Crushing on the Cop

by Piper Rayne

Immediately the three dots appear. Sometimes I think he has some special notification when I text him. I tell myself that because the thought that I’m one of his only contacts and that’s how he knows it’s me, pains me.

  Dad: Great. I can’t wait to hear how your training is going. I was hoping we could both run it this year.

  By it, he means the charity 5k that we’ve done every year since I was born. Yes, every year. Stan’s Donut Run raises money for the Greater Chicago Food Depository, something that was near and dear to my mom’s heart. The bonus is that they have donut stations throughout the race and if you’re the fastest you receive a year’s worth of donuts. I’ll never be first, but a girl can dream.

  Problem is, I haven’t trained for the past two years. I’ve walked, letting my dad continue the run, and he’s been upset. He wants us to cross the line together. Which means I need to hustle because he really doesn’t ask for much. Well, other than every spare minute, but he’s a widow and I’m all he has around here.

  I blow out a long breath, knowing the only solution is to get my ass in gear as I scroll through my calendar, finding that the race is in two weeks—right before Thanksgiving. I stare at my running shoes in my closet, shake my head and hop in the shower. Why do something I can put off until tomorrow?

  An hour later, the three of us enter Nordstrom Rack.

  “See you in thirty.” Lauren’s wearing her game face as she heads off, weaving through the clothes. God, she is so competitive.

  “She’ll play dirty, watch your back,” I say to Maddie who is already veering toward the accessories.

  Not a bad play. She’s nailed us plenty with makeup palettes in the past, but I see her pause and look at the jewelry. No way she’s thinking that she’ll beat us on that.

  As for me? I zero in on the shoe department.

  I head to the clearance area because I’m secretly hoping that the lucky shopper urban myth is true and I’ll find something for a penny. Didn’t you know? When employees are scanning and tagging items, if an item has been on clearance for a long time and they’re getting ready to ship it to the warehouse, they mark the item down to a penny. If you get it before an employee takes it off the rack, they’ll honor the price. This has never happened to me, but you never know.

  Heading to the tens because yes, I’m five eight and if I had those cute size six and a half feet like Lauren, I’d topple over. I find a pair of Hunter rain boots. They’d be more of a find if it was spring, but then again that’s the reason they’re on clearance. Plus, I’m not exactly loving the pink and blue flower design.

  Scrapping that idea, I continue down the shoe aisle but quickly come to the end finding nothing.

  As I head out of the abyss of shoes and into the main area, I spot Lauren rummaging through dresses. Yes, we have thirty minutes, but the girl is acting like there are swarms of women around vying for bridal gowns.

  I don’t spot Maddie and I highly suspect she’s off on the phone with Mauro in some corner. If he’s not on a call. They really are cute together. I wonder if I’ll ever find that or better yet if I even want to find what they have. That would involve being vulnerable and an investment of the heart. The heart is fragile and I’m not sure I’m ready to risk mine.

  “Stop spying.” Lauren jumps out in front of me.

  “Relax you little monkey.”

  She heads off to the fitting room so I mosey on over to the clothing department, knowing I’m probably not going to find anything marked down low enough.

  “Done.” Maddie surprises me, her bag clasped in her hands.

  “Rules are you wait outside,” I tell her, pointing my finger at the door.

  “I had them double bag it so you can’t see, plus what does it matter since I already bought my item?” She puts on that innocent ‘trust me’ face I always seem to fall for.

  “True, I suppose.”

  “No shoes huh?” She’s familiar with my M.O.

  “Nothing.”

  As much as I want to be with my friends, shopping isn’t doing it for me. I’m not competitive like Lauren who’s probably stripping down like Zac Efron is naked and ready for her back there. I shop because I love fashion and putting different looks together.

  “Maybe you should try home goods?” Maddie suggests.

  I nod, knowing it might be my best option at this point.

  “So, have you talked to Cristian?” she asks, following me over.

  “No.”

  He hasn’t even called me which, if I’m honest, surprised me. I thought he’d try at least one attempt. I mean the sex was worth at least one call for a try at round two, right?

  Though I didn’t call him either.

  “I know he’s been training hard,” she says.

  “Training?”

  We end up at the home goods area, neither one of us investing much energy in searching through the clearance bin.

  She picks up a picture frame. “He’s a Spartan racer.” She gingerly places the picture frame down in the pile where the glass will likely break soon.

  “Spartan racer?” What the hell does that mean? I grab a cute mug with the saying, ‘This might be vodka.’ This won’t win me the challenge, but I like the sentiment. “I think I should go to handbags.”

  We start in the direction of the handbags which is the opposite direction of home goods so we have to pass Lauren in the clothing area, who is trying on a tank top over the top of her clothes.

  “That’s not feasible. It’s November in Chicago. No one is wearing tank tops.” Maddie glances at her watch. “Oh, and you have ten minutes.”

  Lauren does the whole two fingers pointing to her eyes and then two fingers at us. Like we’re scared of her. Well, most of the time we’re not scared of her.

  Maddie and I giggle and head to the clearance bin in the back of the high-end purse department. My hand grazes across a Marc Jacobs bag as we pass. One day I’ll be able to afford you. One day.

  “It’s an obstacle race thingy.” Maddie puts a purse over her shoulder, pretending to model it.

  “Cute,” I remark at the small black purse that would go great with a date night dress. “Obstacles? I don’t get it.”

  She puts the purse back in the bin, inspecting another. Meanwhile, the clock is ticking and I have nothing to purchase. “It’s a race. Like running and I think he has teammates or something. I don’t really know, but Mauro keeps making sure I’m available Sunday to go watch him.”

  “Huh.” I move over to wallets.

  “Lauren probably knows what they are.”

  “I know what?” Lauren walks over with a Nordstrom Rack bag in her hands, which means I’m the odd girl out. I swipe a small coin purse knowing I’ll be buying someone’s Froyo in five minutes.

  “The Spartan thing that Cristian does,” Maddie says.

  Bypassing them I head to the register because I only have a few minutes before I have to forfeit. I don’t really care about the challenge today, but I’m not about to lay down and admit defeat.

  “I didn’t know he was a Spartan.” The admiration in her tone piques my interest.

  It shouldn’t since I’m the one giving him the cold shoulder.

  “That’s what Mauro said. We’re going to his race on Sunday. Want to come?”

  “Will asshat be there?” Lauren asks.

  “I don’t know. I’m assuming yes, but maybe he has to work.”

  “I’m still pissed at him. I just know that Klein would have been a good kisser. He had minty breath and everything. Luca screwed it up for me on purpose.”

  I keep my gaze focused ahead, not wanting to give away that Luca Bianco is hiding some affectionate feelings under his dislike for Lauren, I just know it.

  “You should come, too, Van,” Lauren says.

  I know they just did some kind of elbow knocking, ‘you ask, no you ask’ thing behind me. Lauren’s more outspoken and pushy so she’s the one who did the asking. I’m not sure why they’re both so invested in the idea of Cristian an
d I being a thing.

  “He’ll be all muddy and sweaty and muscly,” Lauren says in a sing-song voice.

  “That doesn’t sound appealing,” I lie and move forward to the cash register.

  Not that I have to worry—neither one of them is looking at their watches—they’re too concerned about my love life.

  “Then it shouldn’t be a problem for you to come.” Lauren saddles up to my side as Maddie takes a phone call by the door.

  “I don’t know, I have plans.”

  The cashier scans the change purse and asks if I’d like a bag.

  “That was Mauro,” Maddie says, joining us with a smile on her face. “He said we can all go down together, and head over to his mom’s house after for Sunday dinner.”

  “I’m out!” Lauren throws her hands in the air and walks away.

  “Come on, it’ll be fun.” Maddie follows Lauren out of the store as I hand the cashier my credit card.

  I need to figure a reason to get out of this and fast. Cristian all sweaty and dirty with his ripped muscles on display for all to see? I might as well run the Spartan race myself if I want to subject myself to that level of torture.

  Chapter Eleven

  Cristian

  “How many miles did you do yesterday?” Tara, another Spartan, asks me while we’re signing in for the race.

  “I did five.”

  “Show off. I took a rest.” She pushes me playfully, making me lose my balance for a second.

  Tara is a flirt and I’m not the only guy whose attention she tries to grab. I’m fairly sure it only takes a six pack and a set of balls to score her high pitched voice and light touches.

  “Anyone coming to watch?” she asks.

  “My family is coming. Well, my brothers and…” I fail to mention Mauro saying Maddie told him Vanessa and Lauren might show and how Ma is preparing some big meal for afterward.

  Ma won’t be at the race because there’s mud everywhere and it’s in the middle of nowhere, but she’ll praise me whether I come in first or last. She’s the best.

  “Oh, family. I thought maybe a girlfriend.”

  Do women really think the male species is stupid? I get where’s she’s going with this.

  “No girlfriend.” I unzip my sweatshirt.

  “Oh, I would’ve thought—”

  “CRIS!” Luca is a lifesaver. Today at least.

  I glance over to find him walking up the path.

  “Sorry, I need to go say hi to my brother. Good luck today, Tara.” I wave, already increasing the distance between us.

  Her eyes take Luca in and the small smile on her lips says he could be her next victim. I’m used to women looking from me to my brothers and vice versa.

  “What’s up?” We do a fist bump and I take in his shorts and t-shirt with a hoodie over the top. He’s wearing his gym shoes and his Bulls hat.

  “What’s up? You’re about to make me look weak.” He laughs.

  When I started Spartan races, my brothers were the first ones I asked to train with me. Neither of them found any interest in it. Mauro is more of a weights guy and Luca is still thriving on his fast metabolism and boxing when he has time. Other than the three of us playing recreational hockey and softball, our interests lie in different areas.

  “Sorry about the other night,” his voice is more serious now.

  “What did you do?” The corner of my lips turns up waiting to hear what mess he’s gotten himself into now.

  “The way I volunteered to take Vanessa home. I shouldn’t have…”

  I shake my head. It’s been a little over a week and I’ve talked myself out of making a fool of myself over that girl a few times by now. I’ve had to settle for beating off to the memory of sinking inside of her. I’ve never been so in the moment with someone before.

  “Don’t sweat it. I’m over her.” I wave him off.

  He cocks an eyebrow and his lips tip up in a sly grin.

  “Really I am. I’m not gonna chase some girl who’s made it clear that she doesn’t want me.”

  “But the sex? Hot?” He waggles his eyebrows.

  I’m not a kiss and tell guy and I’m certainly not going to start now when she might be arriving in ten minutes time.

  “None of your business.”

  He slaps me on the shoulder, harder than usual. “Of course it was, she’s gorgeous and you got the whole taboo thing going with her dad being your boss. I bet it was smokin’.”

  There you have it. My brother, ladies and gentlemen.

  “I better go stretch. Thanks for coming.”

  “So you’re not pissed?” he asks before I have a chance to escape.

  I shake my head “No. I might not be looking for the mother of my future children, but I’m not chasing a fuck buddy.”

  He nods in understanding although I’m not sure he’s ever had that problem in his entire life.

  “See you at the finish line,” I say.

  “We’ll be waiting.” Luca shoves his hands in the pockets of his shorts, looking over his shoulder.

  I jog back over to the race and start stretching, convincing myself once again that Vanessa isn’t worth my time and will only bring trouble into my life. But even I’m not naïve enough to think that it could all fly out the window the moment I see her again.

  It took about a millisecond before the words I told Luca crumbled after seeing Vanessa walk up. She’s her usual fashionable self in tall rain boots, dark jeans that hug her hips, and a too short fleece cover. Her hair looks adorable in braids on either side of her head. As much as I try to deny it to myself, she’s gorgeous dressed up, dressed down, naked, pretty much any which way.

  “Are those your brother’s girlfriends?” Tara asks, stretching her leg out next to me.

  My buddy, Ian, jabs me in the back. His own secret code for here she goes again. Ian didn’t have a girlfriend when we started, and he was the star in Tara’s eye until his now-girlfriend tackled him after a win last year and kissed him. It’s now his Instagram pic.

  “One is. Mauro, the one with the firefighter jacket, is my older brother and his girlfriend is the brunette with the ponytail. The other two women are her best friends.”

  Tara looks them over trying to act sly, but I see her lips tip down. All three of the women are knockouts. Not that Tara isn’t. She’s got that cute girl-next-door look, with her dark hair and dark eyes. Unfortunately, I love light hair and light eyes. All the way back to my first girlfriend in the second grade.

  “Nice of them to come.” She bends over, turning her body so her ass is in my face. She’s got a nice ass. Not as nice as Vanessa’s, but she is a Spartan after all. You don’t train that hard and not get rewarded with a great ass.

  “Yeah. You have anyone here?” I ask.

  “Maybe a boyfriend?” Ian chimes in, already snickering.

  Not cool of him, but she is constantly asking us about our relationship status.

  “No. I decided it’s just easier if I come by myself. Nobody in my family really understands and…” Her words trail off as the announcement comes over the speakers that the race is about to start.

  I get what Tara is saying without her even finishing. There’s a shit-ton more pressure on my shoulders with my family in the stands. But I appreciate the support.

  All the participants congregate by the starting area, waiting for the signal.

  Ian elbows me. “Let’s make this interesting.”

  I’m already determined to win in front of my family and Vanessa, so if I get a little something extra out of it than why the hell not. “What did you have in mind?”

  “I have this parking ticket…”

  “Yeah, nice try.”

  He laughs. “If I win, you agree to go to Colorado.”

  Ian loves Spartan so much he wants to travel the world to do the races, but I have my job and I have hockey and my family.

  “If I win you stop asking me.” I hold out my hand.

  “Sure.” He shrugs.

 
; I don’t really believe he’s telling me the truth. I shoot him an expression that suggests I know he’s full of shit.

  “Fine, I have two tickets to see Kevin Hart when he’s in town. They’re yours if you beat me.”

  I hold my hand out. “Deal.”

  He holds my hand in his grip. “No backing out if you lose. You go to Colorado and be my partner.”

  I tighten my grip and nod. “I don’t back out on bets, but I hope you got good seats for Kevin Hart. I’m not a nosebleed kind of guy.”

  Ian laughs, releasing my hand and readying himself to start.

  “What’s so funny?” Tara asks us.

  “Just a friendly bet.”

  The announcer comes over the loudspeaker telling us to get in our ready positions. I push all pressure of the bet aside. There’s only one reason I want to win this race and that’s the satisfaction of showing Vanessa exactly what she’s missing out on.

  Chapter Twelve

  Vanessa

  It took all of five minutes for me to realize the real reason Maddie dragged me here. Less than that if I’m truthful, but when it comes to Cristian Bianco, I prefer to lie. It’s safer.

  Watching Cristian sprint across the starting line, hop over a wall with what looks like little effort and race into the forest was hot. Like crossing my legs to tame the tingling between my thighs hot. He’s wearing shorts and those compression pants along with a tight sleeveless shirt that showcases his strong biceps.

  “Did you see that first guy?” some girl in front of us says to her friend.

  Lauren jabs her elbow into my ribs. I scowl and rub my side. She shifts her gaze from me to the girls in front of us.

  “That’s Cristian. Ian wants to partner up with him.”

  “I don’t blame him. He needs to be snatched up before someone else steals him away.” The redhead paws at her friend with her five inch long nails.

  “Maybe I should set you up?” the other girl suggests.

  “There’s no maybe about it. You’ve been holding out on me.”