Book'em Sadie (Iron Badges #1)

by Danielle Norman

  “Who are you?” Sadie asked, and everyone laughed. “How the hell do you even know about this store?”

  “Do you know how many cousins we have? Not to mention, the Christakos family is super close to my family, and they are all breeding. We are buying gifts for kids non-stop.”

  “Thanks, I’ll make a note to find some place called Justice,” I assured her.

  Mikki came by to drop off my beer along with our food and some plates. I took a sip and watched as everyone went into action moving stuff around, passing appetizers, and I realized that having friends was one of the things I’d missed out on over the last four years.

  “Is this what you do after work?” I turned my attention to Sadie, wanting to know more about her.

  “We usually come here once a week, but there’s no telling who’ll show up. Other than that, I’m home. Just me and Wasabi.”

  “Who’s Wasabi?”

  “My dog. He’s sort of a rebel.”

  “He’s super badass,” Harley interjected. “I would strap that little fucker onto the front of my bike, get him a leather jacket, and throw on some Doggles. He’s that badass.”

  “What makes him so tough?”

  “You’ll have to see him sometime.” I liked the thought of that. “It’s hard to explain, but I think that Callie would love him, I know that he would love Callie.”

  “Maybe next time you can bring him to my house so she can see him.” I left that hanging in the air so she could decide if this was a one-time thing or if I would get to hang out with her again.

  “So, Ryan, what type of doctor are you?” Piper asked.

  “A proctologist.” All faces turned to me and stared. “Just kidding, I’m an ER doctor, I’m not that big of an asshole.”

  “Ha ha, I see what you did there.” Piper pointed to her eyes. “Proctologist—asshole. Which hospital?”

  “Florida on Rollins.”

  “That must be crazy, your hours must be even more hectic than ours.”

  “Can be, but I’ve just taken a different shift to spend more time with my daughter. She seems to be going through something lately, and I think she’s having a hard time adjusting.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry to hear that.”

  I nodded, not knowing what else to say, and Sadie leaned closer to me. “She must be so excited,” she whispered.

  “She doesn’t know yet, I just found out this afternoon. So, just you two”—I pointed to Piper and Sadie—“are motorcycle deputies?”

  “And us.” Max and Aiden held up a hand.

  “I’m hoping to get the open spot,” Kat said. “Interview process is a little rigorous, so Piper has been working with me.”

  “I want to, but I have six more months before I can interview,” Harley stated. She obviously saw my confused look. “You have to be with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office for two years before you can apply for motors. I was with Seminole County before.”

  “Sadie, do you still need a ride home?” Bridget asked and then cast her eyes toward me.

  “I can take you if you’d like.”

  “You sure that you don’t mind? I don’t live too far.”

  “No problem at all,” I assured her.

  “Thanks, Bridg, I got it.” I threw enough money to cover Sadie and myself onto the table. “That’s too much.”

  “It’s for both of us.”

  “You didn’t have to do that, I asked you here.”

  “I know that I didn’t have to; I wanted to.” I cupped her cheek in one hand, and if her friends weren’t all watching us and we weren’t in the middle of a crowded bar, I would have closed the distance between us and kissed her. “You ready to go?” She nodded, and I glanced to everyone still seated at the table. “It was nice meeting you all. Hopefully we can do this again.”

  “Nice meeting you, too, Ryan, maybe next time we can meet Callie,” Kat, the shopping fanatic, said.

  “She would love that. A group full of kickass women, she would be in heaven.” We headed out and I made sure to open the passenger door of my SUV for Sadie. Once she was in, I made my way to the driver’s side “Where to?” Orlando was spread out, and on most days, twenty miles could take an hour and a half, depending on traffic. I would not turn down being stuck in a car with her for that long.

  Too bad it took about ten minutes to get to her house, and far too soon, I was pulling into the split driveway of a newer duplex. I didn’t want to come across as a snob and definitely not as a father, but I wasn’t sure that I liked her neighborhood. “How long have you lived here?”

  “I grew up in this area.” Crap, glad I didn’t say anything. “My folks live about two blocks away, which is convenient since they can come by and walk Wasabi for me.” She paused for a second. “You want to come in and meet him?”

  “I would love that.”

  As soon as she slid in the key, all hell broke loose. Barking filled the night air. “Holy shit, what type of dog is he?” She twisted the knob, and I jumped back, expecting something much larger than a rat to come barreling out. “What is it?”

  “It’s a Wasabi.” She picked him up, and he moved frantically in her arms, excited that she was home. “Chill,” she commanded, and he calmed a bit. Although, his body was still shaking with excitement. “He’s almost three pounds, but to answer your question, he’s a poodle.”

  “I’ve never seen a poodle that looked like that.”

  Sadie laughed as we moved into her tiny house, and she locked the door behind us. “Yeah, my dad was pissed when I got a male poodle because he thinks that poodles should be girls. I tried to explain to him that it would be impossible for them to breed, but he wasn’t having any of it. Then when I got him fixed—or, as my dad likes to call it, broken, since dogs are born fixed and I’m breaking him from his God-given, natural way—he demanded that I toughen him up. Hence the Mohawk and beard.”

  “Yeah, Callie would love this dog, but she can’t ever see him.”

  “Why?”

  “Because then I’ll end up having to get her a dog. She’s too little to take care of a dog.”

  “Oh, no, she isn’t.” Sadie put Wasabi down and headed into the kitchen. “Want a drink?”

  “Water or soda is fine.” Sadie pulled out two bottles of water and handed me one.

  “Can I ask you something?”

  “Sure, anything.” I leaned back against her counter and watched her take a sip of water.

  “How old are you? You’re a doctor, and I know that is a lot of schooling, but you don’t look a day over thirty. I’m twenty-eight, by the way.”

  “Thirty-four, is that old?”

  “We’re six years apart, so it isn’t like cradle-robbing. Am I too young?”

  “No . . . you’re perfect.” I set my water down and then leaned forward. Rubbing the back of my fingers across her smooth cheek. “Can I kiss you?” She bit her lower lip and nodded slowly, her eyes locked on my mouth. I tugged her a bit closer and then bent to touch my lips to hers. I was out of my depth with this young, beautiful woman who was so alive and vivacious compared to my barely breathing self.

  She pressed closer, tugging at my bottom lip with her teeth before kissing me deeper. Our tongues tangling, and the taste of her made me forget about being nervous.

  Sadie let out a small mewling sound, and it was fuel that set me on fire. Her hands were cool as she dragged her fingers along my arms and then she was holding on to my face as if she were afraid I was going to break our contact. She didn’t realize that I couldn’t if I’d wanted to.

  “Oh, god, Sadie.” I dove back in, tasting her and wanting to drink her down. “You taste so fucking good.” I sank my hands into her hair and tilted her head back, exposing her slender neck, the pulse, the life that beat there. My attention wholly focused on kissing the delicate skin as I worked my mouth behind her ear and then down her neck to the collar of her shirt.

  “Keep going,” she panted.

  “Come over here.” I pulled her over to h
er couch and with one arm stretched along the back of it, I cradled her against me.

  She complied and I rewarded her with kisses, but this time I dropped them across her cheek, down her neck, and along her shoulder. “Ryan, keep going, god, please, keep going.”

  I did as requested and kept going, sliding one hand up under her shirt. I cupped one breast, and that single touch sent shivers over her body. I kneaded her breast, enjoying the feel of the firmness, squeezing her nipple, and when she groaned it only fueled me on, intensified my desire. I lifted her shirt and slid the edge of her bra down, then lowered my mouth to her breast and sucked while moving one hand to her jeans. My fingers wrapped through her belt loops and I tugged, my brain was shouting for me to hurry the hell up but at the same time, I didn’t want to break this trance. When I finally moved, I slid my fingers along the top of her waistband and then slipped in a finger. To my immense pleasure, I discovered that her panties were already soaked.

  My lips found hers again, my tongue sliding into her mouth as my fingers emulated the movement. She was on the edge, the muscles in her stomach were tightening as I changed my rhythm. I pressed my index finger upward and my thumb pressed on her clit. She bucked upward. I wasn’t sure whether it was to give me better access or if it was her non-verbal way of asking for more. I was going with both.

  I wanted to smile because I could tell that she was slightly flustered. She kept moving her hands, not sure where to put them. The couch was only so wide, and she was wild, as she tried to hold on to her last grip of sanity. Finally, she wrapped her fingers around my forearm like I was her safety rope. That single gesture made me feel stronger and more powerful. It gave me confidence.

  “Sadie, you’re so beautiful.”

  She tilted her head back and locked her eyes on me as her body released in waves. Pulsing, tightening against my fingers that were still inside her, she gasped for air as she fought to regain control from the crashing orgasm.

  “Was it good?” I winked.

  “Yes, but what about . . .”

  I placed a kiss on her lips. “Next time.” I literally had to rip those words from my throat because my mind was saying now-now-now.

  “Next time?”

  “Yes. We have plenty of time.”

  14

  Ryan

  I cringed when I pressed the garage door opener because the thing was louder than I remember it being. Why was it that, when you were trying to be quiet, it seemed as if everything was ten times louder?

  Trying not to make a sound, I wound through the kitchen and into the living room. The second my foot hit the carpet, the reading lamp popped on.

  “Shit.” I jerked in reflex.

  “My, my, doesn’t this bring back the memories? Me staying up, you sneaking in, me catching you.” My mother had a smirk on her face.

  I rolled my eyes.

  “Did you have a good evening?”

  “Yes. You do know that I’m thirty-four and you don’t need to wait up for me, right?”

  “You do know that you’ll always be my baby, right? I love you, Ryan.”

  “Love you, too, Mom. Thanks for watching Callie. You can go home now.”

  “I’m so glad that you went out. You look happy.”

  “Me, too. Love you. I’ll turn the lights on and watch you until you get to your door.” I moved to the back door and opened it. Okay, I was being totally rude and throwing my mom out of my house, but I wasn’t ready to analyze what was going on with Sadie quite yet.

  “All of this is over that deputy, huh?”

  “Yeah. Good night, Mom.”

  “Callie thinks the world of her. I’d like to meet her sometime.”

  “You will. Good night, Mom.”

  “Good night.”

  Once I was settled in bed, I couldn’t bring myself to put down my phone.

  Me: I liked spending the evening with you.

  Sadie: I really like spending time with you, too. Thanks for coming over.

  Me: What do you think about coming to my house tomorrow?

  Sadie: For dinner?

  Me: Or for the day.

  Sadie: What do you have planned?

  Me: I have to take Callie shopping, but I figured we could watch a movie here. You could bring Wasabi if you would like.

  Sadie: I thought you said Callie could never meet him.

  Me: I changed my mind.

  Sadie: Okay. What time?

  Me: Now?

  Sadie: Ha ha, really?

  Me: Any time. We can pick you up on our way to the mall if you want to tag along or you can meet us here. If that’s too much, you can come over later.

  Sadie: . . .

  I worried for a second that maybe I’d come across as too needy because the three dots blinked for a long time.

  Me: You still there?

  Sadie: Yes.

  Me: If you’re busy, I understand. I don’t want to push you into anything. I understand that a man with a child is a lot.

  Sadie: No, that isn’t it.

  Me: Okay, then is there something that I can help you with? You got quiet there for a second.

  Sadie: I was trying to figure out what was best for Wasabi if I was going to bring him over to your house. If you picked me up, then he would need to stay here so we could go shopping.

  Me: What if we pick you up and swing back by your place and get him after shopping? Then I’ll take you back home later.

  Sadie: Sounds good. Just text me when you’re on your way.

  Me: Will do. Good night.

  Sadie: Night.

  “Pick out some pretty clothes, Callie.”

  “You aren’t coming, Nana?”

  “Nope, you and Daddy are having a fun day. I think that he has a surprise for you.”

  “He does?” Callie turned to me, her eyes wide. “What?”

  “The quicker you get in the car, the faster you’ll find out.”

  “Wow, I don’t think I’ve ever seen her run so fast.” My mom laughed.

  “Don’t worry about cooking dinner, we are going to pick up Chinese on the way home. I will bring you some Moo Goo Gai Pan.”

  I headed out and checked to make sure that Callie was in her booster seat.

  Callie sang “Welcome to the Jungle” as I drove. Maybe it made me a horrid father for letting her listen to it, but nothing beat classic rock. Come on, Guns N’ Roses was epic.

  “Where are we going, Daddy? Nana doesn’t shop here.” Callie turned to look out the window as I turned onto a side street that headed to Sadie’s.

  “We’re picking up a friend to go shopping with us.”

  “Who?”

  “You’ll have to wait and see, it’s a surprise.” I’d already let Sadie know that we were on our way. God forbid Callie see Wasabi. If she did, we’d never get out of there. When I pulled into Sadie’s driveway, the curtain moved, and I smiled. She’d seen us. Her front door opened and she walked out, looking sexy as fuck in jean shorts, work boots, and a sheriff’s department T-shirt.

  “Sadie. Sadie is coming with us?”

  “Callie, stop screaming.”

  I got out and ran around to open her door for her, and when she got close, I kissed her quickly. “Good morning.”

  “Hi to you, too.” She slid in and turned almost completely around so she could talk to my daughter. “So, I’ve thought about this, Callie.”

  “What did you think about?”

  “Are you wanting clothes that are hip and cool like all the cool girls wear or do you want clothes that are Callie, like tough?”

  “I want Callie clothes.”

  Callie was so different around Sadie, and it had a grin stretching wide across my lips. Sadie was good for us. “Okay, where to?”

  Sadie leaned over and entered an address into my GPS. “We are going to tourist central, but we are going to make Callie feel like herself,” Sadie said, settling into her seat.

  “Can I get boots like yours?”

  “I was hoping you would
say that, that’s why I wore them. I also have them in black, so they look like biker boots.”

  “Daddy, I want biker boots.”

  “Tell me where we’re going.” I smiled and winked at Sadie. Seeing Callie like this, I’d do anything.

  Thirty minutes later, the three of us were walking into Al’s Army Supply. Something about it felt very familiar, but I’d never been in this store, so there was no reason for it to. Callie was walking between us, one hand in mine and one in Sadie’s. It was full of tactical gear, hunting, and, well . . . just about everything for a militia.

  “Sadie, what brings you in today?” a young man who looked like he belonged on Duck Dynasty said from his spot behind a gun counter.

  “Hey, Biff.”

  Biff? I imagined someone named Biff would live in the Hamptons and wear shorts with whales. “This is Callie, she needs some cool clothes and shoes.”

  “Like Sadie’s.”

  “Ahh, I know just what you’re looking for.” Biff came out from behind the counter and escorted us over to a wall of shoes. “Here are the kids’ sizes. If you can’t find what you need, I may have some more in back. You know what size you wear?”

  “Twelve,” Callie answered, saving me from looking like an inattentive father. I made a mental promise to start paying more attention.

  “How about these?” Sadie held up a pair of brown boots.

  “I’m not sure.”

  “These?” Biff asked. Callie shook her head.

  I joined in and rummaged through boots and found a black pair. “These?”

  “I have that exact same pair,” Sadie said.

  “I want those.” Callie reached for them.

  I locked eyes with Sadie and winked. “I think these are the closest you’re going to get to my brown boots. What do you think?”

  “Okay.”

  Callie tried them on, and we ended up buying a size thirteen to be safe before heading over to the clothes. “We can get a few things here, but then we should move to the mall. Remember, you don’t want to be me or anyone else. So mix and match, we’ll go to a few stores,” Sadie informed her while I stood back and snapped photos, sending the best ones to my mom.