Chapter Two
Fuck,I mutter to myself as I turn down toward the cabins.
A familiar Tahoe sits in front of the newly-rented tiny home.
Sliding out of my cruiser, Aubrey comes around to greet me.
The woman I pulled over earlier isn’t anywhere I can see yet.
The excitement that I felt earlier about a new tourist that looks the way she does is fully gone now.
Knowing she’s Aubrey’s best friend, and that she wasn’t lying about her situation, makes her one hundred percent off limits.
Aubrey didn’t go into too much detail with me, but I can read between the lines to get the gist of her situation.
“Hey, gorgeous.” I pull my brother’s girlfriend in for a hug. Flirting with her started as a way to piss off Cooper. Now, it’s stuck.
Staring over her shoulder, I see the raven-haired beauty as she takes in my cruiser. Then my face. And she can’t hide the recognition fast enough for me to miss.
Embarrassment. That’s what’s written all over her face. The pretty pink cheeks give her away.
Letting go of Aubrey, I turn my focus to my new tenant. “We meet again.”
“Again?” Aubrey chimes in.
“Yeah, I um, sort of got pulled over after we hung up the phone.”
Turning to Aubrey, I splay my hand over my heart. “My own sister-in-law, facilitating a crime. How can I be taken seriously in this town?”
“Oh, shut up. You know she’s new in town.”
“That’s why I let her go.” I wink at her, holding out my hand. “I’m Wyatt Keaton. Although, the way Officer Keaton sounded on your lips–”
“Jesus, Wy! She’s been in town for like twenty minutes and you’ve already propositioned her, not once, but twice?” Aubrey smacks my shoulder.
“No.”
“Yes,” my goddess says at the same time.
Aubrey rolls her eyes, but introduces us anyway. “This is Sophia Black, my best friend, from North Dakota.” The line sounds rehearsed.
A normal person might not catch onto it. But, I’m trained to find the lies. I know Aubrey too well to think she’s telling the truth. Only, I promised not to look into her friend. So I’m stuck getting only what I’m given. For now.
Sophia holds her hand out to me, and instead of shaking her hand like she’s expecting, I take her delicate fingers with the red manicure into my bear paw of a hand and bring them to my lips, kissing her skin softly.
“Enchante, my goddess.”
“Oh, God. Go back to work, Wyatt. This is honestly even too much for you.” Aubrey walks to the back of Sophia’s car laughing.
“I take it I’m not all that special then?” Sophia asks, her arms crossed over her chest, taking me in like she’s trying to evaluate my every move.
“On the contrary, you are quite special.” I sigh. “However, quite off limits, unfortunately. So I promise to behave and put my red flag away, hidden from your fantasies.”
“Well, shucks. How ever will I live?”
My dick stirs at her comeback. So my goddess likes to play.
Nope. Stop. Off. Fucking. Limits, I repeat to myself over again.
She’s still standing in front of me. Staring. She’s rendered me speechless, and I can’t even remember the last time that’s happened. All the comebacks that pop to the tip of my tongue need to stay there. Just like my pants need to stay on around her.
“Do you need help getting your stuff in? I’ve got twenty before I need to be back at the station.”
She stares at me for another moment before letting a low chuckle escape her lips. “Sure. Truck’s full. Take your pick.”
Adjusting myself subtly, I follow, grabbing what looks like the largest suitcase. She doesn’t have much for moving her whole life across the country. Although, there have been quite a few packages arriving on my doorstep in Aubrey’s name. I was instructed to place them in the bedroom here.
“Thanks, Wyatt. We’ve got it from here. You can go home for a few if you want an actual break.” Aubrey stands between me and Sophia.
“Yeah, okay. I put the deliveries in the bedroom as instructed, and my number is on the counter if you need anything.” I nod, and step out of the home that feels tighter than it normally does with the tension.
Maybe I’m imagining it. But the way Sophia’s gaze skidded along my uniform, I’d be willing to put money down that I’m not the only one who feels the chemistry flowing.
She’s even the first woman since the accident that left my cheek marred with a red scar from a gunshot wound that hasn’t commented on it or even let her gaze linger. It makes me feel like the old Wyatt again.
Off. Fucking. Limits.
This has been the longest shift of my career. On top of dealing with stupid bullshit from Adam, the dumbass rookie who got transferred here from Portland after an incident, I was completely distracted thinking about Sophia.
What is she doing? Does she like the cottage? Will I see her later? What does she look like naked?
Don’t get me wrong, women fall at my feet as soon as I flash them a grin, but the way she doesn’t really does something more for me. She calls me on my shit and has me pegged for the persona I portray to everyone. A persona I truly earned, one tourist at a time.
That walking red flag theory of hers might just be right.
I used to want what my siblings have all found. One person, my person, to love forever. Then my ex-fiancee, Melissa, happened, and here I am, happily taking what I can get for one night and moving on.
Only one time did I fuck up and fuck with someone local. And I’m still paying for it to this day.
Tiff. I groan as she walks through the doors of the station, just five minutes until it’s time for me to leave for the day.
Great.
“Hey, Wyatt.” She saunters down the hallway to the front desk in her too short, too tight skirt accompanied by a tank top that has her nipples threatening their freedom.
“Hey, Tiff. What can I do for you?” I ask, sounding just as displeased as I feel.
A basket suddenly appears on the counter in front of her. “Just wanted to bring you and the boys some goodies. Mostly for you though.”
“Thanks, Tiff. I’m sure the guys working tonight will really appreciate it.” Taking the basket, I set it on the table next to the desk.
“You’re not working?”
Shit. I really cornered myself into this position. I know what comes next.
“Nah. Had to switch so that I can be home for a new tenant moving in.” I grab my keys off the desk and start to walk around the back. “But I’ll be sure to let the guys know you were the one to provide them with goodies.”
“Well since you’re off, how about a drink at Rebels tonight?” She slides up next to me, wrapping her arms around my bicep.
Attempting to politely shrug her off, I push on the door to the public bathroom at the station. I’m not above hiding. “Sorry, Tiff. I really gotta get home to help them move in. It’s one of Cooper’s friends. And I promised him I’d be there.”
Her lip juts out into a big pout. “Oh, poo. Maybe this weekend then. You can’t be working all three days.” She winks, turning around and waving back at me. “I’ll see you then!”
Before I can respond, she skips out of the station.
I’ve gotta get Chief to put locks on that front door during the day.
That’s one of the pros of working the night shift.
I can generally lock the door since none of us hang out here, choosing to stay at home with our radios for most of the night unless it’s busy.
I slip into the bathroom, hoping to waste a few minutes before I head back to clock out. But today is not on my side when Adam pushes the door open.
“Who the hell was that bombshell?”
“The blonde?” I question.
“Massive tits? Great ass?”
I roll my eyes. If only he knew the personality that came with those looks. Obsessive is the first description that comes to my mind.
“That was Tiff. She likes to bring the guys goodies every now and then. The basket is on the table next to reception if you want some,” I answer, washing my hands.
“Does her number come with it?” He laughs at his own joke.
I don’t.“Nope. But she’ll probably be at Rebels this weekend if you want to shoot your shot.”
He slaps me on the shoulder with his unwashed hands. Fucking gross. “Thanks, man. I knew you were my favorite partner.”
Lucky me. “Yeah. I’ll make sure I put in a good word for you.”
I miss Nick. My actual partner since my rookie days. His wife wanted to move home to North Carolina to be near her family, so they moved a few weeks ago, and now I have Adam.
Going from Nick to Adam has been… an adjustment, we’ll say. He’s a hot headed dumbass where Nick was easygoing and knew his shit.
Stepping out of the bathroom, I sigh in relief when the door shuts and I hear the water turn on so I don’t have to walk with him. At least he washes his hands before coming back out here to touch everything.
I pop my head into the chief’s office. “Headed home, Chief.”
He looks up from his desk. “Can I ask ya something?”
“Sure.” I step into his office fully, taking the seat across from his desk.
“What do ya think of Adam?”
Closing my eyes and taking in a deep breath, I shut the door behind me.
“That kind of conversation?”
“He’s not awful. He has potential. But he makes dumb fucking mistakes.
All the time.” Like Tiff. “If he could get his head out of the clouds for more than ten minutes, he’d be a good cop.
Also, he needs a goddamn filter on his mouth.
It’s going to get him decked soon, and I don’t know if it’ll be someone he’s cuffing or one of us.
Either way, I guarantee it’ll be warranted. ”
He runs his hand through his hair. “Shit. That’s what I heard about him coming from Portland. Gotta figure out how to get him to quit that shit. I’m not doing extra paperwork because he’s a dumbass.”
“I’ll be happy to help him learn the lesson.” I smile, laughing as Chief gives me a glare with raised brows. “No? I promise to do it off the clock.”
“I think I’m going to keep you together a little longer. You’re the right person for him to learn from. And I know you have more control and willpower than most of the other guys.”
“Lucky me.” I roll my eyes.
“What if I promise you a beer and to run interference on Tiff? You know from back when you were also an idiot.”