LITMIR.BIZ

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Stacey’s voice was so filled with anguish Julia almost felt sorry for her. Except for the small matter that she’d been caught cheating on her husband. “I made a horrible mistake. It didn’t mean anything.”

      “Hey—” Jon-o sputtered.

      “I love you, Eddie.” Stacey sobbed.

      Eddie lowered the knife but Sam didn’t relax. “Drop it and kick it to me,” he ordered. “She loves you, Eddie.”

      “I love her, too.” Eddie’s voice was miserable. “But she cheated.”

      “We didn’t even do it,” Stacey called, and Julia wished the woman understood the concept of too much information. “He was drunk. Couldn’t get it—”

      Jon-o took an angry step toward her. “Shut your fat mouth, you liar. I was the best—”

      For a second, Sam’s attention switched to Jon-o and Stacey. In that instant, Eddie launched himself forward.

      He lunged for Jon-o but Sam grabbed his arm. Julia screamed as Eddie stabbed wildly at Sam, who knocked the blade out of the man’s hand then slammed him to the ground. Pete Butler, Sam’s deputy, rushed forward and tossed Sam a pair of handcuffs before turning his attention to Jon-o, pushing him away from the action.

      Stacey melted into a puddle on the ground. “Eddie, no,” she whimpered. “Don’t put handcuffs on my husband.”

      Sam got Eddie to his feet.

      “Don’t worry, honey.” Stacey took a step forward. “I’ll bail you out. I love you so much.”

      Tears ran down Eddie’s face. “I love you, sugar-buns.”

      Stacey would have wrapped herself around her husband but Sam held up a hand. “Later, Stacey.” Jon-o disappeared into the crowd and Sam yanked Eddie toward Pete. “Put him in the holding cell overnight. He can sober up.”

      Pete pointed to Sam’s shoulder. Sam shook his head, so the deputy led Eddie toward the waiting squad car.

      “We’re done out here,” Sam announced to the crowd. “Everyone head inside. There’s a lot more money to be raised tonight.”

      After a quiet round of applause, people drifted toward the gymnasium. A couple of men approached Sam, slapping him on the back.

      “I told you he’d handle it,” Joe said proudly from Julia’s side.

      “You did.” Julia felt rooted to the spot where she stood. Her body felt as though it weighed a thousand pounds. She couldn’t explain what she’d felt when Eddie had rushed at Sam with the knife. She’d swear she’d aged ten years in those few seconds.

      “Nice going, son,” Joe called.

      Sam looked up and his gaze met Julia’s. He gave her a small smile and her whole body began to shake. She walked toward him and threw her arms around his neck, burying her face in his shirt collar. He smelled sweet, like leftover cotton candy, and felt so undeniably strong, she could have wept. She wouldn’t cry. She wasn’t that much of an emotional basket case, but she squeezed her eyes shut for good measure.

      She willed the trembling to stop. It started to as he rubbed his palm against her back.

      “Hey,” he said into her hair. “Not that I’m complaining about you wrapped around me, but it’s okay. It was nothing. Eddie was too drunk to do any real damage, even if he’d wanted to.”

      She didn’t know how long he held her. She was vaguely aware of people milling about, of Joe watching from nearby. Sam didn’t seem in any hurry to let her go. She needed the strength of his body around hers to reassure her that he was truly all right.

      When she was finally in control enough to open her eyes, she was shocked to see blood staining his shirt near the shoulder. “You’re hurt.” Her voice came out a croak.

      He shook his head. “The blade nicked me. It’s a scratch. I’ll stop by the hospital after we finish the paperwork to have it cleaned. Nothing more.”

      “He could have hurt you,” she whispered, unable to take her eyes off his shoulder.

      He tipped up her chin. His eyes were warm on hers, kind and understanding. “I’m okay. Nothing happened.”

      “It could have. Every day something could happen to you, Sam. Drug busts, drunken fights and who knows what else.”

      “I’m fine.”

      “I’m not. I can’t stand knowing you’re always at risk.”

      He looked over her shoulder to where Joe stood. When his eyes met hers again, they were cold and unreadable. He leaned in close to her ear. “Then it’s a good thing this is a fake engagement. I’m not giving up my life for a woman.”

      Julia felt the air rush from her lungs. “I didn’t say I wanted you to.” She grabbed on to the front of his shirt as he moved to pull away. “I know this is fake. Sue me, but I was worried. Heaven forbid someone cares about you, Sam. Expects something from you. Maybe I shouldn’t have—”

      “Forget it.” Sam kissed her cheek, but she knew it was because his father was still watching. “I have to go into the station and then to the hospital, so I’ll be a while. Take Charlie home. We’ll talk tomorrow.”

      “Don’t do this,” she whispered as he walked away, climbing into the police cruiser without looking back.

      She knew this was fake. Because she’d never be stupid enough to fall in love with a man so irritating, annoying and unwilling to have a meaningful conversation about his feelings.

      She turned to Joe. “At least he’s okay. That’s most important, right?”

      “It’s hard for him to be needed by someone,” Joe said, taking her arm and leading her back toward the high school.

      Julia snorted. “Ya think?”

      * * *

      Rotating his shoulder where the nurse had cleaned his wound, Sam stepped out of the E.R. into the darkness. His father’s car wasn’t in front, so he sat on the bench near the entrance to wait.

      He scrubbed his palms against his face, wondering how he’d made such a colossal mess of a night that had started off so well. Julia had looked beautiful, as always, and they’d had fun with Charlie at the carnival. He’d even survived his dad and her mother meeting and almost felt okay about her relationship with Ethan.

      Then he’d put his foot in his mouth in a thousand different ways when she’d been concerned about his job. Hell, he couldn’t name a cop’s wife who didn’t worry. He’d liked that she’d been worried, liked the feeling of being needed. It had also scared him and he’d pushed her away.

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