Hot as Hale (Hale Series Book 3)

by Marie James

  If I’m being honest, I don’t have time to go chasing anyone. More importantly, my job is incredibly dangerous, and it creates a lot of enemies, and the last thing I want is someone getting close to me and then getting hurt by someone who wanted to get to me. I’ve seen it happen too many times with brothers at work.

  Yet, even knowing all of that I still can’t get her off my mind. The pure innocence in her eyes makes me want to sit and talk to her for hours; the thickness of her long blond hair makes me want to grab a handful of it and…

  The ringing of my phone momentarily prevents my mind from going where it has been going a lot lately.

  “Perez,” I speak into the phone, the number not familiar. Josie maybe?

  “Hey, man.” Not Josie. Ian Hale.

  “What’s up?” I do my best to keep the disappointment out of my voice. He must be calling from work; I would have recognized his cell phone number.

  “I heard you just left Alexa’s. Anything I need to concern myself with?” Ian presses.

  I wonder if these three women knew he kept such tight tabs on them since the shooting. I’ve spoken with him more in the past three weeks than I have since we met, and we usually get together several times a month for poker and have been for years.

  “DA’s getting ready for a Grand Jury Indictment on Blake Evans. They want Alexa there for victim impact information. I just took her the subpoena.” I do my best to make it sound casual, like an everyday occurrence.

  “Don’t constables deliver those?” Busted.

  “Yeah, I mean we can deliver them as well, though,” I explain.

  “Yeah, okay. So, you hand delivered a subpoena and going over there had nothing to do with Josie?” He teases.

  “Josie’s a teacher; I didn’t expect her to be there.” Why am I defending myself to him?

  “But she was, right?” He is bordering on nagging, and I’m about ready to jump through the phone and choke him.

  “Yes. And I was pleasantly surprised to see her.” I smile again as I picture her beautiful eyes and flushed cheeks.

  “Did you ask her out?” He’s silent on the other end, waiting for me to answer.

  “I didn’t,” I respond flatly.

  “I see.” His tone borders on condescension and grates me the wrong way.

  “She likes you, you know?” He says with a lowered voice as if it’s a conspiracy.

  “How the fuck would you know that?”

  “Girls talk Kaleb. You’re a hot topic right now.” I can tell he’s grinning, and I seethe mildly at the fact that I’m the focus of that joke, but I’m busting at the seams at the knowledge that Josie talks about me even though she won’t talk to me.

  “Seriously?” I press him for more information. “You’ve heard her say she interested in me?” What is this eighth grade?

  He chuckles. “Just ask her out man.” The line goes dead.

  That fucker put that shit in my head then hangs up. If I didn’t need my phone for work, I would’ve chucked it down the damn street.

  I slide behind the wheel of my unmarked squad car with a smile on my face because I know I’ll see her again in a few days at the hearing. No way she’d let Alexa do that on her own.

  ***

  For the most part, Eddie’s is laid back and no drama. The bar is filled mostly with cops from various precincts around town; the atmosphere is one of understanding and calmness. On-the-job officers, as well as many retired cops, make Eddie’s their home away from home, nightly.

  Mondays happen to be one of the best nights to grab a few beers, in my opinion. It seems to be one of the slower nights of the week.

  I’m on my second Corona of the evening when the skinny brunette, who’s grown tired of me ignoring her from across the room, slinks over to the bar stool beside mine, sliding close enough to touch my arm. I do my best not to cringe. Her makeup is an inch thick, and not doing the job it is intended to, and as if that’s not enough, I’m certain she’s bathed in cheap perfume.

  “Hey doll,” she attempts to purr in a sexy voice. “You waitin’ for anyone?”

  Her three packs a day smoker’s voice does nothing except make my skin crawl, effectively ruining my evening. Since when do the barflies come in here?

  I rise from the stool, throw a twenty down, and turn to walk away. “Not tonight.” I throw over my shoulder before heading out into the cool spring evening air.

  Tonight is all I have to wait before I get to see Josie again. I have to keep telling myself that. I may need to go see the department shrink because I’ve never been infatuated with someone as much as I am with her.

  Chapter 3

  Josie

  I was afraid Alexa wasn’t going to want Lorali and myself to go with her to the court hearing, but she was adamant that I be there when I mentioned it in passing.

  Not sure what to wear I decided on black slacks and a pale blue silk top, seems professional enough for court without getting too dowdy and old lady like.

  I’m sitting in the kitchen going through a science board on Pinterest when Alexa enters the kitchen. The hearing at the courthouse isn’t for another couple of hours, but I tend to be super punctual.

  “Hey,” I whisper as she helps herself to a cup of coffee.

  “Hey,” she responds, her voice almost a croak, no doubt from all the moaning she’s been doing in her room lately.

  My eyes follow her through her coffee making ritual until she sits down at the table beside me with a huff. I close my laptop, knowing she’s going to want to talk.

  “Something wrong?” The look of exasperation on her face says that there is.

  She narrows her eyes at me like she can’t decide if she wants to tell me or not.

  “Look we don’t have to talk about it.” I shrug. “I know I’m not Lorali.” I turn from her and begin to open my laptop, a little hurt that she doesn’t want to confide in me.

  She huffs again, more loudly this time. “He won’t fuck me!” She blurts.

  I laugh at her brashness. “Alexa!”

  She looks at me, and the frustration is still on her face causing her brow to furrow.

  “Umm…I think I’ve heard some of that these past few days!” I raise my eyebrows and press my lips into a flat line.

  I’ve had to stay in my room the past few days with the door shut because it’s the only way to keep from hearing the activities they’ve been involved in. She’s not fooling me with the ‘I’m not getting any’ story.

  “You know what I mean!” she exclaims, and I give her the look that tells her that I obviously don’t!

  “I mean, we make love all the time…but he won’t just give it to me!” Her cheeks are flushed, which they seem to be a lot these past few days, but her displeasure is very evident in the dark red shade of her ears.

  “And why won’t he…give it to you?” I figure making love all the time to the man you love would be perfect, but with my extremely limited experience, I may be wrong.

  She takes a long drink of her coffee before answering. “It seems Garrett requires a medical release from the doctor before that will happen.”

  I grin at her. “That’s really sweet, Alexa. He doesn’t want to hurt you!” The look on her face tells me she’s not impressed with him or the fact I’m taking his side.

  Before she can respond, Garrett comes in and kisses her forehead before heading over to the coffee pot. “What are you ladies talking about?”

  “I was just telling Josie here that you refuse to fuck the shit out of me.” She says it so matter of fact, but that still doesn’t prevent my shocked reaction.

  My eyes go wide, my mouth hangs open, and I know my face is as red as her hair. “Alexa!” She knows better than to say stuff like that in front of mixed company!

  I can’t even turn around to look at Garrett, but his chuckle tells me they’ve had the conversation more than once. It seems he’s holding his own against her powers of seduction. It’s not the first time he’s resisted her. When she first m
et him, she went after him pretty tenaciously, and it took weeks for him to cave to her persuasions.

  I’m sure having an end date will help him hold out, much to Alexa’s dismay.

  After making his cup of coffee, he leans and whispers something in her ear. I couldn’t hear what he said to her but by the way she’s biting her lip when he turned to make his way back to the bedroom tells me she may be okay with waiting just a little longer. She looks off into space with a dreamy look in her eyes, and I want to ask her what he just promised, but knowing her, the answer would freak me out.

  I look back at my laptop, and we sit in silence for a while. Ten minutes or so later Garrett joins us again to kiss Alexa’s forehead and leave.

  “He’s not taking us to the courthouse this afternoon?” I ask.

  “He’s going to meet us there. He’s got a few things he has to take care of at the club.” She explains.

  “So, I guess I’ll drive us.” I turn my head back to the Pinterest board on the formation of sedimentary rocks.

  She’s silent for a while before speaking up. “About that…” I cut my eyes to her, and the mischievous smile on her face unnerves me. “I’ve made other transportation arrangements.”

  Please no!

  My eyes beg her to say Ian and Lorali.

  “What have you done?” My voice is barely above a whisper.

  “I took Kaleb up on his offer to drive us to the courthouse.” She takes a sip of her coffee, and I see her eyes light up with humor over the top of her cup.

  “Lorali and Ian aren’t going?” I lean back in my chair, arms crossed over my chest like a petulant child.

  “They’re meeting us there as well.” Her smile never leaves her face.

  “I should hate you for this!”

  “But you don’t.” She smirks.

  I hang my head and smile. “No, I don’t.”

  What am I going to do now? I’ve already wrapped my head around seeing him today. Now, I’m going to ride in a car with him to the courthouse. My heart may give out before this day is over.

  “And, Josie?” I raise my eyes and look at her. “Make sure you talk to the man this time!”

  With that, she gets up, rinses out her cup, and places it in the dishwasher. She pats me on the back for encouragement before leaving the kitchen and heading back to her room to get ready. She’s been telling me for months to go out with him, but I now wonder how much her involvement has to do with avoiding thinking about my own situation and less about me finally acknowledging my attraction to Kaleb Perez.

  Either way, I’m still going to be sitting in the same car with him, ensuring that I’ll be able to see him for longer than five minutes. I have to change my clothes; there’s no way I can wear slacks now!

  ***

  The time between Alexa informing me that we’d be riding with Kaleb until he actually knocks on the door seemed like a million years, but when I hear the sharp rasp of his knuckles hitting the wood, I instantly wish I had more time.

  I sit frozen on the couch, forcing Alexa to get up and answer the door. He stands at the threshold while we grab our purses. I manage a grin in his direction, seems that’s all I’ve been able to do thus far, as I flatten invisible wrinkles from my skirt.

  “You guys ready?” he rasps in that super sexy voice with the faint hint of Spanish heritage.

  I want to close my eyes and tell him to just talk and couldn’t care less if he just recites the Pledge of Allegiance, so long as I get to hear that sexy, accented voice.

  Alexa asks him a question my ears don’t even hear, and I take a moment while he speaks to her to drink him in. The dark gray suit fits him like a glove, cut and tailored to perfection, the button at his waist closed. In the V opening of his suit jacket are a crisp white shirt and silky green tie. I stroke my thumb against the tips of my fingers, the desire to run that tie through them immense. He has a light five o’clock shadow on his jaw and the most gorgeous green eyes I’ve ever seen. His entire body, along with his tan skin, sends a swarm of butterflies to my belly…a feeling I’m learning to love.

  All too soon his eyes cut back to me, his mouth in a full mega-watt grin send those butterflies even lower, and I attempt to resist the urge to squeeze my thighs together.

  My cheeks flush again as I skirt past him towards the door, the faint smell of his spicy cologne not helping the condition my body is in, which embarrassingly includes damp panties.

  I walk out first, allowing Alexa to lock up the apartment, putting as much distance between myself and Kaleb as I can. He’s a great detective, and I’m sure if he’s given a long enough opportunity he’ll be able to somehow detect the condition of my panties.

  Chapter 4

  Kaleb

  Two things happen when we approach my car. One, I hear Alexa giggle and rush to the door for the back seat. Second, I hear Josie sigh as I open the front passenger side for her. The timid “thank you” she offers under her breath makes me grin.

  For a split second I wish she was a perp so I could briefly touch the top of her head to make sure she doesn’t bang it on the door frame. Her wavy, long blond hair is flowing down her back, and I bet it feels like butter-soft silk, my fingers tingle with the urge to stroke it. I don’t of course. The ‘thank you’ I just got from her is the entirety of every word she has said to me. I think reaching out and petting her would be a step too far at this point.

  I chuckle to myself as I walk around the front of the car to get into the driver’s seat. I glance back at Alexa in the rearview mirror and notice she has clicked her seatbelt into place. I glance over to Josie and notice her knee is bouncing and her fingers are steadily drumming on her thighs. I wonder what part of this situation she’s nervous about.

  “Josie?” I clear my voice. Her name came out much huskier than I had intended.

  She turns her head and looks at me for long seconds. This is the closest we’ve ever been, and the air surrounding us is electric, energy pinging all around the inside of the car with nowhere to escape. I smile at her and nearly moan when she smiles back, and her tongue snakes out and wets her bottom lip.

  “Yes?” she finally whispers.

  I force my eyes to stay open when the urgency to close them hits; my mind has altered the situation, asking a different question for her to answer ‘yes’ to.

  “Seatbelt.” I manage on a puff of air.

  “Oh,” she snaps into action, the trance and moment broken.

  I hear a small chuckle from the back seat and look at Alexa in the rearview mirror. She winks at me. I shake my head and smile, putting the car into gear.

  I clear my throat before speaking when we’re about five minutes from the courthouse. “There will be quite a few people here. Most are here for other cases. The grand jury may not even ask to hear from you, but the District Attorney’s office always likes to be prepared in case they do.”

  I keep my eyes on the road, but I can see Josie in my periphery, and she glances over at me each time I speak.

  “The schedule is tentative, and the process sometimes takes longer than expected.” I lick my lips and swallow hard when Josie shifts in her seat, forcing my focus to her lean legs. She’s wearing a modest enough skirt; very court appropriate, but the sight of her bare skin still causes tension in my pants.

  I roll my head around on my neck, trying to regain my train of thought. There’s another chuckle from the back seat.

  I clear my throat again. Man, I sound like I’m coming down with a cold. “I’ll let them know that you’re present and that may help them move it along faster since this is a pretty high-profile case.”

  “High profile?” Implores the beautiful woman beside me.

  I’m thankful we’re at a red light so I can give her all of my attention. “Murder case,” I respond, wishing this situation were different. It’s nothing new for me, but definitely something citizens of Denver should never have to deal with.

  She nods her head solemnly in acknowledgment; the flow of her si
lky hair on her shoulders has me hypnotized. The blare of the car horn behind us ruins the moment. My eyes once again meet Alexa’s in the mirror. Her mannerisms make me well aware she can easily read my attraction for Josie; I just wish Josie was as easy to read.

  This case is all I have to do today, and I make it my mission right then and there to not leave Josie’s side today until she agrees to go out with me. No chance in hell I’m just going to drop off another damn business card and hope she takes the next step. Once she agrees, I wonder how long it will take Ian to call me and congratulate me on finally growing a pair.

  My father didn’t raise me to wait for a woman to call me. He’d roll over in his grave now if he saw me dancing around this woman. I’ve been a cop for six years and a detective for the last eighteen months. I read people; it’s my job to know what they’re thinking and feeling by their bodies’ reactions before their minds can even register the thoughts.

  Josie? Well, this beautiful woman is a quandary. My cop radar and intuition are off with her. Like the sight of her frazzles my brain or her body contains jammers that prevent me from getting a good read on her, but by this evening ‘Operation Get a Date’ will be put into action. We’ll either have plans to go out, or she’ll shoot me down.

  ***

  Once I have Alexa and Josie situated in the courtroom, I head to the district attorney’s office to let them know that she’s here. They assure me that they are presenting the other murder they have right now, and the Blake Evans case will be heard next. I head back into the courtroom to give them the good news.

  By the time I step into the courtroom, Ian and his fiancée Lorali, as well as Garrett Hale, have joined them. I stand at the end of the row and just as I’m about to cut in front of the line of sitting people to get to the chair at the end, they all begin to slide down a chair. The chair left once they stop moving is right beside Josie.

  I look down the line, and it’s Lorali that winks at me this time. I do my best to hide my grin and give her the faintest of nods, telling her thank you. I sit down beside Josie with my hands resting in my lap and look around the room. I survey the crowd, assessing threats, and seeing if there is anyone in here I know beside the bailiff and a few attorneys.