Page 4 of Captivated

“Well, I understand what it’s like to be the new guy in a small town, so how about I let you off with a warning today? But in the future, please read the signs,” I gesture around us with my hand. “Theyareposted pretty clearly.”

She lets out a big breath, accompanied by a blinding smile. “Oh, my Gosh, thank you! Yes, I’ll be more careful from now on, I promise. I just forgot that this event was going on today and didn’t account for needing to take a different route. Thank you Deputy…” she leans forward and pops up in her seat a bit to scope out my name on my uniform, “Williams… I don’t suppose you could tell me the best way to get to Emerson Memorial from here? These road closures are making this journey more difficult on me,” she winks and my erection grows harder.

I hand her back her items and then nod before removing my sunglasses so we can see each other eye to eye, rattling off a few turns for her to take. “That should get you to the hospital with a few minutes to spare.”

Retreating back in her seat, she replies. “Uh, thank you, Deputy,” she says, lacking some of the confidence that she had before.

The purr of her voice makes the steel rod in my pants strain against my zipper. Fuck. I think I need sex again, and soon.

“No problem. Have a good day, Ms. Davis.” Placing my sunglasses back on my face, I take two steps back from the car, my hands on my hips as I mentally prepare myself to return to my cruiser, but my feet are frozen in place.

She withdraws from the window and swallows hard. “You too.”

Settling back in my car, I watch her take off, headed in the direction she said she was going, all the while reeling from my interaction with one of the most beautiful women I’ve ever laid eyes on.

“Shake it off, Cash. She’s just a chick,” I mutter to myself while cranking my key in the ignition.

I wonder what she looks like naked?

Yeah, that’s what I need to focus on—just what she could offer me for a little fun, not the millions of questions popping up in my brain—like where she’s from, why she moved here, and whether I’ll ever see her again.

The next few hours pass by slowly, which should make me happy since I don’t encounter another person who doesn’t know how to read a street sign. But the unsettled feeling I have in my gut as Piper’s face flashes through my subconscious numerous times tells me that after my routine errand after work, I might need to make another stop at Tony’s for a wet and willing woman to take off the edge I’m feeling.

I finish out my shift for the day and then head home to shower, change, and make the journey across town to see the only woman in my life that truly matters.

Dressed in jeans and a black Henley with a box of Cheez Its in hand, I stride up to the Sagewood Retirement Center located in the northern part of Emerson Falls. As the sliding glass doors glide open, the stark white walls and dark grey floors glisten from the soft lighting overhead. Potted plants flank a long grey receptionist counter stationed directly in front of me that offers a line of defense to unwanted visitors. Luckily, I’m always wanted here.

The dark-haired beauty sitting behind the counter pops her head up as soon as she hears the smack of my boots on the tile, her smile lighting up instantly with my presence.

“Cash! So good to see you!”

“Likewise, Sarah,” I grin as I lean against the counter, resting an elbow along the flat surface.

“Here to see Birdie, I presume,” she looks towards her computer screen while tapping away on her keyboard.

“You got it. Is she in the game room waiting on me?”

“Sure is. What flavor did you bring today?” She peers over the counter, searching for the box of crackers.

Lifting the box up to meet her eyes, I answer. “White Cheddar as always, the best flavor in my opinion.”

She shakes her head. “Nope. I’m a classic girl, myself. Claudia likes white cheddar though, so we always have to buy two boxes at the store.”

“Seems to me Claudia has good taste and you know how to keep your woman happy. I’ll see you later, Sarah,” I flash her my signature smile and wave her off as I saunter down the hall to the game room I could find blindfolded.

“That’s ludicrous!” A voice I’m all too familiar with shouts as I make my way inside the room filled with card tables and cushioned chairs.

“Nope. Look it up!Phphtis a word, it’s an interjection,” Samuel replies as I take in the scene of Birdie and him duking it out over the Scrabble board.

“What the h-e-double-hockey-sticks is an interjection?” She asks, waving her hands in the air.

“It’s a part of speech that means an exclamation, like the phraseAh!OrMy God!” I interrupt, pulling both of their eyes to me as I take my seat on the side of the table between them.

“Youwoulddefend Samuel, wouldn’t you, Cash?” Birdie shoots a glare my way as Samuel pats me on the shoulder.

“Damn right! Us men have to stick together,” Samuel teases.

“Yup. Dicks before chicks. Bros before hoes. Penis before… Clits?”

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