The Cop Next Door

six

"A biker bar?" I stood in disbelief at the neon lights that read 'Wheels & Heels.' Daxon slapped his large hand against my back in a friendly gesture, pushing me forward and through the front door. 

"Yup," He said, popping the consonant. "And there's an open booth." I slid into the beat up leather seating and pulled the menu to my eye level. "This place is a hidden gem; they've got the best food in the city." I nodded as my eyes took in the greasy, cheesy goodness. The waitress came to our table and instantly drank in the sight of Dax.

"What can I give you?" Her large bust popped out of her half-unbuttoned top and she leaned forward to use it on Dax. 

"Scotch, neat; and I'd like a the double cheeseburger with extra bacon." He set the menu down and nodded toward me, as if the waitress was invisible. 

"Same as him." I gave her my menu and watched as she left, wagging her hips dramatically from side to side. Snorting, my eyes finally met with his. Dax's lips tipped into a slight smirk. 

"What?" I asked self-consciously, squirming under his gaze. 

"You just fascinate me." He said, his accent laced with each word that came from his mouth. I found myself watching his lips and I looked away, feeling my cheeks heat. 

"Why is that?" I kept my eyes anywhere but the man in front of me; the friend in front of me. Dax folded his hands in front of himself and leaned forward. 

"Come close," He insisted, wagging his index finger at me. Leaning in, my fists quickly clenched under the table as I felt his hot breath against my ear. God, his cologne was incredible. 

"You have so much... self control. Something I have little of." He admitted, my breath now caught in my throat. I gulped to regain some composure, knowing his words were embedded with sexual undertones. He leaned back against his seat and smiled innocently at my exasperated expression. 

"Well," I bit my lip. "You should work on that." He shrugged effortlessly and smiled thankfully at the waitress as she brought our drinks to the table. 

"I find self control to be a restraint." He said thoughtfully, taking a small drink from his glass. "God knows I like to be in control." Another wave of heat past through me, but instead of it coming to my cheeks, it resonated in my core. I crossed my legs slowly and attempted to change the subject. 

"How was your day?" How lame, Jane. 

"Rough." He admitted, drinking the entirety of his drink at the sound of the topic. "I can't really talk about the details, but I had a domestic violence call; the girl didn't make it." Suddenly, my mood shifted and I found myself reaching over the table to grab his hand to comfort him. 

"I'm sorry, I know the feeling of seeing someone die." My heart clenched. "It's an awful thing to go through." Dax stayed quiet, so I continued. "My parents... they were killed in a home invasion last year." When his eyes lifted to me and I knew his expression well. It was one I had seen many times; at their funeral, at school, anywhere someone knew my family. "Viv and I moved here for a fresh start." I waited a moment for the 'I'm so sorry for your loss' speech, but Dax did something that surprised me. 

"This song is nice." He mumbled and I strained to hear the foreign music over the bustle of the other bar-goers. 

"I don't understand it." I bit my lip, feeling embarrassed that I couldn't recollect any of my high school Spanish. 

"It's okay, Princesa, I can translate." He held out his hand to me. My palm met his and he whisked me into the center of the bar where his free hand rested on my hip. Pulling me close, he moved to the slow beat of the song, leading me with ease. "This song is about a man who is desperately in love and wishes to be with his love because his life isn't worth living without her." He whispered softly to me, my forehead lazily leaning against his hard chest as we danced, his warmth enveloping me in a cocoon of bliss. The heartache of the loss of my parents had been forgotten thanks to Dax's distraction and I made note of his dancing expertise. 

"And it would be an honor, oh love, to be your slave
I would become your toy by my own will
And if a glorious day I end up in your arms
That would be happiness-" 

He translated to me quietly and I looked up at him quizzically. 

"Why would you want to be a slave to someone?" Dax shrugged and I felt his thumb trace small circles into my hip.

"People do odd things when they are in love." He looked down at me, his eyes hard with seriousness. 

"I wouldn't know," I blurted honestly. "I've never been in love." That seemed to please Dax and he pulled away, twirling me in a circle before bringing me back into his chest. 

"Tell me something about Jane." He smiled a charming smile. "As your friend, I'm obligated to know you inside and out." I rolled my eyes.

"I'm boring-" 

"I know that's not true." He bit his lip to stop himself from laughing. "By day: a baker at your local bakery, but by night: ...a Sir Mix-a-Lot impersonator." He wiggled his eyebrows playfully. I swatted his chest.

"Shut up!" 

"But seriously, tell me something interesting." He chuckled and I searched my brain. 

"I've never been to a club and I love to cook and bake." I spouted out, realizing the song had ended minutes ago and somehow we were still embraced. Taking a step away, I scratched the back of my head awkwardly. "Our food is here." I rushed to the table and took my seat, digging into the thick cheeseburger in front of me. 

"Damn." Dax chuckled, watching me devour the food before he had even taken a bite. 

"Oh, yeah." I giggled, looking down at my plate. "I love to eat." He started on his own food and smiled softly.

"I like a woman who can eat." 

"Don't all women eat?" I questioned sarcastically. He nodded, wiping the grease off of his hands with a napkin. 

"Yeah, but the women I'm typically around pretend to eat like birds." He popped a French fry into his mouth before continuing. "It's refreshing to see such a small girl have such a big appetite." My cheeks heated for the millionth time and I quietly finished my food. The ride home was filled with music from the radio, but we didn't talk. And for some reason, we didn't need to. Dax walked me to the middle of the sidewalk that separated our houses, stuffing his hands in his jean pockets. "Thanks for distracting me from work stuff." 

"I had fun." I replied honestly, rocking back and forth on my heels. 

"Good." He mumbled. And for once, it seemed like Daxon Rivera wasn't sure of what to say. 

"Goodnight." I waved and turned to walk to my house. 

"Goodnight, Princesa." He said from behind me. Once in my bedroom, I finally pulled out my phone and noticed a message from Riley. 

R- Hey, babe. Just got home from the gym. Do anything interesting tonight?

I paused before replying.

J- Went to dinner with a friend.