Page 22 of Hot Lovin'

We both said something about not looking beyond tonight, but fuck that. Now I’ve tasted her sunshine and been inside her, I’m not letting her go.

Chapter 9

Quinn

I whistle along with the radio as I turn the police cruiser in the direction of the station. I’m returning from a domestic between a husband and wife. She came home early from work to discover him in bed with another woman. The neighbors called it in when she chased him naked down the street, screaming obscenities and brandishing a pair of nutcrackers.

Two hours of my life I’m never getting back, but it's all part of the job here in Sunrise Bay. My days may be stressful, but I now have my ray of sunshine to go home to and a kid who’s stolen my heart.

It’s been a month since that amazing night with Lottie. I left before Aiden woke that first morning, not wanting to confuse him with my presence. But we’ve all naturally fallen into a routine in the last few weeks. I go to Lottie’s for breakfast with her and Aiden every morning before she takes him to pre-K. Then we both head off to work, usually grabbing lunch together if we can and going over any new developments with Aiden’s case. I return to Lottie’s for dinner and playtime with Aiden before we put him to bed.

And then Lottie and I fall into bed for our private playtime.

I can’t get enough of my woman. I could spend all day inside her. I know Lottie feels the same, judging by how desperate she is for me every night. We barely get our clothes off before I’m sinking inside her, the tight clasp of her body driving me to heights I’ve never experienced before.

Lottie is a tactile person and touches me at every opportunity. Small things like tucking her small hand in mine when we’re walking, brushing my hair back from my forehead, or the quick kiss she gives me every morning before I leave for work. It’s not something I’ve known before, but I love her small touches and how open she is with her affection. I love everything about her. Her touch, her taste, even her cute little snores at night.

She’s brightened my life and turned my world from black and white to technicolor, like Dorothy leaving Kansas and landing in Oz. And yeah, she’s made me watch that movie, telling me that I was the Tin Man before she and Aiden came along. She’s not wrong. But unlike the Tin Man, I’ve always had a heart; it just never beat properly until they jumpstarted it.

Somehow, without conscious thought, the three of us, Lottie, Aiden, and me, have become a family. We go to the park, eat double chocolate chip at the local ice cream parlor, and collect shells and pebbles as we stroll along the beach. I tuck Aiden into bed at night, and Lottie reads him a story. He’s naturally accepted us as his primary caregivers. He’s come to trust us, and that’s more precious than gold. In turn, I’ve come to love the kid like he’s my own, and I know Lottie has too. She was born to be a mother and is fiercely protective of Aiden.

Every day, the shadows in the little boy’s eyes ease a little. He’s gained weight and smiles more often. He still has the occasional nightmare, but he’s never mentioned his parents. Not once. My blood boils at the thought of what they did to him that he wouldn’t even be curious about them.

Despite having BOLOs on Mike and Alicia Hartless, no one has seen them. I know the feds are also interested in speaking to them regarding a drug trafficking network they suspect they’re a part of. And I’d bet my right arm that Mike Hartless was driving the car the night we were shot at. Between my office and the feds, we have enough probable cause to bring them in for questioning, but that’s not happening until we find them. Wherever they are, they’re hunkered down, but I know that won’t last. People like Mike and Alicia Hartless don’t like being told what to do. And they don’t like having what’s theirs taken from them—in this case, Aiden.

Lottie spoke to Jan on her return from vacation, and her boss agreed she could reduce her hours until Aiden’s case was resolved. The kid needs consistency, and Lottie wants to be the one to take and fetch him from pre-K.

I check the time. She’ll be picking Aiden up soon. I arranged with the school that Aiden leave a few minutes before the other kids. Quicker and easier for Lottie to pick him up and for my deputy stationed outside to keep an eye on them without dealing with the mass exodus of kids.

I smile, something I’ve been doing a lot lately, as I remember we promised Aiden a movie and popcorn night as it’s a Friday.

My thoughts are interrupted as my police receiver crackles to life.

“All units, please respond.”

My stomach drops as I grab the receiver. “This is Sheriff Jordan. What’s happening, Linda?”

“What’s your location, Sheriff?”

“I’m two minutes from the office.”

“Please proceed to Pineview Elementary. Shots fired. Deputy Michaels is injured but managed to call it in. Ambulance dispatched and en route.”

Fuck!

That’s Aiden’s school. My blood turns to ice.

Slamming on the brakes, I make a U-turn, hit the siren and the blues, and drive like a maniac.

My boots pound against the linoleum as I burst through the double doors of Pineview Elementary. Damnit, I thought he’d be safe here. I promised Lottie, especially with one of my deputies stationed here during school hours.

Not wanting the details to be broadcast to anyone with a police scanner, I ensured everyone was silent about what was going on as I sped across town, which meant I wasn’t sure what the other deputies and I would be walking into.

The principal’s eyes are wide as I enter her office, her hand fluttering to her throat like a bird trapped in a house. “Sheriff Jordan, thank God you’re here,” she gasps.

“Where’s Aiden?” My voice is a hammer, and she flinches. I don’t care if I scare her; I want to know where Aiden is.

“His parents, they t-took him. Mrs. Hartless, she had a g-gun. W-we couldn’t...” She trails off, the rest of her words lost as her lips tremble wordlessly.

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