“This is the job you have now, Tess. You’re with me, you deal. And you’re with me. And the woman I saw tonight shrieking in the face of the monster who violated her, she won’t have a problem with that. The only way you beat motherfuckers who try to fuck with you is not to let them beat you. So you deal.”

Damn, I freaking hated it when he made sense.

“Yeah?” he prompted when I said nothing.

I didn’t answer. Instead, I asked, “Did Martha ask your Riviera order?”

“Yeah, she did. Now did you get me?”

It also bugged me that you couldn’t pull shit over on him.

I rolled my eyes.

Then I said, “I got you.”

He grinned. Then he dipped his head to touch his lips to mine again. He lifted it and looked at the counter of the island.

Then he looked back at me. “That for me or you double-fisting it?”

“For you,” I answered, though double-fisting it sounded like a plan. Until one of my fists was wrapped around a fork and shoveling in chile rellenos that was.

He let me go with one arm and grabbed his beer. I moved my hand in his hair to around his waist and lifted my beer to take another slug.

Then I remarked, “Well, silver lining, toxic exes, middle of the night phone calls interrupting great sex and imminent orgasms, gunfights in the front yard, our lives aren’t boring.”

Brock finished taking his pull, dropped his beer hand, and agreed, “Nope.”

“That said, I’m investigating vacation spots. Requirements include beachfront hotel, therefore a beach, a bar that serves cocktails that taste like liquid candy, and that’s pretty much it. If you can’t get off work, I’m selling cupcakes on street corners to make up the dough so you can take leave without pay. And we’re kidnapping Rex and Joel if we have to because I am not waiting two months for spring break and we’ll answer to the charges when we get back.”

He stared down at me.

“It’ll be worth it, I promise,” I assured him.

He continued to stare down at me.

“We’ll get Rex and Joel their own room. Adjoining. Locks on our side.”

He looked away, muttered, “Now you’re talkin’,” and took another pull of beer.

I grinned and took another pull at mine.

A knock came at the front door.

Martha and Mexican.

No, my best friend Martha who dropped everything to be with me during a serious drama and really freaking good Mexican.

And, as ever, the ride continues.

But at this present time, that ride was on an up.

So I was going to take advantage.

And clearly Brock was too for he didn’t hesitate to let me go and move to the door.

Or maybe he was just hungry.