Chapter 4
Mitch
“Holy fuck!” Bryn shot up out of bed, startling me awake as she yelled, “Fuck! Fuck! Fucking! FUCKKKKKKKK!”
“You okay?” I rolled over to see her hopping on one foot, trying to get her skirt on straight as her eyes darted around the room.
“Where in God’s name is my fucking bra?” she looking like she was about to start hyperventilating.
“On top of one of the crushed boxes.” I grabbed my boxers and got up to help calm Bryn’s freak-out as she scrambled to get the heck out of my apartment at lightning speed. “Did I do something?”
She whipped around, eyes wide, and grabbed me. “Oh, fuck no! Shit! I’m a fuck up, you’re incredible.” She kissed me quickly. “I was just supposed to be at the firehouse an hour ago.”
“Oh, shit.” I rubbed my sleepy eyes with the heels of my hands, trying to figure out a way to help her.
Bryn grabbed her cell out of her purse. “Fuck. Fuck. Holy fucking shit balls of fire. I am in so much trouble.” I couldn’t help but take in how incredibly adorable she was as she cursed up a storm, scurrying around in her panic. I knew I shouldn’t have thought it was endearing, but it really was.
She stood in the middle of my apartment, naked from the waist up, hip popped out, tapping her foot. “Come on. Pick up. Pick uppppp. Pick up! Camden! Thank all things fucking holy.”
She waited while the dude on the other end yelled at her. Even from across the room, his rage-filled voice bit with viper venom.
“Yeah, I fucking know. Just come get me, and bring me some fucking clothes…please.” She started to pace. “I don’t give a fuck what color shirt or pants you bring. I have an extra pair of work clothes in my locker. Ok, thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Yes, I owe you a million for this. I’m sharing my location with you right now.” She grabbed her bra, putting it on. “You’re only a few blocks from me, thank you! You’re a lifesaver! I love you, bestie!”
Bryn hung up the phone and grabbed her thong, shoving it into her purse.
“Can I use your toothbrush and borrow a shirt?” she asked practically running to my bathroom.
I chuckled. “Sure? Do I even have a choice?”
She smiled at me, shaking her head. “Of course not. But it was more polite for me to ask than demand and take.”
Bryn left in a flash after stealing one of my favorite Guy Harvey shirts and using my deodorant, toothbrush, and comb.
So, there I was, left to clean up the mess of our sexcapade. I didn’t have to report to my new station for a few hours, but it could have been a year away; that’s how slow it felt like time was moving. I was itching to get back to work, even though it had only been a few weeks since I’d left my old job. I craved the distraction more than anything else.
Most of my morning was spent agonizing over whether I should text Bryn or not. I didn’t want to seem desperate, but I sure as shit did not want her to think I had used her for sex and that I didn’t actually like her. After about an hour, I rattled off a quick message.
Me: Hope you didn’t get in too much trouble for being late.
It didn’t take her long to get back to me.
Bryn: The chief just finished chewing me out but I think everything will be all right.
Me: Glad to hear it.
That was it. I didn’t hear back from her after that. I didn’t want to push things and I knew she was already stressed out. I was terrible at playing the games and didn’t want to overanalyze her silence to death, instead I chalked it up to her being busy or in trouble at work. For all I knew, she was dealing with bull shit calls and awful grunt work as punishment for the tardiness.
Finally, it came time to walk through the doors of my new station house. I stood out front, taking it all in.
Here goes nothing.
I opened the doors and walked right into a short, sassy blonde, who spun around on her heels only to freeze like a deer in headlights.
“Mitch? What the hell?” she sharply whispered through gritted teeth.
“Hi, Bryn. Guess we’re going to be working together.” I supposed we should have considered this possibility, but it hadn’t crossed my mind, and it seemed it hadn’t crossed hers either.
Well, this got weird fast.