Don't Call Me Hero (36 page)

This conversation felt like closure—it felt like an end to something rather than a rekindling. And I discovered that I didn’t like that at all.

I toyed with the thin slip of paper that was Julia’s dry cleaning receipt. “Is this a coincidence? Or have you been carrying this bill around with you on the off-chance that we’d bump into each other?”

“Your bald friend said you’d be here tonight.”

“My bald friend? You mean Rich?” My gaze traveled around the club until I found him in a near corner having a drink with Angie. Our eyes met and he shrugged his shoulders, knowing he’d been caught. But even from this distance he didn’t look too upset about being found out.

Julia hummed. “When I got his call this afternoon, I wondered how he’d gotten my number or how he’d even known I’d moved here, but he said that Grace Donovan had told him.”

I shook my head in disbelief. “Those assholes,” I mumbled under my breath.

“Would you like to go on a date, Detective?”

I snapped my eyes back to Julia’s beautiful face. “A date? I thought you didn’t
date
?” I knew I was being an idiot. Why couldn’t I say yes and allow myself to be happy with this amazing woman?

Julia appeared unaffected by my stubborn resilience. She carefully set her drink on the bar top. “Let’s just say I’ve found a reason to rethink how I go about my life.” She licked again at her upper lip. “You saved me from a lot more than the rain and a broken car, Cassidy Miller. And I think it’s only fair that I return the favor.”

“And what exactly do I need saving from?” I stubbornly asked.

“Yourself, obviously.”

Obviously.

“Is it wrong that all I want to do right now is kiss you?” I blurted without filter. “I know I should be mad at you, and I still am,” I verbally acknowledged. “But why does it feels like everything will be better, everything will be forgiven, if I can just kiss you?”

Julia quirked an eyebrow. “Do you want to test out your theory?”

“More than you know.” So much for maintaining a poker face; I was all in.

She threw her arms around my neck, letting her forearms rest on my shoulders while both of my hands came to rest on her hips. “Then what are you waiting for, Detective?”

“I’m an unemployed former cop,” I said, smirking. “No more fancy titles.”

“Well, that’s a relief,” Julia laughed. “It was honestly becoming tiresome having to call you that all the time.” Her vibrant eyes twinkled even under the dim lighting in the club.

At the edge of my consciousness I heard the shrill shriek of a wolf whistle cut through the pulsing bass of the DJ’s music.

Rich.

There’d be time to chew him out later for his subterfuge. Right now I had a gorgeous woman to properly kiss.

And a first date to plan.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Eliza Lentzski is the author of lesbian fiction, romance, and erotica including
Winter Jacket 2: New Beginnings, Apophis: A Love Story for the End of the World, Winter Jacket, Second Chances, Date Night, Diary of a Human, Love, Lust, & Other Mistakes
, and the forthcoming
Vagabond
(Winter 2014) and
Winter Jacket 3
(Spring 2015). She also publishes urban fantasy and paranormal romance under the penname E.L. Blaisdell. Although a historian by day, Eliza is passionate about fiction. She calls the Midwest her home along with her partner and their cat and turtle. 

Follow her on Twitter, @ElizaLentzski, and Like her on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/elizalentzski) for updates and exclusive previews of future original releases.

http://www.elizalentzski.com