“I was,” she laughs.
“Yes. We….”
“Did you have the option to say no to the mission?” she investigates, interrupting me.
“There’s always a choice,” I admit.
“So, you chose the mission over me,” she challenges.
“Yes, but with good reason.”
“Pray tell…” she instructs with a smirk.
“It was a rescue mission for another team my team and I had worked with,” I reply. “It wasn’t the smartest choice, since it was a suicide mission, but we couldn’t leave them to die.”
“Hmm,” she muses.
I wait to see if she’ll say anything else, before surmising more of our fake relationship.
“How long were we together…and, in love?” she poses.
“Three years until I called it off,” I say.
“How old were we when we first started dating?”
“How old are you now?” I inspect.
“Looks like someone hasn’t done his homework,” she states.
“I couldn’t,” I share.
“What do you mean?”
“Becky wouldn’t give us clearance on your files or case. You’re a very high profile asset,” I inform. “Usually they’ll make an exception and give us something, but not this time.”
“That, or you’re a low-level ranking, undercover agent…or, not to be trusted,” she goads.
“No, I’m definitely trustworthy and fairly high level ranking,” I return. “You’re just that high of a clearance.”
“Then, I shouldn’t be talking to you…let alone work with you,” she replies with a cocky tone.
I glare at her with a playful look which gets her to smile a little more. I find myself licking my lips in eager anticipation of tasting her’s again. Needing to stay focused, I add, “Plus, if there’s any connection with your case to the one we’re currently working on, they wouldn’t want certain people jeopardizing things.”
She watches me for a few seconds, as if she’s processing something before saying, “My ex-husband was a cop, turned bad, or was bad from the beginning and I didn’t notice, in the sense that he was working for Antonio.”
“Antonio?” I repeat.
“Yep,” she answers.
“As in Antonio Herrera?” I check.
“Yes, why?”
“That make sense as to why you’re a high profile asset,” I return.
“What do you mean?”
“Antonio is…let’s just say…in direct competition with Quintin for a number of things,” I share.
“Who?”
“Quintin…our mark,” I reveal.
“Who’s he?” she checks.
“Someone much bigger than Antonio,” I share.
“Hmm,” she hums. “It’s one big cock fight to me…men trying to piss on one another as they compare their dick sizes.”
“Yes and no,” I return.
“What do you mean?” she searches.
“I’ve got a hunch that there’s even someone bigger than Quintin, but that’s all it is…just a hunch,” I say.
Laurie nods, but doesn't say a word.
“So, because your husband was working for Antonio, they involved you to rat on both of them?” I speculate.
“I was more than just associated by default thanks to my ex-husband…he pimped me out to Antonio in hopes of climbing the ranks within the group. Antonio took a liking to me and I used him to protect myself to some extent.”
I sit, stunned at her admission. “What do you mean your husband….”
“Ex-husband,” Laurie interrupts, stressing the first word.
“Apologies,” I say. “What do you mean your ex-husband pimped you out to Antonio?”
“Exactly what it means,” Laurie returns. “I became one of Antonio’s women…however, he liked me, really liked me for some reason, and I became the woman…his woman.”
“Was he, your ex-husband, your ex before he…?” I start, but stop, not wanting to believe my train of thought.
“I was working on a divorce,” she shares. “Used Antonio’s proclaimed love for me to get it rolling because I didn’t trust the Feds to do anything since they lied and used me for practically a year….”
“So you did get the divorce,” I state.
“If me pumping two bullets into his chest counts as a divorce, yes,” she says smugly.
“You shot him?” I confirm, not really surprised.
“He killed my dog,” she states. “And, I wasn’t about to let him shoot me.”
My eyes drift to her left shoulder, but I don’t comment. I understand she’s rough, really rough around the edges, but who wouldn’t be just from what she’s telling me. I can’t imagine she’d lie about this. Who would, especially when they’re stuck in witness protection?
“I’m thirty-four,” Laurie reveals, snapping me from my thoughts.
“Is that your real age?” I check. Not giving her a chance to answer, I continue. “You don’t look it.”
“Flattery won’t work on me,” she teases.
“Who says I was trying to be flattering?” I return her grin. “Well, I’m thirty-six, so we could have been dating when we were in our twenties.”
“What about the time gap? Even if we were both of legal age, or a few years after, when we met…why so many years between when you broke my heart and now?” she checks.
“Easy,” I sigh.
“Really?”
“Does anyone here know anything about your past, fake or real?” I inspect.
She watches me for a second or two. “No.”
“We can say that you had a brother who was in the military too, which is how we met. We started off just as friends, seeing each other once in a while when you and your brother hung out and then over time we started dating,” I suggest.
“What about my brother now?” she searches.
“He didn’t make it during one of the missions,” I answer, “which is why no one has met him during the time you’ve been here and adds to the resentment you have toward me.”
“That would work,” she agrees. “Which, then would make it harder for you to woo me back.” The corners of her mouth curl up a little.
“You can play hard to get if you want,” I confirm. “But, just for a little bit. I’ll need to be able to get access into your home to watch Quintin more easily.”
“Aren’t you guys high tech enough not to need to use me,” she checks.
“No, unfortunately,” I state. “The government isn’t always smart with it’s spending.”
“Well, we do agree on one thing,” Laurie states.
I smile.
“This surveillance stuff you need to do,” she begins. “How much are we talking about?”
“It can start off a little at first, like simply recording his movements and conversations,” I say. “But, in time, it would require more.”
“More?” she repeats. “As in, how much more?”
I wait a few beats, hoping to build up the anticipation for her. I still can’t see her eyes since she still hasn’t taken off her glasses, but from the way her mouth starts to uncurl, I know she knows what I mean.
“Are you fucking kidding me?” she quips in a calm tone.
“No,” I return.
“You want to fucking move in?” she barks. “No one, other than Trudy, the boys, and the Lenards have been in my home, and you want me to suddenly let you in?”
“No,” I ease. “Not right away. We’ll build up to that. Besides, I overheard Codie boasting about being at your house.”
Laurie takes off her glasses, tossing them onto the table before she pinches the ridge of her nose. “He’s only been to my house once, which was recent…and which was not my idea.”
Codie sees me as a threat, I know that and part of me likes it. I feel for the guy, but when a woman isn’t into you, either you need to come to grips with where the relationship is or move on. He’s just torturing himself.
While her eyes stay closed, I study every little detail of her face and the way that her short, blond hair covers some of her left eye. God, she’s so distracting. I can catch a small hint of her smell and all I want to do is kiss her. No, that’s a lie. I want to do more than just kiss her. I want to taste every inch of her body all while making her come all over me as she shouts my name.
“What?” Laurie asks, snapping me back to reality.
“What?” I say, trying to brush away any evidence of my thoughts being revealed.
Did I say something and not realize it?
“Nothing,” Laurie returns with an expression I can’t figure out. “I should get going.”
“What? Why? We just started,” I say.
“It’s a start,” she addresses. “Besides, you did say it wouldn’t have to be happening right away.”
“But….”
“I just might be at the cafe tomorrow, needing to check in on things since it’s been getting busier,” she states. “A good chance for an old flame to pop in and get Trudy to help corner me into a meal.”
“I like the sound of that,” I reply, happy to know she’s willing to play along.
“I don’t like this,” she states flatly. “I don’t like being used again.”
“I don’t like having to use you,” I return. “Trust me, I tried to present several different options and they all got rejected. Honestly, you can even ask Paul.”
“Will he be moving in too?” she inquires.
“No,” I laugh. “Just me.”
“But, you’re here helping to take care of him, supposedly,” she reminds.
“According to our back story, Paul, aka dad, and I only have each other,” I say.
“How did your fake mother die?” Laurie checks.
“Cancer,” I share. “It resurfaced when the military told them that I couldn’t be found.”
“How long where you missing?” she inspects.
“Almost a year until we were rescued,” I fabricate. “When I returned, I was a little messed up… mentally and physically, and it took a while before I was released. By then, you were gone, had moved away which is why there was so much time between us then and now.”
“Makes sense,” she sighs, standing and heading toward the front door.
“It’s faster to get to the garage from back here,” I offer, gesturing to the door off the kitchen. “Plus, there’s less of a chance of being seen.”
I grab the clicker and follow Laurie inside the garage once it’s open. She let’s the dogs into the truck and I quickly step in, taking her hip with my right hand.
“What are you doing?” she asks, spinning around.
“No one can see us,” I declare. “Besides, if we’re going to start to look like two people falling back in love we need to be able to be affectionate with each other in public.”
“We’re not in public,” Laurie reminds.
“Yeah, good thing,” I laugh. “We wouldn’t be very convincing right now.”
“You’re still trying to woo me, remember?” she says.
“That doesn’t mean a guy wouldn’t still try on occasion…you know, test boundaries,” I state. “Codie tries to press boundaries with you.”
“Don’t remind me,” she huffs.
I deliberately take a step closer to her, making our bodies flush. Laurie’s rigid while trying to stay composed. I lower her glasses down, wanting to see her eyes. She stares back at me, expressionless and I wish I knew what she was thinking.
“Unless you want a broken nose,” she says, “I strongly recommend you take several steps back.”
I don’t move other than my mouth forming a smile. “You like it,” I tease.
“No, I don’t,” she rebuts.
My face leans closer to hers. “Yes, you do. Besides, if you really felt threatened, Cain and Mable would have me pinned to the ground with at least one of their mouths around my neck.”
“I’m just not threatened by you,” she returns. “Which is why they aren’t attacking.”
I lean further into her, brushing my lips against her ear as I say, “See you tomorrow.”
Twenty One - Laurie
I’m at the cafe taking care of some office stuff, waiting for Aiden to suddenly appear at some point for our unscheduled lunch. This whole staging a fake relationship is actually kind of fun, not that I really want to be doing this, but it’s a nice distraction from everything else in my life.
“Hey, Laurie,” Trudy calls from the kitchen.
“Hey, yeah?” I return, keeping my eyes forward on the computer.
“You’ve got a special delivery,” she announces with her voice getting louder.
“What are you talking about?” I ask, turning in my chair to face the kitchen.
“Look,” she says, appearing in the doorway. Trudy has a huge grin plastered on her face.
My eyes widen when they see a bouquet of red roses. “What the…?”
“I know! What does the card say?” she asks as she places the vase on the desk. “I almost opened it myself, but Candace stopped me.”
I remain calm, not showing any hint of emotion as my fingers carefully open the envelope. After my eyes shoot directly to the name first, I immediately stuff it back inside.
“What? What did it say? Is it from Aiden?” Trudy pries.
“No,” I huff.
“Are you disappointed that they aren’t from Aiden,” she pries.
“What? No! You’re fucking crazy,” I object.
“Who else would….” Trudy’s voice tapers. “Codie? Really? After two years of you two being on again and off again, he suddenly sends you flowers. He’s never sent you…oh.”
“Yeah,” I huff.
“He really is nervous…or, maybe jealous?” she says more than questions.
“Most likely,” I comment. “You’d think the guy would realize that this just pisses a girl off.”
“Most women would be flattered to get flowers, regardless of who sent them.” Trudy’s smile returns.
“What?” I inquire, scared by the look on her face.
“You like Aiden,” she accuses. “Your heart still longs for him.”
“Does not,” I challenge.
My heart doesn’t long for anyone. Maybe the lady down below would long for something, as in a fucking orgasm by someone other than me or a toy, but definitely not my fucking heart.
“Does too,” she returns, sticking her tongue out at me.
Rolling my eyes, I instruct, “Throw them out.”
“Why? Why don’t you want to take them home? They’re gorgeous and smell amazing,” Trudy argues, pressing her face into the roses again.
“Because, they’re from Codie. I don’t want to give him the wrong idea,” I state.
“Good point,” Trudy agrees. “Do you want Aiden to think there’s a chance for Codie?”
“What?” I gasp.
“If you want to play hard to get…for either of them…I’d take the flowers home regardless,” she states.
I consider the options and the outcomes of her idea. “But, taking them home will signal to Codie that I want more which you and I both know, and he should too, that’s not going to happen.”
“Why don’t you put them out in a main part of the cafe for everyone to see and when you head home, if they catch your eye, take them,” Trudy suggests. “Toy with both of them…make them guess.”
“You’re starting to sound like me a little,” I mention. “I’m not sure if I should be proud or afraid.”
“You’re funny,” Trudy replies.
I don’t comment and take the flowers out to Candace, one of my main baristas behind the counter. “Hey, Candace.”
“Yeah, what’s up?” she returns.
“Can you find a place for these out here?”
“Sure, but don’t you want them back there with you,” she questions.
“I think everyone in town should get to see them, not just me especially since I’m rarely i
n my office,” I inform.
“You don’t want to take them home?” she replies a little shocked.
“Just find a place for them where they can be seen but aren’t in the way,” I inform.
“Sure thing,” she agrees.
“Good thing you got rid of the evidence,” Trudy says oddly.
“What? Why?”
“Because, here comes Mr. Heartbreaker,” she says with a smirk.
I turn and find Aiden walking right toward us — perfect timing.
“Hi, ladies,” Aiden greets.
His lips look inviting. What? Snap out of it Laurie. He’s the enemy.
“Hey, Aiden,” Trudy replies with a bounce in her voice.
“Hey,” I return flatly.
“I was hoping I’d catch you, Laurie,” Aiden mentions. “I was hoping we could talk.”
“About what?” I say, acting dumb and a little annoyed.
“She’d loved too,” Trudy answers. “She hasn’t had anything to eat yet, which is why she’s a little grumpy.”
“I’m not grumpy,” I challenge.
“Why don’t you go grab your bag from the office and I’ll escort Aiden here to an open table for you two,” Trudy instructs.
“But….” I begin.
“But, nothing. You’ve been working since early this morning and I know you need to eat something.” She looks to Aiden. “Why don’t we get you a seat over there and I’ll make sure she comes right back.”
“Fine,” I whine.
I ditch the card from Codie, tossing it in the trash. I put on my sunglasses, grab my purse, and make my way out of the restaurant.
“Where do you think you’re going?” Trudy asks, side stepping from the left of the bar.
“Home,” I lie.
“No, you don’t,” she challenges. “You’re having lunch with Aiden. You’re going to give that man a chance to talk to you.”
My mouth opens to object, but Trudy physically cuts me off, placing herself between me and the door.
“Seriously? You’re acting like a child,” I state.
“You’re the one acting like a child,” she presents. “You have two men who just want to be with you and you won’t give either of them a chance.”
“With good reason,” I return, getting more into the whole act.
Wait — it’s not an act. I want nothing to do with either of them — okay, just sex, but that’s it.
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