by Gina Kincade
“I made you some breakfast...erm...should I say lunch.”
She smiled as she ran a hand through her tresses. Her fingers stopped at the tie in her hair. She plucked it loose and threaded her fingers through the thick strands, trying to comb it out as best she could. “Thank you.”
“Figured you’d be hungry.”
Her stomach growled in response, but thankfully not loud enough for him to hear. “Starving.”
“Sit down. It’s almost done.”
She took a seat at the table and let her eyes wander around the apartment for the first time. Earlier, she’d been too busy to really get a feel for Adam’s place. It was tidy, but the dark furniture and lack of decor let her know that a woman hadn’t made any of the decorating choices in the apartment.
She turned back to the kitchen, watching as Adam worked at the stove. “So, you cook?” Her gaze stopped at his backside, which was covered by a pair of dark wash jeans. They hugged his butt perfectly and she licked her lips, remembering how it had felt in her hands.
“Not really. I know how to do the essentials and I can definitely fry up some bacon, eggs, and sausage. You?”
Erin shook her head. “No.” She laughed. “My mom never made a lot of fancy meals growing up. We lived off Ramen for a long time and stuff like that. I guess I follow in her footsteps in that respect.” She didn’t cook much else for her and Caden. Thank God the boy loved Chef Boyardee.
Adam chuckled. “My mom cooked all the time. She’s a bit of a kitchen Nazi though. Don’t get in her way or try to do something she doesn’t like. She’ll let you know how to do it and what you’re doing wrong, then she’ll just end up doing it herself anyway. I found out a long time ago it's easier to just stay out of her way.”
“My grandma used to make really good cookies. She usually had them ready for me by the time I got to her house. I don’t think I ever made them with her. She was pretty particular about her kitchen too.”
Adam reached into the cupboard and pulled out two plates. Then he served the food onto both before walking to the table. “What do you want to drink? I’ve got Coke, water, beer?”
“Milk?” she asked.
He lifted his brow and laughed.
She shrugged. She’d kind of gotten used to drinking milk with her meals thanks to Caden. “It’s good for you.”
“Sorry, no milk. But I’ll keep that in mind for next time.”
Her belly fluttered at next time. She couldn’t help but wonder at what point he would decide he was done seeing her and they’d go their separate ways? Adam was fun to be around and she hoped they could continue this for some time. Just don’t get attached.
Adam brought the plates over and set one in front of her. The food looked delicious and he’d made the bacon crispy, just the way she liked it. He continued to stand next to her. “Waters fine,” she said, realizing she’d never told him what she wanted.
He went to the fridge and plucked a bottle out and a bottle of beer for himself. “What are your plans for the rest of the day? Maybe we could catch a movie and some dinner then come back here.”
She shifted in her seat as Adam sat down across from her and handed her the water. That sounded like a lot of fun. “I can’t. I’m sorry. I have plans this afternoon.” As much as she enjoyed her time with Adam, she wanted to see her little boy too. There was no way she was missing out on time with her son for a booty call. Too bad things weren’t ever going to be serious. Caden would really like Adam. Adam would probably freak out if he ever met Caden.
“Maybe another day then.”
“I’d like that.”
“When do you have to leave?’’ he asked lifting his brow.
She used her fork to play with her eggs as she considered her options. “Three.” Then she’d still have time to shower before her mom brought Caden home.
Adam glanced back at the clock. “Leaves a little time to do something else.” He wagged his brows playfully.
Erin giggled as she shoveled another bite of eggs into her mouth. “Sounds fun.” Gooseflesh pimpled her arms as she ate a little faster, eager for what was to come.
***
“What are your plans for the Fourth?” Adam asked his partner as he gazed out the car window. It was dark outside and most of the city lights were burned out, leaving only the moon to cast a dull glow into their car. They were on a stakeout and nothing was happening. He tapped his fingers on the dashboard before chancing a glance at his partner.
Graham shrugged. “I don’t know. I have the whole weekend off. It’s Avery’s birthday on the 15th. I promised I’d take her to the zoo.”
“And is Avery’s cute mama going with you?”
“I don’t know. I didn’t ask.”
“Maybe you should.” He turned to Graham with a pointed look.
Graham shook his head. “What’s up with you and Erin? It’s been two weeks and you’re still pining away for her.”
“I’m not pining.” He wasn’t. The sex was amazing and he enjoyed hanging out with her. That was it.
Graham rolled his eyes and stared out the window at the building. “She’s not like the other girls you date. Don’t keep messing around with her unless you think something serious is going to come of it.”
Adam frowned at the warning. It wasn’t like Graham to defend the women he dated. Maybe it was because Erin was friends with Laney. “How is she any different than the other girls I date?”
Graham gave him a look and he couldn’t help but feel like he was missing something. He didn’t get the chance to ask his friend about it. The door they were watching opened as a minivan pulled up to the curb.
His partner picked up the radio, relaying the message to the other units that were on standby around the block. Adam kept his eyes peeled on the minivan. The door slid open and a woman stepped out. She couldn’t be much older than fifteen or sixteen. His stomach turned. Damn, it wasn’t just a prostitution ring, it was sex trafficking too.
A man came out of the building and handed over a wad of cash to the girl who then turned and handed it to someone in the van. She then sauntered back to the man who grabbed her by the arm and started hauling her to the building.
They’d seen enough. Graham revved the engine, turned on the siren, and sped down the street, shining the vehicles high beams on the girl. The minivan sped off and the man shoved the young woman on the ground and darted back into the building.
Adam picked up the radio while Graham sped toward them, stopping in the same spot the minivan had been seconds ago. He reported the minivan and the man on the run before hopping out of the car and hurrying to the young woman.
Graham got to her first, showing her his badge before crouching down next to her. He joined his partner, while keeping his hand on his gun. His eyes swept the area, making sure no danger lurked before he turned back to Graham and the girl.
Adam had been wrong. She wasn’t fifteen or sixteen. It was more like twelve or thirteen. The makeup, dress, and heels had made her seem older than she was. Blood dribbled down her knees from where the man had shoved her.
“Are you okay?” Graham asked.
The girl stared at them both wide eyed.
“It’s okay. You’re safe now,” his partner said.
“We should take her to the hospital.” It’d be better than the police station, and she’d end up there sooner or later anyway to be checked out.
“Yeah. Let’s get her in the car and see if the others need our help.” Graham offered his hand to the girl. She stared at it a long moment before placing her shaking hand into his, but then jumped away, falling back on the ground as the door the man had run into burst open again.
Jones, another officer, came out, his pistol at the ready. He nodded at Adam and Graham and put his gun away. “It’s all clear in there. Maurice got some nice pics from our angle. We should have more than enough evidence to put the bastard away for a very long time.”
“Good,” Adam said with a growl as his eyes drifted ba
ck to the kid who still sat on the sidewalk. She’d curled in on herself and was shivering. “We’re going to escort her to the hospital. Hopefully get some answers.”
Jones nodded before going back into the building.
Graham offered the girl his hand again. This time the girl made it to her feet. His partner helped her to the back of the car. He closed the door after she climbed in then scrubbed a hand over his face.
“She’s young,” Adam said, voicing his thoughts.
“Makes me sick.”
Adam nodded in agreement. He liked to think there was a special place in hell for people who preyed on young kids.
***
Erin rounded the corner and stopped, her eyes widening in surprise as she nearly collided with Adam. He stood against the wall, staring at a closed exam room door. “Hey! What are you doing here?”
“We escorted a young girl here. Graham is taking care of the transfer to Children’s Services.”
“Oh.” She closed her eyes and sighed. “I think he’s done with Children’s Services. I saw him talking to Laney.”
“Graham’s off on the Fourth. Did you ever find out about you and Laney?” he asked.
“We’re both off. I’ll talk to Laney about going next chance I get.” She put her hands on her hips and cocked her head to the side. “I had to switch shifts with someone too, just so you know.”
“You did that for me?” he asked with a grin.
Erin laughed. He really loved the sound of it.
“I’ll bring Laney and you bring Graham?” she asked.
“Sounds like a date.” He slid his gaze over Erin. “Are you busy now?”
“I’m always busy at work. What’s up?”
“Just wondering if maybe I could get a private house call later to get my stitches removed.”
Erin leaned forward and touched his forehead with her cool fingers. “Hmmm.”
He glanced up at her as she inspected the wound.
“When were you thinking this private visit would be?” she asked.
“So they’re ready to come out?” he asked hopeful. The damn things were starting to itch.
She nodded. “Head wounds heal quickly.”
“What time are you off?”
“I’m on call tonight. Does that work?”
“Depends. Do you think you’ll get called in again?”
Erin shrugged. “Hopefully not. I can meet you at your place...let’s say six?”
He wished she’d meet him on a night that she wasn’t on call, but he’d take what he could get. “I’m already looking forward to it.”
Erin chewed on her lower lip, clearly fighting back a grin. “Me too. I’ll see you then.”
Chapter Six
Adam stared at Erin’s chest as she removed the stitches from his forehead. He gripped the bottom of the chair beneath him. His eyes drifted to her cleavage that was spilling out of the V-neck she wore. If she wasn’t holding a pair of surgical scissors and tweezers he’d consider touching her, but he didn’t want to do anything to mess her up. Especially with a sharp object by his head.
“Laney’s on for the Fourth of July party,” Erin said, breaking the silence.
“I think Graham is too.” He fought the urge to flinch as he heard a swishing sound from the scissors. It didn’t hurt, but he didn’t like her poking around up there either. Asking for removable stitches probably wasn’t his brightest idea. But it had scored him extra time with his favorite nurse.
There was another swish. He closed his eyes and inhaled Erin’s lavender scent. It helped to calm him. He’d never admit it out loud, but he hated needles, stitches, pretty much anything that had to do with the hospital. Except Erin. She was something else. “I can’t believe it’s a week away already. The New Year is flying by.”
“I know, right? Do you want me and Laney to meet you there? It will make it look like less of a set up.”
“Good point.” He grunted as something tingled on his head. It didn’t hurt, but it was weird, like something wiggled under his skin. The feeling was bizarre but ended almost as quickly as it started.
“I’ve only got one more to take out.”
“Good.”
She laughed. “It’s your fault you know. I could have done dissolvable ones and they’d have fallen out on their own. They heal all the same.”
He lifted his hand and put it on the small of her back, letting it dip down to cup her bottom when she didn’t say anything. “But what would have been the fun in that?”
Erin set the scissors and tweezers down on the table next to him. Then she picked up a wipe of some sort. She smoothed it over his skin and he let out a breath when he realized that it didn’t burn.
“It looks great. You’ll just want to keep it clean and maybe put some vitamin E oil or some other type of lotion on it to minimize the scarring further.”
“Do you think you could come over and help me put that on too?” he asked with a chuckle. He grabbed her by the hips and pulled her down so she was straddling his hips.
Erin cocked her head to the side. “I don’t know. I wouldn’t want to overstep my boundaries as your nurse.”
Adam ran his hands up and down her sides, causing her to smile. “Trust me, I’m not complaining.” He leaned forward and captured her lips. She moaned at the contact, wrapping her arms around him. Her fingers trailed up the back of his neck so they could thread through his hair. They gently massaged his scalp as her tongue flicked into his mouth, trailing along his teeth before stopping to glide over his tongue.
He ran his fingers down her back and up her shirt so he could feel her smooth skin. She melted against him, deepening the kiss further. Her hips rotated in small circles against him as she rode him fully clothed.
One of his hands went beneath her thigh followed by the other. He gripped her then slowly pushed himself to a stand. Erin wrapped her lean legs around his waist as he maneuvered them toward the bedroom. A loud chirping filled the room almost as if it was trying to encourage him, but he soon realized it was a phone.
“Shit,” Erin said as she wiggled out of his grasp and set her feet on the ground. She jogged to her purse and plucked her phone out before answering it. “Hello.”
He ran a hand over his face and leaned against the counter as he waited for her to finish the call. She wasn’t doing much talking and he recalled the same sound from their earlier date that had been interrupted when she’d been on call. His cock throbbed in protest, already suspecting that it was going to be let down.
Erin hung up the phone and put it back in her purse before turning to him.
“Let me guess, you have to go to work?”
She glanced down at the floor before bobbing her head up and down. “Yeah. I’m so sorry, Adam.”
He scrubbed at his jaw with his palm. “It’s okay.”
“Are you sure?” she asked, finally looking up to meet his gaze.
“I’m not angry. I know it happens.” That was the truth. He was a police officer. He got it, he really did. “I just don’t understand why we only get together on nights you are on call. Why not other nights?”
Erin scuffed her foot over the floor, seemingly trying to wipe some unknown spot away with the toe of it. She swallowed as red tinged her cheeks. “I...uh...have two jobs. The nights I’m not on call I work.”
“Why didn’t you say so?” he asked.
She shrugged. “I’m in a bad spot. My ex left me with the rent, my car payment and lots of other debt. It’s not something I like to talk about.” Erin looked away, her eyes drifting to the door. “I have to get going. I’ll see you later.” She made a break for the door.
Adam raced after her, catching her by the wrist. The last thing he wanted was for her to think he was angry with her. “Hey, I’ll see you soon.” He pulled her in and pressed his lips to hers in a long, soft kiss.
Erin blinked as she pulled back and smiled. “I’m not on call on the Fourth. I’m officially off duty. I promise, it’s going to be a goo
d night.” She gave him another kiss before leaving.
This Fourth of July was going to be a good one.
***
Erin looked up from her cup of Ramen Noodles as Laney flopped down on the couch in the employee lounge. It had been a long night, but she’d managed to take a lunch break at 3am.
“How’s it going?” Laney asked.
She bit her lip, glad that she could confide in her friend. If anyone would understand her predicament it was Laney. “I was with Adam before I got called in. He asked why I only get together with him on the nights I’m on call.”
Laney gave her a sympathetic look. “What’d you tell him?”
She closed her eyes then covered her face with her hands. “That I have two jobs. He’d probably freak out if I told him about Caden.”
“Well, it’s not entirely a lie. Being a single mom is a full time job.” Laney sighed and the couch crunched as she repositioned herself to a sitting position. “How serious are you guys getting? It seems like you’re spending a lot of time together and you’ve been going out on actual dates.”
“Doesn’t Adam usually take the girls he’s sleeping with out?”
Laney shook her head. “I don’t think so.”
“Oh.” Did that mean that Adam was falling for her? Surely not. Her heart fluttered at the prospect of it. What if he was? What if... No, she couldn’t think like that. The less invested she was, the easier it’d be when he decided to pull the plug on their relationship.
“I know you’ve got something up your sleeve for this party we’re going to,” Laney said, giving her a pointed look.
“What?” she asked, laughing.
Laney rolled her eyes. “Graham’s going to the same event you invited me to that night.”
“So? We want to have fun with our friends. Is that a crime? Like I said, Adam and I aren’t getting serious.”
“If you say so, Erin. Just promise me you’ll be careful. I don’t want you to get hurt. Even though he’s a playboy, Adam’s a good guy. It’d be easy to fall for him.”
