“You would think that. You have youth on your side.”
I suddenly laugh. “Like you’re so old.”
“You’re nearly a decade younger!”
“That’s a stretch.”
She paces in a small circle, and she pins me with her glare. “I shouldn’t have trusted you. God, I’m an idiot.”
“For liking me? You apparently like me enough to want to fuck me.”
“This was a mistake.”
“I don’t understand, Talia.”
“No, you wouldn’t. You’re a guy.” Her disdain for me grows fucking exponentially. I hate Ricky. “And you’re a cop. I knew this would bite me in the ass.”
“What the hell does that mean?”
She nearly stomps. “My dad went to prison for shit he did as a police officer! They fired my ex for being a horrible person! Police officers have fucked me over too many times!”
“I’m not like them!”
“No, but you’ll end up like them.”
“What the fuck?”
“Did you do this because you’re white, and you wanted to fuck me so you can entertain your friends for stooping to my level?”
Offended by that, I make a face. “Do I look like I’d do something repulsive like that?”
“I have no idea because I made you out to be someone you’re not. You’re worse.” She dries more tears. “I told myself to stay away from you. Lynn told me to stay away from you too. But did I listen? Nope.”
“You’re spinning this way out of proportion. It’s just a number.”
“No. I’m not looking for a damn fling! I thought you might be…I wanted…You don’t understand! You’re just starting out, and I’m not!”
“Oh, fuck. Is this the settling-down argument?”
“I see someone else gave you a reality check, too.”
“Right before she dumped me.”
Talia’s hands go back to her mouth, and she mumbles, “My God. Are you a virgin?”
“Seriously, Talia? No.”
“How many women have you slept with?”
“What’s that have to do with shit?”
“I’ve slept with eleven men. How many?”
“Zero men.”
She nearly growls, “How many women?”
“That has nothing to do—”
“Holy shit. You only slept with your ex-girlfriend.”
“What’s the big fucking deal?”
“You have no life experience! You’ve been in one sexual relationship!”
“So, I have to fuck every woman I meet to be a man?”
She frowns and steps back from me as my anger surges. “No.”
“Then, what the hell do I need to do?” Talia’s eyes widen with fear, and I sigh, pushing my hands into my pockets. “I don’t want to argue with you. I think there’s something great starting between us. Don’t you?”
Staring at me with wet brown eyes, they shine with flecks of gold in the light. “Nothing can happen now.”
Going over to her, I grip her upper arms, and her eyes peer up at me. Scared, maybe? Before she argues again, I lean down and kiss her. She automatically kisses me back while her hands go to my shirt and scrunches it in her hands. Her fingers graze over my nipples through my shirt, and it heats my body. When she ends our kiss, she turns her head, and I whisper, “How can I convince you we’d be good together? I don’t know about you, but I feel like we’re meant to try.” Her eyes well with tears, and I guide her gaze back to mine. “When we have sex, it’ll be explosive. There’ll be no turning back from each other after that. It will join us in so many ways.”
Talia’s eyes fly all over my face, and she slightly nods but then shakes her head vehemently, determined. “No! You’re a fucking kid!”
“I’m a twenty-two-year-old man!”
“Then grow up!” Talia gasps, grabs her jacket, and then hurries out the door.
Stunned, I don’t chase her because I don’t have a damn clue what to say. What the fuck just happened?
After a few minutes or hours, who knows, of staring at the open door, I shut it and collapse on the couch, unsure of what to do next. I have Talia’s address, but since I’m still reeling from what she said to me and how fast everything blew up, I’m not ready to face her.
I sit there until the door opens around eleven o’clock. Looking up, I see Tristan watching me with something rare… interest. He usually ignores me unless he’s telling me I did something wrong or to brag about his accomplishments. It’s high time to find my own apartment. I need to take care of that this week. As he shuts the door, I say, “I didn’t think you’d be home tonight.”
“Couldn’t take the family anymore.” Valid, I guess.
As he sets down his suitcase and removes his shoes, I ask, “Do all women have a hang-up about age?”
Instead of answering that, he asks, “Why?”
“I had a date with a waitress from Dinah’s.”
Tristan swiftly looks at me, oddly interested. “Dinah’s? Not many there I’d date.”
“Her name is Natalia. She found out I’m twenty-two but flipped out and called me a liar. Then she basically told me to go to hell and left.”
“You didn’t suggest you play with your Tonka trucks, did you?”
I frown, and Tristan laughs. “Our age difference isn’t enormous.” I omit her calling me a kid too. “It doesn’t bother me, but she said something about women having it different, and she wants things.”
“Oh.” He reaches for the cold pizza. “Yep. Sounds like you dodged one.”
“Dodged what?”
“She’s obviously looking for a sperm donor.”
“What the actual fuck?”
“She’s right. I mean, thirty? It’s her biological clock. Women get all antsy about it ticking away.”
“She mentioned birth control, so that’s not what she’s after.”
Between bites, Tristan says, “She has to hook you first. It’s a free preview, if you will. And I bet she’s a damn badge bunny. You’re a cop, and for plenty of women, that’s a turn-on. They’ll do anything to ride more than your back seat. Persuading you to fill up their greedy slits with hot jizz to impregnate them is like capturing the brass ring for them.”
“How do you come up with this shit? She’s not like that, and we just met. I doubt that’s what she’s angling for.”
“Oh, yeah? Then she wouldn’t have flipped out that you’re only twenty-two.”
“Again, what does my damn age have to do with anything?”
He sighs, shaking his head at me as if I’m a kindergartner who just doesn’t get it. “You poor bastard. Rook, you ready to get married and have kids right now?” I laugh, but nothing’s amusing. “Well, there you go. If she wants you bad enough and not for the cum shot, she’ll be back, but I doubt it.”
I frown. “How do you know this when you don’t date?”
He motions in the air with his crust. “Who in the fuck says I have to date to get laid? I don’t put up with that shit. Very rarely do I waste time and money. Neither should you. Poke their hole but don’t spill your cream from the bag. That should be your motto going forward. Don’t only fuck one hen in the coop. Fuck them all.”
Standing, I shake my head. “You’re sick.”
“And you’re a naïve rookie who will get no pussy to slay that virgin dick.”
Tristan laughs, but I don’t argue further. Annoyed, I hit the shower, thinking of Talia and feeling the loss of her before we got anything off the ground. I care about her, even after everything she said to me. If Ruiz harasses her again, I will do anything to protect her. What’s that mean? It means either I’m a dumbfuck or a colossal dumbfuck. Probably both.
Chapter 9
“John F. Kennedy is my father.”
I drop the pepper shaker I was spinning. “Huh?”
“Pay attention, McGrath.”
“Sorry. I was thinking of ways to impress an unimpressible FTO.”
“Your mout
h is bordering on insubordinate. Thin ice. Don’t you forget that.”
The urge not to roll my eyes and say something worse is strong, but my self-control is stronger. Sometimes. Instead of apologizing, I sigh and again look for Talia. As I do, two officers walk through the door, and Doris immediately grins, clasping her hands. Tristan and his partner, Hayes, smile at her. Tristan catches my eye and smirks as a greeting while they follow Doris. I look over at the counter, where Marilou shakes her head with a blatant eye roll as we both watch Doris seat them near her podium on the other side of the room.
“Do you know Officer Prescott or Officer Dellinger?” Taggart asks with an almost accusatory tone that makes me look at her.
“Prescott is my roommate. Why? What did he do?”
She purses her lips as if she stubbed her toe. “Nothing. You’re a rookie, but you seem to know all the officers.”
“I know two personally, not counting you. So, no.”
Taggart nods like I revealed a family secret. And again, I refrain from making a comment by turning to look at Tristan’s booth. With Doris still yakking their ears off, I sympathize until Marilou stops at our table. “Hello, Sergeant Taggart and Officer McGrath. What can I get for you?”
Taggart frowns. “Natalia off today?”
Marilou glances at me. “No. We switched sections.” Marilou shoots me a look, instantly sending my gaze to Tristan’s table and see Talia greet them. She fucking didn’t.
Even Taggart says, “Why? That makes no sense.” It does to me, but I’m no less pissed off.
Marilou smiles at Taggart. “If I remember correctly, you get a Reuben with a black coffee. Is that right?”
Taggart finally grumbles, “Yes. Thank you.”
“Officer McGrath, club?” I nod, and as I glare at the back of Talia’s head, Marilou asks, “Drink?”
“Whatever you want,” I respond, not paying attention since I give it all to Talia across the room.
Marilou laughs and touches my shoulder. “A beer would be nice, right?”
Hearing that, I smirk at her. “Oh, sorry. Iced tea is fine. Thanks, Marilou.”
She smiles and walks away while Taggart stares with me. Talia grins at Tristan, who is eating it up. With her hair again piled on top of her head and even the put-upon smile, she’s fucking gorgeous. Her smile, her laugh, her…everything. I was attracted to Audrey fast, but this feels more…more. That’s the only way I can describe it.
Tristan leans toward Talia while Hayes seems to joke with her. From what Tristan has said, Hayes is happily married, and from here, it looks to be the case since his demeanor is friendly and nothing more. However, Tristan’s is more as he grabs Talia’s hand, and she leans down for him to tell her something.
Taggart shakes her head with a huff. “I don’t know what’s going on over there, but use that as an example of what not to do, officer. I hope to hell Natalia doesn’t make another mistake. I warned her against police officers. I thought she agreed.” Taggart then gets up and goes outside for her call.
Marilou stops at my table with our drinks and turns to where I’m looking. Then she shakes her head as we both watch Tristan write something on a piece of paper and hand it to Talia. I crumple my napkin into a tight ball, and I think I growl. Marilou says, “My, my, Dylan. She’s really working you, isn’t she?”
I reluctantly look at her. “What do you mean?”
“Something happened between you two. There’s no other explanation. This morning, first thing, she asked for us to switch sections, which is odd. We’ve kept the same sections and customers for almost two years. Do you have any idea why she’d do that?”
“No…Yes.” I sigh and lean onto my elbows. “I invited her to my apartment for dinner. When I told her my age, and she flipped out.”
Marilou raises an eyebrow, chuckling. “A date? Really? That explains a lot.”
“Why? What she’d say?”
“It’s not what she’s said. She’s never acted this way as long as she’s worked here.”
“I’m not following.”
Marilou crosses her arms and shakes her head like she’s disappointed in me, which she wouldn’t be the first person. “You don’t see it.” Leaving her statement hanging, I watch Talia giggle at Tristan and seem genuinely interested in what he’s telling her. Marilou clicks her tongue, stealing my attention. “You’re suffering from the same affliction.”
“You lost me.”
She rolls her eyes and leans closer to me, nodding behind her. “Whatever happened yesterday has made it obvious. I don’t give two hoots if you had an argument, and she switched sections. You got it so bad for each other. Like sparks flying and smoke billowing. Like you-can’t-keep-your-hands-off-each-other bad.”
I cock an eyebrow at the look on her face. “I have no idea. She didn’t stay long enough to find out. None of it matters when she’s over there, flirting with my damn roommate in front of me.”
Marilou hoots, “Oh, she’s good.”
I grit my teeth. “She’s trying to prove a damn point? Because he’s her age? I’m no good for her because of that?”
“Hey, I disagree with it. It appears the combustion is happening in different directions.”
Peering around us, I then whisper, “What the fuck am I supposed to do?”
“My answer depends on how much you care about her.”
“A lot. I think…” I lick my lips and watch as Talia finally leaves their table. Tristan glances at me and instantly grins. What is he doing? I clear my throat and admit, “I think she’s a game-changer.”
“Then, don’t give up. Show her how you feel. Prove to her you’re the man she needs. I know you are, Dylan.” She whispers, “Fuck all the noise and combust together. You both need it.” She winks at me as Taggart returns. Marilou mutters, “I’ll check on your sandwiches.”
Taggart’s glare remains as she returns, almost as if I’m to blame for the goddamn world spinning. Sighing, I again watch Tristan, leaning forward, talking to Hayes, and eyeing the counter. “Is there a problem, Officer McGrath?” Taggart asks. Instead of giving away my simmering rage over something I can’t have, public or private, I face her, but I don’t answer as I toy with the fork that I won’t use. I can’t show Taggart the agony I suddenly feel at the thought of Talia with Tristan together, if that’s what’s happening. I need to move ASAP.
“You didn’t answer me, officer.” I look up at her while twirling the fork between my fingers. “Nothing is wrong.” Everything is wrong.
Taggart’s frowning face relaxes, and she smiles as her sandwich lands in front of her. Looking up, I see Talia smiling at Taggart as she sets down my sandwich in front of me without so much as a screw you. I notice Taggart watching me, so I turn to the window, unable to ask Talia a fucking thing.
“Officer McGrath, you haven’t said hello to Natalia.”
Glancing up at her, I notice she doesn’t look at me, but I nod. “Hey.”
She mumbles, “Hello, officer.”
Taggart asks, “Why did you switch sections? You don’t like me anymore?”
“Lynn, that’s silly. I just wanted a change.”
“What’s going on with you and Officer Prescott?”
Talia looks over her shoulder, and he waves at her and then at me, further instigating. Talia then tucks invisible hair behind her ear. “Um, you know Tristan?”
“He’s apparently Officer McGrath’s roommate.”
“Oh, right,” Talia says, swiftly glancing at me and then back to Taggart. “I think he mentioned that.”
Clearing my throat, I say, “I’m moving out, so not for much longer.” Reaching into my pocket, I pull out my wallet and toss a ten on the table. “Rumor is I need a new daycare or babysitter.” Scooting out of the booth, I pick up my sandwich from the plate and tell Taggart, “I’m taking this to go. See you outside.”
Heading to the cruiser, having lost my appetite, I toss my sandwich into the trash. As soon as I lean against the car, the café doors
open, and Tristan walks toward me with a self-righteous smirk that I’d love to punch. “Hey, Rook. What’s up?”
Pushing off the vehicle, I look at the front window but see nothing before I seethe, “What are you doing in there?”
“What?”
“Natalia.”
He snaps his fingers. “Oh! Natalia! That’s right. You had puppy-dog eyes for her. She ditched you because of your tender age, right? She said she doesn’t have a boyfriend, so fair game.”
“What the hell?”
“I’m in a better position and of legal age to date her.”
“You asked her out?”
He shrugs with a smug grin. Taggart is high if she thinks I’m cocky like him. “She hasn’t given me an answer yet, but I know she will.”
“You had no right to do that to me.”
“Didn’t sound like you got far with her. And as luck would smile upon me, Natalia and I went to high school together and are the same age, give or take a few months. So, there’s that.”
“No way in hell. You know I liked her.”
Tristan laughs. “I’m supposed to back off because you have the hots for her.” Crossing his arms, Tristan goads, “I’m pretty sure your FTO would hold it against you if you dated Natalia. Would she not?”
I counter, “But if she heard that you're fucking around with Natalia, she’d totally be okay with it?”
“She can’t fire me for dating Natalia. I suppose you’ll now be moving out since it may get awkward when I have Natalia over. If you know what I mean.”
Hayes walks up behind Tristan, affably smiling. “Hey, Rook.”
I nod, holding back every urge to drop Tristan to the ground. I could do it.
Tristan says, “Officer Dellinger, Rook wonders why Natalia would want to go out with me since I’m white. Personally, I don’t see why that should matter. I mean, as a Black man, what do you think?”
I step closer to Tristan. “I never said shit like that.”
Hayes says, “Uh, that’s up to her. Everyone has their own preferences. She can date whomever. It’s none of my business.”
Tristan grins. “Well, there we have it. I guess it’s none of yours, either, junior.” I clench my fists at my sides, glaring at Tristan. Even if I broke another officer’s jaw and shot him in the foot, I haven’t been this close to punching one on purpose.
Rebel Rook: An Everyday Heroes World Novel (The Everyday Heroes World) Page 11
