Page 50 of Love Under Protection

Liv elbows him. “Knock it off. It’s too early for your kind of crazy. Let’s get out of here and drop our baby off at school.”

The smart-ass grin on her face makes me chuckle. “You’re both fucking nuts. Let’s go.”

I grab my bag from the kitchen bar stool and follow the two lovebirds out the door. I’m still one hundred percent hyper-aware of my surroundings, but today that anxious feeling of someone watching me is gone. I sincerely hope that means that Sawyer or whoever was watching me has backed off.

Jameson drops me off at King Cosmetics first, before dropping Liv at The Mason Center and then going to his job site for the day.

King Cosmetics seems to have rolled out the red carpet today. I cannot help but wonder if they do this for all of their new hires.

Before I’m even all the way in the door, the receptionist directs me to the conference room where Levi King and several other employees are gathered around. There’s a breakfast of pastries, coffee and tea set up in the middle of the table, and there is a cute little ‘Welcome’ sign attached to the board on the wall.

Levi takes a moment to formally introduce me to the crowd and welcomes me aboard. Then one by one they all take the time to personally introduce themselves, including Levi’s wife Becca and Janice, the current HR Director. There are so many people that I’m slightly overwhelmed. I doubt I’ll remember most of their names, at least right off the bat, but I do my best to take it all in and try to connect their names with their faces.

After all the formalities are out of the way, Levi takes a few minutes to walk with me and Janice to what will become my workspace. Content that I’m settled in, he leaves me in Janice’s capable hands and excuses himself.

We spend most of the morning going over all of my new hire paperwork and filling out all the appropriate forms. After our standard hour-long lunch break, where lunch was provided by the company as yet another welcome gift, we take the afternoon to begin going over the back office side of what happens with all of those forms I filled out and what Janice’s daily processes look like.

By the end of the day, I’m both exhausted and feeling more alive than I have in a long time. I realize how unhappy I really was working for Sawyer and take pride in the fact that I was able to get this job without him, hell - in spite of him if we’re being honest.

A text from Harley is waiting for me when I clock out.

Harley:Change of plans. Jameson is stuck on a job. I’m picking you up. Waiting out front.

I roll my eyes to myself about how ridiculous Harley seems to be acting with this whole situation.

As promised, he’s waiting for me outside the building. He’s leaning against the front side of his patrol car, arms crossed over his chest and feet crossed at the ankles. When he spots me, he smiles.

“Well, hello,” he greets me while opening the passenger side door for me. He waits until I’m tucked inside before walking around and sliding into the driver’s seat. “How was your first day?”

“It was good. The people seem to be friendly and welcoming. What about you? How was your day protecting and serving the fine people of New York City?”

He huffs. “Same shit different day, and it ain’t over yet. You need anything while we’re out? I’ve got to drop you off and get back to it for another six hours.”

“Oh. No. I’m good. I think I’ll order delivery tonight and have a glass of wine with Liv when she gets home from work.”

Harley nods and steers his way through rush hour traffic in Manhattan. It never ceases to amaze me that it takes so long to go such a short distance via a car in this place.

“This is the first time I’ve ever been in a cop car,” I say out loud, attempting to fill the silence around us.

“Hmm. Imagine that, I’m honored to be your first.”

“Shame you have to get back to work. We could break in the backseat.”

“Jesus Christ, woman.” Harley coughs. “First of all, who said ‘just friends?’ Second of all, you do not want to be in that back seat doing anything. Ever. If you only knew the gross things that have touched the surfaces back there, and none of them are anywhere near as sexy as you might be conjuring up in your head.”

I throw my head back and laugh. “On a serious note, I’ve been thinking. Friends are overrated. Just sayin’.”

“You’re the one who made the rule,” Harley grumbles.

“And let me guess, you’re not a rule breaker.”

This time he shoots me a look while we’re stopped at a traffic light. “I’ll have you know, I have high standards, there are some rules you simply don’t break.”

“Who would have thought? Harley, all noble and shit.”

“Lady, you’re a mouthy thing,” he deadpans.

“And you like it.” I reach across to poke him in his side and come in contact with his vest instead. “Hmpf, well, that was pointless. You didn’t feel a thing, did you?”

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