GirlNextDoor

by Lyra Marlowe

  “Just give me a little time to get used to all this, okay? Don’t think I don’t…because I can’t say things right yet. It doesn’t mean I don’t feel it, I just can’t always find the words.”

  “I know, John. Take all the time you need. What’s the other thing?”

  “Don’t let me be an asshole.”

  Nolan grinned. “You aren’t—”

  “I can be and we both know it. Don’t let me get away with it. Just smack me upside the head when I need it.”

  “Like I usually do?”

  “Yeah, exactly like you usually do.” John thought a minute and slowly grinned. “Damn, it’s gonna be weird working with you now. Chief Waldron’s going to have a cow.”

  “He can’t find out,” Nolan said quickly. “No one can find out.”

  John frowned. “Nolan, I’m freaked out by this, but I’m not ashamed of it.”

  “They won’t let us work together, John.”

  Krulak stopped dead. “Shit.” He should have thought of that for himself. “Shit,” he said again.

  “And what’s worse,” Nolan continued, “one of us will end up partnered with Bennett.”

  “Oh hell no.”

  “We’ve got to keep it quiet then,” Nolan said simply.

  “Well, shit.” John pondered this for a long moment. “Shit,” he said one more time.

  Nolan shrugged. “I don’t want them all knowing our business anyhow.” He chuckled. “I mean, I know you’re used to bragging about your conquests and all, but not this one.”

  “But this is the best one,” John protested.

  “Aww, you’re sweet.”

  John sat up and took another bite of pizza. “So how do we do this?”

  “We sneak around, of course.”

  “Well, that does sound like fun. And what do we do about Lucy?”

  Nolan shook his head. “We give her some time. I don’t think we have any choice. It’s not like we can just tie her up and toss her in the back of the van.”

  “Actually, I tried that,” John admitted. “She seemed to like it.”

  Nolan blinked. “You screwed Lucy in the rental van?”

  “Sorry, too much information.”

  “No, I’m actually sort of…intrigued. But also a little grossed out. Do you know what people put in those vans? And do?”

  “Well, I know what we did.” John shrugged. “She put a drop cloth down.”

  “Hmmm.” Nolan nodded. “Lucy and bondage shouldn’t surprise me.”

  “It was pretty tame. For bondage.”

  “Safe and all, right?”

  “Of course.”

  Nolan sat back. “Here’s the thing, John. I don’t think you’re ready to swear off women for good.”

  “Nolan…”

  “No, seriously. I’m not complaining, I’m just being realistic. You’re not gay. You’re bi. I’m okay with that. But it would be so much easier if it was…Lucy.”

  John thought about it. “If I could have you and Lucy both, I don’t think I’d ever want anything else in my life.”

  “Me too,” Nolan agreed. “Now we just have to talk her into it.”

  “I’ll get the handcuffs.”

  Nolan laughed. “Be careful. She’s got a hell of a right hook.”

  *

  After shift the next day, they drove Lucy to the airport together. The three of them loitered outside the security area, reluctant to say goodbye.

  “So you promise,” John said, “you’ll come back in August. And stay for two weeks.”

  “I promise,” Lucy said. “Two whole weeks.”

  “And you’ll think about staying for good?” Nolan pressed.

  She hesitated. “I’ll think about it.”

  “Or don’t wait until August. Go get your stuff and transfer right now,” John urged.

  “No. You guys need some time to get settled together.”

  “We’re fine together,” Nolan insisted. “We’ll work it all out. It’s you we want.”

  “You two are nothing if not persistent.”

  “Resistance is futile.”

  Lucy looked away for a moment. “I need to think about it. I need to—at least get used to the idea.”

  “But you’ll come back in August?” Nolan insisted.

  “I said I would.”

  “You know,” John said, “every time you get into bed with some jerk between now and then, you’re going to think of us. And how good it could be here.”

  She smiled, exasperated. “Probably. I’ve got to go.”

  John wrapped his arms around her. She was wearing the same short red dress she’d been wearing the first time he saw her—and the first time they’d fucked in the alley. Of its own accord, his hand snaked down to cup her pretty ass. “Thank you, Lucy. For everything. If you hadn’t come…”

  “You would have done it on your own,” she answered. “It just would have taken you longer.”

  “Maybe. Maybe. But you made it a lot less scary. I wish I could do the same for you.”

  Lucy touched his cheek tenderly. “You do, John. But I’m not as brave as you.”

  “Yes you are. And we’ll be here, whenever you’re ready.”

  She slipped away from John and into Nolan’s arms. “I am going to miss you so much,” he whispered.

  “At least you have a decent bed now,” Lucy answered. “And just in time.”

  “Yeah. King-sized. Room for all of us.”

  “We’ll try that out in August.”

  Nolan nodded. “Thank you. I can’t… Thank you.” He squeezed her very tightly. “I still don’t know how to let go of you.”

  A ham-sized hand smacked down onto his shoulder. “All right, you two lovebirds, move it along.”

  Nolan looked up at the same cop that he’d met at the airport the last time.

  “Oh it’s you,” the cop said. “Sorry.”

  “No, we were blocking traffic again,” Lucy agreed. “I have to go.”

  “Well, I hope you’ll come back again soon.”

  Lucy smiled brightly at the cop, then kissed John and Nolan each on the cheek and dragged her little suitcase into the security line.

  “Sorry about that,” the cop said sincerely.

  “No problem,” Nolan returned. “She would have missed her plane if you hadn’t shown up.” He gestured to John. “John, this man’s partner was that cop that had the heart attack. Johnny, um, Dietz, right?”

  “Right,” the cop agreed. “I remember you. You’re his partner.”

  “Yeah.” John shook his hand. “I remember Dietz. How’s he doing?”

  “Working a desk now. Never stops bitching about it. But he’s alive, thanks to you.”

  “That’s good to hear.”

  The cop looked to where Lucy was passing through the line. She waved at them, then walked away briskly. “So, uh, that’s your girl, huh?”

  “Yes.” Nolan shook his head. “No. His girl.”

  “She’s both yours girl?”

  “Not yet,” John answered. “But we’re hopeful.”

  “That’s kinky, boys.”

  Nolan nodded. “You have no idea.”

  As they walked away, they heard the cop muttering something about it taking both of them to keep up with her. They both grinned and kept walking.

  In the parking lot, they paused next to Nolan’s car. “Well?” John asked.

  “Too soon to tell,” Nolan answered. “But she’s thinking about it. That’s the best we’re going to get right now.”

  “She’s right, you know. Again. We should take the time to work on us.”

  “Take it slow,” Nolan answered. “We’ll take it nice and slow.”

  John nodded. “Well, sure. But there is something I want you to do for me right now. It will probably seem trivial to you, but it’s really important to me. Really important.”

  “Anything,” Nolan promised. “If it’s important to you, of course I’ll do it.”

  “Good.” John straightened
, held his hand out. “Then let me drive back to the city.”

  Nolan laughed. “I’m a perfectly good driver, John.”

  “I know you are. You tell me that all the time. And honestly, in the squad, surrounded by several tons of steel, I’m all in agreement. But in a normal car, on a normal road.” He shook his head. “Seriously, Nolan, just give me the keys.”

  After another moment of hesitation, Nolan handed him the keys and went around to the passenger side. As they passed, he murmured, “But I’m only doing this because I love you.”

  “Thank you. May we both live a long and happy life.”

  John settled into the driver’s seat, started the car. A plane took off over their heads. It was too early to be Lucy’s flight, but they both looked up at it anyhow.

  “Long and happy life,” he whispered again. Then he put the car in drive and took his lover home.

  The End

  About the Author

  Lyra Marlowe has been writing since—well, since she learned to write. Her very first book was selected to be read at the Young Author’s Conference for elementary school students. They told her she could write, and she’s never stopped.

  As a teen, she conspired with her best friend to write a young adult novel. In college, she wrote plays that were performed by the theater department and managed to find an actor boyfriend in the process. She wrote poems, newsletter articles and even a short story about a head in a box. After college, she married the actor. One year, he suggested they write erotic stories for each other. She tried it. She liked it. A lot. Since then, she’s published several books and short stories.

  Lyra has lived on the shores of Lake Erie all her life, but dreams of a land where it never snows. She and her husband have three children, two insolent cats and a bewildered dog. They share a 110-year-old Victorian home with a gentle grandmother ghost who loves babies but hates painted woodwork and the color purple.

  Lyra welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and email address on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.

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