Page 20 of Hot Blooded

“You better not because I’d raise holy hell to get to you.”

I mean it too. Nothing could keep me away from her. Not even the devil himself.

“Let’s get ready and go to the firehouse. I want to get you home and make love to you until I hopefully forget how much you scared the hell out of me today,” I growl.

She grins at me and leans forward to kiss me, her soft lips clinging to mine. She leans back and smirks. “I can get on board with that.”

I let her go and swat her on the ass, loving it when she giggles at me, her green eyes sparkling like emeralds. It’s the happiest I’ve seen her since we got home and the fear that she might leave me was choking me and keeping me awake some nights.

I grab my keys and we climb into my truck, a necessity here in the mountains.

It doesn’t take us very long to get down to Wildwood and cruise through the middle of town, passing the hardware store and the little diner, stopping in the small lot alongside the firehouse where Hank was on duty until six or so tonight.

We step out and I feel my heart kick in my chest when I see Hank standing outside waiting. He doesn’t move when we walk up to him. Not until we reach him and he sighs, holding out his hand to me. “I’m sorry, Tom. I know you’re a good man and you didn’t mean to fall in love with Reva. I also know that you did try to stay away and I know how hard that must have been for you. Believe me…I know.”

His eyes grow cloudy with memories that don’t seem like happy ones. But he shakes his head, dragging himself back to present thoughts.

I shake his hand and sigh. “I really didn’t want to do it but I just love her too much.”

He glares at me. “All I can say is that you better not fuck up with her and this better not just be for sex. You can get that anywhere.”

I shake my head and glance down at her pretty face, her soft eyes. “It’s not just sex, Hank. I love her. I’m in love with her. I intend to marry her again in front of all our family and friends as soon as possible.”

She rolls her eyes. “It’s not necessary. We’re already married.”

I turn to her and glare at her, my eyes stern. “It is necessary. I want the whole wide world to know that you’re mine. I want every man around here to stay the fuck away because he knows that you’re taken. And I want to make sure that our loved ones realize that this is it. We’re together and we’re gonna stay together. You belong to me.”

Hank chuckles. “Good luck with that, Tom. If she’s got her mind set on something it’s a hard thing to change her mind.”

“Alright, don’t start ganging up on me.” Reva smiles at me and her dad and her hand tightens in mine. “But you should know that I intend to apply for the fire department here. I’ve already made up my mind.”

Hank sighs. “ I really wish you’d pick something else but if this is something that you have your heart set on, I guess I won’t fight you on it. It’s gonna be awkward though since I’m your dad.”

“I expect you to treat me the same way that you’d treat any other person on the team. No special treatment.”

“There will still be some people that think that you’re getting special treatment no matter what I say or do,” he warns.

“Then no matter what you and I do, they’ll still think that. But I want to be just one of the guys here, one of the team.”

“You’ll never be just one of the team. You’ll always be my daughter and I’m sorry I wouldn’t talk to you. I just needed time to think.”

Reva smiles and steps forward to hug him, her eyes welling with tears. “It’s alright, Dad. I’m just happy that this is all worked out. I missed talking to you.”

“I missed you too,” Hank’s choked voice breaks as he hugs Reva tighter and I finally take a deep breath.

I lean in and hug them both, my arms wrapping around them even as Hank glares at me and growls, “Get the hell off of me, man!”

I just shake my head and grunt when he digs his elbow into my ribs. Reva giggles.

Hank steps back. “I only have one favor that I’d like to ask.” He gives a dramatic shudder. “Please….no PDA. I might throw up.”

I pull Reva in for a soft, slow kiss and Hank gags. “Oh god! I need a drink.”

Reva turns in the circle of my arms and my chin rests on her head, breathing in that soft, sweet scent that is uniquely her. “Are you okay with all of this, Dad? The marriage and the fact that I want to be a firefighter?”

His gaze is troubled but gentle. “I can’t make your decisions for you, no matter how much I wish I could. But I can promise you that I will try as hard as I can to keep my opinions to myself and let you guys live your life the way you see fit.”

Reva lunges out of my arms and wraps herself around her father and an immediate tingle of possessive anger rips through me. I know he’s her father but I can’t stand the sight of my wife touching any other man but me.