He laughs at me and squeezes me close to his side. “Should have known,” he mutters to himself with a smile, shaking his head slightly. “Okay … so camping’s out. How about fishing? Ever been fishing?”
“Fishing? Are you serious?”
He laughs again. He is so adorable! “So that’s a big, fat ‘no’ on the fishing,” he says with a chuckle. “Would you be opposed to going fishing sometime?”
He is so cute as he asks the question that he already knows the answer to, and I just can’t stop smiling at him. “I love you, Josh but, fishing … gosh, I … just … can’t think of a single reason why I would want to do that!”
“What do you mean? To spend quality time with me,” he smiles, trying to give me his serious face and failing miserably. “On a river bank in galoshes, with nightcrawlers and hooks … doesn’t sound appealing, huh?”
I crinkle my nose at him and shake my head and he laughs again. “All right. I’ll save the fishing and hunting and camping for time with the boys, I guess.”
Time with the boys? This is news to me. “Do you really fish and hunt?”
“Mm hm. Lee and I go hunting every year. We only hunt what we’re going to eat. Usually deer or elk or duck. Sometimes rabbit. And since I don’t cook, I always end up letting him take everything home. As a trade off, Molly, Lee’s wife … she invites me over for dinner whenever she cooks something we shot.”
I’m really surprised by this news. I had no idea my yummy detective was such an avid outdoorsman. That’s kinda hot! My subconscious whispers, fanning herself with her hand. She’s right, of course.
“Well, maybe this year, you can keep a little venison for yourself and I’ll cook it for you, Detective,” I say quietly, batting my eyelashes at him.
He looks down at me and smiles. “Are you flirting with me, Miss Colby?”
“Maybe. What are you going to do about it?” I give him a sassy smile and his grin gets bigger. Suddenly, I am swept into his arms and he’s kissing me passionately as one hand trails slowly down my back and the other is in my hair, holding my head in place as he devours me. His hand finds my bottom and squeezes gently and we are both breathless when he pulls away, looking down at me.
“If we weren’t in a public place right now,” he whispers, almost to himself, as he looks into my eyes.
“Don’t let that stop you,” I reply, my voice a soft pant. And he frowns and blinks at me, clearly surprised.
“Why, Miss Colby. I had no idea you were such an exhibitionist.”
“I just don’t want you to stop,” I say softly, looking up at him with imploring eyes, and he cocks his head at me.
He caresses my face for a moment and then says, “I’m afraid I have to, baby. I don’t want to have to explain to my Lieutenant why I got arrested in a public park for indecent exposure, and lewd and illicit behavior.”
Oh.
“I promise to make it up to you once we get home, though,” he says softly. He kisses me tenderly once more and then looks deep into my eyes again. Smiling, he shakes his head slightly and softly kisses my forehead. “You are so tempting,” he whispers. Then he takes my hand and we resume our walk.
After a while, we stop and sit for a bit on one of the benches that dot the trail and Josh pulls me into his arms, and we just take in the beautiful scenery around us. It almost looks magical, all lush and green, dotted with the occasional wildflower. I’m not sure how long we sit but, it feels nice just being here together, and we smile and nod hello to a few passing fellow hikers. The longer we sit, the more I notice that Josh seems slightly preoccupied with something and idly I begin to wonder what he’s thinking about and whether or not he’s getting as hungry as I am. Perhaps we should start to head back now.
“There’s this Sergeant’s exam coming up at work,” Josh says softly, out of the blue.
“Sergeant’s exam?”
He nods his head slowly. “Yeah. It’s offered every so often, usually when they know an opening’s coming up in whatever section.” His voice is quiet and he sounds pensive. “I’ve been thinking about taking it.”
Oh. I’m not exactly sure what this means but, I’m surprised to hear it. “I don’t know what to say. I had no idea you were interested in a supervisory position.”
He looks at me and shrugs slightly. “Not sure I am.”
Okay … now I’m puzzled. “Well then, why take the exam?”
He takes a deep breath and sighs heavily. “Well, Lee mentioned it first. He said I’d make a good supervisor. Said he thinks I’d be good at mentoring the young guys coming up. I just shrugged it off though. Didn’t give it much thought, but then … I got called into Marcos’ office last week. He and Captain Skinner … they flat told me that they want me to take the exam. They want me to start thinking about moving up.”
“Really?” I can hear the surprise in my voice and Josh nods at me. “Well, it’s one thing for your friend to weigh in on something like that. But for your superiors to encourage you too … that’s saying a lot, Josh. Obviously they must have faith in you.” He frowns slightly at my words.
“So, you think I should do it?”
I am so flattered that he’s asking my opinion, even though I know next to nothing about police work or what being a sergeant entails. “I would never try to tell you what to do with your career, Josh. But I think you should give it some serious thought. Decide if being a boss is something you really want to take on. But just for the record,” I say, quietly as I look into his bright blue eyes. “I think you’d be amazing at it.”
He smiles slowly at me and then kisses my temple. “Come. Let’s go home. I’m starving and it’s starting to get chilly. You want my jacket?” he asks as we stand up and get underway.
We make it back to the truck in record time and, when we get home, the wonderful aroma of the soup meets us at the door. I waste no time in putting the loaf of crusty bread into the oven to warm up and, by the time we’ve changed out of our hiking gear and into sleepwear, our dinner is ready. We sit and eat our hearty soup and talk more about the sergeant’s exam and my upcoming show, and I fall more in love with this beautiful man than I already was.
After dinner, he drags me off to the shower and we stay in there so long, bathing each other and making love, that my fingers and toes are pruney when we come out. I stand at the sink with my towel wrapped around me as I begin to brush through my hair when suddenly Josh’s arms are around me.
“I’m not finished with you yet, baby,” he grumbles in my ear, his voice husky and deep. Then he swoops me up into his arms and carries me off to the bedroom with a smile on my face.
Chapter Seven
Joshua
It’s been a week since Lois Colby’s threats and her subsequent confrontation with Sam. But despite any lingering apprehension I may still feel, I stride into the station ten minutes late on Friday with a confident swagger and a smile, thinking about Samantha and breakfast. Or rather … Samantha for breakfast!
She certainly is a creative little thing. I’m sure the look on my face when I walked into the kitchen this morning was priceless. The sight of her lying across the kitchen table wearing only the strategically placed silver dollar pancakes and sausage links she had made stopped me in my tracks. I had just gotten dressed for the day, and I was mid-sentence when I looked up and noticed her. “Your breakfast is ready,” she said with that sassy glint in her eyes. “And don’t forget the syrup!” I was completely undressed in about two seconds flat, eagerly eating my breakfast! And she was a beautiful, sticky mess by the time I walked out the door. God, what that woman does to me! She is so amazing. I still can’t understand what in the world she is doing with me.
“Well, if it isn’t the superstar! You late because you had to swing by a Hollywood red carpet this morning, Guy? Or maybe you and your billionaire girlfriend had an early morning photo shoot with the paparazzi, huh?”
“Fuck you, Simon,” I grin and keep on walking. It’s been like this all week long, ever since
my picture was in the freaking Seattle Times society section, ‘rubbing elbows with the city’s crème de la crème,’ as the caption explained, at one of the biggest weddings of the year. Apparently, Samantha Colby dating the cop who rescued her from her serial rapist stalker is big news for some reason, and the talking heads on the Seattle Social TV show can’t get enough of the story. They’ve even gone so far as to stake out the parking lot of the police station with their monster camera lenses, trying to get shots of me coming or going. So the guys at the station have been having a field day at my expense all week long. It’s exactly what I feared would happen, and I just keep trying to remind myself of Dave’s words from a week ago: “If you love her, you will find a way to put up with just about anything to be with her.”
I head into the detective’s bullpen and over to my desk and, as I take my seat, from behind me I hear someone making camera sounds and I take a deep breath and shake my head. How long is this ribbing going to go on?
“Sorry I’m late, Dave. What I miss at roll call?” The camera noises continue.
“Not much, the usual dog and pony show,” Dave answers. “Had some thoughts on our frat boys I want to run by you, though.”
“Oh yeah, what’s that?” I ask, trying to ignore the dicks behind me making the annoying camera sounds. But I’m sure my expression must show that I’m getting pissed because Conner pauses and shoots a warning glance over my shoulder. I can’t take it anymore. I turn around in my chair and face the two guys seated at the desks behind me. The camera sounds immediately stop.
“You got something you want to say to me, Nettles?” My voice is an annoyed growl, and I know my pissed-off look is now firmly in place.
“Why yes, Detective Pierce,” he says in a high-pitched, fake female voice. “You’re such a big, strong, famous officer, I was wondering if I could have your autograph?”
Half a dozen detectives within earshot are instantly doubled over in laughter, and all I can do is shake my head and smile. I know that if it was happening to someone else, I’d be joining in on the jokes. I’m glad they’re having so much fun with my discomfort. “Yeah, I got your autograph right here,” I snicker, cupping my hand over my manhood as I turnaround back to my desk, and Nettles laughs.
Conner and I get to work then, following up on a theory about our case involving the two college guys at the bar, and it takes most of the morning. But it pays off because by lunchtime, we have ourselves an arrest and a confession. Case closed.
After we finish filling Lieutenant Marcos in on the details, Conner and I are busy patting ourselves on the back, about to head out to treat ourselves to a hot dog for lunch, when we see Gary Butler walking in as we’re going out.
“Hey, y’all might as well just give me your paychecks right now ’cause I’m feeling lucky today,” he says triumphantly, and I frown wondering what the hell he’s talking about. “I’m gonna take it all tonight!”
“Yeah, in your dreams, drummer boy,” Conner shoots back at him. “When have you ever taken it all?”
“Yo, I’m telling ya, tonight’s my night, sucka!”
And suddenly I remember … poker! Shit.
“Keep talking smack, we’ll see,” Conner smiles as Butler disappears into the building and I stand watching the exchange like it’s happening in slow motion. “What’s wrong, Guy?”
“Huh? Nothing,” I say distractedly. I can’t believe I forgot. Sam and I were going to go to a movie tonight. Suddenly Conner breaks out into a huge smile and he laughs at me. I frown at him. “What?”
“You didn’t clear it with the little woman, did you?” His voice is full of real glee as he watches me squirm. I’m instantly annoyed at his amusement.
“She’s not the little woman!”
“Maybe not but, you’re scared shitless right now because you have five big, sweaty guys coming over to play poker tonight and your girl knows nothing about it! Am I right?”
“No! You’re not right,” I lie to him. “Sam knows all about it. I just forgot something else.” He gives me a look that tells me he’s not buying it as he continues to laugh heartily, but I ignore him. “Look, I’m gonna have to take a rain check on that hot dog; I got something to take care of.”
“Uh huh,” he smiles, and I continue to ignore him as I hurry out of the station and over to my truck.
I pull out my cellphone as I get in and dial, taking a deep breath as I do. What is she going to say? Shit. Shit. Shit! Things have going so well between us this past week, I don’t want this to fuck anything up. But I also don’t want to have to tell the guys our game is off and have to listen to Dave ride me about it forever.
“Hi, Joshua!”
“Hi, baby.” She sounds like she’s in a really good mood. “How’s your day going?”
“Not bad,” she sighs. “I spent most of the afternoon at the gallery with Lola, going through my sketches. How about you?”
“My day’s been good. Got a confession in the double assault case this morning.”
“The fraternity guys?” she asks me.
“Yeah. I’ll tell you all about it when I get home.”
“Okay,” she says lightly and I swallow nervously. Just tell her, Pierce! Only I must hesitate a beat too long because Sam picks up on my anxiety. “Is everything all right, Josh?”
“Yeah, everything’s good. Except I, uh … I sort of … forgot something,” I stammer.
“Oh?”
“Yeah. See, every so often … I get together with a few of the guys. Usually about once a month, and we go to someone’s house and play poker.”
“Oh, I see.” Her voice is neutral and unreadable. “Let me guess; you forgot that tonight is poker night and you’re worried that I’ll be upset?”
“Well, we made plans to go to a movie…,”
She giggles lightly. “It’s all right, Josh. I don’t mind if you go play poker tonight. You should spend time with your friends; I wouldn’t want to keep you from that.”
“Yeah?” I can hear the surprise in my voice, and I’m guessing that she can too.
“Yeah,” she giggles again.
“Well … it’s good to know you feel that way, but … well, see the thing is … the game, it’s uh … it’s supposed to be at my place tonight.”
“Oh.” There’s a long pause then, and I wonder what she’s thinking. Finally, I hear her take a breath and she says, “Okay. Uh, what time?”
“We usually start around seven or eight,” I mutter, still wondering how she’s going to react.
“Okay. Do you need anything?”
“Need anything?”
“Yes. Do you … have food at these poker nights?”
Food? “Um, well just the usual, pretzels and chips … that sort of thing. Which reminds me, I guess I need to pick some up on the way home.”
“No, that’s all right. I’ll take care of it,” she offers quietly. And I can’t help but wonder what’s really going through her mind right now. She seems to be taking this all in stride. That can’t be her true feelings. Can it?
“You don’t have to do that, Sam. I can get it.”
“No, I want to. Should I get some beer?”
I hesitate at her words because I still don’t quite believe how agreeable she’s being. “Um … well, the guys will usually bring whatever they want to drink so, maybe just some Corona.”
“Okay.”
“Listen, Samantha … I’m sorry to spring this on you. I … I can just tell the guys we need to go to someone else’s place tonight if you want me to.”
“Josh, it’s all right,” she insists. “I really don’t mind. Besides, I’m the guest here. You can do whatever you want to in your own home.”
Her words bring me up short for some reason, and I frown. “Sam, you are not a guest!” Whoa, think about what you’re saying here, Pierce! I swallow anxiously. “I mean … I don’t want you to feel like a guest, baby. I want you to feel at home.”
“I do feel at home, Josh,” she says quietly af
ter a slight pause, and I think I can hear the smile in her voice. “And I don’t have a problem with your friends coming over tonight. Okay?”
“Okay,” I answer quietly, still feeling slightly uneasy. She’s really not angry?
We hang up soon after, and I go back to work wondering about what she’s really thinking and how tonight is going to play out. I don’t think my place is big enough for six loud, obnoxious guys and one beautiful, refined goddess. Should be interesting. I fret about it the entire rest of the day, with Dave needling me about being whipped. Between that and the constant wise cracks about being in the news with my rich girlfriend all week, I will be more than happy to see the work day come to an end. Or at least, I would be if I wasn’t so worried about what was going to happen once I get home.
“Still on for tonight, son?” Lee looks at me questioningly as he passes by my desk.
“Yeah,” I nod distractedly and he stops, frowning down at me.
“You sound real excited about it,” he notes.
“Aw, don’t mind him. He’s just worried about how the little woman is going to react to having a bunch of sweaty, smelly guys come over, invading the love shack,” Conner offers. Lee laughs with him and looks back at me.
“Is that right? Samantha giving you a hard time about poker night?”
“No,” I snap at them. “She is not giving me a hard time! Conner’s just being an ass, that’s all.”
Lee continues to laugh at my obvious discomfort and walks off.
“God, it is fun to see you scared and rattled by a woman!” Conner smiles and turns back to his report. And I sigh heavily, rolling my eyes at myself. Am I scared? Is that what this is? Fear of upsetting Sam? Fear that the guys might see her angry at me? Or that they might see me acting like a love-sick fool around her? Shit.
I struggle through the rest of my work day, the temporary high I felt with the close of another case quickly evaporated by the uncertainty of the evening. By the time I slide into my truck and head for home, I am a nervous wreck. Damn Conner and his good-natured ribbing.
Pierced: Pierced Trilogy Boxed Set Page 71
