The Deputies: 3 Novella Box Set by Olivia Jaymes Read Free Book Online

satisfaction even if she was attacked by a bear or chased by a mountain lion. If her husband liked to be outside, then by God she would learn to share this with him.
    “It looks darling. Why don’t I unlock the door why you unload our bags?”
    “This is awesome, Mom!” Luke ran up the three steps on the front porch and peeked in the windows, Hershey barking at his heels. “It has its own fire pit over there too!”
    Her son was now pointing to a small circle area in the side yard. Most of the cabin was surrounded by trees and their nearest neighbor was about five miles away as the crow flies. It would certainly be quiet here.
    “It’s a good thing I brought the fixings for s’mores then, isn’t it?” she teased as Hank tossed her the key. “I guess you get to stay up past your bedtime since we’re on vacation.”
    “Yes!” Luke hissed and did a cute fist pump at that bit of news. “You’re the coolest, Mom.”
    She grabbed a few bags of groceries before unlocking the door and stepping into the cabin. It was simply furnished with a couch and chair in front of the fireplace and a small attached kitchen that was clean and functional.
    “Yeah, Mom, you’re the coolest.” Hank teased, suddenly right behind her with their suitcases.
    “What can I say? Bribery works.” Alyssa shrugged as Luke and Hershey tore around the small room investigating every nook and cranny of the space.
    She and Hank had managed a truce of sorts. He insisted they weren’t back together and stubbornly refused to discuss the future. But each night this week he’d turned his back on her when it was time to sleep only to reach for her in the middle of the night as if he’d lost some fierce internal battle with himself. It had to mean something to him. He wasn’t a man to use her like that if he didn’t feel something.
    “I’ll have to remember that,” Hank said and nodded toward the door. “I’ll get the rest of your stuff. I think you packed the entire house.”
    “You never know what we might need,” Alyssa replied but she needn’t have bothered. Her handsome husband was already out the door and down the porch steps.
    “There’s a bathroom and everything!” Luke poked his head around the corner of a doorway, a huge grin on his face.
    “God, I hope so,” Alyssa muttered under her breath. She’d been prepared for something far more primitive but was glad her worst fears hadn’t materialized. Males had a distinct advantage on women when it came to doing their business in the out of doors.
    “We’ll sleep in the bedroom and Luke can sleep out here on the couch. It’s supposed to fold out into a bed.”
    Hank was behind her, his warm breath on her neck and shoulder. She grabbed the handle on her suitcase. “I’ll go unpack for both of us and then fix some lunch.”
    “Something quick, okay? I’m anxious to get out to the creek and fish. Otherwise we might starve for dinner, right Luke?”
    Hank put his hand on Luke’s shoulder and her son looked up at his father with such love and worship it made Alyssa want to weep. She loved these two so much it hurt.
    “Right, Dad! We need to catch lots of fish!”
    Hank laughed and lifted Luke into his arms. “What do you say we go outside and explore?”
    Her two men exited the cabin with Hershey not far behind. She rolled the bags into the bedroom and looked around at where they would be staying. The room was small with just a bed, a dresser, two nightstands, and a closet. It didn’t take long to unpack their clothes and then stock the bathroom with their toiletries. Hank and Luke together didn’t have as much stuff as she had, but other than some light teasing her husband hadn’t said anything about it.
    She was clearly being tested this week by her husband. He didn’t have to say a word but she knew that he assumed she’d hate every minute of this vacation. He probably also hoped she’d head back to her parents when it was over.
    Despite how pleasant these last days