Kiss From a Rose Read Free Page B

yeah, why’s that?”
    “On account of I can read and write so they said I was overqualified to be a Sergeant.”
    With that Marcus and Les took off to their car.
    “Why are you always giving O’Leary shit?” Marcus asked as they reached the auto pool. Not that Marcus minded. He’d back Noonan in any situation, but O’Leary wasn’t that bad.
    “He’s lazy and belongs where he is, behind a desk. The three times a year his potbelly waddles out on the street I fear for the safety of all involved. I don’t know how he got through the academy. I just can’t respect an officer that didn’t perform where it counts. Out there, under fire, with only a jacket covering one third of his body and not the most important part, his damn brain.”
    “You can drive today,” Marcus offered and Les raised an eyebrow.
    “Since when?”
    “I assume you got your license when you were sixteen. You did grow up in the boonies though. Did you get a farm permit instead, Opie?”
    “You sick?”
    “No.”
    “Got shot and I missed it?”
    “Not that I’m aware of.”
    Les climbed into the patrol car and pulled his seatbelt on while Marcus powered on their laptop.
    “In seven years you’ve never willingly given me the keys.”
    “You drive all the time.”
    “And you pout in the passenger seat.”
    “I never pout.”
    “Ha!”
    Right then Marcus’ phone vibrated and his instant reaction to reach for it had Les busting out in laughter.
    “McMillan’s cousin must have been some piece of ass to have you whipped that bad.”
    “For the third day in a row, I’m not dating, sleeping with, or talking to McMillan’s cousin.”
    “Then who has you reaching like they have a weapon at the ready.”
    “Dispatch to Car 74, are you in service?” dispatch crackled over the radio.
    “Car 74 to dispatch, beginning tour,” Marcus replied and pointed to the garage door to which Les ground his teeth in irritation.
    When Les turned left Marcus glanced at his phone.
    You aren’t the only one looking forward to Sunday, if I had time to dream I know you’d consume them.
    “I saw that,” Les said even though his head was turned away from Marcus.
    “Good, now watch this.” Marcus held his phone up and took a picture of Les growling at him to text to Jenna.
    Makes me miss your beautiful brown eyes more and more.
    “That was stupid,” Les said with a smug look.
    “Why?”
    “Just don’t cry when she begs for my number.”
    “I’ll control myself. Just make her scream my name during sex.”
    “They all do, Peterson, they all do.”
    “What do you think an architect makes in a year?”
    “Salary?” Les shook his head. “I don’t know I guess it depends on what they’re building.”
    “If they we’re designing say…a casino.”
    “For a reservation or Vegas?”
    “Jesus, Les, I don’t have a full dossier.”
    “Why you so testy?”
    “The woman I’ve been texting—”
    “The one whose next text will be ‘give me the sexy white guy’s number’.”
    “Sure, she’s up for partner. I just thought in the vast cavern that is your brain you’d have an idea what that means.”
    “They pay me triple to be your partner,” Les joked. “What does it matter? Are you a cop because it’s in your blood or because we have good bennies?”
    “I win the lottery—”
    “And you’d still be putting your name in when a detective job is open. You’re a cop. It’s what you love. As long as you have the three Ps you’re happy.”
    “What three Ps?” Marcus glared at Les.
    “Police work, puzzles, and pussy. If you cared about money you’d be bouncing, providing private security, or one of the other side hustles other guys do. She makes more money than you? Guess what, you’ll never have to do more than what you love to provide for your family.”
    “More? Or more, more?”
    “You have a phone, look it up. Geez, and you want to be a detective.”
    Dispatch contacted them before Marcus could complete his search, and the