by Blue Saffire
It’s clear she’s barely holding it together. This isn’t the same woman I met two years ago. I’ve noticed the changes. What caused them, I still don’t know, but I think this shit with Cal has something to do with it.
She looks up at me, chewing the inside of her jaw. I begin to rub a soothing hand on her back, trying to show her that I’m here to help. She closes her eyes and nods.
We return to our seats, and I watch her closely. She starts on her food again. This time, she’s lost in her thoughts. This is not how I wanted this night to go.
I start to wonder if this is the time for me to pursue a relationship with her. I know she’s warned me off a few times, but I had planned to ease my way into her heart. You know, show her that she can trust me and the connection we have.
Mind made up, I do what’s best for the woman I’m growing feelings for.
“What kind of shows do you like?” I say.
Her eyes clear as if she’s coming back to me and the room. “Huh?”
“TV. What kind of shows do you like? Are you into Netflix?”
She gives a small smile. “I like books, remember? When I have free time, I like to read. I’ll take a book before I turn on the television.”
I put my spoon down and rub my hands together. “Oh, I get to corrupt you,” I croon. “Netflix it is. We’ll start with Castlevania. I should not be the only one in misery waiting for more episodes. We’ll hit The Magicians after that.”
She gives that beautiful laugh. “That’s the kind of stuff you watch?”
I tilt my head to the side. “So, you know of them?”
“Yeah, Stevens has two little boys now and his oldest son is like a grown man. I’ve had to peek over their shoulders to see what they watch. Malcolm, the oldest, likes Castlevania. I watched a little with him.”
“Stevens.” I nod. “He still one of the good guys?”
The light leaves her eyes a bit. She gives a small shake of her head. “Barely,” she says softly. “He’s skirting the edge as best he can. Enough to survive and stay on the force, I guess you could say.”
I tighten my jaw. Quinn and I offered him a job with us in the beginning. His wife was against him leaving the force, guaranteed paychecks, and a pension behind.
I’m sure she’s regretting that now. We treat our teams well. Everyone makes a great living at Blackhart Securities and Investigations.
Quinn is a genius. He knew exactly how to position us, and we’ve been thriving with no problem. There was never any drop-off like I’d feared. We’ve actually grown.
“We all have choices,” I say. “Anyway, I’ll clean the dishes. You can log into my account. We’ll watch from it.”
“Nope, you set up what we’re watching, and I’ll take care of the dishes. I haven’t eaten this well in I don’t know how long. It’s the least I can do.”
I shake my head. “You look exhausted. I’ll handle it. You sit and kick back.”
She looks like she’s about to protest, but she pauses and smiles. “Okay. Thanks.”
I give her my login info and head to the kitchen with our dishes. It doesn’t take me long to clean up. When I get to the couch, she has the first episode lined up.
I reach for her legs and bring them into my lap. She gives me a shy smile as I start to massage her foot. I take the remote and start the show, placing my focus on the screen.
I can feel her eyes on me at first, but I continue with the massage as if we’re two friends watching TV. Soon, she fully relaxes, and we’re totally engrossed in the series.
“Oh my God. That’s it? I don’t think I like you anymore,” she pouts six hours later. “I’ve stayed up all this time for it to end like that. Where’s the rest?”
I laugh and shrug. “Told you I needed someone to suffer with.”
“So dirty.” She yawns. “I’m going to be worth crap to the world today. The birds are chirping, but so worth it. It was so good.”
“If I would have known you would binge-watch the entire thing in one night, I wouldn’t have started there.” I laugh.
She gives me a soft, tired smile. “Thanks. It was exactly what I needed.”
I drop my gaze to her lips, but remind myself I’m here to be a friend. Instead of leaning over to kiss her, I stand and stretch. My bones crack and creak.
“I’ll see you later. Your shift is in the evening, yeah?”
“Yup. I can sleep a bit,” she says and stands. She searches my face as she looks up at me. As much as I want to kiss her, I don’t. “So, I’ll see you later?”
“Aye, love. I’ll make myself known before I float into the shadows,” I reply with a grin.
I turn and start for the door. I try to ignore the tugging in my chest. As if I’m walking away from a vital part of me.
When I step out of the front door, I turn and look down into her eyes. “Later,” I murmur and lean in to kiss her forehead.
“Later,” she says. If I’m not mistaken, she has a hint of disappointment in her eyes.
Telling myself again that a friendship is what she needs most, I give her a smile and turn to leave. It’s one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. Her sweet lips call to me even as I make my way to my car.
Chapter 16
Going Public
Kevin
It’s been a week, and instead of my feelings dying down, I’m falling for the friend I’ve gained in Danita. She’s funny, smart, and beautiful. I’ve been enjoying our moments at her place, but I think it’s time I insert myself deeper into her life.
Especially after what happened yesterday. I’m glad I demanded she let me drive her to the scene of Erin’s shooting. I figured if she rode with me to the house, it would look as if she were there with me, not going to check the place out on her own.
She’d had a gut feeling to go by the place. She was right. We found that asshole Duffy sitting on Erin’s place and watched him for an hour.
To be honest, finding that guy outside of Erin’s drove all this bullshit home. Watching from the shadows is one way to do things, but it’s not the safest. I need to be a part of Danita’s life. It’s time I step it up a bit.
Which is why I stroll into the same bar we met in two years ago. Instead of heading home after work, she came here with a few of the female officers. When she sent me a text to take the night off, she’d be fine, I was a little pissed.
She ought to know better. I’m not leaving her uncovered, no matter what she says. So tonight, I’ll be introducing the world to her new boyfriend.
When she and a few other cops come into view, I saunter over to their table. A grin breaks across my face the moment she turns to me and her eyes widen. I stop right in front of her and take her lush lips in a searing kiss.
I know this is breaking my friend zone rule, but I need to establish to all these people that she’s my woman. Danita doesn’t seem to mind. She whimpers and grasps the front of my shirt, pulling me into her.
I break the kiss and place my forehead to hers. “It would seem ya miss me, love,” I say, and I’m not talking about since I left her place this morning after we had breakfast together.
That kiss said she’s been missing our stolen kisses as much as I have. We’re friends, but that connection still lurks beneath the surface. I capture her lips once more because they’re too irresistible not to.
“Whoa,” someone sings. “Is that Blackhart?”
I look up to find Maureen Reed. She has a huge grin on her face as she looks between the two of us. I wrap an arm around Danita and tug her into my side.
“How are you, Reed? How’s life been treating you?”
“Better now that I’m seeing your face. It’s Detective Reed now. Go on, turn that accent up. I miss your ass around here,” she replies.
I laugh and kiss the top of Danita’s head. Reed’s gaze continues to bounce betw
een us, a sparkle in her eyes.
“Ya couldn’t miss me that much. I never get invited out the way I used to.”
Reed’s face sobers, and she looks down into her beer mug. The atmosphere around the table seems to change. I home in on everyone’s reaction.
“How’s Cal? I was hurt to hear what happened. He was a good cop. We miss him too,” she murmurs, still not looking up at me.
“He’s hanging in there. No change either way,” I say and narrow my eyes.
Something flashes across her face. Sensing that I want to give my attention to this lass a bit more, I pull Danita from her seat and bring her into my lap. When I turn to her, it’s clear she’s fighting off the shock. I give her a gentle squeeze, then turn back to Reed.
She’s watching us closely. “When did you guys start hooking up?” she asks.
“I busted Kelley’s kid for cutting school. We sort of reconnected from there,” Danita says.
It’s the story we agreed on. It made the most sense and could be verified by every cop that saw me get into Harris’s face that day. It’s also the closest thing to the truth.
“Yeah, I heard about that,” Reed says and sips her beer. “Heard Graves’s head almost exploded.”
“How was I supposed to know who the kid was?” Danita says and shrugs.
“Must be destiny,” says Officer Carson, one of the other women at the table. “The kid brought you two together.”
“I keep telling her that,” I say and turn to Danita.
“Always said you’re a lucky one, Moralez,” Reed says.
“I think I’m the lucky one,” I say.
“It’s nice you have a bright spot during all of this,” Reed says; her tone causes me to turn back to her.
I nod as I take her in. “It’s been a lot on the family. It’s good to be able to spend time with someone that can take my mind off it all.”
“I’m sure when Cal is all better, he’ll be happy to see you two together.”
Danita shrugs. “I don’t know if he remembers me. It’s been, what? Like two years since he left the force.” She turns to me for confirmation.
I lift my shoulders. “He didn’t know we hooked up that night. So, I don’t see it making a difference either way.”
I want to tighten my jaw, but I don’t. I can tell Reed is fishing, and her name was in that file Danita handed over. I’ll be looking into her a bit more. Shane will have to see if he can link her to the shooting. I don’t like the vibe I’m getting from her.
Danita pushes a hand through my hair, bringing me out of my thoughts. “Come dance with me,” she says with a smile.
I grin and lift from my seat, bring her to her feet with me. I will never turn down a chance to have this woman in my arms. I nod toward the dance floor.
“Country music, are you willing to doubt me this time?”
Her laugh illuminates her entire face, drawing me into the orb of light that always surrounds her, even when it’s a little dim. I brush her cheek with my fingertips, needing to have that connection with her. I would love to spend all my days bringing that smile to her face.
We leave the others behind and move to the dance floor. The song changes to a slow one and I smile. I pull her into my embrace and start to sway us to the music.
“What was that?” she hisses at me, but the smile is still on her face.
“Doing my job,” I say.
“No, I’ll get at you about all that later. I meant, did you pick up on that vibe?”
I nod and twirl her around. “Sure did. We’ll look into it.”
“Did your brother come up with anything else useful on Brunson?”
“Nothing. He’s a shit bag, but nothing stands out of the ordinary. We’re keeping an eye on him. He sent that other prick to Erin’s for a reason.” I try not to show my frustration. “It’s like bumping our heads against glass.”
“You can say that again.”
The last thing I want to do is talk about how we’re failing at finding Cal and Erin’s shooters, or getting Danita any new leads for her case. All we know is that someone’s running the ring from within the department, and there are cartel and other big wigs connected. Trafficking of drugs, humans, and guns are involved, but I still don’t understand how or why Cal has wrapped himself in the middle of it all.
It’s apparent Cal must have stumbled across the bigger players in the matter—the real shot callers—and that’s the part that’s still missing. I need a moment to recharge and regroup. I plan to do that with the woman in my arms.
I slide my hand down her back, holding her closer. Her eyes soften and her smile turns to the genuine one I know her for. I nuzzle the tip of her nose with mine. Danita ducks her head shyly.
“Kevin,” she says in warning.
“We’re having fun, love. Let it be.”
“Maybe we should leave so we can talk,” she murmurs.
“And give up this chance to have you in my arms? I think not. Good music, good company—I think I like it here.”
She glares at me, but I ignore it and dance us across the floor. I can feel all eyes on us, but I don’t care. The only thing that matters at the moment is the woman in my arms.
* * *
Danita
“We shouldn’t get things confused.”
“No one should be confused, love. We’re having a good time. I’ll buy you a few beers and we’ll have a few laughs. Then we can go back to your place and binge-watch one of our shows,” he replies.
Our shows.
This man is dangerous for my heart. I’ve had so much fun with him in the last week. However, I wasn’t expecting him to show up tonight.
I especially wasn’t expecting the suspicious questions from Reed. She was definitely digging. Which is why I allowed Kevin to put on this scene. At least that’s the lie I sell myself.
The truth is, my trust and respect for this man have gone through the roof in this last week as he’s been the friend I need. I had wondered if he’s known how much I needed him, or if he has decided to move on and put me in the friend zone. I’ll admit the latter has stung a bit, but when he walked in here with all that sexy swag and devoured my mouth, I lost all thoughts of being in the friend zone.
You don’t kiss friends that way. Nor should I have butterflies swarming for a friend. Yet here I stand in his arms, as he sways us to the music, trying my best not to melt into him.
He shakes his head at me. “You do know I can feel you holding back from me, right?” he says.
“It’s what’s best.” I try to convince us both with the words.
“Best for who, love?” I don’t reply. He kisses my forehead. “Just dance with me. We don’t have to do more than be in the moment. Be in the moment with me.”
I lose my fight as the song changes again. This time it’s “I Hope You Dance” by Lee Ann Womack. I smile because I know the song well.
Kevin returns the smile as he wraps his arms around me and holds me tighter. It’s like a deeper connection begins as we look at each other. No words are spoken or need to be spoken.
I’m entranced by those green eyes. While that nagging voice in the back of my head tells me to shut this down right now, the part of me that’s been lonely and needing a connection to the real world latches on to this moment with everything I am.
As if having a mind of their own, my hands find their way into his hair. I play with the silky strands at his nape. My fingertips tingle and my belly drops.
He leans into my ear and whispers, “I don’t know what you’re hiding or what you’re afraid of, but in this moment, I vow to slay it all. I’m willing to take it a step at a time, but I’m going to make you mine, Danita.”
I close my eyes as my heart twists. Hearing that name is a dose of reality. “You don’t even know who I am,” I say.
“That�
��s why I’m here. My father once told me that he earned my mother’s heart by having faith in love being a teacher. He learned patience and, in the end, he was rewarded with a best friend and the love of his life. I want that lesson, and I think I’ll find it with you,” he says softly next to my ear. “Take a chance.”
When our eyes connect this time, I’m breathless. His words have punched right through me. Why did I have to meet him now?
If this were another time in my life, I’d be more than willing to pursue things with this man. He’s everything I would want and more. I’ve never felt this connected to anyone.
“Kevin, I—”
I don’t get to say the words as he captures my lips. I swear it’s like I’m lifted from my feet simply from the kiss alone. Wrapping my arms around his neck, I get lost in the kiss and forget everything else.
That is until my name is bellowed from across the bar. I pull from Kevin’s hold and blink away my daze. I turn to see the table we left has filled with most of my squad, including Harris, who had called my name.
He’s holding up two beers with a forced smile on his lips. “Get your ass over here. We never got to celebrate your skills last week,” he says.
I don’t miss the scathing look he gives Kevin. At my side, Kevin mutters something in his thickened accent. It’s so thick, I haven’t a clue what he says.
I look up at him. His face is clouded over, but he quickly clears his expression and leans to kiss my forehead. He tightens his hold around my waist and leads us over to the bar, where he orders two fresh beers, handing me one.
When we arrive at the table, Harris stares at the beer in my hand like it’s shit. I grin and take a sip from it. It hadn’t dawned on me what Kevin was doing by ordering the beers at the bar. I was too wrapped up in thoughts of that dance.
Damn, this dude is petty. I like it. Harris picks up one of the beers in front of him with a salty look on his face.
“I like you two together,” Stevens says.
I give him a genuine smile. Stevens truly is a good guy. I hope to get him as much leniency as I can when this is all said and done.