Waking up to a text from my ex placed a dark cloud over my day. I hadn’t even rolled out of bed and I was already pissed off. Last night when I closed my eyes, I had the biggest smile on my face. Georgia put it there.

Smiling was new to me. It wasn’t that I couldn’t smile, but it hadn’t been something I did every day. It wasn’t that I’d been unhappy. No. In fact, I had a good life up until Jeanine fucked shit up.

Growing up, my parents had been pretty strict. My mother was the child of Chinese immigrants but broke from tradition when she married my father, an American boy of mixed European descent.

My grandparents had died before I was born and my mother shunned her Chinese heritage, immersing herself in American culture. Although my parents lived through the Woodstock era, people believing in free love, and the hippie culture, they never embraced it.

Even though she claimed she’d wiped any remnants of her upbringing from her mind, she hadn’t. My mother had carried over the strictness of the Chinese people when it came to school and working hard.

I worked my ass off to get good grades and attend a decent college, but that was when I broke free. Once I started my freshman year at the University of Florida, I decided enough was enough.

I left college and joined the Navy. That about freaked the ’rents the fuck out. The one thing they stressed was education, and due to my ability to score high on the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery, I was able to take the Physical Screening Test during boot camp.

Somehow, thank fuck, I had been accepted for entrance into the training program to become a SEAL. It changed my entire life.

As I brushed my teeth and thought back on my youth, my phone beeped. I glanced out of the corner of my eye, too scared it was Jeanine again to pick it up.

Thomas: Meeting at 8:30. Be on time.

Never in my life had I been so happy to receive a group text about work. I finished getting ready, which really consisted of washing my face after I’d brushed my teeth, and headed to the office.

As I pulled into the parking lot, my phone beeped again. I breathed a sigh of relief when I realized it wasn’t Jeanine.

Georgia: Morning, Sexy. Thinking of you today.

Me: Good morning, beautiful. Can’t get you off my mind.

I walked through the door at one minute before the assigned time and headed straight to the conference room. When I entered, everybody else had already been seated and was waiting for me.

“Look what the cat drug in,” Bear said before he whistled.

“Dragged,” I corrected.

Bear waved me off. “Whatever.”

Thomas glanced at his watch before looking up at me. “Let’s get started.” He wanted to say something, but he couldn’t.

Bear smirked at me as I sat down. Glancing out of the corner of my eye, I shook my head, telling him I wasn’t in the mood.

“Frisco, where are you with Mrs. Green?” James tapped his pen against the yellow legal pad sitting in front of him, looking bored.

“Done. I just have to deliver the photos today.”

Thomas pulled a file off the stack in front of him and tossed it in my direction. “Good. Here’s a new case for you to start today, then.”

“Thanks.” I pulled the folder in front of me before opening it.

Every case I’d been assigned lately seemed to deal with marriages falling apart. My new case was no different. Instead of a cheating spouse, the wife of my new client was suspected of hiding money during a divorce. The husband had hired ALFA to keep track of his soon-to-be ex-wife’s whereabouts and to see if we could find a paper trail, exposing her fraud.

As the meeting continued, I sat there studying the file, completely mesmerized. Mr. Jones had noticed changes in his wife’s lifestyle shortly after they separated. She went from driving a beat-up Toyota Camry to a brand-new Lexus. She bought a bigger house than she’d lived in with her husband and upgraded her wardrobe. When confronted, she claimed that a relative had passed away and left her a small inheritance.

He called bullshit on her story about old Aunt Maud kicking the bucket. In the state of Florida, inheritance couldn’t be touched during a divorce, but if she came into this windfall by any other means before their date of separation, he’d be entitled to a portion.

“Everyone have a good weekend?” James asked after all the assignments had been handed out.

I kept my head down, not wishing to discuss anything that happened.

“I think Frisco has some news.” Bear nudged my arm.

I glared at him. “I stayed home all weekend.”

“Lies,” Bear muttered, nudging me again.

“Do that one more time, and you’re going to lose that arm.”

“It must not have gone well.”

“It was a relaxing weekend.” I clasped my hands together on top of the file after I’d closed it.

“Well, I had an amazing weekend with Izzy. We left the kids with her parents Friday night and—” James started.

Thomas put his hand in front of James’ face. “Zip it. We don’t wanna know.”

Bear scooted forward. “Speak for yourself, T. I want to hear all about it.”

“Everyone get your asses to work. We don’t have time to sit around and talk like a group of old biddies.” Thomas slid his chair back and stood.

As I stood, Bear grabbed my wrist. “What crawled up your ass and died this morning?”

Pulling my arm from his grasp, I sighed. “Jeanine texted me this morning. It wasn’t how I wanted my Monday to start.”

He rolled his eyes and leaned back in his chair, rocking it back and forth. “She’s a nasty troll bitch.”

“She needs to just leave me alone. That ship has sailed, and I’m not taking another trip.”

He rubbed his chin as his eyes bounced around the room. “You know,” he said, dragging his eyes to mine, “I can fuck her.”

My head jerked backward. “Come again?”

He jumped up from his chair and headed for the door. “I’d do it as a favor to you.”

I followed close behind, rubbing the tension from the back of my neck. “How is that a favor?”

“I figure”—he glanced over his shoulder—“I’ll fuck her so good, she’ll forget you exist.”

When I arrived at my office, I turned to face his back as he continued down the hallway. “You’re such an amazing friend.”

He stopped and turned toward me. “I’d take one for the team.”

“I don’t care who puts his dick in her.”

He rubbed his hands together and licked his lips. “I’ll see if I can get her mind off you. She came into the Cowboy this weekend. When I see her again, I’ll hit that shit.”

As I opened the door, I shook my head and laughed. “You’re truly a sick fuck.”

“I never claimed to be normal,” he called out as my door closed.

I pushed away the clutter on my desk and checked my calendar. By noon, I had to be on a stakeout, trying to catch a cheating wife suspected of having more than lunch with her boss. In the evening, I had another stakeout, but this time to catch a husband in the act, and I still had to drop off the photos to Mrs. Green.

All the cases that dealt with marriage made me question the possibility of there really being a happily ever after. In my line of work, I only came in contact with unhappiness and deceit. I had to remind myself that it was just a small section of the population.

I opened my new case, read over the information one more time, and called my new client. In between stakeouts, we’d meet and I’d gather the important information I’d need to ascertain if his wife had lied about how she’d gained her wealth.

I couldn’t wait until my day ended. I saw a stop at the Neon Cowboy in my future. An evening with the guys was just what the doctor ordered, but before that could happen, I had to tackle my workload.

***

Georgia: What are you doing tonight?

As soon as her text came in, I set down my camera and replied.

Me: Heading to the NC for a drink. You?

Georgia: Maybe I’ll relax with a glass of wine and read.

Although I liked a good book as much as the next person, her night sounded boring.

Me: I’m on a stakeout right now and bored as hell.

Georgia: Want company?

I rubbed my chin, staring down at the screen and thinking about her question. Sitting here with Georgia sounded a hell of a lot better than spending the next however many hours by myself, listening to the radio and trying to stay awake.

Me: YES!

Georgia: Where are you?

Thankfully, I was close to her place. I gave her the directions and she texted me that she was on her way.

I checked my watch and started to count the minutes until she arrived as I kept an eye on the current love nest of my client’s husband.

The couple arrived separately to the seedy motel far away from his home and work, trying to stay out of view as he cheated on his wife. Before he went inside, he glanced around, checking his surroundings and totally missing me.

When I started working at ALFA PI, I had the windows tinted as dark as legally possible. It’d been a tremendous asset, except when I needed to snap a photo. Typically, I had to do some major acrobatics and try to take it by way of the windshield. It took me a couple stakeouts to figure out just the right angle to park my car to not be seen but still be able to take photographs. Now I had that shit down pat.

Within twenty minutes, there was a knock at the passenger window. I could see the outline of Georgia’s body illuminated by the streetlights behind her.

As soon as I unlocked the door, she slid inside. “Hey,” she said, closing the door quietly before fixing her dress.

“Gimme a kiss.” I leaned over the center console and puckered my lips.

She moved toward my waiting mouth. The kiss was tender, sweet, and left me wanting more. Her eyes were still closed when she backed away. “I needed that,” she whispered.

I touched her cheek, caressing it with my thumb, and sighed. “Me too,” I admitted, dragging my lips across the opposite cheek and relishing the softness and her smell.

“So is this what you do?” she asked as her eyes fluttered open.

“What?” I murmured against her skin.

She laughed, backing away and staring down at me. “Kiss random girls in your car when you’re supposed to be working?”

“You’re hardly random, and I’ve never had someone with me on a stakeout.”

A soft smile spread across her face. “So I’m special?”

I wrapped my hand behind her neck, pulling her lips to mine again. “You’re mine.”

“Oh.” Her lips formed a tiny circle against mine. Her eyes shifted before I had a chance to deepen the kiss. “There’s a couple.”

“Fuck,” I said, backing away, and I reached for my camera.

“This is so exciting and kind of tragic too.” She rubbed her hands together and leaned toward the windshield.

I lifted the camera, positioning the lens against the windshield to get the best photo. “They always are,” I told her, holding my finger down on the button and snapping photo after photo until they separated and sped off in their own cars.

“I feel awful.” She clutched her stomach and stared out the window.

Setting the camera in the backseat, I gave her a halfhearted smile. “It’s hard to see day after day. My entire life has been with unfaithful people, including my work.”

She waved her hand, motioning toward the motel. “How can you believe in love when every day you see it being destroyed?”

I shrugged one shoulder and sighed, pressing my head into the headrest. “I don’t know, Georgia. It’s hard to have faith when I see so many of the lies.”

She shook her head, peering down at her legs. “I just couldn’t do it and still believe in a happily ever after.” She swallowed hard, dragging her eyes to mine. “Do you think all love is doomed?”

“I don’t,” I lied with a straight face, wanting to believe my words were true.

“I’m not like these people.” She pulled at her front lip, letting it snap back. “I could never cheat on someone. I’ve been the one being deceived, and I know how gut-wrenching and devastating it is. Have you ever cheated on someone?”

I shook my head vigorously. “I’ve never cheated. It’s not my style. If I want to see someone else, I just end a relationship before jumping in bed with another woman.”

She shifted in her seat, turning to face me. “Promise when you get bored of me, you’ll let me down easy and say goodbye before you touch another woman.”

“I promise.” I reached for her hand. “Come here.”

“Where?”

I patted my lap with my free hand, pulling her toward me with the other. “Climb over here.”

She climbed over the console, straddled my legs, and shifted until our bodies were flush with each other.

“I would never cheat on you, Georgia. I ask the same of you, though. When you get bored of my old ass, let me down gently.” I stared up into her dark eyes.

She giggled, her body shaking and her pussy teasing my hardening dick. “You’re not old and sure as hell aren’t boring.”

I slid my hand under her dress, feeling the edges of her lace panties. “Want to try something new?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

Her body shuddered and her giggles evaporated. “Here?” She looked out the windows.

I dipped my finger inside the lace, finding her wet. “Here,” I growled.

She adjusted in my lap and rubbed against my dick roughly. “Wait, let me get these panties off.” She tried to climb off.

I grabbed her ass and pulled her against me. “Don’t.” I squeezed her cheeks in my hands. “I can get them off.”

She rested her hands on my shoulders. “You can?”

I didn’t have a magic trick, but lace panties were no match for my hands. I gripped them at the sides, giving them a quick twist before I pulled. They crumbled in my hands.

“Well played, sir.” She laughed.

I gripped her hips, running my thumbs along the indentations left by her panties.

“Georgia,” I growled.

“Frisco,” she whispered.

“Hold the back of the seat.”

Surprisingly she didn’t ask any questions or argue. I pulled her up and put enough space between us for my hands. Before I let myself touch her pussy, I slowly lowered the straps of her dress and exposed her breasts. Panic filled her eyes.

“Relax. No one can see us through the tinted windows.”

She closed her eyes, sealing them so tightly that little wrinkles formed near the corners. When I leaned forward and captured her hard nipple between my lips, her head tipped back, she moaned, and my dick came to life.

I couldn’t focus on my need, but on hers.

Dipping my hand under her dress with my mouth still attached to her, I ran my fingers through her silkiness. She was ready for me and already turned on.

When I pushed two fingers inside of her, she gasped. I started slowly and let her body adjust before I began to hammer inside of her. Her mouth fell open and her legs began to shake against my thighs.

Just as her pussy started to contract against my hands, I slowed my movement and released her nipple.

“Please,” she whispered as I straightened.

“Look at me,” I told her with my fingers buried deep inside her.

She leaned forward and rested her forehead on mine before opening her eyes.

“I want to watch you come.”

She swallowed hard but kept her eyes glued to mine. Her breathing quickened, matching the pace of my fingers as I thrust them inside her.

She must not have liked the speed and took over. Rocking on my hand like she would my cock. I watched her, listening to her hard, short inhales as she pounded herself down on my fingers.

“Yeah, baby. Come for me.” I stared at her, completely in awe and watched her shatter in front of me. Her eyes rolled back, her mouth fell open, and her body shook in my arms as she came on my fingers.

We breathed heavily, panting for air. She collapsed against me and closed her eyes.

Neither of us spoke for a few minutes. I stroked her hair and she gulped down air until her breathing slowed.

“I’m scared, Frisco.”

I squeezed her hips, stopping her from moving because I enjoyed being inside her too much for it to end. “Why?”

“I like you so much it freaks me out.”

I’d be lying if I didn’t admit her words hit home. Georgia had breezed into my life, giving me a happiness I’d never known. Her carefree attitude and ballbusting style made me smile. No one had ever done that before, not even Jeanine. “I know.” My voice was quiet but guarded.

Her eyes opened. “What is it about you?”

“You’re getting your bad-boy fix, babe.”

“I had that with the other guy.”

“No, you didn’t.” I stroked the underside of her breast with my finger, letting it drift back and forth.

“He wasn’t nice,” she whispered, her voice ragged.

“Why, because he cheated?”

“Yeah.”

“Doesn’t make him a bad boy.”

“What makes you one?” She pushed her chest forward, aching for more than a whisper-light touch.

I captured her lips and kissed her deeply. As I released her lips, I dragged my finger over her exposed nipples. “Where should I begin?”

Her warm breath cascaded across my face as she shivered. “I don’t think you’re a bad boy.”

“I have a past.”

“We all do,” she argued, shaking her head and jostling her breasts against my hand.

“I’ve used women.”

“Don’t most men?”

She had something to say for everything that came out of my mouth. “Look at me, G. I don’t wear a suit to work, I’m covered in tats, I’m older. I’m just not the type of guy ladies bring home to meet the parents.”

“It’s all bullshit.” She peppered my face with kisses. “We can pretend you’re a bad boy, but I know what a sweetie you are.”

I felt her words hit me square in the chest. No one had ever called me sweet. At least not someone I dated.

Nice?

Yeah…sometimes.

Usually when they wanted something. Being a “sweetie” wasn’t what I wanted to be known for when it all ended. I’d rather be a prick so the ladies moved the fuck on and left me alone.

“Speaking of which,” she said before clearing her throat, “I wanted to know if you’d meet my parents this weekend.”

“Um,” I mumbled, not sure how to answer that question.

It had been years since I’d met anyone’s parents. Being an adult, it wasn’t something that I was used to doing. Besides Jeanine, the other women I’d been with were just fuck buddies without any strings attached, and certainly no family dinners involved.

“It’s okay. You don’t have to.” She pulled up the straps on her dress and covered her breasts.

“I didn’t say I didn’t want to.” I was lying through my teeth. I didn’t fucking want to meet her parents. We weren’t at that point in our relationship. Less than three days ago, we weren’t an anything.

She crawled off my lap, and I instantly missed her warmth. “It’s just that I talked to my mom today,” she told me as she climbed back into the passenger seat. “And mentioned I met this amazing man. She begged me to bring you to dinner this weekend.”

“I don’t know, babe.”

“My dad is particularly interested in meeting you.”

“I’m sure he is. I’m sure he wants to bash my face in too.”

“No,” she said quickly. “He’s not like that.”

“All fathers are.”

“Not my dad. He’s a calm guy. He loves me.”

I glanced over at her and rubbed my chin as I thought of the five hundred ways this could go terribly wrong. “What’s he do again?”

She smiled that fake isn’t-it-great smile. “He’s a retired cop.”

“Right. I love meeting the father of the girl I’m fooling around with and knowing that he’s carrying a weapon.”

“They don’t know we’re ‘fooling around’.” She made air quotes. “Remember, I’ve never been that kind of girl. Plus, he doesn’t carry anymore.”

“Georgia.” I gritted my teeth and dragged my hand through my hair. “Your dad is going to take one look at me and know I want to fuck you.”

Her smile vanished. “How?”

“Your naïveté is so precious. I’m a man. It’s always there, lurking in the background.”

She crossed her arms over her chest and stared out the front window. “Fuck you. I resent that statement.”

“Look at me, Georgia.” I motioned in front of my body. “I don’t look like a virgin.”

“Did I?” she spat back, her lip curling.

“Point taken.” I turned on the car, wishing I could take some words back. “You want to go for a drink?”

“Do you want me to, or am I too naïve for a drink?”

“Knock that shit off.” I pointed at her. “I want you to come or I wouldn’t ask.”

She picked her purse up and started to rifle through the contents. “Fine. I’ll go for a drink.”

“That’s good.”

“It’s a school night,” she said as she pulled her keys out.

Fucking hell. That made her sound like a kid. “Yeah. Just a quick one.”

“I’ll meet you there.” She reached for the door handle.

“Hey,” I growled, grabbing her arm before she got out.

She froze, but she didn’t look at me. “Yeah?”

“Give me a kiss.” I tried to pull her gently down into her seat. “I want a kiss.”

“We all want things,” she said before pulling her wrist from my grip and slamming the door.

“Motherfucker,” I said, hitting the steering wheel with my palm. “Way to fuck that up, dumbass.”

Not only did I insinuate that she was still a child, but I called her innocent. It wasn’t untrue, but “naïve” wasn’t the best way to put it.

I’d make things right when we got to the Neon Cowboy. My chest ached from thinking that she was pissed at me.

I’d meet her parents.

What could go wrong?