The Monroe Sisters

by Aliyah Burke

  Pushing up on her toes, she continued working the roller. “I’m on my side of the room painting. You know over here on the dirty side.”

  A low rumble filled the air and she allowed the smile to turn up her lips. What harm could it do, he was behind her, right?

  “Shai.”

  Her name fell from his lips in that same panty-soaking growl that had left him seconds prior. Her eyes crossed from the passion that pulsed through her and it was with struggle that she managed to continue with her work.

  “Did you need something?”

  She stepped back, propped one hand on her hip as she cocked it to the left. The roller in her right hand went in the opposite direction. She wriggled her lips as she assessed her painting.

  “Yes.”

  Right now it wasn’t about teasing him, it was making sure there were no missed spots before her.

  “What’s that?”

  He plucked the roller from her hand and spun her toward him. She inhaled sharply as it hit her, his shirt had been removed.

  “You.”

  “I thought we were painting?”

  “Later,” he promised, yanking her against his warm chest.

  Yes, she could get on board with that. Later. So much later.

  Later turned out to be after dinner. They finished up and left it to dry as they headed for class. Tonight they walked in together but she didn’t want to presume anything so she made sure there was a bit of distance between them as they got to the classroom door.

  He cut his gaze to her as she shifted farther from him before they entered. Taking the lead, she picked the same station she had the last time and expected him to grab a different one. She should have known better, for he took the one right next to her as the teacher had set up the additional one needed.

  Throughout the class, she did her best to keep her attention on what dish was being taught. However, as she cleaned up from it, she couldn’t tell a damn thing about it. Other than it was delicious, she couldn’t do much beyond thinking about Sav.

  Damn detective.

  “Are you two an item?” Connie asked her in a not so subtle whisper. “I mean, last week you were sharing a station and he was watching you like he couldn’t wait to eat you up. Now, you’re both sporting a bit of the same color green paint in your hair and those hungry wanting-to-eat-the-other-person vibes are coming from the both of you.”

  Wiping down the top of her station, she side-eyed Connie. The woman hovered and damn near bounced in her shoes as she waited for an answer.

  “Yes, Connie, we are.”

  Derek slid his hands around her waist and tugged her back into him, resting his chin on the top of her head.

  She squealed and clapped. “I’m holding out hope then that I’ll meet my Mr. Right in cooking class. I mean, not this one because you took the good one, Shai. But I’m taking another one after this and perhaps I can find some hot Latin lover.”

  Woman was damn near swooning as she said that.

  “Connie,” she began, only to pause at the slight pressure from Derek’s touch on her side.

  Tucking a strand of jet-black hair behind her heavily pierced ear, Connie smiled as she waited.

  “I think that’s a great idea.” She forced the words from between her lips. No it’s not. All I can see is you ending up with the kind of guys you usually do. Useless and smarmy. The kind I want to punch a stiletto through the eye of.

  She loved Connie, truly she did, but the sweetheart hadn’t been present the day God handed out common sense. She was so naïve it scared Shai most days. While she had smarts, she was just not all there when it came to basic things.

  Connie clapped her hands and leaned in for a hug. “Thank you, Shai. You’re an amazing friend and he’s just fucking hot. I have to say it again and probably will each time I see the two of you here.” She stepped back and waved. “I have to get going, I’ll see you next week.” Waggling her eyebrows, she made her gold bar go up and down. “Do lots of things I can’t right now so I can live vicariously through your exploits.”

  Shai dropped her head into her hand and groaned. “Could she have said that any louder on her way out the door?”

  Sav chuckled as he kissed her cheek. “Most likely, although I don’t think it’s necessary for her to do so. From everyone’s expression they all heard her fine.”

  “Of course they did,” she bemoaned.

  As she glanced around, her fellow students were all smiling at them. Derek stepped back and took her hand.

  “Let’s go.”

  For the first time since this entire thing began, she thought of nothing but what was happening right now. There was no fear about her family or those she worked with. Nothing but the pure joy she had being with the man who was taking her out to his vehicle. But more than that, the man who was coming home with her, not because it was his job, but because he wanted to be with her.

  Chapter Twelve

  The pavement beneath his feet as he jogged along the street remained wet from the overnight rain that had cleansed the city. He’d turned down the opportunity to join Shai at her spin class.

  The hell I’m going to that and give her this view of me about to fall off the bike because I can’t handle that.

  Shaking his head, he checked his watch and picked up the pace to get back to the gym. They’d gone together but he’d decided to jog while she endured her own version of torture. Never having been one who enjoyed running inside, he’d taken to the street to get in his workout.

  Music played as he continued the loop back to the beginning and he thought about the past time he’d been spending with Shai. He’d fallen hard for this woman and didn’t want anything to end just because they may solve this case.

  What the hell was I thinking about taking time off then if I wanted to solve the case so fast to make sure she was safe?

  Part of him was hoping she would need him around if it wasn’t solved and he hated himself for even thinking like that had played a part of his decision. Problem was, were he to be honest with himself, it was a very viable possibility that it had.

  Lopez was right, this had become more about him getting in her pants than keeping her safe. Almost. He would take a bullet for her in a second and would go all out to keep her away from danger.

  And we’re right back to why I felt it was okay to leave on a vacation so I could spend my time with her instead of doing my damn job.

  Sourness filled him, and it was strong enough that he slowed to a walk. Hands on his hips, he breathed hard, trying to slow it down as he made his way to the front doors of the twenty-four-hour facility.

  “My father would kick my ass for this behavior.”

  He wiped his hand along his sweaty forehead and opened the door. The man behind the counter looked at him and smiled.

  Responding with a nod, he continued by him and went to the bench he’d told Shai he would meet her at when her class was over. He’d just taken his seat and was in the process of mentally berating himself for his actions when she walked into view. Sweaty and god damn fucking perfect.

  It was the barely there smile that turned up her full lips. It wasn’t a huge goofy one but a small one that was private as if she was reveling in a memory involving the two of them. He’d not seen that smile on her face for anyone else and he cherished it each and every time he got to see it.

  Something special from her that was for no one but him. It eased but didn’t erase the acridness in his gut. Sav rose and reached out for her bag.

  She handed it over along with his car keys she’d kept in her locker for him so he could run without them.

  “Good workout?” he asked, slipping the strap of her bag over one shoulder and putting his hand against the small of her back.

  “I feel like I’ve gone ten rounds with Ali. That woman never makes me fail to feel inferior to her. I bow to her endurance.”

  “I can’t help you with that right now, but I can promise you a nice hot shower and a massage later if you’d
like.”

  She rubbed her chin as she nudged him with her shoulder. “Let me think about that. Your hands on me. Hard decision.”

  He allowed his hand to trail lower over her ass. “Something’s hard.”

  Shai pushed back into his palm and he squeezed her before moving his touch once more to her lower spine. Each step they took toward his vehicle, the worse he felt about the entire situation. He was dishonoring anyone who’d ever worn the badge by his actions.

  “Are you okay?” she asked as he drove them back to her house. “You’re really quiet.”

  She was far too astute for his own good.

  “A lot on my mind.”

  “I see.”

  That was it. She didn’t press him to elaborate and his mind whirled off on a tangent. Did she not ask because she’d figured him out already? Had she already become a party to his slacking off his job to keep himself inserted in her life longer?

  At the house, she headed up the hall and paused by the bathroom door. “Are you joining me?”

  Every synapse and cell in his body screamed yes. He shook his head. “I have some calls to make, you go ahead. I’ll take a quick one in the other bathroom.”

  Shai was good but not good enough to mask the spike of pain in her eyes. “Okay,” she replied before walking away and leaving him alone with one, a raging hard-on for her, and two, enough guilt to rebuild Rome. And yes, in a day.

  He rushed through his shower and put on a suit like he’d wear to work. Then he called his lieutenant and told him he was coming in. Sav stood in the living room of her house and listened to the shower running. Hell, he didn’t even have to close his eyes to envision her beneath the spray in that large shower.

  How she would soap up her body, running her hands along her limbs, making him jealous of the washcloth as she got clean. How she would turn her face up to the water and stand there, allowing it to sluice down her fit form, washing away all those bubbles and exposing her smooth brown skin to his gaze.

  High, firm breasts with their pointed tips, the small tuck of her waist, her full hips that cradled just so perfect as he lay between her thighs. She had a small trimmed patch of hair above her pussy and he couldn’t get over how sexy she was all the way around. Her body, her mind and her heart.

  Cursing himself, he strode to the room she’d given him and shoved everything into a bag, then, listening once more to make sure she was in the shower, he ran. As he drove away, he left a message on her phone, hung up and began berating himself again for skipping out while she was in the shower.

  * * * *

  Two days later and he was ready to kill someone. Namely Lopez who took great pleasure in being an ass. He mentioned the food that Shai would have made him for breakfast, lunch and even sometimes dinner.

  While he longed to rip the man in two, he couldn’t. He was the asswipe who’d run from her, not the other way around.

  “Morning!” Lopez grinned at him as he claimed his seat. “Holy fuck, man, you look like shit. Are you even getting any sleep?”

  Narrowing his gaze, he snarled at the man he had as a partner. “Fuck you, Lopez.”

  “Not my type. I think your problem is you’re not getting any pussy. Then again, perhaps you are and it’s just not the pussy you want.” The man opened the small paper bag he’d carried in and pulled a breakfast sandwich.

  Sav stared at it, knowing there wasn’t any way in hell that it came from the vending machine. “Where’d you get that?”

  “Shai made them this morning.”

  Anger rushed through him. “And you were at her place why? She has a cop there.”

  Lopez made a huge production of taking a bite and chewing it. Moaning and groaning in obnoxious pleasure.

  “I stopped by to make sure she was doing okay and if she’d had any thoughts on the case.” A piece of biscuit clung to his mustache. Sav didn’t point it out.

  It burned his tongue to keep his question inside about how she’d appeared. From the look on Lopez’s face, he was hoping it would come.

  “I see,” he said, deliberately retuning his focus to the computer screen before him, ignoring how blurry it was.

  “Do you? Because I could tell you the rest of what she made for me. I mean, I get it now.”

  A chill settled over his shoulders. “Get what?” Warning snapped in his gaze. “What is it you think you get now?”

  “Why you were so keen on living there. Hot as fuck and damn, she can cook like this. I also get why you go to cooking classes. Are they all hot like her?”

  His blood began to boil and he struggled to relax the fist in his lap.

  “Stop while you’re ahead, Lopez.” His tone was so deep, he had a hard time recognizing it as his own voice.

  “If she’s as good in the sack as—”

  He launched over the desks, scattering computer monitors and papers with a roar. Hands locked around Lopez’s neck, Sav drove him to the floor. As he began to pummel the man, in the back of his mind, he heard people yelling at him but it all faded behind the haze of fury that surrounded him.

  * * * *

  “Are you sure you’re okay?”

  Shai sighed as she turned the tall glass containing her mixed drink. It had been years since she’d had Sex on the Beach but tonight it was what she wanted. It wasn’t a heavy drink by any means and the peach schnapps and vodka went well together. Plus, she could always claim needing to drink her juice for the day. Orange and cranberry.

  Instead of heading to her sister’s whom she knew would be ready to go geld Derek for his action, she’d gone to Connie instead. Her friend had wanted to go out to a bar and so they had.

  She didn’t want to be here but she refused to sit around and mope about how she’d come out of the shower to find not only him gone but a voicemail about how he couldn’t stay there anymore. It had been a hard hit to digest but in typical fashion of how she did things, she worked through it.

  Alone.

  But right here she shrugged and shook her head. “Nope, can’t say that I am.”

  “Can I ask what happened? I mean, you two seemed so perfect for one another.”

  She stirred the straw in her glass before forgoing the plastic and just chugging back a large drink. “No clue why he made his decision, but he did. So, I will move on.”

  “How are you going to handle class this week? Hell, the rest of the classes?”

  Her gut churned. She’d not focused on that tiny tidbit of information. “I won’t let a man chase me out of my cooking class. That’s something I love and besides, I didn’t do anything, he was the one who ran.”

  She drew back and stared at her choice of alcohol. Perhaps this was a mistake. Her preferred type of drink was a martini. Didn’t matter, a few more of them and she’d be feeling great.

  “Good because I didn’t want you to not be there and me have to face him and be angry. I mean, he’s a cop but still, I’d be angry on your behalf.” She sipped her margarita and blinked in rapid succession as the alcohol went down her throat.

  “Thank you for that.”

  Her smile was fleeting. “Seriously. Do you think this has anything to do with what’s been going on around you?” Shai opened her eyes wide. “Please, I watch the news, they mentioned you for a while before class started.”

  Exhaling, she turned her glass in a few more circles before shrugging with one shoulder. “Not sure. All I know is that it turned my life upside down and I’m ready to have it back.”

  She tsked. “I can’t imagine what that’s like for you.”

  “Ladies, mind if we join you?”

  Shai didn’t want men around her hitting on her. Hell, she was still getting the scent of Derek out of her house. It would probably help if she would wash the pillowcase he’d used. But no, she wanted to torment herself and sniff it at night.

  With a look for Connie, she shook her head. “I don’t mind at all. Do you?”

  “I’m good with it if you are.”

  So that’s how s
he came to be sharing a table with Connie and two men named Matthew and Thad. They laughed, danced and drank until it was time to close. Her head spun as she and Connie headed off with them toward the door.

  In the corner of her eye, she swore she saw Derek sitting in a dark corner but hell, she’d been seeing him lots of places in her mind. Plus, if he was here, she needed him to realize she wasn’t sitting at home pining over him. She had moved on.

  The four of them stood in the parking lot and she slid her arm through Connie’s.

  “Thank you,” Shai said to them. “I had a lot of fun.”

  Connie echoed her sentiment and together the women went to their vehicles. She got her friend in her car before Shai headed for her own, aware there were still cops watching her. Or at least Derek if she’d not been mistaken about that. Hell, she wasn’t positive about anything anymore. All she knew for certain was she needed to find her bed, and fast.

  Had she indulged in one more drink she would have been calling for a ride, but she knew her limit and she hadn’t hit it yet. Once she was home, she headed to the shower and took a hot, brief one to wash the scent of smoke off her. Wrapped in her bathrobe, she made her way to the window and peered out. The cop car that had become a presence at her place sat in its typical spot so she released the curtain and went out to the car.

  She knocked on the window. The two officers looked up at her. One male and one female. The man lowered the window.

  “Yes, Ms. Monroe?”

  “Look, we both know it’s uncomfortable out here. You two can at least be inside for the night and still keep me safe.” That was all she said before she pivoted around and went back in.

  The following morning, she made breakfast for the ones who’d been invited in and it didn’t surprise her that Lopez showed up for food. The man loved to eat. And it was beginning to show more and more in his waistline.

  Not at all like Derek Savvas who is nothing but hard planes and muscles. That was her thought as she went on with her day. Which in all actuality didn’t include her heading out. She stayed in her office and worked on the proposal she’d discussed with Donaldson.