“I picked up some pomegranates. The doctor said that they’re good for morning sickness.”
Taylor happily accepted the basket. “Thanks, babe. I love pomegranates. But really, I’m feeling pretty good. As a matter of fact, it’s almost time for lunch. Wanna grab something?”
“Oh, I can’t, sweetness. My schedule is a wreck today. But I will see you at my photoshoot later, right?”
“Yes, sir.” Taylor nodded. “I’ll be there. Now, if you don’t have time to feed me, get your goons outta here. People are staring.”
“What people? Fuck them.” Victor scoffed, looking around. A small band of blue uniforms had gathered down the hall. “Theonlyperson I see is you.”
“Go, sweetheart.” Taylor grinned. “Start chipping away at that crazy schedule of yours. I’ll see you at your office later.”
Victor placed his large hand to the small of her back and pulled her closer to his solid frame. He kissed her forehead and then used his finger to raise her chin enough for her lips to reach his. After a slow, sweet kiss, he pulled his lips from hers and gazed into her eyes.
“I love you, lady,” he confirmed with an alluring baritone.
“And, I love you.”
Victor took a step back and gifted her with a full-dimpled smile that made her heart flutter.
“Have a good day, babe. Be safe.”
“Yeah, I’ll try not to get a paper cut,” Taylor joked.
* * *
Taylor was updatingcrime stats for the district when Commander Evans emerged from his office.
“You ready to take a ride?” he asked with a smile.
“Let’s do it.”
Taylor saved her work and signed out of her computer. She walked over to her filing cabinet, grabbed a couple of radios and her Kevlar vest, and glanced over at his crisp white shirt. “Where’s your vest?”
“It’s in the trunk.” He tossed her a set of keys.
As usual, at the end of the shift, Commander Evans would go on patrol as a street supervisor, oftentimes providing backup to his beat officers. As his secretary, Taylor’s duties also included being his personal driver.
As they walked the halls of the 26thDistrict, Taylor had to endure a number of fake ass greetings from officers and supervisors who were only so eagerly polite in the commander’s presence.
After exiting the back door of the station, they walked over to his designated parking spot. When Taylor unlocked the doors, he slid into the passenger seat. She popped the trunk and grabbed his bulletproof vest before hopping into the driver’s seat.
“Forget something, Boss Man?” she asked with a raised brow.
He didn’t answer, only smiled. She was constantly reminding him to wear his vest. As a boss, he didn’t spend much time patrolling the streets. It was common for a person who’d mostly been confined to a desk to become lax. But not Taylor. She had seen entirely too much to assume that shit wouldn’t go up like a Roman candle in a matter of seconds.
Commander Evans slipped the vest over his head, connected the Velcro at his sides, and looked over at Taylor with a wry smirk. “Can we go now, Boss?” he asked sarcastically.
Taylor nodded and started the engine. No sooner had she backed out of the parking spot, the dispatcher assigned a burglar alarm to one of the beat units.
“Let’s take a ride on this call,” the commander instructed.
Taylor nodded and headed toward the location which was only about five minutes away. She reached for the radio on her shoulder and keyed in.
“Squad, show 2600 taking a ride on that burglar alarm.”
“10-4, 2600. I got ya going.”
That was Taylor’s way of warning her fellow officers that their boss was on the street and he would be observing them on their job. Her boss was no fool. She suspected he knew exactly what she was doing. After all, he had been a beat cop once.
