Chapter 4
A Brazen Approach on the Road to Hale
I’m exhausted to the point my mind is under protest, refusing to strategize, plot, or even think anymore. I have grilled over two hundred suspects in seven days, and it has taken its toll on me now. I feel the burn of the overexertion, and I relish the taste of the whiskey making me forget it all.
“Great week, Araya,” a flirty guy releases.
“Thanks,” I murmur gently while staring out over the fire trying to light the night sky.
The log behind my back holds me up because I’ve consumed way too much liquor to do it on my own. I haven’t called Hale like I promised, but I can call him in the morning. If I call him now, he’ll be pissed I’m not on my way back. I worked hard. I deserve to celebrate.
“It has been crazy busy,” Corbin murmurs while flopping down beside me.
“Yes. Yes it has,” I slur out.
“I see you’ve already found the whiskey,” he chuckles while stealing a sip from my bottle.
“Yes. Yes I have,” I say with a slight giggle, and he starts laughing even more.
“Have you seen Brazen?”
“Not tonight. I’ve barely seen him all week,” I mumble while pulling the bottle to my lips again.
“I’m surprised he has been able to stay away. I assumed he’d spend the week pining after you.”
“He had to be professional. We had a job to do, and he’s a captain,” I laugh out - even though there is no reason for laughter.
Oh damn. I’m that drunk girl who laughs at everything. Peachy.
“Well the captain is off duty now,” Brazen sizzles out while bringing in a crate full of liquor.
I smirk as those pale blue eyes catch mine, and people swarm around him to start divvying up his new haul. He takes a bottle for himself, and then he comes to take my other side.
“You were incredible this week, babe,” he smolders out while wrapping his arm around me, and my drunken state of mind allows me to just snuggle into him without over thinking things.
“You were incredibly professional,” I playfully retort. “I suppose your full blood companions will be satisfied now.”
His grin grows suspicious, and his lips almost touch mine before he pulls back and takes a sip of his whiskey.
“So you were the one outside my room. Why didn’t you just come in?”
“It sounded like a very serious conversation, and I didn’t want to interrupt.”
“You wouldn’t have been an interruption. I wanted you to stay with me,” he seduces, and my lips brush his before I stand to my feet.
“I love this song,” I say, seduction dripping from my tone when I start swaying my hips to the music.
Brazen’s eyes catch mine, and he holds me captive as the dance meant for my amusement becomes a dance of seduction meant for him.
“I happen to love this song too,” Corbin chimes in from behind, and I feel his body pressing against mine as he tries to keep my rhythm.
I smirk as I turn to face him while twitching my finger.
“There’s only one guy here I’ll dance with,” I seduce, and then I turn to face the very intensely turned on pale eyes of Brazen burning against me as his devilish smirk comes to life.
I strut back over to him, and I straddle his body before lowering myself to his lap. My lips consume his without warning, and he grabs me to jerk me closer to his growing erection. I can feel him smiling against my lips as I devour him, and the cat-calls that follow our showy display are almost comical. I’m so drunk, it wouldn’t faze me to fuck him right here.
A girl sitting close to us pulls at a guy’s hand to lead him toward the tents.
