“Then why did you meet me for coffee?”
“Why did you meet me?” he asked, pulling over and turning to look at her.
“Because it seems like I should know you a little. And that we should talk without fighting. If we’re going to sleep together.”
“I thought the same thing.”
“Well, so then this makes sense,” she said, biting her lip.
“Yep.”
“And we’re not making out in the patrol car.”
“No,” he said. “Please tell me you aren’t a badge bunny.”
“A badge bunny?” She turned to face him. “Is that a thing? Tell me that is not a thing.”
“It’s a thing.”
“Wow. You sound so regretful about it. It’s like a badge-related groupie, right?”
“Yes, yes, it is.”
“And you don’t sound thrilled.”
He let out a sigh. “It’s weird. I’m not a rock star or anything. Women who are hyper into the whole uniform thing...it’s weird.”
“Most guys wouldn’t question it.”
“Jack wouldn’t. Jack doesn’t,” Eli said. “The other bunny we get is the buckle bunny. They like cowboys. They go after Jack and Connor.”
“Connor obviously doesn’t go back.”
“No. He was never much of a player. And he’s less of one now. Jack, on the other hand...”
“That’s your friend. The one I met briefly the night I burst the pipes. And he was with you in the bar, too, right?”
“Yeah. That’s him. He’s more like a degenerate brother. But he’s never taken anything half as seriously as Connor or I do. Which is probably why he’s happier.”
“If more sex is equal to more happiness, then sure. Though you should be bucking up by now.”
“We’ve only had sex twice,” he said.
“We probably could have doubled that if you would have stuck around for a while last night.”
“Not the best time to have this conversation.”
“Well, just don’t go scuttling off into the cold tonight and you’re likely to get a little more action.”
He cleared his throat. “I didn’t want to assume.”
“Oh, I can go all night, buddy,” she said. Which wasn’t a theory she’d tested. Because usually one and done for the evening was fine with her. One orgasm basically put her under the table. She was a sexual lightweight in that way.
“Good to know,” he said, sounding a little strained.
She liked that she could affect him this way. Because he was so solid. So stoic and serious and good. She liked that a little naughtiness got him hot under the uniform collar. And clip-on tie.
“So now we wait in semi-camouflage,” she mused, looking into the woods on the passenger side of the car, “for an unsuspecting speeder to go by?”
“Basically,” he said.
“I’m drunk with power,” she said. “And I don’t even have ticket-writing powers. How the hell do you do this without succumbing to the urge to abuse your authority?” She wiggled her eyebrows.
“Humorless response coming, beware.”
“I expected nothing less,” she said, rolling her eyes.
“If I abused my power, my entire reason for wanting it wouldn’t be the same. I want to fix things, remember?”
“So you’re not going to go breaking them further.”
“Not exactly.”
The radio buzzed and Eli held up his hand, putting his hand on the black button. A woman’s voice filled the car, along with a decent amount of feedback. “Disturbance at Oak and Scotchbroom. Suspect appears to be unarmed but is threatening diner patrons.”
“Copy. En route.”
He put his hand back on the shifter and put the car in Drive, flipping a U-turn before turning on the lights and heading back toward town. “More than you bargained for?” he asked.
