30. Shiloh
Shiloh
I wait for an explanation, and he just holds me.
Really? I’ve been pacing for hours debating whether to go straight to the station.
But I’m not sure they know we’re married.
Other than being his wife, I would have had no legitimate reason to go there.
I figured if it was worse than it already was, word would have spread.
I would’ve known. So I texted him hoping he would reassure me he was okay, and he did with a thumbs-up.
Luckily, I didn’t have to work at the bar tonight because there’s no way I would have been able to concentrate. I’ve heard stories from multiple people already, no idea who’s right, and it’s all I could do to finish my shift at the diner.
I started to call him thirty separate times, but based on the exhausted look on his face, I would’ve made it worse for him. But I’m about to make it worse now, and I don’t care if I have no right.
I narrow my eyes. “I was so worried about you, I had to force myself not to go to the station, and you gave me a thumbs up.”
“I was busy, Shy. It was a crazy day.”
“Yeah, well it was a crazy day at the diner too, but I still kept my word!”
He winces as if I hurt him.
I look up at the ceiling, trying not to cry, but it’s getting harder by the second.
“I’m sorry. I should have called you to tell you I was okay.”
“Damn straight, you should have.” I swipe at my tears.
Now that I know he’s okay, I have to work up the nerve to ask him what happened because I’m afraid it’s my fault.
I brought trouble to him. It had to be one of Grey’s guys or maybe someone who works with the Kensingtons.
I don’t know because the possibilities are endless, and here I am again, putting him in even more danger. But I need to know.
I know they think I’m a rat. Even if I’m not.
I haven’t told Ledger what I really saw, and it’s not because I’m trying to protect them.
It’s all for Ledger. If I do, it will put him in more danger, and I can’t be the cause of that.
I’m bad for him, but I can’t let go. When our time is up, I’m not sure I’ll be able to sign those papers, even if I have to.
He walks us to the living room and drops onto the couch.
“I’m alright Shy,” he mumbles.
I lean back to look him in the eye and burst into tears.
“Hey, hey it’s okay. I’m sorry. I’m alright, everyone is okay. Even the guy with the gun will be fine. He needs rehab though,” Ledger grumbles.
“I heard all kinds of crazy stories from people at the diner, and I didn’t know what to think, and I’m grateful you’re in one piece,” I say through the tears.
He frowns and drags his thumb under my eyes catching the tears. “You know I don’t like it when you cry.”
I punch him in the arm. “Tough, deal with it,” I mumble.
He doesn’t snap back, only continues to frown, and it almost makes me laugh, but then I sober again.
“What happened?”
He sighs and puffs out a breath. “Got a call that a man who appeared to be high, based off his responses, was waving a gun at TJ’s.
We arrived on the scene. An officer was already there.
Luke and I came at the man from either side to pin him in.
He wouldn’t listen to my commands. He fired off the gun, and I shot him in the leg. ”
I blink a few times.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” he asks.
“I thought one of the guys got shot, and I wasn’t sure what to do because it might have been you. But that’s what I get for listening to Mrs. Inglewood.”
He snorts. “Mrs. Inglewood loves to talk.”
“I’m aware,” I mumble.
“No one other than the suspect was shot,” he says.
“Do you know who the man is?” I ask him.
He grimaces. “Ever since Kensington increased his business, it has brought some unsavory characters into town, and it keeps getting worse. So, no, I don’t know who the man was, but he was high as a kite when we arrested him. I’m not even sure he felt the bullet wound.”
“So he wasn’t … with the Kensingtons?” I ask him.
Ledger shrugs. “If anything he was there to buy, but the man wasn’t making any sense when I tried to ask him. So I can’t say for sure.”
I nod, my stomach settles a bit, and I’m finally able to take a deep breath. Maybe we’re in the clear.
“Why do you ask?” Ledger asks me.
“I wanted to know,” I rasp.
He searches my eyes and I nearly give in and tell him everything, but then he grabs my chin and kisses me briefly.
“Are you okay?” he asks.
“I am now,” I whisper and kiss him again.
He sweeps his mouth against mine and the rest of my body finally relaxes.
He’s here. He’s okay. He’s safe.
We’ve had too many borderline life and death situations and the stress is starting to get to me.
I feel like I’m walking on eggshells when I go to work.
It has nothing to do with who I work with and everything to do with Grey.
He’s disappeared but I know him. He will come back, and not being able to prepare for the inevitable when is making me a bit paranoid.
“Hey, where did you go?” Ledger asks me.
I look away, unable to answer him because I don’t want to admit that I am scared. He struggled to tell me when Grey disappeared, and I don’t want to put anymore stress on him.
“Nowhere, I’m fine,” I whisper.
He lifts my chin, searching my eyes, and he doesn’t believe me.
“I’m just glad you’re okay,” I whisper and kiss him with all the feelings running through my body, and one of them I’m more scared of than I am of Grey.
He grabs my hips, tipping his head up, chasing my mouth.
We part, and Ledger trails his path down my neck, stopping at my sweatshirt.
He grumbles and grabs the edge of it pulling it over my head, leaving me in a tank top, and continues his trail over my chest.
Drawing my fingers through his hair I close my eyes leaning into the way his mouth feels on me, it’s almost reverent, yet hungry. Like he can’t get enough.
Ledger leans back against the couch as I unbutton his shirt. He shrugs it off, and I undo his buckle.
He chuckles, and I pull the belt through the loops.
“What are you laughing at?” I ask him breathless.
“You don’t waste any time, do you?” he asks.
I frown and grab his crotch. His eyes roll back, but he manages to put them back on me.
“I know what I want, sheriff.”
His warm brown eyes go black and a shiver runs down my spine.
He flips the button to his own jeans and I reach for the waistband of my lounge pants. He watches me slowly push them over my hips and drop to the floor.
I lick my lips as he drags the zipper to his jeans down. A whimper skims past my lips and the corner of his mouth tips up.
He stands from the sofa, towering over me, and I feel like prey to his predator. But then he gently takes my mouth in a tender, all-consuming kiss. He smoothly slips his tongue past mine, swallowing every moan and whimper I can’t keep contained.
Ledger’s hands slip from my face and down my ribs to my waist where he slides a finger across the waist of my panties.
If I’ve learned anything, it’s that Ledger loves to take his time with me. He’s intentional, focused, and it un-tethers every cell in my body, leaving me breathless constantly, and I’m not sure what to do with that.
He pinches the edge of my tank top and slowly pulls it over my head. The friction of cotton against my skin makes me squirm, and my knees shake with the effort to stay standing.
I reach for his jeans, and he watches me carefully as I push them over his hips. I thought I had felt tension between us, and it was so thick it was hard to breathe. But this time … knowing that he could have been hurt.
It flipped a switch in my heart.
I loved Grey at one point and envisioned a future with him. Now I see that he did me a favor cheating because the man I’m married to — who I don’t know if I can truly claim as mine — is looking at me as if I’m his everything.
I take a deep breath, and he drags a finger over my skin, making me shiver again.
He stoops down, cupping the back of my neck, and dips his mouth to mine, lazy, unhurried.
I’m putty in his hands.
As his tongue glides against mine. His hand slips over my stomach, between my legs, and I gasp into his mouth, widening my stance.
He nips my lip, moving his fingers between my legs, and I have to hold his shoulders to stay standing. I feel like I’m about to collapse, and there’s nothing but a coffee table and Ledger’s strong hand at my neck to catch me.
He kisses me again and I skim my mouth against his trying to breathe as he guides me up the proverbial mountain.
My knees give out and he catches me quickly spinning us and pushing me down to the sofa.
Ledger drops to his knees between my spread legs and hooks his thick fingers over my panties, dragging them slowly over my legs.
I grumble in frustration.
The corner of his mouth tips up, and I glare at him, reaching behind me to take my bra off.
He shakes his head.
Frustrated, I drop my hands and lean back against the sofa. “Can you please,” I whine.
He chuckles and grabs the back of my knees pulling me to the edge of the couch. “I like it when you use the word please,” he rasps.
I shoot daggers from my eyes. His gaze is still locked onto mine as he kisses the inside of my knee. “I wonder what else I can do to get you to beg for me,” he says, and presses his lips on the other knee.
I take a deep breath trying to calm my racing heart, but it does no good as Ledger drops my legs over his shoulders and pins my hips.
I’m done for.
His delicate fingers and mouth leave me squirming and I grab his hair holding on, needing to move, but his tight grip won’t let me, and I explode.
Ledger groans into me and my vision tunnels for a moment before my lungs snatch back the air. “Ledger.”
He lifts his head and sits back on his heels, with my legs still hanging over his shoulders. He grins triumphantly.
I need him.
Moving my unsteady legs off his shoulder, I lean forward, pressing my mouth to his. Desire burns in my chest as I run my nose along the bridge of his. “Take me to bed,” I whisper.