Chapter 17

(Chapter song ‘Set Adrift On Memory Bliss' by PM Dawn)

PAISELY Ok. Tall, dark and handsome may not be the suspect, but he’s still a person of my interest.

I mean the departments interest. Not mine. No. I’m…I’m not that desperate….Not in the least, little…

Well, maybe a little…but that’s besides the point.

I spent hours at my desk on Saturday going through all the files I could find based on the description I had.

Nobody matched. I lean back and blow out a breath. He’s not a criminal and he doesn’t drive. I chew on my lip as I think about his heart stopping eyes. His tanned skin. His square jawline. The hardness of his large body as I pressed mine against him.

My middle does flips as I think more about him. I have to find him.

Casey walks in and pulls a chair up to my desk.

I glance at him as he sits down. “What are you doing here?”

He runs his thick fingers through his hair. “Putting in some OT on this Lycan case. The question is, what are you doing here?”

I sigh. “Trying to find Mr. Mysterious. I know he knows something.”

“P. You’re a patroller. You’re not supposed to be investigating.” He leans on his knees.

“I know. I just…I have questions.” I click buttons and flip through more pictures.

“You like him.” He leans to me and smiles.

“What? No. He’s just…” My head flips between my monitor and Casey’s eyes. My cheeks heat and my lips press together. “Ok. Maybe I’m curious, but that’s it.”

He chuckles. “Well, if you’re curious and you’re sure he’s safe, I wish you luck.”

“I need all the luck I can get. He doesn’t exist anywhere.” I motion to the monitor.

“Did you try the school?” He stands and crosses his arms.

“School?” I arch a brow.

“The University. He could be a student.” Casey informs.

A smile spreads across my lips. “Look at you, smarty pants.” I stand and give his arm a little push.

“That’s why I’m the investigator.” He tilts his head to me and winks before walking out.

I grab my coat and run to my car. If he is a student, they will have photo ID of him.

Monday morning, I’m at the front desk of the administration office. The clerk is searching student ID cards.

My fingernails tap the counter top as I wait impatiently. I don’t know why I’m so curious about him. It’s like, I just need to see him one more time.

“Is he easy on the eyes with baby blues and brown ring?” The clerk side eyes me with a smirk.

“Yes!” I lean on the counter. She turns the monitor. I point to the picture on the screen. “Yes! That’s him! Can you call him, please.”

“Sure thing, Enforcer.” She eyes me with a smile.

‘QUINTEN PRESTON! PLEASE COME TO THE ADMINISTRATION OFFICE! QUINTEN PRESTION TO THE ADMINISTRATION OFFICE!’

The page rang out through the halls.

“Quinten. You’ve got to be kidding me.” I shake my head and smile.

I compose myself and place my hands behind my back as I scan the kids walking back and forth down the hall.

Then as if everything stopped, he came into view. His perfect hair almost made me want to cry. He ran his fingers through it as he looked in the office widow and our eyes met. He was so beautiful it hurt to look at him.

I bite my lip to contain myself and waited for him to join me in the office.

Then his eyes widen and he runs.

“Hey! Wait!” I yell as I run out of the office in pursuit.

He ducks and weaves through the crowds of people. Slamming himself through the partition doors.

“PLEASE, STOP!!” I yell after him.

He barely glances behind him as we hit the front lobby.

“SOMEBODY STOP HIM!” I point and people stare.

A couple of men try to grab him and he trips, but he gets back on his feet and runs to the doors.

“Damn it. He’s slippery!” I growl and pick up speed.

I get outside and jump the stairs as people walking up yelp and move out of the way.

“I JUST…WANT…TO TALK!” I yell. My chest is hurting from the foot chase.

He runs past the guard house and down the street toward the city.

“GOD! PLEASE STOP! QUINTEN!” I begging him because my legs are flipping burning.

We hit morning foot traffic and I can barely see his head as he pushes past people. He really doesn’t want to talk.

I turn down an alley and skip over a street. There’s less people here so I have the advantage now. I run passed a few alleys and down another one. If my calculations are correct his mug should show…now.

As soon as I see him, I throw myself at him and we spill out onto the road.

A car slams on its brakes and honks.

Quinten’s on his back and I yelp, burying my face in his chest.

When realize I’m on him, my body heats. My cheeks flush as I raise my head slowly and meet his eyes.

I’m locked in a stare. Everything flashes through my mind. Flowers, kisses, late nights, early mornings.

A car horn blares and snaps me out of it.

“I’m sure they want to get to work.” He looks at the car then back at me.

“Yeah.” I breath.

There’s another moment of silence.

He arches a brow. “You want to get off me?”

I look down at his hard body. “Right. Shoot. Yes.” I stand and offer a hand.

He takes it and as soon as he’s on his feet, I slap a cuff on his wrist and mine.

“What the hell?” He raises his arm with mine.

I point to him and tick my head. “No running from me, blue eyes." I smirk at him as he drops his arm and throws his head back in defeat.

We step back onto the sidewalk. I turn to him and cross my arms. His hand hits my chest. “Ow.” I scowl and drop my arms.

He chuckles.

“Don’t laugh at me.” I point to him.

“I'm sorry. It’s clear you have no idea what you’re doing. That’s funny.” He smiles and my heart stops. Even his smile is gorgeous.

I step up and look up at him. “I know exactly what I’m doing. Now. You’re going to talk to me whether you want to or not.” I narrow my eyes and growl.

“Red wolves really are pushy, aren’t they?” He rubs his nape.

“Better believe it, mister. Walk.” I motion him down the street. He blows a breath and turns down the street.

He pulls my arm because his strides are larger than mine. It’s an effort to keep up.

“Where are we going?” He mumbles.

“The park. Keep walking.” I order.

“You do know this is forcible confinement and I can have you charged with kidnapping.” He looks down on me.

“This is Enforcer business. I have questions.” I hold my chin up.

“I didn’t do anything wrong.” He stuffs his hand in his pocket.

I glance at him. “I know. You saved that girl. The question is why?”

He stops. “Because it was right.” His brow furrows as he looks at me.

I shake my head. “Why run? We could have straightened it out at the station. Why run from me now?”

He starts walking again. “I didn’t want to get involved.” He says quietly.

“You involved yourself when you saved her. Who is she, Quinn?” I feel for any signs of lies.

He shakes his head. “I don’t know. Never seen her before.”

“Ok, what about the guy. You see him?” I ask.

As we get to the park and I sit us down at a picnic table, I study his impressive form. His jeans are so tight on his large thighs and I’m sure he’s ripped under that t shirt.

“Briefly. I didn’t get a good look.” He glances at me. His heart skips a beat then settles. Is he lying? Why?

“You don’t remember anything about him? Hair color?” I study him.

Some guys were tossing a Frisbee and a couple were having breakfast under a tree. Something I wished I had.

He looks straight ahead. “Nope.”

“Are you just saying that to stay out of it?” My brow goes up.

“No.” He mumbles.

I nod and meet his eyes. “Ok. I’m going to need a statement. So you’re coming with me to the station.”

He turns to me. “I want to say something first.”

I turn myself to him. “Ok. What?”

“This.” He leans in and his lips meet mine.

Oh my god! I whimper when he asks for entrance and his tongue finds mine. My mind swims with all the fantasies and dreams I’ve had for years. His kiss was so soft and passionate. He deepens it and my cuffed hand goes to his jaw. My hand tingles at the feel of his 5 o’clock shadow on his strong jaw.

My heart races, my butterflies spin. My body feels like it’s going to burn up.

When I saw him a few days ago, I imagined what this would be like. I never thought it would actually happen.

His hand holds the back of my head. His soft tongue twirls around my mouth as we both explore.

He lets me up for air and sucks my bottom lip.

“I also want to say something else.” He plays with my lips as I melt to his touch.

“What’s that?” I breath.

“Bye.” He whispers.

“What?” I pull back and he waves his hand at me. He grins, jumps over the picnic table and runs out of the park to the city.

Confused, I raise the hand I had on his cheek. The cuff his wrist was in, dangles empty. My jaw drops and my head turns to where he ran off.

I scowl. “Oh, pooh!” I hit the table and lean on it with my elbow, holding my head in my hand. I blow a lock of hair out of my face.

****

QUINN I bust through the front door of the pack house. I slam the door and park my but on it. I can barely breath from running and am leaning on my knees.

“Quinn?” Jake calls from the common room.

I swallow and gulp for air. “Yeah!”

He walks into the foyer. “What’s wrong?”

My head hangs as I shake it.

I raise it to him with a big smile on my face. “I just exchanged osculation with the most attractive representative of the female form on the planet. My central nervous system is completely flooded with endorphins and dopamine right now.” I pant.

He arches a brow.

I grin bigger. “It’s was un-fucking-believable.”

He scrunches his face. “Ok, what?”

I straighten and push off the door. I take my jacket off as I walk. “Remember the girl. The girl I told you was trouble for me?”

He's right on my back. “Yeah.”

I drop my jacket over one of the barstools before the kitchen. I walk down the hall to the kitchen to raid the fridge. “I found her, well, she found me. Anyway. We were talking and I really wasn’t paying attention. All I knew was I wanted to kiss her. My head was swimming. I couldn’t take my eyes off her lips…”

I opened the industrial fridge and search for some meat. “I took a chance and she kissed my back.” I arch back. “Fuck…” I walk out with bread and deli meat. I kick the door closed. “Jake. I’ve never felt lips like hers. It was like…we connected on the genetic level. Like even our microorganisms were having a party. Oh my god.”

I shake my head and make my sandwich with a smile on my face.

“Ok. What happened to her being trouble?” Jake leans on the prep counter and crosses his arms.

I lick the mustard off the knife and toss it in the sink. “Obviously, my first initial hypothesis of the situation was wrong.” I take a huge bite out of my sandwich.

“Alright. What’s her name?”

My jaw drops mid chew. “I don’t know.” I say with a mouthful. “I forgot to ask.”

He smiles and chuckles. “Wait. You mister 200 IQ forgot to ask for her name?”

I lean to him. “It was a fantastic kiss.” I kiss my fingers in a chefs kiss and walk out of the room.

He follows me out of the room. “Now, I have a question.” He says to my back.

“Shoot my companion of the domestic dwelling.” I walk to the stairs.

“Why were the Enforcers looking for you today?”

I stop in mid step.

Damn it.

I turn around “Enforcers?”

“Yeah. You know. The whole reason you ran out of the unit like you were on fire…or guilty?” His brow goes up as he places his hands on his hips.

I huff a laugh and shake my head. “It was a case of mistaken identity that’s all.”

“So, why run?” He asks.

I start up the steps. “With everyone so on edge about lycans, I ran.” I shrug.

Jake follows me up. “What did they want?”

“Don’t know. We never got that far into the conversation.” I smile.

“What do you mean?” He says as I get to my room.

“Bye, Jake.”

“Quinn!”

I shut the door and set my sandwich down on my table. I flop on my bed with my hands behind my head and my legs crossed. I let out a big sigh with her lips lingering on mine.

Damn. I love red heads.