AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Wait, what do you mean she just left? What about Lila?”
My smile turned slightly bitter. “Right? She wanted a new life, one without responsibilities, so I gave it to her. It’s been me and Lila ever since.”
“She’s a lucky little girl.”
“Thanks, but I’m the lucky one.” Conversation with Tara was easier than I expected from someone trained in interrogation tactics, but she was open and honest and funny. Not to mention, beautiful. “What about you, Lila says you’re from Pilgrim?”
Tara nodded. “Born and raised. Moved away for college and the academy, plus one year working in Austin before there was an opening here in town.”
“You never wanted to live anywhere else?” I couldn’t imagine living in the same town where I’d grown up. It was unfathomable.
“I did, of course. Thought I’d end up a homicide detective on a big city police force, but it’s hard to do good work in those big cities. Eventually you’ll become cynical and hardened, and you won’t treat every case like you knew the victim. Because you don’t.”
“I never thought of it like that, I guess.”
“Of course not,” she said with no judgment. “As a writer the big city, most of the time, holds the most fascinating mysteries.”
“Sounds so macabre, doesn’t it?” It wouldn’t be the first time I’d been accused of embracing, or even glorifying, the dark side of life.
“Not at all. It’s an interesting part of the human experience. Awful and horrifying too, but undeniably interesting.” Damn but this was more than just a little fascinating. She wasn’t just intelligent or beautiful, she was both. And worse, Tara was interesting.
She held my attention throughout the date, and instead of thinking about character development, motives and methods of death, all I could think about was kissing her. Putting my hands on her ample butt.
The dinner plates had long been cleared and our dessert dishes had just been carried away. It was officially the end of the date. “So Tara, what do you think about this first date?”
She accepted my extended hand to get out of the booth and I held on to it as we made our way out of the restaurant and into the clear, starry night. “Well I haven’t fallen for you, so I guess that means you’re off your game. But I do find you fascinating, so overall I’d say it was a success.”
“Wait, what?” I stopped short and frowned at her. “You didn’t fall for me? How is that even possible?”
Tara shrugged. “I’m a tough sell, don’t take it personally.”
That was the problem, even though I didn’t expect her to fall for me after one date, I did take it personally. Call it ego or just masculine pride, but I knew she liked me. I knew she was attracted to me. I’d seen the desire in her gaze throughout the night.
“Oh, I won’t.”
“This is me,” she said when we arrived at her compact sedan. When Tara turned to me with a broad smile on her face, I stepped in closer and put my hands on those hips they’d been itching to touch all night. She was soft and feminine, her hips fit perfectly into my hands.
“I had a good time tonight, Tara.”
“So did I.” Her words came out breathy and hesitant, and the hint of chocolate on her breath was irresistible, so I leaned in and captured her lips with mine. She was a trained officer so I didn’t push, keeping the kiss relatively chaste, even if I prolonged it for as long as I could.
Tara had lush, pliable lips and she tasted like sunshine. And sex. When she moaned, Tara pulled back first, green eyes wide with surprise and her pink lips lush and slick.
“Have a good night and drive safely.”
She nodded absently. “Right back at you, Mr. Jacobs.”
I laughed and walked around the driver’s side of her car to mine, parked right beside hers. “It sounds so different when you call me that now. I think I might like it.” Her laughter was the last thing I heard before slipping inside the quiet of my car. And when I looked at her one last time, the stunned look she wore told me the risk of kissing her had been worth it.
Damn worth it.
Tara
Being cooped up in the office wasn’t helping me study for the upcoming exam, so I decided that sitting in the park with a latte and chocolate filled croissants was a much better option. It was the middle of the day so the park was mostly quiet, which meant peace. And no interruptions.
“Seriously, who chooses to sit in the grass on purpose!” The whisper was easily recognizable as Sophie, but I blocked it out, knowing that it was unreasonable to expect to have the entire park to myself for the next fifty-five minutes.
A girl could hope, but she shouldn’t expect, and I didn’t.
