Page 2 of Captivated

Cash

Ten Weeks Earlier

“So, you wanna get out of here?”

With my fist full of her auburn hair and her head tipped back so I could feast on her neck, my flavor of the night mewls seductively at me as we make out against the wall outside of Tony’s Bar.

“As long as you understand this is just sex. No feelings. I’m not gonna call you or miraculously turn into your boyfriend after one romp in the sack… do you understand?”

Her eyes narrow and then a sly smile stretches across her face. “Sounds good to me.”

Yeah, that’s what they all say.

“Totally, I get it.”

“No worries, we’re all good.”

“I’m not that kind of girl, don’t stress.”

And then within a week, they’re sliding into my direct messages on Facebook or Instagram (because I don’t exchange phone numbers), claiming they just wanted to say hi, then casually suggesting we should hook up again.

But that’s not me. I don’t do repeats, very often that is. I’ve had a few friends-with-benefits situations that have lasted longer than one night—but I can count those on one hand.

You’d think being honest with a woman from the get-go would help me avoid those situations that quickly turn into a stalker status from women who just can’t accept the fact that I blew their mind in bed, but that’s all they’ll ever get from me.

“Where’s your place?” I mumble as I nip at her jaw again.

“Kinda far. What about yours?”

“I don’t take women back to my house. Car?” I suggest, tipping my head towards the parking lot.

“Hell yeah,” she agrees as I pull her by the hand to my truck.

Steamy windows and rocking tires would alert anyone to what’s going on inside, but I don’t give a shit. I need my release and Melissa here is helping me get it. Of course, she’s getting hers too—at least twice—so everyone is a winner here.

“Fuck yes!” She shouts as she convulses above me, my own release arriving just moments after hers, the heavy breathing in the cab of my truck doing nothing to help the moisture building on the windows.

“Well, that was fun,” she finally says, sliding her jeans back up her legs and fluffing her hair.

“Agreed. Thanks.” And here’s the test—can this girl take a hint? Was she really listening when I told her that sex was all this would be and it’s time for her to leave? I need some rest and have a shit ton of stuff to do tomorrow before my shift at the Labor Day celebration for the town.

“Well, hopefully I’ll see you around.” She kisses my cheek and then exits my truck. I watch her get into her car safely and pull out of the parking lot. Waiting a few minutes until after she’s gone, I fire up the engine and head for my house—a small three-bedroom bungalow I picked up for a hell of a deal when the market fell. Arriving just after midnight, I hop in the shower and pass out in bed, anxious for what tomorrow may bring.

This is only my second year patrolling the Labor Day Celebration, but being on traffic control at big town events like these makes my eyes twitch—not because I hate my job—no, far from it. It’s because idiots don’t know how to slow the fuck down around pedestrians or read signs clearly marked to keep traffic flowing as normally as possible.

It’s the first weekend in September and the final weekend of the summer in Emerson Falls, a quaint town in the forest of Southern Oregon that is quickly blossoming into the thriving place I call home. I’m leaving my duty for a few minutes today so I can support my friend, Cooper, a fellow sheriff deputy and my best friend, as he proposes to his girlfriend during the event in front of the entire crowd.

“You nervous?” I slide up next to Cooper as he stands and waits for Captain to call him backstage at the main stage in the park.

“More so about getting up in front of everyone, but not about asking her to marry me,” he answers, taking a deep breath to settle his nerves.

“Well, you’d better go get this thing done. I could only pull away from my post for a little while, then I’ve got to go back.”

“It’s always about you, isn’t it, Cash?” Cooper tilts his head to look over at me while I shoot him my best mega-watt smile.

“Glad you’re finally realizing that. By the way, don’t you even dare putting me in a brown suit for the wedding, or I’m not coming. Brown doesn’t match my coloring. This blonde hair and blue eyes looks better in navy blue or black.” I push him forward towards the tent as Captain peaks his head out behind the tarp, waving him towards his impending doom.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy for the guy. Lord knows their secret relationship and miscommunication made their happy ending one they had to fight for, and I’m sure things will work out for them in the future.

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