“Officer Fernandes, huh?’ He laughed. “Is that what she calls you, Officer Evian?”
“Max.”
“Bust out the handcuffs, do ya?”
“What?” Betsy said, her face bright red. “What are you talking about?”
“I like a little role-play myself. That’s why I always lead with the fact that I’m a cop when I meet the ladies. They love it. Eat it up.” He grabbed the top box from my hands, opened it up, grabbed a cupcake out of the box, and took a big bite. “And then they eat me up,” he added, licking the cream cheese frosting off of the top of the cupcake.
“Really?” I couldn’t stop myself from smiling as I shook my head at him. “Not appropriate in front of the lady.”
“I’m fine,” Betsy said, her back straight.
“Yeah, she’s fine. I don’t know what you heard, Jeff, but Betsy ain’t no lady with those crotchless panties. Easy access and all that.” Max threw his head back and started laughing. I inched toward him and shoved the boxes into his arms.
“Enough,” I growled at him under my breath. “One more crack like that and let’s just say you’ll have a hard time getting it up for the next six months, easy access or not.”
“Whatever, dude. Chill.” He rolled his eyes at me. “Never thought I’d see this day.”
“See what day?” I narrowed my eyes at him.
“The day that Jefferson Evian fell for a woman.”
The words crashed over me like the waves onto the rocks by the pier. I felt my entire body stiffening, and an uneasy feeling spread through me. I stared at him for a few seconds and he just laughed again. I turned to Betsy, who was staring at us both in confusion. Her beautiful face made me still. I stared at her, and for what felt like the first time in my life, I really and truly saw her. The way her eyes rested upon mine, challenging and trusting, her parted pink lips, the wave of her long blond hair, the darker eyebrows that framed her eyes, her long legs, her strong arms, and the tilt of her chin that indicated she was obstinate, brave, and not to be messed with.
She was beautiful in so many ways. She was everything I could have asked for in a woman and yet, I knew that there was no point in pursuing anything further with her. I knew that eventually, I would only make her cry. I knew because I saw the similarities between myself and my father. I looked like him, but more than that, we had similar temperaments, and while I thought that I would never shout and argue with Betsy the way my father did with my mom, how was I to be sure? I would hate to cause my Betsy the same pain my dad had caused my mother.
“Put the boxes down, Betsy,” I said looking away from her. “Maria, will you let everyone know that there are free cupcakes available? Courtesy of Betsy & Elsie’s Yummy Cupcake Store, and that they should show their gratitude by dropping by and buying some cupcakes and coffees. Not today, though. The store is closed for the rest of the day.”
“But you—” Betsy started, and I shook my head with a smile.
“I did nothing.” I grabbed the boxes from her hand and placed them on Maria’s desk. Maria looked at me, annoyed. I knew she would have at me tomorrow. It was not her job to give anyone any free cupcakes.
“Max, why don’t you help Maria here, yeah?” I slapped him on the shoulder and turned to Betsy. “Come, let’s go.” I grabbed her hand and quickly escorted her out of the station.
“Evian, aren’t you meant to be on duty?” Max called out after me.
“Tell the sheriff that I’ve taken the rest of the day off sick. Something’s come up,” I replied, and with that, I walked out of the door, Betsy looked up at me, curiosity in her eyes.
“What’s going on?”
“You’ll see,” I told her with a smile. “Let’s go back to my place first, so I can change.”
“Do you have to change?” she asked with a twinkle in her eyes.
“Oh?” I looked down at her and noticed she was licking her lips slightly in that sexy way that she did.
“I like the uniform.”
“Really?”
“It makes you look …” Her voice trailed off, and I took a step toward her, grinning down at her.
“It makes me look what?”
“Nothing.” She shook her head.
“It makes me look what?”
“Hot,” she admitted with a blush.
“You think I’m hot?”
“Duh” She rolled her eyes at me, “as if you didn’t know that.”
“I know. I just wanted to hear you say it.”
“You’re insufferable.” She hit me in the shoulder.
“I want you.” I grabbed her hands and pulled her toward me. “I want you so badly, Betsy Montgomery.”
“Then have me,” she answered breathlessly.
“We’ve been through this.” I shook my head. “We can’t do more than we’ve done already.”
“Why not?” She cocked her head to the side. “Because you don’t want a relationship?”
“I don’t want to hurt you.”
“Whatever, Jeff.” She rolled her eyes. “I’m a big girl.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means that if you’re not willing to man up, then I will find someone who is.”
“Who? Nick?” I glared at her. “That would just be perfect, wouldn’t it?”
“At least he wants me.”
“I want you as well.” I pulled her tighter so that she could feel exactly how much I wanted her. “I want you, but I can’t give you a commitment.”
“Who says I want one from you?” She pressed her lips lightly against mine. “Maybe all I want is for you to fuck me in your cop’s uniform and handcuff me to the bed and tell me what a naughty girl I’ve been.”
I stared at her in shock. Had she really just said those words? What was this girl doing to me?
“Is that what you want?”
“Yes.” She nodded, breathing deeply. “And to make you comfortable, we only have to do it once. That way you don’t have to worry
