Page 15 of Her Secret Wish

As they neared their destination and he prepared to for the final turn, he glanced over at Rachel. For some reason she had her hand over her mouth. Her eyes glittered with laughter. “What?”

She pointed a long finger up through the windshield.

Dean looked up at the sign and could have choked. “What the hell is that?”

The sign said Pink Cactus, but it was the picture next to it that made him shake his head. He assumed it was a pink cactus, but it had two spikey cactus paddles and one large…paddle, in the middle. From a distance the sign had a very hairy, very phallic look to it.

Rachel was doubled over in her seat, tears streaking down her cheeks as she laughed. “I’m sorry,” she gasped, chuckling. “I just didn’t expect it to look so…male.”

Choking, Dean pulled into the lot and parked in front of the business, but something wasn’t right. “I don’t think this is even a restaurant.”

They climbed out of the truck and walked to the front, then along the sidewalk to the plate glass window decorated with the phallic cactus. Rachel leaned forward and cupped a hand over her eyes to peer into the depths of the store. “It’s women’s clothes,” she gasped, disintegrating into giggles again.

“What?”

Dean leaned in and looked for himself. Yes, indeed, it was a women’s clothing store. They definitely had a western flair, hence the cactus. He grimaced as he caught sight of one of the price tags on the rack of clothes inside the door. Even those were decorated with the phallic cactus.

It hit him suddenly. “Killian did this. He knew what it was. He just wanted to embarrass me.”

Dean pulled his cell from his pocket and hit the dial button when Killian’s name popped up. His partner answered with just a couple of rings, and he was already laughing.

“Dude, what the hell?”

Killian cracked up on the other end of the line, laughing uncontrollably. It got a little quieter as if he’d moved the phone away, but after a few seconds he came back. “Hey, buddy, what’s up?”

Dean knew it had been meant in fun, but it still grated on his pride. He was here trying to impress a woman, maybethewoman. “The Pink Cactus, really?”

Cackling on the other end of the line, Killian lost his shit again. Dean looked at his phone, frustrated. “Really?”

Then the acoustics of the phone call changed. Two Denver PD cruisers pulled into the lot and their drivers stepped out. Killian was one of them. He circled the hood of his car, hands held out placatingly. “It was just a joke, buddy.”

The other officer, Noah Burns, circled his car to pound Dean on the back. “We knew you hadn’t worked much in this district. Don’t be too mad at him, West. All the newbies get sent here eventually.”

Shaking his head, Dean turned to look at Rachel. Her skin was flushed with delight and her golden caramel eyes sparkled with fun. She seemed totally okay with the situation.

All of the aggravation he’d felt at having the joke played on him washed away. If it made her smile, it was totally worth it.

Then she reached out, resting a cool palm on his forearm. It sent a shock across his skin and drew his focus straight to her. “They’re just playing. I’m not offended at all. Actually, I think we need a picture.”

That was how he found himself in the middle of the parking lot with a giant, prickly, pink dick the backdrop to a selfie of the four of them.

He couldn’t resist dragging Killian into a headlock, though, and wrestling a little. “Just you wait,Buddy. You are so fried. I don’t know when or where, but you have retribution coming.”

Killian wiped tears from his eyes and pounded Dean on the back when he let him go. “I know, West. I can’t wait.” He turned to Rachel and held out a hand. She took it immediately. “I hope you know we were just yakkin’ it up with our boy. He’s a good man, putting up with all the ribbing we’ve given him since he hired on.”

Rachel grinned and shook his hand before releasing it. “No, you’re totally fine. I get it.”

Dean leaned in to catch his buddy’s eye. “She’s a former Marine and works at that detective agency on the East side, Lost and Found.”

Killian’s eyes widened. “Oh, hell. Well, you know all about the ribbing that goes on with the newbies then.”

Rachel nodded, her eyes shining.

“I’ve been a cop for years,” Dean groused.

“Not here, you haven’t,” Killian corrected. “Hey, one of the detectives were able to decipher the plate from the surveillance cam at the quickie mart. They picked up the guy today and impounded the truck. Thought you’d like to know that.”

Rachel appreciated that he’d remembered to tell them. The truck had been a loose end niggling at her mind. “Thanks, Killian. You just made my night that much better.”

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