Protect & Serve(118)

“Yes, tonight. Did you think I wanted to go next week? I’m a busy man, Bria.”

“I don’t know. I have to work tomorrow and it’s getting late.” I don’t why I was trying to sink this; it was like my brain was doing it automatically.

“Late?” he said, incredulously. “It’s hardly six-thirty. What, are you afraid you’re gonna miss Wheel of Fortune, grandma?”

“No! I’m just…”

“Afraid of what you might do?” he said, finishing my sentence.

“No, I’m not,” I protested.

“Good, then let’s go.”





11





Luke





I’m not surprised she came back, but damn did she look good in that skirt. This girl was still a bit of a mystery. I could already tell she was gonna be a handful, though.

When I opened the passenger door of my car she slid in front of me, lingering long enough for me to smell her hair. I got so hard the zipper nearly blew off my jeans. She had an effect on me like I hadn’t experienced in years. Maybe it was the endorphins coursing through me when I met her… Maybe it was just the way her eyes melted my insides… I was hooked.

I wanted her.

“If I knew you were coming out dressed like that I might have skipped dinner,” I said, grinning like a Cheshire cat.

“You know, you can throttle back a little bit on the act,” she said, poking me in the ribs.

This was driving me wild.

“You think it’s an act?” I asked. “I think maybe you’re the one who’s acting.”

She looked me up and down then settled back into the seat without answering.

“You didn’t ask me to dinner to thank me for what happened back in that alley, and you damn sure didn’t wear that skirt without knowing what it would do to me…”

After a long pause, she turned on her hip to face me. “Maybe I didn’t...”

“Glad we’re on the same page,” I replied, pointing to the dark building on the corner. “We’re here…”

Bria waited for me to put it in park then carefully opened the door.

“You’re not gonna break it,” I told her, laughing.

I walked around the front and extended my arm to her. She took it and followed me inside like a lost puppy dog. The Maître D’ scrambled to his podium as soon as I walked through the door.

“Mr. Greer, I didn’t know you would be joining us tonight. It’s so nice to have you. And who is the lovely young lady with you this evening?”

“This is my wife, Bria,” I said, sharply. She looked up at me with a hilarious amount of concern on her face.

“I’m so sorry sir,” said the Maître D’. “I didn’t know you had married. I’ll have a table set up right away.” With that, he hastily retreated to the dining room.

“What are you doing?!?” she asked with exasperation in her voice.

“Play along,” I whispered. “I bet that skinny little bastard will say something to the tabloids and it’ll be all over the news tomorrow. ‘Luke Greer’s secret wedding!’ You’ll be the mystery woman everyone wants to know about.”

“What if somebody at my job sees that?”

“What’s the big deal,” I asked. “Are people at your job not allowed to get married?”

She kind of stuttered and I could see she was a bit flustered.

“Okay, okay,” I relented. “I get it. You’re a private girl. Tell you what, if anyone else asks we’re just friends. And if anybody tries to get a picture of us together I’ll break their camera or their neck.”

That got a chuckle out of her and she started to loosen back up.

“That’s a plan. I need a drink.” She proclaimed.

“Off to the bar we go then. Follow me.” I waited for her to step to the side so I could lead.

Patrons were looking from all directions. I guess I was used to it by now, so it didn’t bother me. Bria, on the other hand, looked like she might have a panic attack.

A bus boy had stopped clearing the table he was working on to watch us. I motioned for him to come over.

“Yessir?” he said, enthusiastically.

“Hey, bud. Go tell that nervous little guy to make sure he puts us in a spot with a little privacy, okay?”

“Oh no problem, Mr. Greer. I’m a big fan.” He was a bit stars struck and still standing there.

“Alright man, thanks.” I said. “Now go ahead and get that done for me would ya? And next week be sure to come by my gym. I’ll get you set up with a couple of months of free training.”

He beamed with excitement and hurried away to make sure I would get what I wanted.