Alex and Max were laughing. “I’m joking,” Nate clarified. I visibly relaxed and also started laughing.
It was almost the ride of my life. I had never been glad to live so far away. But we were finally about ten minutes out.
“So, with this case, could it really be a serial killer? I mean, what if people are just being targeted and have no idea. It honestly didn’t look like the victim had done anything wrong. It was almost like he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Maybe a robbery or something, probably why he was dressed so nice. Was his wallet on him?” I realized I had gone off on another tangent, but I couldn’t help it at this point. Besides, they thought it was cute. I didn’t have to apologize for it anymore.
“Uh…that’s a good question. Blues?” Alex asked Max and Nate. They both shrugged.
“We weren’t first on the scene. But that is something we can consider. What with the similarities in the victims, if it ends up being connected.”
“Why the strangulation though?” Max asked, but Alex gave him a look that kind of shut him up. I realized it was because I was present.
“I understand. You don’t want to scare the civilian. Don’t worry. I won’t get my feelings hurt or anything.”
I leaned back and stared out the window. Nate squeezed my thigh as if in appreciation or something. I continued to stare out the window, and watch the skyscrapers pass by. We were almost to my place, and I already saw some yellow tape coming up.
“Alex do you not have an exciting story to tell me? It could be my bedtime story.” I was tired, and flirting, and unapologetic. But I knew Alex was obviously the quieter of the two, and less animated.
I guess that was the problem. They were all so characteristically different, and physically different too. It made me wonder what the hell I really wanted in a man, to be able to be attracted to three different men. Alex was dark and mysterious, a truly brooding man with delicious muscles to match. And Max was like the level headed, yet fun loving guy with movie star looks and muscles. Nate…he just made me giggly. And he was so delicious too, his face having a permanent stubble on it I could run my fingers through. His body was solid, and his hand pressed on my thigh like it had the greatest purpose known to man. It was running right to my core.
Then I started to wonder what could be wrong with me. I mean, I was thinking about having all three of them in my apartment. That was insane. And exciting. Mostly exciting, but still weird. Oh, and I couldn’t forget the fact that we were in the middle of an unknown crime. It could be a serial killer, it could be an accident, it could be a shit storm the media would spin until they ran dizzy with themselves. So much unknown and I did not have enough space in my head for all of it.
Work wasn’t that taxing, it stayed at work when I left. But I had my own things going on in my head. Everything was just piling on too fast.
“I don’t really have one.”
“Oh, come on. Give me something to think about when I’m in my bed, trying to fall asleep tonight.” I giggled a bit at my forwardness.
I glanced at him in the rearview mirror. God, his eyes were so intense. They ran right to my core, and it was…unnerving.
“I don’t know, Rose. I’m kind of a…chips-fall-where-they-may type of guy. I was doing nothing until I just came across the academy. Then I met dumb and dumber over here…”
“Cry me a river, detective,” Nate teased him. They all laughed, and it was genuinely sweet to see such close friends together.
There wasn’t much of that these days. And I only sort of had that with Dina. In the few years we worked together, I had only seen her outside of work three times. That wasn’t exactly best friend type stuff. And my only other sounding board was Martha; bless her heart she was so sweet.
“You are all very funny.” I giggled.
Alex pulled up outside of my building. “Can you go down to the first door, please.”
He pulled up and found an empty spot to parallel park. Those things were rare. I wouldn’t really know that for sure, since I didn’t have a car. But still.
“Thanks for the ride.” Yeah, I tried my bit at a sultry voice, but it just came out sounding as tired as I was.
“No problem.” They all got out of the car, and I started to feel less intimidated when they were all standing.
They walked me to the front steps, and I turned back nervously. “You don’t have to come up,” I nearly squeaked.
“Course not. Look, I’ll be back in a few minutes. And then I’ll be out here all night. If I knew you lived this close to uh…never mind.” Nate smiled to try and ease me.
“Okay. Well, that’s my window right there.” I pointed to my shitty view of the water tank across the street.
“Hmm. Nice view.” Max winked, and then they all turned to leave.
I didn’t know why, when I was walking up the steps and going to my apartment, I felt so lonely. Parker was right in his crate as always, but he was sound asleep, so I left him alone. He knew when it was just me; if I were an intruder, he would be chomping at the bit.
I cooked a frozen dinner and watched some television until I heard a new engine. I looked out the window, and saw Nate parked in front of my bedroom window.
Chapter Nine: Nate