Page 8 of Hot Cops

“Maybe we should get up,” she suggested, even though she didn’t move. Her head hurt too badly. Besides, she was comfy and warm.

“Not yet,” he said. “Just rest awhile.”

They lay in companionable silence for several minutes and Riley had just about let the slow pounding of his heart lure her back to sleep when there was a knock at the door.

“Ignore it,” she said sleepily. “Maybe they’ll go away.”

Aaron gently moved her aside and stood up. “I don’t think you want me to ignorethisvisitor.”

“Aaron, I’m half naked and hung over. Believe me, there is no one I want to see.” She pulled the covers over her head as he yanked on his jeans and walked to the door.

She listened from under the blanket as he spoke to someone. She couldn’t make out what was said, but she heard Aaron say thanks and shut the door again. She lowered the covers a little bit to peer out, surprised to find him holding a McDonald’s bag for her to see.

She sat up quickly, grabbing her head as her too-fast movement sent a sharp pain through her temple. “Ouch. Damn head. Is that what I think it is?”

“If you think it’s one Riley Collins Hangover Cure, then yep, it’s what you think.”

“How the hell did you get McDonald’s delivered through room service?”

“It’s Vegas. You can get anything if you’re willing to pay. I bribed one of the bellhops last night when we got in. Promised him a big tip if he would pick it up and deliver it.”

He handed her the bag and she pulled out the still-warm hash brown, holding it as if it were a precious treasure. “Manna from heaven.”

“Aren’t you forgetting something?”

She looked up, delighted when he pulled a drink from behind his back.

“Diet Coke?” she asked.

“Would I get you anything else?”

“Oh, Aaron, you are too good to me.”

He laughed. “You’re an easy woman to please. Couple of hash browns and a soda.”

“No better food on earth the day after a long party. I can’t believe you went to so much trouble.”

“You’re worth it.”

She took the drink from him and looked away quickly, afraid to let him see how much his words were affecting her. He said nice things to her all the time. Aaron always did sweet, thoughtful things. Now, however, his actions seemed more apparent, more important. She had no doubt he meant for them to stay married. The thought he wanted such a thing blew her away. He’d never come on to her, never flirted with her, never made her believe they’d ever be anything more than friends. Overnight, somehow, all that had changed and she couldn’t figure out how to feel about it.

“Are you going to eat that or try to stare it into your stomach?”

“Why do you want to be married to me?” she asked.

If Aaron was taken aback by her question, it didn’t show. He sat beside her on the bed and shrugged. “There are a lot of reasons why, Riley.”

“Name a few.”

“We’re compatible. We have fun together. You’re damn easy on the eyes.”

She snorted. “You think I’m pretty?”

“Hell yeah. I think you’re gorgeous.”

“Since when?” she asked with a laugh. “In middle school, you called me Metal Mouth.”

“You had braces. Besides, that was years ago. You can’t hold me accountable for mean nicknames I used when I was eleven. If I recall correctly, you called me Aaron Dung.”

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