“I keep tellin’ you, I know that guy and I don’t want you anywhere near that guy,” he said.

“Well, luckily, I haven’t gone temporarily and spontaneously deaf every time you’ve mentioned that so I actually heard you say that. But this isn’t the same.”

“He’s that guy and you dealin’ with him in person or on the phone is just not gonna happen.”

“When it comes to my work, Jacob, you don’t get to make that call,” she declared.

“When it comes to my girl bein’ at work and dealin’ with this guy, I do,” he shot back.

“So, say, you’re out crimefighting or whatever you do and I feel it necessary to make sure you’re fed properly because I feel it’s my job to see to you, it’s okay I infiltrate your secret lair without your knowledge or permission to bring you chicken noodle soup and crackers?” she asked sarcastically.

He was finding it unfortunate she was in that bra that made him want to trail the lace at her tits with this tongue, those jeans that rode low on her h*ps that made him want to peel them off, she was cute, funny, and smarter than any woman he’d ever met, which meant she could go head to head with him and sometimes win. And he was finding this unfortunate because he didn’t know whether to laugh, grab her and kiss her, or growl.

“I meant to tell you about the call to your dad,” he reiterated.

“How about this for an alternate scenario?” she suggested, still sarcastic. “You talk to me about such things, including and especially if it involves speaking to my dad who’s my dad but he’s also my boss. Then I decide, or if necessary, we discuss how said speaking to my dad will happen.”

“He was happy to know, Emme,” Deck informed her.

“Yeah, Jacob,” she leaned toward him, “I know. He is right now lamenting the fact that I didn’t run into you on the street months ago so he could invite you to our annual family trip to Breckenridge and he is currently out buying you your own personal snowmobile. Which FYI, me, all my siblings and brother and sisters-in-law all have at Dad’s place in Breck. In other words, not only is he coming up to take care of business that he pays me to do, he’s either figured out we’re together or is praying to God at the same time doing a voodoo love dance, hoping we’ll get together because he’s always liked you like I always liked you. A lot.”

“He knows we’re together,” Deck told her.

“What? Did you tell him that too?”

Deck said nothing.

She stared.

The stare turned into a glare.

Then she hissed, “I cannot believe you.”

“Babe—”

“Don’t babe me, Jacob!” she snapped, her voice rising and her hands flying out to her sides before she clamped them both on her hips. “I can’t believe you told Dad we’re together!”

“Is it a secret?” he asked.

“No! But you haven’t seen him in nine years. I have, like, regularly, and I’m also his daughter, the fruit of his loins, so I think I should get to share with him who I’m dating, don’t you?”

The fruit of his loins.

Fuck, he wasn’t going to be able to stop his smile.

She caught it, the vibe in the bathroom turned heavy and her voice got low. “This isn’t funny, Jacob.”

“Emme, you don’t want me to laugh, don’t rant at me saying shit like ‘fruit of his loins’ lookin’ cute and sexy in jeans and a bra.”

He knew that was the wrong thing to say when she closed her eyes, looked away, then turned back and opened her eyes again.

“You are very intelligent,” she said quietly. “But because of that, you do not know all and get to do whatever the f**k you want to do. We’re talking about my job and my father. Discussing those how we’re discussing them and why is not amusing. I don’t care if I’m wearing a clown suit.”

Yeah. It was the wrong thing to say.

But something struck him about her reaction and this entire scenario.

She was pissed but this was something important that they could work out, even if the dialogue was heated.

So she wasn’t cursing like a sailor. She wasn’t shouting. She hadn’t lost her mind.

She was holding it together, sharing what was on her mind and calling up patience in an effort to get it through to him.

And f**k, he liked that.

He uncrossed his arms from his chest, planted his hands on his h*ps and spoke quietly in return.

“You’re right. You’re cute, sexy and funny, even when we’re arguing, but you’re right. And, just so you know, he knows about McFarland’s issues with the law but he doesn’t know about your relationship with McFarland.”

Relief flashed in her face and Deck kept talking.

“But I don’t seem to be able to impress on you I got concerns about this guy, I don’t want you to have f**k-all to do with him no matter how that comes about, and I think the fact that I’d go to your dad to deal with him should say just how fundamental those concerns are.”

“Okay, Jacob, I hear you, but you need to understand, things that are important to me, my family, my job, my house, you don’t make unilateral decisions, act on them and inform me later… or not. You talk to me.”

“Point taken,” he conceded and she blinked.

“Pardon?” she asked.

“You’re right, baby. I acted out of concern but f**ked up. It won’t happen again.”

“You… I…” she blinked again, this time she did it twice and fast, “just like that?”

“Just like what?”

“You’re agreeing with me?”

“Yeah, Emme. You’re right. I f**ked up. I’m admitting it. Shit happens like this again, which I hope to Christ it won’t, I’ll discuss it with you before I carry a decision forward if that decision affects you.”

“I…” she hesitated, “don’t know what to say.”

“Nothin’ to say. We don’t have time for makeup sex, seein’ as your dad’s lookin’ forward to seein’ you, I gotta drop you at work then I gotta get to the courthouse for the bond hearings. So you need to get dressed and we need to go.”

“Can I at least kiss you?” she asked, and Deck grinned.

She was indicating the fight was over and now he could appreciate her being cute and sexy again, up close.

“Yeah,” he agreed.