Love her to death, but I’m growing out of that phase. I flick my fingers through the long silver tinsel decorating the small artificial tree on the dresser. The kittens would be all over this. I grin to myself and then set about carefully packing up another box of books. I’m gradually getting ready for the big day when I can move out. One box at a time.
When Friday finally arrives, I’m bright and bouncy all day anticipating my time with Howler. He may not be open to kissing me again, but there’s something about him that just makes me feel alive. And a girl can dream.
I limp through a test I wasn’t fully prepared for and then change into workout gear before leaving the facility. I might be cheating a little by wearing a crop top that just barely skims the bottom of my ribs. I argue with myself that since Howler is going completely topless all the time unless required by the health code, my baring a few inches of skin is just fitting in.
Until his warm, calloused hands land right there. I want to curl up against him and purr. Not twist his ear like he just told me to. I sigh and draw the moment out as long as I dare.
“Candy Cane? That’s my signature move I’m teaching you. I can’t let you go out in the world until you do it right every time. Ruin my reputation,” he mutters under his breath while he once again gently wrestles me to the ground. His weight on top of me is delicious.
I risk kissing the end of his nose before doing as instructed. He growls and rolls off of me, and I roll in the opposite direction and bounce to my feet.
“Whadja do that for?” he grouses, rubbing his ear.
“You told me to!” I remind him indignantly.
Howler rolls his eyes. “Not the ear. Kissing my nose like that.”
“Oh, that.” I shrug and grin. “Just showing my appreciation and reminding you that I’ve no objection if you were to ask me out sometime,” I remind him.
Howler doesn’t appear put off, but neither is he won over. “We’ll see,” he concedes. “Maybe after you graduate and get your own place.”
He didn’t even imply it, but my imagination lights up with images of Howler staying over. Sliding into my bed, into me. Long, leisurely kisses in the morning. I shiver with delight, and Howler glares at me.
“I can’t help it if you’re irresistible,” I point out and then wave my hand up and down in front of his bare chest. “It’s not like you’re trying to hide it.”
With that he grunts and then throws me over his shoulder, not setting me down until we’re at my car. Then he tweaks my nose like I’m a little kid. “Behave, Candy Cane. Prove you’re all grown up and maybe I’ll look you up after Christmas.”
That’s a long way away. But then I remember his bet, and I don’t want to be the cause of his losing out on that prize. It’s for the kittens after all.
Yvonne has switched the music, which is usually classic hard rock, over to her favorite Elvis Christmas album. Once through, you can tune it out. On the twentieth repetition, I swear it’s eating at my bones. And the beer tastes flat. I refuse to acknowledge that either complaint has anything to do with not seeing Ariel for the last week and a half. The rest of the regular Fang members are talking around me. They gave up trying toget a confession a few days ago. So I’m free to look around and notice when the door opens to a few of Haven County’s finest.
Established social conventions have me staring straight ahead until Randy speaks first. The Fang and the police coexist reasonably well. They give us tips, and we hand over people for arrest. They would prefer we simply drop a note in the mailbox and not get involved, but yeah — real-world stuff. We take care of what needs taking care of to make sure any children and animals are safe and then let them do the cleanup.
“How’d you meet Ariel Townsend?” Randy inquires mildly after taking several sips from his fancy imported beer. I’m surprised Yvonne has anything that highbrow behind the counter.
I turn to face him. “Thought that was common knowledge among you lot. Those twerps planning to torture kittens a few weeks back. Why the hell do you care?”
Randy sighs. “I don’t. Not exactly. But all the instructors at the academy have noticed that her combat skills have vastly improved recently. And then yesterday I observed a particular move I don’t see very often. She just about took off Carmichael’s ear.”
I grin. I can’t help it. Damn proud of my girl.
Randy glares. “Look, I’m not butting in to what is clearly none of my business, but if you’re concerned for her safety, as I assume you are by teaching her that move, think twice before you get involved with her.”
I stare at him, my ire beginning to rise in a way I haven’t felt in years. He shakes his head at me. “Think about it, hotshot. A young female officer involved with a club member? What kind of assignments is she going to get? The nice safe ones like parking enforcement or the type that are meant to encourage her to leave and look for a job elsewhere? Night shift patrolling by the truck stop?”
He taps the counter with his beer and then slides off the stool to go join his buddies. I’m left feeling colder than I’ve ever been since this stupid bet began. I can’t even thaw enough to wince when Elvis starts whining about his miserable Blue Christmas. “Join the club, buddy,” I mutter before leaning over the bar to grab a second beer from behind the counter.
5
The week before the week of Christmas is crazy busy. I didn’t dare say anything to my family about the Academy graduation for fear I wouldn’t pass one of the final exams.
So the look on my mom’s face when I tell her Thursday night that she has plans Saturday afternoon is priceless.
“You’re really doing this?” she asks, sounding slightly panicked.
“Yep,” I respond cheerfully. And that’s when I also realize I don’t have a way to contact Howler to invite him too. I know he said after Christmas, but he was a huge help in getting me over the finish line, so I’d really like him to be there. I haven’t said a word to anybody about being offered a job with the Snowberry Police Department starting in January. I thought I’d start at least looking to see what apartments might be available this weekend.
I do know where Howler lives and works, though, I remind myself as I do the dishes after dinner. I debate the two options and then decide I’ll drive out to London Towing in the morning. It’s probably less stalkerish than showing up at his apartment. Because maybe he didn’t really mean it about asking me out after Christmas.
