Page 77 of Professional Consult
After dropping Austin’s dog off back at his place, I patrol the side streets as I do during quiet days.
I wish I’d thought to get a lock of her golden hair. I was able to snag a few strands from the hairbrush she left behind, and I keep them in my nightstand drawer like a damn psychopath.
Each night, I fall asleep on a shirt laced with her scent, if I get to sleep at all. Her blue eyes tease me, reminding me of what her sinful mouth is capable of.
It’s shameful how many times I’ve jacked off to her panties. I can’t say I’m proud of it, but I can’t imagine a man that exists that could resist.
Dammit!Riding patrol with a boner is never comfortable and has been especially hard to shake the last few weeks when all I want to think about isher.
Her presence is everywhere, ingrained in the essence of my being. There are times I feel her riding next to me and I reach over to pat thin air.
She’s yet to call or text, but that’s probably a blessing. I don’t know if I could handle shooting the breeze with her. It’s better for us both if she moves on.
The radio crackles, and Barb’s worried voice comes through the speaker.
Barb:Boss, you best head on over to Jukes. Looks like Bernard has himself a lady friend and they’re tearing up the inside.
I pickup my receiver and hit TALK.
Luke:You’ve got to be kidding me…
Barb:‘fraid not. I’m calling around to the other precincts to see who can send help, along with Big Water’s Animal Control.
Luke:I’m on my way.
LUKE
I pull into Jukes to find a mess of trash littering the parking lot and the door looking like it’s nearly torn from the hinges.
Anyone that would come between two bears mating would have to be out of their mind, so I slowly approach the building with no intention of going inside. I figure they’re going to be too interested in each other to see that I’m putting up orange cones around the area.
Just as I’m about to get back into my cruiser and wait for reinforcements, a bloodcurdling scream that can only belong to Alvin stills my blood.
Holy shit—Barb never told me someone was inside the building.
I draw my gun and dash towards Jukes, hoping like hell I can get the upper hand on the giant brown bears and save poor Alvin, but when I get to the broken doorway, the inside isn’t nearly as torn up as the outside, and there’s not a bear in sight.
“Surprise!”
A crowd of people jump out from behind the counter. Immediately, I spot Alvin, Barb, Tiffany, Mike, Josh, Frances, Cindy Cline, and a mess of others.
But it’s who’s at the center that damn near makes my jaw drop.
Lexi.
She’s wearing a floral sundress, a soft smile playing on her lips. It suddenly occurs to me that I’ve never seen her in a dress. Not in person, anyway. In magazines and films, she’s always wearing something girly, but those hardly capture just how stunning she is.
She’s bouncing on the balls of her feet as if anticipating something. And then I realize it’s my reaction she’s curious about.
Unfortunately, I am not prepared for this.
“What are you doing here?” I ask, hoping I’m not hallucinating.
Someone else steps forward and answers, “I just thought I’d return your girlfriend to you.”
My eyes scan to the voice. “Clint?”
He strides up alongside me, slings his arm over my shoulders, and gestures toward Lexi. “I can’t believe you let this pretty thing walk out on you.”
