Badges and Bikes

Chapter 20

The next morning, I get up after a good night of sleep. I go to the gym and work out for about an hour before showering and dressing. I get to the office around six o'clock and start going over the files that have interviews today. I know that Malcolm is a sure thing. I am not one hundred percent sure if Tammy White and Damon Hernandez are good candidates. I am glad that I will have Thane with me. I trust his judgement and the actual interviews will help me decide.

My cell phone starts ringing. I answer Thane's call. "Good morning, handsome!"

"Good morning, beautiful! How was your night?"

"It was good. Yours?"

"It was great! I dreamt of you in my arms."

"Wow! We had the same dream! How did that happen?" I ask him teasingly.

His chuckle sent shivers down my back. "I call that true love!" He replies. I hear his sincerity in his voice. Warmth spreads throughout my entire body.

"Is that what it is? Because it feels different than what I experienced with David. Not bad in any meaning. Just different. It gets scary how quickly I have fallen for you. I really don't know if I am explaining myself very well. Just ignore what I said. I will have to figure it out on my own." I paused as I try to collect my thoughts. "I'm sorry that I laid this on you. That isn't fair of me."

"No, sweetheart. Let me see if I can help you out a little bit here. Love comes in many different degrees and forms. The love that you had with David was born from you two being friends for almost your entire childhood. You knew each other's likes and dislikes. Each other's habits, good and bad. Your love for each other, now this is just a guess on my part, but I think that your love was comfortable and safe. Just something that you both grew into. Our love is based on our adult feelings and thoughts. We can be explosive in the bedroom and subtle in the office. Our love is new and unpredictable. We are enjoying getting to know everything about each other. We will get to know our likes and dislikes and hobbies. We may even have the same things in common. But one thing is for sure. I am in love with you, Ashton Tucker Thomas! I will wait until you are ready to advance our relationship. I will be right by your side when you realize that we are each other's destiny. I promise that I am trying not to make you feel uncomfortable or pushed. I want you to go at your own pace in our relationship."

"That all makes perfect sense to me. Thank you for understanding me. I really appreciate your thoughtfulness. You are the best!"

"Ahh, you are too kind, sweetheart! Now! Not to change the subject, but where are you? I went by the gym, but you weren't there." He sounded almost like a little boy who lost his baseball over a fence.

I chuckled a little. "I'm at work, honey. I'm sorry that you missed me at the gym." I reply.

"Oh ok. I am about two minutes away. I need to get off of here. I will see you in a minute."

"Ok, honey, be careful and I will see you in a minute." We hung up.

 I start checking my work email. There is one from Kyle.

I open it to read that they fired Willis last night and put him in jail for terroristic threats to a public servant and stalking. The stalking is because he was waiting by my jeep from ten o'clock on, for me to come out.

He said that Owens quit when he heard that he was suspended without pay for ninety days.

The other three officers that they talked to yesterday accepted their punishment.

So, I will need at least three more officers to replace them and myself.

Thane knocks on my door as he sticks his head in. "Good morning chief!"