D: One.
Glancing at the clock, I see that I have five hours before I have to report. I’ll definitely have time to spend with Magnolia, and it’s to be seen whether that’s good or bad for whatever our future is. Putting the phone down, I look over at Magnolia, and try to decide what the appropriate way to wake her up will be.
Contrary to what everyone thinks, and the fact that I’m twenty-five years old, I don’t have a ton of experience with the morning after. I’ve not had a long-term relationship and there have only been a handful of mornings after. There’s been absolutely none where the woman is staying with me afterward.
She rolls over, opening her eyes, smiling at me. “Morning, Levi.”
“Morning,” I answer her back.
We’re quiet, and I hope it’s not always this awkward between us.
She smiles, it’s soft with sleep. “It’s been a long time since I woke up next to someone else in bed next to me.”
I grin back at her. “Same here. The truth is, most of the women I’ve woken up in bed next to are pretty anxious to get out of it. They’re even more anxious to leave. Someone staying is going to be different for me.”
Her eyes sparkle. “Yeah, I’m sure you’ve got them beating down your door to get in, and you’re pushing them out the next morning.”
She’s joking, and I know that, but it still kind of stings. Most of the time people look at me, and think of my last name. Harrison carries a lot of weight in this town. My grandfather is the Chief of Police at Laurel Springs Police Department, my dad has been employed with the same department since before I was born. It’s one of the reasons I decided not to be an officer over there. I wasn’t sure whether I’d be able to live up to the legacy, and at the same time wanted to make my own way. Wanted to be at a place where I wasn’t being compared all the time.
It’s made things easier, and some much harder. Most people in my situation would say I’m bitching about something that they would enjoy, but they haven’t had the life I have. There have been many more nights where I’ve worried in my room about my family members coming home from work than me celebrating because they got a big bust or put away a criminal.
Instead of being honest with her about that, I brush it off, and lean in, kissing her softly and quickly. “What are your plans today?”
She makes a noise in the back of her throat that goes straight to my cock. Those sounds surrounded us last night, and if I could hear them all day, everyday, I would.
“I have a lot of work I need to get done. I’m behind because I lost the entire day, but I can catch up. It’ll just take some creativeness on my part and some long hours.”
She stretches, and I admire the pull of her skin against firm muscles she’s honed by working long hours. “Is there anything I can do to help?”
“I wish, but you know next to nothing about chocolate and making treats. You could keep me company though.”
“I can definitely do that when I get home tonight. There’s a little something I’ve got to do for work,” I say, but not giving away exactly what it is. I’ve never been in a relationship when I’ve been working. Truth is I haven’t been in a relationship in a very long time. Last time I had one that was considered long-term was fucking high school. Me and Mallory French dated for a year our sophomore to junior year. She was my first everything, but I didn’t feel any loyalty to her. When pictures of us were taken together, I never looked at her the way my dad looked at my mom.
Her eyes roam my face, and then down to my chest. “What happens with your work? Is there anything you can tell me about it?”
Since I’ve never been in this situation before, I really am unsure what I can share and what I can’t. There is protocol, but I know that some officers are allowed to share specifics with significant others. Although Magnolia is technically someone else’s wife, and has no right to be mine, I’m going to tell her what I can. “Typically I patrol, like most of Laurel Springs PD does, but it’s in the rural areas. However, I was asked to be a part of an undercover operation. Can’t exactly tell you much about it, if anything at all, but I’m gonna need your help here in a few minutes.”
She raises her eyebrows. “My help? What are you going to need my help with?”
Somehow I knew that would get her attention. “Oh I would love to help. You know I love watching true crime, and listening to it. Please tell me what I can do to help.”
I hate doing it, but I have to get out of bed in order to get ready, and I need her help to do that. “I’m meeting with a couple of people today. I need to look like your normal country boy who kind of knows a little of what he’s talking about, but the person I’m talking to needs to not take me too seriously.”
“Okay, okay, so show me what you were planning on wearing.”
Getting up, I walk over to my dresser and pull out a couple of pieces of clothes, and then go into my closet to finish getting dressed, and put on my shoes. When I come out, Magnolia is sitting up. She’s got the blanket pulled so that it’s covering her bare chest, and I groan because I wish I didn’t have to do this. It would be much better to be in bed with her the rest of the day.
But as she looks at me, her eyes widening, and then a smirk spreads across her face.
“Like what you see?” I tease her.
“Sure do, Levi. If you only knew how hot you are.”
“Well, Magnolia Grace. Why don’t you tell me?”
Chapter 14
Magnolia
