Book ‘Em Bridget: Iron Badges

by Danielle Norman

“Oh, god, baby, I’m going to come.”

  I thrust faster as she glanced up and locked eyes with me. I secretly begged her not to stop. Thankfully, she only sucked harder and faster until I was coming down her throat. She never once broke eye contact. When she finally pulled back, she was smiling, and I knew she was everything that I’d waited for. Everything I’d fantasized about.

  “Your turn, baby.” I joined her in the bed and straddled her. Lowering my mouth to her breast, I took one nipple in and began to suck.

  “Holy shit, that’s nice.”

  “You like that?” Bridget nodded. So, I moved over to her other breast and gave it equal attention. I slid a hand between her thighs, and she opened like a fucking magic cave of wonders. I rubbed my fingers through her damp heat before I slid two inside and she bucked, the whole while my mouth was still on her breasts, taking turns on one nipple then the other.

  Her moans sounded more like music, her movements were more like a dance, and to me . . . they called to me. I wanted to taste her, so I slid down her body and lowered my mouth to that sweet spot.

  “Eli, fuck me.”

  My displeasure with that idea was delivered as a tiny nip to her clit, which had her arching off the bed. I sucked, pulling those nerves to the edge, and listened to all the tiny noises she made for me. Fucking beautiful. She grabbed my head and held me firm against her as her knees lifted and then pressed against my shoulders.

  “Oh my god!” she yelled, and I slid one finger into her so I could feel the walls of her pussy contracting around me. When the wave subsided, I reached over to the nightstand and grabbed a condom, sliding the latex ring down my shaft before positioning myself between her legs.

  “I need to hear you, Bridge, say it.”

  “What?” She paused for a second. “Eli. You want me to say Eli.”

  “Good girl,” I growled and then lowered my mouth to hers for a deep kiss while I held my dick with one hand then thrust forward, feeling as if I had just slid home.

  Chapter 16

  Bridget

  “Baby, answer your phone.”

  “Huh?”

  “Your phone, it’s ringing.”

  I fought to come to as I tried to get my bearings and realized that I was in Eli’s bed. I’d had sex, awesome, mind-blowing sex with Eli last night.

  “Your phone, Bridge, answer it.”

  “Oh.” I took it from him as he held it out to me and basically dropped it against my ear. “Hello?”

  “McGuire, this is Captain Getty.”

  “Yes, sir, what can I do for you?” There wasn’t a single reason I could think of for him to call me at five thirty in the morning on my day off.

  “You’re on administrative leave for the week.”

  “What, why?”

  “You know the rules, you need to see Dr. Nehr.”

  “Ugh, I didn’t kill the intruder.”

  “Right, if you had, then it would be a minimum of two-weeks leave. But you did discharge your firearm. Plus, it gives crime scene a chance to evaluate everything.”

  I groaned, but I knew this was standard protocol. “I’ll be by to fill out the report.”

  “But not in county car or uniform.”

  “Okay.” I paused for a moment then decided I had every right to ask my question. “Captain Getty?”

  “Yes?”

  “Did they find the guy?”

  “No. Both of your brothers and your father have been on my ass asking the same thing. As soon as we find something, you’ll be the first to know.” Captain ended the call. I pulled my legs up, rested my elbows on my knees, and hung my head. “Week off.”

  “Florida law,” Eli replied.

  “I know, it just blows.”

  “Now that we’re awake, I want you to tell me everything that you discovered last night about Justin.”

  I was still holding my phone, so I scrolled through a few photos to the video. I held it up. “He was getting mad at Harley, like, ready to fight her, so I stepped in.” I pressed play and let him watch the clip. Clearly, he wasn’t happy that I’d done what I did, but he was also working hard to hold in his laugh.

  “Maury Povich? Black belt? Heavenly? How the hell did you come up with this?”

  “It’s a gift,” I announced when the video was finally over. “We think he is the front man, the pretty face that hooks the girls, flirts with them, and then hands them off to other people.”

  “Wow, borderline personality disorder.”

  “Right? He probably justifies it by telling himself that he’s only flirting, it isn’t his fault if the girl is so stupid she doesn’t get away from the other guys. He has distanced himself from the crime, and in his mind, he’s innocent.”

  “What the fuck? He’s an accomplice, right?”

  “Absolutely, he’ll be charged with the same crimes as the rest of them,” Eli assured me. “I just find it fascinating how people’s minds work.”

  “I don’t. I find it fucked up.” My phone dinged, and I smiled seeing that one of the Iron Ladies was checking on me.

  * * *

  Adeline: We heard about last night, are you okay?

  Me: Yes.

  Adeline: We need to talk.

  Me: Call you in a bit.

  * * *

  “Everything okay?” Eli asked.

  “Yeah, just people checking in on me. News about the break-in is spreading.”

  “I have to go into the office, but I don’t want you to go to your apartment, not even for clothes. When I get back, we can go together if you need to.”

  “All right. I’ll probably go to lunch with the girls somewhere, they’ve been blowing up my phone, and at some point, I’ll need to see my parents.”

  “I’m going to jump in the shower real quick, okay?”

  I nodded. “Coffee pot downstairs?”

  “Keurig, K-cups are in the cabinet above it.”

  “Want a cup?”

  “Sure, add a packet of that raw sugar if you will. It’s in the cabinet.” He leaned forward and kissed me.

  I jerked back. “I have morning breath.”

  “Me, too.” He kissed me again, and I could feel him smiling against my lips. “Go get your coffee.”

  “I need to brush my teeth first.” I jumped out of the bed and grabbed my toothbrush and toothpaste before closing the bathroom door behind me.

  When I emerged, he cupped the back of my head and brought me into him for a deep, long kiss. “Minty.” He grinned and dropped another kiss on my lips. “Now, go get our coffee.” He smacked my ass.

  “Hey, watch it, buster.”

  “I am watching it, and it looks nice.” He had a way of making my cheeks go warm, and I liked it.

  I was just pouring two mugs of coffee when the water in his bathroom shut off and my stomach did this little rumble. Not a hungry rumble, this was a ‘stop playing the center, choose a side, there was a hot guy who just stepped out of the shower and had let you know without a doubt that he was interested in you’ rumble. Oh, and just so happened, you’d been crushing on him forever. Rolling back my shoulders, I grabbed his mug, and took it to him.

  I paused. Okay, I froze. Eli had a towel around his waist and was standing at the bathroom counter shaving. The smell of soap, men’s cologne, and Eli were a heady combination. I had to fight every urge to go up to him and inhale, make a memory of this moment right now.

  “Bridge?” I glanced up to find him smirking at me in his reflection. “Is one of those mine?” His eyes dropped to the two mugs in my hands.

  “Oh, yeah.” I stepped forward and held out one of the heavy earthenware mugs.

  Before I could step back, he gave me a quick peck. “Thanks.” He smiled brightly. “Oops.” He set his mug down and wiped away the shaving cream that he’d left on me. “You can go ahead and get in if you want.”

  “Okay.” Wow, no accusing me of being the Poet Laureate; I seemed to lose all rationale when I was near this man.

  I was shaking, tiny
goosebumps prickled my skin, this only made my freckles more noticeable. It was stupid to be nervous because he had seen every inch of me, but undressing and getting into the shower while he was right there was different. Not sure how, but it was.

  “Want me to step out while you get in?” God, how did this man do that? He totally caught on to my dilemma.

  Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius, and it’s better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring, the words of Marilyn Monroe and the quote I had on my keychain empowered me, which was why I bought it in the first place. Embracing that feeling, I pulled off my sleep shirt and tossed it on the counter, stepped around Eli, and then into his shower.

  When I got out, Eli wasn’t in the bathroom, but the smell of bacon had filled the air. I quickly got ready and headed to his kitchen, where he handed me a plate. “You hungry?”

  “Starved, but I feel sort of guilty, I only made coffee.”

  “You can make breakfast next time.” I tried not to jump for joy at the thought of next time. There was going to be a next time.

  When I was done eating, I moved to the sink to rinse my plate and felt him, not physically but felt his presence behind me and I shivered. His breath was warm against my neck, and I wanted to lean back against him as his arms wrapped around my waist. I moved the plates from the sink to the dishwasher. “See, we’re even. I cooked, you cleaned, no need to feel guilty.” I leaned down to close the dishwasher, and I felt his absence the second he let go of me. But he didn’t go far. When I straightened, he turned me around and lowered his mouth to mine. “This, what we did this morning, normal life shit? I like it.”

  I bit my lower lip, wondering if I should tell him about all the times I’d dreamed of this exact thing, playing house with Eli. Okay, maybe not. Maybe that would totally freak him out, along with how I’d imagined marrying him and having his babies. I was eighteen and had a lot of crazy dreams back then.

  Eli drove me over to my apartment complex, but before I got out of his car, he stopped me. “Here’s a key and the alarm code to my house.” Eli handed me a key without a ring and a sticky note with a code on it. “This is for you.” He really just gave me a key to his house, holy shit. “Don’t go upstairs to your apartment, just get in your car and go back to my house or go to your parents’ or one of the girls’, okay?” Eli asked as we sat in his car in the parking lot of my apartment complex. I couldn’t drive my deputy car since I was on administrative leave, so I was in my Fiat, which I hadn’t driven in several weeks. Wasn’t fancy, but it worked for my income. “Be safe, please. Call me throughout the day and let me know where you are.”

  “Okay.”

  “Stop playing Charlie’s Angels, hear me?”

  “We aren’t playing, we are actually deputies.”

  “But this isn’t your case. I’m serious, Bridget.” He leaned over and kissed me again, I couldn’t get over how free he was with affection. After all these years and the fantasies that I’d had about him, he was a reality.

  “Goodbye, Eli.” I reached over and opened my door. He didn’t pull out until I was in my car and also pulling out as I called Adeline.

  “Hey, what a night, are you okay?” Adeline said as soon as she picked up.

  “Yeah, still a little shaken.”

  “We have some info for you, can you meet today?”

  I guessed any information was good information. “Sure, what time and where?”

  “How about noon at our office?”

  “Can the others come with me?”

  “Sure, I figured they were in it with you.”

  “They are, thanks, Adeline.”

  “No problem. See you soon.” She hung up, and I called Piper.

  “Oh my god, I’ve been so worried.” Fear laced Piper’s words.

  “I’m fine. I’m meeting Adeline at her office at noon, can you make it?”

  “I’ll be there. How about the others?”

  “I haven’t called them yet. I’m on my way to my parents’ now.”

  “Whoa, backup there.” Shit. “You’re on your way to your parents’, you didn’t sleep at my house, where did you sleep?”

  “At Callum’s?”

  “Are you asking me or telling me?”

  “Telling?”

  Piper laughed. “What you’re telling me is a lie. Where did Miss Bridget really stay last night?”

  “At Eli’s.”

  “Hot damn, now we’re talking. Was it good?”

  “My sleep? No, I was stressed from the break-in.”

  “You know what I mean.”

  “I’m not discussing this with you.”

  “Oh, yes you are, we will get it out of you.”

  I flipped my blinker and turned into my childhood neighborhood. “Hey, I’m almost to my parents’ house. Want to meet at Keke’s for brunch?”

  “Sure, I’ll call the other girls, let’s say ten thirty, we can meet at the one close to the Iron Ladies’ office, okay?”

  “Got it. Thanks, Piper.” I ended the call as I turned into my parents’ driveway.

  I sat with my parents for an hour and a half, and Da handled hearing about the events of last night like any deputy would, asking questions, making me replay each thing. Ma, on the other hand, was treating me more like a porcelain doll. She kept trailing her hands over my face to make sure that I was okay and in one piece. When ten o’clock came around, I was ready to go.

  During the thirty-minute drive over to Keke’s, I tried to work out exactly how much I was going to tell them.

  “Spill.” That was the first word out of Piper’s mouth.

  “Can we at least order first?” I stared at the menu. I’d eaten earlier with Eli, but that wasn’t exactly on my list of things to start our conversation with. “I’ll have the bowl of fruit and a croissant, please. Oh, and coffee.” I handed my menu to the waitress.

  Piper at least waited until everyone had placed their orders and the server had headed off before she started in again. “Okay, now spill. You slept with Eli?”

  “What?” Harley barked.

  “Oh, shit.” Sadie giggled.

  “Do tell.” Kat was being so nonchalant.

  “Yes, I slept at Eli’s house, which has four bedrooms.”

  “Give it up. Your face is as red as your hair.” Piper flexed her fingers at me.

  “I think she already gave it up, last night, to Eli,” Harley said as she smirked at me.

  “Really? Do you have to turn everything into a sexual innuendo?”

  “No. I just like to.” She winked. “Where did you sleep?”

  “At Eli’s. I already told you that.” Harley quirked one brow and glared. “Fine, I slept in his bed.”

  “And?” Sadie asked, as she bounced in her seat.

  “And . . . we had sex.”

  “Yes!” Harley fist pumped. “Did he rock your world?”

  “Yes, but I think it was angry sex.”

  “Angry sex?” Piper asked.

  “Yes—” I cut off what I was going to say when our food was delivered.

  “You were saying? Angry sex?” Kat asked once the server had left.

  “The break-in had him on edge, then add to that how he felt once he discovered the wig and bandana and shit in my apartment?” They all laughed. “He was beyond mad, no joke.”

  “The break-in wasn’t your fault, he can’t be mad at you for that,” Harley justified.

  “I know that, and you know that, but I think it was the whole situation, everything combined.”

  “That’s my girl.” Harley gave me a high-five. “So, are you and Eli now a thing? Like a couple thing?”

  I thought about that for a moment. “I don’t know. I like him. He likes me. We’ve made no commitments. I think we are in more of a let’s-see-how-this-goes kind of relationship.”

  “And you’re okay with that?” Sadie asked this as she studied my face.

  “Sure, why not?” I was totally lying, I was so not okay with that, but I had no c
hoice. I wasn’t prepared to put my whole self out there not knowing if he’d follow. I shook my head and decided that I couldn’t worry about that, at least not now, there were bigger things going on. “We better get going.”

  Sadie waved the server over. “We’re ready for our bills.”

  After we paid, we headed over to the Iron Ladies’ office.

  “Hello, ladies,” Sunday greeted us. “We have everything set up in the conference room.”

  This was my first time in their office, and I was impressed. It was bright, with floor-to-ceiling windows and several desks gathered in the center. We followed Sunday into a room where the focal piece was a gigantic framed painting of a pair of handcuffs. It was badass and chic all at the same time.

  “Water, tea, or coffee?” Olivia asked from where she was standing close to a refreshments table. We all politely declined, so she went ahead and poured some coffee for herself.

  “All right, then. Ladies, if you will have a seat.” Adeline held out a hand, gesturing for us to sit.

  “Okay,” Melanie said. “So, first, this is new information that has come up since you spoke to Adeline this morning. Justin Camfield called into the sheriff’s station at just before ten this morning and asked for a leave of absence, he claims that his mother died.”

  How convenient for him. “And did she?”

  “Well, from what Sunday could find”—Melanie waited for Sunday to bring something up on a screen—“Justin Aaron Camfield’s mother died six years ago.” Sunday brought the obituary up. It listed him as an officer with the Colquitt County Sheriff’s Office in Georgia.”

  “Oh, shit, that was right before he moved here. I was in dispatch then.” I couldn’t believe this shit. Okay, I did believe it, but it was surreal, this shit happened on television and in books, not in real life.

  Olivia tapped the table. “Kat called me last night to let us know that you were safe and that you thought it was Justin. He can’t come in with a bullet wound because people will want to know what happened. You hit whoever broke in, but you don’t know where. What if it was his arm or shoulder or hand? He needs time to heal. From the amount of blood at the scene, we can assume that wherever you shot him wasn’t life-threatening, but he can’t show up to work with a bullet wound and no explanation.”