My eyes widen, and I bite my tongue so I don't laugh. "Oh my word, get back inside and sit. What are you doing answering the door?" I follow him inside, shutting it behind me and wait until he's sitting on the couch in front of the TV before I walk farther in. A video game is paused on the screen, a dragon frozen as it swoops down in the sky, ready to blow fire at his character."Are you okay? Have you seen a doctor? How bad is it?" The questions fly out of me and I forget all about the reason I came over originally.He props his legs up on the coffee table in front of him and leans back. "No, just irritation. I wrapped them to keep the medicine on. Ridge made me take the day off work and I had to miss a big stakeout, but now that you're here, things are turning out for the better."I refuse to let my cheeks turn pink because then he'd know I like him a little more than I should. Definitely more than I imagined I'd ever like anyone again. "A stakeout? I thought you installed secu
"I can't believe they gave it to a flatfoot like StellaRuns."And then underneath them a reply comment agreeing. "Probably a pity sponsor. Have to pick a female so they don't appear sexist."Both of the usernames are from other runners in the industry who probably had videos trying for the same sponsorship. The running community can be an amazing group of people who all get along and support one another, but it can also be full of real jerks, colossal assholes who will cut you down over the smallest crap.Anonymous people always have a comment about how you're doing something and how they would do it better. Or how they disagree with your life choice and then a tirade about how they make better ones. Everything you buy has to be perfect and heaven forbid if a CEO sneezed on Thursday last week. It can be tough waters to navigate and normally I don't let it get to me.But as I sit alone in the bakery, it does. First my ex enjoying my damn favorite bagels and now the negative comm
The operator answers quickly, taking down my address and the nature of my call without an issue. "Remember, it's not a real emergency," I say again before she promises me an officer is on the way, letting me hang up while I wait.Warmth has taken over the kitchen and I don't want to be in the same space as the box and the message. The thought of sharing a space turns my stomach. My fingers stick together as I walk out of the house and use the garden hose to spray the red substance from my hands.A black SUV pulls into my driveway right as I'm about to sit on the front porch, my hands wet and my body shaking. A tall man wearing a long brown trench coat approaches, looking like a man on a mission."Are you Ms. Donovan with the box?" he asks casually.I nod. "Yes.""I'm Detective Anderson. Would you show me the box in question?" His voice is soothing, but it doesn't take away my jitters."Okay," I whisper, leading him into the kitchen. "What you see is all I know. There wasn't
Crispin goes on high alert, his body becoming stiff and his arm jerking my hand with the sudden change of demeanor. "What?"Katy isn't fazed. She raises a hand and rolls her eyes. "You know, walk around and get people excited for the event. Talk of how much fun the games are. Talk the men into spending a bunch of money at one table. Get them playing the games. Help them order more drinks. Drunk people spend more money. That's a scientific fact.""Is it?" It makes sense, but I doubt Katy looked up her statistics in a scientific journal.Katy shrugs. "I know, but it sounds good and Pierce's family is paying for the alcohol so we need to drink a lot."Wait. The Kensington family donated alcohol to a charity event trying to raise money to buy the bed-and-breakfast out from underneath him? It makes no sense, but there's no time to question Katy because another couple comes up behind us. The woman wears a beautiful purple dress, the fabric ending right below her knees and showcasing
Gunshots. Multiples, too many to count."Stay low," Crispin whispers to the three of us as if we had plans to jump and run.There's another scream and a bunch of people cluster together farther in the room. Katy, Tabitha, and I huddle together behind her cashier station as Crispin gathers us in a group. Simultaneously he and four other men jump up from their various spots around the room. Each of them wears matching tuxes with guns — where were they even keeping them — brazenly held out in front of them. It's like our own small-town James Bond crew. Crispin surveys the area around him and communicates with silent head jerks. I should panic, but the move is hot."Crispin take back," one of them whispers, pointing to an area to his left. I clutch onto his pant leg, but he steps away whispering a promise I'll be safe and then leaves us. If he didn't look like such a trained secret agent, I'd be searching for a plant to pee in right now. A light coating of smoke created by gunfire fi
My dress falls to the floor into a puddle around my feet and Crispin licks his lips in what I hope is appreciation."You're so beautiful, Stella. Gorgeous."His attention lowers as he takes a nipple between his teeth, and his tongue caresses my delicate skin. Waves of tingles touch every part of my body, mimicking the movements of his tongue. I want to scream out and melt into his arms all at once.Before I'm ready he continues further down, his thumbs following the lines of my legs until his hands rest between my thighs as he works my underwear low until I can step out of them. He pushes my thigh and widens my stance, making room for his head to fit.Crispin's moan matches mine at the first touch of his tongue on my private entrance. I back against the wall, flattening myself against it, scared to let him keep going but not wanting him to stop. It's too intimate an act for my kitchen, worse that it's my brother's kitchen, but I can't tell him to stop. It's been so long since I
Cause trouble. Does he think we are teenagers? "Of course not. Just a girl's day." I've hung out with the girls in the bakery more than once, but Katy and I connected. She's so upbeat and spunky. Who wouldn't want to hang around her?Crispin leans in close, kissing me on the forehead. "I've heard things about her.""Katy? No." She also warned me the town was full of gossips and considering she grew up here, I'm sure somebody has something to say about her. What would the people in my hometown say about me? Nothing I want to hear, more than likely."Just make smart choices and if you need help, call me," Crispin says."Okay, Dad."... After an afternoon of shopping at the little plaza of stores Katy talked me into visiting because she used the word "mall," we returned to my place, dropped off our shopping bags and Katy left to give me a chance to change my clothes.She told me to dress covertly but declined to clarify what that meant. I went for dreary colors since I didn
Katy and I freeze, looking back and forth in the thick darkness while trying to see who is yelling. I tense, ready to run, but Katy squats down, trying to hide in the shadows. I can't leave her behind so we wait until a second later a big hulking man steps out from the porch, a gun pointed in front of him, moving back and forth between our two heads.He smiles, but it isn't in an evil I-want-to-shoot-you-and-bury-you in-the-front-yard smile. It almost looks as if he's laughing at us. He's caught two teenagers out having a night of fun rather than two criminals gathering evidence."Katy, what are you doing here?" the big guy asks."Nothing."A second voice comes from nowhere until I lean ahead and spot a tall skinny man standing on the end of the wraparound porch. "Bring them inside, Jock."The beast of a man flips his gun in that direction, using it as a big flashing sign. "Mr. Zanetti would like to invite you two to dinner."Katy steps away from the house but makes no move