by Anthology
“I know, we can’t fraternize. So I’m out. That’s it, I’m transferring to vice.”
“But—”
He placed an index finger over my lips to shush me. A familiar move and one I did to him.
“Shit, I’d never get anything done here anyway. I’d just be thinking of other ways to ‘fraternize’ with you.” Who am I kidding? Even over in vice, I’m still going to be thinking of ways to get sent to your office so I can fuck you over that big desk.”
I was speechless. I was never speechless.
Seamus’ brow scrunched up as a look of worry crossed it.
“Star? You okay.”
“Estrella.” I corrected him. My eyes filled. Years of suppressed emotion hung at the edge of my eyelids, ready to spill over.
“Estrella. Your secret is safe with me. I get it. You’re a powerful woman here. The captain. Frankly, I find it sexy as fuck. I don’t ever want to risk damaging your image here. I just want you back in my bed with me buried deep inside you. And maybe, when we’re not doing that, you’d be willing to date me, only me.”
I nodded. “I haven’t dated in fifteen years.”
“It’s been a long time for me, too.”
“But, I would like that. Seamus? James? What is your real name?”
“It’s James. At ANON I use the Gaelic version my mom uses. Sort of like how you call yourself Star. You use the English version of your Spanish name, Estrella. See—We have built in secret identities until we decide to go public.”
“Yeah.”
Seamus, for he’d always be Seamus to me, leaned down, took my face in both hands and kissed first my lower lip and then my upper before planting a positively soul-scorching, panty-flaming kiss on me that knocked me slightly off-balance.
We separated flushed and dazed. I straightened my jacket and hair.
He opened the door, but before leaving informed me, “I’ll go talk to Kelso.”
I sat back on my desk and countered with, “I’ll start the paperwork.”
Going out on amateur night? Definitely the best decision I’d ever made.
Looking For Trouble
By Alexis Noelle
Dean
I stopped in to get my coffee before my shift when I looked up to see this girl who I could only describe as gorgeous. Her long brown hair fell halfway down her back, and from just standing behind her I caught the scent of apples. The shirt she was wearing said NYFD.
She’s a firefighter? When she stepped up to order her coffee she moved to hand the barista money, but I interjected.
“This one is on me.” I handed the barista the money and shot the girl a smile. “Thanks for your service.” I nodded my head at her.
She looked at me confused, maybe it’s because I was in full uniform and she found it odd. A smile crossed her face. “Thank you.”
She moved down the counter and waited for her drink and I was completely mesmerized standing there and looking at her.
“Sir?” I looked up to see the barista staring at me. When I glanced behind me everyone else had impatient looks on their faces.
Nice way to make an idiot of yourself.
I rattled off my normal order, then paid readying myself to start a conversation with her.
When I turned and walked to the other end of the counter she was gone. I looked around the coffee shop hoping maybe she sat down somewhere, but she’s nowhere to be seen.
Just great.
Working at night in Times Square on New Year's Eve was the worst detail they could have assigned me when I signed up for overtime. There were people everywhere and it’s hard to move. Also, even being new on the job I knew that there were so many things that could go wrong.
I thought it’d be good to get some extra experience and log some more hours, especially without Carl breathing down my neck. Every minute that we were on patrol together I had to constantly hear about how “us young recruits take things for granted,” or “how the academy must be slacking on their training.” He’s a complete dick most times. I heard the other guys that graduated with me talk about their partners and I couldn’t help be jealous that I got stuck with Father Time.
People poured out of the restaurants and streets because it’s only five minutes until the ball dropped. Everyone wanted to be on the street for that. Couples hung on each other, waiting for the moment when they’d ring in the new year with a kiss.
I heard some giggling to my side and when I turned I saw the girl from this afternoon. She’s wearing a red dress, with a black leather jacket on over it. Her legs peeked out from the small space between the hem of her dress and the top of her knee-high boots. She was in a group of about five girls and they were laughing as they walked toward the center of the street.
This was my chance.
I strode toward them and when she looked up her eyes caught mine. “Didn’t think I’d see you again.”
Her friend looked over at me. “Zoe! Who is he and where have you been hiding him?”
Her face reddened.
Now at least I knew her name. “I bought her a coffee earlier. I have to say I’m impressed that you’re a part of the fire department.”
“What?! I think you got the wrong girl, buddy. She’s a waitress.” Her friend laughed before she turned back to the group.
A waitress?
I looked at her completely confused as to what was going on right now.
She nervously bit her lip. “I’m sorry. I’m obviously not part of the NYFD. The shirt I was wearing, it’s from that show on TV with all the firefighters. I didn’t have a chance to stop you before you paid for my coffee and afterward I felt uncomfortable so I left as soon as I could.” She shrugged.
I laughed at the assumption I made. “I’m not mad, actually it’s kind of a funny story.” I rubbed my neck and tried to get up the courage to ask her for her number. “So maybe next time I buy you something to drink it can be planned?”
She raised her eyebrows. “Like a date?”
“Well, yeah…”
Another one of her friends came up behind her and whispered in her ear. Zoe shook her head at her. They seemed to be going back and forth. The countdown started and everyone let out a loud cheer.
10…
Zoe turned back to me with a smile on her face. Her friend nudged her forward a bit.
5…
She took a couple steps and stood right in front of me.
“I really work at Good Times Pub, if you ever want to find me.”
2…
1…
She raised herself up on her tiptoes and kissed me, my hands moved to hold her hips. Before I knew it she was pulling away.
With a smile on her face, she looked at me. "Happy New Year, Officer."
She turned quickly and ran back to her friends before they all got lost in the crowd.
Maybe getting stuck here tonight wasn’t such a bad thing.
Zoe
I tied on my apron and prepared myself for a busy day. There were always a couple football games on New Years Day and even though you would think that people would be too hungover to come out and drink again, they weren’t.
It’s 11:00 a.m. and I’d only gotten about four hours of sleep. The girls and I stumbled into Dana’s apartment at like five this morning. My legs felt like jelly and it required an extra coat of makeup just to make me look human this morning.
My thoughts wandered back to the guy from last night. I never learned his name, but he was totally hot. When he bought me that cup of coffee I had no idea what to say, I mean, I didn’t know how “thanks for buying me a drink, but this is a TV show” would have sounded. When Marcie was daring me to kiss him I didn't think I'd have the nerve at first. Then I thought, what's the harm in it. I didn't know him, and he didn't know me. People kiss strangers in Times Square on New Year's Eve all the time, right?
"Zoe!" Marcie called my name, she looked just as beat as I did. "I just sat you, girl." She winked at me and I'm not really sure why.
I looked down at my section, saw a group of guys and shook my head. Marcie always gave me tables like this. She said that I'm too sweet and nice for my own good. I've never had a boyfriend, but that's a whole different issue. My dad was so overbearing, I was shocked that he even agreed to let me go out last night.
I walked up to the table, and froze about two feet away.
It’s him.
I looked over at the host stand and Marcie had the biggest smile on her face. I glared at her before going up to the guys. “Hey, my name is Zoe, welcome to Good Times. Can I start you guys off with a drink?” My voice was a little shaky.
“Yeah, we’ll start off with a round of Sam Adams, and a few orders of wings.” one of his friends said to me.
Mr. tall, dark, and handsome stared at me, his green eyes pierced me and made me unable to move. He didn’t say anything, which I was grateful for because I’d rather not be embarrassed in front of his friends.
I placed the order for their drinks and food then walked over to Marcie. “I’m gonna kill you. What the hell?”
She laughed, “Chill out, he would have sat with you either way. He came in and asked to be in your section.”
“What?”
"Maybe if you didn't want him to find you, you shouldn't have told him where you worked ditz. Now go help the man and see if any of his friends are single." She winked at me before shooing me off.
I grabbed the drinks from the bar and delivered them to the table. He wasn’t sitting there and I breathed a sigh of relief. When I walked back onto the floor after I checked on their food I literally ran into him. I was knocked off my balance but he reached out and caught me before I fell on my ass.
“Whoa, where’s the fire?” he said and then smiled. “Although if there was a fire, you couldn’t put it out, huh?”
I felt my face redden as he reminded me of my omission. I was never wearing that damn shirt again. “Ha ha,” I said overexaggerating the laugh. “Do you make it a habit to stalk women whose coffee you pay for?”
"No stalking here." He held up his hands in surrender. "I was on duty last night and if I remember correctly you invited me here today." He smiled and I swore it was enough to make me swoon, like those old movies where the women get weak in the knees. His hand ran through his hair, it's a light brown buzzed cut just long enough that I bet it's soft. "So about that date I mentioned."
I wanted to say yes so bad, but I knew that I couldn't, it would never work. I'd never be allowed to get out of the house enough to see him without him finding out my secret. "Sorry, my schedule is just really full right now."
I walked around him quickly before I lost my nerve. When I walked into the kitchen I saw Carly. "Hey, Marcie sat that guy from last night in my section. I need you to take him for me."
“What? Why?” Carly looked at me like I was as crazy as I felt.
“Because it’s uncomfortable and you all know I don’t date. Please? I’ll do your laundry this week.” I was all but pathetic as I whined.
“Ugh, fine. I’ll wait on the table of hot men for you.” She rolled her eyes.
"Gee, thanks," I joked. For the next hour, I spent as little time on the floor as possible. Normally I walked around and made myself available, right now I was trying to stay hidden.
Coward.
"You're safe, they just left," Carly said as she walked in with an arm full of empty dishes. "He left his number for you, though, asked for yours, but I wouldn't budge."
“Thanks, I appreciate it.”
“I swear I don’t understand you for a minute, girl.” She shook her head. “That man is hot. You make more than enough money here to move in with us, get yourself some freedom and dip a toe in the promiscuous sex pool.” She winked at me.
“I cannot believe you just said that.” I looked at her, my mouth hung open.
“I speak the truth, sister.” She rubbed her shoulder against mine before walking out of the kitchen.
It would be amazing to live with the girls, have freedom to go where I wanted and do what I wanted. That's not something that's possible for me, though. I was twenty-three years old and lived in my own personal prison.
My phone sounded and when I looked down at it I saw a text from a number I didn’t know.
I’m not afraid of a chase or a challenge. I have off every Tuesday and your hostess friend said you work that night. I’ll see you then for our date.
How the hell did he get my number? He’s a cop, it was probably easy to find.
I walked back to where Marcie stood. “You told him my schedule?”
She laughed. “Sometimes in life we all need a bit of a push. He text you yet?”
“Wait, you gave him my number?”
“Yep.” She raised her eyebrows at me. “This one seems determined and might actually be the guy to force you out of your whole celibacy thing.”
My face reddened. “You suck.”
"You still love me, though." She blew me a kiss.
I huffed and walked away from her. The girls didn’t get it because I didn’t talk about my situation. This wasn’t something that they could fix or force me out of.
If he really was as determined as he seemed, then I was screwed.
Dean
Well, at least if she was fighting me tooth and nail her friends were willing to give her a push. It had only been a day since I was there last, and tonight I’d be making good on my text and heading in to see her.
The crazy thing was that I’d never chased a girl like this before, and I wasn’t really sure why I was so determined now. I thought the way we met had intrigued me more than anything, the way she reacted to me when I messed with her, and the desire in her eyes but the apprehension in her actions.
I walked into Good Times and her friend was at the host stand once again.
“Well, look at you sticking to your word.” Her hand went to her hip as she smiled at me.
“Yeah, well hopefully she doesn’t take out a restraining order. That might look bad around the precinct.”
“So I have a question.” She leaned in a bit closer. “Do you wear the uniform in the bedroom too?”
Her question took me off guard and I stumbled over my words as I tried to find a way to answer it.
“Just don’t get tongue tied like that with Zoe, it’s not cute.” She grabbed a menu and waved for me to follow her.
I sat at the table, my leg shook from the nerves running through my body.
“Hi, my name’s Zoe and I’ll be your—” her sentence cut off once she noticed that it was me who sat at her table. A smile crossed her face, but she tried to hide it before I noticed. “You just don’t give up, huh?”
I shrugged. “Well, what fun would that be? Plus, my dad always said quitters never win and winners never quit.”
“Come here all you want, just know you’re wasting your time.” Her voice shook as she tried to pretend like I wasn’t getting to her.
“Well at least I’ll be getting good food and beer out of wasting my time.” I picked up the menu. “I’ll take the loaded nachos and your favorite beer on draft.”
“I actually don’t drink beer so I don’t have a favorite.” Her teeth gnawed at her bottom lip.
"Well, then play a game of eeny meeny miny moe."
She opened her mouth to respond but quickly closed it before she turned around and walked back toward the bar. I was going to break through whatever wall she was trying to keep up, I might even have a little fun while I was doing it.
One of the other waitresses dropped off my beer, much to my disappointment. When a guy in a button-up walked by, I stopped him because I assumed that he was a manager. “Excuse me, can you send my waitress to the table for me?”
“S
ure, sir, no problem.” He nodded at me and walked toward the back of the restaurant.
Within a couple minutes, Zoe was standing at my table. Her fists were balled at her sides and her foot was tapping on the ground. “You sent my manager to get me? Are you trying to get me fired?” Her voice was a harsh whisper.
"Nope, I just missed your face and winning personality." I smirked at her, and I could almost see the steam as it shot out of her head.
“What is it going to take to get you to give up? What can I say to end all of this?” She sighed as if she was almost out of fight.
“Agree to go on a date with me.”
“No.” Her hand ran through her hair. “You need to stop coming here. Being around me is basically looking for trouble.”
She walked away.
Challenge accepted.
She didn’t know it, but her warning only gave me more determination.
Zoe
I balled up my apron and threw it into the bin with a groan.
“Whoa, tall, dark, and handsome finally getting to you?” Carly’s voice sounded behind me.
“I just don’t get it. Why the hell isn’t he giving up and going away?” With my arms crossed I almost wanted to stomp my feet on the floor like a child.
“Why aren’t you getting over whatever mental block you have and just giving the poor guy a chance?” Her eyes stared at me trying to find an answer.
“I know you guys don’t get it, but I cannot go there.” I grabbed my purse and turned back toward Carly. “I get that you all want me to be happy, but this isn’t the road to it. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
I walked out of the pub and toward my house. I lived close enough that walking home was easier than driving to work. It was cold enough tonight that I could see my breath as I walked. My feet slowed unintentionally, I’d rather walk an extra five miles out of the way than make it home in a couple minutes. The times when I got to be out of the house and on my own were things that I clung to. Those small moments of freedom got me through the hours of imprisonment.
