Breaking the Rules
7 months ago
My eyes are glued on her as she walks into the station. Lori Stevens. Even her name proves she belongs with me. I haven’t stopped thinking about this woman since we met. After visiting that same coffee shop every day for an entire month without success, I’d finally given up on ever seeing her again. I can’t stand the thought of coffee at this point. Hell, even the baristas know me by name now. It was getting pathetic and I had to accept that she may have been nothing more than my own personal unicorn.
Sure, I had her name and could’ve easily found out anything I wanted or needed to know about her. But that seemed creepy and wrong. Our initial meeting was so natural and real, I wanted to get to know her in the same way.
It seems fate is giving me another chance to do exactly that. Or perhaps it’s not fate at all. Maybe she came here looking for me. The possibility causes me to stand a little taller as she approaches the front desk. Truth be told, if this had been the first time I laid eyes on her, I probably wouldn’t give her a second glance.
She’s as beautiful as I remember, but her natural beauty is hidden behind far too much makeup around her stormy blue eyes, and her tight, black pencil skirt and perfectly curled chestnut hair makes her look like a woman who’s trying too hard. The most unappealing part is the air of vein arrogance as she walked through the door with her head held high and hips moving with swagger.
Luckily, I’d seen the woman behind the mask—hair pulled up into a messy bun, no makeup on, and a pair of blue jeans. I’d seen the vulnerability in her eyes and the insecurity in her movements.
She tells the rookie behind the desk she’s the reporter with the Ruth County Newspaper here to interview someone about the domestic dispute standoff last night, and I’m suddenly glad I’d been the sucker chosen to stay late to deal with the press.
The poor kid they put up front, who doesn’t have a clue what she’s talking about, is practically stuttering over his words as he looks around for help. With a couple swift, long strides, I step up behind her and clear my throat.
“I believe you’re looking for me.”
She spins on her heel in my direction. When her eyes land on me, her perfectly glossed lips part as her mouth drops open and her cheeks redden. A sense of pride washes over me knowing she not only remembers me, but I’m having the same effect on her now as I had during our first encounter. I loosen a laugh with my faded breath.
As quickly as her mask slipped, it’s pulled back into place. Her posture straightens as she lifts her chin and her lips curve back into a crooked yet seductive smile.
“Hello again, Officer Duncan.”
I give her a slight nod. “Ms. Stevens, what a pleasant surprise.”
She tilts her head as her eyes roam over me, her teeth digging into her bottom lip before meeting my eyes again.
“Indeed, it is. Aren’t I a lucky girl? I feel like I hit the policeman lottery.”
Her boldness causes me to choke out another sharp laugh, and I wonder if she’s this forward with all men or it’s just me. Something tells me it’s the latter. Yet another thing that would normally be a turn off, but I get the feeling this is all an act.
With a slight shake of my head, I gesture toward the interview room down the hall. “Why don’t you follow me to where we can speak more…privately.”
Her eyebrows lift. “Privacy. I like the sound of that.” I might buy into her confident flirtatious act if I hadn’t caught the light coloring on her cheeks as she walked past me.
Once we’re in the room, she’s all business, firing off one question after another. More than once, I’d forgotten I was speaking to a reporter, nearly divulging more information than I should have. She’s the best reporter I’ve ever come across. Makes me question what she’s doing working for a small county paper.
By the time we finish up, I’m even more intrigued by her and desperately want more of her time. As she’s gathering her things, I stand, offering her my hand. She eyes it, looking up at me briefly before taking it and coming to her feet. She’s so close to me now, I can smell her faint floral scent as her hand lingers in mine a little longer than necessary.
As she pulls away, she adjusts her bag on her shoulder, then smooths her dress. When her eyes meet mine, she clears her throat. “Well, Officer Duncan, I—”
“Would you like to have dinner with me?” I blurt out without meaning to. I wanted to be smooth and charming. So much for that.
She begins to decline with a shake of her head, but stops short before taking in a deep breath and letting out a sigh. “Dinner? When and where?”
“I’m off duty now. I only need to run home to change, then I can take you anywhere you want to go.”
“Or…” Her flirtatious smile returns as she closes the small gap between us even more and trails a finger down the shirt buttons on my uniform. “We could skip the going out portion of the evening and stay at your place.”
Warning bells sound at her suggestion. I’m not the type of guy who takes a woman to his bed on a first date, and I don’t typically get involved with women who would want or expect as much. I guess you could say I’m the opposite of a playboy. I don’t enjoy the bachelor lifestyle. I’m looking for a relationship that’s more long term.
But there’s something about this woman I feel drawn to. So much so, I spent weeks trying to get another opportunity to spend time with her. Now, I have that chance, and I’m not going to turn it down. If that means breaking my own rules, so be it.
My pulse races as I park my Nissan Frontier outside my house. Lori pulls up behind me in her white Audi RS 7, and if her choice in vehicles is any indication of her taste, she’ll be less than impressed by my little fixer upper. It was the wrap around porch that made me fall in love with this place, but even with all the work I’ve done to my old farm house—fresh white paint for the siding, red for the front door, and black shutters—it still has a long way to go.
When I get out of the truck, Lori meets me at the end of the front sidewalk, and we’re both awkwardly quiet as we make our way to the porch. This is unfamiliar territory for me. I’m not entirely sure how to behave or what to say and silence seems like the best option. Once we reach the front door and I work to unlock it, she invades my space. She’s close enough I can feel her body heat on my back and her breath on my neck. Her hair brushes against my cheek, floral scent surrounding me as the wind blows.
As soon as we step inside, Lori launches herself at me, her mouth crashing into mine with a need too intense for me to deny her. I’m not sure if she’s melting into me, or it’s my resolve dissolving into a puddle at her feet as her tongue slips into my mouth. I have no intention of sleeping with her tonight, but the way she’s rubbing her body on mine tells me she has other plans.
My hands grip her hips, and I’m saved by the bell. Or bark rather. The unexpected sound startles Lori enough to break the kiss, drawing her attention to my dog standing at our feet.
“Sorry about that,” I say, dropping my hands as I take a step away from her. “This is Elvis.”
I gesture to my white, black, and tan basset hound who’s whimpering for Lori’s attention, and she crouches down to love on him.
“Oh my God,” she coos, rubbing his ears. His tail wags in excitement. “Aren’t you the sweetest little thing.” She eyes me over her shoulder. “Did you really name your hound dog Elvis?”
I shrug. “What can I say, I’ve always been a big Elvis fan.”
“Me too, actually,” she admits, coming to her feet. “He was my first celebrity crush.”
The woman loves dogs, and she’s an Elvis fan. I think I might have just fallen in love, and something tells me she’s going to take me on quite a ride.