Trixsters Anonymous

by Ahren Sanders

  “Fuck, stop that.”

  “Stop what?” I feign innocence.

  “You know what.”

  “I can’t help it when you use that voice. It’s sexy.”

  “I’m coming over.” There’s a rustling, followed by the scrape of a chair.

  “You can’t leave in the middle of the afternoon.”

  “Watch me.”

  “Won’t people wonder where you are?”

  “Seeing as Nina announced you get laid frequently, I’m sure they’ll figure it out.”

  My stomach flips at the fact that I can affect him the same as he does me. Then I remember Maren.

  “Wait, you can’t. I mean, you can, but we can’t have sex. Maren’s on her way here.”

  He exhales loudly, muttering something under his breath about being a tease.

  “Hey, buddy, I’m not a tease. You started it with your low, gravelly, husky voice.”

  “Jesus, one little moan and I’m hard as steel.”

  “I’ll make it up to you. Promise.” I make a kissing sound into the phone before I disconnect, wanting to get the last word.

  Let him think about that for the next few hours.

  “Too much of a mama’s boy,” Rachel tells Maren, finishing the rest of her drink.

  “How could you possibly know that by looking at him?” Maren questions her.

  “Because I know his mama, literally. She comes into the salon all the time talking about him. She still holds the strings,” Rachel explains.

  “Shit, are there any good ones?” Maren deflates next to me, loudly slurping the rest of her cocktail. “So far, we’ve eliminated every cute one tonight.”

  “The night is still young, Mare. We’ll find you someone.” I pat her knee reassuringly.

  “You’re a horrible wing-woman.”

  “Me? What did I do?”

  “You glimmer, that’s what you do. You sit here rocking that jumpsuit like a million dollars. Your hair and make-up are perfect, and men watch you like a hawk. But do you notice? No, because you glow like a woman who’s taken.”

  “I’m not glowing,” I defend, but don’t deny.

  “Yes, you do,” they all three say in unison.

  “Okay.” I sit up straighter, tossing my hair over my shoulder, and point at each of them. “Last time we had girls’ night out, you all made fun of me for having a non-existent dating life. You cackled and ridiculed me. You don’t get to make fun of me now.”

  “We’re not making fun of you. We’re jealous,” Maren points out. “You went from a bare maiden to a sexpot. It’s not fair.”

  “Hey! I wasn’t a bare maiden.”

  “Bullshit, I was convinced your vagina had cobwebs and weeds.”

  “I take offense to that.”

  “Before Walker, how long was it since you’d had sex?” Nina pipes in.

  “I’m not telling you. For all I know, you’ll broadcast it across the police station tomorrow.”

  “I won’t, pinky swear.” She offers her pinky, and I eye her suspiciously before gripping it with my own.

  “Fine, I can tell you I had lots and lots of orgasms.”

  “I’m not talking about your collection of silicone. I want to know when you’d had sex—hot, sweaty, body-grinding, fireworks-exploding sex,” Maren says a little too loud, attracting the attention of group near us.

  I gawk at her, horrified, until Rachel starts to giggle, which spreads to all of us. The waitress interrupts, forcing us to straighten up, and Nina orders a round of tequila shots.

  “Answer the question, Emi,” Maren continues.

  “If you must know, I hadn’t had regular sex in a year. But nothing has ever happened like you described until I met Walker.”

  “AAAGGGHHH, here goes the bragging again.” She drops her head back to the sky. “I can’t take it. I’m dying over here.”

  “Are you saying slick-dick Carlton gave you hot, sweaty, body-grinding, fireworks-exploding sex?”

  “No, that’s why I asked. I wanted to know if it does exist.”

  “Yes, it exists.”

  “You’re not the only one with a glow, Emi. Walker has a little pep in his step every day, too.” Nina surprises me with this information.

  The thought of Walker with a pep in his step is humorous. “Really? He seems normal when he leaves me in the morning.”

  “He’s always been a little broody. Nothing specific, but he’d speak when spoken to, never offering any personal information. It’s no secret that, when he started, all the single women in the Admin Pool started circling him. He was fresh meat. No one, not one woman, caught his eye enough for a conversation. And believe me, there were a lot of skimpy skirts and low-cut blouses for months. But now, he grins at people—actually grins. It hasn’t gone unnoticed, and the guys give him shit all the time.”

  “Do the women still try to get his attention?” Jealousy spikes in my blood. I’ve seen the women Nina works with and most of them are really pretty.

  “Maybe, who knows? It’s a wasted effort. He’s made it clear he’s only interested in one woman.”

  “What did he say?” I scoot in closer.

  “It’s not so much what he says but the way he acts when your name is mentioned. Oliver and Captain tell him stories once in a while about you, and he listens intently with this look in his eyes. A few times, I’ve seen his lips twist, trying to hide his grin. Except the one time they told him about when you were convinced you had a peeping Tom. That time, there was no twitch. Instead, his jaw started ticking. He was pissed.”

  “Why would they tell him stories about me?”

  “Because you’re a handful.”

  “I’m not!” I throw my hands in the air. “How was I supposed to know the guy was a land surveyor? He was wearing plain clothes and carrying a camera.”

  “Emi, I hate to break it to you, but your flare for the dramatic has given you a reputation. The guys at the station get a kick out of you.”

  I’ve known this for years, and it’s never bothered me, but knowing that Walker is hearing it firsthand makes me feel like an idiot.

  “Great, now I can’t even count on my law enforcement to take me seriously.”

  “I doubt you need to worry about that. Your boyfriend told them he had you covered.”

  This tidbit of information makes me feel a little better. The waitress returns with our shots, and Maren sits up, passing around the salt and lime slices.

  “Last time we got together, we made the toast to Emi and it worked. So, tonight, I am selfish. To me, may the next time we get together, we talk about my dating life.” She raises her tequila in the air.

  We all lick, swallow, and suck, my eyes watering with the sting of the alcohol burning down my throat. Suddenly, the air changes around us, and the hair on my arms stand on end. The same sensation washes over me from the night in the hotel bar at the gambling bust.

  “Holy hell.” Maren pinches my knee, whispering low.

  I slap at her hand, about to yell at her, when I sense him near. My eyes snap up and land on Walker, who’s at the edge of the table staring at me. His legs are planted, his arms crossed, and his eyes are piercing into mine.

  “Walker,” I practically purr at the heat in his stare.

  The table goes quiet as I soak him in. My eyes stay focused on his as he openly rakes his down my body. When he raises them back, the beautiful hazel color has grown stormy.

  “Emerson, where’s your jacket?”

  “I don’t have a jacket. That’s why we’re near the heaters.” I point to the two heat lamps flanking the sitting area.

  His eyes drop to my chest, and without another word, he takes off his leather coat and hands it across the table to me. Stupidly, I stare at him, not taking it, because I’m too focused on the black t-shirt that hugs his chest and arms, exposing a portion of his tattoo. My mouth starts to water, and my stomach drops, flipping around.

  I love that damn tattoo, and he knows it. I’ve never dated a guy w
ith any kind of ink before; however, I’d suspect it’s not the actual ink, but the man himself. It is in my case.

  Maren nudges me, bringing back to our audience.

  “Thank you, honey, but I’m not cold,” I reassure him sweetly.

  He moves fast, sidestepping the small cocktail table and standing in front of me. In a flash, he’s bent down, wrapping it around my shoulders and tugging it closed.

  “What are you doing?”

  “We’re burning this top when we get to my place.” He doesn’t try to hide his aggravation.

  “It’s a jumpsuit, not a top. What’s wrong with it?”

  At my question, Nina and Rachel start howling.

  “Your nipples are poking through, you ditz,” Maren explains, joining them.

  Walker doesn’t budge, clearly not pleased.

  “Oops.” I try to lighten the mood.

  “Hello, ladies.” I recognize Marcus’s voice behind Walker. “Oh shit, who pissed off the grunt? I feel the testosterone flowing.”

  I lean up, wrapping an arm around Walker’s neck and look over his shoulder. “Hey, Marcus, nothing’s wrong, Walker was worried I was cold.” I pour on the sugary sweetness, hoping Walker can pick up on the sarcasm.

  Instead of backing off, he takes advantage of my position, circling my waist and lifting me out of the seat. Gracefully, he spins and sits, pulling me into his lap.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Sitting down.”

  “But you can’t sit here.”

  “I just did.”

  “Walker, honey, this is girls’ night.” I lean in closer so the others can’t hear. “I don’t want to get kicked out of the club.”

  His thumb and forefinger tilt my chin, so he can brush his lips against mine. “One beer, and then I’ll leave you girls until you’re ready to go. I couldn’t stay at the bar much longer.”

  “You were at the bar?”

  “Yeah.”

  “How’d you know where I was? Even I didn’t know until we pulled up.”

  His eyes start to twinkle as his lips twitch. “Do you really want to know?”

  I nod, an uneasy feeling sinking in.

  “The cop at the door recognized your crew. He called me and let me know you were here.”

  “Why’d he do that?”

  “Because he not only knows you’re mine, but also that you have a penchant for trouble.”

  “I do not!”

  “His words, babe, not mine. Said, last summer, you and the girls caused a brawl at a similar bar and he wasn’t up for it tonight.”

  “That wasn’t our fault! Some man grabbed Rachel’s ass and wouldn’t let her go.” My voice grows louder and I stiffen in his lap. “We were only trying to yank his hands away.”

  “It took all of you to remove his hands?”

  “He was much bigger than us, and we may have had a little too much to drink.”

  He full out smiles, the dimple popping. “Tonight, you have fun then and have nothing to worry about. Hopefully, I’ll be the only one grabbing ass. If not, I’ll handle it.”

  To emphasize his point, his hand leaves my face and slides down until it situates directly on my butt.

  The air thickens between us as the familiar sizzling desire rushes through me. His eyes blend to an almost liquid green and I’m sucked in. Without caring who’s watching, I lean in and slip my tongue along his lips, outlining his mouth. He blows out a warm breath that coats my skin. My hands brace on his chest, grasping the material of his shirt as I open my mouth, wanting more. The moment is broken when a flash goes off close and I look to see Nina, taking pictures with her phone.

  “What are you doing?” I try to snatch it from her.

  “Scrapbooking,” she says nonchalantly and plops back in her chair.

  “I say let the guys stay. Walker has already chased off any chance of us being approached by men tonight. The whole cover you up, haul you around, and kiss you senseless routine hasn’t gone unnoticed,” Maren complains. “Besides, it’s kinda hot to watch you two. Even if I’ll only be getting rabbit action tonight.”

  “Oh, my,” I groan and drop my head to Walker’s shoulder. “Please, tell me she didn’t announce that out loud.”

  “Do I even want to know what rabbit action is?”

  “Her rabbit is her vibrator. We bought it for her birthday last year,” Nina chimes in proudly.

  “Best gift ever,” Maren agrees. “Then I got Emi one for a late Christmas present.”

  I bang my head on Walker’s shoulder, muttering about finding new friends.

  “How about another round?” Marcus offers, taking the attention off me.

  “Yes, please, I want double, maybe triple shots this time.”

  “Whatever you want, Emi,” Marcus winks at me and gives Walker a knowing look.

  “Get comfortable, babe, looks like we’re staying.” Walker nips on my earlobe. “And next time we’re at your house, I want to see this rabbit.”

  “I’m not sure I still have it,” I lie.

  “That’s a shame.” He grins, not believing me, but thankfully dropping the subject. “Although, I doubt you’ll need it ever again.”

  A few minutes later, the waitress brings over a huge tray of drinks. Two beers for Walker and Marcus and twelve shots lined up for the four of us girls. Marcus grabs a chair to sit, and I settle into Walker’s lap, his arm wrapping possessively around my middle.

  The six of us enjoy the rest of the night, my friends sending me approving glances as Walker does nothing to hide his affection. By the time we get to his truck, I’m drunk and giggly, and he’s practically carrying me.

  That’s the last thing I remember before I pass out in his truck.

  Unfortunately, that’s not the last thing I say. Somewhere in my hazy mind, I think I say something about my treasure chest under my bed.

  Which is where my rabbit, along with my other toys, are hidden.

  Chapter 13

  Walker

  I don’t want to wake her up. There’s no doubt she’s going to feel like shit. I stare down at her, wrapped in my blankets, and wish like hell I could get back in bed with her. Even drunk and semi-conscious, she found a way to curl into me, her arm and leg slung across my chest all night.

  I think back to the time before Emi, and my clear aversion to having any woman sleeping with me all night. It had happened, but I was never a cuddly man. It’s not my style, or at least it wasn’t until a few weeks ago. Now, I’m not sure how I’d sleep without her body pressed against mine. Since the very first night, when she nuzzled into my side, it has become the norm for us.

  The jumpsuit she wore last night catches my eye. It’s in a puddle on the floor where I left it after getting her undressed. It serves as another reminder of how much life has changed since meeting Emi. Years in the service are ingrained in my soul, and before, you’d never find clothes on my floor. But this doesn’t bother me.

  When I walked onto the terrace last night and saw her for the first time, the only thought in my head was getting her home and peeling her out of those clothes. Then I glanced around and saw I wasn’t the only one having those thoughts. All four of the women were collecting attention, and the possessiveness inside reared. Marcus thought it was hilarious. I did not.

  So, I made my decision, staking my claim, and at the same time letting her know I wasn’t there to ruin her girls’ night. What I didn’t tell her is that even though Brett had called telling me she was there, I already knew. Nina had confirmed with Rachel.

  All night, I observed her with her friends, laughing, joking, telling old stories. I noticed Maren was happy, much happier than the night she beat on my window to get to Emi. Her color was great, her laugh was full, and her whole attitude was changed. I hoped to God she was finally over her break-up.

  Emi starts to stir, moaning as she lifts her head. Without opening her eyes, she reaches for my pillow and buries her face with a soft groan. I sit beside her and sweep her hair over her
shoulder, trying to avoid the knots.

  “Babe, I’ve got to go.”

  “Do I have to go?” she grumbles.

  “No, call me when you get moving. I’ll come get you and take you home. Sleep all you want, shower, eat, watch TV… You don’t have to go home at all if you don’t want.”

  “Am I naked?”

  “I left your panties on.”

  “You undressed me?”

  “Yes.”

  “Please, tell me I didn’t miss the hot, sweaty, fire-cracking sex.”

  “I can assure you that’s not something you’d miss.”

  “Good, I want to have hot, sweaty, body-grinding sex and rub it in Maren’s face. This is all her fault.”

  “I’m not following. Is this drunk sleepy speak? Because Maren didn’t pour those drinks down your throat, this one’s all on you.”

  “It’s more fun to blame her.”

  “Is discussing our sex life going to be a thing with your girls?”

  “Most likely, they’re nosy.”

  I kiss from shoulder to shoulder and caress the back of her head. “You think you can rollover and give me a kiss goodbye?”

  She rolls slowly, only rotating her head enough for me to see half of her face. Her hand cups my jaw, feeling the smooth skin.

  “Today was a shave day.” She notices.

  “Yeah, it was time.”

  “I love the scruff, but then again, I love it this way, too.”

  “I’ll remember that.”

  She presses her lips to mine and kisses me quickly, then folds her hands under her head. “I’m going back to sleep.”

  “Call me and I’ll come get you,” I remind her and replace the comforter.

  “Umm, hmm. If you’re busy, Maren can get me. She won’t mind, and I have to work a little too…” is all I get out of her before she’s back asleep.

  I find a spare key and lay it on the counter with a short note before leaving.

  When I get to the station, I immediately feel something off. Captain Corny flashes me a sly smile, standing at the edge of my desk. The hair on the back of my neck stands at his expression.

  “Have a good night, Scott?” someone yells from across the bullpen, and the crowd starts howling.