Just Kidding (SWAT Generation 2.0 Book 1)

by Lani Lynn Vale

  “What do you want me to do?” he asked, and the vibe I was getting from him was a whole lot more formal now.

  “I want you to get in your cruiser and act natural.” I paused. “With your shirt off.”

  He lifted a brow at me, making my heart race.

  “Do you honestly think it’s ‘natural’ for me to be in my cruiser shirtless?” he wondered.

  I looked at him.

  “I’m just doing what I was told to do,” I said. “If you don’t want to take off your shirt, fine. Not my business. I was just told to make you take your shirt off and make it look ‘hot’ but ‘tasteful.’ Those are direct quotes from the man in charge. So completely up to you, you’ll still look good with all of your clothes on, but Dax, who was before you? He was able to do it shirtless in the bed. Just sayin’.”

  Derek rolled his eyes and started to unbutton his shirt.

  There was a wolf whistle from the doorway, and I turned to see that there were four other SWAT team members standing there making raunchy comments and thrusting their hips against the air.

  Derek sighed.

  “I hate my life,” he mumbled darkly.

  My lips twitched as he stripped his shirt off and laid it neatly on the hood.

  The next thing to go was his Kevlar vest.

  Followed by the white t-shirt that he wore underneath it.

  “Why aren’t you in the SWAT pants and t-shirt like them?” I asked curiously.

  Derek looked at the four imbeciles on the steps who were still gyrating their hips, then back to me.

  “I have a court hearing today,” he said. “At court hearings, I have to wear my uniform.”

  I opened up his car door and then pointed for him to get inside.

  He did, leaving one foot to rest on the running board outside the door.

  He had his closest hand resting on the steering wheel, and his head leaned back against the headrest.

  “Switch your hands around so that this arm isn’t blocking the rest of your chest.” I tapped his wrist, right above his big ass watch. “And tilt your head toward me and lean it forward a bit.”

  He did as I asked, and I had to swallow hard to keep myself from drooling.

  “Good,” I said, raising my camera.

  I took more photos than I needed and then made him move and change positions in the seat once or twice even though I was fairly sure that I had the shot that I wanted.

  And oh my God. He was looking at me with those smoldering eyes and I was just about dead.

  “Okay,” I said, stepping back. “I think I got what I needed. Do you want to get your clothes back on?”

  Derek jackknifed out of the cruiser’s cab and jumped down, leaving us quite close because I hadn’t stepped back that far.

  “Sorry, sorry,” I said, backing away.

  Only, I caught my foot on the lip of the curb that he was parked next to and nearly fell straight on my ass in my haste to get out of his space.

  He caught me before I could hit the ground and pulled me up until we were almost pressing against each other from chest to knee.

  “Steady,” he rumbled, making my belly flutter with butterflies.

  “Sorry,” I said again, this time taking a step up and back.

  He let me go once he knew I was on solid ground, and the moment he did, I felt like a piece of my soul had left with his hand.

  “Do you like hamburgers?” I blurted.

  Oh my God.

  Why had I just asked that?

  Derek frowned, then nodded. “Yeah, why?”

  “Do you want to eat some burgers with me tonight?” I exclaimed.

  Oh my God. What was wrong with me?

  Had I really just asked him out? On a date?

  Derek laughed, then continued. “I’m sorry, but no. You’re way too young for me.”

  Then he slammed his door closed, grabbed his clothes, and took off.

  Only, when he did, he closed the door behind him that we’d come through, and it was automatic locking after that.

  So when I finally scrounged up the courage to follow behind him, I found it locked.

  Then I had to walk around.

  Meaning that I had to walk past him. Again.

  I slammed into him when he came out the front, making me really fall on my ass this time.

  When he offered his hand, I slapped it away.

  Then got up on my own.

  “I’m sorry,” I muttered, walking around him and not looking back. I felt his eyes on me as I walked up to the front counter and said, “Hey, Nixie? Can you beep me back? I went out the back way and the door automatically closed. I got locked out.”

  Nixie smiled at me just as I heard a man curse.

  “There you go, dear. That was a long walk!”

  It was.

  It was a long walk, and now I was all sweaty.

  The jerk.

  “Yeah, it was. But I can handle it.” I shrugged. “Thanks, Nix.”

  When I chanced a look back over my shoulder, Derek was nowhere to be seen.

  Thank. God.