Phoebe Garretson.
The blood drained from her face. Why did Hank have a file on Phoebe? She’d left, so what warranted a file? And as she answered that question, numbness filled her. His smile earlier, she thought it had been directed at her, but he’d been looking down, in that drawer, to a file of his ex that sat on top of all the other files, one with a picture of her right on top. Talk about easy access.
He did still have feelings for her. That realization was like taking a sucker punch to the gut. She moved from his desk, fighting the tears she couldn’t let him see. His mother hadn’t been lying. Phoebe was the love of his life. She dropped her head, struggled to pull air into her lungs. She understood what he was feeling when it came to Phoebe because she was feeling it now. Shit. How could she not find Phoebe after seeing proof that she was still a part of his life? Jesus. She was going to orchestrate a reunion that was going to lead to a broken heart…hers.
She heard Jo’s voice, then Hank’s deep one. She took a few long, calming breaths. She had him now, so needed to make the time count. She turned as he entered his office then crossed it, threw her arms around his neck and kissed him because she knew deep down their time together had an expiration date.
Hank bent into Arissa and wrapped his arms around her waist, deepening the kiss. His hand glided down to her ass, where he put pressure and pushed her into his hardened cock. His mouth moved from hers, his lips slowly worked their way to her ear. “What do you think about naked steak night?” he whispered.
She felt the chill, it moved seductively down her body. Pressing closer to him she said, “I think…why the hell are we still standing here?”
“Cause the anticipation will only make it better, Sweetheart.” He laid a soft bite to the flesh behind her ear and said, “Let’s go get a beer.” Then squeezed her ass before he let go.
She didn’t move to follow him at first, just took him in, memorizing the moment…she’d be doing that a lot more now. Then she said softly, “Not everything is better the longer you wait.” She was thinking of them, just jumping in headfirst. Hindsight being what it was, it was a damn good thing they didn’t wait because time wasn’t on their side. She pushed the thought from her head. “A beer sounds good.”
They were tucked in the back corner booth, one that Moe always had empty for Hank, the perks of being the sheriff. Arissa was absently picking at the label on the bottle; Hank was studying her. “Care to share?” he questioned before taking a pull from his beer.
She glanced up at him, her gaze moving to his throat. She wanted to kiss him there. Share what she was thinking? She couldn’t, even wanting to. She could scarcely believe she was going through with it, bringing his ex back but if she didn’t, she’d always wonder and didn’t want that between them. Though she couldn’t help but wonder if Phoebe was the love of Hank’s life, a fact Catherine knew, why the hell had she chased her off? She didn’t want to think about Catherine and her mind games at the moment. Arissa’s gaze lifted to Hank’s. “I think the Belles and I are going to take a day trip to Charleston tomorrow.” To find your exquisite ex so I can watch her take my place. That thought had her lifting her beer and draining half of it.
“Charleston,” Hank repeated, and gave a sly chuckle before he added, “Haven’t been there since you came along.” He winked.
Arissa almost choked on her beer. He’d mentioned that when they first met, his visits to Charleston. Her beer soured in her stomach because Phoebe was in Charleston. What the hell was she supposed to say to that? Her focus turned back to the label on her beer. “How often would you go?”
Hank let the smile spread wide along his face before looking down at the table. Lifting his eyes, he looked at Arissa. “Not as much as I would’ve liked to.” He chuckled. But he didn’t need one-night rendezvous anymore. He had what he wanted…what he needed right in front of him.
Arissa had lost her taste for the beer so set it away from her. He’d been going into the city, likely seeing his ex. She supposed the silver lining was in at least one way he’d chosen her because he’d stopped visiting. She couldn’t help wonder, though, about that man who had come to the house, the texts…was Hank still reaching out to Phoebe? The many times he had to take a call or answered a text when they were together, was it really all work related? Could she even blame him? Knowing what she felt, knowing he felt it before, didn’t have closure because his mother was being the fucking puppet master…no, she didn’t blame him. She glanced around the bar, didn’t hide how she was feeling before she said, “You know what. I’m not feeling so great. Can I get a rain check on naked
