I grabbed the vase, walked toward the garbage can pushed up against the garage, and threw it inside. I dropped the lid and stared at the trash can. Tears rolled down my face unchecked. I turned to head back to my car to grab the rest of the groceries and saw my neighbor standing in his own driveway, staring at me.
He smirked. “I take it red isn’t your color?”
I couldn’t joke. I wasn’t up for sarcasm. I used the heel of my hand to wipe away the tears staining my cheeks and ruining my makeup.
“Red’s fine. They’re from my ex—the one I called and reported the other night.”
He looked at me, and I saw the second realization dawned. “Oh,” he mumbled.
I nodded. “Yes, oh. He knows where I live now,” I wailed.
I didn’t wait to hear what he had to say. I grabbed the remaining bags from the trunk of my Nissan Maxima and headed inside. The excitement I had felt about putting away my groceries in my new kitchen and decorating with the stuff I had gotten at the thrift store was lost.
What was the point? I didn’t need to stay here anymore. I could go home and return to my old life. Clearly, there was nowhere I could go to escape him.
The broken windows had only been a one-time thing, though, right? Maybe Asher wasn’t as bad as everyone was making him out to be. He had lost his temper. He wouldn’t do it again. I wasn’t in any real danger. That stuff only happened in the movies.
With the frozen goods put away, I grabbed my phone and called Emma.
“He said he’s here. What does that mean?” I asked, doing my best to keep the panic out of my voice.
“Who’s there?” she asked.
I shook my head. I wasn’t thinking straight. I quickly filled her in on the flowers and what the note had said.
“Dammit!” she shouted. “What the hell is with that guy?”
“I don’t know. I think I made things worse,” I groaned.
“You need to call the police and report the delivery. They need to know the guy is escalating. He found you. That couldn’t have been easy. How did he find you?” she mused aloud.
“I don’t know. And technically, the police do know. The neighbor happened to see me throwing the flowers in the trash.”
“Save the card. We may need it to prove he’s stalking and harassing you. There are laws against stalking. If we can’t get him for the harassment, we should be able to get him on the stalking at the very least,” she reasoned.
“I don’t want to get it out of the trash.”
“Do it anyway. Was it his handwriting?” she asked.
I gulped down the lump in my throat. “Yes.”
“Shit,” she hissed. “How in the hell did he find you?”
“I have no idea. Maybe he has a tracker on my phone!” Suddenly I felt as if the walls had eyes and I was being watched at every turn. “I need one of those bug-sweeper things. What if he put cameras in the house while I was gone?” I said, my mind spinning out of control.
“Relax. You weren’t gone all that long. The doors were locked, right?”
I nodded. “Yes.”
“Check your windows. I’m going to talk to your parents about having a security system installed.”
I knew she was thinking out loud and didn’t mean to say what she was thinking.
“Don’t do that. I don’t need them worrying,” I warned her.
“Savannah, they need to know. This isn’t okay. A security system is cheap. Hell, even I could afford it. That’s it. I’ve made up my mind. You’re getting one with one of those doorbell camera things. We are going to nail this guy’s balls to the wall!”
I laughed. “That’s an image I won’t be getting out of my mind anytime soon.”
“Good. We’ll get pictures and proof he’s harassing you. The police can’t deny that. I have to go. I’ll check in with you tonight. Keep your doors locked, even while you’re home,” she instructed.
“I will. Don’t tell my parents—please, Emma. I’ll be okay. This is just his way of making up. He always gives me roses.”
“You’re not making up this time, Savannah. No way, no how. If you even think about trying to smooth things over with him, I will strangle you. Has he called you on your new number?”
“No. I’ve only had it a couple hours, though.”
She let out a long breath. “Check in tonight. I’ll see you later,” she said and hung up.
I knew Emma. She was probably already dialing a security company or my parents. When the girl got something in her head, there was no changing her mind. Her stubborn independence was something Asher hated. It was why he hated when Emma and I spent any time together. He always said she was filling my head with lies and trying to get me to be more like her.
If only I was more like her. Then I wouldn’t have allowed him to do what he had done for so long.
Chapter Six
Cameron
I couldn’t shake the feeling I’d had ever since I’d seen Savannah crying yesterday. I knew domestic abuse situations could be tough. I was usually the guy that had to go out on the calls at two in the morning because some guy was in a rage because his wife or girlfriend had burned the meatloaf. I had seen firsthand how ugly the situations could get.
For some reason, Savannah didn’t fit my idea of what an abused woman looked like. Obviously, they came in all shapes and sizes and were from all economic backgrounds, but what man could ever hurt a woman like Savannah? She was so small and fragile-looking. It was beyond my understanding how a man could treat her like shit.
I was thinking about her when I should have been focused on mowing the lawn and doing my part to keep up with the neighborhood standards. It was my day off, and with Lily at school, I had no excuse not to get caught up on the chores that were being neglected.
I went outside and pulled the lawnmower out of the garage. As I was checking the gas level, I heard a sound. It was my pretty little neighbor wearing a pair of short shorts that showed off a pair of shapely, tanned legs.
Before I could stop myself or think twice about it, I stopped my work on the lawnmower and walked up to the shrubs that divided our properties.
“Hey,” I said, grabbing her attention.
She looked at me and smiled. “Hi.”
Damn, she was gorgeous. Maybe it was the shorts, or maybe it was that it had been a while since I’d gotten laid, but she was a beautiful, sexy woman.
“I’m sorry about being a shitty neighbor. Would you like to come over for pizza tonight?” I blurted out.
I sounded like a lunatic. First, I was a dick to her about her moving truck, then I brushed off her claim of being harassed, and then, for my final act, I laughed at her getting flowers from the guy. I wasn’t really scoring a lot of points. I was hoping a few slices of pizza would smooth things over. I wasn’t looking for a girlfriend, but I didn’t need to start fights with the neighbors—especially neighbors who looked like her.
She hesitated. “Oh, I don’t know.”
“No problem. That’s cool. Your boyfriend would probably not appreciate me asking you over for pizza. My daughter will be home,” I added, feeling like an even bigger idiot.
She smiled. “I don’t have a boyfriend. I have a crazy ex. I would love to come over for pizza,” she said, quickly changing her mind.
I had a feeling she felt safer knowing my daughter was going to be there. It wasn’t like I’d asked her over for a quickie.
“Good. Let’s say six? Does that work for you?”
She giggled. “I don’t exactly have a busy schedule at the moment. Six is fine. Can I bring anything?”
“Nope. Just yourself.”
I managed to curb my train of thought and avoided saying “bring your hot body.” I hoped to god she put on some pants before she came over. I was struggling to keep my eyes off those perfect legs that ran into a tiny waist. From the waist up, there was nothing tiny about her.
“Thank you. I’ll see you then. I have to run to the store. Are you sure there’s not
hing I can bring?” she asked before getting into her car.
I shook my head. “Nope.”
She waved and left, and I had to take several deep breaths to knock down the boner that was threatening to rise to the occasion. It was just pizza, nothing else.
The day flew by, and before I knew it, the doorbell rang. I wasn’t sure if it was the pizza or Savannah. Lily was buzzing about the idea of having company for dinner and jumped up and down while she waited for me to check the door. It was the pizza delivery man.
I had barely closed the door when Savannah rang the bell.
“That’s her!” Lily cried out, excited to have company other than Adam or Grandma and Grandpa.
I opened the door. “Come in. Forgive Lily. She’s a little excited to have a guest over. We don’t entertain often, as you can probably guess,” I said with a friendly smile.
It felt a little strange to smile, but once I got the hang of it, it came easily.
“Hi, Lily,” Savannah said with a warm smile. “Thank you for letting me eat dinner with you and your dad tonight. I’m not a very good cook,” she said, chuckling as she did.
Lily giggled. “Neither is my dad. We eat a lot of pizza.”
“Hey, now. I try. I can make a mean box of mac and cheese,” I said, defending myself.
Savannah laughed. “Then you’re a step ahead of me. I can make scrambled eggs and toast.”
Lily smiled. “I can make that.”
“I bet you can, and I bet it tastes really good.”
Lily beamed. “I’ll make you breakfast.”
The tone in the room changed in an instant. Savannah looked up at me, and I wasn’t sure if I was blushing or if I had paled.
“Maybe we’ll have eggs and toast for dinner one of these nights,” I said to Lily. Then to Savannah, I said, “This way.” I led them into the kitchen and dining area.
“You have a beautiful home,” Savannah said.
I looked around at the furnishings and shrugged. “Thank you.”
She laughed. “I moved into that house from a tiny one-bedroom apartment. It feels like a cold mansion to me.”
“Where’d you move from?” I asked, grabbing three plates out of the cupboard and carrying them to the table.
“Bonner.”
“Oh, up north?” I asked, vaguely familiar with the town.
She nodded. “Yep.”
“What brought—” I stopped talking, remembering the call the other night. I knew what had brought her here, and it wasn’t a topic I wanted to discuss in front of Lily.
Savannah nodded, understanding it was off-limits.
“Are we going to sit at the table?” Savannah asked Lily.
“Yes. Dad says pizza is too messy for the couch.”
“I think your dad is right. I’m not supposed to eat pizza on the couch either.”
“How come?” Lily asked.
“Because my dad says I’m too messy. When I was little, I accidentally spilled red juice on his new couch.”
Lily’s eyes widened. “You did? Did you get in trouble?”
Savannah laughed. “The first three times I did it, no. But then my dad got angry and said no more drinks or red stuff in the living room.”
That sent Lily into a fit of laughter. The three of us sat down at the table and dug into our pizza.
“Would you like water or milk?” I asked Savannah before realizing that was a little childish. “I have cold beer if you prefer that.”
“I’ll take a beer if you’re having one,” she said in a somewhat shy voice.
I grabbed two and handed her one. It was strange to be sitting at the kitchen table with Lily and a woman. Strange in a good way. Lily was peppering her with questions about her family and what she did. I realized then how great Lily was for a first date. She was asking all the questions without sounding too nosy.
“Music, huh?” I asked. “You know the competition is fierce, right?”
She laughed. “Well, I don’t want to be a singer. That would never work out well. I want to produce music.”
I had no idea what that was. I shrugged a shoulder. “I wish you luck.”
“I wish me luck too. I applied for a lot of jobs yesterday and one internship.”
“What’s an internship?” Lily asked.
I listened as she explained it to Lily in a way she could understand. It was sweet and maternal. I could tell Lily was already very fond of Savannah.
She was my neighbor. This wasn’t a relationship. It was okay for Lily and Savannah to be friends, I told myself.
“Hey, little lady, it’s late and time for you to brush your teeth and get ready for bed,” I said, noticing it was already eight.
“Oh, I should go. I didn’t realize it was so late,” Savannah said, standing from her seat at the table.
“I’ve got more beer,” I blurted out. “I’ll put her to bed and we can hang out a little longer if you’d like?”
I wasn’t sure why I said it. I didn’t want her to go. I liked having adult conversation, and she was so easy to talk to. I had a feeling she didn’t really want to be alone either.
“Sure. That’d be nice. I’ll clean up in here while you take care of Lily.”
Lily walked over and threw her arms around Savannah’s waist. “Good night, Savannah.”
Savannah bent over and hugged her. “Good night, Lily. I hope you have fun and get to learn something at school tomorrow.”
“Me too,” Lily replied in all seriousness.
I quickly went through the nighttime routine with Lily. She chatted a mile a minute about our guest and how much she liked her. When I returned to the kitchen, Savannah had cleared the table and put the leftover pizza in the fridge.
I grabbed a couple beers and opened the patio doors, leading her outside.
“It’s a nice night,” I commented, noticing the bright stars in the sky and the warm weather.
“It is.”
She took a seat on one of the lounge chairs, and I took the other.
“So, the boyfriend situation—did you report those flowers?” I asked.
She didn’t look at me. “No.”
“You still can.”
“It’s okay. It won’t do any good.”
“Well, I’m here if you need me. I can be big and scary when needed,” I joked.
She laughed softly. “Thank you. I did tell my parents I lived next door to a cop. I wouldn’t be surprised if they purposely picked this house because of that fact.”
We talked a while longer about the city, our pasts, and what we liked to eat. I loved talking with her. It was so easy. She was smart and didn’t work hard to impress me by saying what she thought I wanted to hear.
“I should probably get going,” she murmured, sitting up in the chair and turning to face me.
I sat up in my own. We sat less than a foot apart, facing each other in the moonlight. I stood up, reached down to help her up, and found myself standing close to her. I wasn’t sure what came over me, but I leaned down and kissed her.
Her lips parted a fraction as my lips moved over hers. She hesitated at first, but then something sparked and ignited between us. The kiss started out as a simple good-night kiss and then ramped up to something so passionate, I could literally feel the heat emanating from our bodies. My hands moved to her waist. I held on tight as I thrust my tongue inside over and over, wanting our bodies joined. I couldn’t seem to get enough of her, and she was clearly in the same frame of mind.
Her hands were on my shoulders, holding me close to her.
“Do you want to go inside?” I asked, taking a second to regain my composure.
“Yes,” she breathed out.
My heart raced with excitement jumbled with nerves. I led her inside, stopping to lock the doors before leading her down the hall and to my room. This was not something I’d ever done. Sure, I’d had women over, but never while Lily was in the next room.
I quietly closed the bedroom door behind me and looked down a
t Savannah. I cupped her face and kissed her again, letting myself enjoy every second of it.
Chapter Seven
Savannah
I hadn’t come to his house with the intention of sleeping with him. I hadn’t been with anyone since Asher. I had been too afraid to date or even try to hook up with anyone else. Here, with Cameron, things were different. He made me feel safe. I felt like I could kick back and relax with him and it would all be okay.
I looked up at his chiseled face and those dark blue eyes that held so much depth. His black hair was silky smooth and made his eyes seem so much bolder. I ran my hand over his face, staring into his eyes and wanting to get lost in them.
The man was large. It was a little intimidating. Asher was average, nothing all that big about him—anywhere. Being enveloped by Cameron’s strength and muscular build was exciting and scary at the same time.
“You okay with this?” he whispered, his mouth a hair’s breadth from mine.
“Yes,” I told him, leaning up on my tiptoes and kissing him.
Just like that, the passion I had felt on the patio was back. The moment his lips touched mine, heat raced through my body. My nerve endings came alive, and I couldn’t get enough of him.
His hands moved to the hem of my shirt. He pulled it up, moving his head back while I lifted my arms, and slipped it over my head.
“Goddamn, you’re beautiful,” he said, reaching down to cup my breasts in the muted light of the room.
I felt myself blushing. The pads of his thumbs moved over my cleavage, which was pushed up higher by my demi bra. His large hands splayed out and moved down my middle before running around my waist and roaming over my back. I felt my bra loosen. He deftly pulled it off and ran his rough hands over the sensitive flesh of my breasts.
I was too helpless to move. It all felt too good, better than anything I’d ever experienced before.
He flipped the button of my jeans before slowly pulling the zipper down. His hands caressed my hips and then my thighs as he pushed my jeans down my legs. I stood there, letting him undress me, loving the gentle care he showed despite his large size.
Hot Cop Next Door: A Second Chance Romance Page 4