by Chelle Bliss
“Oh?” I glanced at her sideways. “It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Phillips.”
“Mom,” Georgia whined, covering her face with her hands. “How embarrassing.”
“I mean, I could’ve told him what you said.”
“No,” Georgia said quickly.
Mrs. Phillips laughed. “George, you better shake this man’s hand and stop being a hard-ass.”
There was where Georgia got it. Her tough nature came from her mother. Probably some from her father too, but she didn’t have a weak woman as a role model.
A low growl escaped his lips before he thrust his hand out, snarling at me as he waited for me to shake it. I held my breath, placing my hand in his. His fingers closed around my hand and squeezed as hard as possible. It was like sticking my hand in a vise.
The man wanted to prove a point. Men did this shit all the time. Had to prove their superiority through a handshake. I’d dealt with it my entire life, and my hands were stronger than they looked. In fact, all of me was.
He released my hand before I pulled it back. There was a small smile on his face, a sense of satisfaction maybe, but I didn’t dare shake out the cramp he’d given me.
“When can I bust out of here?” Georgia asked before she tried to sit up. “Fuck.”
“What’s wrong?” Mrs. Phillips jumped from her chair. “Should I get the doctor?”
Georgia tossed her head back into the pillow and blew out a deep breath. “No. I’m just so damn sore. It hurts to try to sit up.”
I rushed to her side without a thought. “Let me help you, babe.”
She looked up at me with a smile. “Thank you,” she whispered.
Placing my hands under her armpits, I lifted her body forward. “Whatcha need?” I asked, standing there, holding her as her parents looked on.
Georgia winced. “This damn pillow is uncomfortable. I just need to move it.”
“Let me get it.” Mrs. Phillips grabbed the pillow and fluffed it.
“Can you move the bed up a little for me, Mom? My back is sore.”
“Sure, doll.”
For some reason, I glanced at Mr. Phillips and could see his face visibly redden. Maybe it was how close my hands were to his daughter’s tits, but there was nothing sexual about it. It hadn’t even entered my mind, but clearly it was on his.
I lowered her back down on her pillow, waiting for her to give me the okay. She sighed and smiled. “Better.”
Mr. Phillips rubbed his temple. “Do you mind if Frisco and I step outside for a minute?”
Her eyes widened and her lips set in a firm line. “Dad, don’t start your shit.”
“Baby girl, watch your mouth. I’m still your father.”
“Sorry, Dad. Behave. Promise?”
Using his fingers, he made an X over his heart. “I promise, kid.”
“Okay.” She nodded but looked at him suspiciously.
He leaned over and kissed his wife on the cheek before motioning toward the door with his head and staring at me.
“Coming. I’ll be right back.” I leaned over and kissed her in much the same way her father had kissed his wife.
“Good luck,” Georgia said with a giggle.
“Fuck,” I muttered against her cheek.
“You’ll be okay.” She winked, shooing me away. “Let me talk with my mom a little. You two behave.”
“We will.”
I kept my head held high as I followed him into the hallway. I never showed fear, especially when fathers were involved. Let them get the upper hand once, and I’d become the family whipping boy.
“What did you need to talk to me about?” I asked, keeping my eyes glued to his.
He rolled his head and cracked his knuckles. “You know I’m a retired cop, right?” Mr. Phillips was everything an old-school cop would be—giant, broad shoulders, a thick neck, jet-black hair, piercing blue eyes, and taller than the freakin’ Hulk. If the Hulk were real, I’d say they could be brothers.
“Yes,” I replied, straightening my shoulders and wiping all emotion from my face.
“Have you talked to the police about the accident?”
I shook my head. “Not yet.”
“Don’t.”
“What?” I asked.
“You heard me. Don’t.”
“I have to.”
He glanced around the hallway, checking our surroundings. “Lie.”
Um… What?
“Lie?” My mouth dropped open.
He took a step forward, speaking quietly. “The guy left the scene, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Did you get the plate?”
“A partial.”
“Know the make of the car?”
“Yeah.”
“Then lie.”
I couldn’t believe what I’d heard.
“But w-why?” I asked, stammering slightly.
“Police are bogged down. Too much shit on their plate at the moment and not enough manpower to solve every case. I can track the guy down faster than they can. I’ll handle it.”
I shook my head because I must’ve heard him wrong again. “You’re gonna handle it?”
“Yeah.”
I tilted my head, moving my ear closer. “How?”
“Uh, I’m a retired cop.”
“I know.”
“Keep up, kid.”
I held my hands up, trying to slow the pace of the conversation as I tried to let it all sink in. “Let me get this straight,” I said before taking a deep breath.
“Yeah?”
If I’d been watching this conversation, I’d be laughing, but being the one having it wasn’t funny at all. “You want me to lie to the police?”
“Just to those cops. The ones at the accident.”
“But you want me to spill everything to you.”
“Yeah.” He looked at me like I had a screw loose.
“Okay.” I shrugged, because, really, I wasn’t going to argue with the guy. “Want help?” I offered, because I wanted to beat the fuck out of whoever drove Georgia off the road.
He rested his hand on my shoulder and gave it a firm squeeze. “If you want.”
“Yeah.”
“Good.”
“Yeah.”
“Nice chat,” he said, slapping me on the shoulder and leaving me in the hallway.
I stood there, completely stunned and speechless. Somehow I’d croaked out “yeah” over and over again, but inside, I was beyond confused. I never in a million years would’ve thought that was what he wanted to say to me.
Before I could process everything and walk back into Georgia’s room, the police officers from the scene were headed right toward me.
It was time to lie my ass off or deal with Mr. Phillips. I knew that I wanted to make him happier than I did the local authorities.
It didn’t hurt that I wanted to get my hands on the prick who’d hit her and left the scene. She could’ve been killed, and if he was lucky, he’d be able to walk away after Mr. Phillips and I got our hands on him.
“Mr. Jones?” the uniformed officer from the accident scene asked as he approached with a serious look on his face.
“Yeah,” I said, tucking my hands into my pockets and trying to calm my insides.
“We’d like to ask you a couple of questions about the accident tonight.”
“I’m an open book,” I lied and nodded. “What would you like to know?”
“Did you get a license plate number?” he asked, pulling a small pad of paper from his pocket.
I grimaced and shook my head. “It happened too fast and it was too dark.” I didn’t blink.
This was the start of the lie. It was easier than I thought. I fed them more bullshit than I ever imagined possible.
Chapter 14
Stubbornness
I struggled to unlock the door with her in my arms, but trying to stick the key in the lock became impossible. “Stop moving so much, woman,” I growled, finally finding the keyhole.
&nbs
p; She stilled and glared at me. “I could’ve used my crutches.”
“I’d rather carry you than watch you struggle up the front stairs. Just shush it and let me do this.” Turning to the side, I opened the door and kicked it wide, letting it bounce off the back wall.
“I don’t see why I had to come here. I could’ve gone home.” She placed her head against my chest.
I ignored her comment and carried her inside, using my heel to close the door. Walking past the couch, I brought her straight to my bedroom, turning the light on with my elbow.
Her fingertips brushed against the stubble along my jaw. “Are you trying to take advantage of me?”
I laughed and placed her gently on my unmade bed. “Do you want me to?”
“Um…” She pulled at her bottom lip.
I grabbed a stack of pillows and piled them against the headboard behind her. “Lean back, babe.”
She yawned and closed her eyes. “I’m so tired.”
“Do you want anything? Water? Something to eat?”
“No,” she replied in a sleepy voice. “Just sleep.”
Dragging my fingers through my hair, I stared at her and bit my bottom lip. “Do you want help getting undressed?”
Without opening her eyes, she tried to lean forward and failed. She blew out a breath and slammed her hands down on the mattress. “Please. If everything didn’t hurt, I’d do it myself.”
“No problem.” I sat on the edge of the bed and moved my hands toward the buttons of her dress. Slowly I undid each one, peering up at her and watching her close her eyes quickly. A small smile played on her lips every time I almost caught her watching.
After brushing it off the edges of her shoulders, I wrapped my arm around her back and pulled her forward, bringing her tits against my body. It gave me wood. This wasn’t good. She was in no shape to have sex, and there was no way in hell I’d let my desire get the better of me.
“Bra too,” she whispered in my ear.
I closed my eyes, thinking of her father as I unclasped her bra. My job tonight had been to take care of her. Nothing more.
Georgia giggled, her body shaking in my arms.
“You’re getting a kick out of this, aren’t you?”
“I am,” she spoke softly in my ear. “Your breathing is labored. It’s kind of cute.”
“Georgia,” I said, holding her with one hand and dragging the strap of her bra down her arm with the other.
“I’ll behave.” Her voice was almost a purr, which went straight to my dick.
I sighed, working the other strap down before laying her back.
She smiled up at me, completely naked except for her underwear. “Will you sleep in bed with me tonight?”
“Yes,” I answered quickly, wondering if I should leave my clothes on.
“Naked.” She giggled.
“For the love of God,” I whispered and pushed myself off the bed.
As I walked around the bed, she said, “I’m serious. I’m cold and I want your body—” she coughed, covering her mouth, but I could see her smile “heat.”
I stripped off my clothes, pulled the cord on my ceiling fan, and climbed into bed next to her. Paying careful attention not to move the bed too much, I pulled the covers over us and collapsed on my back. The night had been longer than I ever imagined, and my entire body felt the exhaustion.
“Will you hold me?” she whispered, turning her head and giving me a sad, puppy-dog face.
“I’ll curl into you, but you shouldn’t move around too much,” I told her, moving my body around her. I placed my arm above her head, flattening my torso against her side and placing my face next to hers. “Better?”
“Perfect,” she whispered, and then sighed.
The one thing I wanted to do was to wrap my arm around her and pull her tight against me. The accident could’ve been the end of Georgia, and even though I wanted to deny that she meant as much to me as she did, my heart had almost stopped when the accident happened.
“You can touch me,” she whispered, as if she’d read my mind.
“I don’t want to hurt you.”
“I’ll tell you if you do. I just want to feel the safety of your arms tonight.”
I didn’t hesitate, moving my arm that had fallen asleep cautiously over her torso and tucking my hand underneath her back, pulling her closer. I buried my face in her hair, felt her warmth, and listened to her breath until I drifted off to sleep.
“Oh shit,” she said, waking me.
I didn’t open my eyes, but I knew it was morning. “What?”
“I didn’t call in to work.”
Pulling her a little closer, I buried my face deeper into her hair. Throughout the night, neither of us had moved. “I texted City to have Sunshine handle it, and I told the guys what’s up, too.”
“Oh.”
“Everything is taken care of. Go back to sleep.” I tried to hold in the yawn that wanted to break free.
“But it’s eight.”
“We didn’t get home until three.”
Her fingernails started making patterns on my arm. “I can never sleep past eight.”
I lay there a moment, trying to open my eyes and failing. The feel of her fingers on my skin was just too good.
“I have to pee,” she whined and tapped me on the arm that I still had strewn across her. “I’m kind of trapped here.”
I grumbled before I moved my arm off her and rolled onto my back. “Sorry,” I yawned, stretching out and kicking away the covers.
“Can you get my crutches out of the car?” she asked, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.
“I’ll carry you.” I rolled off the bed and climbed to my feet.
“Oh God, no.” She tried to sit up but failed.
My morning wood was on full display and being totally wasted. “I’ll get the crutches after you pee, as you put it, and we’ll have coffee and breakfast.”
She crossed her arms over her chest and pouted. “Fine.” Her eyes caught sight of my dick and zeroed in.
“Like what you see, babe?” I laughed, trying to keep the mood light.
“The sunlight bounced off the piercing,” she lied.
“Liar,” I said, walking around the bed to carry her to the bathroom.
She tried to push herself up, but she struggled as her arms began to shake. “This is going to suck.”
“Let me help.” I bent down to pick her up.
“I’m so sore today. Worse than yesterday.”
“I’ll be gentle,” I promised as I placed an arm behind her back and under her legs, scooping her into my arms. She hissed and whimpered with every step, no matter how softly I tried to walk. “Sorry,” I said as I placed her one good foot on the floor.
She stood there, staring at me.
I backed up, leaned against the doorframe, and stared back.
“What are you doing?” She crossed her arms over her chest.
I thought it had been pretty obvious. “Waiting for you.”
She balanced on one foot, trying to control her laughter. “You can’t stay in here.”
“Why not?”
“We haven’t hit that point in our relationship.”
“I can’t leave you alone.”
She dropped her arms, squared her shoulders, and raised an eyebrow. “I’m a grown woman. I can pee on my own. Go make coffee or some shit. You are not going to stand there and watch.” She pointed toward the door behind me. “Out!”
“You’re really cute when you’re mad.” She really was. I mean, Georgia was drop-dead gorgeous, but when she was pissed off, her forehead wrinkled in just the perfect way, making her stunning.
“Get out,” she repeated, waving her arm and pointing toward the doorway.
I threw my hands up and took in one more vision of her nakedness. “Yell when you’re ready and I’ll come get you.”
She flattened her hands on her face, slowly dragging them down her cheeks. “Go get my crutches and a T-shirt for me,” she mum
bled behind her fingers.
“I’ll be right back,” I told her before I left the room and headed toward my closet.
“The door!” she yelled and grunted.
I poked my head back in the door and saw her still standing, holding on to the counter as she stood near the toilet. “Sorry.” I closed the door.
After I pulled on a pair of shorts, I headed to the car, grabbed her crutches, and jogged back inside. It was risky leaving her alone to hop around, especially with the soreness from the accident. There was a T-shirt hanging on the doorknob to the bedroom, and I grabbed it before knocking. “Ready?” I knocked lightly on the door.
“Almost!” she yelled. “Don’t come in.”
“You aren’t on your feet, are you?” I held the crutches and T-shirt and waited.
“Do you have an extra toothbrush?” Something clattered to the floor.
Opening the door, I found her leaning against the counter, a razor and my toothbrush on the floor. “I do,” I said as I rested the crutches against the wall and handed her the T-shirt.
“I’m sorry. I just want to be able to do things on my own.” She lifted her arms, trying to put on the T-shirt, but sighed. “I can’t do this on my own. Fuck me. I can’t deal with this.”
I stood quickly, tossing the items from the floor onto the counter. “Let me.” Pulling the T-shirt over her head, I gently placed each arm in the sleeves. “We’ll get you something for the pain.”
“No drugs.”
“Tylenol will help.”
“After I brush my teeth.”
I opened the medicine cabinet and grabbed a spare brush I’d saved for when I had a guest. “Here ya go.”
“Always prepared.” She pursed her lips.
“Don’t judge—you had one too.”
She shook her head with wide eyes. “I’d never!”
“Stop talking so much and brush. I need coffee.”
“Nectar of the gods.”
“Brush.” I grabbed my toothbrush off the counter and gave it a quick rinse.
We stared at each other in the mirror and brushed our teeth. Our eyes roamed over the other but never focused elsewhere. There was a sense of comfort to it for me. Jeanine and I could never stand in a room together in silence. Never. But with Georgia, there was a calm I’d never felt. Whether it was her lying in my arms or the small breaks in conversation, I always felt at peace.