Page 26 of Color of Love

“None. No one ever saw anything,” Justine replied.

Before she could say more, Janet coughed delicately to gain everyone’s attention and they began to file over to the table. Justine got caught up behind a group of elderly ladies and the only seat left was next to Blake. Cursing her rotten luck tonight, she sat down. Janet began the meeting by reading the minutes from last week where she just reconfirmed that nothing interesting had happened whatsoever. Justine really didn’t enjoy these meetings but as a local business owner and resident, she felt she had to do her bit for the community.

She squirmed in her seat, trying to get comfy and her knee brushed up against Blake’s. He jerked at the touch but tried to play it off like it was nothing. Someone’sjumpy tonight. Maybe he was feeling anxious about being around so many people. She ordered herself to stop being such a grump and moved her seat away slightly so as not to crowd him.

She tried to focus back on Janet but after a moment she noticed Blake sit forward in his chair, the angle putting them closer together, she could feel the heat from his body teasing her, his scent surrounding her, and her eyelids fluttered closed as it now crowded her. So masculine.

“I’m afraid to say we have some alarming news to report,” Janet started, and Justine focused her attention back on the real reason she was here tonight.

“Some of you may remember our biggest case from last year, still unsolved to this day!” she cried dramatically, and Justine felt her stomach sink.

“That’s right, the Trashcan Bandits are back, and wreaking havoc in our town again. They must be stopped! From next week we will use these meetings to conduct stakeouts around the neighborhood in the hopes of catching these rogue individuals. We’ll pair off to be on the safe side, you never know these days what people are capable of.”

There were disgruntled murmurs around the group and Justine thought she could hear Dean snickering behind her. She turned to make eye contact with him, and he coughed into his hand to cover a laugh. She fought her own laughter, until she met Blake’s steady, cold gaze and her giggles died in her throat. He’s too damn serious.

“Now, I think the best way to pair off is to just go around the table so we’ll start from the top, Justine and Blake will be our first pairing, then Dean and Betty…” as Justine tuned Janet out, she felt Blake stiffen beside her.

Shit. Why was this happening to her? Why did the universe keep throwing them together? He was at work, in her personal life and now they were stuck on a stakeout together for God knows how long. Great. Was he going to also be at the next sleepover too? What did he wear to bed? She’d bet he slept naked. He would look amazing naked, all that muscle on display. Why are you suddenly so obsessed with muscles?

“Justine?” Blake nudged her and she realized he’d been calling her, and she’d been too busy thinking about him naked to notice.

“Yes, sorry,” she replied, feeling herself flush when she turned to face him. He frowned down at her, his dark brows drawn in, making him look all sexy and broody, damn him! He swiped his tongue over his bottom lip, the sight had her clenching her fists to stop from reaching for him. What’s wrong with you?

“So, I’ll pick you up at your place at seven next Monday?” he asked. She nodded, resigned to being stuck in a car with him, in the dark, for an hour at least. An hour she would have to fight to keep her thoughts clean and her hands to herself.

“Sounds good,” she replied, and he stood up, said goodbye to Dean and started walking off.

“Blake!” she called, a thought dawning on her. He turned to face her, raising an eyebrow. How did he look so sexy just doing that? Ugh, please stop thinking about him.

“You don’t know where I live.”

“Justine, I work at the sheriff’s office. I know where you live,” he replied, his tone cocky. God that fired her up. He smirked at her slightly as if he knew exactly what she was thinking and then he was gone.

*

On Wednesday morning, Blake arrived at Justine’s office bright and early, beating Justine herself. Hilda sat him in the waiting room and tried to make small talk with him. He attempted to give her one-word answers to discourage the social interaction, but she kept drawing him in. He was trying so hard to keep the town at arm’s length, still not ready to let them into his life yet, his stunning psychologist in particular. But it was hard. Literally. He hadn’t had this many spontaneous erections since he was a teenager. He needed to get laid, fast. The problem was his body was turned off at the thought of any woman but her. The one woman he couldn’t seem to get space from. He scowled as he thought of their pairing for the upcoming stakeout. Stuck in a car all evening, in the dark, her scent and closeness driving him wild. It would be his toughest lesson ever in self-restraint.

“I’m so sorry I’m late!” Justine exclaimed, bounding into the office. Her jacket caught on the door handle, and she yelped as it yanked her back. Her bag slipped from her grip, the contents spilling across the floor. Blake got up to help her and he grabbed the papers that had fallen out, glancing down at them briefly catching the words ‘PTSD’ and ‘treatments’.

“Thank you, please come straight in,” she said, when he handed her belongings over. Her eyes were wide and bright, and her cheeks tinged with crimson making her look adorable. She could be wearing a sack with her head shaved and you’d find her attractive! His brain mocked.

He took a seat on the couch and watched as she removed her jacket and hung it over the back of her chair. She smoothed her hair down and took a seat opposite him. She looked elegant today in a plain black dress with bright orange earrings and sandals. He tore his gaze away before he started spouting poetry about how luminescent she looked. Luminescent? Shit, too late…

“Again, apologies for being late. I was up late last night researching and overslept.”

“It’s fine, Justine,” he replied.

She smiled at him brightly, flashing her straight, white teeth at him. Her smile was so damn sweet he had to fight his every instinct to return it.

“How are you?” she asked gently.

He looked at her for a moment before he sighed internally. He gave up. He wanted to get better and something about her spoke to him in a way his previous therapists hadn’t. He believed that she genuinely wanted to help him, and even after he spent weeks pushing her away, she continued to try harder than ever. Blake wanted to be better, he really did. He was exhausted, his issues were exhausting. But he was still scared to let her all the way in.

“I’m okay,” he replied, nodding his head. She tilted her head to one side, fixing her honey eyes on him.

“Just okay?” she prompted.

“A little tired,” he grumbled, only willing to admit his feelings in dribs and drabs.

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