Until Then

by Delisa Lynn

  He shakes his head and heads inside. Walking into the bar, it doesn’t look as packed as I thought it would be. We head over to our normal table, where I see Kathy sitting with two other women. The one in a red dress stands and I feel my cock twitch in my jeans. Her ass is as plump as a red apple. Hello, red dress.

  When she turns, my smile grows even bigger. Roe.

  “What the hell, are you following me?” she asks as she crosses her arms over her chest, which is popping out of her dress. I look her up and down; she has on black four-inch heels, with a thin black sweater over her rather skimpy dress.

  I clear my throat before responding. “No, ma’am. I came out with some friends. Didn’t know you would be here, and with my sister.” I throw that last part out there almost as an afterthought.

  “Shit… Your sister?” she questions, looking at the two women she’s with.

  Walking over to Kathy, I place my arm around her. “This is my baby sister.”

  “Oh, shit. He’s your brother? The one you were telling me about?” She buries her head in her hands and then proceeds to curse. “Crap, ladies, I’ll be right back,” she says before turning on her heels and going to the ladies’ room.

  “How do you know Roe? And what were you telling her about me?” I ask Kathy as I move my arm from around her neck.

  “That you were single, silly man. I just met her tonight. She works with my girl, London. Kole, you remember London.” She points to the familiar-looking woman across from us. Ah, that’s the chick Abbott’s fucking. Must give it to him. This is the first time I’ve seen her while being sober. She’s definitely hot.

  “Yeah, we’ve met at a few of the cookouts, right?” I ask, and they both nod in agreement. “Nice to see you again.” I shake her hand. I see why Abbott’s into her, but she isn’t half as hot as Rosealy.

  “Likewise.” She grins. “So, how do you know Roe?” Her eyebrows shoot up with curiosity.

  Laughing nervously, I say, “Well, I kind of ran into her today.”

  She gasps then downs her drink. “No way, you’re the sexy man who killed Coop?” She giggles. “He was her baby. She seemed pretty pissed that you killed him. But your looks made up for it.”

  “Do you mean her car? If so, yes.” I grab Kathy’s drink and down it. “I’ll buy you another one.” I look back at London. “I’ll make sure she gets a new car. It was my fault, so I guess I killed her Coop.” But hearing that Roe thinks I’m sexy makes me smile even more.

  “Well, she was pretty attached to that damn car. Anyway, she’ll be okay,” she says before standing. “I’m going to find her. Please, excuse me.” She shoots a wink to Abbott, who just walked up to us.

  “Glad you could join us tonight, Harris. We haven’t seen you outside for a few weeks,” Abbott says as he slides into a chair. I’ve been working my ass off lately and have pretty much stayed home when I’m not at the firehouse.

  “Yeah, I’ve been busy. Just pulled an all-nighter and needed some drinks in me.” Looking at Kathy, I ask, “What was your drink? I’ll get us all a round.”

  “Jack and Coke. The girls were having the same.” She kisses me on the cheek. “You like her, don’t you?” she whispers.

  I play it off. “Who, London?” Of course, I know exactly who she’s referring to.

  “Don’t play dumb with me, Kole Allan Harris.” She smacks my arm. “Go get the damn drinks.”

  Walking over to the bar, I see Todd, the regular bartender here. “Hey, man, it’s been a while. What are you having tonight?”

  “I need six beers and six Jack and Cokes. Actually, make that seven of the Jack and Cokes.” I know Kathy will want an extra since I stole hers.

  “I’ll bring them over to the table if you want.”

  “Sure, we’re at our regular one.” I hand him the cash and tell him to keep the change, grabbing the beer before walking to the table. I see Roe’s back, so I slide into the chair next to her.

  “Sorry about that. I’m new here, and I was a little freaked-out. I don’t normally let strangers know where I live.” Her face turns a slight red. “Then seeing you here, I assumed you were following me. I watch too many Lifetime movies and CSI.” She smiles. “And I told your sister you were sexy. That was before I knew… err…that you all were related. I never thought I’d see you again, honestly.”

  “No worries. I was hoping I’d run into you again,” I admit.

  “Oh?” Her smile grows wider.

  “Yeah, I feel like I owe you more than a trip to the ER and a greasy burger.”

  “Yeah, you owe me a new car.” I take a pull from my beer just as she speaks, almost spitting it out, from laughter. She winks then takes a sip of her drink.

  Collecting myself, and seeing that everyone else around us is consumed with his or her own conversation, I continue ours. “So, how do you know my sister?”

  “London and I work together. You said you’re a firefighter, right? What village? I’m in the North Layton, 80th district.”

  “South Layton, 65th district.” I chuckle. I’ve never seen her before today, as I know I would remember her if I had. “I was wondering what village you were. How long have you been there?” I ask, and see her tense a little.

  “A little over a year. I moved here from Michigan.” Her hold on her beer grows tighter, and she turns her head away from me, staring out into the early night sky.

  “What brings you here?” I want to know more about her. No, not want—I need to know more.

  “Life,” is all she offers.

  Looks like I’ll have to dig a little deeper.

  “I see. Do you like the Northside? I have a few friends over there.” Making small talk should help, right? Hell, this is the first time I actually want to get to know a woman.

  “I do. I’ve been studying to take my fire exam. I’ve wanted to be a firefighter for years. I knew starting as a paramedic would make sense.”

  “That’s awesome. It’s a wonderful feeling knowing you saved someone who couldn’t save themselves.” That’s one of the reasons I became one.

  She nods. “Yes, I agree.” She chugs the rest of her drink. “Kole, please excuse me, but I need some fresh air. I’m going outside for a moment.” She informs her friend, stands and looks at me, then walks toward the patio door. At that time, Todd sets our drinks down.

  I pick up two and follow her, wanting to know what’s bothering her. She seems a little off. Not that I know much about her, of course, but I’d like to. Opening the door, I see her standing against the wall with her arms wrapped tightly around her body.

  “Here, thought you might want this.” I hand her the drink.

  She smiles. “Thank you. Look, I don’t do well with this sort of thing.”

  “What, talking to new friends?” I flash her a smile. “Come on, I’m harmless. Would you like to run a background check?” I offer, trying to lighten the mood.

  She places her hand over her mouth to stifle her laughter. “No, no background check.”

  “Okay, well, let’s start over. I’m Kole Harris, born and raised here in Layton.” I reach my hand out for hers.

  She takes it, and I see the small dimples in her cheeks, “Rosealy Taylor. I’m from Franklin, Michigan. I moved here two years ago for a fresh start.”

  “Franklin?” I raise my eyebrows.

  Rolling her eyes, she explains, “Super small town, right outside Flint.”

  “Never been there. So, do you have family here?” I push a little more.

  “Yes, my grandparents live a few hours from here. They like country living.”

  “I don’t blame them. Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to move to the country. I sold my house two years ago and live in a studio apartment. It’s just me and Brutus.”

  “I like the country. I grew up with my dad, and he was a nature freak, always hunting, fishing, and camping. So, who’s Brutus?”

  “Brutus is my English bulldog. He’s a big baby, spoiled rotten.” And I kind of hate fishing
, but I won’t tell her how much just yet.

  “Me either. I’ve always wanted a dog, but my dad said they were too much work. We should get back inside, they may be looking for us,” she says as she steps toward the door.

  “Would you like to get dinner and maybe see a movie tomorrow? I’m off the next three days.” I don’t know why I threw my schedule in there.

  “Sure, I think I’m free tomorrow.”

  “Awesome. I’ll pick you up around six then?”

  “Yeah, that’ll work.”

  “So it’s a date,” I say, and immediately want to kick myself in the ass. Yeah, I’m a dumbass.

  “It’s a date. Well, and we can talk about my car.”

  “Yes, we will.” I feel so bad about her car.

  With our drinks in hand, we walk back in laughing and talking. I just need to know more about her—not that it’s going to go anywhere, but I simply want to know her. She walks ahead of me and takes her seat next to London, who is laughing and practically sitting in Abbott’s lap. My sister gives me a curious look, but I just shake my head and pick up one of the beers I left earlier.

  “You two get your fresh air?” Lopez says, tilting his head.

  “We did. I’ve had a long two days, and the night air always makes me feel better,” Roe says to the group.

  “Roe, I hear you’re new to the area. You should let my brother Kole show you around. We grew up here, so he knows where everything is,” Lopez informs her.

  “Sure, that would be nice,” she says while looking at me, not him.

  “You name the time and place.” I wink at her. I don’t let them know that we’re actually scheduled for a date tomorrow.

  “Sounds good. You already have my number. And you know where I live.” She picks up a beer and takes a pull from it. “And you know where I work. You definitely know how to get in contact with me.”

  “Do you need a ride tonight? It just dawned on me that you have no transportation.”

  “Kathy’s going to give me a ride back to her place. London drove us there. I’m off work the next few days, so hopefully I can get a rental until I get a new car.”

  “If they give you shit, just let me know. I can pay for the rental.”

  “Okay, I’ll keep you updated.”

  We all sit around the table, conversing and laughing until Kathy suggests we take the party back to their place. This night just got better. Roe opts to ride back with Lopez and me, her friend going with Abbott. She doesn’t speak much on the way to Kathy’s, which is a shame.

  Their home is huge, with a large deck off the back, and we always sit around the small fire drinking and just shooting the shit. Kathy offers everyone drinks, and I take my usual beer before grabbing Roe’s hand. She obliges and follows in tow, out to the deck.

  The night air is perfect following a hot June day.

  “This house is breathtaking, and it’s beautiful out here. Do they own all the land out there, as well?” She motions toward the large property that goes at least three acres out. It’s amazing here; I’ve always loved this area and the land they have.

  “Yes. They wanted a large amount of land, so when they start a family, they’ll be able to have a playground out there.” They both love children but have had issues conceiving in the past. When they saw this land, they knew it would be perfect for their family’s future.

  “That’s a good idea. Did you bring me a beer?” She smirks.

  I hand her the one I’m holding. “Here, take this one and I’ll grab another.” She takes it from me, and when her fingers graze mine, I feel like my body is on fire. I watch her take a long pull from her beer, my cock twitching in my jeans. Son of a bitch. “I’ll be right back. Will you be okay?”

  “Sure, I’m just going to sit here. Lopez said he would start the fire soon.” She smiles before licking her lips.

  Jesus her mouth is perfect. I could kiss those lips for hours.

  “Okay, I’ll just be a sec.” I give her hand a squeeze before I slide the doors open to head back inside. I find Kathy at the kitchen island, making snacks. “These are my favorite,” I say, popping a shrimp puff in my mouth. “When did you make these?” She’s always made the best damn appetizers; I tell her all the time she should be a chef. She even makes Brutus these homemade dog treats, and he loves them.

  “I know they are, which is why I made them earlier today. Pez told me you were coming over, so I figured you’d want them. London’s already told our new friend about them, so make sure you take some back out with you.” She stares at me and then a smile curls her lips. “You like her, don’t you?” Cocking my head, I give her a ‘what the hell’ look. She motions toward the door. “You know exactly what I’m talking about. Don’t play dumb, brother. She likes you. She told us on the way to the bar. Do you know she hasn’t had a man in over two years? Now would be your chance to scoop her up. I really like her.”

  “How do you know this? You just met her a few hours ago. Hell, I’ve known her for not much longer. You see the stitches on her head? I did that shit. I feel so bad about it, but I was glad I could help her… So, what exactly did she say about me?” I push.

  “Girl code, brother,” she taunts. “But I like her. And I believe you do too! Now, take her some of my famous shrimp puffs before you eat them all.” She pushes me as I pick up a few beers. “There’s a cooler out there with beers too.”

  “Girl code? You were just speaking of her non-existent love life, dear sister,” I say, taking the plate of food. Hell, maybe I do like her. I know any time she touches me, my stomach dips. What the hell is wrong with me?

  “Well… I thought you should know that at least.” She rolls her eyes.

  Walking back outside, I see that Roe is on her phone. When she sees me coming, she slides it back in her purse.

  “Those look so scrumptious.”

  “Pardon?” When she points at the plate of food, I realize what she’s referring to. “Oh, these. Yes, they’re really tasty. I was told I had to share them with you.”

  Kathy pokes her head through the door. “I told him he better share. Those are his favorite. Sometimes I think that’s why he visits, so he can eat my food.”

  “So, Roe…” Kathy starts as she walks out and sits next to her. “I know you’re fairly new around here, but stay away from all the cops. Most of the single ones are players. Lopez’s brother, Mateo, is single. I could maybe set you up on a date if you want. He’s around your age, and nice-looking.”

  She winks at me, and I clear my throat before shaking my head. No way in hell I want her going out with Mateo. He’s a good guy and all; I just don’t want her getting involved with him. “How about we don’t play love connection tonight, yeah?” I pat my sister’s arm.

  “You’re no fun. Oh, I hear a car. It’s London and Abbott, I’m sure. I’ll be right back.” She leans in to me. “You better snag her up, or I’m calling my brother-in-law.” I bust out laughing, and she flips me off. “I’m serious,” she mouths back at me as she walks into the house.

  “Sorry about that. She likes to play matchmaker,” I say, sliding into the chair next to Roe.

  She smiles around the food in her mouth then holds her hand up before saying, “It’s okay. London does that to me all the time.”

  “What do I do, bitch?” London says, walking through the door. “Oh, are those the famous shrimp puffs?”

  “Yes, and they are so good. I think I’ve devoured five in the last few minutes.” Roe giggles. “Can you get me another beer, please?”

  “Of course, there are some right here.” I jump up, grab one, and twist the top off. “Here you go, ba—sweetheart.” I catch myself almost calling her ‘babe.’

  “Thank you so much.” She pats my leg as I take my seat next to her once more.

  The rest of the night goes smoothly, as we all sit around and talk. By the time 3:00 a.m. rolls around, I’ve sobered up, so I offer to take Roe home. She accepts and asks me to stay with her tonight, which I readily agree
to. The drive to her house isn’t far from my sister’s, I’m pretty tired, and I know I’m going to crash as soon as we get to her place.

  Waking with a pounding headache is not something I wanted to do. I look at the clock on the nightstand and see that it’s after ten in the morning. Jesus, how much did I drink?

  Glancing around the room, I try to remember coming home. There’s a bottle of water and some aspirin on my nightstand. When I look down, I see I’m in a T-shirt and sweats. My dress is draped over the back of a chair in the corner. I grab my phone from the floor. It’s almost dead of course.

  My feet hit the hardwood, and I pad toward the closed door. Once open, I make a dash for my bathroom. One thing I hate about this house is there isn’t a bathroom attached to the bedroom. I feel like I haven’t peed for days. I sit down, look at my phone and see I have a ton of texts from London. My battery light starts flashing as I scroll through the texts.

  London: Hope you made it home safe.

  London: Don’t do something I would do. Kidding, fuck his brains out.

  London: I hope you’re having hot, wild, animal sex. I will be in about ten minutes.

  London: I’ve already got my freak on. WTH, girl, why aren’t you responding? Shit, I hope he wasn’t an ax murderer.

  Me: I just woke up, and who the hell are you talking about? I woke in my bed alone. I was also fully dressed, FYI.

  I finish using the bathroom and proceed to brush my teeth. Turning the shower on, I see she texted me back.

  London: You don’t remember?

  Me: Vaguely. I know I drank way too much after we went back to Kathy and Lopez’s.

  London: Well, he must’ve left after putting you to bed.

  He who? What the fuck?

  Me: Who?!?

  London: Kole Harris. You know, the sexy fireman you were very friendly with last night.

  No, he didn’t come home with me. But how did I get in these clothes? I turn the water off in the shower, needing to do some investigating. Walking through the bathroom door and down the hall, I peek into the living room.

  Holy mother of God. All that yumminess should be illegal.

  No, this must be a dream. I dial London’s number.