Your Favorite Crime

1. The Boss

Luna Grey is NOT a woman to say "no" to. Tim Bradford has tried and failed to do so on countless occasions. So, when she arrived at the station to have lunch with her husband, Wade, and then invited Tim to come with her to a gallery opening, he obliged with a forced smile.

"And why exactly am I your date tonight and not your husband?" Tim groaned, adjusting his tie when he picked up Luna at her front door.

She dusted off the shoulders of his blazer and smiled, "My husband is working the night shift, and I think you'll have fun."

He took a step back when he realized what she was trying to say, "Wait, you're setting me up again, aren't you?"

Knowing there was no use in denying the accusation, she sighed, "Can you blame me? You're a handsome man who has dedicated your whole life to the LAPD but never managed to settle down. Wade and I worry that you're unhappy."

"I'm perfectly fine on my own. I don't need to settle down."

"When you meet the right woman, you'll change your mind."

"Considering I've lived this long without meeting her, I don't think she exists."

"You never know...maybe you'll meet her tonight," Luna grinned hopefully and started walking over to his truck. Tim had become like a son to Wade, so she had grown to adore the younger officer, too, and as someone she is quite fond of, she wants him to be happy. Tim never looks happy. He scowls and smiles disingenuously, but he's never HAPPY, and she has made it her mission to change that. A friend of hers who is in charge of the gallery opening has a lovely SINGLE assistant that Luna was eager to set Tim up with, and such a fancy occasion was the perfect opportunity to get them to meet.

Well aware that there was no room for argument, Tim accepted that he would have to endure a night of awkward conversation with the hundredth woman Luna tried to convince him was a good match, because even without meeting the mystery person, he knew he was not going to like her.

As they drove to the gallery, Luna listed all of the positive traits of the assistant whose name Tim could not manage to remember.

When they arrived at the gallery, he saw a woman standing over the smoking hood of her car. As a chivalrous man, Tim said, "Why don't you head inside. I'll help this lady out and be right there."

"You're such a good man," Luna replied fondly and walked into the gallery.

"Evening, ma'am," Tim began to say as he walked around to the front of the car to find a woman bent over, her face obscured from view, but his eyes could not resist lingering on her curvy backside.

"I'm fine," the woman responded, her head low.

"Are you sure? I'm pretty good with cars."

"It's okay. I think I got it," then she winced at an odd clattering sound.

"Ma'am..."

Finally, she looked up at him and insisted, "Please don't call me ma'am. That makes me sound old."

Whatever response Tim wanted to say evaporated from his mind the second he looked into her beautiful brown eyes. She was easily the most gorgeous woman he has ever seen even in a simple t shirt and jeans paired with an a warm, radiant smile.

"H-hi," she said nervously when she made eye contact with the handsome man offering to help her. DAMN was the only coherent thought she really had.

"Uhhh hi," Tim finally replied nervously.

"You said you're good with cars, right? I think I might need your help after all."

"Let me take a look," he offered, trying to stop STARING at her beauty. At quick glance, he knew he would have to tinker with something, so Tim shrugged off his suit jacket. "Do you mind holding this?"