––––––––

Will

Was this woman trying to kill me? She was wearing an extremely short and tight dress that didn’t leave much to the imagination.

“Hi,” she said cheerfully.

“Hi,” I said back, though it sounded more like a groan. I swallowed, looking to the side, pretending to inspect the alarm unit she’d already hung at the window. I had to gather my wits, but the sight of her toned thighs and narrow waist was burned into my brain. Those breasts looked ready to pop out of her dress.

She took the plastic bag with the curry boxes from me, heading to the kitchen. I remained in the foyer, inspecting the base unit of the alarm. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw her tugging her dress, as if she could make it longer just by pulling at it.

“Let’s take care of the alarm first,” I suggested. “We can eat afterward.”

“Sure. I have wine. Do you want a glass?” she called from the kitchen.

“No, thanks.”

I was already tinkering with the alarm when she joined me by the door with a glass of wine for herself.

“Hey! Don’t do it without me. I want to learn.”

I motioned toward the alarm.

“The trick is to get the contacts right.”

“But I did it the way they explained it in the instructions.”

“Let’s do it again together.”

I forced myself to slow down, so she could see me setting up the contacts. I liked her curiosity, the way she watched me, clearly intending to memorize what I was doing.

“There, done,” I said after all the wires were set. We tested the alarm, and she clapped her hands when it worked. Her pink lips puckered before she gave me a wide smile, and I focused on that—on her lovely, beautiful smile. It was easier to resist taking the rest of her in if I focused on her mouth.

“Thanks! I can finally cross this off the list. Let’s have dinner.”

She led me to the living room, and I walked a few feet behind her, watching that perfect, round ass swing on every step. The skin of her thighs was lighter the further up it went, as if she hadn’t exposed it to the sun.

We ate at the low coffee table, sitting on the floor. Paige was fidgeting, clearly trying to find a sitting position that wouldn’t be indecent. She tucked her legs under herself and flashed half her ass. Then she stretched her legs out, which... wasn’t exactly indecent, but I had a hard time concentrating on my curry. 

“Did you find a handyman?” I asked. She’d mentioned it during cocktails.

“Yes, he’s coming next week to do an initial check and tell me what it will all cost.” She looked around wistfully. “I’ll miss this place. I spent a lot of afternoons here as a kid, came here straight after school. My grandma and I were close.”

“When did she pass away?”

“Last spring. I think that’s when I first knew I didn’t want to be in Paris anymore. I was missing a lot of birthdays and stuff, but not being here for my family when this happened, that hurt. It took me almost a day and a half to come here, and everyone was... well....”

I reached over the table and stroked her hand. Her eyes widened, but she didn’t pull her hand away. I wanted to comfort her any way I could. She had a beautiful soul, and clearly she was still beating herself up over the fact that she hadn’t been here.

“Tell me about your job. Have you always worked at nonprofits?” I asked, in an effort to distract her. It worked. Her expression lit up.

“Yes. My friend Luna got me into it. She volunteered to run a study group for kids from underprivileged backgrounds in college, and roped me into it. Then we both interned at Three Emeralds. One thing led to another. She works at a bank now, but I stayed there. I like it. I feel like I’m making a difference. Why did you become a detective?”

“Same reason as you, I suppose. Making a difference.” I liked that we had that in common. “I studied criminal justice and law enforcement in college, then enrolled in the police academy.”

I had surprised everyone with my decision, especially because as a rebellious teenager, I’d had some encounters with the police. Once they busted me when I’d tried to climb the Hollywood sign. It had been a stupid dare, but I’d been all about stupid dares back in those days. The cop had seen right through me. I wasn’t just a kid out on a prank. I was feeling lost after my parents’ accident, angry that the culprit hadn’t been caught.

He’d brought me to the station with him. At first I’d thought I was going to spend a night behind bars, but then he told me that if I agreed to shadow him for a week, he wouldn’t press charges. I didn’t have time for that. I had to be home every day after school to watch Lori, Jace, and Hailey. Val and Landon were counting on me. I did a lot of shit, but I hadn’t let my family down... yet. But the cop left me no choice. After one week of witnessing him bring in vandals and criminals, I wasn’t so hot on the idea of stupid dares anymore. In retrospect, I realized that had probably been his intention. But I had gotten a taste of what it meant to be on the force, and I’d liked it. So much, in fact, that after college, I’d decided to join it. Catching criminals had made me feel useful.

We spoke about each other’s jobs while we finished our curry. I’d forgotten all about her short dress until we got up to carry the empty takeout containers and glasses to the kitchen. Apparently, so did she, because she pushed herself off the ground with her back to me, and as the skirt flew up, I had a view of half her ass, since her panties barely covered anything. Fucking hell.

My dick twitched. I groaned, turning away. Paige was desperately trying to cover herself.

“Paige,” I said slowly, “no matter how much you tug at it, that dress won’t cover much.”

She stopped fidgeting. “I wore a suit to work today, and this was the only thing I could change into.”

I gave her a cheeky smile. “Works for me.”

“Can you at least pretend not to be enjoying it so much?”

“Why? Is it too flattering for you?”

She blushed.

“You sure you didn’t choose that dress on purpose? To torment me?” I continued.

“Did you do something for which you’d deserve tormenting?” She tossed me a sassy glance over her shoulder on the way to the kitchen.

“Maybe.” I’d had dirty thoughts. I still did.

What I’d do to this woman, right here in this kitchen.... I’d bury my face between her legs until she cried out my name.

“You’re flattering yourself now. Maybe detectives aren’t my type,” she teased as she threw the cartons in the bin. I placed the glasses on the counter, then swept my gaze around the kitchen... and stilled. There was a bouquet of roses on her windowsill. They even had a card. I walked closer until I could read what it said.

I had a lot of fun today. I’d love to take you to dinner.

Christian Lackeroy

General Manager

I swallowed, trying to control the mix of emotions. “Who sent you flowers?”

“A potential donor I met today.”

I stepped away from the roses. “I see. You said detectives aren’t your type. So I gather suits are.”

She ran a hand through her hair. She was agitated. “No, that’s not what I meant.”

“So you haven’t accepted the douchebag’s invitation?”

“How do you know he’s a douchebag?”

“Wrote his position on the card wanting to impress you.” After a brief pause, I added, “Did he succeed, Paige? Are you going out with him?”

She tensed, jutting her chin forward. I could bet that she wanted to challenge me, to flip me off, tell me that it was none of my business. Hell, it was none of my business. But then she glanced straight at me, and whatever she saw in my expression made the fight go right out of her.

“No, Will. I didn’t accept the invitation,” she said softly.

“And you took the flowers with you because...?”

“I’m going to be working remotely for the rest of the week. There was no point leaving the flowers at the office where no one could see them. “

I gave her a tight smile. “You said you met the guy today?”

“Yeah.”

“Damn. He moves even faster than I do.”

She chuckled. “I don’t know, Will. He hasn’t asked me to go to a wedding with him yet.”

“Have you given that more thought?” I moved closer to her.

“It’s a standing invitation?”

“Yes. Why? What did you think?”

“That you’d continue your search for a protector.” 

I threw my head back, laughing. Then I moved even closer, bracing a hand on the counter right next to her waist. 

“You really want me to come to the wedding?”

I nodded, waiting. Just before I’d met Paige to buy the alarm, Lori had called to ask me to give her away. I was sure she’d ask Landon, since he was the oldest and he and Val raised us. But Lori said she’d love it if I considered it, and I said yes, of course. It meant a lot to me. But I foresaw that the day would be more of an emotional roller coaster than I’d originally thought, and I wanted Paige by my side.

“I know we just met,” I said when she continued to be silent.

“Well... you did go buy an alarm with me and came by to install it. We can rule out malicious intent.” She smiled, but I detected a strange reticence in her expression.

I cocked my head. “Depends on your definition of malicious.”

“Nah, you’d make a good friend, Detective.”

A friend? That was how she was labeling this? Our bodies were almost touching. There was maybe half an inch between our hips. I’d been fighting a hard-on since I arrived. Her nipples were puckered. I could see their shape through the dress. She was leaning into me rather than away. But she’d put the friendship stamp on this for some reason.

“I’m going to do my best to get out of that thing with my high school classmates.”

“Your very best?” I insisted, pushing a strand of hair behind her ear.

“My very best. I promise.” Her breath caught a little when she spoke. She was deliciously responsive to my touch. Paige and I weren’t going to be just friends.

***

“You’re outta here already?” my partner, Elliot, asked a couple of days later.

“Friday dinner. Can’t be late.”

“I still need to finish the paperwork I’ve put off.”

We’d been burning the midnight oil with a case of a string of robberies, gathering evidence, and we’d been putting off a lot of things.

I faked a shudder. “I’ll do mine next week.”

Elliot hated paperwork as much as I did. He was fifteen years older, and we’d been paired since I joined the force. We made a good team.

My mind was still on our latest cases as I left the station. Some left the work behind when they were off duty, but I’d never managed that. However, I did make a concerted effort right now, because I was heading to Friday dinner. My sisters always picked up on it if I was troubled, and I didn’t want to worry them.

Which was why I pushed all thoughts about the case to the deepest recesses of my mind when I climbed the stairs in Valentina’s terraced yard. This space would give any botanical garden a run for its money.

My three sisters were on the front porch of the ranch-style home, whispering and giggling. When the words sexy time reached my ears, I thought it would be smarter to announce my presence. I absolutely didn’t want to eavesdrop on their girl talk.

“Girls, change the subject. I will pretend I haven’t heard anything.”

Hailey whipped her head in my direction, tilting it slightly. “You look like someone pissed in your cereal, brother.”

Hailey was our youngest sister. She looked a lot like Mom—shorter than Val and Lori, and with dark brown eyes, like me. The rest had inherited the green eyes that were part of our Irish heritage from Dad’s side.

“Trouble at work?” Val chimed in. Lori wasn’t saying anything, but I knew that didn’t mean she was staying out of it. Especially when she was exchanging glances with both Val and Hailey. They were cooking up something. In any case, I still had to work on my poker face and putting my day behind me.

“Girls, no need for an intervention.”

Hailey smiled, holding up a finger. “This would be an ambush.”

“It’s just work stuff. I’m gonna head inside, leave you to finish your girl talk.”

“We’ll come inside in a minute,” Val assured me. “Hailey just needs some advice, and we’re trying to keep girl talk away from sensitive manly ears.”

“Excellent strategy.”

My nephew was inside the house, playing a game of darts with Graham. I joined them.

“Girl talk still going on outside?” Graham asked.

“Yep.”

“Accidentally walked in on it earlier. I’m scarred for life.”

“Join the club.”

Jace arrived just in time for dinner. So did Landon with his wife Maddie and their one-year-old daughter Willow. Landon told us about his latest investment deal while we ate.

The conversation then inevitably turned to Lori and Graham’s wedding, as it had done every time we were together over the past few weeks. Val was relentlessly teasing us about Pippa’s matchmaking games.

“Actually,” I said, “I’m bringing someone.”

Jace looked shocked. “What? But we’re supposed to stick together. Strength in numbers and all that.”

“Who is she?” Lori asked.

“You don’t know her. I met her recently and invited her.”

“Has she said yes yet?” Jace inquired.

“She’ll say yes,” I said confidently, even though I hadn’t heard from her in a week. I hadn’t insisted, deciding to be a gentleman and wait patiently. Except... I wasn’t exactly known for my patience. 

“Well, let me know as soon as she does, so I can change that in the seating chart,” Lori said.

“Looks like you’ll be on your own, brother. Don’t count on me and Val to save you from Pippa. We’ll be busy with wedding stuff.”

“Hailey, you’re enjoying this far too much,” Jace declared.

Hailey patted Jace mockingly on the shoulder. They were the youngest. Growing up, I couldn’t tell which one was the worse influence. But by the time they were teenagers, things changed. Jace turned into a fierce guardian to our sisters. Our little Hailey didn’t grow up to be a troublemaker. She was sharp and focused, paving her way through life with a sledgehammer. Lori and I were the middle kids, though I’d always considered myself part of the older group. Partly because Val and Landon were twins, which made me the second oldest, but also because I’d been in charge of watching the younger ones, being an authority figure and all that.

After dinner I decided that I was going to get an answer from Paige tonight. I went out on the porch and called her. She didn’t answer, but as soon as I disconnected, she called back.

“Sorry for missing the call. My phone was at the bottom of the bag. Took forever to find it. I’ve been meaning to call you this evening.”

“Oh, yeah?”

“Uh-huh.”

“I’m warning you, saying no isn’t an option.”

She laughed softly. “That’s quite some swagger you’re flaunting.”

“Just being upfront.”

“I see. Well, now that makes me want to say no just to hear your reaction.”

“So you’re saying yes?” 

She laughed again. “I’m bad at playing this game. I’ve cleared out my schedule for next Saturday. Took some time, because one of my close friends is flying in for the occasion, but I’m meeting her on Friday instead. But you were right. As soon as I mentioned the wedding, I was forgiven. When are you picking me up?”

“Three o’clock.”

“I’ll be ready.”

I couldn’t suppress a grin when I returned inside the house and told my sister, “Lori, add a plus one to your list.”