Authors: Mari Carr
“I’ll tell my captain to find someone else from the NOPD to pose for the calendar. You’re more valuable to the project than I am.”
She nodded. “Fine.”
He took one last look at her, wondering how long—if ever—it would be until their paths crossed again. Would he have to wait months? Years? Longer? He’d thought of her more than he cared to admit over the past decade—her face often the last one he saw when he closed his eyes at night. He’d always wondered if she was happy, if she’d married or fallen in love, had kids. A quick glance at her bare ring finger answered the marriage question.
The idea of never seeing her again was more painful than he would have imagined. “Goodbye, Chloe.”
He turned to leave, but his exit was cut short when Captain Rogers’ wife appeared with two other women in tow. “Oh, Detective Mills, I’m so glad we caught you and Chloe before you started. My friends and I were just heading out for lunch and I wanted them to meet you.” She turned to the women with her, briefly introducing them as fellow committee members. “I was absolutely delighted when you volunteered for this project.”
“Short straw, huh?” Chloe muttered.
“I was afraid my husband was going to have to recruit someone unwilling. Heaven only knows how that would have turned out.” Mrs. Rogers turned to Chloe, beaming. “Didn’t I send you a wonderful subject? And I have no doubt his bio for the calendar will be the most impressive one. After all, he received the Medal of Valor when he saved two people from a burning building and his work with juveniles has been truly inspiring. Speaking of bios,” Mrs. Rogers pulled several sheets of paper from her purse. “Here’s Blake’s bio, along with two others. I told your mother I’d drop them off to you today.”
Blake didn’t turn to look at Chloe. He hated being the center of attention. He’d done his job, nothing more. To hear Mrs. Rogers going on and on about his accomplishments like he was some sort of freaking superhero made him uncomfortable.
“I didn’t do anything more than any other officer on the force would have done.” He hoped that answer would be enough to kill the subject. It wasn’t.
Mrs. Rogers was on a roll. “Plus he was instrumental in shutting down a major drug ring. My husband said it was the first time in all his years he felt a spark of hope for our local kids. Blake ensured there would be a lot fewer dealers on the playgrounds. All of this and he’s only been on the force for five years.”
Taking down that drug ring was one of the hardest things he’d ever done in his life—because it had involved him arresting his own father. That was one of the lowest moments in Blake’s life, and to hear Mrs. Rogers discussing it as an accolade made him sick to his stomach.
“Actually, Mrs. Rogers, I’m afraid I’m not going to be able to—”
“Take the pictures today,” Chloe interjected. “Detective Mills and I were just discussing some possible locales.”
Blake turned to look at Chloe. She’d just threatened to walk off the project if he was involved. Now it sounded as if she was volunteering to make the job even harder. Locales?
Mrs. Rogers frowned, confused. “I was under the impression all the photographs would be shot here in your studio.”
“That was the original plan, but after talking to the detective, it occurred to me that the photos would be more interesting if they were taken in a variety of locations and included something that reflected each man’s interests.”
Blake nodded, not about to miss this opportunity to spend more time with Chloe. “I’m into motorcycles, so we were thinking of riding out to Lake Pontchartrain and snapping some shots. Or we even discussed the possibility of taking River Road and posing at the plantations.”
Chloe scowled, but didn’t contradict him. The two of them had spent hours flying up and down the highways on his bike when they were younger. The plantations on River Road and the lake had been their favorite destinations. Blake had only gotten his motorcycle—an ancient Harley he’d seen an ad for in the classifieds—that summer. Chloe had been shocked to discover he’d never seen anything outside of the city limits, so she’d made it her mission to expose him to all the beautiful places he’d missed. In a few months, she’d done a great job of opening his eyes to the world just outside the city.
Mrs. Rogers clapped her hands together. “Oh! This sounds wonderful. Even better than we’d hoped. Well then, don’t let us distract you from your work. I can’t wait to see the end result.”
With that, Mrs. Rogers and her friends left in a flurry of excited chatter.
Blake crossed his arms. “I thought you wanted me out.”
“I did, but how could I explain wanting to kick out such an icon of the police force?”
“I was going to take the fall. Tell them I wasn’t comfortable taking my shirt off for the picture.”
Chloe snorted. “Yeah. I’m sure they would have believed that.”
He grinned. “Are you saying I’m immodest?”
“I spent an entire summer with you and I can recall you wearing a shirt less than a handful of times. Usually at my mother’s Sunday dinners and only then because she said you had to.”
Blake rolled his eyes at her exaggeration, though when he considered it, she had a good point. That summer had been hot as hell and they’d spent most of it on his motorcycle, traveling an hour to the Gulf Coast beaches. Or riding beside the Mississippi. Or walking along the French Quarter. Or wrapped up in each other’s arms. “I can come up with another reason to bail.”
She shook her head. “No. I’m a professional and it’s no big deal. I’ll snap a few pictures, then you and I can go our separate ways again.”
“In other words, you’re afraid of your mother and Mrs. Rogers.”
She shot him a dirty look, then said, “Yeah. I’ve decided you’re the lesser of two evils.”
He chuckled, then stepped closer, enjoying the way she held his gaze as he leaned down. “I fully intend to change your mind about that.”
Blake had to give Chloe credit. The woman never backed down from any challenge. “I’m not worried.”
Before he could think better of it, Blake closed the distance between them, placing a quick, hard kiss on her lips.
It was just as he’d remembered—only better. Chloe’s lips were soft and she tasted so damn sweet—like peppermint and chocolate and sunshine all rolled up into one.
He’d spent most of his younger life around jaded, hard women who smelled of booze and cigarettes. However, since joining the police force, his dating life had dwindled down to nothing. Blake had been more celibate than a monk the past year or so. He hadn’t minded that state until he’d seen her again.
He broke the union before Chloe had a chance to reject him…or knee him in the balls.
He tapped her nose playfully. “You should be. I’ll call you later about the photo shoot.”
Blake made his escape quickly before Chloe changed her mind about his participation in the project. He’d been ready to accept her dismissal and walk away. Until that kiss.
Now…well, now…he was driving without brakes. And the crash was imminent.
He grinned as he walked back out into the sunshine, grabbing his helmet and pulling it on.
He straddled his Harley and fired up the engine.
Crashing never sounded so exciting.
“Earth to Chloe. Pass the potatoes, pipsqueak.”
Chloe gave her brother Jett a dirty look, but passed the bowl of scalloped potatoes as she did so.
Jett dipped out a healthy portion before handing the bowl to their foster brother, Zac.
Jett looked at her and shook his head. “Damn, girl. Where the hell are you today? I asked you three times to hand me those before you even heard me saying your name.”
She shrugged. She’d been floundering around, lost in her own thoughts since running into Blake again at the studio on Thursday. Seeing him had brought up a whole bunch of feelings—sadness, regret, anger—as well as an unbearable mountain of lust. He’d been her first and, while she’d never admit as much to the asshole, there was some truth to that line about him ruining her for all other men. While she’d taken her fair share of lovers, Blake had always been the yardstick she’d compared them to and none had measured up. Not even close.
Which pissed her off even more because hell would freeze over before Blake Mills touched her again, and she didn’t care if that meant taking responsibility for every single one of her own orgasms from now until the end of time.
“Chloe!” This time it was Justin yelling her name.
“What?” She didn’t bother to hide the irritation in her tone. Her annoying brothers could see she was distracted. Why didn’t they just leave her alone?
“What’s wrong?”
“For the last time, nothing.”
Her mother tilted her head, studying her face. “This is about Blake, isn’t it?”
The head of every sibling at the table flew up.
“Blake Mills?” Caliph asked.
She closed her eyes, wishing she were anywhere else right now. Seeing her first love had thrown her for a loop. There was no way she was ready to undergo the Spanish Inquisition about that unexpected reunion with her family. “He’s one of the models for the Blessing House calendar.” The Blessing House provided temporary housing for homeless families. Her mother had served on the board for years, organizing fundraiser after benefit auction after bake sale to keep the House open and solvent.
This year, the fundraising committee had decided to take a page from the book of other large cities, putting together a sexy calendar as a fun way to raise money. The calendar, “Hot Hunks in the Big Easy,” was gathering a lot of attention, and given her mom’s successful track record, was certain to make a slew of cash for the Blessing House.
Justin looked at Mama. “You’re putting thugs in the calendar?”
Chloe grinned, appreciating his appalled tone. It was nice to know her brothers always had her back.
“No. We’re not. Agnes Rogers found him. Apparently, Blake is a detective with the NOPD these days. She called me a couple of days ago to say the police department would be well represented.”
“The hell you say,” Jett proclaimed. “How hard up is the city for law enforcement? They’re hiring crooks now?”
“Who is Blake Mills?” Caliph’s girlfriend, Jennifer, asked. Jen and Caliph had started dating a few months earlier. Since then, she’d become a staple at the family’s Sunday dinners. Chloe adored the woman and hoped she and Caliph would stick.
“Chloe’s first boyfriend,” Caliph answered. “A real badass and every father’s worst nightmare when it comes to the guy you don’t want your daughter dating.”
“He wasn’t that bad,” Mama said. “I swear that poor boy’s reputation has grown more despicable with every telling. Next thing I know, y’all will be swearing he was a serial killer and responsible for every hurricane to ever hit New Orleans.”
Chloe sighed. Mama had never wavered in her belief that there was some good buried deep inside Blake. Right after she’d gotten off the phone with Mrs. Rogers, Mama had called Chloe to make sure she was okay with taking pictures of Blake. Chloe had assured her mother it wouldn’t be any big deal, but she’d never managed to pull the wool over Mama’s eyes and obviously she hadn’t fooled her this time either.
Of course, since learning he’d joined the police force, her mother acted as if her faith in Blake had at last been proven true.
“We broke up when he stole money from Mama and took the silver serving platter my grandmother had given my parents as a wedding gift.”
Jennifer winced. “Yikes. Doesn’t sound like a very nice guy. And you say he’s a cop now?”
Chloe nodded. “Yeah. And he’s posing for the calendar.”
Jennifer reached over and squeezed her hand gently. “That can’t be easy for you. I know I wouldn’t want to have to work with my ex on anything. Ever.” Jennifer’s ex-husband had left her for another woman. That painful event had led to her meeting Caliph. In an attempt to reinvent herself, Jennifer had shown up at Midnight Ink and gotten her first tattoo from Caliph. Since then, Chloe had watched her older brother fall head over heels in love with the woman. It was sweet. Even if it did reinforce the loneliness that had plagued Chloe lately.
She would be thirty on her next birthday, and while that age wasn’t bothering her, it forced her to recognize some things she’d been ignoring. Like the fact she wanted kids. A slew of them like her mother had. Chloe absolutely adored her big family and she dreamed of having her own. But to do so, she had to get serious about dating and finding the man she wanted to marry. She’d put off doing that for too long, focusing instead on building a clientele for her photography studio and putting her book together.
“It’ll be okay, Jennifer. I really only have to see him one more time. I’ll snap a few pictures and walk away. No harm, no foul.”
A quick glance at her mother’s face proved her lie wasn’t convincing the one person she really wanted to believe her.
Before she could reassure Mama she was speaking the truth, the doorbell rang.
“Chloe’s the closest,” Jett pointed out, not bothering to put his fork down as Zac snickered.
She rolled her eyes. They may all be adults, but there was something about returning to this house each Sunday that seemed to bring out the child each of them held on to. “Lazy jackass.”
Jett gave her a shit-eating grin as she rose to answer the door while they all continued eating.
She barely paid attention as she swung open the front door. It wasn’t unusual for neighbors or friends to stop by on Sunday, as they knew the entire family would be there. Mama always made enough to feed an Army and as such, there was plenty of room at the large table for one or two or twelve drop-ins.
Chloe wasn’t aware that her mouth had flown open until Blake placed his hand on her chin to push it closed.
“What the hell are you doing here?”
Blake smiled. “Mama Lewis invited me.”
Chloe shook her head. “That’s Mrs. Lewis to you and she wouldn’t do that.”
“Chloe,” her mother called out from the dining room. “Invite him in.”
Chloe closed her eyes, hoping that by blocking out Blake’s cocky face, he’d simply vanish. When she opened them to find him still standing in the doorway, she muttered, “I’m going to kill her.”