Chicago Heat

by Jordyn Tracey

  Fawn came running up. “Oh my goodness, taste this, John. It’s so good. This flavor is called Boo-Blue. Isn’t it yummy?” She bounced up and down, and John did his best not to focus on her breasts. He took the offered sweet, grasping a small piece with his tongue while she held it. Her eyes turned flirty.

  “Mm, raspberry,” Kevin said knowingly. “It’s good, but I like the Spookie Fruiti grape the best.”

  Fawn broke the intimate connection John shared with her and looked at his nephew. “You do? Oh no, well we can’t have you eating my new favorite instead.” She held out a hand. “Come on, let’s jump the guy and make him give us grape.”

  Kevin laughed, taking her offered hand. “If we do that, Uncle John will have to arrest us.”

  As they walked away, Fawn glanced back at him, a suggestive expression on her face. “Got any handcuffs, cop?”

  John thought he’d come right there. The woman was a born tease, and she liked to keep him worked up at all times. She was about having as much fun as possible. She kept him off balance, which he sometimes thought was the most wonderful experience in his life, and at others questioned whether she had long term potential.

  He shook his head, considering it. Long term did not matter. He wasn’t looking for it. Dismissing thoughts of the future, John went to join Kevin and Fawn. Together they decided what ride to get on next and what games they’d like to play. John found himself laughing a lot more, and the heaviness he’d carried around with him since losing his brother lightened for the moment. He pulled Fawn close to his side and gave her a chaste kiss. “How about we try our hand at the hoops first, Kevin. I bet we can win Fawn a teddy bear or something.”

  Fawn rolled her eyes. “Oh lord, here we go. Men trying to prove themselves again. How do you know I won’t show y’all up?” She broke from his hold and imitated bouncing a ball and tossing it up for a shot in an imaginary basket.

  “Missed by that much,” Kevin quipped, holding up fingers to indicate an inch.

  “You!” Fawn shouted and chased after him when he ran. John burst out laughing. He had to admit it warmed him to know Kevin liked Fawn. Maybe she was more fun than he was, less cautious. He sighed and jogged to catch up to them.

  They wandered around for a while looking for the hoops and found them near the restrooms. After they’d taken a restroom break, they headed over to the game to try their luck. John pretended to roll up his sleeves even though he’d opted to wear a T-shirt today and strap his gun around his ankle. He’d considered just leaving it behind, but for some reason, trouble followed officers of the law. He didn’t like being unprepared.

  “Okay, little lady, which bear do you want?” he asked her with a country drawl.

  She giggled and pointed. “That one.”

  He’d been busy staring at her. “Sorry, which one?”

  She smirked at him and raised her hand to point again. John tugged her into his arms and ran his hand along her arm, ending at her hand. They intertwined fingers, both pointing to the massive pink and white rabbit hanging overhead.

  He frowned. “That’s not a bear.”

  She pouted so pretty, he felt weak. “It’s what I want.”

  His heart pounding in his chest, he nodded. “Anything you want.” For the next half hour, he and Kevin sweated and tossed away money to win Fawn the rabbit. They made plenty of baskets, but the damn system was set up in such a way that they kept winning tiny animals instead. John grumbled in disgust, and felt even more like an idiot because Fawn stood there laughing. She’d long since given up pretending she knew anything about shooting a basketball. She’d missed all but one.

  “You can trade those in for a big one if you want,” the vendor suggested.

  “Why the hell didn’t you say so earlier,” John groused.

  Fawn gasped and laughed. “Language, John. There are children around.”

  He cast her a dirty look and collected her rabbit. The sweet thank you and kiss she gave him made up for his humiliation and aching arms. Through with games, John suggested they find a ride and then look for food. The giant rabbit was promptly stuffed in his arms to carry while Fawn and Kevin walked ahead of him discussing what was the scariest among the roller coasters.

  At the biggest coaster he’d come across, Kevin and Fawn turned to face him. “This one,” they shouted together.

  “You’ll just chicken out or cry on the ride,” Kevin told Fawn.

  She imitated him. “Nuh-uhn, you will.”

  “Bet!”

  They shook hands, loser having to concede defeat and call the other boss the rest of the day. John rolled his eyes. This wasn’t his date. It was Kevin’s play date, and he was along for the ride. They rushed off, and John dropped onto a bench to wait. He hoped neither of them cried or chickened out. Truth be told, he loved that they were having fun. It made it that much better for him. Could she truly be different from the women he had seen over the years—selfish creatures that were all about themselves?

  As was his habit for years, he scanned his surroundings, his gaze lighting on a woman here with her small child, a man there holding a bunch of stuffed animals, jackets, and bags. His family had obviously ditched him like Kevin and Fawn had done to John. He felt bad for the guy. He continued to observe those passing by until he spotted a man walking along that didn’t feel quite right. John had learned over the years to follow his gut instinct. It had gotten him out of trouble more times than he could count and had been the deciding factor in capturing his man.

  John stood up and tucked the rabbit under his arm. He looked back toward the ride briefly and then kept moving, following the man ahead of him. With luck, whatever he might be up to would be over before Kevin and Fawn were back. As they passed a set of bathrooms, John noticed the guy pause and look around as if he was searching for someone. Then the guy tucked his hands in his pockets and began to whistle. He headed straight for the women’s bathroom but passed the doorway to duck into the bushes just beside it. He disappeared around the side of the building.

  John darted over to one of the vendors and flashed his badge. “Can you watch this for me?” When the vendor nodded, John handed him the rabbit. “Be right back.”

  He circled the building from the right side, picking his way through the bushes. Branches stuck out and scratched his arms as he went because the space wasn’t built to have a walkway alongside of it. At the back, he flattened himself along the wall and peered around the corner quickly and then ducked back. He didn’t see the guy, but what he did see was a bag on the ground. John turned to face the wall and peered out again. Seconds later, his target came around the side of the building and bent to unzip the bag. When he pulled a gun from it, John cursed. This was the reason why he always wore a weapon and why he insisted just being a cop drew trouble.

  He bent and lifted his pants leg to retrieve his 38 special from the ankle holster. Making his way with caution, he circled around the building. The guy had gone back the way he came. John needed to hurry in case he wasn’t still hiding but had left the area in search of whomever he had set his sights on. However, when he came to the ladies side of the building, the man was there with his back to John.

  John took a step forward holding the gun in one hand. He stopped when the man called out to someone. “Hey, Jill. Can I talk to you a minute?”

  A woman’s voice reached John, but he couldn’t see her. “I can’t believe you came here, Reggie. I told you we’re done. I’m seeing someone else. Get lost!”

  “Yeah, see I have a problem with that, and you knew I had a part time job down here,” Reggie told her. “You just wanted to make me jealous bringing your new lover and parading him by my booth.”

  “Nobody paraded anything by you, Reggie. Look, I said it’s over. Get that through your head.”

  “No, I don’t think so.” He began to pull his hand out from behind his back, the one holding the weapon, but John got to him first. He quickly stashed his weapon and caught Reggie’s wrist in a tight lock and brought
his other hand down on his shoulder.

  “Police, drop it,” John commanded.

  Reggie gasped and seemed about to resist, but John pressed his fingers in just the right spot to force Reggie down on his knees. The hand holding the gun went slack, and the weapon clattered to the ground.

  John moved the gun out of reach and secured it. “Face down,” he instructed. He looked up at the horrified girl who was now crying. “Get someone to call park security.”

  She bolted. By now others realized what had happened and were gathering around. Reggie lay on the ground cursing up a storm. John worried about Kevin and Fawn. He’d been gone too long, but then he heard Kevin’s voice. “They said it’s a guy with a gun. I just know Uncle John is taking care of it.”

  John grinned and shook his head. The boy should have stayed away if that’s what he’d heard. The news had spread back to where they were fast. Soon he’d identified himself to security, the police were called who’d do the actual arrest, and John had extricated himself from the incident with the promise to file a report when he got back to his office. Flexing his tense muscles, he approached Kevin and Fawn where he had ordered them both to go and sit on a bench away from danger. Fawn had looked like she was ready to tell him where he could stuff it, but he had nodded to Kevin, and she complied.

  When he spotted John, Kevin jumped up and ran to him. “Uncle John, I just knew it. When everybody started running down here saying some guy had a gun and was under arrest, I knew you would be the one to get him.”

  Fawn joined them and wrapped an arm around his waist. “Our hero.” The sincerity in her eyes warmed him.

  “Just doing my job, you two. No need to make a big deal about it.”

  Fawn sucked her teeth. “I think we need to celebrate with Chinese food and ice cream. Kevin echoed the sentiment. John laughed.

  “Why that combo?”

  She shrugged. “Just what I’m craving right now. I think I’ve had enough of the amusement park though.”

  “Yeah, I think you’re right there.” He directed them toward the exit when Kevin didn’t object to leaving early, with a quick stop to retrieve the rabbit. Soon they were in the car and headed in the direction of his favorite Chinese joint. Aside from the idiot with the gun, it had been a very good day.

  Chapter Seven

  Fawn lay on her back with one leg crossed over the other and enjoyed John feeding her grapes. Each time he popped the tiny fruit into her mouth, she closed her eyes and moaned like she was in the throws of an orgasm.

  He laughed. “Stop it, Fawn. This is no place to do that.” He nodded toward the kids playing in several areas around the park. “Good grief, woman, I love sex. I’ll be the first to admit it, but you’re insatiable. Do you know that? I think it might be on your mind more than any guy’s.”

  She rolled over and sat up on her knees. “Oh please. Don’t even try it.” She pointed to his crotch. “Your dick is hard ninety-nine and a half percent of the time when you’re around me.”

  “Can you blame me? Look at what you’re wearing.”

  She glanced down at her sundress, a rainbow tie dye pattern, spaghetti straps, scooped bodice, form-fitting, and of course—short. “What? Everything is covered.”

  “Yeah but there are hints all over the place. Hints that tell me what I could be enjoying beneath it if we were alone. I can’t get my mind off your body.”

  She leaned across him to grab a grape from the Tupperware container. “Whose fault is that? Not mine. Apparently cops have dirty minds.” She settled back on her rear, crossed her legs at her ankles, and admired the new pink fuchsia polish she had painted on her toes.

  “You’re impossible.” He laughed and dove across to capture her wrist before she could eat another grape. He ate the one she had between her fingers while staring into her eyes. “I suppose I must give into you. Not like I can resist.”

  She waved a hand saucily. “Thank you. That’s what I’m saying.”

  He laughed, and then the amusement died when his cell phone rang. He answered and listened to the person on the other end. Fawn’s heart sank. She hated the seriousness that came over his expression and knew he would tell her he had to go. When he disconnected the call, he did a speed dial to another number right away.

  “I’m sorry, baby, but we’ll have to pick this us when next I’m off. Unfortunately, criminals don’t respect my time off.” He cursed and lowered the phone to look for Kevin. Fawn looked too and spotted him over with a couple other kids playing Frisbee. She pointed him out. “Kevin,” John barked in a deep, authoritative tone. The boy turned around right away, said something to his friends, and ran over to them.

  “What’s up, Uncle John? We’re not leaving now, are we? The game’s just getting good, and—”

  John rested a hand on his head. “Sorry, bud. I have to get to work. I’m trying to reach Mrs. Cecil now, but she’s not answering.”

  Kevin grumbled, his head bowed. Then his head snapped up. “Can’t Fawn watch me? We can stay at the park longer that way.”

  “Yes,” Fawn answered.

  “No,” John replied at the same time.

  She frowned. “Why not? Come on, we’re all joined at the hip lately. Kevin’s been around me enough to know me well, and we’re good friends, aren’t we, Kevin?”

  The boy nodded. “Yeah, so how about it, Uncle John?”

  John didn’t answer. He continued to try Mrs. Cecil, apparently dialing every number he knew that she could be reached. Fawn began to think he didn’t trust her to watch Kevin. Sure, she had no experience with kids, but Kevin wasn’t a baby. She stood up. “You don’t think I can do it, do you? What better time to prove that I can?”

  He paced. “This is not something you experiment with, Fawn.” She clenched her hands at her sides and was about to tell him about himself when he said into the phone. “Mrs. Cecil, I’m glad I finally got you. I have to go into work and wanted to see if you can watch Kevin. Oh, you’re kidding. When do you expect to get in? That long?” He sighed.

  Fawn dropped to the blanket they had been lying on and began packing up the dishes from their lunch. She brushed away crumbs and tucked the small pillow she had brought into a bag.

  “Fawn,” John said.

  She didn’t look up. “What?”

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean…Please, can you watch him? I would appreciate it.”

  She sighed. “Of course. I’d be happy to and don’t know why you didn’t ask before.”

  Kevin whooped and threw himself at Fawn’s neck before bidding his uncle good-bye and running off to rejoin his friends. John dropped down behind her and drew her close to him. He kissed her cheek. She resisted him.

  “I’m sorry,” he said again.

  “Whatever.”

  He turned her head to make her look at him. “I’ll call later. At least your apartment is within walking distance of here. Don’t stay past five.”

  “Yes, daddy.” She rolled her eyes.

  He gave her a deeper, more sensual kiss and then rose to leave. Fawn watched him go with butterflies in her stomach. She might have put on a brave front, but she knew how much John loved Kevin. The man was overprotective of him in some ways. He seemed to try to be super dad to make up for the loss of both his parents. The relationship between the two of them was unique and close. Fawn didn’t want to screw up the trust John put in her, even if he was forced to do it.

  * * * *

  How did this happen? How the hell did this happen? Fawn berated herself over and over again, and no matter how many times she reviewed the afternoon with Kevin, nothing came through as a warning that she should not have let Kevin climb the tree. After all, wasn’t that what kids did? She’d done it herself a million times as a child. Yet, Kevin had fallen out of it and sprung his wrist. Now, she was left with calling John from the hospital to tell him she’d screwed up. She felt like she was about to vomit.

  Sucking it up for Kevin’s sake, she dialed John. He answered on the first ring.
“Hi, baby, I’m a little busy. Everything going good with you two?”

  “Um.” She swallowed. “John, don’t get upset, but Kevin fell. We’re at the hospital because he—”

  “What?” he roared. She jerked the phone away from her ear, wincing at his loud tone. “Fawn!” he was calling. She put the phone up the side of her head but not too close.

  “It’s nothing serious. A mild sprain is all. He’s okay,” she explained.

  “Where are you?”

  She shivered at his frosty tone and told him. Before she could say another word, he hung up. Fawn hugged herself and walked over to sit down to wait for him. She’d told Kevin she would be back after she had called his father. Cell phones weren’t allowed back there because they might screw with the equipment. Right now, knowing how angry John was, she wished she was anywhere else in the world.

  Guilt turned her stomach, making her want to cry again. She cared a lot about Kevin and had sobbed the whole way there hugging him and telling him she was sorry. He’d been the one to pat her up despite how much pain he was in. He was a real little man, she thought, the way he hadn’t shed a tear. He’d gritted his teeth and bore the agony he must be in. She knew that he did because he figured that’s how John would take it if it happened to him. Kevin thought the world of John. She closed her eyes. But what will John think of me after this?

  She found out when she heard the siren before he arrived. Moments after it stopped, he came hurtling through the door, nostrils flared, eyes narrowed. Her throat dried. She stood up to face him on trembling legs. “John, he’s—”

  He blew right past her and charged up to the information desk. “Where’s my son? His name is Kevin Harris. I’m Detective John Harris.”

  He was shown to the back immediately, and not once did he look in her direction. Fawn sank to her seat. Angry at his treatment but understanding, she fought with her emotions. On one hand, she thought she should go back there to show John she cared, and on the other she didn’t want to see him. All of a sudden, she felt like an outsider, like she didn’t belong to their little family. And she didn’t.