I nodded again and repeated, “Good.” Feeling distinctly uncomfortable, I glanced around the room and cleared my throat. “We should probably put some clothes on. I’m sure the police department frowns upon naked people showing up and trying to file reports with them.”
Her lips parted before she shook her head. “Wait. What? Why would we go to the police department? We’re not going to the police department.”
“Yes, we are.” I stood and reached for my pants. “We’re getting a restraining order against your fucking ex.”
“What? No. No, we’re not. Why would we do that?”
I glanced at her before yanking up my sweats. “This is going to stop, baby doll. It’s going to stop today.”
She just stared at me. “Don’t you think that’s kind of drastic? And what would we even tell them? That he came and glared at me and told me he was very upset with my decisions lately? The police would laugh me out of their precinct.”
“He grabbed your arm,” I reminded her.
She was already shaking her head. “And it didn’t even leave a bruise. I don’t want to go to the police, Colton. Seriously. It seems so unnecessary.”
I paused after tugging on my shirt. Then I stepped to the edge of the bed and took her hands until she looked up into my eyes. “Your safety is more than necessary to me. Don’t ever say it’s not. Now, tell me why you really don’t want to do this. Are you afraid it’ll piss him off and he’ll come at you harder?”
“No.” Her eyes grew big with disbelief. “I think it’d freak him out and scare him off for good.”
I smiled. “Good. That’s exactly what we want. So let’s do it.” But the uncertainty in her eyes made me frown. “That is what we want, right?” I said slowly. “I mean, you want him to stop harassing you, don’t you? Don’t tell me you secretly like it and want to get back together with him.”
Shit. Maybe I’d been reading everything wrong, and Shaun’s stalking was some kind of kinky sex game to them, kind of like the way she and I got off on bickering.
She sent me an irritated frown. “Of course I want him to stop.”
“Are you sure?” I said slowly.
She slapped my arm. “Yes! I just…dammit.” She scowled at me harder before mumbling under her breath and admitting, “It’s fucking embarrassing. I don’t want to tell my personal business to a bunch of complete strangers only for them to look at me as if I’m some kind of drama queen making a big deal out of nothing.”
Oh Jesus. My girl and her issues with keeping up appearances. It irritated the hell out of me, and yet made me love her even more.
I sat next to her on the mattress and pulled her into a hug. “He’s been hounding you for almost two years, baby doll. Do you want him to stop or not?”
“Yes,” she admitted against my chest. “But—”
“There’s no buts about it. What everyone else thinks is their problem. The police will do their job regardless. I just want you to be happy and not worry about some dumbass and his inability to let go.”
She blew out a long breath and waited a second before finally looking up to catch my gaze. Then she murmured, “Okay.”
“Okay?” I repeated in surprise, straightening. “Really? You’ll actually go with me?”
Damn, that had been easier than I’d thought.
She rolled her eyes and shoved lightly at my arm. “I’m stubborn, not completely impossible.”
“You’re completely beautiful,” I corrected, then made her laugh when I tackled her onto the bed and began kissing her neck in an exaggerated manner.
She squirmed under me and screamed out a laugh before attacking me back, racing her hands up my arms and clutching my hair before kissing me full on the mouth and spiking her tongue deep between my teeth.
My hand was clutching her full, lush breast, my tongue tangling with hers before I realized what I was doing, but I managed to tear myself away and pant a few times before muttering, “Dammit, stop trying to seduce me out of my idea. We’re going to the police station. Right now.”
Her eyes twinkled as she grinned up at me. “You’re the one who kissed me first.”
“Well, if you hadn’t been sitting there looking all hot and delectable, I would’ve been able to resist you.” I gave her breast one last affectionate squeeze, then licked the nipple before climbing off her. “Now get dressed before I can’t help myself again.”
She lifted her eyebrows, looking amused and yet very unamused. “Did you just give me an order, boy?”
I could play this two different ways. I could smart mouth her some more, going way overboard with it on purpose. But I already knew how that would end. She’d take up my frisky challenge and order me around right back until we were arguing hot and heavy into sex again.