by D Scott
I get inside my car and lock my doors but I don’t crank up.
Instead, I lean my forehead against the steering wheel and let the tears run freely. Feeling completely heartbroken.
An hour left and I’ll be able to go home and curl up in my bed.
I sigh.
I’ve been counting down the minutes of my shift since I walked in the door. I feel bad because I usually enjoy being here, but tonight I can’t even muster up enough energy to fake it.
My stomach flips as my mind once again drifts back to what I saw this afternoon. I’m not so far gone that I’ve haven’t tried to convince myself that there’s a plausible explanation for what I saw. But I know she isn’t a family member of his, because everyone in Gavin’s family has blonde hair and green eyes. Maybe it was just a friendly lunch and I have nothing to be worried about. But every time I try make myself believe that my thoughts shift in the other direction.
Maybe he’s stringing me along until something better comes along?
He could just telling me what I want to hear but still keeping his options open.
It wouldn’t be the first time a guy has led a girl on while hoping to find someone better.
I shake my head.
Those are the thoughts that have been going back and forth in my head, and I feel like I’m going insane. It doesn’t help matters that the woman was freaking gorgeous and looked to be closer to his age than mine. Not to mention, he went without telling me.
“God, just stop thinking about it, Gina,” I tell myself.
Luckily there’s no one around to hear me talking to myself since I’m alone in the storage room. I unwrap another new glass from the packing paper and wipe it off before placing on the shelf.
I’ve been back here for two hours, trapped alone with my thoughts while unwrapping the new shipment of glassware that came in. Well, maybe not trapped, considering I volunteered to do this instead of being out on the floor since it’s been pretty slow tonight. I wasn’t in the mood to make small talk, but now I’m thinking that being alone with my thoughts in this closet is even worse. I sigh again.
Only an hour left.
I turn up the volume on the old beat up stereo in the corner, hoping it’ll drown out my thoughts, and then go back to unwrapping glasses. I finish the box I’ve been working on for about half an hour and pick it up to take it out back. I could probably get this done a lot faster if I did all the boxes at once but since they’re kind of heavy I’ve been carrying them to the closet one at a time because I read that heavy lifting isn’t good during pregnancy. And since I’m not planning to tell anyone here about the baby just yet, I’ll suck it up and do it this way. I carry the empty box out of the closet and head towards the back door. But right before I can make it to the door, I’m stopped by a painfully familiar voice.
“We need to talk,” he growls.
I turn around to see Gavin walking towards me looking beyond angry.
“Excuse me?” I return, not liking the tone in his voice.
“I said we need to fucking talk. Now,” he says, growling again. I scoff.
“Well, ‘hello’ to you, too, deputy.”
His nostrils flare at my sarcastic tone. “I’m not in the fucking mood, Gina.”
Yeah, I can see that.
I keep that thought to myself, and roll my eyes instead. Looking behind Gavin, I make sure no one is looking our way, then I drop the box by the door. I walk to the employee locker room, which is luckily in the back, so we don’t need to go far to have some privacy. I open the door and enter the room, listening as he follows in behind me. He shuts the door with a slam that has me jerking back around.
“What the hell is the matter with you? I’m trying to work, you shouldn’t be storming back here like—”
“Why the hell weren’t you at school today?” He cuts me off like I wasn’t just in the middle of speaking.
“Um — what?”
He locks the door then leans against it. “You heard me. Why weren’t you at school today?”
His tone is accusatory, and I’m so caught off guard I can only answer his question with a question. “How do you know whether or not I was at school today?”
He crosses his arms angrily. “Don’t play games — I know you weren’t there.”
And just like that, I’m pissed too.
How the hell can he come in here acting like I’m the one in the wrong when he went to lunch with another woman?
My back stiffens as I gear up to defend myself. “Well, since you seem to have all the answers already, deputy — why don’t you tell me why I wasn’t at school today.”
I cross my arms defiantly.
He takes a menacing step forward. “I asked you a question, Gina.”
I lift my brow. “And I said, since you seem to have all the answers, Gavin, why don’t you tell me.”
“I got off work, came to bring you lunch, and couldn’t find you. I didn’t see your car in the lot so I made an inquiry about you and found out you’d been gone all day,” he tilts his head. “Your turn.”
I narrow my eyes. “And that’s it?” I question, waiting to see if he’s going to bring up his lunch date.
He raises a brow and clenches his jaw, but doesn’t say anything else.
I shake my head. “Whatever.”
“Where were you? And it better not have anything to do with your brothers.”
I roll my eyes. “For your information, not everything I do revolves around them.”
He takes another step before gritting out, “Then where the hell were you?”
I lean forward slightly with my arms still folded. “None of your damn business.”
“You really think it’s a good idea to get involved in some illegal shit after what happened last time?”
My jaw drops. “So now I’m a criminal?”
“That’s not what I said,” he argues through clenched teeth.
“You didn’t need to say it, you implied it.”
“I didn’t imply shit — don’t twist my words. I know what the hell I said.”
“Fine. You’re right, deputy. Can I go now?”
“No,” he snaps. Then he stalks toward me with a furious look on his face.
I hold my ground as he moves towards me until there’s barely an inch between us. Only when he’s leaning down so that we’re nose to nose does he speak again.
“I find out your ass is up to some more misfit shit you’re gonna regret it.”
I let out a harsh breath before questioning, “Is that a threat?”
He reaches up and takes my jaw firmly in his hand. “No, it’s a fucking promise. Now keep your ass in school.” He gives me a hard stare for another second before letting go of my jaw and walking towards the door.
I watch him leave with my jaw clenched and several choice words stuck in my throat. The moment he’s gone I turn, slamming my hand against the row of lockers behind me.
“Arggghh!”
God, how has this week been so shitty and it’s only Wednesday?
Chapter 8
Gavin
One Week Later — Wednesday
I pull up outside Gina’s house, and looking up the driveway I see that she’s the only one home.
Typical.
Her brothers are rarely there at night, leaving her home alone most nights. Usually we FaceTime on those nights so I can watch over her, or I’ll listen to her on the phone if I have to work the night shift so I know she’s okay. But it’s been almost a week since I’ve heard from my girl and I’m done with the radio silence. We haven’t talked since I grilled her ass for skipping school last week. Yeah, I was pissed about it — even more so when she started giving me attitude when I confronted her — but a week without talking to my girl is fucked up.
I send her a text before climbing out of my car to wait for her. Leaning back against my Charger, I watch for movement inside the house and it’s a couple of minutes before she comes out the side door. My eyes rake over her as
she heads towards me dressed in her pajamas — she’s got on my old DPD sweatshirt, some tiny sleep shorts, and moccasins. And she still looks like the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.
She walks down the driveway, then stops when she’s a few feet away, and crosses her arms. “Ooh a deputy that makes house calls. I bet all the girls love that.” She cocks her hip as she throws attitude my way, and I know she’s still pissed that I came down on her about skipping school.
“It’s been a week, Gina.”
She tilts her head. “Is that how long it’s been? Huh, I wasn’t keeping track.”
I raise my brow at her sarcasm but she stays still, arms folded and her hip cocked. She raises her own brow and we engage in a little standoff right there in her driveway.
I give it a solid minute, but my stubborn little misfit still doesn’t budge, so I push off my car and take the last few steps to her. When she’s close enough to touch I reach out and take her into my arms. She’s tense for all of one-second as I hug her close before dropping my hands to her ass. I give her round backside a squeeze at the same moment I take her lips with mine, and the moment our mouths meet we’re devouring one another. I give her another squeeze before lifting her up and turning towards my car, walking until her back is pinned against it.
There’s no finesse to our kiss as I push my tongue deep into her mouth while pressing my hardening dick into her warm wet center. I swallow her moan and grind against her, getting her little body all hot and bothered. I adjust my grip on her, moving one hand under ass and sliding the other up beneath her sweatshirt and under her tank top to cup her tit. I swallow another moan from her and fight the urge to slide her tiny shorts to the side when she tries to hump her needy pussy up at me.
"You done giving me attitude?" The question comes out hoarse after I pull back from her kiss-swollen lips.
She licks her lips. "Maybe."
I press into her harder. "Gina."
She pouts her lips. "I'm still mad at you."
I sigh, and lean my forehead down to hers. "I know, I’m sorry. I shouldn't have come at you like that — but I don't want you skipping school, babe."
She heaves out a breath. "I know, I just..."
She trails off and it has me pulling back to look her in the eye. I don't know how I missed it when she first walked outside — probably because I was thinking with my dick — but seeing her now she clearly looks tired, and even a little sad.
"What's wrong?"
She’s a little surprised at my question, but covers her reaction quickly.
"Nothing," she shrugs. "I've just been feeling a little tired. It's been hard to balance my priorities lately, and I don't know...maybe I'm coming down with something," she says quietly.
Shit — I feel like a bastard.
How could I have missed that?
My girl has been stretching herself thin between school, work and spending time with me since the moment we met, and hasn't complained. Then the first time she steps away and acts her own age I lose my shit, some boyfriend I am.
I sigh. Slipping my hand from under her shirt, I hug her close and drop another kiss on her nose. "I'm sorry, little misfit, what can I do to help?"
Her lips are back to being in a pout as she shrugs.
"What doesn't feel good? Want me to get you some medicine?"
She shakes her head. "No, I'll be okay. I'm just gonna try to get caught up on some sleep tonight. I haven't been sleeping well either."
Fuck.
One week without hearing from my girl and she's been sick and tired. Now I feel like an even bigger bastard.
"Damn, I hate that, babe. I wish you would've told me."
She looks away. "I thought you were still mad at me," she whispers.
I shake my head and roll my eyes upward, praying for patience. Sometimes I forget how young my girl is. She's loyal to a fault and takes me like a grown woman, but then she has moments like this that show her age.
I slide my hand up under her chin until her eyes lock on mine. "Listen carefully, babe,” I pause to make sure she’s hearing me. “I'm your man. I love you, I wanna take care of you. But I can't do that if I don't know what's going on with you. You've gotta talk to me, even when you think I'm mad. We're in a relationship — we're gonna fight — we're gonna get pissed at each other sometimes. And that's okay, fights happen in relationships. It doesn't mean I don't love you anymore." I smirk, "It just means you can be a pain in my ass sometimes."
She chuckles softly and gives me a small smile.
There's my girl.
"And I'm gonna be a pain in your ass, too. But I'm always gonna love you, and I'm always gonna take care of you. You get me?"
She gives me a shy smile. "I got you," she whispers. "I love you too, Gavin."
I lean down and take her lips in a gentle kiss this time.
When I pull back her eyes are a little brighter and it warms something inside me. All I want is for my girl to be happy.
“What do you say we plan a weekend getaway? Get a hotel in the city and spend some alone time, just the two of us. That sound good?” I ask her in between kisses.
“Uh huh,” she answers when I pull back long enough for her to get a word out.
Then I’m on her again — pushing my tongue deep into her mouth and pressing her into the car door. My dick searches for her wet heat as I grind into her hungrily. Gina wraps her arms around my neck, keeping us locked together, until I’m dangerously close to giving in to the temptation to fuck her right here against my car.
I take one last taste of her mouth then pull back, setting her down but keeping my body pressed up against hers. I watch as she licks her full lips and my dick jerks with need. I brace myself on the roof of the car, caging her in.
“You trying to tempt me into taking you right here against my car?” My voice is deep with lust.
She looks up at me through her lashes and bites her lip before answering.
“Maybe.” Her voice is quiet but the need is there.
“Soon, babe. I want you feeling better first before I take you again.”
“Okay, deputy.” Again, her voice is quiet.
“You sure I can’t get you anything to help you feel better?”
I hate that she’s not feeling well and there’s nothing I can do about it.
She shakes her head. “Uh uh. I’ll be okay, I promise.”
I hesitate for a moment, not wanting to let her go, but eventually I find the strength to push off the car and take her into my arms for one more kiss. Our tongues meet again briefly and then I’m letting her go.
“Alright, get inside and get some rest before I take you up against my damn car.”
She smiles sassily. “I wouldn’t mind.”
I chuckle. “I’m sure you wouldn’t. Now get inside.”
“I’m going, I’m going. No need to get all bossy.”
She’s back to giving me attitude but I just smile — she’s so damn cute.
“Goodnight, Gavin.”
“Goodnight, babe, sweet dreams.”
I drop a kiss to her forehead and send her on her way.
I watch her until she disappears inside. Then I get in my car and watch the house until all the lights turn out and I know she’s safe in bed. It’s a few more minutes before I force myself to put my car in gear and head home. But each mile that I drive further and further away from my little misfit has me tensing in discomfort. Three times I have to talk myself out of turning around and heading back to sit outside her house to watch over her as she sleeps.
In the end I manage to make it to my place, and when I’m finally in bed, my last thought before I drift off is that a weekend alone with my girl is exactly what we need.
Gavin
Friday
I sit down in Shane’s office waiting for his phone call to finish.
He called me earlier and told me to come to his office once I got to the station, so here I am. In
most cases it’s a bad thing to be called into the sheriff’s office — especially when he’s your boss — but Shane has become a friend. And I haven’t done anything to get my ass in trouble so I’m wondering why he’s called me in here.
I sit quietly for a couple more minutes, tuning out his conversation as my thoughts drift to my girl.
Our schedules have been out of sync lately and I haven’t seen her since Wednesday night. That little visit to her house hardly soothed my need for her, and the quick taste I got up against my car was just a tease that’s kept me on edge since. I miss my girl, and going this long without being inside her is fucking hell. Her tight, soft pussy has been haunting my dreams and I need tomorrow to come already so I can be balls deep inside of it.
One more day.
She doesn’t know it yet but I’m planning to pick her up early tomorrow morning and keeping her with me for the whole weekend. I know my little misfit has reservations about spending the night at my place out of respect for her brothers — who are never home at night anyway — but she’s gonna have to come to terms with it because she’s not going anywhere until Monday morning.
I switch my attention back to the present, just in time to hear Shane’s voice say goodbye to whoever he’s on the phone with. I subtly shift in my seat, trying to rearrange my position so the hardening of my dick isn’t visible.
Shane rubs his hand over his face then gets right down to business. “I’m sure you’re curious why I called you in here without any explanation, and believe me, it’s nothing bad.” I nod, his words confirming what I already know. “Some shit is about to go down.” He nods towards his phone. “That was one of my contacts over at DPD, and they’ve got a big operation in the works. They’re putting something together that’s likely going to hit the drug scene hard and take down a lot of major players.” I nod.
I know a little of what’s going on through Liv, due to her undercover assignment, but she couldn’t give away too much for obvious reasons. Actually, I’m surprised the sheriff is saying anything to me about it right now.