AllFreeNovel
Share Us
We did talk in between. Sometimes during, though that was more of the filthy talk variety. Whenever he called me his beautiful good girl or praised my ability to come on his command…
Well, let’s just say that was a path to more of the same.
We watched movies and cuddled a lot and laughed over the in-jokes all couples seemed to share. I’d never had those jokes before. I’d never had any of this and some part of me was nearly desperate to put a name on it.
Here I was, the girl who’d never needed a label for a relationship before, and every day I had to practically bite my tongue to keep from asking Christian where we were going.
As perfect as everything was now, already I could feel the winds of change beginning to blow.
And not because Thanksgiving was days away, which meant so was winter. Central New York got cold and snowy fast this time of year, and as I stared out the police station window Friday afternoon, the sidewalks were beginning to pile with snow.
Decorations would soon line the streets of the Cove, with Halloween long since put away. It felt as if so much had changed so quickly.
My mom wanted to meet him. My dad wanted to go snowmobiling with him since mini golf season was long past. Yes, that was my eccentric father, who didn’t like regular golf and preferred the kind where you putt-putted your ball into a clown’s mouth.
I didn’t know how Christian felt about snowmobiling and I didn’t know how my dad could get to know him while flying over snow drifts in any case. And I didn’t think he’d enjoy my mom’s interrogation tactics in any situation. But I hadn’t mentioned it yet anyway because meeting the parents was a big deal.
As I knew since I was supposed to meet his family in two days and I was already twitchy about it.
At least I already knew Murphy from around town. He stopped into the bakery now and then and his sweet wife Vee was a baker at Brewed Awakening. Both of them were super easygoing and basically couple goals.
“Hey Honey Belle, got time for lunch?” I looked over my shoulder as Mav flashed me a relaxed grin that didn’t reach his eyes.
“Oh, it’s almost time for me to jump on the desk.” I shook my head. This having very regular sex thing was making me think every sentence I said had a perverted double meaning. “Well, not literally, of course.”
Mav rolled right over what I’d said as if I hadn’t spoken.
“You’re not on the schedule yet and I figured maybe you could escape for a half hour for a sandwich at Brewed Awakening?” He jerked a thumb over his shoulder toward the Dispatch desk. “Miranda’s still holding down the fort.”
“Brewed Awakening? Aren’t you being disloyal to Tab?”
“Tab is doing quite well without our twenty dollar bill for lunch.” Mav slung an arm around my shoulders. “I half expected you to say no.”
“Well, I didn’t exactly say yes.” Though now that he mentioned it, my stomach was on the verge of roaring, and I really didn’t think my PBJ on wheat and baggie of green grapes was going to be enough.
“Christian’s on patrol so don’t tell me you had a better offer.”
Yeah, and I’d really wanted to see him, even though I’d only rolled out of bed at his place six hours ago.
But I just felt…uneasy. I wasn’t even sure why. Everything was good between us. Better than good, actually.
“You really,” he paused, “like him, don’t you?”
“Yeah.” More than liked, but I didn’t say that to my brother. I hadn’t said it to Christian yet so he deserved to hear my feelings first. “More than anyone else ever.”
My brother’s mouth tightened as he stepped ahead of me to hold open the door and motion me out into the wind and the cold. As if I was still ten years old, he pulled my sweater together and did up the top couple buttons, making me shake my head on a laugh. “You know I can do that for myself, right?”
“Yeah. But it’s a habit.” Ears reddening, he shoved his hands in his pockets since he didn’t have on a sweater or jacket himself. “You’re still my little sister. I’m supposed to watch out for you. It’s my job.”
“Well, I appreciate it, but I’m pretty good about buttoning myself up these days.” I bit my lip. “Though I did tell Christian how you used to play Metallica for me in the middle of the night when it storms. He offered to play some for me.”
His brows drew together. “I just bet he did.”
“Mav, he’s a good dude.”
We took a right to head up the sidewalk crowded with lunchtime shoppers. Snow blinded me and I wondered if Christian had remembered his gloves. He tossed them on the dashboard of his truck or his cruiser and rarely remember to take them with him.
Maybe I could get him a spare pair for Christmas. Something leather and sleek and sexy.
