“Dude, have you even seen your sister,” Evans unwisely scoffed, saying what every single one of us was thinking but no one dared vocalize. “If there’s anyone with your last name that can’t go a block, it’s her. You’re gorgeous.” His eyes left no mistake about what he was thinking.
Oh, Rookie.
And to think he’d gone to all that trouble to talk to Chief this morning about his upcoming future. Pity all that promise was about to be undone by that big fucking mouth.
Before I could either punch the asshole for looking at Presley in a way I didn’t like, or yell at him for being disrespectful, she laughed. Her bright eyes lit up, enjoying the trouble a statement like that was going to cause, as she gently—seriously, could it get any worse—touched his arm. “Evans, you’re adorable.”
“He’s going to be dead in a minute,” Tibbs straightened, the glare he was throwing crystal clear. “Don’t get any ideas, Rookie.”
North slapped Tibbs on the back, getting his attention. “Relax, Tibbs. Evans was merely making an observation that Presley, is in fact, the better-looking Tibbs. Now as a married man, you know I have no skin in the game. But I have to say, I do agree with him.” He tipped his head to Presley and grinned. “Evans was correct, you’re gorgeous. And since that’s on record, he doesn’t need to say it anymore, do you, Champ?” The hand that had slapped Tibbs moved to Evans, his heavy palm landing hard on the rookie’s shoulder.
“Really?” Presley narrowed her eyes at North before moving to Tibbs. She didn’t spare me a sideways glance either, waiting to see if I had something to say. “Well, it’s been fun. I’ll leave you alone to grunt and slap each other around like Neanderthals. Bye.”
She turned, giving us a wave as she continued to wherever the hell she’d been heading in the first place. Tibbs elbowed me, trying to telepathically communicate whatever was pissing him off at that moment.
It should have been me instead of North setting Evans straight?
We need to beat him up anyway for even thinking it, let alone saying it?
Presley isn’t gorgeous?
Little Timmy was trapped in a well?
“What?” I coughed out, hoping his dodgy telepathy only went one way, and he couldn’t read my thoughts.
“Go tell her you’re calling her later. This is the perfect opening,” he huffed under his breath, making absolutely zero sense.
“She’s going somewhere,” I pointed, trying not to notice how amazing her ass looked in that skirt as her hips swayed with each step.
“Yeah, and so are you. Go tell her and then let’s get back to the station. Go. I’ll deal with Evans.” He pointed at his sister who was stopped at a crosswalk, waiting for the light.
“Fuck you, Tibbs.” I shook my head, jogging up the street attempting to catch her before she got the green. I wasn’t even sure why I was pissed, wanting to get her alone ever since—well, since I woke up staring at my ceiling and unable to jerk off. So why I felt heat up my neck, I wasn’t entirely sure.
“Presley,” I called out, stopping her from joining the rest of the pedestrians on the other side. “Wait.”
“Wait for what?” She crossed her arms, her beautiful brown eyes moving to where her brother, North, and Evans were before letting them settle where I wanted them. “You draw the short straw? Come to tell me not to encourage Evans?”
“Fuck Evans.” It came out a little harder than I would have liked.
Her brow rose, as her lips twitched. “Maybe I will. He’s a little young, but they’re easier to train that way.”
I wasn’t positive it was a joke, the idea she’d even consider—
“Oh, Leighton.” She laughed. “Jesus, I was kidding. He’s what, twenty-one? He’s a child.”
Well, at least I wasn’t killing Evans, no way of knowing which way Tibbs was going to go.
“Look, can we talk later? I need to get back, shower, and then maybe when I get a minute I can call.” I hated I honestly didn’t know if she’d say yes. A woman, who in the past, I’d spent more time on the phone with than my own sisters, and I couldn’t be sure she’d pick up.
“You realize, he’s looking, right? So you should probably just pretend you said whatever it is you were made to say and go back.” Her arms unwrapped, one hand falling to her hip where it anchored.
Man, her curves were insane. I needed to stop looking.
Forcing my eyes back where they belonged, I ignored the audience who were thankfully out of earshot. “Tibbs wants me to keep an eye on you for the next few days. And I think it’s a good idea.”
“My brother said what?” She was throwing off so much aggression I actually took a step back. And damn if it didn’t turn me on all at the same time. Thank God I was wearing turnouts because a visible hard-on right now would be bad on so many levels.
“I know, I know.” I put my hands up, showing her that I wasn’t going to throw her over my shoulder. Though given a choice, I’d like nothing more than to do that exact thing. “You don’t need him, or me, or anyone else hovering. If it were me, I’d feel the exact same way.”
She calmed, caught off guard by me agreeing with her. “It’s ridiculous, and more to the point offensive. I’m not going to be handled like some little kid. I’m a grown woman, and I know what’s best for me.”
“You’re right. It is offensive, and for whatever role I’ve played in that, I’m sorry. You’re a grown woman who knows her own mind.”
Every single word of that was true, and I didn’t doubt for a second I would have reacted the exact same way if Tibbs, North, or even the chief were trying to muscle me. Hell, even I had weighed in, assuming I knew how she felt or how she should feel. Not my fucking finest hour and not something I wanted to repeat. But seeing her in front of me, I just couldn’t contribute to that. Not anymore.
Her eyes darkened, probably trying to guess if my one-eighty wasn’t more of the handling we’d spoken about. She couldn’t be sure, and I didn’t blame her. “Right. So then that’s settled.”
“If that’s what you want, Presley, then it’s settled. I’ll go back and tell Tibbs to lay the fuck off and make sure he does. But,” I moved closer, closing the distance between us. “If you wanted me to just . . . I don’t know, be around a little, just to be sure, I can do that. Your rules. You say back off and I’ll leave. No bullshit, Presley. It will be totally your call.”
It wouldn’t be easy, and if anything happened to her, I’d probably never forgive myself. But I wasn’t willing to burn down the whole fucking bridge, we were still friends, right? Us sleeping together had done damage, no doubt about it, but I wasn’t willing to put any more cracks in those foundations.
“You’d back off?”
“If that’s what you want, yeah.” I nodded, praying to God that wasn’t what she asked for.
“And if I agreed—and I’m not saying I am—to this—” She waved her hand around. “Keeping an eye on me. Then what? You’re going to follow me around like a puppy.” Most of the anger was gone, a small, hesitant smile that she was fighting pulled at her lips.