Authors: Lyra Marlowe
GirlNextDoor (19 page)
“Actually, I tried that,” John admitted. “She seemed to like
it.”
Nolan blinked. “You screwed Lucy in the rental van?”
“Sorry, too much information.”
“No, I’m actually sort of…intrigued. But also a little
grossed out. Do you know what people put in those vans? And do?”
“Well, I know what
we
did.” John shrugged. “She put a
drop cloth down.”
“Hmmm.” Nolan nodded. “Lucy and bondage shouldn’t surprise
me.”
“It was pretty tame. For bondage.”
“Safe and all, right?”
“Of course.”
Nolan sat back. “Here’s the thing, John. I don’t think
you’re ready to swear off women for good.”
“Nolan…”
“No, seriously. I’m not complaining, I’m just being
realistic. You’re not gay. You’re bi. I’m okay with that. But it would be so
much easier if it was…Lucy.”
John thought about it. “If I could have you and Lucy both, I
don’t think I’d ever want anything else in my life.”
“Me too,” Nolan agreed. “Now we just have to talk her into
it.”
“I’ll get the handcuffs.”
Nolan laughed. “Be careful. She’s got a hell of a right
hook.”
* * * * *
After shift the next day, they drove Lucy to the airport
together. The three of them loitered outside the security area, reluctant to
say goodbye.
“So you promise,” John said, “you’ll come back in August.
And stay for two weeks.”
“I promise,” Lucy said. “Two whole weeks.”
“And you’ll think about staying for good?” Nolan pressed.
She hesitated. “I’ll think about it.”
“Or don’t wait until August. Go get your stuff and transfer
right now,” John urged.
“No. You guys need some time to get settled together.”
“We’re fine together,” Nolan insisted. “We’ll work it all
out. It’s you we want.”
“You two are nothing if not persistent.”
“Resistance is futile.”
Lucy looked away for a moment. “I need to think about it. I
need to—at least get used to the idea.”
“But you’ll come back in August?” Nolan insisted.
“I said I would.”
“You know,” John said, “every time you get into bed with
some jerk between now and then, you’re going to think of us. And how good it
could be here.”
She smiled, exasperated. “Probably. I’ve got to go.”
John wrapped his arms around her. She was wearing the same
short red dress she’d been wearing the first time he saw her—and the first time
they’d fucked in the alley. Of its own accord, his hand snaked down to cup her
pretty ass. “Thank you, Lucy. For everything. If you hadn’t come…”
“You would have done it on your own,” she answered. “It just
would have taken you longer.”
“Maybe. Maybe. But you made it a lot less scary. I wish I
could do the same for you.”
Lucy touched his cheek tenderly. “You do, John. But I’m not
as brave as you.”
“Yes you are. And we’ll be here, whenever you’re ready.”
She slipped away from John and into Nolan’s arms. “I am
going to miss you so much,” he whispered.
“At least you have a decent bed now,” Lucy answered. “And
just in time.”
“Yeah. King-sized. Room for all of us.”
“We’ll try that out in August.”
Nolan nodded. “Thank you. I can’t… Thank you.” He squeezed
her very tightly. “I still don’t know how to let go of you.”
A ham-sized hand smacked down onto his shoulder. “All right,
you two lovebirds, move it along.”
Nolan looked up at the same cop that he’d met at the airport
the last time.
“Oh it’s you,” the cop said. “Sorry.”
“No, we were blocking traffic again,” Lucy agreed. “I have
to go.”
“Well, I hope you’ll come back again soon.”
Lucy smiled brightly at the cop, then kissed John and Nolan
each on the cheek and dragged her little suitcase into the security line.
“Sorry about that,” the cop said sincerely.
“No problem,” Nolan returned. “She would have missed her
plane if you hadn’t shown up.” He gestured to John. “John, this man’s partner
was that cop that had the heart attack. Johnny, um, Dietz, right?”
“Right,” the cop agreed. “I remember you. You’re his
partner.”
“Yeah.” John shook his hand. “I remember Dietz. How’s he
doing?”
“Working a desk now. Never stops bitching about it. But he’s
alive, thanks to you.”
“That’s good to hear.”
The cop looked to where Lucy was passing through the line.
She waved at them, then walked away briskly. “So, uh, that’s your girl, huh?”
“Yes.” Nolan shook his head. “No. His girl.”
“She’s both yours girl?”
“Not yet,” John answered. “But we’re hopeful.”
“That’s kinky, boys.”
Nolan nodded. “You have no idea.”
As they walked away, they heard the cop muttering something
about it taking both of them to keep up with her. They both grinned and kept
walking.
In the parking lot, they paused next to Nolan’s car. “Well?”
John asked.
“Too soon to tell,” Nolan answered. “But she’s thinking
about it. That’s the best we’re going to get right now.”
“She’s right, you know. Again. We should take the time to
work on us.”
“Take it slow,” Nolan answered. “We’ll take it nice and
slow.”
John nodded. “Well, sure. But there is something I want you
to do for me right now. It will probably seem trivial to you, but it’s really
important to me.
Really
important.”
“Anything,” Nolan promised. “If it’s important to you, of
course I’ll do it.”
“Good.” John straightened, held his hand out. “Then let me
drive back to the city.”
Nolan laughed. “I’m a perfectly good driver, John.”
“I know you are. You tell me that all the time. And
honestly, in the squad, surrounded by several tons of steel, I’m all in
agreement. But in a normal car, on a normal road.” He shook his head.
“Seriously, Nolan, just give me the keys.”
After another moment of hesitation, Nolan handed him the
keys and went around to the passenger side. As they passed, he murmured, “But
I’m only doing this because I love you.”
“Thank you. May we both live a long and happy life.”
John settled into the driver’s seat, started the car. A
plane took off over their heads. It was too early to be Lucy’s flight, but they
both looked up at it anyhow.
“Long and happy life,” he whispered again. Then he put the
car in drive and took his lover home.
The End
About the Author
Lyra Marlowe has been writing since—well, since she learned
to write. Her very first book was selected to be read at the Young Author’s
Conference for elementary school students. They told her she could write, and
she’s never stopped.
As a teen, she conspired with her best friend to write a
young adult novel. In college, she wrote plays that were performed by the
theater department and managed to find an actor boyfriend in the process. She
wrote poems, newsletter articles and even a short story about a head in a box.
After college, she married the actor. One year, he suggested they write erotic
stories for each other. She tried it. She liked it. A lot. Since then, she’s
published several books and short stories.
Lyra has lived on the shores of Lake Erie all her life, but
dreams of a land where it never snows. She and her husband have three children,
two insolent cats and a bewildered dog. They share a 110-year-old Victorian
home with a gentle grandmother ghost who loves babies but hates painted
woodwork and the color purple.
Lyra welcomes comments from readers. You can find her
website and email address on her
author bio page
at
www.ellorascave.com
.
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