As the place filled, Topaz knew people were noticing her and Onyx sitting in the middle of the restaurant. She didn’t need a spotlight to be cast. Instead of her heart beating wildly from nerves, she found it didn’t bother her at all. If anything, it was a statement that they were together. One she needed people to take note of.
16
Onyx woke up in the morning and looked down at Topaz in his bed. Once the restaurant filled last night, she eased into what he was doing. Putting not only her, but himself on display. He didn’t want to enjoy the bit of envy in more than a few men’s eyes as they saw the two of them. At times, the glance made between her and another man made him nervous. Bounty especially because his memory wasn’t so short he’d forgotten the few days she didn’t leave his room. The blond kid showed his focus was completely on his woman who had water with their meal instead of alcohol. Anyone could see the man named the dark-skinned goddess Cream because the look on his face when she was around was like a cat wanting to lick a saucer of the sweet nectar.
Topaz was still sleeping, nestled into the crook of his arm, but he needed to meet up with Hack. They had plans this morning to figure out the intel and location of the ACT UP group. The bath they took the night before had been less sexual, but more intimate in so many ways. When she laid between his legs, the heat of the water ate into his sore muscles as the bubbles covered her body.
Now was not the time to remember the feel of the two of them blocking out the world. With a kiss to her forehead, he rolled her over and made sure to take note of the lace outlining her hips before covering her otherwise bare body. He sat on the edge of the bed, reached for his leg leaning on the night stand, and held it for a moment. Not once had Topaz done what he feared a woman would do, play with his stump like some oddity for their amusement. Maybe it was because she tended to him, but the way she looked at him as a whole man was a shot to his ego he needed right now. Tugging on the sleeve, he created the suction needed to put his leg on. The first step of the day was always a test. Standing, finding center… then stepping. No longer was he the guy who could roll out of bed and go. Even with his leg feeling better and Red’s ass shot helping him heal, Onyx wasn’t going to test the limits. Now to cross to his dresser, get a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. Socks and boots followed then he was ready for the day.
Taking in the sight of Topaz in his bed, he wondered if they’d be like the rest, move in together. He knew space was needed at the clubhouse, but he lived with Hollywood who bought the big house outside town to fill with kids. Not roommates.
Heading downstairs, he found the coffee already brewed and poured a cup. Digging through the cupboards, he located a box of cereal and let out a sigh. The clubhouse was full of women who cooked. Free usually worked late, so it was every man for himself.
“Hey,” Hollywood greeted him then poured out the last of his own cup of coffee, before retrieving a thermos. The starch of his uniform fighting with the smell of coffee for dominance. “Free said you put on quite a show last night at the Roadside.”
“Did she now?” Onyx replied as he filled his bowl with Frosted Mini-Wheats.
“Didn’t know you could handle a pole, so what exactly where you doing?”
“Sad you missed it?” he questioned before splashing the milk a bit in his bowl. “I took Topaz for dinner, that’s all.”
“Not what Free said,” he replied capping his thermos. “She indicated you were practically in the center of the building mean mugging any man who looked at your table.”
“I was hardly mean mugging people.”
“But you were in the dead center of the building.”
“I’m a cop on disability, Jim, not an architect,” Onyx said in his best Dr. McCoy voice, original not the remakes. “So I took her out, had a good time and came back here and had a better time.”
“She upstairs?”
“Yeah, that an issue?” he questioned.
“Nope, tell me something,” Hollywood asked. “She gonna be staying over a lot?”
“Not necessarily,” Onyx replied, his mouth half full with cereal, they had a dozen other things to handle before that could come up.
“Well, I have to hit the station,” Hollywood said, hanging his duty belt over his shoulder. “Text me if you need anything for ACT UP.”
For the first time, the gesture with his belt didn’t make Onyx jealous. He wasn’t missing the job because there was more in his life. “You aren’t worried about crossing lines?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” The man did, but hear no evil, see no evil. The people of the county didn’t care as long as drugs weren’t flooding the area.
With a quick slurp, Onyx emptied his bowl and headed out to the ranch. Arriving outside the same time as Hack to the clubhouse, he made his way over to Onyx. Clasping hands, the men pulled in quick, then crashed on a set of chairs on the porch, “Onyx I think I found a way into the ACT UP group.”
“I’m ready when you are. Let’s do this.”
Hack took out his laptop and notebook from a bag he had strapped to his back. “I think if we hack into their drones, we
