by Brandy Ayers
Bryan huffed out a sardonic laugh. “No man, it went fucking great. The date was awesome; I really fucking like talking to her. And the sex was beyond out of this world.” He glanced down at his bottle, picking at the label with his thumb nail.
“Okay, so what’s the problem, then?”
This was dumb. They were guys. Men. Law enforcement. They didn’t sit around at bars crying into their beers about their love lives. “Nothing man. Wanna play some darts or something?”
“Nope. Stop stalling and come clean.” Luke clapped a hand down onto Bryan’s shoulder, stopping him from rising off the stool and walking away.
“Fuck.” Bryan raked his fingers through his hair, tugging at it a little in frustration. Maybe Luke could help. Stranger things had happened before. “Okay, it’s like this. I have never even come close to wanting a commitment before in my entire adult life. Two nights, three max, with a woman were more than enough for me. But with Lexis, fuck, I look at her and all I can think is mine.”
He practically growled the damn word, sounding like a class A prick. “I look at her, and I want to see her pregnant with my kid. I see her with her kid, and I want him to like me too, because he’s part of her. I want to be there at their dinner table, making them breakfast, trying to find the freaking kid’s shoes in the morning, right along with them. For god’s sake, last night when Lexis told me she wasn’t on birth control, and I didn’t have any condoms, I was fucking happy. I got off on the idea of knocking her up. How fucked up is that?”
Luke stared at him for a moment, then threw his head back, laughing like a madman.
“I’m glad my fucked up head amuses you.”
“You’re not fucked up man; you’ve found your woman. You’re in love.” When Bryan didn’t outright deny the accusation of love, Luke’s eyebrows rose about an inch on his face. “And seems like you know you're in love. Interesting. Listen, believe it or not, the whole ‘wanting to plant your seed in your woman’ thing is normal. Hell, the day after Sophie and I became official, I started talking about us having a kid. She thought I was insane.”
“Really?” Relief flooded Bryan. He had been beating himself up about possibly having some new found breeding fetish. He’d even googled breeding fetish after work; hence the need to go to the bar for a cold one.
“Really. I don’t know the psychology behind it or anything, but it’s like the idea of getting Sophie pregnant brings out my inner caveman. And as long as your woman has no problem with it, and you’re taking into account what she wants, you’re all good.” Luke glanced down at the bar, seeming to give Bryan time to digest what he just said. “I’m telling you, man, there is no better feeling than putting your ring on your woman, and your baby in her. I know.”
That statement snapped Bryan out of his introspection. “Wait, do you mean… Are you guys having a baby?”
Luke’s grin was as wide as the ocean, pride and happiness beaming off him with such force, Bryan thought it might actually physically blow him over. “Yeah man, found out this morning. Don’t tell anyone; it is like brand new. She’s probably only four weeks at this point. She wants to wait until she hits the twelve-week mark, but I knew I wouldn’t be able to hold it back.”
Bryan leapt off his stool, and pulled Luke into a back slapping hug. “Congrats man! What does this mean for the wedding? It wasn’t supposed to be until next year, right?”
“Fuck that shit. I’m getting her tied to me as soon as possible. She keeps saying she wants to wait until after the baby is born and she loses the pregnancy weight. But I’ve almost got her convinced to do a small ceremony with just us, her Uncle, and a couple of friends, then have a big wedding after the baby.”
Luke couldn’t help but laugh. A year ago at this time, he would have told anyone that no one hated Sergeant Luke McCracken more than Sophie Gallo. But now, here they were, getting married and having a kid. The world worked in mysterious ways, to be sure.
If someone had told him that he’d meet the woman he wanted to tie himself to in every way possible while doing a lame speed trap in a residential neighborhood, he would have punched them in the face and told them to lay off the drugs. But he would’ve been very wrong.
***
After downing a couple beers with Luke at the Blue Line, Bryan went home to his empty fucking house. He’d never noticed before how quiet the place really was. And big. Bigger than he needed by himself. He’d bought the three bedroom house straight out of college as an investment, and roommates had come in and out over the years. But at the moment he was the sole occupant, something that never bothered him before Lexis.
Thankfully, the loneliness was broken up when Lexis started texting him after she got Ashton into bed. The texts quickly turned dirty, and Bryan had to jack off three times before his dick would leave him alone long enough to fall asleep.
The next morning, Bryan sprang out of bed and hauled ass over to Lexis’ house for his completely unnecessary speed trap. All he wanted was to see Lexis, smell Lexis, touch Lexis. Even if it was only through the window of his squad car, and only for a few stolen minutes before Ash needed to get to school and Bryan to work.
Pulling up to the curb in front her house, Bryan slid the car into park and leaned back, gazing at the front door, silently praying for a glimpse of the woman inside. He was gone for this woman. And he didn’t even care. Let her take everything and anything from him; he’d willingly give it for even a little of her time.
After ten minutes of waiting and drinking his shitty gas station coffee, the door opened and Lexis ambled across the grass in jeans that hugged every curve, and a t-shirt that slipped off one shoulder. Her hair was up in a ponytail, and he wanted nothing more than to wrap it around his fist as maneuvered her onto his dick. Fuck, he had to shut those thoughts down before his half stiffy turned into a raging hard-on.
“Pleasure seeing you this morning, Officer Coy.” Lexis placed both her hands on the door separating them and leaned in through the open window for a kiss. He loved that she didn’t even hesitate, just went right in for the kill. That confidence in not only herself, but their relationship turned him on like crazy.
“Mmm, I’ll show you pleasure, Ms. Johannes.” He trailed the backs of his fingers gently over her jaw, down her neck, and traced the neckline of her loose, stretched-out T-shirt.
“I believe you already have, and I look forward to the next time.” Her breathing picked up speed, small breezes filled with the scent of mint and coffee ensnaring Bryan even more into the magic that was Lexis.
“Fuck, woman, you have no idea how much I want to get out of this car, bend you over the hood, pull down those painted-on jeans, and fuck you good and hard.” His words caused a slight moan to spill from her sinful lips. “You’d like that wouldn’t you? Your man rutting on you in the street, claiming you for everyone to see, so they all know what’s mine. Know to stay the fuck away from what belongs to me.”
A deep red flush crept up her chest and over her neck. In his peripheral vision, Bryan noticed her squeeze her thighs together and shift from side to side, seeking relief. “Jesus, I love your dirty mouth, Officer Coy.”
“I know. I remember how much you loved it on your sweet pussy Sunday night.” Bryan’s mouth crashed onto hers, taking it in a deep possessive kiss, totally unlike the sweet kiss she had given him as a hello. This wasn’t a greeting kiss. This was a promise. An oath. A reminder of what he’d done to her after their date, and what he would continue to do to her for as many nights as she would allow for the rest of their lives.
“Moooom.”
Shit. Ashton. In a flash, Bryan pulled away from Lexis and adjusted himself in his pants so his erection wasn’t quite so obvious. Hopefully the kid hadn’t seen too much.
Lexis smirked, then turned to loop her arm around her son’s shoulders and pull him in front of her. Good thinking. They needed a physical barrier reminding them they couldn’t actually jump each other right then.
“Hi, Officer Coy.” Ashton bo
th signed and spoke the words. His smile was wide and innocent, eyes the same sparkling green as his mother’s, though his hair was much darker, and his skin slightly more tan.
“Hey there, kid.” Bryan didn’t miss the surprise on Ash’s face when he also signed and spoke the greeting. That wasn’t all he could sign, either. “I see you already have your pants and shoes on. Ahead of the game this morning, huh?”
The slight boy started talking and signing rapid-fire about his mom’s insistence that he actually put his clothes away so he could find them easier, and rolling his eyes several times. Bryan was very glad that he kept up doing both, because he wasn’t sure he would’ve caught all the signs if he hadn’t. “Will you take me for a ride sometime in your police car? With the siren on?”
Bryan glanced at Lexis, who nodded her head in permission. “I’d love to, kid. In fact, I’d like to hang out with you and your mom a lot more, not just when I’m catching speeders. Would you be okay with that?”
Behind her son, Lexis bit down on her bottom lip, obviously trying to stop a smile from taking over her beautiful face.
“Duh. You’re Mommy’s boyfriend. Of course you’re going to hang out with us.” He twisted around to look up at his mother. “Right, Mom? That’s what you told me, that Officer Coy was your boyfriend now, and we’d get to see him not just in his policeman uniform. That we might get to do sleepovers with him sometimes?”
“That’s right, baby boy.”
Bryan stared at the woman that had so captured his heart. Her eyes twinkled with a mixture of happiness and mischief. In response, Bryan’s heart swelled to the point he truly feared it couldn’t be good for his health. She was letting him into their lives. And he damn well intended not to do anything to betray that trust.
“Well, in that case, you can call me Bryan instead of Officer Coy. Sound good?”
Ashton simply shrugged, then turned and ran back up the yard and into his house.
“I hope you don’t mind. Apparently, my mom let it slip that I was on a date on Sunday, and he came home with all sorts of questions yesterday. After thinking about what you said before leaving Monday morning, I realized I wanted Ashton to get to know you, see what a good man that isn’t his grandpa is like.” Worry and fear slowly overtook the happiness in her eyes as she babbled on about what she’d told her son. “I mean, I know going on one date doesn’t constitute a boyfriend, but he doesn’t understand casually dating, so I didn’t know what else to call it.”
“Take a step back.” Bryan fought to keep his voice under control, to not show this woman how emotional he was becoming at that moment.
“What?” Lexis questioned him, but did as he said.
Bryan swung the door open, climbed from the car, then gathered Lexis up in his arms. “Baby, this is anything but casual. You are mine. Just like I’m yours. I’m fucking overjoyed that you told Ash I’m your boyfriend. That you trust me enough to spend time with your son.” Gripping her shoulders, Bryan pulled her away far enough so that she could see the truth in his eyes. “I promise you, I will be a good role model for that kid. I know fuck all about being a parent. But I know I want to treat you like a queen, and keep the both of you safe. So I figure I’ll start there, and we’ll feel this all out as we go. Together.”
Tears gathered on the rims of Lexis’ eyes, and Bryan pulled her into his chest again, not able to bear the sight of her crying, even if it was out of happiness.
Across the yard, two men emerged from the house next to Lexis’. They both eyed Bryan, turning their heads to talk to each other before looking back at Bryan and Lexis embracing on the curb.
“Those your new neighbors?” Bryan loosened his grip on Lexis a little so she could turn to look at their audience.
“Yeah. I’ve only met the skinnier one. Wyatt.” She paused, seeming to think something over in her head. “Actually, he really creeps me out. I didn’t want to say anything, because I’m sure I’m being paranoid. But he came over right after you left the other morning, claiming to want sugar because he was baking something. I tried to leave him on the porch while I got it, but he just came in and kept looking around the house, asking questions about you and Ash. And when he left, he said to tell Ash he said hi. But it sounded more like a threat than something friendly.”
Every skin cell on Bryan’s body came to attention as Lexis told him the story of her new neighbor’s visit. Something was definitely off with the guy. He looked normal enough, maybe a little scrawny and disheveled, but nothing that would immediately raise Bryan’s alarms. But he knew better than anyone that looks could be deceiving.
“Am I being silly and paranoid?”
“No. I trust your mother’s intuition more than I trust half the witnesses we take statements from at the precinct. I’ll look into this guy. The deed to the house should be filed by now at the clerk’s office. I’ll pull it and see what I can find out.” Bryan didn’t like the idea of Lexis being alone next to these guys all day. But he knew she needed to sleep, too. She had to work tonight after Ash went to bed. “After you get the kid off to school, why don’t you go to my house and sleep there? I don’t want you here alone.”
Bryan took out his key ring and removed the one for his front door. “Ignore the mess; I’m a guy after all. Then tonight I’ll pack a bag, and I’ll sleep over here with you and Ash. I can sleep on the couch if you want. I just don’t want you alone until I can figure out what about those guys is triggering your spidey senses. Cool?”
Lexis’ shoulder fell, as if they had just lost a great weight that she’d been forced to hold up. “Thank you, Bryan. Normally I would try to fight you on this and try to convince you I can take care of myself. But those guys really skeeve me out. So I’m going to take you up on that.”
“I’ll wait here until you guys leave for school.” He leaned in and kissed the top of her head, pulling in a deep lungful of her scent for good measure.
Hopefully, the guys were just creeps trying to check out the hot woman next door. But even as Bryan had the thought, it got chased away with the sinking feeling that the men who moved in next to his woman were more than some horny fuckers.
Chapter Ten
Lexis
The door creaked a little as Lexis pushed it open and stepped through into Bryan’s house. Strangely, she felt like an explorer discovering new lands.
Observe the natural habitat of one Officer Bryan Coy. See the movie posters lining the living room walls? This specimen enjoys action in his movies. The threadbare brown couch and lack of throw pillows signal the man’s lack of style but need for comfort. Interesting indeed.
Lexis giggled to herself as she continued through the house. Honestly, she was a little surprised at how clean the place was. He had shoes lined up by the door, and a few dishes in the sink, but was nothing compared to how crazy her own house could get.
The walls were all a dingy white, and she suspected the Bryan had never bothered to paint them when he moved into the house. Curiosity pulled her to the second floor. Five doors lined the long hallway. Two empty small bedrooms on the right, still bigger than Ash’s room though. A bathroom that looked like it rarely got used on the left, then another bedroom set up like a gym with weights, a punching bag, and a treadmill. So that was how he kept his body so fantastically ripped.
At the end of the hall, straight ahead, was the last door. It had to be his room. Her heart raced a little as she approached the door. A thrill of excitement zapped through her as she thought about lying down in his bed and covering herself in his blankets, surrounded by his scent. Slowly, she turned the knob and opened the door.
An amused chuckle slipped out. The place was bare. Walls were painted the same old white, and a king bed sat in the middle of the room, the box spring directly on the floor. A black comforter was balled up at the foot of the bed, but at least the sheets looked fairly clean. He had no tables or nightstands next to the bed, but a stack of mystery novels sat on the floor beside the right side. Huh. She wouldn’t have p
egged him for a reader. Interesting that despite his career being one involving criminals and danger, he still enjoyed the same elements in his entertainment.
The only other furniture in the room was an Ikea dresser and a flat-screen TV with some picture frames sitting on top. Lexis smiled to herself when she saw not one of the frames matched. In fact, she was willing to wager he had bought each of the frames from the dollar store. She looked at each photo in turn: a group shot of Bryan and several other officers standing in front of the station, a formal shot of the chief handing Bryan a plague and shaking his hand, a faded photo of a tired looking woman that Lexis assumed was his mother, and a few of him with a smattering of people who looked vaguely like him, most likely the siblings he had told her about.
The photos, and the house in general, made Lexis a little sad. Bryan was such a larger-than-life man, both physically and his personality. He was funny, warm, smart. But his house reflected none of that. His house told the story of a lonely man dedicated to his job. Her heart panged with the desire to turn his house into a home. Fill it with all the love he deserved.
A muffled ping drew her attention away from the photos. Her purse still hung from her shoulder, and her phone was buried at the bottom of it. She sat on the edge of Bryan’s bed and dug out the phone. A text from Bryan filled the screen as she unlocked it.
Bryan: Find the house okay?
Lexis: Yup, I’m sitting on your bed right now.
Bryan: Don’t tease me, send me a picture.
Lexis smiled and scooted back until she laid her head on his pillow. Careful to fan her hair out in a way that said sexy instead of bedhead, she snapped a selfie and sent it off to him.
Bryan: Fuuuuck. It kills me that I don’t get to be there the first time you're in my house and my bed.