CHAPTER FIVE
Seth
When you turn twenty-one, chances are you can’t wait to legally buy that first alcoholic beverage. It feels as though you’re breaking the law and could get caught at any moment. That was the feeling I got the moment I saw Cat at the airport.
She was fucking gorgeous, and when I picked her up in my arms, I could feel her breasts against my chest. She was no longer the little girl I knew. Cat was a woman. A woman who made the inner beast in me come out, even to one of my cop buddies when he said he wanted to get in her pants. I tried to tame it by acting as though she was the best friend I’d always had. I made sure to keep my distance. Work helped with that, but having her in my bed inches from me …
I couldn’t deny the lust I felt for her.
Feeling her tight pussy wrapped around my dick as I slid inch by inch inside her was worth the wait. Swallowing her cries of pleasure was worth the wait, and knowing that she was finally truly my Cat was worth the wait. Some guys might be hesitant to take a woman’s virtue, but this was Cat. I didn’t need to second guess myself or worry that she would get clingy. I wanted her to get clingy. I wanted her to move to D.C. and be with me—to be there for Joss. I wanted it like all those summers, but permanent. However, I also knew she was starting school in the fall to become a dental assistant. Could I wait a year, do the whole long distance thing? Would she wait?
After we cleaned up, I wanted us to crawl in the bed together, but we both agreed that given Joss was going through some shit, we couldn’t let her know. So Cat went to Joss’s room, and I fell asleep with a smile on my face.
When I woke the next morning, I could smell Cat’s floral scent across the pillow by my face. I smiled. I’d never had this reaction toward a woman before. Before Joss moved in, I’d brought women here for a good time, and after Joss moved in I would “work late” but I never gave a fuck that I could still smell the chick the following day. Smelling Cat the first thing in the morning was something I wanted to do on a daily basis.
As I stretched, waking, I could hear the girls were in the kitchen making lunch, their loud voices traveling down the hall. It was almost noon, and in just a few hours I’d have to bring Cat to the airport. I threw on a T-shirt and made my way to them. Cat looked up, and we smiled at each other. Never in my life had I wanted Joss to get out of the way before, but damn, I wanted to wrap Cat in my arms and kiss the ever loving shit out of her. Instead, I brushed passed her on my way to the fridge for creamer.
“Way to sleep my last day here away, 5-0.”
I smiled. “I was up late last night—or should I say this morning.”
“I wish you weren’t leaving,” Joss stated.
Both Cat and I turned to her. Her statement was normal. If she had acted normal in the last year, it wouldn’t have puzzled us, except she hadn’t. She was a buzzkill to be around. A fucking one-tone cock block.
“Yeah, Kitty Cat. I wish you were staying too.” I reached around her for a coffee cup.
“Me too,” she said, taking a plate of sandwiches to the kitchen table. “But I promised my dad I’d help out around the office this summer. He’s going to finally teach me things so I can have a head start on school.”
“Maybe Joss and I can drive down. Visit Grandma and stuff,” I said, pouring lukewarm coffee in my mug. I wanted to say so much more than that but kept my mouth shut.
“I’m never going back,” Joss stated, bitterly. I turned to face her, coffee mug in hand.
Cat spoke, “Your mom mov—”
“I’m not going back!” Joss snapped and left, slamming the door of her room.
“What the fuck?” I breathed, staring at the path Joss had just left. This was a whole other level of her mood swings. She never lashed out before.
“I don’t get it.” Cat bit into her sandwich and then spoke around a mouth full of food. “She should be happy.”
I moved and sat in front of her, stealing a potato chip. “It’s because I can’t find Bryce.” At least that was what I thought. Why else would she be a fucking mess?
“Even if you could, it’s not like he can live with you guys.”
“I know. I think she just wants to make sure he’s okay.”
“I’m sure he’s fine. He’ll be ten soon, and that’s old enough to survive with that woman. Joss did.”
“Hope so.” Another salty chip crunched in my mouth. “So, last night?”
“Yeah?”
“You doing okay?” I reached out and brushed my fingers on top of her hand. It had been a long time since I’d slept with a virgin, but I knew the following day wasn’t a comfortable one. My high school girlfriend had made sure I knew that.
Cat smiled. “Yeah, just a little sore.”
Before I could respond, Joss walked back into the kitchen. “Sorry, guys. I’m just—”
Cat stood and went to Joss, wrapping her arms around her. “You don’t need to be sorry. We get it. Just know we’re here for you.”
“I think I’m starting my period soon.”
“No, we are not talking about that shit,” I stated as I stood.
Cat punched my arm. “Grow up.”
I narrowed my eyes at her. “I’m pretty sure you know I’m a man.”
She smirked. “Group hug for old times’ sake?”
We all moved together, hugging just like we used to do during the summers I spent with these two crazy ass chicks.
Driving Cat to the airport brought back so many memories from our childhood. When I was ten, I didn’t want to go to Florida. Then over the years, especially as I got older, I didn’t want to leave. This was similar. I didn’t want Cat to leave, but I’d followed my dreams, and I had to let her follow hers. Maybe after she’s done with school, she would decide to move to D.C.
I think we were all feeling the same way because, on the way to the airport, the three of us were quiet. Then it happened, and my heart squeezed a little more. The guitar started strumming in my speakers, and before the first note was sung, Cat’s head turned to me.
“You have this song on your phone?”
Apple had recently come out with a phone that allowed you to store music. I’d transferred my music to my phone and made sure You and Me by Lifehouse was on there.
“Of course I do.”
We sang along to the words, and after the night before, the words were truer.
“Will you come back?” Joss asked from the backseat as I pulled into the airport.
“Of course. Just don’t know when.” Cat shrugged.
“I hope soon. Maybe we can go to the strip club finally.”
My eyes darted to Cat’s, and she laughed. “Yes, we could check that off our bucket list.”
I shook my head. “Call me when you get home so I know you made it.” I pulled up to the departures.
“I will.”
All three of us got out of my Tahoe, and while the girls said their goodbyes, I grabbed Cat’s suitcase. After they had their moment, I walked up to Cat, wrapped my arms around her and whispered in her ear, “It’s always been you and me, Kitty Cat.”
She pulled her head back, her chocolate eyes staring up at me. “Yeah?”
“Yeah, and I wanna do it again.” I needed her to know that it wasn’t a one-time thing.
“Yeah?” she asked again.
“Yeah. We’ll figure it out.”
“Figure what out?” Joss asked.
I looked over at her. “Getting Cat back here for a visit.” That was only half of a lie—or just not the entire truth. With my arms around Cat, I pulled her to me again. “I’m gonna miss you, you know?”
“I’ll miss you too, 5-0.”
God, I wanted to kiss her. Fucking cock block Joss. Instead, I kissed the top of Cat’s head and then pulled away. “Call me when you get home.”
“I will.” She smiled and waved goodbye.
It was then that I realized a part of me was leaving.
Having Cat visit was good for both me and Joss. For me because I’d finally acted on my feelings for Cat. But for Joss, it was like she was a different person. She seemed to be happy finally. On the way home, she turned to me and asked, “Will you help me become a cop?”
I turned my head and looked at her for a second and then back at the road. “Of course. I told you whatever you need that I’m here for you.”
“I know. Having Cat here, and knowing she has future plans, makes me want to have plans.”
“Plans are good, Jossie.”
“Maybe we can be partners one day.”
I turned and looked at her again. She was smiling. I smiled in return. “Yeah, maybe.”
“I hope so. I’d be the best partner.”
I chuckled. “You think so?”
“Yeah because we know so much about each other. We already have each other’s back.”
“I’ll always have your back.” I pulled into the parking lot of our apartment complex. “Partner or not, I’ll always protect you.”
She took a deep breath as I pulled into my parking space. “Yeah,” she breathed.
It wasn’t convincing.
Things returned to normal when Cat left. We talked on the phone most nights, and we discussed her coming back before school started. We didn’t know when, but we had a few months to figure it out.
“McKenna, I need you to do me a favor.”
I turned my head in Gibbs’s direction as he drove the patrol car during or shift. “Of course. Anything.”
“I’m glad you said that.”
“Oh God,” I groaned. “I’m not getting a good feeling about this.”
He chuckled and turned his head to me. With a shit eating grin, he said, “It’s nothing bad.”
I stared at him for a beat not believing him. “What is it then?”
“So listen, I need you to take my sister out.”
“What?” I laughed, staring at him as though he had two heads.
“She saw you at Lola’s one night and has been hounding me to set you two up.”
“What?” I laughed again.
“She ain’t ugly if that’s your hang up, and you owe me for covering your ass when Joss showed up a year ago.”
“Fuck.” I did owe him. The day Joss showed up at my precinct, I didn’t think. I’d just reacted and took off in a marked car. That was a no-no since I was barely out of the academy. Gibbs covered for me and said he was with us. “Okay. Fine. One drink.”
“Drinks and dinner.”
“What?” I sounded like a broken record.
“Like I said, she ain’t ugly.”
“Then why is she single?”
“Why are you single?” he countered.
“Because I live with a cock block.”
“I’m not asking you to fuck my sister. I’ll cut your dick off if you do that.”
“Whoa.” I held up my hands in defense. “I ain’t gonna sleep with her. I’m not the type.”
We both laughed. I was a dude, so if a chick wanted to put out on the first date, of course I’d hit that. But not with Cat in the picture, and not with Gibbs’s sister no matter how hot she might be.
“Not the type my ass.” He shook his head. “Dinner and drinks only, all right?”
I pointed my finger at him. “I do this, and we’re even.”
He smiled. “Yeah. We’ll be even—unless you break her heart.”
“Break her heart after one date?”
“Let her down easy. Be a jackass for all I care, but just don’t be mean.”
“And when it doesn’t work out, you’ll remember that was the plan?”
“Look. I’m not asking you to marry her. Just buy her some dinner so she stops bugging me.”
“Fine. Set it up for Friday.”
When I talked to Cat earlier, I didn’t tell her I had a date. No girl wants to hear about a guy they’ve hooked up with going on a date with another chick. And even though Cat and I weren’t official, she was still Cat. I didn’t want to hurt her. If I told her that it was a favor for my partner, she’d say she understood, but really, in the back of her mind, I knew she’d wonder if I was telling the truth. I just didn’t want to put Cat through that.
“Where are you going?” Joss asked as I came out of my room.
“Out.”
“On a date?” she sang.
“No, I’m going to grab beers with the guys at Lola’s,” I lied. I didn’t want to chance Joss accidentally telling Cat.
“Can I come?”
I stopped walking toward the door. “You want to come? You never want to go anywhere.”
“I’m starting to feel like my old self again, Sethie.”
I walked to her and wrapped my arms around her shoulders. “I’d love for you to come, Jossie, but this is a guy’s night out, and we’re going to a bar.”
She sighed. “Okay. Can I come next time?”
“Yes. Next time. Promise.”
I felt bad lying to her. But I had my reasons.
While I was stopped at a red light, I texted Cat. I know, shame on me, but I was thinking about her.
Me: I miss you, Kitty Cat. Hope you’re having a good night.
By the time I made it to the bar where I was meeting Gibbs’s sister, Annie, Cat hadn’t texted me back. It was a little unusual, but I didn’t have time to dwell on it. I wanted to make this night as short as possible.
After pulling the wooden door open, I walked into the dimly light bar and spotted Annie sitting at a high top near the side wall. She probably thought we were having drinks here and then going to a nice restaurant for dinner. That wasn’t my plan. Lola’s provided me with more dinners than I could count, and what better way than to be a cheap date than just order cheese sticks as an appetizer?
The closer I got to the table, the more Annie’s eyes widened. Did she not believe I was going to show? Girls were so weird—especially my two best friends.
“Annie?” I asked, and she stood.
“Hi.” She reached out to give me a hug, but I stuck my hand out to shake hers.
“The boys are right. You’re fine as hell.” Bet she didn’t see that line coming.
“Um. Thanks?”
“What’s your poison tonight, honeybuns?” Having that term of endearment roll off my tongue made me shiver.
“Um, I’ll have a margarita?”
“Why the question? You aren’t sure whatcha drinkin’?”
“I usually don’t know what to order.”
I took a seat, feeling as though it was going to take me thirty minutes to get what she really wanted to drink. Annie followed suit. “Gibbs told me you’ve seen me here before. Do you just come for the food then?”
“No, I come here with my friends to have a good time.”
“Oh, so you like to shake that ass out on the dance floor for all the guys to fantasize about?”
She laughed. “I love to dance. Do you?”
“Yeah sure. What’s not to love about a nice ass pressed against my dick as we sway to the beat of the music?”
“I’d definitely back mine up against you.”
Aw fuck. Changing the subject, I said, “A margarita is a good drink to have. What do you want to eat it?”
“We’re eating here? I thought we were just meeting here for a few drinks and then going somewhere else.” Could she not have figured out what she wanted to drink before she showed up? I didn’t want to be here all night. That wasn’t my plan. Get in, get out, I’ll catch you later.
“Nah, honeybuns. Lola’s has the best fried pickles in town. No need to go somewhere else.”
“Eww. I’m more of a fresh veggies girl. I’m not into fried foods.”
“Then a lot of limes it is with that margarita.” I winked and stood. “I’ll be back.” I left to go to the bar to order our drinks and place the food order. “Hey, Greg, can I get a margarita on the rocks with salt and extra limes, a Coors Light, and every fried food item you have on the menu?”
He laughed. “Are you serious?”
I rolled my eyes. Greg had been my bartender for a few years, and when I ordered food, it was usually a burger or something. Not every fried food known to man. “Yeah, man.”
“Whatever you say, McKenna.” He turned and went to the POS system, rang up what I assumed would be potato skins, French fries, fried pickles, chicken strips and cheese sticks. He turned, opened a bottle of Coors for me, and then started making the margarita. “What’s up with you tonight?”
I leaned in as if Annie could hear me from across the room. “I’m on this date as a favor to Gibbs.”
Greg chuckled. “She’s cute. You’re just not feeling it?”
“I can’t get serious with Gibbs’s sister, man.”
He set the tequila drink in front of me. “So you decided to order every bad item on the menu to get her to want to leave early?”
I laughed. “Yeah.”
He shook his head in disbelief. “You’re a stand up guy. I never thought you’d do such a thing.”
I grabbed the drinks. “Gibbs knows my plan. Just bring the food when it’s up, okay?”
“Yeah.” He grabbed a towel and began wiping the bar top.
I turned and started walking over to Annie. God, this was so out of character for me, but I couldn’t chance her liking me because of my looks, and nothing is more of a turn off than a bad personality.
“Here you go,” I said and slid the drink to her.
She took a big sip, drinking about half of it through the straw, and before I realized what was happening, she said, “I need to do something.” Then she stood, pulled me by my blue, button-down shirt, and pressed her mouth to mine. She tried to part it, I could feel her tongue rubbing against my lips wanting me to open up for her, but I couldn’t. This wasn’t right. I didn’t like her even if she wasn’t Gibbs’s sister.
I broke the kiss, stepping back a little, and my eyes had a mind of their own as they moved to the door, probably my inner conscience searching for the closest exit. But instead of seeing an empty door beckoning me to make a run for it, I saw something else—someone else.
Standing there was Cat.