On the Chase Quotes

“women”
― Katie Ruggle, On the Chase

“Hang on.” His voice was even less than a gasp. It was more of an exhaled breath. He tried again. “Are you okay with this?”
She glared up at him with her dark eyes narrowed. “I’m literally trying to get into your pants, Hugh. I think I’m fine.”
― Katie Ruggle, On the Chase

“She must’ve been silent too long, because Hugh spoke again. “That’s fine if you want to.” She sucked in a breath as the words stabbed her heart. “I’m sure I’ll learn to like it there. Maybe I can be a motorcycle cop like in that eighties show. It might be fun to be able to grow oranges in our yard, too. Whatever you decide, we’ll work it out.” He pressed a kiss to her neck as he tucked her closer to him.
Giving his head another stroke, Grace blinked back surprised—but happy—tears. She hadn’t expected that he’d offer to move to California with her, rather than make her choose between him and her old life in LA.”
― Katie Ruggle, On the Chase

“Although Grace knew that she should resist, that Hugh wasn’t taking her seriously, and that she needed to get him to promise he wouldn’t almost die for her ever again, she was unable to stop herself from leaning in until their faces were just inches apart.
“And I’m out,” Theo said. Startled, Grace tried to jerk back, but Hugh’s grip tightened, holding her in place. Despite his injuries, he was surprisingly strong. Theo gave Grace a reproving look, and she dropped her gaze.
“I know.” She shot a quick glance at Hugh before sheepishly meeting Theo’s eyes again. “I folded. Sorry. It’s that puppy-dog look…” When his disapproving scowl didn’t waver, Grace, like the chicken that she was, tossed out a guaranteed distraction. “Jules is here.”
With a shake of his head that expressed his disappointment in her lack of staying power against Hugh’s puppy eyes, Theo stalked to the door. “I don’t need to watch what’s coming.”
“Not when you can go find Jules and have a make-out session of your own, right?” Hugh said slyly.
Turning, Theo gave Hugh a severe look. Grace would’ve crumbled under that glare, but Hugh merely met Theo’s gaze with “with raised eyebrows and a smirk. Their stare down lasted an uncomfortably long time before Theo’s mouth twitched.
“Maybe.” He left the room, closing the door behind him with a sharp thump.”
― Katie Ruggle, On the Chase

“Otto’s a better person than I am. I would’ve hit him at least once.”
“Me too.” All the horror of the past days came rushing back as she stared at the man who’d caused so much of it. “In the junk.”
Theo barked a surprised laugh. “You know, Grace, I didn’t think I’d like you at first, but you’re growing on me.”
― Katie Ruggle, On the Chase

“She and Jules were in the middle of a martyr-off, apparently.”
― Katie Ruggle, On the Chase

“Turning her head, she met Hugh’s amused gaze, and she bugged her eyes out at him. In response, he smirked and gave a tiny shrug that she translated as “That’s just Theo.” Holding back a snort of laughter, she refocused on the conversation.”
― Katie Ruggle, On the Chase

“Before she could apologize, though, she realized that Theo and Otto were hiding smiles. Distracted by the rare grins on Dour and Dourer, the words died before they could leave her mouth.”
― Katie Ruggle, On the Chase

“No.” Theo stopped, turning that too-intense gaze on her, and she struggled not to look away. “If Jovanovic is after you, then I don’t want you anywhere near Jules and the kids.”
“But…” Once again, her life was spinning out of control. After the world’s worst dinner party, all she had was a tiny bedroom in a dilapidated house that she shared with a surprisingly endearing family. Now, the threat of Martin Jovanovic was going to take even that away from her. Of course she didn’t want to endanger Jules or her siblings, but that was supposed to be her safe house. Now, she was cut adrift again, and this time, there was no safe place.
Her voice came out embarrassingly small. “But that’s where I live.”
It wasn’t until Hugh’s arm circled her that she realized how close he’d gotten. Although a part of her figured she should step away and put some distance between them, a much larger part of her wanted to lean against him and take advantage of the comfort he offered.
Although a flicker of sympathy softened Theo’s expression for a moment, his tone remained firm. “We’ll find somewhere else for you to “live until we figure out what to do about Jovanovic.”
The “we” surprised her. “You’re going to help me?”
“Yes,” both men chorused.”
― Katie Ruggle, On the Chase

“What the hell are you doing here?”
Rudely snapped out of her Hugh daze, Grace snapped her head around to look at Theo.
“Visiting local businesses?” Hugh offered, but Theo just glared. “Getting some ice cream?” That was the second time he’d mentioned ice cream in the past hour. Hugh must be getting hungry. He handed the gun and the bullets he’d removed from it over to Theo, who deposited them in his pocket without dropping his scowl. “Finding a quiet place to make out?”
Grace flushed and was instantly annoyed at herself for turning red.”
― Katie Ruggle, On the Chase

“Opening her mouth, she turned to say something to Hugh, but the look on his face knocked all the words right out of her head. Instead, all she said was, “What?”
“What?” he threw back at her. Of course he did. Because having a conversation with Officer Hugh Murdoch was like trying to discuss things with a twelve-year-old. And, for whatever strange reason, it turned her right back into a twelve-year-old as well, fighting the urge to stick out her tongue or kick him in the knee.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Like what?”
“Like that.”
“What?”
“That… Okay, this is stupid.” She didn’t even know what her initial question had been anymore.”
― Katie Ruggle, On the Chase

“Her entire life had been destroyed because Noah gave bad directions.”
― Katie Ruggle, On the Chase

“But life is a good thing. I’d like to keep mine, thank you very much.”
“It’s perfectly safe. A baby could climb that tree.”
“Then maybe you should’ve brought a baby with you.”
“Chicken.”
“You could’ve brought one of those with you, as well, although I’m thinking that even a chicken would see the flaws in your brilliant plan.”
― Katie Ruggle, On the Chase

“A lucky shot to the groin, and then a knee to his face.”
Hugh’s arms tightened around her. “Nice. Good job, Kick-Ass Gracie.”
― Katie Ruggle, On the Chase

“You like it?” Posing with her free hand on her hip, she gave him her best sultry-model face. If she had to be stuck wearing wet coveralls and too-large rubber boots, then she was going to own the look.
He chuckled, although his gaze heated as he took her in. “Oh yeah. It’s kennel chic.”
“Right.” Dropping the pose, she frowned at him, trying to figure out why he was looking at her like he wanted to eat her.”
― Katie Ruggle, On the Chase

“Staring into her coffee cup, Grace wondered how this had happened. How had she gone from her wonderful, sparkling life to where she was now, sitting in a VFW-turned-diner in the shrinking town of Monroe, Colorado, and dreading her upcoming shift at a dog kennel?
“What’s wrong?”
No. Please, no. Grace pushed her coffee out of the way so her forehead could hit the counter with a thump. Why do you hate me, God?
“Are you sad because Oliver’s evil twin cheated on Constance with Tatiana?”
“Stop!” Sitting up abruptly, Grace covered her ears and glared at Hugh. He looked all amused and hot and cheerful sitting there on the stool next to hers—right next to hers—and that made her even crankier.”
― Katie Ruggle, On the Chase

“Even after a mere eight days in the house, Grace knew it was no use talking to either Theo or Jules when they were in lovey-dovey land, so she turned to make a face at the kids. Dee giggled, Ty pretended to retch, Tio concentrated on measuring French toast, and Sam gave her the tiniest smile—which made Grace want to throw her arms up in victory.”
― Katie Ruggle, On the Chase

“It wasn’t just a cop; it was Jules’s boyfriend. He didn’t have any nefarious purpose for being there, other than to score a kiss and breakfast.
However, her still-vibrating nerves caused a surge of annoyance. “Does every cop in town just walk into this house?” she muttered beneath her breath.
Theo must have had ears like a bat, since he glanced at her sharply. “Who else was here?”
― Katie Ruggle, On the Chase

“They were just restless.”
“Restless? Is that another term for avoiding arrest?”
― Katie Ruggle, On the Chase

“So..." His eyebrows wagged teasingly, "Wanna make out?”
― Katie Ruggle, On the Chase

“He waved at a red pickup—one that looked old in a ready-for-the-junkyard way, rather than in a classic-car-show way—parked behind Jules’s SUV. A shepherd-type dog sat in the passenger seat, watching them with huge, pricked ears. “Why?”
“No reason.” A rustling sound made her jerk her head around, but it was only the wind making leaves dance across the road.
“Uh-huh,” Hugh said, not sounding as if he believed her. “Was someone bothering you in there?”
“She wasn’t sure how to answer that. Although she would’ve sworn she heard someone outside her dressing room, she was starting to think that she was imagining things. After all, the past several days would’ve messed with almost anyone’s sanity. Since she didn’t want to consider that she couldn’t trust her own senses, she changed the subject. “What are you doing out here?”
“Just…more errands.” For the first time since she’d met him, Hugh didn’t answer with his usual cocky confidence. Instead, his gaze darted to the side as he slid his hands in his pockets, looking like a strangely appealing combination of naughty boy and confident man. He snuck a glance at her, and she raised an eyebrow, making him huff and swing a hand toward the pickup. “My truck’s right there. I had to walk by here to get to it.”
“Uh-huh.” She echoed his skeptical sound from earlier. “Do we need to have the stalking-is-bad talk again?”
“I’m a cop, not a stalker,” he said with exaggerated patience. “I arrest stalkers.”
“Might want to check out your house.”
“What?”
She smirked. “It’s looking a little see-through and glassy to me.”
“What?” “Glass house? Throwing stones?”
Lips pursed, he eyed her for several seconds. “You’re not very good at telling jokes.”
“I’m an excellent joke teller!” Grace huffed.
“Uh-huh.”
― Katie Ruggle, On the Chase

“She grinned at him and he quieted abruptly.”
― Katie Ruggle, On the Chase

“Theo tied off the top of a full garbage bag and then lifted it out of the container without any visible effort. Although the play of his muscles didn’t fascinate Grace as much as if Hugh had been the one flexing, she couldn’t help but watch. A balled-up paper towel hit her on the side of the head, bouncing off harmlessly.
Grace turned narrowed eyes on Hugh. “That better have been clean.”
“It was. Mostly. Now stop drooling over Theo and pay attention to me.”
― Katie Ruggle, On the Chase

“I have the past four years of Tattered Hearts on DVD.”
Sitting up, she sucked in an excited breath.
“At my house.”
Slumping down again, she gave him her best hungry-puppy look. It wasn’t as effective as his, but it seemed to get her what she wanted from Hugh a little over half the time. “Can you bring them here on a day I’m not working at Nan’s? Please?”
“No. They’re for residents of my house only.”
― Katie Ruggle, On the Chase

“He’s gone? Then why can’t I look?”
“Just be patient. They’re almost done.” His hold relaxed as Hugh reached up and patted her on the head. Her mouth dropped open. He actually patted her on the head. Like she was an obedient toddler or a puppy who’d learned to sit on command. After the all clear, she was so going to punch him. Hard. In his stupid, too-appealing face.”
― Katie Ruggle, On the Chase