by Tara Rose
“Where’s Dustin?”
Sean’s stupid grin didn’t bother Chad as much it usually did because he’d been thinking about his date with Annalise in two days. “No clue. I can’t reach him.”
“That’s unusual.”
“Yes, it is.” Chad wasn’t in the mood for small talk this morning, and especially not with Racy’s most unusual threesome to date. While he had nothing against threesomes, or against Julie, Maddox, and Sean individually for that matter, if someone had asked him a few short months ago to name the three most unlikely people to end up in a permanent ménage relationship, he’d have named these three.
“Did you call him?”
“Twice. Relax, Sean. I’m sure he’s fine. Maybe he decided to sleep past four in the morning for a change?” Dustin was the most hardworking person Chad had ever met. He would get up at any hour of the night to see an injured animal, and if the Racy resident couldn’t bring it to his clinic, he’d make a house call without a moment’s hesitation.
Maddox slid onto the stool on Chad’s left, and Julie took the seat next to Maddox. “I know you like to eat alone unless Dustin is around,” said Maddox, “but do you mind if we join you?”
“Ha, ha, Maddox. Very funny. Want me to change spots with Sean so you three can sit together in a row?”
Maddox frowned. “We’ll suck it up.”
“Ignore him,” said Sean. “This is actually a good mood for him.”
Chad had been instrumental in saving Julie from a man named Kane Dodger a couple of weeks earlier. Kane was a Dom from Chicago with mob connections. He and Sean had a bad history together, and Kane had gotten himself in trouble with the mob, and had come to Racy with his sub, Sarina Kole. The two had cooked up some crazy-assed scheme to kidnap Julie and demand ransom money from Maddox.
Chad had mobilized the entire Racy police force and a few state troopers as well, but it hadn’t been too difficult to find Kane and Sarina. They had turned out to be not quite the brightest couple that ever lived. But Sean and Maddox would be forever grateful to Chad for saving their ladylove. She was now their sub as well, and again Chad was struck by the discordance between the Julie he remembered from high school, and the woman now sitting with them. To say Maddox and Sean had brought her out of her shell was an understatement.
“If you need help today, give me a call,” said Sean.
“I’ll be all right.” Chad glanced toward Julie. “You enjoy your day off.”
The three were good together, and Chad was impossibly jealous. Not of the fact that they were with Julie, but of what they had together. He couldn’t seem to have a relationship with one woman let alone share a bond like these three now had. And who’d have thought Sean and Maddox would one day be such great friends again? Chad was happy for his partner on the job. Jealous, but happy.
* * * *
Annalise floated through her shift Saturday night at Luke’s Bar. Her ass still stung, and her pussy felt like she’d been fucked with a semitruck, but she didn’t care. It had been the most erotic and intense night of her entire life. It also had taken every ounce of willpower not to call in sick today, but she knew if she did the entire town would know why. Too many people had seen her and Dustin out last evening, and they’d assume the truth. That was one of the disadvantages of living in a town this size.
But even that reality couldn’t dampen her spirits. She smiled at everyone, cracked jokes, and didn’t complain even when a group of college kids spilled an entire pitcher of beer all over the floor under their table, and then watched her ass wiggle as she got on her hands and knees to clean it up. By the time Luke realized what had happened and came over with a mop so Annalise could get off the floor, the college brats had snickered and made crude comments about Annalise on her hands and knees beneath them.
Now she was behind the bar, helping Ria mix drinks and poor drafts. Luke was slowly teaching her how to do that end of the work, hoping she’d take over some of the bartending duties eventually. She let her mind wander back to this morning, when Dustin had woken her up by licking her sore ass cheeks. Then he’d led her into the shower and soaped her up with his strong hands until she thought she’d go out of her mind with need. They’d ended the morning back in his bed, where he’d made love to her slowly and gently, staring into her eyes the entire time.
“Annalise? Did you hear what I just asked?”
“What?” She blinked a few times, trying to remember where she was. Luke was grinning at her like an idiot. Next to him stood a pissed-off looking Ria, holding a tray of plates with both hands. “What did you say?”
“The college brats ordered food. Want to take it to them?”
“You’re letting them eat?”
Luke laughed. “It’s one way to ensure they won’t be in here again.”
Annalise took the tray from Ria, who glared at her brother. “I always said you were a damn genius, Luke.”
“He’s a tyrant,” said Ria. “And he doesn’t know good cooking when he tastes it.”
Annalise turned around before Ria could see the look on her face. Ria was a terrible cook and, as far as she could tell, just about everyone who came into this bar regularly knew that already. But the college kids didn’t, and Annalise resisted the urge to stand there and watch them wolf down the burgers and onion rings.
* * * *
Annalise’s cell phone rang as she walked into her apartment after her shift, and she was surprised to hear Chad’s voice.
“Hi. I’m on a stakeout and I just wanted to hear your voice.”
Annalise laughed. She couldn’t help it. “No one’s ever said that to me, Chad. I’m not sure how to interpret it.”
He groaned. “Yeah, I guess that sounded kind of creepy and stalkerish, didn’t it? What I meant was, I was thinking about you.”
“Well, thank you.” Annalise cradled the cell phone under one ear as she shed her coat and kicked off her shoes. “So, who are you staking out?”
“Wish I could tell you that. Wish you were with me. This would be a lot more fun with you here.”
A tingle raced through her body at his words. “I didn’t realize Racy had so many criminals.”
“Annalise, you’d be shocked by what goes on behind closed doors in this town.”
She shivered at the sound of his words. Would he be shocked if he knew what she and Dustin had done behind closed doors yesterday and this morning? “I’ll keep that in mind.”
“So, how was work tonight? Anything interesting happen at Luke’s Bar?”
Annalise told him about the college kids, and Chad laughed. Then she proceeded to tell him about some of the other interesting and humorous things she’d seen in the bar over the past few months. By the time they ended the call, Annalise was shocked to realize they’d been on the phone for over two hours. Annalise had talked to female friends on the phone that long, but never to a guy.
It had been worth foregoing her usual Sunday night routine of catching up on all her favorite TV shows just for the chance to talk to him. As she crawled into bed, she was still smiling.
* * * *
Monday morning Annalise grinned as she read the two text messages that had woken her up. One was from Dustin, telling her for the tenth time since Saturday morning how much he couldn’t wait to see her again on Thursday, her next day off. The other was from Chad, telling her he’d pick her up at noon.
For her date with him this day, she’d chosen to wear jeans and a sweater, but she’d dressed it up a bit with sexy boots she’d found downtown at Busler’s Department Store on sale, and red and black jewelry that matched the sweater. Chad arrived at ten minutes to noon, and Annalise had to buzz him in because she wasn’t quite ready.
She opened the door and admired his tall muscled frame in jeans and a button-down shirt. His coat was open, and she still marveled at how people in this town could tolerate the cold without buttoning their coats. Then again, the winter weather in Cincinnati wasn’t quite as brutal as it was here. “Come on in.
I need just a few more minutes to get ready.”
The smile on his face made her panties wet. “You look just fine to me.” His gaze roamed over her body. “In fact, you look downright perfect.”
“Is that an April Fools’ joke?”
“Is that today?” He laughed. “I guess it is. And no, it’s definitely not a joke, Annalise. You look very sexy. I love the boots.”
“That kind of flattery will get you anything you want.” Why the hell had she said that? Annalise turned away before he could see the look on her face, but then she walked slowly on purpose to give him a view of her ass in the tight jeans she’d worn. Once she was safely in her bathroom, she stared at her reflection in the mirror. What the hell was going on with her?
Annalise had never dated two men at the same time, let alone flirted like she’d just done. And she’d never had sex on a first date the way she had with Dustin. This was a small town, and if she wasn’t careful this afternoon, she’d end up in bed with Chad and then what would happen? Her love life had certainly taken an interesting turn in the past week.
But why was she acting this way? How did it make her any different than Jim? He’d used their interest in BDSM as an excuse to cheat on her. Was she doing the same thing? Granted, she and Dustin weren’t married, but she hadn’t told him she was going out with Chad today. And she didn’t think Chad knew she’d been with Dustin Friday night. Annalise had never done this before, and she was torn between guilt and an overwhelming feeling that it was time to be daring and have some fun in her life. But she didn’t want to hurt anyone, and she certainly didn’t want to invite gossip. Not in a town this size.
When she finally emerged, Chad was sitting on her sofa. Shadow was curled up in his lap, and he stroked her fur, just as if he’d been doing so every day for years. “Wow. She usually hates people she’s just met.”
The corners of his mouth turned up. “Don’t tell anyone my secret, okay? I have a thing for cats.”
She took a seat next to him. “It’s safe with me.”
“I’m glad to see she survived her trip to the vet on Friday.”
Annalise couldn’t stop the flush that crept up her face. “Oh, yeah. She did.”
“How did she respond to Dustin? And if you tell me she adored him, I’ll start to think your cat is a big flirt.”
As if on cue, Shadow turned her emerald eyes up toward Chad’s face and gazed at him as if he were a kitty Prince Charming who had come to rescue her. “Well, as a matter of fact, that expression is exactly the same one she turned on him. She must be in love with both of you.”
Chad scoffed. “Figures. Dustin charms all the women, even the feline ones.”
Was he trying to find out if Dustin had charmed her? She had heard the two men were good friends. Was this a huge mistake? What if Dustin had already told Chad he’d spent Friday night and most of Saturday morning with her? “Well, if you can tear yourself away from my cat, I’m ready to go.”
He gently placed Shadow on the sofa next to him, and then he rose and gave her a grin that sent her thoughts racing toward dark erotic corners. “You sound jealous, Annalise.”
She linked her arm in his. “You caught me. I’m jealous of my cat and her wanton feline wiles.”
Chad smiled as they made their way down the staircase and out to his pickup truck. Annalise whistled at the sight of the deep blue Ford F150 with chrome wheels. “Fancy. Glad to see I don’t have to ride in that unmarked police cruiser I almost hit.”
He held the door open for her and Annalise didn’t mind that he waited until she’d climbed into the passenger seat before closing it. She wanted him to look at her ass. He slid into the driver’s seat and started the engine. “Are those cruisers a joke or what? Everyone recognizes them. Sean and I laugh about them all the time. We might as well have flashing neon lights on the grills that say “Racy Detective, Trying To Hide.”
She laughed and turned in her seat to face him. “Would you really have arrested me if I’d hit you?”
“No, but I would have had to give you a ticket. You did back up without even looking.”
“Couldn’t you have just let me off with a warning?”
He shook his head, but she knew he was teasing because the grin hadn’t left his face. “No way. But I might have been persuaded to accept a bribe.” His blue eyes twinkled with amusement.
“Oh really? What kind of a bribe? Are we talking serious money here, because I don’t have any.”
He gave her a droll look. “As if you’d need money to bribe me.”
“Detective Bristol…are you suggesting I’d trade sexual favors to get out of a ticket?”
The look of sudden terror on his face would have stopped traffic. “Annalise…I swear I was only kidding.”
She couldn’t help but laugh. “Relax, Chad. I know you were. But thank you anyway.”
A quick flash of confusion passed over his face, and Annalise wondered if she was going to survive the day without having Chad come to the conclusion that she was certifiable. She needed to get a grip on her hormones already. She was sending all sorts of mixed signals, and that wasn’t like her.
Chapter Seven
They stopped in front of Have Some Coffee, right around the corner from the Racy Animal Clinic. What if Dustin was in there? But she suspected he’d be in his clinic at this time of day.
“Is this all right?” asked Chad. “I know Starbucks is within walking distance of your apartment, but I prefer this place. It’s cozy and less crowded.”
“This is great, Chad.”
“Plus, they serve sandwiches that are pretty good. And if you want, we can walk along the river afterwards. I know you said you haven’t seen much of the town, but I assumed you were pretty familiar with the shops along Market Street by now. This street has a different ambiance.” He got out of truck and sprinted around to open the passenger door, taking her hand as she stepped down.
“Thanks. It’s a challenge sometimes for me to get in and out of these big trucks.”
“I imagine it would be.”
“But don’t call me short. I’m vertically challenged.”
She loved his warm, easy laugh. There was nothing phony or forced about it. “That’s cute. I’ll have to remember that.”
Inside the shop was indeed cozy and warm. There was a huge fireplace against one wall, and several empty tables in front of it. The air was rich with the combination of cinnamon and burning logs. Annalise inhaled deeply. “Oh, this is nice. But I’d be tempted to spend all day in here.”
“What a great idea. Let’s do that.”
She smiled up at him as they walked toward the counter. “I don’t imagine you get many days off like this.”
“Officially, I’m off two days per week. But since Sean and I are the only two detectives, we pretty much are on call all the time.”
After they ordered their sandwiches and drinks, they chose a table near the fireplace to wait for them. Annalise glanced around at the other patrons. She didn’t recognize anyone. “Doesn’t that get to be a lot for the two of you to handle on your own?”
He grinned. “Not much goes on here, and if we really needed serious help, we could request it from the county sheriff’s office.”
“Oh, I see.” She rested her elbows on the table and put her chin in her hands to stare at the fire. There was something mesmerizing about a real fire, the way it danced and sent random sparks into the air around it. A server brought their order to the table, and Annalise took a bite of her sandwich. “This is really good. You weren’t kidding.”
“I’m glad you like it.” Chad took a sip of his coffee. “So exactly how short are you anyway?”
Annalise covered her mouth to laugh because she still had food in it. “I beg your pardon, Detective?”
“I mean how vertically challenged are you? Is that more PC?”
Those blue eyes…how did they light up like that all on their own? Or were they simply reflecting the light from the fire? “I’m five fou
r without heels.”
“Heels, eh? I’ve never seen you in them. Sounds kind of sexy.”
Oh my… “Well, they don’t exactly work well when you’re weaving through crowded tables in a bar.”
“No, I don’t imagine they do.”
He took another bite of his sandwich, and Annalise tried not to stare at his mouth as he chewed. His lips were full, and they looked soft and warm. She couldn’t help but wonder if he kissed as well as Dustin did.
“Your name is unusual,” he said. “I’ve never heard it before.”
“It’s a combination of my two family members’ names. Anna was my maternal grandmother and Lisa is my mother’s name. I also have three middle names. Sofia is a great-grandmother’s name, Petronella is one great-aunt’s name, and Rosaria is another great-aunt’s name.”
“Wow. So tell me your full legal name, with all the middle names included.”
“Annalise Sofia Petronella Rosario Kerr.”
“Why all the middle names?”
“My mother had complications after my birth and had to have a hysterectomy. Since I was the only child she’d have, she gave me a bunch of names. Otherwise she’d have chosen just one and given the others to the rest of her children.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bring up painful memories.”
She shook her head. “No, it’s okay.”
“So, based on all those Italian names, can I correctly assume that “Kerr” is your father’s last name?”
“It is. I took it back after my divorce.”
“I didn’t realize you’d been married.”
“I was.” She hoped he wouldn’t ask questions. “How about you? Any brothers or sisters? Do you have nephews and nieces scattered all over town?” Annalise didn’t want to talk about her divorce right now. She was enjoying the day too much.
