by Rachel Smith
It felt like home.
“Go out with me,” he whispered, and my eyes flew open. “Some serious shit went down yesterday that kept me at the station later than I intended, and I’m sorry. By the time I was freed up to give you a call, it was too late.”
His forehead rested against my own as he wrapped his arms around my waist. When he spoke, his warm breath whispered across my face. The intimacy of his embrace melted all my resolve. “Okay,” I answered. “When?”
“Tomorrow night. I’ll be here to pick you up at six.”
I nodded in agreement, hoping he would finally let me go. I couldn’t take being so close to him much longer. I had just spent the entire day giving myself continual pep talks about being tough. I couldn’t crumble under the pressure on my first test of willpower.
I needed to be strong. Sure, I’d agreed to go out with him, but I refused to get all giddy about it and jump up and down like a silly schoolgirl.
Just be cool.
“Six is fine.” I stepped back and tugged at the hem of my coat. “I’ll see you then.”
I only made it one step around him before he was back in my space.
“Seriously, Alex, I agreed to go out with you. What more do you—”
I didn’t get to finish my question because his mouth slammed down onto mine, changing everything. Life as I knew it stood still as it was just the two of us, together, in that single moment in time. My chest filled with longing, with hope.
His lips felt soft and hard at the same time and, as his tongue slid across my bottom lip, I found myself wishing I could take him inside and strip him naked. Our tongues tangled, dancing together to a sensual beat until he pulled back, his teeth catching my bottom lip in a playful tug.
“Wow,” I said, all breathy like a love-sick teenager.
His eyes glittered in amusement as he leaned in for one last kiss. His lips curled into a devious smile and he whispered, “Just wanted to give you a little something to look forward to.” He stepped back and flashed a smug grin. “Give my regards to Max.”
Then he turned, walked to his truck, and drove away, all while I remained rooted to the ground.
How does he do that?
Now, I just needed to push that kiss out of my mind, how it made me feel, and how much I wanted him to do it again. I could muddle through the next couple hours with Max. I could focus on him and not count down the hours, minutes, and seconds until I saw Alex again, right?
Right?
I’m so screwed.
10
Alex
It took every ounce of willpower I could muster to walk away from her. Especially knowing she was going to see that uppity douchebag. Would he make her smile? Laugh? What if he tried to make a move? Or touched her?
A burst of rage exploded behind my eyes at the thought of his slimy hands on my girl. My vision clouded as I plotted my revenge if I ever came across that stuffed-shirt jackass again.
With one hand resting on the steering wheel, I brushed the other down my face, intending to wipe away my frustration. It ripped my heart in half to think of Liz with Max. Being around him, sharing a meal with him.
“Damnit,” I hissed, and rounded the corner to head uptown. If I were smart, I’d go home and get my shit together for our date tomorrow night. Instead, I parked my truck in front of the Hornet.
After pushing through the swinging doors just inside the entrance, I scanned the crowd for familiar faces. A few seats were occupied by the local bar flies; the lonely, single guys who didn’t have anyone at home and spent the majority of their days with their butt attached to a barstool. A group of silver-haired older men sat around the large table, a pile of poker chips and random loose change in the center.
I took a seat at the end of the bar, as far away from the other patrons as possible. My sour mood and permanent scowl in place to keep people away.
One drink. Just enough to erase all the bullshit that went down last night at work. Liz would likely hear about it this afternoon. The town had to be buzzing. The fine hairs on the back of my neck stood up every time I thought about it.
It wasn’t often a dead body turned up in Glenview.
In fact, Raftzen informed me just this morning that it was the first ever—minus all the shit that went down after Lily moved back to town—involving foul play.
“What’ll it be, Lexington?” The bartender wiped a towel over the space in front of me and set down a square, white napkin.
“Crown and diet,” I replied. “Double.”
He nodded once and turned to pull the expensive whiskey from the top shelf.
“Heard you guys had a rough go last night.” He set the full glass on the napkin and I quickly picked it up, ingesting a large swallow before I replied.
“Yup.”
He shook his head. “Tragic.”
I grunted. Yeah, fucking tragic all right. Finding the mangled, desecrated body of Nancy Waters in a ditch six miles out of town was the utter definition of tragic.
After taking another hefty slug of whiskey, I set the glass down and pulled out my phone. I opened the first email from the station and began to read over the details from the night before.
The call had come early in the afternoon, all hands on deck. We gathered at the station and Raftzen fired off orders to each officer.
My job? Tell the family.
Fuck, it was awful. Paul Waters was a gruff son of a bitch but seeing him fall to his knees on the dirty floor of a jail cell, racked with sobs as he mourned his wife, was almost too much to take. Even worse, once I tracked down Brandon, I had to witness the same reaction all over again.
Except something was off about the whole thing. Yeah, they were upset because their wife, their mother, was dead, but it was more. Almost as if they felt responsible, accountable.
Guilty.
The detectives worked through the night, ensuring they covered all their bases. Dotted every I and crossed every T. Allowing holes in this case was unacceptable, which is why patrol officers, like myself, were pulled in to assist.
Nancy had been beaten, brutally. Raftzen sent a rape kit to the lab, fast tracking the results. Hopefully, it garnered a trace of DNA so we could nail the fuckstain who did this to the wall.
I stirred the tiny straw in my drink, swirling the whiskey that had settled down in the bottom of the glass. That time, when the liquid trickled down my throat, it burned.
Perfect.
“Ready for another?”
I hesitated a moment, looking down at my glass. I’d said one drink, but the last thing I wanted was to go home to an empty house right now.
“Yeah,” I finally answered. “Another double, and don’t be afraid to pour that with a heavy hand.”
As the barkeep mixed my drink, my thoughts drifted back to Lizzie. I should’ve gone to her last night. Even though it was the middle of the night before I’d gotten released of duty, I wanted nothing more than to wrap myself up in her sweet body and let the shit of my day fade away.
Suddenly I wished I had someone to go home to after a night like that. Fuck, one smile from Lizzie would do the trick. To shine her bright innocence and push away the darkness that threatened to consume me. Instead, I tossed and turned all night, only seeing the vivid image of Nancy’s bloody, battered body each time I closed my eyes.
For twelve damn hours I sat like a pathetic puppy dog and waited for you to come back. And you didn’t.
“Damn it,” I whispered.
“Yeesh, are you recovering from a rough night. Or working toward one?”
I swiveled on my stool and came face-to-face with Charlotte Lyons. Trying to keep my face impassive, I looked her in the eye and answered, “Both.”
She smiled and my heart clenched—she looked so much like her sister. Charlie’s green eyes smiled just like Lizzie’s when her lips curved up.
“So… pregnant woman… uptown all alone in a bar in the middle of the day. What gives?”
She lifted one slender shoulder an
d let it drop. “Heard what happened last night. I was at the grocery store and saw your truck parked out front.” She shifted around the stool, propping herself onto the seat next to me. “You okay?”
I nodded once but kept my eyes pointed down at my drink. Charlie and I had a special connection. Something bonded between us that day after I carried her through Carlito’s warehouse. As much as she tended to mother me, I did appreciate the concern.
“It wasn’t fun, that’s for sure,” I muttered.
“And the other part?”
My head snapped up as I turned toward her.
Eyebrows lifted to feign innocence, a small smirk on her mouth.
“What other part?”
She let out a hearty laugh, her swollen belly jostling up and down as she cackled. “Elizabeth is my sister, but also my best friend. First, she calls me ranting and raving, going on and on about how she would wait for no man ever again and she deserved better than this and blah, blah, blah. Good gravy, I was barely able to get a word in edgewise before she hung up on me. Then, not more than half an hour ago I got another call. Frantic, rambling even more incessantly about meeting with the realtor this afternoon and going out with you tomorrow.”
I stared at her, my eyelids closing in a slow blink before they opened again. I’d literally just left Lizzie’s house and she’d already relayed all that shit to Charlie?
She laughed once more and patted my shoulder. “Sisters. It’s just how it works. Nothing you do or say is sacred. Ever.”
My mouth dropped open. This is unbelievable.
“So, that being said. I’m here to help you. Well, first I’d like to ask what your intentions are with my big sister. I mean… I’m sure you want to, ya know.” She made a graphic gesture with her hands; one I hadn’t seen since fifth grade on the playground. “But I highly advise against it.”
I decided to fuck with her. “Okay.” I nodded. “No charades. Got it.” I lifted my drink to my lips to stifle my grin.
“What? No.”
I turned to face her. “Oh, no rock, paper, scissors?”
She scowled at me. “No, not that either. God, you’re dense. I’m talking about…” Her eyebrows lifted as she forcefully made the gesture once again.
“You mean, don’t have sex with her?”
“Sshhh! Don’t say that so loud.”
I looked around. “We’re the only people over here.”
“I don’t care,” she scolded. “Okay, this conversation is not going as well as I thought it would.” She inhaled a deep breath and let it out, suddenly determined and back on track. “Cook her dinner, watch a movie. Give her a nice kiss at the end of the night, but that’s all.”
I grinned at her motherly tone. “And if I don’t? If I… what did you call it? Oh yes… if I ‘ya know’ with her?”
She slugged my shoulder. Hard enough that a small splash of my drink sloshed over the edge of the glass onto my fingers.
“Don’t be an ass.”
“I’m not being an ass.” I reached across the bar to grab a new napkin. “You’re being hilarious, and bossy, and she’s your older sister so I’m going to go out on a limb and guess she can handle herself just fine. In fact, I bet she’s even ‘ya know’ before.”
She opened her mouth, but I held a finger out to silence her. “However,” I warned, “and this is all you get.”
Her eyebrows scrunched in disapproval.
“I genuinely like Liz. A lot, actually, and I’d like to get to know her better. So you can take a breath and simmer the hell down about my intentions for the night. Although, I do appreciate the suggestion. I think dinner and a movie at my place is a great idea.” I grinned, deciding to mess with her just a little bit more. “Some nice alone time.”
She huffed just as the door opened and the sound of heavy boots beat against the floor.
“Charlie, for Christ’s sakes, leave the poor guy alone.”
We both turned toward David’s voice. I stifled a laugh, while Charlie squared her shoulders in defense. He looked at me with sympathy in his eyes.
“Sorry, man. Once this kid gets here, I’m hoping this whole thing she does with trying to mother you gets refocused.”
I chuckled and shook my head. “Not a problem. I know she means well.”
“Um… excuse me… but she is right here, thank you very much.”
David took another step toward Charlie, snaking his arm around her shoulders before he pulled her tight against his side. His lips went to her ear and Charlie’s entire demeanor softened as he spoke quietly to her.
I quickly drained the rest of my drink, turning away to give them a private moment.
Slapping a few bills on the bar, I grabbed my coat and stood to leave. “Thanks,” I said, looking directly at Charlie. “Couldn’t get my mind off all the ugly shit that went down last night, but you helped.” I held her eyes. “Appreciate it.” I hoped she knew I meant that about everything. The distraction, the advice for tomorrow night, the warning to keep my shit in check with her sister.
“You’re welcome,” she replied on a whisper, unshed tears forming in her eyes.
I turned and pushed through the doors into the crisp, winter air. It was time to get home, get my place cleaned up enough to have company, and figure out how to cook a meal for a woman—something I’d never done before in my entire life.
Where the hell did I even start?
11
Lizzie
I chewed my food slowly, deliberately keeping my mouth full so I wouldn’t have to talk. Across the table, Max droned on and on about his boring, pathetic life. His voice monotone, only changing when he was extra excited about something. Like the change in weather.
Or his car.
How had I not noticed what a drag this guy was before now? I mean, it took every conscious effort to focus on his words. And boy were there a lot of words. It seemed Mr. Mayland was a touch full of himself.
I let my thoughts drift away about the time he regaled the riveting tale of his hole in one on the golf course.
Where did my thoughts go? To Alex, of course. His strong arms caging my body against his. The way his lips felt on mine. His touch, his taste, his masculine scent. Everything about him turned me on.
“Then there was the time,” Max’s voice boomed into my subconscious, forcing all thoughts of Alex to float away. “I golfed with Dan Baxter. Do you know him? He owns a good amount of property in town? Nice guy. Always wears khaki pants.”
I shook my head. Because honestly, I could really give two shits about who owned what or what they wore.
“Anyway,” he swiped a hand through the air and continued. “So, we walked up to the tee box on hole number five and Dan pointed out that I’d buttoned my shirt wrong.” He threw his head back to laugh before slapping his hand down onto the table. Our water glasses shook from the force. A loud ‘clank’ cut through the air when my fork bounced against the plate. “I mean, my goodness, how embarrassing.”
I forced a smile, trying to keep my face impassive. This guy was a freaking nutcase. “Yeah, my goodness,” I deadpanned. “Sounds super awful.”
The dull flatness of my voice didn’t deter Max. Oh no, he forged on, shifting gears to some other boring, meaningless topic. In the process, I began to feel the life literally sucked from my body. The torture continued this way for almost another hour. Max talked and I politely nodded and smiled, inserting an ‘oh wow,’ or a ‘that’s funny’ where necessary.
When he finally finished his food—the man never shut up long enough to eat—I stood to leave.
“It’s been awhile since I’ve had such a pleasant meal with a beautiful lady.”
Oh, gag.
I turned my back to him to shrug my coat on and rolled my eyes, needing to get it out of my system before I faced him again.
“We should do this again,” he continued.
“Mmhmm.” I nodded, keeping my lips zipped tight so I didn’t verbally agree to anything.
There wa
s no way in hell I would subject myself to this torture ever again. This was the worst date in history.
Max walked beside me until we reached my car. “Well, thank you,” I said and pulled open the door. “I really appreciate all your help in getting my firm up and running.”
“Elizabeth.” His hand landed on my arm and I turned. He stepped forward, eyes closed, lips puckered like a teenager not knowing how to properly kiss.
I leaned back and pressed my hand to his chest to keep him right where he was. His eyes opened and I tried to give him a sympathetic look that I just wasn’t interested without actually having to say the words.
He cleared his throat, looking sheepish as he stepped back. “Sorry, I don’t know what came over me.”
Really?
Instead of dragging this out any longer than need be, I gave him one final smile, albeit a strained one, and got in the car. Once I turned the corner out of sight, I let myself scream. One loud, long, body-shaking scream to get it all out.
When I was done, I took a deep breath through my nose and blew it slowly out of my mouth, letting my body do a full shudder.
“Ugh, much better.”
Time to put that behind me and look forward. Psych myself up for the date tomorrow that I knew would be nothing like the snooze-fest I’d just endured.
It was time for me to… what the hell?
I rounded the last corner, taking a quick left to turn into my driveway. A man, probably about my age, stood on my wood stairs, the screen door propped at his hip as he pounded his fist against the inside door.
I parked in the driveway instead of pulling into my garage and cut the engine. The man turned, flashing a blinding smile of perfectly straight, white teeth.
He wasn’t a bad looking guy. Maybe a little rough around the edges with his ripped jeans and faded Harley shirt. Colorful tattoos snaked down both arms, so bright and vibrant I couldn’t see even a sliver of bare skin.