Chapter 8
Lily’s snoring on the mat in front of the kitchen sink, after having just come in from her last go-around the yard for the evening, so I have to lean over her to finish rinsing the dishes and set them in the dishwasher. This dog is hilarious.
“It would be convenient if you moved out of the way,” I inform the canine, but she just opens one eye for a brief second and then goes back to snoring peacefully.
“She’s spoiled and lies where she wants,” Summer informs me as she joins me in the kitchen. “But I can move her for you.”
“I’m done here.” I set the dishwasher to run and then turn and pull this gorgeous woman into my arms, where she fits perfectly. “How are you, sugar?”
“I’m great. I just cleaned the bathroom upstairs.”
I scowl and nudge her back. “You didn’t have to do that. I told you to go relax.”
“It was driving me crazy,” she admits with a grin and cups my face. “And it didn’t take long. I wouldn’t have been able to relax until it was cleaned up. Don’t worry, I put my shoes on first. I think I got all the glass up, and the tub is drained and clean.”
Framing her face, I lean down to press my lips to hers, and when she sighs sweetly, I deepen the kiss.
She’s addictive. I knew she would be, and that once I started kissing her, getting my hands on her, I wouldn’t want to stop.
I was right.
But I pull away and kiss the back of her hand, then lead her through to the living room. Lily wakes up and follows us, hops up onto the couch, and curls up in the corner, immediately snoring once more.
“I’m glad she’s made herself at home.” I grin and take the other end of the sofa and pull Summer down next to me. The lotion Erin gave me sits on the end table, but before I rub Summer’s feet, I pass her the remote to the TV. “Pick something to watch.”
“Me?” She shrugs a shoulder. “Okay.”
As she turns on the television and starts to look around for something to watch, I pull her feet into my lap and reach for the lotion. Summer sighs as I start to rub the sole of her foot and lands on Ted Lasso on Apple TV.
“Have you seen this?” she asks.
“No, but I’ve heard good things.”
“Me, too. Let’s start it.” She sighs and looks over at me. “You’re really good at that. Did you take lessons on foot massage or something?”
“I have to admit that I have no idea what I’m doing, but if you like it, I’ll keep it up.”
She grins and sighs once more when I switch to the other foot.
“They’ve been sore,” she admits softly. “I’m just on them a lot, so this is a treat. I probably should invest in some new sneakers, but who has time?”
“Maybe you should hire more help, just for the summer season,” I suggest. I don’t like that she’s exhausting herself. Even if she loves what she does, she can’t work herself into exhaustion.
“I definitely will next year. Our town is becoming more and more popular as a destination wedding location, and I could take on double the events that I do now, if I wanted to. To do that, I’d need to double the workforce. I’m not afraid to do that, but it can’t happen this season.”
She clears her throat, ignoring the television altogether, and watches my fingers dig into her arch.
“What made you decide to be a cop?”
“I don’t know, I just always knew that’s what I would do. It wasn’t a question. When I was a teenager, I was convinced that I’d move to a big city and be on a force there, where the action is.”
“High-speed chases and murder and all the exciting stuff?” she says, waggling her eyebrows.
“That’s right.” I finish with the second foot and then take her hand, squeeze some lotion into her palm, and keep rubbing. The moan that comes out of her delicious little throat makes me want to lay her down and fuck her into next week. Instead, I clear my throat. “And I tried it.”
“You did?” That has her opening her eyes in surprise. “Where did you go?”
“I was in Seattle for about a year, and it was exciting. But it was also kind of sad, and I didn’t like being so far away from the ranch. Montana is my home. It’s where I’m supposed to be, and it didn’t take me long to remember that and move back. I was hired on here, and I’ll retire from here someday.”
“Well, I’m glad you came back. I would have missed out on this really great hand massage if you hadn’t.” Her smile is soft and sweet. “You do a good job here, Chase, and I’m not just talking about the massage. I enjoyed working with you when everything went down with Erin a few months ago. You’re smart, and even though it was a stressful situation, you were excellent at calming me down and communicating clearly what you needed me to do.”
I reach for her other hand, kiss the palm, and then begin to massage it.
“I don’t have a lot of experience in dealing with the police,” she continues with a rueful smile, “since I’ve never been arrested and haven’t needed to work on an investigation before.”
“No speeding tickets?”
“Not even one. My point is, you make people feel safe here, and that’s a gift. I don’t think just anyone could do that.”
“Thank you.” I don’t know what else to say. “I’m glad you feel safe. That’s always the goal. Any more issues at your house, with noises or slashed tires?”
“No.” Her smile is sleepy now, and she yawns. “Nothing going on there, thankfully. Everything’s been quiet.”
Her voice softens, her eyes slide shut, and within just a few minutes, her breathing evens out with sleep.
I reach for the remote, turn off the TV, and sit in the quiet, watching Summer and Lily snooze away. Having them both here feels right. I’ve wanted Summer in my house, and in my bed, for a long while, and now I finally have her here. Lily is cute and not any trouble at all. I’ll have to get a couple of beds and some bowls for her because now that I have them here, I plan for them to be here often.
Finally, I stand and lift Summer into my arms. She curls into me and presses her face into my neck the way she did earlier after the bath, and I feel the same zing shoot down my spine. Lily’s head comes up off of the couch, and I nod, gesturing for her to follow us, which she happily does, hot on my heels as I carry Summer up to the bedroom and gently lay her on the bed.
Lily jumps up with her and curls into Summer’s side.
“Leave some room for me,” I whisper to her and rub her head before I go back downstairs to turn off the lights, make sure the doors are all locked up tight, and then return to my girl.
I climb in behind her and pull her to me, tucking my arm around her middle.
Yeah, this feels right. Having her warm against my body and listening to Lily’s little snores as my eyes droop is the most contented that I’ve felt in years.
Maybe ever.
I’m going to do whatever it takes to make her mine for good.
“I have to go.”Summer sips the mug of coffee I just passed to her. “I have to change and get ready for work.”
I sip my own brew. “It’s barely six.”
“Yeah, well, I’m usually at the shop by now, but I admit, I slept well, and a handsome man did some delicious things to me when I woke up, so I’m not complaining.”
I grin and reach out to brush my thumb under her eye. “You’re sweet. Maybe we should both call in sick and stay here, naked and rumpled, all day.”
“Don’t tempt me.” She chuckles and looks down at Lily, who’s been watching us with sleepy eyes. “Are you ready to go home?”
Lily turns in a circle.
“Here.” I take the mug out of her hands and watch as she scowls at me. “Don’t punch me; I’m putting this in a disposable cup.”
“I thought I was going to have to maim you there for a second.”
I snap the lid on and pass it back to her. “No need for that. I’ll help you out to the car. And, in case you ever need to get in here, the code to the door is 5391.”
“Is this the equivalent of you giving me a key to the house?” she asks.
“Pretty much.”
Carrying Lily’s bag of goodies, I follow Summer down to her vehicle, and once she has it loaded, and Lily in the front seat, I pull her in and hug her close.
“I’ll bring you lunch.”
She chuckles against my chest. “I won’t even attempt to tell you that it’s not necessary. I’d like to see you later today.”
“And tonight?”
She tips her head back so she can smile up at me. “What are you thinking?”
“I think it’s time I made good on my promise to take you to Ciao for dinner.”
“Oh, yeah, I’m down for that.”
“Good.” I kiss her nose, and she pulls away to walk around and get into her car. “I’ll see you later.”
She blows me a kiss, and then she’s gone. Rubbing the back of my neck and wishing for the rest of my coffee, I walk back inside and lock the door behind me. The house already feels empty without them, which is a little ridiculous to me, given that they were only here for one night.
But that’s all it took.
It doesn’t take me long to shower, drink two cups of coffee, and dress for work. I’ll change into my uniform at the station, so I always try to get there twenty minutes before my shift starts.
It’s quiet in Bitterroot Valley this morning as I drive through town. And that’s just the way I like it. The station is quiet as I walk through to the locker room, and I go through the motions of changing into my uniform and checking everything on my belt. Then, I move to the weapons vault to choose the weapons that I’ll have on me and in my vehicle.
And once I’m in the car, ready for my shift, I get a call first thing.
“Mrs. Wilburn is holding up traffic again,” I’m told. “She’s ten miles outside of town, doing twenty-five in a seventy, with at least a dozen cars behind her.”
“I’m on my way.”
Mrs. Wilburn has to be at least eighty, and she likely shouldn’t have her license anymore. She refuses to drive over twenty-five miles per hour, regardless of where she is, and she’s become a pain in my ass.
With my lights flashing, it doesn’t take too long to find her, and when the other drivers pull over to make room for me, I turn around on the highway and get behind the old woman, turning on my siren.
Like a good citizen, she pulls over onto the shoulder, and the drivers that she was holding up pick up speed, waving at me with gratitude as they pass by.
I walk on the inside of the shoulder and knock on her passenger window.
“Hello, dear,” she says when she rolls it down. “What’s wrong? Are you looking for a fugitive? I don’t think I saw anyone out here, but I’ll keep my eyes open.”
“No, ma’am, we had another complaint about your speed.”
“Oh.” She frowns. “I’m sorry. Sometimes my foot just gets away from me, and I go too fast.”
“No.” I laugh now and shake my head. “You go too slow, Mrs. Wilburn. You can’t go twenty-five in a seventy. It’s not safe.”
“I’ve never heard of anyone complaining about someone going too slow. Why, I’m just being safe.”
“No, actually, like I said, it’s not safe. I have to give you a ticket this time, ma’am.”
“For going slower than the speed limit? That’s ridiculous. I’ll call your mother, Chase Wild.”
“And I’m sure she’d love to speak with you, but that doesn’t change the fact that I have to write you a ticket for reckless driving. You’re considered a hazard on the road.”
“Well, I have to get into town for my hair appointment, don’t I? How else do you suggest I get there? Fly?”
“Maybe someone could drive you.”
“I’m perfectly capable of driving myself.”
Right. As we’ve established. She needs to be moved into town so she doesn’t have to drive on the highway at all anymore, but that’s none of my business.
“I need your driver’s license and registration, please.”
“This is ridiculous.”
Rather than giving me what I need, she rolls up the window and simply pulls back out into traffic. It’s not a high-speed chase. I hit my lights and siren, but she ignores me all the way into town, and when I pull in behind her in the parking lot of her beauty salon, she ignores me when I try to speak to her.
She just hobbles right inside, moving surprisingly fast for a woman with a walker.
“Mrs. Wilburn, you’re under arrest.”
Gasps sound through the place, and everything goes quiet. You could hear a pin drop.
“I am not.”
“Yes, ma’am.” My face is grim as I rest my hand on my weapon. “I do not want to cuff you, ma’am, but I need you to come with me.”
“I can’t. I have an appointment.”
“You left the scene, and you ignored me, so you’re absolutely being arrested today. You’ll be able to call one of your kids to come bail you out in a little while.”
“How exciting,” someone whispers as they hold up their phone, clearly videoing this whole thing. “Martha Wilburn is being arrested.”
“I’m staying right here.”
And with that, she simply sits on the floor. I’ve never seen an old woman, who has to walk with a walker, be suddenly so…limber.
“I need backup,” I say into the radio on my shoulder. “Resisting arrest.”
Mrs. Wilburn, the sweet old lady, leans over and bites my fucking leg.
“And assaulting an officer. Holy shit.”
It’s been a shitty day.One call after another, all petty crap, but it’s keeping me busy, and the time is going fast. I have just enough time carved out to deliver a sandwich to Summer, and I’m headed there now, when I get another call.
“Shoplifting,” I hear through the radio, “at Pocket Full of Polly. Three underage males are inside the business.”
“Copy,” I reply with a sigh. “ETA two minutes.”
It ends up being thirty seconds, since I’m almost to the flower shop, which is just a block down from Summer’s place. Polly owns a dress shop, full of frilly, girly things.
What are three boys doing shoplifting in there?
“Hello, Chase,” Polly says when I walk through the door. “Thanks for coming. I caught this young man shoving a bracelet into his pocket.”
“It’s a present for my mom. I was gonna pay,” the kid says with a scowl.
“Uh-huh,” Polly says, rolling her eyes.
I shift my gaze between the three boys. I’ve seen them all in town plenty, and they’ve been in trouble before. If Bitterroot Valley had a gang, this would be it.
“What the hell, guys?”
“She’s overreacting,” the middle one says with a sneer.
“Steal from my store, and I’ll have your ass,” Polly counters. “I want to press charges.”
“Shit,” the middle one whispers mournfully.
“That’s your right.” I nod, eyeing Jake Hunter, the one who isn’t saying anything. “What did you do?”
“He’s the only one who didn’t do anything,” Polly says. “I’m not pressing charges against him.”
“Great, I’ll just go,” Jake says and moves to make his escape, but I catch him by the shirt.
“Stop. You’ll stay, or I’ll find something to arrest you for.”
It takes me fifteen minutes to take Polly’s statement, and I call to have another officer come take the two boys to jail so I can give Jake my undivided attention.
“Thanks, Chase,” Polly says with a wave as I escort Jake outside.
“Come on, let’s have a seat.”
“She said I didn’t do anything,” he insists. “I just want to go home. Or away from here, anyway.”
“Humor me.” I point to the park bench, and Jake drops down onto it, looking at me with dark eyes full of attitude. “What the hell are you doing hanging out with those kids?”
“They’re my friends.”
“Your parents would smack you on the head if they saw you hanging out with them.”
“Yeah, well, they’re dead, so it don’t really matter.” His chin is firm and defiant, and I blow out a breath, nodding slowly.
“I see.” Jake’s parents died in a car accident last year, leaving him without any family. I know he’s been in a foster situation since then. “Let’s get you out of that crowd, man. I’m sure I could get you a job working with horses. You’re good with them.”
“Stupid,” he mutters, staring at the ground, but I see the way his eyes light up at the mention of the animals, and an idea begins to form in my head.
“It’s not stupid. You have talent, and you’re wasting it on shit that’s going to get you into big trouble. What if I could get you a job working for my brother?”
“I don’t want to work for Rem,” he says, shaking his head.
I don’t blame him. Jake’s dad worked out at the Wild River Ranch for many years, so being out there would likely be hard on the kid.
“Not Rem,” I counter. “Ryan.”
“The rich dude?” He smirks. “What could I do for him? He don’t even live here.”
“First of all, we need to work on your grammar. Second, Ryan does live here, and he recently rescued some horses that were in a really bad situation. They’re healing.”
Just like you.
“And I know he’s been looking for some help with them.”
“I’m just a kid, dude.”
“You may call me Chase or Mr. Wild, but you won’t address me as dude again, got it?”
He sulks down on the bench, and I wipe my hand down my face.
“If you want the chance to work for Ryan, I’ll talk to him.”
He’s quiet for a long minute, scowling at the grass in front of us. Finally, he says, “I guess it would be okay.”
And that’s as good as I’m going to get out of this kid.
“Do you have a cell phone?”
“Duh.”
I narrow my eyes at him, and he swallows hard.
“Yes, sir.”
“What’s the number?” I pull my own phone out, and as he rattles off the number, I put it into my contacts and shoot him a text. His phone pings with it, and I nod, satisfied that he didn’t give me a bogus number. “Now I can call you after I talk to Ryan.”
“Why? Why would you do this?”
I sigh, tucking my phone away. “Because you’re a good kid, Jake, and I liked your parents. They’d want someone to look out for you.”
“I don’t need no one.”
“Don’t be an asshole.” That makes his eyes go wide. “We all need someone, even when you’re a know-it-all teenager. Especially then. Ryan’s a good guy, and it’s honest work. You like horses. Why not do it?”
He lifts a shoulder, but I see a smile tugging at the corners of his lips.
“Stop hanging out with those kids. Nothing good can come of that.”
“Making friends isn’t easy when you’re the orphan in school.”
Surprised by the admission, I narrow my eyes at him. “Kids suck.”
“Yeah. Big time.”
“Don’t settle for jerks as friends, Jake. Just don’t. And call me if you need something. I’ll be in touch about Ryan.”
He turns his face to look at me. “I can go?”
“Yeah, you can go. Stay out of trouble.”
He gets up to leave and then turns back to me. “I guess you’re not so bad.”
“That’s high praise coming from you.”
He does grin now, and then he jogs away, and I pull my phone out once more to call my brother.
“I hear you’re arresting old ladies today,” he says by way of answering.
“Yep, that’s why I’m calling you. I’m hauling you in.”