by Roxie Spears
“Oh, you know. I can’t complain. How about you? My brother still treating you well?”
“Never better,” Emilie said, beaming. And she meant it. As a matter of fact, Brian’s brother did treat her well, but she didn’t take the bait. Logan’s brothers teased him enough without her help. She wasn’t about to give Brian ammunition. “What can I do for you? What brings you down to the precinct?”
It was unusual. If Brian wanted to speak to her, he could have chosen any other opportunity. The fact that he came to the precinct made her think that it was detective business he was after.
“Never miss a beat, do you?” Brian asked seriously.
“Hey, I’m not a detective for nothing, you know.”
He nodded his head at that and reached into his jacket pocket, pulling out an old photograph. It was a Polaroid. Emilie took the picture and found herself looking down at a pretty woman. She smiled happily at the camera – or whoever it was taking the picture – and the wind blew her hair across her cheeks.
“I’m looking to find this woman,” Brian murmured. His voice was low. “It’s nothing too serious. I just want to find her.”
Emilie raised her eyebrows. “Please tell me that you’re not like, hunting her down or something.”
“No, no,” Brian put his hands up in surrender. The look in his eyes made Emilie believe him. “It’s nothing like that, I promise. There’s no funny business.”
“Nothing illegal?”
“Nothing illegal. Promise.” He crossed his fingers over his heart and held them up. “Scout’s Honor.”
Emilie couldn’t help but laugh. Brian Bane was anything but a scout, but she didn’t need to point that out. They both knew it.
“So, will you help?” he asked, his eyes pleading.
Emilie gave a sigh and pulled a notebook out from beneath a pile of papers on her desk. She wrote down Brian’s name and clipped the photograph to the notebook with a paperclip. “I’ll see what I can do, Brian.”
Brian was so excited by the news that he stood and lifted Emilie up into one of his bear hugs once more. This time, he spun her around. “You’re the best, Em!”
“Okay, okay!” Emilie laughed. “You can put me down now!”
Brian chuckled as he set her down on her feet. “I mean it. Thank you for this.”
“He’s not wrong about you being the best, you know,” another voice interrupted.
Emilie and Brian looked over the cubicle to see Logan standing there. He was dressed as casually as his brother was, but Emilie loved it when he dressed casually. The t-shirt he wore was black and tight-fitting, showing her every hard line and emphasizing his arms, as if it were possible for them to look bigger than they already did. The mere sight of him gave her butterflies and for a moment, Emilie forgot how to breathe.
“Aaand,” Brian sang. “I think that’s my cue. I’ll get out of your hair.”
“Thanks for stopping by, Brian,” Emilie smiled at him.
He pulled her in for his third hug and whispered in her ear, low enough for her to hear, “Thanks for your help.”
With that, he walked out of the space, shaking his brother’s hand before he walked out of the precinct.
Emilie and Logan watched as his beefy shoulders disappeared from sight before she turned back to him. Logan didn’t waste another moment. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her against him, pressing his lips to hers. Emilie wasn’t sure if she’d ever tire of kissing Logan Bane, of feeling his heat against her, and every time he pulled away, she wished that it lasted a little bit longer.
“So, Detective Hartford,” Logan murmured, staring down into her eyes. “I was wondering if you wanted to go out with me tonight. Dinner or a movie?”
“I have a better idea,” Emilie said with a chuckle, pulling Logan closer as she recalled their first date all over again. “How about a burger instead?”
* * *
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