Warnings and Wildfires

Liam shrugs him off and tips his head back. “Where you been?”

“Working. It’s like every fucking idiot in Empire decides to set their backyard on fire this time of year. ‘Don’t burn shit outside when there’s a drought.’ Why is that so hard to comprehend?” He shoves into the booth next to Liam and nods at me. “I’m glad you’re here. I’m supposed to ask if you want to teach How to subdue a suspect with minimal force to some new recruits? It actually pays, unlike all your damsel-in-distress classes.”

“Sure.” I can always use the money and the networking opportunity.

“Bro,” Jake says, walking up and slapping my shoulder. “Amy’s looking for you.”

I groan at the same time my dick perks up. Amy is not a client of mine. She’s never even set foot inside my gym. Hell, she might not even know I own a gym. We have an occasional good time together, then go our satisfied, separate ways.

Across from me, Liam shakes his head but doesn’t bother to comment as I slide out of the booth. Keegan isn’t so polite.

“Slave to the pussy much?” he says with a wide grin.

“Fuck off.”

I tell myself I’m only heading to the bathroom to splash some water on my face and figure out what the hell I’m doing tonight, but I know better.

Amy doesn’t disappoint. She pops out of the ladies’ room as I enter the hallway. “Sully! Jake said you were here.”

“How’ve you been?”

She moves in closer, slinging her arms around my neck. “Missing you.”

The corner of my mouth tips up and I brace one hand against the wall. “Yeah?”

She nods and pulls me down close enough to smell the beer on her breath. “We’re always so good together.” She reaches up and whispers in my ear, “Remember the time we snuck in the closet and you made me put my hands against the wall while you took me from behind? That was so hot.”

Yes, it was. And I can picture it perfectly. What a helpful memory. Exactly what I need to erase the image of Aubrey’s perfectly thick little thighs out of my head. All day long, I’ve been fantasizing about what would’ve happened if I’d peeled her panties off along with her leggings.

I squeeze my eyes shut to banish Aubrey from my brain. Thinking of fucking one woman while I’m planning to fuck a different one is a dick move.

She slides her hand between us, cupping my package. “Mmm…feels like we might not make it to the closet.” Her hand slides into mine and she tugs me down the hallway. “Do you have a condom?”

“Wait, Aubrey,” I say, stopping dead.

Her eyes widen. “What did you call me?”

Shit! Why did I say that?

If thinking about another woman when you’re about to fuck one woman is a dick move, actually calling the girl you’re about to fuck by another girl’s name makes me dickhead of the century.

I blink, taking in Amy’s long, lean frame. The sky-high, red heels will put her at just the right height…

But I can’t shake the image of Aubrey’s sweet, trusting face as I tended to her injury this morning.

I should’ve checked on her after I closed the gym. What if she needs something? She can’t make it up and down those stairs with her bum knee. Does she even own a car?

Fuck. I drag my hands through my hair, so frustrated I’m close to yanking it out.

“Sully?” Amy’s bright red cheeks highlight that I’m not only being a rude asshole, but I’ve also embarrassed her.

“I’m sorry, Au…Amy.” Goddammit, what is wrong with me? “It’s not you—”

“Clearly.” Her pinched expression, crossed arms, and tapping foot suggest she’s moving from embarrassed to seriously pissed.

“I’m sorry. I have to go.”

Like the dick I am tonight, I hurry away from her and back to my friends.

“Where’s Amy?” Jake asks when I stop at our table.

“I don’t know,” I mumble, whipping out my wallet and throwing some bills on the table. “I’m heading out.”

“Seriously?” Jake bitches. He jabs his fist into my bicep. “Don’t forget Wrath’s dropping off that equipment for us later in the week.”

“Aren’t you going to be there?”

“I’ll try, but I got a lot going on.”

A lot going on probably means borderline criminal activity I’d rather not know about.

“We’ll talk later.” Now that the idea’s in my head, I’m way too eager to leave to sit around talking about work.

Liam tips his head up and lays his cop stare on me. “But Keegan just got here,” he says. The unspoken, Are you really leaving us here with your asshole brother? sort of hangs between us.

“Sorry, bro.” I seem to be apologizing to everyone tonight.

Keegan shakes his head. “I can’t believe I drove all the way over here for this.”

Amy takes that exact moment to walk by and hiss “asshole” at me loud enough for the whole table to hear.

And promptly mock me for.

“Whoa!” Jake howls with laughter. He tips his head with fake-serious concern. “Quickdraw tonight? Don’t worry, it happens to the best of us. Well, not me, but—”

“Shut up.”

Shaking his head, Liam slides out of the booth. “I want to get home before Bree anyway. I’ll walk out with you.”

“Fuck you both,” Jake says, flipping us off. He throws his arm around Keegan’s shoulders, making Keegan send a wrinkled-brow-side-eye Jake’s way. “Keegan’s got my back.”

I return the gesture before following Liam out the door. On the sidewalk, he turns and gives me a more serious appraisal. “Sure you’re all right?”

“Just something I need to take care of.”

“Something or someone?”

“Don’t worry about it.”

He pins me with the hard cop stare again. “Don’t forget what I said.”

Ignoring the reminder, I hustle over to my Jeep and get the hell out of there.

I should bring her something, right? What’s even available at this hour?

Shit, what if she’s asleep? I don’t have her number. I hesitate behind the wheel. I could go back to the gym and look it up, but that’ll take too long.

I need to see her. Now.

Popcorn, check.

Movie, check.

Sad girl all alone tonight, double-check.

I’m about to hit play when someone knocks on my door.

I duck down on the couch as if whoever’s on the other side of the door has X-ray vision.

“Aubrey?”

Am I hallucinating or is that Sully’s voice?

“Just a minute!” I shout, jumping off the couch. A slap of pain vibrates down my leg. “Ow!”

“Are you okay?” Sully asks through the door.

I limp my way over and open the door. Sure enough, he’s standing in front of me.

“Sully, hi. What are you doing here?”

He holds up a brown paper bag. “I couldn’t stop thinking about your empty freezer.”

I blink a few times. “You brought me ice cream?”

“Well, I wanted to check on you.” He cranes his neck, trying to see inside the apartment and I feel like an idiot for not inviting him in already. “Is that okay? I would’ve called, but I don’t have your number.”

“Come in. Thank you. That’s so nice.”

“Is your sister here?”

“Nope. She’s working.”

He sets the bag on the counter and pulls out three pints from Stewart’s. “Cookie dough, right?” he asks, handing me a pint.

“Wow, uh, yeah. Thanks.”

“I didn’t know what your sister might like, so I went with plain ol’ chocolate,” he says, opening the freezer and sticking one of the pints inside.

He brought ice cream for my sister too? Just in case? I’m in danger of melting into a puddle of goo.

“Spoons?” he asks.

Still too surprised by the sweet gesture, I point to the drawer in f

ront of me. Instead of you know, opening it myself.

He slides it open, brushing his hand against my hip in the process and I back away.

“Sorry,” I mutter.

I take the spoon he offers and hobble back to the couch. He follows and stares at the popcorn on my coffee table for a second.

“I didn’t mean to interrupt—”

“Trust me,” I say, holding up the container. “This is way better than popcorn. I’ve been dying for ice cream since we talked about it this morning.”

“Looks like I made the right choice.”

He swivels his head between the chair and the couch. My stomach flips as he takes the space next to me on the couch, his warm, muscled thigh lightly pressing against mine.

“What are you watching?” he asks.

“I was about to watch Atomic Blonde.”

“Really?”