Fifteen minutes later, Jessy saw Lincoln and two other officers handcuffing the two men and a few others who had jumped into the fray. Her heart started thumping as she saw Lincoln looking right at her. He looked so sexy and intimidating in his uniform. He started walking toward her with determination and anger. She wondered what she did to piss him off this time, but then again it didn’t take much to annoy him. He seemed to have a short fuse. Another reason he wasn’t for her. She wanted someone kind and mellow. A drama free life was her goal.
“Hey, Officer Ramirez,” she said cheerfully, pretending like his nearness didn’t affect her in any way. “Coming to wish me good luck tonight?”
He gave her an annoyed look. His eyes swept over her from head to toe. She had left her long hair down tonight. He frowned at her uniform. “Take a break. I need to speak with you.”
Mike gave her a worried look, but Jessy smiled back reassuring him she was not about to be arrested. She hoped not anyway. He couldn’t arrest her for annoying him. “Be right back, Mike.”
Jessy led Lincoln down a dim empty hallway that led to the back exit. The music sounded lower back here.
“So what’s up?” She folded her arms across her chest and tried to look like she wasn’t nervous.
“You were stopped yet again for speeding on your way home from here,” he said through clenched teeth.
Jessy stared at him. Geez, he acted like she had just robbed a bank.
“So what? I pay my tickets.” She shrugged her shoulder, giving him her best I don’t care look. “More money for your town.”
Truthfully, she had not done it on purpose. A few times she felt like she was being watched. She told herself it was her imagination. Lily had a nightmare about Jagger finding them and it reminded Jessy they could never stop looking over their shoulders. It made her nervous and she rushed to get home. Getting caught speeding was an accident.
“The poor officer let you off with a warning. Did you flirt your way out of it?” he sneered.
“Can’t remember. Why, is that a crime?” She batted her lashes at him on purpose and held out her hands in front of her as if waiting for him to put the handcuffs on her. She had a few fantasies about him and his handcuffs, but she would never tell him.
He surprised her by grabbing her wrists and pulling her close to his body. His hard muscles squished her breasts down and her body filled with heat. She gasped out loud. Her hands landed on his chest and she was so tempted to caress his chest up and down and purr.
“You are so exasperating. I ought to put you over my knee for endangering your life that way,” he muttered, sounding impatient. Too bad his words had an opposite effect on her, she was feeling aroused not fearful.
Before she could think of a good comeback, Lincoln had her caged against the wall. One hand stayed at her waist to make sure she didn’t move. He leaned down and kissed her. His tongue delved into her mouth without permission but she didn’t struggle. She was too surprised and secretly pleased to struggle or push him away. And what a kiss it was. If he hadn’t been holding her up she would have fallen to her knees. His tongue was demanding an entrance and she didn’t put up a fight. She opened up to him like a flower opened to the sun. All her reasons for not liking Lincoln melted in ten seconds flat. She closed her eyes and went with it. Her body felt like it was on fire. His hand gripped her hip tightly but she didn’t mind. She wanted his hands a little lower between her legs. The thought shocked her, but she could imagine how wet he’d find her. She heard herself moan as his tongue continued to explore her mouth.
When he let her go, she stood there frozen to the spot, looking up at him with wide shocked eyes. His stare was intense. Then his lips turned upward to form a semi smile. “I like you speechless.”
Jessy cleared her throat, feeling off balance. Lincoln’s face went back to serious. He ran his fingers through his hair. “I’m sorry, Jessy. I shouldn’t have done that. It’s not proper, but you annoy the hell out of me.”
“So this is my fault now?” she asked, feeling outraged. She poked him on the chest with her finger. It had been a wonderful kiss, how dare he regret it. “You attacked me, Officer, not the other way around. You are so full of shit.”
“You liked it and you know it.” He looked smug and she felt her anger rise up. He pointed a finger at her like he was chastising a child.
“Slow your ass down on that long road home, Jessy. You won’t flirt your way out of a ticket with me.” With that last warning, he walked away. Jessy went back to work and fumed silently all night long. Men were the absolute worst, especially cavemen like him who belonged back in the Dark Ages. Who needs them?
* * * *
Jessy sat with Lily on the couch watching a late-night movie. She insisted it not be a scary one this time. Lily had agreed and settled on a romantic comedy. Jessy switched shifts with someone so she could regroup and relax at home after her aggravating shift last night. As if dealing with Lincoln wasn’t enough of a hassle, Gary had drunk too much and followed her to her car. Luckily, one of the bouncers had been leaving and intervened. He yelled at Gary and threw him in a taxi cab. On top of the creepy feelings she had, it was frightening and too much to handle.
She didn’t know if it was her mind playing tricks on her or not. Jessy wanted to confide in her sister, but she didn’t want to upset Lily by talking about Jagger or what happened. Both girls avoided the subject. Lily had left New York a nervous wreck constantly worrying about every little thing. When they first arrived at Brook Hollow, Lily had been so jumpy, barely wanting to say hello to anyone. Lily had walked in on Jagger attacking Jessy and trying to rape her. She hit him with a lamp and knocked him unconscious. That night traumatized both girls. Jessy checked to make sure he was alive, then grabbed whatever money they had and clothes and took off in her car. She stopped in Wisconsin and traded it for another to cover their tracks. They had stayed here and there for a day or two before settling in Brook Hollow. Lily was learning to relax and Jessy didn’t want to take that from her.
“Are you even paying attention, sis?” Lily asked, grabbing a handful of popcorn from the bowl on the coffee table. “This movie is incredibly sad.”
“You picked it,” Jessy reminded her. “I’m trying to follow along. I guess I’m more tired than I thought.”
Lily gave her a worried look. “Mrs. Morelli offered me more hours at the store, Jessy. You work so much. Scale back on your hours. We can make all our bills with my extra hours.”
Jessy reached out and took her sister’s hands. Their shared misery over their parents had given them a strong, unbreakable bond. Jessy was so proud of her sister for even offering. If she worked less she might be able to do some online classes. “I might just do that, Sis. I knew you’d fit in at the boutique. You have always been the fashionable one and the pretty one.”
Lily shook her head in denial. “You’re beautiful, Jessy. More importantly, you have a heart of gold and you are so smart. I wish you had never dropped out of college. I feel so guilty that you did it for me and Mom. It was Dad’s responsibility to take care of the bills, not yours.”
Jessy pulled her sister closer and placed her arm around Lily’s shoulder. Lily was very bitter about what their dad had done. Jessy was, too, but she learned to not dwell on it. What was done was done, no use crying over it. It would change nothing. They had to make a new life far away from New York.
“I promised Mom I’d do all I can t