But God, the three of them were so good-looking, so intense and fierce they actually oozed masculinity, and made her body yearn to be touched. Maybe that was what really scared her? When Taylor, Kurt, and Warner had to watch over her when Marlena was in danger, she thought she was going to have a heart attack. The way Warner watched her with those deep, dark brown eyes, the hungry expression, and firm jaw, it was unnerving. He had a light beard on his chin and cheeks and his head was practically bald, his hair so short and military trimmed. His muscles? Oh God, he had muscles upon muscles and thinking of him holding her, pressing up against her, made her feel faint. Kurt and Taylor shared similar physiques, but Taylor’s was always hidden beneath his uniform or a dress shirt. Kurt had dark black hair, deep blue eyes, and appeared to not have any hair on his chiseled chest. She took a deep breath and released it. Just thinking about them made her pussy clench. That couldn’t be good. They would hurt her. Maybe not physically, but emotionally. They, like most military types, would expect too much. Their authority, mysterious professions put her on guard. She was tired of feeling on guard, and like everyone was out to get something from her. When she was struggling to make ends meet and take care of her parents, she had met a guy, Dexter. He seemed so sincere, had been a police officer in the neighborhood. He would check up on her and knew her family situation. He felt bad for her, well, more so, took advantage. It wasn’t until he made a move and told her he could make all her sadness disappear.
At first she thought he cared for her, and actually wanted to help her, but then Dexter touched her, kissed her and told her that making love would ease the loneliness and they would have a good time. He was out for sex and nothing more. She learned fast that men couldn’t be trusted. She also learned that a person’s profession didn’t define who they really w
ere. Dexter was a cop, a man of authority, a peace- keeper, a symbol of honor and helpfulness. Yet he saw her, a young girl in high school losing her parents and being burdened by so much, that he tried taking advantage of that.
She knew there were bad people in every profession. Mercedes encountered plenty along the way. She didn’t want to associate other officers in Chance with being manipulative or out for something, but she had that inkling of fear, that bit of resistance to accepting any man in uniform, of authority as being trustworthy. That’s what kept her from acting on her feelings for Taylor. Yet she couldn’t stop watching him, observing his character, his demeanor, and wondering if he could be trusted, and if he and his brothers were special.
She’d seen Taylor in action when he had an arrest. Just last week some drunk guy slammed his car into Billy Sue’s car and sent the girl to the hospital. She had only been driving a year, but it wasn’t her fault. Now the poor teenager feared driving. Taylor had been pissed off, especially since the guy was so drunk he tried to hit Taylor when he uncuffed him to fingerprint him into the system. In a flash Taylor slugged the guy, flipped him onto the floor on his belly, and cuffed him.
His agility, ability, swiftness, and strength both intimidated her and aroused her. But just like the flowers she saw in the store and didn’t buy, she couldn’t give in to carnal desires and lust. That instant see it, like it, buy into it way. It would only get her heart broken, make her feel like a loser again, and end in a disaster. She’d have to leave the sheriff’s department, hell, leave Chance, because her reputation would be shot and everyone would think differently of her. No. She needed to stand her ground and look for the kind of man that fit into her life, her expectations. That was the safe route. That was the control she needed.
She swallowed hard and tried to convince herself that none of that attracted her to them. Then she thought about their ages. They were older. Much older. She knew better than to try and compare herself to an experienced woman. She wasn’t.
What she needed was a guy her age. Maybe one who was soft-spoken, easy on the eyes of course, and not from Chance. She felt the spark of enthusiasm and then came the reality of it all. She never ventured out of town. With thoughts of how lame her life was, but safe, she loaded her car and headed home. She needed to get back to the station in thirty minutes.
* * * *
Kurt wondered why Mercedes hadn’t bought the flowers. They were so beautiful, just like her. She hadn’t gone for the red roses, the deep purple wildflowers but instead for the soft, feminine, arrangement of yellow flowers and tiny daisies. But that was Mercedes. She was sweet, kind, soft-spoken, and kind of shy, plus very ladylike. When he thought about the things that he assumed made her smile and made her happy, he thought about walks in the park, dinner and holding hands, candlelight and romance. She deserved it all. He never found it in himself to care about that stuff with a woman.
His relationships with the opposite sex were cut-and-dry. A few drinks, some small talk, and a sexual release that didn’t leave him feeling guilty about leaving in the early morning hours or even right after the sex. Especially if it hadn’t been good, or he realized he had been wearing beer goggles.
He shook the thoughts from his head. That was in the past. The last year had been difficult. He didn’t want to be with anyone. He didn’t want to get close or even get touched. He felt on edge, unworthy of connecting with a human being. Funny thing was, Warner was feeling the same way. But watching Mercedes, knowing that she didn’t even notice him sneaking around watching her, made him feel protective. But the way she looked at those flowers, wanting them, had him making a move before he could reconsider and walk away.
“Hey, kid,” he said to the store clerk stocking shelves by the floral section in the store.
“Yes, sir,” he replied, not knowing who Kurt was. Teenagers were oblivious sometimes. No worries or real responsibilities. Those were the days.
“I need you to do me a favor,” he said and then explained to the kid what he needed. He passed him a fifty-dollar bill and the kid was shocked and stared at it as if he never saw one before. Kurt had to chuckle inside. He gave him directions of what he needed and the kid agreed. Kurt also threatened him to not tell a soul. The kid took him seriously.
Smart kid.
Kurt headed out, paying for his things, and toward the direction of his black souped-up Camaro. He couldn’t help but smile when he was in the privacy of his car and behind tinted windows. He felt good. He felt accomplished. Hopefully it would make Mercedes smile.
* * * *
Mercedes walked back into the sheriff’s office after food shopping and grabbing a yogurt and granola bar for lunch. The first person she saw was Taylor and he looked pissed off. She looked away from him and noticed one of the other secretaries smiling wide.
“Looks like someone has an admirer,” Thelma, the other secretary, said and Mercedes wondered what she meant as she took in the sight of a few other deputies.
“Who is he and when were you going to tell us?” Deputy Mike Spencer asked with his hand on his hip as he stood next to two other deputies.
“Tell you what, Mike?” she asked, walking by them slowly and unsure what the fuss was over. Then she spotted the large bouquet of yellow flowers on her desk.
She gasped.
“Oh my God,” she said and hurried toward them. She touched the beautiful, delicate flowers and inhaled their scent. She felt so touched, so happy, and then she wondered who sent them. There was a card.
“Who sent them to you? Are you seeing someone?” Thelma asked, now up out of her chair and right beside Mercedes complimenting the bouquet.
“I’m not seeing anyone,” she said and looked around her, immediately noticing Taylor.
“What does the card say?” he asked very seriously. She could tell that Mike was finding Taylor’s reaction amusing. She didn’t know why. Taylor was not pleasant to be around when he was pissed off.
She opened the envelope, pulled out the card, and read what it said, aloud.
“Just because you’re as beautiful as these flowers. Hope they make you smile.”
“Awe how sweet is that? My God, Mercedes, you don’t have a clue as to who could have sent them?” Thelma asked.