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The interstate blurs through her tears, but she’s not pulling over nor turning back. Her bag was already packed before she got off work. When she went home to get her bag and put her cat in the carrier, the sight that met her only made her decision to leave even better.
“Nicole! Wait!” Shae’s voice calls down the short apartment hallway. She doesn’t reply and keeps walking towards the door. “Baby, please.” The plea makes Nicole stop with her hand on the knob.
“I’ll mail you my part of this month’s rent,” Nicole says, keeping her eyes down so she won’t see the naked body of the woman standing just a few feet away. Her blood boils at the thoughts of a man’s hands on that flawless skin. “Goodbye, Shae,” and she turns the knob, walking out without looking back.
Nicole Haught doesn’t know where she’s going. She started driving, ended up on the interstate and hasn’t been paying attention to the signs. Her heart is too busy trying to repair itself. Her mind is occupied with erasing the dreams she thought would be made with a woman who drunkenly told their mutual friend one night that she was “going through a phase” and planned to marry a man with whom she was cheating on Nicole with.
She could go home to North Carolina. But even the thought of her Mom’s peach pie warming on the stove and the accompanying homemade ice cream waiting in the freezer makes her stomach twist. She’s too proud to go home because of heartbreak. Shae was the first woman Nicole thought she loved. She should have seen the signs when she introduced Calamity Jane to the woman. The cat hissed, arched her back, and bolted under Nicole’s bed for the rest of the night.
The ding of her gas light suddenly brings her back. The needle is flirting with the red line of empty. Nicole knew she should have filled up with gas before she started driving but her top priority was to get out of town. Calamity Jane makes a squeak in her carrier, but Nicole knows it’s a sleeping sound. An exit boasts low gas prices and a place with the best corn nuggets in the state of Georgia.
“What do you think Calamity? Should we stop here?” she asks. Another chime from the dashboard, that sounds more persistent than the first, answers her question. She turns on her blinker and merges onto the exit ramp.
The gas station is clean. Nicole pays at the pump but the paper for the receipt is out, so she must go inside. There’s a young man, probably in his twenties, behind the counter.
“Can I get a receipt for three?” she asks.
“Yeah,” he puts his phone away and taps the screen on the register. The paper spits out and he rips it and hands it over in one motion.
“Thanks,” she puts the slip in her back pocket. “Is there anywhere to eat close by?”
The boy sighs but doesn’t look up from his phone. “There’s a bar across the street that claims it has the best corn nuggets in the state of Georgia.”
“Thanks,” she gives a tight smile and exits. Calamity Jane greets her with a meow. “Hello, let’s get something to eat.” Nicole drives across the street, parking her car among the trucks. Before going inside, she makes sure Calamity Jane is comfortable, has food and water, and can handle being alone for an extended period of time. The outside temperature is cool, and the car is parked in shade thanks to the trucks on either side.
When Nicole walks in, the smell of beer-stained wood floors and bad decisions greets her, along with the stares of curious locals. From where she entered on a raised entrance, she scans the open room. A horseshoe-shaped bar reaches into the center of the room, three pool tables are to the right, and tables are to the left. A staircase at the back goes up to what could be an apartment.
It only takes a few seconds for the locals to get their opinions of her before returning to what they were doing. Nicole looks down and realizes she’s still wearing her work uniform, gun holster, handcuffs, and everything. The presence of the law in a dive bar doesn’t seem to phase the atmosphere of the bar. Nicole descends the steps of the entrance and eases up on a barstool, finding a menu on the side of the napkin holder. It’s a short menu. The drink selection is on the other side.
“See anything you like?” a bright voice brings her eyes up to a pair of breasts barely covered by a t-shirt with the name of the bar across the front. Nicole forces her eyes higher and meets the dark brown eyes of the bartender.
Nicole’s mouth goes dry and the order vanishes from the tip of her tongue.
“I recommend the corn nuggets,” the bartender’s smile is brighter than the neon signs behind her. “And if you’re thirsty, I recommend one of the four beers we have on tap.”
“Yes,” Nicole mentally face palms. She shakes her head. “An order of corn nuggets and the beer with the truck on top.” She nods to the tap.
“Coming up,” the brunette spins around and walks to the door at the back of the horseshoe bar. She says something to a man with a mustache then returns to where Nicole is sitting. “It’ll be like ten minutes, he has to make more.”
“I’m in no rush,” Nicole smiles. The bartender grins even wider and grabs a stein from under the counter. She fills it at the spout then places the glass in front of Nicole. “Thanks.”
“I’m Waverly,” she says holding out her hand.
“Haught,” mental face palm again. “Nicole, Nicole Haught.” She takes the hand and loses herself in the chocolate pools.
“Um, if you don’t mind, I need that hand to serve customers,” Waverly laughs.
“Oh, sorry,” Nicole releases the grasp and occupies her hands with the mug of beer before her.
“Let me know if you need anything else,” Waverly spins around and Nicole’s eyes go places they shouldn’t. She looks away with shame and stares into the caramel-colored drink.
Waverly tries her best to focus on the other patrons at the bar but the redhead sitting at the curve has a sad look on her face that Waverly wants to make disappear. She knew working the extra shift on football night would be worth it. In an hour, everyone will mosey over to the high school football game. By the time the game is over, wallets will be looser, and mouths will be thirsty. This will be her ninth day in a row working, but she has to save for her great escape which will happen as soon as her sister returns from who knows where. Maybe they’ll go to the city and live among the bright lights and busy streets. A familiar ache of loneliness sinks in her stomach but she pushes it away with a smile at a guy who walks in with eyes already looking down at everyone.
“Hi baby!” she gushes when Champ walks over to the bar fresh off his shift at the gas station. He leans over the bar to kiss her lips, but she turns away to look like wiping a dry spot on the bar is more important. “How was work?”
“Some chick officer came in looking like she’d been through hell,” Champ drops onto a barstool and raises an eyebrow, his signal for Waverly to get him his usual. She quickly fills glass with beer from the tap and places it in front of him while going to tell the cook to start the burger.
“Did she have red hair?” Waverly leans on the bar, knowing exactly where her boyfriend’s eyes go. He nods, eyes not moving. “She’s sitting over there.” Relief cools her from the intense stare when Champ looks over her shoulder to the officer sitting across the bar.
“Damn, she looks rough,” he takes a long drink from his beer.
“Champ! That’s not nice!” Waverly slaps his arm and he immediately gives her a warning look. She told herself if he gave her that look again, she would break up with him. It never leads to anything good. But the bell dinging at the kitchen distracts her.
“She looks like a dyke,” Champ adds under his breath when Waverly delivers his burger. The cook knew to get the previous high school football quarterback’s food out before any other order.
“It’s not polite to make assumptions like that,” Waverly says, glancing at the officer and noticing she can’t hear their conversation.
Nicole watches from the corner of her eyes the interaction between the bartender and gas station worker. She doesn’t like what she’s reading in the body language of both: dominance and fearfulness, power and vulnerability. The ring of the kitchen bell has Waverly looking relieved.
“Here you go,” Waverly places the basket of corn nuggets in front of Nicole. She takes a small cup of ranch out of a fridge under the bar and nestles it in the basket. “If you don’t like them, don’t tell anyone. They’re kind of a staple around here.” She adds in a whisper, giving a wink with her smile.
“I won’t,” Nicole replies in the same tone. Waverly spins back around and Nicole picks up a nugget. She uncaps the ranch and dunks the nugget, waiting for the dressing to drop off before popping the warm nugget in her mouth.
Never have her taste buds thrown such a party. The crisp of the bread, the slight crunch of the corn, and the hint of sweetness that Nicole can’t quite put her finger on. The ranch only adds to the flavor, not that the corn nugget needs any help with flavor.
She eats the food slowly, sipping her beer, and trying to let everything that’s happened sink in. When she’s down to one last nugget and one sip of beer, Waverly returns. Nicole eats the last nugget and finishes her drink.
“What did you think?” Waverly clears away the basket.
“Can I get another order?” Nicole asks, pushing her mug forward.
“Of course,” Waverly refills the glass and goes to the kitchen after returning the filled mug. “It’ll be a few minutes.”
“No worries,” Nicole takes a gulp of the beer. “They were really good.”
“Secret recipe,” Waverly whispers. “If you stick around long enough, maybe I’ll tell you.”
“Oh, I’m just passing through,” Nicole doesn’t notice the disappointed look on the brunette’s face. “I just started driving and didn’t realize I didn’t have enough gas to get me any farther.”
“Where are you coming from?” Waverly grips the bar with both hands, leaning on it.
“Tennessee,” Nicole looks down into the glass again, hoping to find answers that are usually at the bottom. She should get there.
“Oh, I’ve always wanted to go there!” Waverly brightens.
“To Tennessee?” Nicole takes a longer drink.
“Anywhere but here,” Waverly hears the kitchen bell and walks away to get the corn nuggets.
“Waverly!” Champ shouts, holding up his empty glass.
“Here you go,” she slides the basket across the bar and hurries to get her boyfriend a refill. Nicole watches them but looks away when Champ catches her.
She focuses on drowning the nuggets in ranch and her sorrows in beer. She’s too zoned in on the meal she doesn’t hear the raised voices until Champ shoots back from the bar, his barstool slamming to the hardwood.
“You want to be over? Are you serious?” Champ shouts, throwing the glass in the direction of Waverly but missing her by a foot. It shatters against the wall. Nicole’s hand goes to her hip, palm on the handle of the taser. “This is bullshit!” he storms out of the bar, the eyes of the locals following him until the door slams. All eyes then turn to the bartender who is frozen, her eyes trained to the bar top.
“Isn’t it about time for kickoff?” someone says in the silence. Mumbles of agreement mix with the scrape of chair legs, the clank of bottles dropped in the trash bins, pool balls falling into the pockets, and boots shuffling towards the door.
Two minutes is all it takes for bar to clear out, leaving the redheaded officer and brunette bartender alone. Nicole looks up at Waverly who is sweeping up the broken glass with a hand broom.
“Hey,” she softly calls. Waverly looks up, her hair falling over her eyes. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, just a breakup,” the reply is broken with a sniff.
“I understand,” Nicole murmurs, looking at the half basket of corn nuggets left. “We all make wrong turns, but sometimes wrong turns have us going in the right direction.” When she looks up, Waverly is standing in front of her. She meets those deep brown eyes and pushes the basket more to the center of the bar. Waverly gives a small laugh and pops a nugget in her mouth.
“These make anything better,” she takes another, her shoulders relaxing in content.
“So, does this place really clear out for every football game?” Nicole looks around at the empty bar with not a soul is in sight, except for the beautiful soul standing before her.
“Yep, and basketball games, baseball games, softball games, and swim team meets.” Waverly nods to the high school sports schedules posted on one wall of the bar. “I still get paid, even if no one is here. Kitchen closes at game time so when the game starts, it’s just me.” She waves to the cook who is leaving out the front door.
“Wow,” Nicole is surprised. She takes another drink and muses over the information about this small interstate town. “Well, I still have half an order of corn nuggets and I’m planning on another beer after this one, so I’ll be here another minute or so.”
“I couldn’t ask for better company,” Waverly takes another corn nugget and tosses it in her mouth, smiling before spinning around and going to the jukebox.
She spends a long time looking at the jukebox selection, even though she knows it by heart. Waverly wants to think the officer is looking at the way her shorts accent her ass, but when she glances over her shoulder, Nicole is staring into her beer glass. Why is there a fluttering feeling in her stomach? Every time Nicole’s green eyes lock in on hers, Waverly’s heart speeds up and her breath is taken away. But a woman like Nicole Haught has to be into men, like Waverly is. Right?
The bartender returns to her corral of a bar and starts wiping down the polished bar top. She works her way around from one end, to the bend, around the taps, and finally to Nicole’s spot.
“Are you okay?” she asks taking away the empty basket and disposing of it.
“Yeah, just tired I guess,” Nicole sighs, picking up her glass so Waverly can wipe away the water ring. “It’s been a whirlwind of a day.”
“Well, I have time and they say a bartender is the cheapest psychiatrist,” Waverly leans on the bar and flashes her cleavage. Nicole quickly looks away so Waverly steps back and continues to wipe down the bar.
“What song is this?” the redhead suddenly hears the words of the song playing on the jukebox.
“It’s by The Mowgli’s,” Waverly walks over and turns up the song. “It’s the only song I was able to pick for the jukebox.”
“I like it,” Nicole drains her beer and Waverly returns to the bar to refill the glass. “Thanks,” she pulls the mug to her. The lyrics of the song float to her ears and soothe the edges the beer hasn’t touched yet. She closes her eyes but the images of her ex in bed with a man make her open them and find Waverly watching her.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” the brunette tilts her head, a smile never leaving her face.
“It just feels like I’ve hit rock bottom,” Nicole sighs.
“Yeah, it’s not the best place to be,” Waverly walks around the bar and hops on the barstool next to the redhead. Nicole is suddenly aware of the body spray the bartender wears. Faint notes of vanilla and sugar mix with the song fading in the background. “Champ and I had been dating for eighteen months. I thought he would be the one I’d marry.”
“Yeah, I thought that about Shae,” Nicole says in a voice so low the words blur together.
“How long were you two together?” Waverly asks.
“Two years,” Nicole feels a pang in her chest at the realization that she was living in a lie for that long. She takes another large drink. “What was that song again? Can you play it again?” she looks at the jukebox.
“Yep,” the brunette bounces off the barstool and sways over to the music box. When she turns around, Nicole has a cell phone in her hand. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” She hurries back over to the officer and takes the device away. Their hands touch and Waverly gasps at the heat.
“I should call her,” Nicole slurs.
“Her?” Waverly’s brow wrinkles in confusion.
“Shae,” Nicole finishes her third beer and is feeling it.
“Oh, you were in a relationship with a woman,” Waverly puts the phone on the bar, out of Nicole’s reach.
“A woman who had been cheating on me with a man for over a year. A man who she was going to marry after she got out her phase of loving me.” Nicole grips the mug so tight her knuckles turn white. She looks over at the bartender and sees not judgement but compassion.
“She didn’t deserve you,” the bartender takes the mug away and gets up to put it in the wash rack. Waverly gets out two tumblers and fills each with ice and whiskey. “And you don’t deserve anyone who isn’t who they say they are.”
“Who are you?” Nicole raises an eyebrow, watching Waverly take a sip of the whiskey and make a face. “Are you an angel?”
“Just a friend,” Waverly laughs and rejoins Nicole at the bar.
They sit in silence while the jukebox picks the songs. When the ice in Nicole’s tumbler rattles, she looks at Waverly and smiles. She slides off the barstool and offers a hand to the brunette.
“May I have this dance?” she does a slight bow. Waverly giggles and takes her hand. Nicole leads her to the open floor in the center of the bar. She slips her hands to Waverly’s waist, smiling as arms drape over her shoulders, hands clasping at the base of her neck.
“Champ never did this,” Waverly whispers, her doe eyes meeting Nicole’s half-lidded greens.
“Well, there’s always a slow dance in these boots for friends like you,” the officer keeps her hands on the bartender’s waist. Waverly steps closer, she melts into Nicole’s arms, pressing her cheek to the taller woman’s chest.
Waverly doesn’t know when the song ended. She’s listening to the steady beat of Nicole’s heart, her mind foggy with the redhead’s comforting scent. Her arms hold tighter for a moment then she steps back and looks up into the woman’s eyes. She doesn’t think before she speaks.
“Stay,” the words from her heart don’t stop at the filter from her head. “Will you stay here?”
“I have had a lot to drink,” Nicole chuckles. “Is there a hotel that allows pets nearby?”
“You’re not staying at a hotel,” Waverly looks horrified. “There’s only one in town and there are more stories of uninvited guests than invited guests staying there.”
“Where am I to stay then?” Nicole knows this answer and can’t hide a smile.
“I live in the apartment above the bar,” Waverly looks upwards. “Don’t worry, there’s a couch.” She adds with a laugh to the concerned look. “One more dance and then I’ll show you to your room,” Waverly sashays to the jukebox and picks a song Nicole doesn’t want to ever forget.
“What time will the football game be over?” Nicole takes the woman in her arms again, their slow dance not matching to the upbeat song.
Waverly glances at the clock over the kitchen door. “In a little over an hour,” she calculates. “We have time.” She rests her head on Nicole’s chest and closes her eyes.
Maybe it’s the three beers and whiskey she’s had or maybe it’s the softness of Waverly’s hair under her chin, but Nicole feels herself falling for the bartender with dark brown hair and darker brown eyes. She drops her head and lets her lips sigh a kiss into those long locks. Waverly leans into her more, sealing the cracks in Nicole’s heart.
They dance a few more minutes after the song ends. Nicole’s fingers have slipped under Waverly’s too-short shirt, drawing short strokes across Waverly’s lower spine.
“If you keep doing that, you’ll put me to sleep,” the words drift across Nicole’s collared shirt.
“Sorry,” the redhead steps back and smiles. “You have work to get back to.”
“Right, right,” Waverly takes another step and turns to the bar. “I’ll show you upstairs if you want to get your bags.”
“I do have a cat,” Nicole remembers Calamity Jane in her car.
“I’m not allergic,” Waverly smiles over her shoulder before stepping behind the bar.
“Okay,” the officer nods and quickly goes outside. “I am so sorry C.J.,” she opens her car door. The orange and white tabby cat purrs an answer. Nicole empties the water bowl, so it won’t spill in transport. She picks up the cat carrier in one hand and her duffle bag in the other.
“Is that all you have?” Waverly asks when Nicole walks back into the dive bar.
“Yes ma’am,” she nods and walks down the steps to meet the bartender in the middle of the floor where they were just dancing. “I don’t have much,” she shrugs.
“Come on,” Waverly takes the cat carrier, freeing Nicole’s hand for her to take. “You’re more than welcome to take a shower. The bar closes at midnight on Friday nights so if you stay up here, it might be a little loud until then, especially if the team wins.”
Nicole follows the now-hostess up the steps at the back of the bar. Waverly unlocks the door at the top and leads the way into a one-bedroom apartment. As soon as the door closes, Waverly sets the carrier on the floor and unzips it. Nicole wants to stop her but instead of trying to coax the cat out of the carrier, Waverly points the opened door towards the bedroom and walks away.
“What’s your cat’s name?” she asks, leading Nicole further into the apartment.
“Calamity Jane,” the redhead replies.
“She’ll come out when she’s ready,” Waverly assures with a smile. “I had a cat once, but she ran away after my oldest sister tried to light her tail on fire.” She goes to a closet and takes out blankets and a pillow. “The couch is actually really comfortable.” She starts to make the couch into a bed. “You’re more than welcome to shower and stay up here. The remote is there and there’s food in the fridge. If you want anything to drink, just come downstairs. I’ve got some drink boxes in the laundry room. You can use one and some of the newspapers back there to make a litter box for Calamity Jane.”
Truck horns blare.
“Fiddlesticks, the game is over!” Waverly finishes making the temporary bed and rushes over to Nicole. She takes the officer’s hands in hers and looks into her eyes. “If you need anything, just come downstairs. Okay?”
“Yes ma’am,” Nicole wants to kiss her. “Thank you.” She says instead.
“You’re welcome,” Waverly pecks her cheek then hurries out the door. The lock clicks and Nicole drops onto the couch. Who knew the worst day could end with the best night.
After a shower, Nicole warms up a piece of pizza. The drinks in her system making her hungry for greasy food. She settles on the couch after turning on the TV. Calamity Jane emerges from the carrier, looking in every direction.
“Hello,” Nicole greets the long-haired cat. Calamity Jane finds her owner and meows on her way over. “There’s a litter box in the bathroom for you.” She says but the cat ignores her and hops up on the couch. Massaging the blanket with her paws, Calamity Jane then tucks her feet under herself and closes her eyes. “Okay, then,” Nicole raises a shoulder and takes a bite of her pizza.
The football team won which means Waverly hasn’t stopped moving since she came downstairs. She’s an experienced bartender so she doesn’t spill drinks. But when one of the guys gets too drunk and slams another guy into the taps, one of the handles breaks and spews beer all over the brunette.
“Fudge,” she glares at the guys who are escorted out of the bar by the sheriff who happened to be in attendance. “I’m going up to change!” she yells to the kitchen before weaving through the crowd to her apartment. “I don’t understand why they have to throw people,” she peels off her t-shirt and walks to her bedroom. When she walks out with a clean t-shirt that’s just as tight as the first, she remembers she has a guest. “Nicole! I am so sorry!” she tugs on the hem of the shirt, for the first time wishing it wasn’t so tight.
“It’s okay,” Nicole stands from the couch. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, one of the taps got knocked and I was in the splash zone,” Waverly runs a hand through her beer-soaked hair. “Gotta get back down there,” she sighs. Her hand is caught before she can make it to the door.
“You should call out sick,” Nicole pulls her close, her arms circling the shorter woman’s waist. Waverly lightly laughs, enjoying the way the officer’s body wraps around her. Nicole is close enough to give comfort but also to give her space to move away if she wants, something Waverly hasn’t experienced before.
“There would be a riot,” she pictures the locals trying to figure out how to fill a beer glass without too much foam on top.
“Waverly?” Nicole’s voice is low. “I would really like to kiss you right now.”
The brunette pulls her bottom lip between her teeth and looks between them. She hasn’t wanted to say yes more in her life. The only thing, she’s never kissed a girl, a woman. She’s wanted to. Nicole starts to move away, assuming the silence is a negative answer. Waverly has to decide fast.
“I would really like it if you did,” she whispers looking up through her lashes and meeting Nicole’s green eyes. As the redhead leans in, Waverly’s eyes flutter closed and her breath catches.
Their lips meet and it’s every holiday and birthday Waverly has ever celebrated. She sinks into the kiss, loving how tender and sweet it is. Nicole’s tongue gently sweeps across her bottom lip and Waverly drops her jaw to grant access. When Nicole pulls away, Waverly is still dazed.
She opens her eyes and smiles. “Whoa,” her eyes are bright. “That was better than hot vanilla donuts.” Nicole laughs and kisses her again, this time a bit more passionate.
“Waverly! We need refills!” pounding on the door makes them jump apart.
“I have to go,” the bartender gasps. She kisses Nicole’s lips one more time and hurries to the door. “Oh, if you want, you can move your car behind the bar. My Jeep is back there. Just park beside it and come back through the kitchen door.” Waverly stops in her rush. She sees Nicole standing beside the couch, dressed in basketball shorts and a t-shirt, her utility belt and gun on the coffee table. Even if there wasn’t a police officer uniform laying over the bag on the floor, Waverly feels safe with Nicole.
Releasing the doorknob, she takes the few strides into Nicole’s arms. The taller woman holds her close.
“Maybe I should call out sick,” she says. She hears a soft chuckle in the other woman’s chest and looks at her. Nicole kisses her forehead then her lips. “Love sick,” Waverly whispers.
“You’re adorable,” the officer grins. “Now, get back down there and I’ll see you when you get back.” she turns Waverly towards the door. The brunette nods and leaves before she doesn’t.
Nicole finds her keys and walks down to move her car. She slips out the kitchen door and walks around to the front. There are a few men outside the bar but she keeps her head down and tries not to draw attention to herself. It doesn’t work.
“Hey, you’re that cop who was talking to Waverly,” one of the guys walks over before Nicole can get in her car.
“Waverly, the bartender?” she tries to sound oblivious.
“You know who,” the guys steps into the light and Nicole wishes she was wearing her belt. Champ has two other guys behind him. Nicole is outnumbered.
“Champ! You’re not supposed to have beer outside of the bar. Get back inside!” a man with a badge and hat walks out of the bar.
“Sheriff, this girl was talking to my girl,” Champ points to Nicole.
“She’s a woman, a beautiful woman,” Nicole mutters under her breath.
“What did you say, bitch?”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Nicole stands up taller, eye level with the beefy boy. “There’s no need for name calling.”
“Champ, get back inside,” the short, stocky man in uniform walks over and stands between the two who are both taller than him. Champ backs down, takes a drink from his beer and walks back inside with his groupies. The older man turns to Nicole. “Sheriff Nedley, you’re visiting for the deputy position?”
“Officer Haught, and uh, I didn’t know there was one open,” Nicole shakes his hand. “I started driving when I got off work and didn’t change.”
“Where are you going?” Nedley asks.
“I don’t know,” Nicole looks back at the entrance to the bar, picturing Waverly busy behind the taps, remembering their lips meeting.
“Well, if you’re still here on Monday, stop by the police station. I’ve got a deputy position open. Good pay, comes with a house.”
“I’m sorry, a house?” Nicole blinks in surprise.
“It’s not much, it was my mom’s house and we’ve been renting it out. Previous tenant was the last deputy but he uh, left for better things.” Nedley clears his throat. “I figured if someone was going to move here for a law enforcement position, finding a house is the last thing they should worry about.”
“Oh, okay, I’ll see,” Nicole nods. “Thank you.” The sheriff returns to the bar. Nicole gets in her car and drives around the back. She finds a red Jeep parked and pulls beside it. She goes back through the kitchen door. Waverly gives a small wave when she sees Nicole walking back up the steps. She gives a smile but notices Champ watching them.
By midnight, the bar is mostly empty, except a couple of guys finishing a game of pool. Waverly locks the doors, cleans up the bar, and puts everything away. Once the guys leave, she goes to the kitchen and picks up the leftover bag the cook left in the fridge for her. Her feet drag up the steps to her apartment.
Nicole is laying on the couch, the TV on a throwback show, when Waverly enters. Calamity Jane walks over to greet her with a meow. Waverly pets the cat then tiptoes to the kitchen to put away the food. She turns out the kitchen light, turns the TV off, and dims the light on the table at the end of the couch. Calamity Jane follows her to her bedroom and hops up on the bed.
After washing the beer smell from her hair and scrubbing the looks of drunks off her skin, Waverly pulls on shorts and a tank top and crawls into bed. Calamity Jane is curled up at the foot and the brunette is happy to have the company. She turns out her light and pulls the blankets to her chin.
Nicole wakes to the silence of the TV and the bar downstairs. She doesn’t know why she’s awake until she sees the bedroom door closed and hears a meow from the other side. Assuming Waverly is in a deep sleep from her shift, Nicole rises from the couch and quietly opens the door to let her cat out. But Calamity Jane doesn’t move once the door is open. Gold eyes look up at the redhead as if asking her why she opened the door and telling her she’s a foolish human. With a roll of her eyes, Nicole is going to leave the door partially opened when she looks up towards the bed.
The sight is beauty. Waverly is on her back, one arm over her head, the other hanging off the bed. The blankets have been tossed around, leaving the bartender barely covered. Nicole likes to sleep in the cold, but the apartment does have a chill. She doesn’t think twice before walking into the bedroom and carefully pulling the sheets and comforter back over Waverly.
“Nicole,” Waverly sighs in her sleep. The officer freezes, still bent over the sleeping woman. When Waverly settles, Nicole leans down and places a kiss to her forehead. She’s halfway to the door when her name is said again, this time without the heaviness of sleep.
She turns around and sees Waverly sitting up. “Hey, Calamity Jane was meowing, and I didn’t want her to wake you and then the blankets were all over the place and I didn’t want you to get cold and you just looked so pretty, and I couldn’t help myself to kiss you.” She rambles, looking down at the floor. When she looks up, Waverly is smiling in the dim moonlight shining in through the window.
“Would you like to sleep in here, so she doesn’t have to choose between sleeping with me or you?” Waverly asks with a tilt of her head.
“Yes ma’am, that sounds like a good idea,” Nicole takes one small step after another to the bed. She stands beside it for a moment. Waverly lays down and pulls back the covers, inviting her. Nicole eases into bed, smiling when Waverly flings the blankets over their bodies then turns over. Nicole pulls the woman into her arms, kissing just behind Waverly’s ear. She feels the brunette sigh and Nicole raises up to admire her from above. “You are beautiful.”
“Nicole, I’ve never felt this way about someone,” Waverly whispers. She reaches a hand up to hold the officer’s face, fingers threading into fiery locks. “But it feels right.” Her lips meet Nicole’s in a kiss that asks for more than a hold through the night.
“I’ve never met someone who makes me believe in angels,” Nicole’s hand slides to Waverly’s hip. “You are perfection.” She sees the blush and falls even more for the bartender. Her lips find the other woman’s, increasing the temperature between them. From Waverly’s hip, Nicole’s hand slips under the tank top, stopping until she’s given permission.
“Yes,” the brunette sighs into another kiss, her body melting as Nicole’s hand inches upwards.
“We can stop whenever you want,” Nicole says with certainty. Waverly nods, her body arching into the officer’s. “You have to breathe to speak, baby.” She smiles.
Waverly releases the breath with a small laugh. “I would really like for you to kiss me.”
“Yes ma’am,” Nicole obliges as she pushes the tank top up. Their kiss breaks long enough for the top to be removed. Waverly also grabs the back of Nicole’s t-shirt and evens the field. “You’ve done this before?”
“Not with a woman,” Waverly’s hands find Nicole’s hips, her nails digging in when Nicole’s palms press to her breasts.
“Are you sure?” Nicole’s thumbs brush over erect nipples and Waverly makes a small squeak that brings a smile to the redhead’s face.
“I’m sure,” she nods. Nicole kisses her. “So sure,” Waverly flips them, straddling Nicole’s waist. She leans down and kisses the redhead passionately. Hands trail up her sides, to her breasts, pulling on her nipples. Waverly groans and returns the sensation. Nicole arches into her, abs pressing to her core.
“Are you sure you haven’t done this with a woman before?” the officer asks with a strangled breath, her eyes closing.
“You’re the first,” Waverly stops the rest of what she wants to say. Nicole pushes her fingers under the band of the short shorts. She huffs when the shorts don’t budge farther than she wants them to. “Hang on,” Waverly chuckles at the officer’s defeat. She moves to the end of the bed and takes off her shorts. “Your turn,” she reaches for the bottom of Nicole’s shorts and the redhead lifts her hips to allow the clothes to be removed.
With only one more layer to peel away, Waverly returns to hovering above Nicole. She gazes at the woman who’s looking at her in a way no one ever has before. Nicole leans up to kiss her, pulling her down so that their bodies are flush. It’s as if they were made to fit together. Waverly feels pressure from Nicole’s thigh between her legs and rolls her hips, groaning at the contact.
“You’re so wet,” Nicole feels the heat on her thigh. With trembling fingers, she pushes off Waverly’s underwear then brushes her fingers between the other woman’s legs. “Are you sure?” she asks one more time, her eyes searching those dark browns for any uncertainty.
“I am,” Waverly nods, her forehead dropping to Nicole’s shoulder as her hips buck when the pad of an index finger just barely touches the tip of her swollen clit. “Oh,” her sigh is content.
“I’m going to try to go slow,” Nicole whispers in her ear. “You are remarkable, and I want to show you how a woman like yourself should be loved.” She wraps an arm around Waverly’s waist and holds her close as they flip again. “That’s it,” her voice is tender, and her touch is gentle. Every moment is taken full advantage of as Nicole slips her finger to where Waverly needs her most. She puts a little more pressure on the throbbing bundle of nerves then makes a circle around it.
“Oh,” Waverly sighs, her hips already lifting.
“Hang on,” Nicole promises. “Stay with me, Waves, look at me.”
The emotions running through Waverly weigh down her eyelids but she hears Nicole’s voice and opens her eyes to find the woman looking at her with more love than a drunk looking at a full glass of beer. She wants those lips on hers and reaches down to pull Nicole up to accomplish that. Nicole’s finger keeps circling and every time she flicks over the tip, Waverly’s hips jerk and she feels herself relax more.
“You feel so good,” she whispers, her lips brushing Nicole’s earlobe. “Please don’t stop.”
“I won’t,” Nicole dips her finger lower, pressing to Waverly’s entrance. The brunette gives a small yelp but with a smile, assures Nicole she’s okay. “Are you ready?” her finger inches lower again but this time Waverly opens her legs more and lifts her hips. She nods.
Nicole has never gone so slow as she does with Waverly. She eases her finger into the trembling core and then eases out. She keeps the slow and steady pace while her other hand massages Waverly’s breast. She feels hands on her ribcage, fingers pressing so hard into her skin, she thinks there might be prints there come the sunrise.
“Are you okay?” she asks, and Waverly simply nods her head, her eyes shut again. “Waves, look at me.” Nicole feels Waverly slipping away, so overtaken with emotions that she could exhaust her energy too soon. Those dark eyes meet her concerned gaze. “Stay with me,” she encourages with a kiss to hopefully ground the brunette.
“Nicole,” Waverly’s fingers curl and her nails drag down the redhead’s side, her body arching, begging for more.
“I know,” and she does, because her attraction to this woman, who’s so overwhelmed by their connection that she’s on the verge of coming and crashing in one instance, has also stolen her heart.
Nicole presses her lips to Waverly’s at the same time she eases two fingers into the woman’s core. A gasp breaks the kiss, so Waverly can do the only other important thing: breathe.
She feels the trembling walls around her fingers, nudges the pulsing clit with her thumb, and finds the hand of a brunette she met in the little dive bar below them.
Waverly can’t focus on anything until Nicole presses their cheeks together and starts whispering words of adoration, encouragement, and praise. She can’t help but let her eyes close as every nerve stands on end, every muscle contracts, and a scream starts to crawl from the depths of her body.
“That’s it baby, that’s it. You’re so beautiful. Stay with me. That’s it, Waverly, breathe for me. There you go.” Nicole speeds up her hand, but her words stay unhurried.
“I’m close,” Waverly gasps.
“Come for me, baby. I’ve got you. That’s it.” Nicole can feel the approaching orgasm and knows it’s going to be intense. “I’ve got you. I’m right here.” She pushes her fingers deeper, presses her thumb harder, and continues to whisper.
“Nicole,” the word barely falls from Waverly’s lips before she screams, her body tightening for the long surges of ecstasy that don’t give a chance to breathe. She holds tight to the hand gripping hers, her other hand fists in the sheets. Her hips loosen but only enough for her to ride out the still-intense waves that have little sign of stopping.
“I’ve got you,” Nicole slows her hand, hoping to help the brunette ease down from the high. When she’s sure Waverly is okay, Nicole removes her hand and strokes between the hips that are still settling. She waits for those deep brown eyes to open. “Hi,” she greets when they do.
“Wow,” Waverly still can’t keep her eyes fully open. Nicole smiles and moves to her side, pulling Waverly into her arms. “I’m sorry I can’t return the favor.” The words are low and have a slight slur of sleepiness.
“Don’t worry,” Nicole rests her head on top of Waverly’s, smiling. “We have time.”
Though they have time, Nicole can’t sleep. She feels the soft, rhythmic breathing of a sleeping Waverly in her arms and the warmth of the woman against her body, but she can’t sleep. Her center is still humming, a plea for release is tight in her stomach, and she knows she can’t just let it be.
Shifting Waverly to rest on her shoulder, Nicole turns on her back and stretches her arm down until her hand finds heat. She exhales at the first touch and tries to make that her only sound. Her body sinks into the mattress with the promise of relief just a few touches, a few strokes, and a few silent gasps away.
Nicole doesn’t realize her other hand is still holding Waverly’s so when she’s on the verge of climaxing, her hand squeezes the brunette’s so tight it wakes her.
“Nicole?” Waverly’s voice is concerned. “Are you okay?” she turns on her side and finds the redhead looking rather flustered. It only takes her seconds to realize why. “Oh,” she finds Nicole’s other hand and removes it from her briefs. “Why didn’t you wake me?” she doesn’t give Nicole a chance to answer because her finger eases into the tight core, causing the other woman to gasp a full breath into her lungs.
“Waverly,” Nicole whispers into the kiss.
“Yes?” the beautiful woman hums, her hand slower than Nicole’s.
“Please,” she begs with desperate eyes. Waverly kisses Nicole as her hand continues amazing ministrations down there. Nicole doesn’t know where to hold on to.
“Here,” Waverly uses her free hand to place Nicole’s hands on her hips before rolling them, adding more pressure to her hand between Nicole’s legs.
“Oh,” she shudders as the approaching orgasm starts to ripple through her body. Waverly kisses Nicole just as her thumb makes one more circle around the officer’s clit.
Nicole comes so hard she sees stars behind her tightly shut eyes. Her stomach muscles contract so fast and so intensely, her upper body arches off the bed while her hips grind into Waverly’s hand. She groans from deep her chest, as another orgasm rolls over her before she comes down from the first. Waverly gently removes her hand when she feels the last tremors fade from Nicole’s body.
“Thank you,” Nicole smiles into a kiss.
Waverly lays on her chest. “Was that okay?” the brunette asks, her breath washing over Nicole’s breast. She feels the soft laugh into her hair.
“Perfect,” Nicole’s answer rattles in her chest against Waverly’s ear. “You’re perfect.”
Content with the answer Waverly wraps her arms around Nicole’s waist and sighs. They lay in silence a moment then Waverly remembers something.
“Did Nedley talk to you?” Waverly looks up, her lips brushing Nicole’s jaw.
“He did,” the officer tilts her head so that they’re eye to eye. “Said if I was still here on Monday, I should stop by the police station.”
“Will you still be here on Monday?” she looks worried.
“I think I have a good reason to hang around until then,” Nicole replies with a smile into a kiss they share. She doesn’t think she’ll ever tire of kissing the lips of the pretty woman who’s looking at her like there isn’t anyone else in the world.
“Tell me that reason isn’t corn nuggets,” Waverly raises an eyebrow. When Nicole doesn’t answer she scoffs. “Really?” she uses a hand on the redhead’s chest to prop herself up, a look of surprise on her face.
“No,” Nicole laughs and knocks her hand away to catch the woman in her arms. She kisses Waverly until she’s dizzy. “It’s the woman who provides the corn nuggets.” Waverly rolls her eyes. With a laugh, Nicole pulls the blankets over them. “Where you are, I’ll be,” she whispers when she thinks the woman in her arms is asleep.
“Where you go, I go,” Waverly replies, kissing Nicole’s cheek.