Chapter 3
3
J ordan snagged her bag from the backseat of her sedan and slammed the door. She was glad to be off work and didn’t have to worry about going in tonight. The only way she’d be dragging herself down to the precinct was if SWAT was called in. Other than that, she was going to keep work far from her mind.
Today’s workouts had been brutal. Mac could be one cruel sergeant. The man lived to test the members of the SWAT unit. He and Declan ran a tight ship and always ensured each member of the team was on their top game. She could appreciate everything he put them through. Jordan was no stranger to hard work and loved the workouts. She knew immediately when she had joined SWAT that she was amongst great men who had worked together for a long time before she was added to the mix.
She had thought her SWAT school training had been hard. Compared to what Mac and Declan put them through, that had been a walk in the park.
Jordan stood by her car and inhaled the fresh air. That was the one thing she loved about coming out to Rhys’s place—aside from Rhys himself. His farm was beautiful and had a calming effect on her. She had grown up in the city and was used to the hustle and bustle. Relocating from Atlanta to Columbia wasn’t too difficult, but the pace of life was certainly different. Atlanta was a huge metropolitan area while Columbia was a much smaller city.
It took her a little while to get used to, but she was glad she had made the change. At the moment, everything in her life was going great. Coming to Columbia, her sister had been her primary priority, but now Omara had Jason had Zain. Jordan couldn’t remember ever seeing her sister this happy. The woman practically glowed when she came into a room. Pregnancy certainly suited her. Even when she was pregnant with Jason she hadn’t appeared this content.
Zain made her happy. He was the perfect man for Omara, and Jordan would be damn proud to call him her brother-in-law as soon as the two tied the knot. According to Omara, they would focus on the baby and then marry. Jordan had already been dragged into the planning details of the baby shower and the wedding. Their mother, Irene, had turned into a drill sergeant with all of her planning and details. She and their father had been grumbling that they needed more grandbabies. Jason was the center of their world, and they had room in their hearts for more.
Right now, Jordan would let Omara have the spotlight when it came to marriage and children. Not that she didn’t want either. She would love to have a ring on her finger and a few kids running around.
But she hadn’t had any luck in that department.
The sound of barking echoed through the air. She grinned and hefted the strap of her bag on her shoulder, anticipating the arrival of Honor. Jordan grinned watching the excited German Shepherd come for her. She braced herself and let out a groan as the dog’s full weight slammed into her.
Honor yipped and yapped and tried to lick Jordan’s face.
“Okay, okay.” Jordan laughed.
The dog bounced up and down, trying to get to Jordan’s face to shower her with love. She rubbed the dog’s head and made sure she got behind her ears. This little girl was a bright ray of sunshine. It was amazing how focused she was when she was on the job. This dog was a force to be reckon with, and Jordan could only hope she was only as focused as this K9 officer. When she was home, Honor was just that, a happy-go-lucky animal who loved on her family as much as any dog who loved her family could.
Jordan laughed at Honor’s tactics. She lifted her head, and her lungs seized up; Honor’s handler rounded the corner.
Rhys took her breath away. It didn’t make any sense that she would still have this reaction to this man. He was dressed in jeans and a t-shirt. He had a ball cap on his head facing backward. She was sure he had been out in the back getting that damn grill of his together.
There was always something about a man who knew his way around the kitchen.
Jordan’s heart did a tiny pitter-patter; he drew closer to her. His lips curled up in the corners.
“Hey,” she said.
Jordan was never one to be shy, but somehow Rhys always brought out the shyness in her. She had no problem pursuing a bad guy or going head to head with a perp who thought he could take advantage of a female officer. But there was something about Rhys Newman which brought out a side of her she hadn’t known existed.
Honor trotted around Jordan, excited, her tail wagging a mile a minute.
“Down, girl,” Rhys ordered.
Honor immediately sat. With the tone in his voice, it almost had Jordan falling down to the ground to sit next to the pup.
Rhys’s intense eyes were locked on her. He enclosed Jordan in his arms and brought her flush to him. “Hey, yourself.”
He didn’t waste any time swooping down and claiming her lips. Jordan immediately leaned into him and the kiss. The man certainly knew how to make a woman feel welcome after a long day at work. Her bag fell off her shoulder and onto the ground. Jordan’s lips parted to allow Rhys entrance. His tongue swept in like a slow storm. There would be buildup, no doubt. There always was. Rhys was a laid-back Southerner who definitely knew how to get a certain rise out of her.
Were they complete opposites?
Yes, they were.
But Jordan didn’t care. What was between them worked. Almost too well. She had a fear that there would be something about her that would make Rhys change his mind about her and their relationship. She had never felt this way before. In the past, she always had to have her guard up. Men must have always seen something in her that allowed them to treat her any ol’ kind of way, but Rhys, he was different.
From the moment they met she’d recognized that.
He wasn’t about playing games. He was a man of his word, and she could trust him. He was a father who had a child with whom he shared a deep bond. Jordan wasn’t jealous at all of his relationship with his daughter. She loved how close the two were. Nova was a wonderful girl, and Jordan had liked her immediately.
She had never dated an older man who had a grown child before. This had been new, and she had been nervous the first time she’d met Nova, but all of that had dissipated within twenty minutes of meeting the young girl. Nova was protective of her father, and she must have seen something in Jordan that she liked.
Rhys lifted his head slightly. Jordan opened her eyes, completely out of breath. She blinked a few times to bring her vision back into focus. She had always been a headstrong woman, but in this man’s arms, she could just be Jordan.
Nothing to prove.
No one to fight.
Didn’t have to defend herself.
She could just be her.
A woman who was falling in love with a man and was too afraid to tell him.
She had insecurities and she could thank all of the men who had fucked her over in the past. She was working on getting past all of that. There could be a future with Rhys, and she didn’t want to mess it up.
Here she had thought she would be single forever, but could now see herself spending the rest of her life with this man. Would she tell him? Not anytime soon. She was just too damn afraid the good thing they had would be ruined.
It also didn’t help the fact that her entire team was now boo’d up or married. She had thought Iker and Zain would be her single buddies, but the big guys had fallen hard for the women in their lives.
“I take it you missed me?” she whispered. She tried to clear her voice, but the huskiness was there. She leaned farther into him and wrapped her arms around his neck, securing her fingers together. His hardened body felt damn good against hers. She sighed, not ever wanting to leave his side.
“You’re damn right I did,” he murmured.
That low drawl of his was ever present. He ghosted her lips again with another soft kiss before he released her. She stepped back and watched him snag her bag from the ground.
He took her hand in his other and started leading her toward the house. “Now come on so I can feed you.”
Jordan barked a laugh. She had thrown on clothes at the precinct after their workout. She needed to shower. There was no telling what she smelled like.
“I need to shower,” she said. She turned around. Honor still sat where Rhys had told her to. She tugged on his arm and motioned to her K9 friend. “Hey, what about her?”
Honor’s tail wagged again, lifting her butt off the ground.
“I didn’t forget about her. I just wanted a few extra seconds with you before she took all your attention away.” Rhys chuckled.
Jordan laughed and leaned into his arm, tightening her grip on his hand. Rhys always complained that he had to fight for her attention between Honor and Nova.
“Honor, come.”
The dog pushed off and raced over to join them. She barked to signal her pleasure. The dog even had a grin on her lips as if to thank Jordan for not letting Rhys torture her any longer. Honor walked alongside them then ran ahead to chase a bird that had been lounging on the ground.
They rounded the corner of the large Southern home. Rhys hadn’t been playing when he had said he would cook for her. He had the patio all ready for company. The grill was smoking, the table set, and the lounge chairs all had their pillows on them. It was a beautiful day to eat outside and enjoy the weather.
“Why don’t you go in and take your shower while I throw the meat on the grill. By the time you get all dolled up, the food will be ready.”
“Dolled up?” She gasped.
He pulled her to him and dropped a kiss on her forehead. Today would be a lounge day for her. She loved coming out to his farm and relaxing. It was beautiful, and she would take advantage of the fresh air, rolling acres, and him.
She would definitely be taking advantage of this man right here. He’d been in her thoughts ever since they had parted ways.
“Whatever it is you women call it.” He shrugged.
They walked over to the double doors that led into the kitchen. He opened them and allowed her to go inside first. Everything about this man was just damn perfect.
How did she get so lucky?
He made her feel like a woman.
Jordan spun around and reached for her bag. She backed away as she took in the heated gaze of her man. She grinned and allowed herself to be pressed against the island. Rhys’s warm body leaned into hers. A large bulge nudged her stomach. She bit back a whimper.
“Are you going to allow me to go take a shower alone or are you going to come and join me?” she asked.
Heat flared in his eyes at the mention of them showering together. If he joined her, there would be no lunch and they both would go hungry.
But a shower with Rhys would be worth the hunger pains.
Did they really need to eat?
“That is a tempting offer,” Rhys murmured.
Jordan entwined her fingers at the base of his neck. Unable to resist, she reached up and removed his hat and placed it on the counter behind her. She loved running her fingers though his thick hair. She combed them through to fix it. Her fingers glided through the silky strands. She pressed closer to him and kissed his chin.
“I will make it worthwhile.” Nope, they didn’t need to eat.
He wrapped his arms around her, securing him to her. By the feel of his hardened member, he might be taking her up on her offer. She popped another kiss on his chin. He tightened his grip on her, and from the glint in his eyes, he was slowly changing his mind.
“If the food isn’t on the grill yet, then we don’t have to worry about it burning.”
“You do make a sound argument.” Rhys chuckled.
“Oops, I didn’t hear you guys come in the house,” Nova’s voice sounded behind Jordan.
She turned and took in the pink streaked hair of the twenty-year-old leaning against the doorjamb.
“Look at you!” Jordan gasped. She grinned and released Rhys so she could take Nova in.
Nova met Jordan halfway into the kitchen. The girl was gorgeous and according to Rhys responsible for some of those gray hairs on his head. She ignored Rhys’s grumble about not getting five minutes of her time. Nova and Jordan shared a brief hug before Jordan switched her attention back to Nova’s hair.
“It’s so pretty. When did you have this done?”
“Yesterday.” Nova grinned. She ran her fingers through the chin-length strands before twirling around so Jordan could see the back. It was gorgeous, and whoever had done it knew their stuff.
“What did your father say when he saw it?” Jordan glanced over at Rhys who was leaning against the counter eyeing them.
“He says he loves it.” Nova shrugged. “I needed a change and wanted to do something drastic.”
“I’d say you achieved it.” Jordan laughed. A warm body bumped her legs, gaining her attention. Honor stood next to her, staring up at her with the biggest puppy eyes. Jordan reached down and gave her a good scratch. “And what did you think of your big sister’s hair?”
Honor barked her approval. Her butt swayed from side to side as her tail cut through the air.
“I like it. I’m going to have to do something to my hair.” Jordan stood straight and motioned to her head. She had been toying with the idea of having Omara do something drastic to it. She wasn’t sure she could pull off pink, but she was certainly thinking a dye job was in her immediate future.
“I’m not sure I can deal with two women in my life with pink hair.” Rhys sighed. His arms came around her waist and pulled her back to him.
Jordan settled back against him with a laugh.
“No, not pink. I was thinking of brighter highlights and a cut.” She shrugged. Her hands settled on his. She gave him a little squeeze. “Plus, I’m not sure how well pink would go over with the captain.”
Captain Spook would shit bricks if she came in with pink hair. It would be funny to see his and the SWAT team’s reaction to her new color. She may be a rebel, but she wasn’t brave enough to go against the captain with her antics.
“Good,” Rhys murmured. He dropped a kiss on the top of her head.
She loved how she fit so well in his arms. Nova’s smile widened as she watched the two of them. Something passed in the young girl’s eyes that Jordan couldn’t make out.
“Now go and shower while I get the rest of the food prepared.” He released her and gave her a slight nudge.
“Dad, I’m going over Jen’s house so you kids will have the place to yourself.” Nova grinned. She threw a large wink at Jordan. “And don’t worry about waiting up, I’m spending the night. There’s a band playing in Blythewood that we want to see.”
Jordan walked over to where her bag was resting and picked it up. She smiled at Nova, knowing the girl was trying to give them privacy. She appreciated Nova and the fact that she wanted her father to be happy. Jordan just hoped she continued to be that woman for him.
“Why do you need to spend the night?” Rhys frowned. He folded his arms. He was completely hot when in his dad role.
Jordan bit her lip to keep from sighing aloud.
“Blythewood is twenty to twenty-five minutes away. You could just drive home after?—”
Jordan brushed past him and gave him a small elbow to the side.
“You do remember how it was to go out to concerts and party at twenty, right?” Jordan snickered. It was her turn to wink at Nova. It was obvious that her and Jen would be out to have fun with their friends. She slid her hand down his arm and entwined her fingers with his. “Have fun, Nova, and be safe. If you need anything, call us.”
Nova bounced up and down in place with a wide grin.
“Thanks, Jordan. You’re the best!” She raced over to them and gave Jordan a tight hug before turning to her father. She wrapped him up in one. He released Jordan to return it.
“Don’t get into trouble, kid,” he grumbled and kissed her cheek.
It was obvious the man had a hard time letting his daughter do grown-up things. Jordan recognized the look. She’d seen the same expression on her father’s face whenever it was her or Omara leaving to go do something. It was that protective nature of being a good man and father that brought out those instincts.
Jordan felt herself falling for this man even more. Her heart swelled with the notion of having a future with him.
Even children.
And that scared her shitless.
What if Rhys didn’t want any more kids? He’d done it already with his previous wife and had that life. Would he want to do it all over again? That was something that stuck in the back of her mind, and she had been too afraid to bring it up.
“You don’t have to worry about me. I won’t do anything you wouldn’t do.” Nova giggled and spun on her heel, dashing out of the kitchen.
“That’s what I’m afraid of.” Rhys reached up and tunneled his fingers though his hair.
“And what is that supposed to mean?” Jordan gasped dramatically. Not her Rhys having a sordid past of extreme partying she didn’t know about.
“Maybe one day I’ll tell you what I was like at Nova’s age.”
The grin that spread across his face brought an instant fire to Jordan’s belly. Holy hell. What was this man like when he was twenty? She was sure he was a heart-stopper. Hell, at forty-five he was. A younger version of Rhys, Jordan just about swallowed her tongue thinking about it. Rhys gave her a swat to her butt. Her heart skipped a beat. She grinned and spun around, walking backward away from him.
“Shower. Now.”
That authoritative voice of his just did it for her. She stood straight and gave him the perfect salute. “Yes, sir.”
Jordan spun on her heels and jogged out of the room. She headed upstairs and ignored his grumbles and Honor’s barking. Today, she was going to relax and enjoy her man.