Twisted (6 page)

"Whatevs.  Later.”  Aliah scooped up her papers and took
off.

Back at my desk, I quickly squinted at Owen's calendar for
the afternoon.  It looked like I was in the clear, but Owen had booked a couple
of interviews with a couple of prospective lawyers to join his practice.  Owen was
still holding his own, but if we didn't get help soon, it would only be a
matter of time before his clients started to suffer the consequences of a staff
shortage.

I worked super hard that afternoon and was feeling a little
exhausted, though I kept in the back of my head the promise to Aliah that I
would hit the gym with her after work.  I was ready on time for a change and
Aliah was pleasantly surprised, though it didn’t stop her from driving us to
the club in her usual flurry of speed.

We had made it one block away from the club when I noticed an
unmarked police car pulling out behind us.  Glancing in the side mirror, I saw
the black car increasingly gaining on us, until it was so close I couldn’t see
the headlights.  That’s when the cherries started flashing erratically.

"Shit!" Aliah screeched, dawning with realization.

"Pull over, dumb ass!"

She ignored my comment and continued the rest of the way,
since the driveway to the Westmount was very near.  Finally she pulled into the
parking lot and parked the car in the first empty space.  "Can you believe
this?" she asked.

"What do you expect when you drive like a crazy
lady?"

"Don't worry I can handle it," she said, tousling her
hair and checking herself in the rear-view mirror.

Aliah was in luck.  The male police officer was alone.  I
glanced out the angled rear view, getting a perfect shot of his long solid legs
as he stepped out of his car.  He adjusted his hat, lowering it over his eyes
and approached her side of the car, smooth and stealthy.  Dressed in full
uniform complete with aviator sunglasses, he looked like a walking wet dream.  Ooh,
I love a man in uniform.  He knocked at her window before she put it down.

"Yes officer," she said coyly, leaving the window
only half open.

"Do you realize how fast you were driving?" he
said, voice flat and strong, with an incredibly appealing accent.  His eyes
were shadowed beneath his brimmed hat and I couldn't help but stare at his
amazing lips.

"Well my friend and I were just heading to the
Westmount, after a long day’s work, as you can see.  We really didn't want to
be late for our class.  I apologize officer.  I promise it won't happen
again."

I rolled my eyes and glanced out my window, noting the
growing crowd inside the Westmount's large front window.

The officer chuckled amused for some unknown reason.  Being
awfully bold, he reached inside the window and pressed the button to ease it all
the way down.  That dark, troubled chuckle caught my attention, my eyes tore
from my window and flashed out Aliah’s in an instant.

The officer tipped up his hat to look at me.  "Is this
true sweetheart?" he asked.

I thought I recognized those lips.  How could I be so ignorant? 
“Spencer!” I said, still sounding totally shocked.  How could I have mistaken
that terribly sexy accent?  The officer removed his aviators, hooked them onto
his collared shirt, then readjusted the brim of his hat, all while gazing at me
with his mysterious icy blue eyes.

"Good to see you.  How are things going?" he asked. 
His stance less formal, he clutched the top of the car and leaned closer, duty
blowing away with the wind.

"Things are good.  The house is finally done.  I’m still
working with Owen.  Same old, I guess.  How’ve you been?" I asked,
curiously attentive.

"Alright, I guess.  You look great!  Are you still
single?" he asked, his accent straight out of England.

Flustered, both from his offensive suggestion and his sexy
voice, "Uhh…," I stuttered.

"I apologize.  I realize how that sounded and I didn't mean
to insult you.  Let me rephrase my question if you will.  If you aren't seeing
someone right now, would you like to get a coffee sometime?  With me.  You
know, to catch up."

I smiled at his save but was not incredibly intrigued by his
invitation.  What was I saying?  "I'd like that."  I’d been having a
draught in the man department lately and that accent of his was irresistible. 
I would do coffee with him anytime, if only to sit and listen to him talk.

Aliah knew I was carefully working her out of a speeding
ticket, but she still couldn’t keep her mouth shut.  “You didn’t recognize me
Spence?”

"No, but I should have recognized your reckless driving."

"Could you blame me?  This car just begs you to drive
fast," she said, not helping her situation.

"I'll tell you what.  I may be willing to bargain with
you.  But if I don't give you a ticket here, today, you'll have to give me
something in exchange," he said to Aliah.

"Anything.”  She even raised her eyebrows to be sure he
understood that point.

I shook my head out of embarrassment, with my hand over my
eyes, though Aliah was clearly unaffected by her lack of humility.

"You have Abigail call me," he said.  Spencer
plucked his pad of paper from his pocket and scribbled something on it.  As he ripped
the paper off, I overheard a call come in over his radio.

"Is that even legal, what you're doing there Mr.
Officer?" Aliah taunted, yanking the paper from his fingers.

"Don't push your luck.  What you just offered me could
be considered bribing a police officer," he said bluntly, then smiled at
me.

He looked wicked and sexy as hell.  His mysterious eyes
sparkled and dazzled me even more than I had remembered they could.  "I
have to take care of this call.  You ladies should probably get to that class
you were racing to.  And you make sure Abby calls me, or I'll get you next
time."  He curled his lips into another mysterious smile and hustled back
to his car.  In seconds he was speeding off with lights and sirens and just
like that, Spencer was gone.

"Mmm, mmm.  There's just something about a man in
uniform,” Aliah said.  “Tell me again why you never got back with him?"

"Funny you say that.  I'm having a hard time remembering
that myself right now."  I laughed, but there were plenty of reasons not
to get involved with Spencer.

Aliah pulled her keys from the ignition and together we jogged
up to the building.  The bystanders had scattered from the window by time we
reached the doors.  We had even made it to class with a few minutes to spare.

After class I showered at the club and it reenergized me,
gave me a sense of vibrant wellbeing.  Aliah drove me home, faster than
necessary, despite what had transpired earlier. 

"Thanks for the ride, Danica."

"Hey.  If it weren't for my speedy driving, you wouldn't
have seen Spencer Caldwell at all."

“Whatever you have to tell yourself,” I teased.  “Laters.”  I
walked passed Edwin’s truck and clutched the antiqued bronze door handle.  The
door was locked.  After digging through my bag, at last I found my key and slid
it into the lock.  It turned over with ease.

I let myself inside and dropped my bag on the floor. 
“Hello?” I hollered, not hearing Edwin anywhere on the main floor.  I walked
around, but he wasn’t anywhere to be found.  That’s strange.

I strapped by bag back onto my shoulder and jogged up
stairs.  His bedroom door was shut.  I hope he’s not ill.  I dropped my things
inside my bedroom door and finger combed my hair as I headed for his room.  I
tapped on his door and peeked inside, expecting the worst.

Edwin was lying on his bed relaxing, with headphones on, but
he appeared to be alive and well.  He saw me as soon as I opened his door and
waved for me to come in.  He pulled off his headphones and swung his feet over
the side of the bed.  "I've been waiting for you.  I wanted to talk to you
about something," Edwin said, patting the bed next to him.

"Did you eat dinner yet?" I asked, hoping to put it
off.

"No, but this is important.  I want to discuss it with
you first."  His face looked troubled, yet his body was as laid-back as
usual.

I instantly got a pain in my side, wondering if this had
something to do with my googly eyes for him earlier.  Shit.  He’s probably
feeling like he has to let me down before I get my hopes up.  This is awkward. 
I hesitantly crept closer to the bed.

Edwin had been watching me.  He raised an eyebrow and smiled. 
"Don't look so worried.  Come here."  His smile kicked up a notch. 
He knew I was fretting and was somehow pleased by that.

My anxiety mounted considerably when it hit me.  Is he ready
to move on without me?  I knew our joint home ownership couldn't last forever
and it was only a matter of time before one of us made the decision to either
move out or try to give the other the boot.  But now?  I can't believe he's
doing this to me.  He must want a fresh start.  New job.  New space.  New life. 
I took a seat a safe distance away from him.

"Come on now, am I that scary?"

I shimmied a little closer, but he wasn’t satisfied, shifting
himself until our legs were touching.  I rested my hands on my thighs, with
nowhere else for them to go, and stared at them in silent agony.  Sitting so
close to Edwin, I couldn’t help but inhale his fresh scent, lemony bleach and
fabric softener.  I couldn’t escape the urge to snuggle up against his chest
and run my fingers over his tight, rigid abs.

"So you know that I've had a bit of a dry spell with the
ladies lately."

"Okay," I said hesitantly.  I wondered if he
thought our living arrangements were the cause of that.  It had definitely not
made things easy for me.

"So I was thinking.  Maybe we could give the whole
friends with benefits thing a shot."  Though his words flowed serious and
honest, he could not wipe the huge smile off his face.  His amusement invoked
an urge within me to attack him.

I didn't know whether it had formed out of anger, relief or
attraction, but I went with it anyway acting on impulse.  I tackled Edwin and
pinned him down hard on the bed.  "Is that all you ever think about?"
 I raised my eyebrows at him waiting for a thoughtful response.

He sensed my anger and tried to manage his smile, but his
lips still curled handsomely at the edges.  "You have no idea how much
that just turned me on."

"Ugh!" I screeched, jumping up off of him.  I
bounced to my butt and hopped off the bed swiftly.  I stomped a few steps away to
show my annoyance, though my heart was racing and my head thrilled.

Not knowing how to deal with the feelings coursing through
me, I scurried out his door and got a head start on the stairs.  My
exhilaration was seeping out onto my face and I was having a hell of a time
controlling it.  Edwin was hot on my tail.

"I see you're feeling better," he called behind me.

Obviously I am, because I was never sick dumb ass.
 
I masked my facial expressions as best I could, by pressing a
frown onto my lips.  "Yes I am, thank you very much."

I made it to the kitchen and opened the fridge quickly,
tucking my head inside the french doors.  I didn't find anything enticing,
since I hadn’t stocked it this week, knowing we'd be away for the weekend.  I
stared a little longer than needed, hoping to regain my composure.  When I
thought I had it together, I shut the fridge, turned around and looked at
Edwin. 

He was smiling, teeth and all.  But damn, he looked good.

I rolled my eyes then scowled at him, since it was the only
logical response without totally giving myself away.  "You know that shit
never works out."

"Oh, but it'd be so much fun trying.  No strings
attached.  And I know it's been a while for you too.   Come on, I'll follow
your rules," he begged, and it was so hot.

I was offended that he was keeping tabs on my sex life, but I
was happy to hear that he didn't sleep with that last floozy he was dating.  Unless
he’s only telling me what I want to hear.  Wait a minute, am I actually
considering this?  This is insane.  When I broke out of the daze, I realized
that Edwin's smile hadn't faded.  He knew I was considering it and he
approved.  His enthusiasm was actually quite charming.  He
was
looking
incredibly sexy today.

Such a dangerous decision, and even though I knew it was a
bad idea, I also knew what I was missing out on.  If I couldn’t bring myself to
indulge, I could at least press his buttons a little, right?  It’d be harmless
to be a tease, wind him up just for the fun of it.  Yes.  That’s what I’ll do.

"Are you that hard up?” I teased, finally letting a soft
smile sneak out.  “What about Aleshia from a few weeks ago?  I thought she was
a sure thing.”

"Nope.  She couldn’t shut her mouth long enough and I
couldn't bring myself to do it.  I have standards you know."

"Oh I see, and somehow this is way classier than
sleeping with a girlfriend."

"It's the safest bet.  You know what you're getting into
and you don't have to worry about the awkward morning after.”