Unexpected Ride (14 page)

“Some things just can’t be replaced.  You’re one of those things.  I mean these past couple of years you have really made a
name
for yourself and this department.  That means something to the whole office and to all of us who still work here so if you ever need anything… just give a call,” Sergeant Miller said, grasping Greg’s shoulder and guiding him towards his office.

Realistically, being shot or at least shot
at
was all just part of the job, but the case against Lilly’s first husband had been a nationally televised one.  That investigation and trial had been high profile and a life changing event in more ways than one.  More than likely it had jump started the danger Becca had recently faced.  So taking a bullet for his sister rather than in the line of duty was somehow more fitting. 

Without that one single case there would be no custom motorcycle and no Carla Johnson.

Greg followed the sergeant into his office and closed the door behind them.  He sat down in the chair across from the man and watched as he visually inspected the differences in Greg, post gunshot wound.  After shuffling through a stack of papers and finding the one he was looking for, he glanced at Greg once more before handing the packet of papers to him.

“He’s definitely in town for your buddy’s premiere… the guys tracked him to a hotel near the gallery.  I guess it goes without saying that we can’t do anything until we catch him making a sale here.  Since this has now become a federal case… my hands are tied until something actually happens in my own backyard,” Sergeant Miller said.

“You’re going to make sure the guys out there and even the Feds are ready to bring him in at the first sign though, right?  That was the deal… that sorry bastard in return for me signing this,” Greg said, first indicating the guys all standing around out in the bullpen with his thumb and then waving the retirement paperwork around with his other hand.

“Already on it… consider this as going out with a bang, Greg.  I did have one last favor to ask,” Sergeant Miller said, leaning back in his chair and eyeing him thoughtfully.  “Any chance you’d take Trina to that gallery thing tonight?  This might just make up for the lousy birthday gift I got her last month.”

Trina was Sergeant Miller’s little sister whom Greg had dated at one time.  She’d dumped him once she realized that there wasn’t really any glitz or glamour to dating a law enforcement professional… just a lot of time alone. 

When a Wall Street broker had caught Trina’s eye with his flashy sports car that was all it had taken for her to hit the road.  Trina was sweet but not really Greg’s type anyway.  Sergeant Miller was an old friend and regarding that Greg had a lot in common with the bunch of bikers that Carla and Becca associated with.  He would do next to anything for a friend and Sergeant Miller was no exception.

“Yea, have her meet me out in front of the gallery at seven thirty and I’ll get her in the door but beyond that…” he replied.

“Oh, I know… besides she’s still with that goof from up town.  I just know that she’s recently taken an interest in expensive art and with your
connections
I thought you could help my popularity points with her.  That’s all,” Sergeant Miller said.

They talked a while longer about recent cases and of course the incident involving Lilly, the motorcycle the guys in Florida were building for Greg and what he’d be doing in his spare time now that he was retired.  Then Greg took the pen the sergeant offered, sealed the deal with his signature, and headed back to the hotel to get ready for the premiere at the gallery.  Twenty five years… done… just like that.  This must be what divorce felt like.

Greg had turned in his service weapon to the sergeant just before leaving the Sheriff’s Office for the last time but he’d run by his apartment on the way back to hotel and picked up a gun of his own.  He may now officially be a
retired
police officer but the sergeant had known Greg wouldn’t be able to stand around and watch someone like Jarrod Tompkins scamming more people out of money.  So he formally requested Greg’s assistance with this one last case.

So just in case, Greg would have a weapon with him to protect and serve at least for this one last time… especially since it involved Carla Johnson.  Sergeant Miller understood that about Greg and knew he
would
get involved if Jarrod showed up tonight.  So rather than leaving Greg out of it… on his own as a civilian… Sergeant Miller had instead asked Greg to assist in any way possible.  It was a thank you for taking Trina to the premiere tonight and was much appreciated.

Greg showered and managed to get dressed, all except for his tie.  Every day something new cropped up to remind him that he wasn’t the same man anymore.  Tying a necktie was just another one of those tasks that he wasn’t as good at now.  Maybe taking his sidearm tonight wasn’t such a good idea after all… if he couldn’t dress himself, shooting accurately and timely was an illusion.  Sighing in frustration he headed down the hallway to Carla’s room and knocked on the door.

The woman who answered literally stole his breath and left him unable to form a rational sentence let alone ask for help.  She held the door open for him and he somehow managed to make his feet walk into the room.  It was just a classic black dress but on Carla… it was absolutely
exquisite
.  Two wide straps covered her breasts and wound up and around her neck which along with her short haircut and dangly earrings only accentuated her beautiful skin. 

The dress tapered down to fit her slim waist perfectly and then flared out to end at her knees where the fabric swirled around her legs as if inviting his gaze to linger there. 

“Need some help?” she asked, pulling his tie loose from where he’d draped it around his neck.

Stepping up close to him she reached up and pulled the collar of his dress shirt up and he was assaulted by the perfume she wore.  It was warm and spicy and whispered to him all the things he should do to her…
for
her
.  He could feel her adjusting the tie around his neck but couldn’t concentrate on anything but her beautiful eyes that focused on her task, the catch in her breath at being near him, and the delicious sight of her exposed skin in that dress.

Pushing his jacket off his shoulders she said, “Here, let’s take this off first.  It might make this easier to tie and then you can put it back on.”

He allowed her to undress him, then she shook out his jacket, stepped back from him and turned to walk over to one of the beds to drape the suit coat across it.  That’s when he saw it.  Her back… all that luscious skin was bare from her slim neck all the way down her back to her waist. 

The legs that had just moments earlier been useless to him made it across the room to where she stood next to the bed in mere seconds.  One of his hands reached out and covered her bare upper arm to hold her steady.

“Carla… that dress looks amazing,” he managed to choke out before his need to taste her overruled his common sense.

Leaning down he rubbed his lips across one bare shoulder blade.  She arched forward as though she’d been scalded and cried out in a noise his body recognized as pleasure.  Had his hand not been holding her by one of her arms, she might have fallen but instead he was able to keep her from getting too far away from him. 

Her skin was a delicate treat he couldn’t remember experiencing before with any other woman.  He rubbed the tips of his fingers against the exposed area he’d just tasted.  Again she tried to arch away from him and another noise escaped her beautiful mouth. 

Deciding he wanted more than anything to hear more of those sounds coming from her, he stroked the backs of his fingers from the base of her spine all the way up to her neck and was rewarded with a full body shiver.

“Please stop that, Greg… I can’t take it… and remain standing for much longer,” she begged. “Your mouth feels as good as it looks.”

“Then let me taste you some more…
all of you
,” he whispered against her neck.

“No… I can’t.  Not right now,” she whimpered.

God not this again
… he was a patient man but he was also burning alive.  She might still be grieving but she was also hotter than any of the women in their twenties he’d dated before meeting her.  Sensual must be her middle name with the way her whole body had reacted to his touch. 

“Then when…” he whispered, licking a patch of skin on the back of her neck that made her entire body shake.

Before she could answer him or he could apologize for pressuring her there was a knock on the door.  He felt like curling up in a ball and just crying… his body didn’t just
want
her… he
needed
her.  Carla pulled away from him and stumbled over to the door as though she was drunk and opened it to Chuck and Meredith standing in the hallway. 
Damn it!
  He liked the young couple… most of the time… just not right now.

Looking around Carla to where Greg stood, Chuck said, “You guys ready to do this thing?”

“Let me help Greg with his tie and we’ll be all set,” Carla replied quickly.

Then she walked over to him and in a few short moves had his tie done, his collar back down and was handing him his suit jacket.  It felt like a dismissal but Carla was right.  They needed to leave to ensure they made it to the gallery on time.  Cameron and Daniel wanted Chuck there a few minutes early.   

Meredith looked beautiful in a silver colored floor length formal dress that hid her prosthetic, though Greg doubted any man would be able to look past the dazzling smile she wore… especially when she looked at Chuck.  He was a little surprised that Chuck was dressed in a suit.  It was better than his normal attire but he wasn’t fooling anyone and he wasn’t anywhere near as formal as the guests coming to see him would be. 

As much as Greg wanted to be alone with Carla it would have to wait because he couldn’t begrudge the happy couple this night even if Carla
was
willing to allow him to explore her incredible physical reactions to his touch. 

He helped Carla cover up with a warm wrap since the weather in New York was much colder than in Florida this time of year.  They made it down to the lobby where they met up with the rest of the group and for the first time he felt like the odd man out. 

The men were all dressed in nice jeans and shirts while the women wore formal gowns like Meredith and Carla.

Lilly Jackson looked stunning for being so far along in her pregnancy but the difference between her and Bobby was even more evident based on how they were dressed.  She wore a long, flowing red dress that somehow made her belly not seem as big and round. 

Either way she was a beautiful woman and Greg had to appreciate the way Bobby kept staring at her.  Bobby on the other hand wore a button up shirt and jeans that were both black and there was no tie. 

Dana Atkinson approached Chuck and gave him an excited hug.  Greg had never been attracted to redheads but the teal colored dress that Dana wore made her eyes really stand out and her mass of hair had been carelessly swept up off her neck and piled on top of her head. 

Of all the women, Dana would blend in the most with the guests at this party.  She was polished looking and between that and her height she had a couple of men in the lobby checking her out.  Tommy stood next to her looking like Bobby’s twin with a nearly matching outfit.

His sister, Becca, stood next to Dickie off to the side wearing a floor length navy colored dress.  Something about Dickie’s posture made Greg take another look until he realized that the man must be doing or saying something inappropriate because he was grinning while Becca was blushing and avoiding eye contact with anyone.  Dickie was perfect for Becca… he pulled her out of her sometimes frigid shell.

Stepping up next to Carla, Greg placed his hand on her back as the group collectively headed outside to the waiting limousine.  Instead of moving forward with him, she took a step away from him and positioned herself next to Meredith. 

He would have been offended if her next move hadn’t been to look over her shoulder at him… her eyes almost immediately dropping to his mouth.  He was still torn between loving that look and hating when she did that.  It was reassurance that she wanted him but it also made him even crazier for her.

When they pulled up in front of the gallery and got out, his eyes scanned the crowd gathered outside waiting for Chuck.  Years of experience drew his gaze to Jarrod Tompkins like a flame in a darkened room.  He was standing in a heavy group of people off to the side of the entrance.  For most people he would have gone undetected but Greg still knew what he was looking for… retired or not.  Glancing at Carla he noted that she was too involved with Meredith and Chuck and therefore Jarrod’s presence went unnoticed.

As Greg started towards Jarrod hoping to get close enough to see or hear what the scumbag was discussing with the couple he stood talking to, Greg was startled when someone put their arm around his.  Looking down he was surprised to find Trina Miller smiling up at him.  Apparently to a twenty eight year old excited woman, seven thirty really meant seven o’clock. 
Great!

A sound from Carla brought his head back around.  Meeting her gaze he was surprised to read hurt in her eyes.  Her eyes then focused on Trina who was giggling in her excitement. 
Shit!
  This was not what it looked like.  Actually it kind of was what it looked like… Trina was here with him but as a
favor
… not a
date
.  Before he could say something to explain himself and quite possibly make the situation even worse, Carla moved forward with Meredith and Chuck.

In his moment of distraction Greg lost sight of Jarrod and when he looked back the man was gone.  Greg followed the group inside after Becca passed by him giving him a dirty look from where she clung to Dickie’s arm.  The rest of the members in the group wouldn’t look him in the eye once they made it inside.  Fortunately the awkward moment was quickly replaced with excitement when Cameron and Daniel approached Meredith and Chuck and quietly gave them some instructions.