Page 12 of H E R

Then suddenly I hear someone else clear their throat. A deep voice that sounds irritated and infuriated. A chair screeches against the floor as it’s dragged back and then forcefully pushed forward. It hits our table with a loud shake.

Surprisingly enough, I recognize who it is and turn slowly to meet Dylan’s penetrating gaze. Fuck, he looks like a damn robot cop; patrolling, examining his surroundings, ready to lift up his machine-gun-made arm and blow us to bits. His eyes hold mine, exploring my insides, and I cower away from Noah.

“I thought perhaps I would leave my card, in case you decide you want totalk.”

Noah takes the small rectangular business card. I touch my lips and wipe away the extra moisture.

“Andthis?” Noah’s brow is arched as he waits for the rookie to respond. I take the card from his hand and notice Dylan’s hand-written a number on the back.

“My cell phone. I’m hardly ever at my desk, too much to do out here.”

My face burns, and my voice gets lost somewhere between my lungs and throat. Noah’s arm around my waist tightens, most likely trying to control his impulse to attack the cop, and I’m brought back to the reality of being his girlfriend. Of how fucked up it would be for me to make an inappropriate and perhaps flirtatious comment. It reminds me of the fact that I had promised to try harder, and as difficult as it may be, I grit my teeth and toss the card across the table.

“That’s not necessary. I won’t be calling since there’s nothing for me to recollect.”

Dylan seems torn as his eyes sweep over me and then to Noah’s arm around my waist. His glare stays where Noah’s hand possessively grips my hip. He freezes and then looks at his business card. His lips twist in agitation. “Whatever,” he grunts and then stalks off.

“What a strange guy,” Jasmin suddenly says, a straw between her lips. She takes a long sip from her coke. “Hot as hell, butstrange.”

“Kind of young to be a detective, ain’t he?”

Noah shrugs at my brother’s inquiry, then he takes his hand from my waist and rolls his shoulders. I glance at him—his tight jaw, furrowed brows, elbows firmly on the table, with angry, balled fists under his chin.

Noah never halts his advances or backs away from me. On the contrary, he enjoys and takes advantage of every instant he’s by my side, and he never takes for granted my acceptance or responses. The distance unsettles me.

“What’s wrong?”

Like he hadn’t realized he’d backed away, he turns slowly, his temple rests over his fists, and smiles. “Nothing,” Noah scoots closer, then wraps his arm around my shoulders, bringing me closer. “Are you having fun?”

I quickly glance at my brother and best friend, both giggling and truly enjoying our time in this fancy place. I nod, then give Noah a small kiss. “I am.”

It’s been too long since I last saw my brother this happy. Usually, his eyes are glazed with sorrow.

“And this is just part of your gift.”

“What are you talking about, Noie?”

Noah’s wide smile quickly morphed into laughter. “I love it when you call me that.”

I usually called him Noie to poke fun at him, but lately, I voiced it more as a term of endearment. Ever since we were kids, it was my nickname for him, and I’d enjoy watching him writhe, but now it only caused him to laugh and then kiss me. He didn’t disappoint. Noah brings me close, embracing me. I mumble under my breath about him not answering my question when the server comes back with the dessert menu. Our faces light up.

A hard pounding at the door startles me out of my half-twin-sized bed. I fall to the floor and stir Jasmin to unearth from her cocoon. We share a tiny mattress and we worked late last night. She worked at a club and I scrapped for metal. I worked whatever odd jobs the agency supplied me with.

Her eyes are rimmed with dark make-up and she opens them to slits. “Did someone knock?”

I’m on the floor and crawling to the door. “Who the fuck would even think to wake us up? Whoever it is knows better.” I’m mumbling nonsense under my breath when the trailer’s door creaks open and lets in the eye-stinging sunlight.

I shield my eyes. “What!” I growl at the person who I still can’t manage to see through the brightness and temporary blindness the sun caused me.

“Is this a bad time?”

My legs straighten from my awkward position on the floor, and I rub my eyes. I can’t believe who it is and I’m unable to speak his name for fear of being wrong. But after taking in his ordinary, casual clothes and the steel hard body clearly underneath, and then briefly allowing myself to gaze up to those large dark eyes, I question instead whether I’m hallucinating or dreaming.

“Who told you where I lived?”

Dylan chuckles and sweeps his hand over his scalp as if forgetting he chopped off his short, tousled hair. He then digs his hands into his jean pockets. My eyes trail over his heavily tattooed arms, the black swirls slipping away from my view under his gray t-shirt, and I desperately look elsewhere to distract my already wandering thoughts. Why doesthis rookie cause such twisted feelings inside me? I don’t want to like him, let alone be attracted to him. Besides, I’m Noah’s girlfriend and IloveNoah.

“Can we talk?”

---