer he ever had, and telling her without words how much she meant to him. And she kissed him back, clinging to him, wildly taking from him, giving to him, as if she, too, feared this was the end.

It took every piece of willpower he possessed to pull back, his hands framing the damp strands of hair dripping around her heart-shaped face. “I was already here when I was called to duty. I’ll explain everything later, but you have to go now. Jennifer…I do love you.” He kissed her forehead. “Go now.”

He started to back away, and she held on to his arm. “I…”

She was afraid to say it, afraid of getting hurt. He offered her an escape. “You have to go.” He opened the car door and motioned her inside. She hesitated a moment and climbed in.

The minute the engine roared to life, Bobby took off running. And this time he vowed, he wasn’t running from Jennifer, or from himself. He was going to run to her. That was, if she would still have him.

After tonight, he knew she wanted him. He knew she probably even loved him. He just wasn’t sure she believed love was enough.

14

BOBBY WAS UP FOR reenlistment and he hadn’t told her. The implications of those two pieces of information shaped the horrible, rain-drenched drive, filled with inner turmoil and confusion, far more than his confession of love.

Jennifer had always believed he’d loved her on some level, even after he left. But did he love her enough? His silence about his reenlistment seemed to confirm the answer as no. Even if his duty had come after his arrival, his silence said he still wasn’t committed enough to her, to them as a couple. And that was hard to swallow. Nevertheless, she was ready to swallow it. Ready to be done with this. No more flings. No more games.