The Rookie

by A J Kent

She nods, “Fair. He’s good looking sure, but I understand the hesitation.”

  If only she knew it had nothing to do with me not wanting to sleep with him and everything to do with how Theodore reacted at the thought of me sleeping with him. I’m not sure if he actually cared or if there was something deeper, but either way his face responded to my words, the way he reacted was better than winning a million dollars.

  And I had one of the strongest orgasms I’ve ever experienced whilst picturing Theodore touching me.

  “Just keep it between you and me though hey, I’ve got someone I’m messing with so keep that mouth of yours shut,” I say pointing at her crimson coated lips.

  She pretends to zip her mouth shut and throws away the key.

  “Good girl. Now find us a dress so we can go and get ready for tonight.”

  “Eye eye captain,” she says, saluting before she ropes in the boutique manager to help us find dresses for the gala.

  Five hours, a mani-pedi and a blow-out later, Lottie and I are ready for our first charity event. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t excited. I love events like these where everyone can get dressed up and get together. Especially when that get together is for a good cause.

  Lottie walks into the room and her mouth gapes open as her eyes rake my entire body.

  “Holy shit, Rory. You look sensational,” she says, pretending to fan her face.

  “Speak for yourself,” I laugh as I take her in. Her red hair is straightened and pinned back off her face, her makeup is subtle but seductive and her emerald green, figure hugging dress, showcases her envious curves.

  She is going to break a lot of hearts tonight, both men and women are going to be drooling at the sight of her.

  “I am glad you went with the blue,” Charlotte says as she walks towards the mirror and touches up her lip gloss, “It makes your eyes pop.”

  I stand next to her and admire my reflection in the mirror. My dress is simple but elegant, sexy but conservative.

  The royal blue dress hugs my curves, just like Lottie’s, it pinches in at my waist, showcasing how tiny it has gotten. Thank you to the academy aka Theodore for an extensive workout regime. The sweetheart neckline plunges showing just the right amount of cleavage. Okay, maybe more cleavage than it should but Lottie insisted this type of dress needed a push-up bra and well, she didn’t need to convince me twice.

  My blonde hair is curled with loose waves that hang down my back, and my eyes are coated with black winged eyeliner which make my sapphire eyes look even more defined.

  “The car is here,” Lottie says as she reads the text she just received.

  “Let the games begin,” I say chuckling as we walk down the stairs of our apartment and hop into the car ordered especially for us by the academy. We close the door behind us, and our driver greets us pleasantly before pulling off and heading towards the Richmond Hotel.

  No more than ten minutes later we are climbing out of the car and waving goodbye to our driver, Frank. A retired chauffer for a previous president. He kept his mouth firmly closed on who he used to drive for, but he was good conversation none the less.

  I flatten out my dress, running my hands over my curves and head up the white carpeted stairs. We are greeted by two door people who hand us a flute of champagne and direct us to where the event is taking place.

  “Thank you,” I say to the young girl handing me the drink, before walking into the room.

  Lottie and I both gasp at the same time at the sight we are currently witnessing. Wowzers. The FBI definitely do not hold back on their charity galas.

  The room is decorated in white and gold. There are four large chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, showing the opulence of the hotel, the round tables are covered in gold-crested table cloths with candle sticks and an array of flowers, flowers that do not clash with the colour scheme.

  There’s twinkly lights everywhere and a well manned workforce circulating the room with endless appetizers and bottomless drinks. Free food, free booze and a good cause, yes, this is my kind of night.

  “Well shit, this is fancy,” Lottie says as she grabs another champagne flute after downing the one we just received.

  “I think that would be an understatement,” we both laugh.

  “I’m going to circle the room, meet you in fifteen?” she questions.

  I nod and before I’m able to answer, her red hair is already making a beeline for the hunky agent named Henley.

  I take a sip of my champagne and walk deeper into the room, looking around, taking in the beautiful decoration and architecture of the hotel.

  The live classical band continues playing acoustic songs as people chatter and mingle. I sink my third champagne flute down my throat before heading towards the lit-up balcony. It is definitely heating up in there.

  I turn around and I think I’ve just died and gone to heaven.

  Oh shit, Theodore.

  No, scratch that, I have definitely died and gone to heaven because the way Theodore looks right now is definitely not suitable for earth.

  He looks like heaven and hell.

  The saint and the sinner.

  Sex incarnate.

  He has literally just taken my breath away. How is it fair that someone can look so good? My skin burns and shockwaves shoot through my bones as he walks closer to me, his emerald eyes raking my body as he gets closer.

  Fuck, there’s those butterflies.

  Control yourself woman, it is just a man, a man you’ve know your whole life.

  A man you’ve loved your whole life.

  “Rory,” he says, his voice deep, low and seductive.

  Fucked. I am well and truly fucked.

  I gulp, “Theodore.” I manage to get out as I down the rest of the drink in my hand.

  Within a few seconds the glass is removed from my hand and another full glass is handed to me.

  Shit, I am going to be smashed tonight if I keep downing these like a glass of water.

  Theodore looks at me, deeply, intensively and his signature crease appears between his eyes “Would it be inappropriate for me to say you look incredible tonight?” he whispers as he moves closer to me.

  Oh, hell I was right. It is definitely getting hot in here.

  “You don’t look too bad yourself,” I say, sinking another drink.

  When did I become such an alcoholic. Control yourself woman.

  He chuckles, “Thanks.”

  He takes a sip of his drink before he places it on table next to us. He takes mine from me and does the same with my glass. He grabs my hand and pulls me onto the dancefloor.

  “Um, Theodore, what is happening right now?” I question as his soft touch melts my insides.

  “Dancing,” he grunts.

  We get to the centre of the dance floor and he asks without using words if he can put his hands on my waist. I nod and his big, soft hands are holding, no gripping my curves.

  Fuck. Me.

  “Don’t you think that would be impractical right now?”

  Wait, you what now?

  “Huh?” I look at him and he smiles.

  “Well, did you not just say fuck me?” he whispers into my ear, his warm breath turning my legs into jelly. “I think we would get into quite a lot of trouble if we did that right now.”

  Oh, lordy lord, I said fuck me out loud.

  He didn’t flat out refuse though.

  I laugh as my cheeks heat up, “That was not an invitation,” I say as he continues to move our bodies to the music.

  “You sure about that?” he lowers his right hand on my back.

  I bite my lip and a chuckle escapes his throat.

  “What are you trying to achieve here, Theodore?”

  He wets his lips and looks me directly in the eye, “Can’t a man dance with a beautiful woman without there being any strings attached?”

  Wow, hold up, wait there.

  Did he just call me beautiful?

  Nope, impossible.

  There’s no way
he called me a beautiful woman when there’s supermodel looking women walking around here like they own the place.

  “Did you just call me beau--.”

  “Beautiful,” he interrupts “Yes, and you are.”

  I laugh and shake my head.

  “There’s not a chance in hell that you think I’m beautiful Theodore,” I close my eyes, focussing on anything and everything else to stop myself looking into his eyes. His eyes that have been looking at me, piercing into my core and soul since I walked into the room.

  He pulls back, dropping one of his hands, one still remaining on my hip, “You are so clueless it really is comical to watch,” he grunts.

  I really don’t get what he’s trying to say.

  “What is comical to watch Theodore?”

  He growls before grabbing my right hand, dragging me out onto the empty balcony.

  He drops my hand and turns around to face the city before running his hands through his styled, chestnut hair.

  “You are beautiful Rory, why don’t you believe that?” he asks, still standing there with his back to me.

  “I’ve just never had someone say it to me before.”

  He turns around, nearly causing me to have whiplash as he does so.

  “That is a fucking lie,” he almost shouts.

  “I think I would know Theodore.”

  He scoffs, “I said you were beautiful practically every day in high school.”

  Like that had any merit. Like he meant that.

  I shrug, “Sure you did, but you just said that because you were my best friend.”

  He laughs. Hysterically. He is laughing hysterically. I don’t think I’ve ever heard him laugh like this before.

  What is happening right now?

  “You are supposed to be intelligent Mallory.”

  “Talking in riddles is not going to make anything clearer right now Theodore, I am one drink away from ending up on this floor, so please, you are going to have to spell it out for me.”

  He walks closer and puts his hands on my waist, “You really need me to spell it out for you?”

  I nod, “Yes, Theodore, I really do. Please.”

  He sighs and drops his head back before looking me dead in the eye, “I was in love with you in high school just like you were with me, that is why I called you beautiful every day. Not because I had to, but because I wanted to, because I needed to.”

  My head is officially blown.

  Did Theodore really just admit that he was in love with me in high school?

  How was it possible that we were both in love with each other but neither of us clocked on to it? Or maybe we did but we were scared to act on it and do anything about it.

  “You were in love with me?” I question.

  He nods, “Deeply, from about age twelve.”

  Well damn, he’s had a crush on me just as much as I had a crush on him.

  “So why didn’t you do anything about it?” I ask.

  He sighs before he steps closer to me, my body heating up with every step he takes, “I was going to do something about it. I had it all planned. I was going to tell you after graduation. I was going to tell you how amazing you were, how beautiful, how incredible you were but then you told me you were leaving. You told me you were leaving and that knocked me for six. I didn’t know what to do. I was angry, lost and hurt.”

  My heart swells at his words. He was going to declare his love for me but instead I broke his heart and him by running away.

  “And now?”

  “And now what?” he asks

  “Do you still love me now. Do you still have those feelings for me?”

  Please say yes, please say yes, please say yes.

  He pauses and rubs his hand down his throat, “No, not anymore. Not since you ran away to England. So, you don’t need to worry.”

  Well burn, that hurt.

  “Why bother telling me then?”

  He sighs, “Because you were putting yourself down, I couldn’t stand you thinking that you were anything other than beautiful. That has never changed.”

  My heartbeat increases and my core heats up. I think I’m hotter than the fucking sun now. He thinks I’m beautiful. I can’t believe I’m wearing a gorgeous dress, with a man I’ve loved since forever, telling me that I’m beautiful. Telling me that he’s always thought I was beautiful. Telling me that he used to be in love with me.

  “I just never thought you meant it,” I say as I move closer to him and run my fingers down his torso.

  His jaw clenches and he fights back a groan.

  “Of course, I meant it and I still mean it now,” he pauses “God, Rory, you drive me insane, you’ve always driven me insane. You being here is bringing up so many memories. I just can’t--.”

  “Can’t what Theodore?”

  He blows out a breath before grabbing my hand, the one that was running down his torso, and holds it in his. Perfect. His touch is perfection.

  “I can’t be angry at you anymore,” he sighs. “I don’t want to be angry at you anymore. It’s hard but trying to hate you is even harder.”

  Relief washes over my entire body.

  “Good, because I miss my best friend.” I say as I pull him in for a hug.

  He smiles before he wraps his big arms around my petite frame.

  Home.

  I am officially home.

  7

  Theodore

  “Come again?” Henley says.

  “You and Riley are needed on case in Los Angeles,” Frieson says for the third time in the last ten minutes.

  “Yeah, I got that bit, but the second part?” he questions.

  Frieson sighs before she walks around her desk and stands directly in front of where Henley and I are currently sat.

  “You and Theo are going to Los Angeles and you need to take two rookies with you.”

  How the fuck have Henley and I been roped into taking two rookies to LA as we assist the local police department on a string of murders. How the fuck have I been roped into this when I wasn’t supposed to be on any cases at the moment?

  “Yes, I heard that too,” Henley says.

  “Well what don’t you get Jefferson, it’s not difficult to understand,” Director Frieson asks, clearly getting irate at Henley’s twenty questions.

  “Why do these rookies have to be women?”

  Oh shit, he went there. He really went there. The guy loves and appreciates women don’t get me wrong, but he struggles to focus when there’s women around. Attractive women that is. I don’t know why, or how but they kind of turn his magnificent brain to mush.

  “Do you have a problem working with women, Jefferson?” Frieson bites back.

  “He definitely does not have a problem,” I interrupt, trying to defuse the time bomb about to go off.

  “So, what exactly is his point Theodore?”

  Apart from wanting to stick his dick in most of the female rookies, I don’t think we really have a problem. But of course, I can’t say that to the Director of the FB fucking I.

  “I just like working with experienced people,” Henley cuts in.

  More like he likes being able to concentrate on his job without wanting to get into a women’s pants.

  “Well they need to gain experience somehow and you need to get used to working closely with women because as of now the three spaces you need to fill on your team, two of those have to be women.”

  No fucking shit.

  I definitely did not see that one coming. Okay, that is probably lie. I already know the people who are going to end up on our team at the end of this six months. The two hardest working women happen to be Rory and the redhead, and a kid called Eddison.

  “Well how do we choose who to take?” Henley asks.

  I clear my throat and he looks up at me, “Holmes and Tipton.”

  He closes his eyes briefly before shaking his head and walking out of the room.

  “Wheels up in twenty.” Frieson shouts.

  “He’
ll be there,” I say before following him out of the room.

  I did not think when I woke up this morning that Henley and I would be flying to the other side of the country with Rory and Charlotte in tow. This is definitely going to be interesting. If Henley can keep his dick in his pants it will be a modern-day miracle. The poor man has had the hots for Charlotte since the day he saw her walking into the auditorium and the little vixen that she is, is playing hard to get. Don’t get me wrong Henley loves the chase as much as the next man, hell, probably even more but there’s something different with Charlotte. The way he looks at her makes me think he probably has more feelings for her than he would like to admit or even understand himself.

  I think you could say the same about yourself Theodore.

  You know better than anyone how to hide your true feelings for someone.

  ◆◆◆

  “I cannot believe we have a private jet to ourselves,” Charlotte squeals as she reclines in one of the white leather seats that sits inside the private plane our team uses whenever we have a case too far to drive.

  I chuckle before flopping down into a seat on the other side of the plane, “It gets old after a while.”

  “I don’t think this will ever get old,” she says as she removes her shoes.

  “Ladies, Theodore,” Henley says as he steps into the plane and takes a seat opposite Charlotte.

  “So, he can call you Theodore?” Rory says with a scowl on her face.

  I shrug and smile, motioning for her to take the seat opposite me. She smiles and obliges.

  Okay, so I may or may not have left that seat opposite Charlotte deliberately available so Henley could spend more time and get to know Charlotte more. We are on here for a good few hours after all.

  “Could you guys please fasten your seatbelts?” Roger, the co-pilot says before retreating back to the cockpit.

  I fasten my seatbelt and smile at Rory as she mirrors my action.

  Within minutes the plane has lifted from the tarmac and is travelling at thirty-eight thousand feet above the clouds.

  Heaven.

  Or at least this is the closest to heaven I am going to get because the things I want to do to Rory right now would send me straight through the trap doors to hell. Satan himself would welcome me with open arms.