Page 76 of Wayward

“Maks…you shouldn’t have… I mean, I loved it, more than loved it, but I didn’t do anything for you and––”

“And it always has to be equal? That’s what you’re saying?”

“No, but––”

“There’s no rules. There should never be rules between me and you.”

“Yes, good, okay,” he said, rolling me to my back so he could lie on top of me, pinning me under him.

I was chuckling as he took my mouth. Misha’s growling made us both smile.

“Fucking dog is a cock block,” he told me.

“Kiss me some more,” I pleaded.

So he did.

The following morning, we both woke up like we were hungover. Ada wanted to hear where we had gone the night before, and I sat with her in the living room and told her about Lauren Snyder.

She was crying in seconds. Of course she was. Her daughter had been taken and so had Lauren. I was surprised when she grabbed my hands.

“Ada?”

“Oh, Maks, you saved her. You saved that angel.”

“I had help,” I said, glancing at Gale.

When she reached out her hand, he crossed the room to sit with her.

“You’re both such a blessing.”

It was nice to be lumped in with Gale, since I was crazy about him.

Ada made breakfast again, omelets this time, and instead of going home to change before eating, Gale sat on the couch with me, arm around my shoulders, leaning his head against mine.

“I feel like you’re having a really slow start to the morning, Deputy Chief Malloy,” I goaded him, turning to kiss his cheek.

“I just feel like somehow, someway, I could leave right now, and when I get home, you might not be here,” he answered slowly, like the words were hard to get out.

“I’ll be here,” I assured him. “And you can call and check on me, which I won’t think is psycho and will instead think is sweet.”

He shook his head. “How did whoever let you go not see you for who you are?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, you’re a fuckin’ gift. How did whoever not see that?”

“I think not everyone sees me the same way you do.”

“That’s too bad,” he choked out and then hugged me.

“You sort of like me, huh?”

“Just a bit,” he whispered.

I went with him to his house, walking Misha, and would have gone in if I hadn’t seen trucks roll up out front. It was Pansy from Dream Clean, there to start on the house.

“Kiss me now in case you’re busy when I have to leave,” he demanded.