Jacked (Trent Brothers #1)(50)

He seemed nervous, which was a surprise. “You’re wearing makeup.”

I immediately became self-conscious. “You don’t like it?”

“No, no. I do. You… you look very pretty. I haven’t seen you with your eyes done. It’s… I like it. A lot.”

I felt my face warm, marveling that I was able to get Officer Hottie to blush, too. “Thanks.”

He tucked his fingers into his jeans pockets and stared at his feet for a moment. “Ready?”

For what? To jump you? To kiss you? To go to the store for milk? “I guess so. Can you tell me where we’re going first?”

He gave me the look. “Get a new tag for your car, Doc. I don’t want you to worry about that anymore. And then I’m going to take you to dinner.”

I stood there for a second, not completely sure I heard him correctly.

“Something wrong?”

That’s when I remembered to breathe. “You’re taking me to dinner?”

Adam crowded my space. “Yeah. Why? You have some other place you need to be?”

I didn’t want to lie, but I couldn’t help but wonder where his sudden change of heart came from. “No.”

“Okay, then good. Why don’t you get your coat on and we’ll get going.”

I sorted through my front closet, looking for a nice jacket to go along with the new hope swirling about in my chest. That part of me that had felt empty and alone was being resuscitated back to life. My black mood had definitely been tied to that feeling of loss when our breakfast date ended so horribly wrong, compounded exponentially by the family stress of my uncle’s continued deterioration.

And here Adam was, standing in my living room, breathing new life into me by giving us a second chance, too.

I had hoped he’d been thinking about me, but the niggling sliver of doubt that plagues all women had me convinced that he drove off that morning and never gave me another thought.

I pulled my tan suede coat with the fluffy cream liner off the hanger, relieved that he was proving me wrong.

Adam reached for my coat. “Here, let me.”

I froze, wondering if he was for real, until he started to help me put my coat on. The subconscious version of my mother that lives inside my brain started cheering and doing a most annoying and very age-inappropriate jig at his act of chivalry. I knew the moment Christine Novak would witness any of his gallantry, she’d be rushing off to organize my wedding.

I paused on my front stoop while he made sure my front door was securely locked, spending a few seconds giving the knob a twist and the door a light shove to make sure it wouldn’t open back up. The cynic in me wondered if all this was an act but these things seemed to come quite naturally for him.

I followed him to the passenger side of his truck in silence and felt another heart spike when he held the door open for me. He waited until I was set and then closed my door.

As soon as he climbed into the driver’s seat, he pulled a piece of paper free from the visor. “Here, you’ll need this.”

I unfolded the paper. My heart skipped again. He had gotten a copy of the police report for me. I looked over at him, wanting to hug him for being so damn thoughtful. “Thank you.”

He nodded once, winked, then backed his truck out of my driveway.

We made it three blocks before I had to kill the awkward silence. I figured since he wasn’t talking there must be something still bothering him. Why he was taking care of my problems was beyond me. “Thank you for coming to my rescue this morning. I just want you to know that I’m really sorry.”

He gave me a real quick, quizzical glance. “For?”

I took a deep breath. “You—having to intervene. I shouldn’t have tried to drive myself to the title place. I’m guessing you’re still mad at me, but I was a little desperate.”

“I’m not mad at you, Erin, all right?”

Even though he said it, I wasn’t completely convinced. “You almost got into a fight because of me.”

Adam sighed heavily. “That had nothing to do with you. Trust me.”

Again with the patronization. I’d rather he be honest with me.

“Hey. I’m serious,” he stressed, gazing at me a few extra seconds to accentuate his point. “Assholes from my old unit… well, that’s another subject. Nothing for you to feel responsible for. I’ll just feel a hell of a lot better once we get a new plate on your car.”

I nodded, wondering if I should ask about the strained relationship he briskly brushed over. “Thanks for taking me. I appreciate it.” More than you know.

“Well, I can’t have you breaking the law around me now, can I?”

I fought my private smile at his innuendo and the sultry sound of his voice as he delivered it. “I suppose not. So I guess knocking over a convenience store is out of the question then, huh?”

“Depends,” he drawled, leaning up on the steering wheel to eye oncoming traffic.

“On?”

He slowed his truck behind an older brown minivan before stopping fully at the red light. “On how badly you want to wear my cuffs again.”

The way his eyes glinted and the tip of his tongue wet his bottom lip when he turned that heated gaze my way… oh God; he knew just exactly how to make me squirm, blush, and feel alive all at the same time.