All I really want to do is just get some sleep and get back to my woman.
A motel it is.
I drive just outside of town to the only one we have in the area.
Luckily there’s a room and I take it immediately.
But there’s another room that I’m thinking of for later. One that won’t involve sleeping either.
I take out my phone and “book” that one too.
I grab Malia’s water bowl from the truck and fill it up the second we step into the room.
I place it on the floor, pull back the comforter and face-plant into the bed.
The last thing I remember is Malia’s cold wet nose against my arm as I pass out…thinking of Quinn.
CHAPTER 11
Kane
I feel something nudging me in my side and I open my eyes.
My vision is blurry and at first I’m shaken, wondering where I am.
But then I see it’s just Malia and I remember that I got this motel room to crash in.
Malia is moaning and she moves her nose from my side to the table, where I see my phone. I don’t even remember putting it there.
She scoots it across the table in my direction and I grab it just before it falls off the edge and then look at the screen where I see the alerts.
Twelve missed calls.
Seventeen texts
Three voice messages
What in the heck?
I start off by reading the texts.
Oh no.
I quickly sit up and put my feet on the floor trying to make sense of what’s happening.
I switch from the texts to the missed calls and then back to the text.
I haven’t been answering so Quinn thinks I got cold feet and changed my mind.
And to make matters worse Quentin apparently called her and told her what happened.
Great. Just great.
But what did he say to her that made her think I changed my mind?
And why doesn’t he mind his own damn business?
Now I’ve got to win her back and there’s no time to waste.
I jump up out of bed and run to the sink to splash some water on my face.
But just then I hear a knock on the door.
My head turns sideways as I look at the door.
Another knock. Yeah it’s definitely my door.
Who in the heck would be knocking on my door?
Nobody even knows I’m here.
Time to go find out what this is all about.
Just another thing to deal with that I don’t need right now.
The only thing I need is her and everything else is nothing more than an obstacle that has to be pushed to the side until she’s back in my arms.
The peephole is dark. Whoever it is is playing kid games.
I put my hand on the knob and turn opening it and completely surprised by who I see standing before me.
CHAPTER 12
Quinn
I pace my tiny apartment, if you can call taking three steps one way and then three steps back pacing.
Is this really over? And just as quickly as it started?
Why did my brother have to be such a jerk about things?
I don’t ever want to talk to him again and because of him I may never talk to Kane again.
I admire Kane for thinking of me and going to speak with my brother about this, but in a lot of ways I wish he wouldn’t have.
This is about us, nobody else.
But I know family comes first and in the long run we’d need Quentin on our side if our relationship was to be truly perfect.
It would be awkward always knowing that my brother was pretty much out of my life, and Kane’s, because of us.
I’d still be with Kane no matter what, but it wouldn’t give me that storybook ending I felt I was so close to.
And now?
I have no idea what I’m close to, except that I’m close to going crazy surrounded by these four walls.
I have to get out and get some air.
I grab my jacket and walk to the door. I turn the knob with my head down, zipping up the zipper as I step outside and feel a thump as I bump into something.
But instead of falling backwards I feel two big, strong hands wrap on the sides of my arms and I’m held perfectly upright.
I look up.
“Kane? Malia?”
“You were expecting someone else?”
“No…I was just…I mean.”
“And perfect timing. I was just thinking we could go somewhere.”
“Um…yeah. Okay,” I say, not sure what’s happening but glad he’s back.
“But first I need this,” he says.
“Wha—”
Before I can get the words out his lips come crashing down onto mine.
His grip on my arms tightens before his hands slide around me into a hug and my hands do the same.
It feels so perfect to be in his arms and feel his kiss.
“I missed that,” he says as his lips release from mine.
“Me too,” I say. “And I missed you too, Malia,” I say as I squat down and give her a big hug.
I feel her head on my shoulder and her big tongue on the side my face. “Hey!” I say.
“Looks like I’m not the only one who can’t get enough of your kisses,” Kane says.
“Nor can I ever get enough of yours,” I say standing back up and kissing him again and again and again and again…
CHAPTER 13
Kane
“Why are there police cars in front of us and behind us?”
“That’s odd,” I say looking in my rearview mirror…as if I don’t know why.
I included it in the terms of my returning from my suspension. Seems as if the entire station came to my defense, in addition to some prominent people I’ve helped in the course of fighting crime, the chief had to relent…quickly.
And it’s just a part of my plan that also involves doing something to that left hand of hers which I’m holding tightly in-between us as I drive.
I make the turn that will take me to the end of this chapter in my life and start a new one…if everything goes as planned.
“Your hand is getting sweaty,” she says.
“Must be the humidity.”
“Humidity? There’s no humidity,” she says.
For the first time in my life I truly feel nervous. Not nervous about what’s about to happen, but nervous in a good way as I picture everything that the next few minutes will lead to in my life.
“Are you okay?” she asks.
“Check out the view,” I say and she leans closer to me and her eyes widen as she stares at me.
“Out the window, beautiful,” I say.
“I’ve got the best view in the world right here,” she says, her eyes not coming off of me.
“Me too,” I say quickly turning to look into her eyes before I look back at the road in front of us just in time to see the police cruiser in front of us slow down.
“What’s happening?” she asks.
“I don’t know,” I say with concern.
Suddenly the officer on the driver’s side steps out of the car.
“Please step out of the vehicle,” he says loudly into the bullhorn.
“Oh my god. Are we in trouble? Can you tell him you’re a cop?”
“I actually got put on suspension yesterday.”
“You what?”
“Yeah, I was meaning to tell you that,” I say.
“Oh my god. What’s going on?”
“Let’s just do as the officer says,” I say and I help her out through the passenger side and follow her, of course not wanting to get out on the side the traffic is on.
The arresting officer backs up and gets back into his car.
“What is he doing?” she asks.
“Quinn,” I say. “Look at me.”
Her eyes turn to me and she looks concerned, but not scared.
“There’s no reason to ever worry about anything, ev
er, because I’m always going to be here by your side.”
“I know, it’s just—”
“They're here because of me…because of us.”
“What?”
“Let me help you,” I say as help her over the barrier that separates the traffic from the sidewalk.
There’s no one on the sidewalk…just as I’d asked.
“I’m on suspension for a couple more days.”
“You’re suspended? What for? Please tell me what’s going on?”
“I got suspended because I didn’t arrest you during that bust yesterday, but it’s okay. I’ve been reinstated and this is part of the terms.”
“Suspended? Reinstated? What for?”
“Suspended because the thought of putting handcuffs on you yesterday never crossed my mind…but the thought of putting something else on your hand sure did. And that’s why we're here. Why they’re here,” I say motioning to the patrol cars. “The suspension was the best thing that could have happened to me because it gave me a chance to demand the terms of my reinstatement. And those terms include all this…and that I don’t have to be back to work for another week because we’re going to be busy.”
“Busy? I don’t understand.”
“Busy celebrating,” I say as I take a knee and Malia howls as I pull the small black box out of my pocket and open it.
CHAPTER 14
Quinn
I feel totally confused about what’s going on and all these cryptic messages he’s sending me, but when he takes a knee and I see that gorgeous ring suddenly everything makes sense.
“Beautiful, there’s nothing I more that I want in this life than you. It was by chance that we found each other yesterday, and I’m not taking the chance of ever losing you.”
I feel the tears in my eyes as my hands tremble.
“And it’s not by chance that we’re here right now on one of the most beautiful creations that man ever made. And whoever created the angel standing before me certainly broke the mold after they did because you are truly one of a kind. And I want you to be mine right here, right now, on this bridge that serves as the most famous ‘connector’ of two things in the world…the most famous until the world sees the love I have for you when I slide this ring on your finger and make you mine as we become connected together forever…if you make me the happiest man in the world and just say yes. Will you marry me?”
I nod profusely as I feel the wetness on my cheeks. “Yes,” I say. “Yes!”
He slides the ring onto my finger and I grab his face as he stands and we kiss for the first time as a couple engaged to be married.
I hear a loud round of cheering and horns honking and look to see that the cars have stopped and are celebrating with us. Malia even joins in from the Jeep, howling her approval long and deep.
A helicopter flies overhead causing me to look up.
“That wasn’t me,” he says, and we both bust out laughing.
“I just wish my brother was here to see this, but I guess he’ll have to see it on the news. Local couple stops traffic on the Golden Gate as man proposes,” I say. “Incredible. I wonder what he’s gonna think now?”
“Why don’t you ask him?”
“What?”
Kane motions with his head toward the police car behind his Jeep and the back door opens and out steps my brother.
He’s got a big grin on his face as he walks over towards us.
“Sorry for the way I acted, sis. I’m your brother. It’s my job to protect you, even if I may have been out of line.”
“It’s okay,” I say regardless of if it was or it wasn’t. That doesn’t matter now. All that matters is that everything is perfect.
“But this guy can protect you even better than I can and I know now just how much he loves you and I can see how happy he makes you. I wish you nothing but success and happiness,” he says.
“Oh Quentin,” I say and pull him in close for a hug.
“Best man?” Kane says.
“If you’ll have me,” he says.
Kane and Quentin hug and it’s like we’re halfway done with the wedding planning already.
“I have to get a dress. I have to get a cake. I have to—”
“Get a moving,” one of the police officers says. “You know the chief is already hot that he had to do this, Kane,” the officer says turning his attention to my soon to be husband.
“We’re not done yet, sergeant,” Kane says.
“Ready to really give ‘em something to see on the eleven o’clock news tonight?”
“What do you mean,” I ask.
He scoops me up off my feet and kisses me right on the lips and the clapping from the passersby intensifies and the helicopter news crew swoops in for a close up.
“Now let’s get outta here and go celebrate,” Kane says.
“Deal!” I say and we move back towards the Jeep as I take in the sight, the smells, the sounds and most importantly the feeling of what’s just happened. It was easily the most exciting few minutes of my life and I will never, ever forget this.
And thanks to the news crew and the fact that I work at the biggest social media website in the world, the world may just never forget it either.
We get in the car and cross the bridge and then head right back across again.
“Where’s the police car my brother was in?” I say looking in the side mirror.
“He has to work tomorrow,” Kane says. “Plus this is our life, and there are a lot of things that are just between the two of us…like the way we’re going to celebrate tonight.”
“Ohhh!” I say.
“Oh is right,” he says.
“What about Malia?” I say. “Wait! Where is she?”
I feel his hand squeeze mine. “She’s okay. The officers took her and she’ll be with the other dogs at the K-9 unit tonight having a great time.”
“And us?”
“We’re going to be having a great time too,” he says. “The best time of all.”
CHAPTER 15
Quinn
The Jeep pulls to a stop as Kane parks.
“Nob Hill?” I ask.
“Yep,” he says as he runs around the side to help me out, all the while I’m looking out the window at one of the most famous views in the entire country. The Golden Gate Bridge, where I just got engaged…I’m still in shock, is off in the distance. And the hill is lined with so many beautiful homes and the tracks for the public transportation line run right down the hill too. It’s literally like a scene out of a postcard.
He offers me his arm as he escorts me up to the front door of an absolutely beautiful home, but after he turns the key I start to enter but he stops me.
“Ut uh uh,” he says as he scoops me up in his arms.
“Wooo!” I say as I’m suddenly horizontal. “I thought being carried through the threshold was after being married.”
“We’re going to do it again then,” he says. “In a different house.”
We enter the home and he nudges the door shut, still carrying me as we head upstairs.
“I can walk if you want to put me down,” I say.
“Never!” he says. “I want you in my arms all night and into tomorrow and the next day and the next and the next.”
“I like the sound of that,” I say. “Oh! And I like the look of that!”
As we walk into the top floor of the house I see an entire three hundred and sixty degree view courtesy of the floor to ceiling glass up here on the top level.
“And I’m loving the look of what’s in my arms,” he says.
He leans in and I feel his biceps flex as he lifts me higher and we kiss.
Then he carries me over to the bed and sets me down.
Possessive K-9 Cop: An Older Man Younger Woman Romance (A Man Who Knows What He Wants Book 74) Page 5