07

CHAPTER FIVE

Closing the front door behind her, Marley leaned back against the sturdy structure and couldn't help but emit a nervous laugh. She didn't know where that response had come from and could only imagine what Allie had made of it.

'Come on, Marley, it's a date? Really?'

Marley thought as she shook her head.

'A woman who happens to be a lesbian asks you to a movie, and that's where your mind immediately goes?'

Crossing the room, Marley set about cleaning up the kitchen as her mind wandered over the afternoon she'd just spent with Allie. It was clear to her that the auburn-haired beauty was somewhat of a lonely woman, perhaps because of her job or maybe, by choice. But regardless, the fact that she'd asked Marley to a movie didn't mean there was anything more to it than two lonely women trying to form a friendship. Did it?

'And what if it did?'

Marley thought.

'Would that be so bad?'

Marley thought about the question. She'd never before considered dating a woman, not that she opposed the idea. And if she ever did decide to take a walk on the wild side, Marley knew she could do a whole lot worse than Allie. The woman was intelligent, charming, well-spoken, and stunning to boot. It would be the equivalent of a high school baseball player making an immediate jump to the major leagues and hitting a grand slam in his first at-bat.

'You're reading way too much into this,'

Marley thought, as she washed the last dish and set about wrapping the leftovers for storage in the fridge.

'Allie made it plain that she isn't looking for anything serious after her previous relationship. So why would she change that for you?'

Placing the leftovers in the fridge, Marley made her way back to her writing studio and sat down at her computer, tapping the screen to bring the machine to life. The flashing prompt seemed to taunt her as she stared at the screen, her mind wholly unfocused on any topic save for the Chief of Police.

Deciding at last that it would be nice to have a woman as beautiful as Allie interested, Marley set the topic aside and did her best to focus on her writing.

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Marley spent the next two days pounding away at her keyboard, the words seeming to flow out of her as she finished page after page. Her editor had been asking for weeks for chapters to read, and thanks to this recent surge of creative juices, Marley felt as though she'd have them by the end of the week.

Stopping to pour another glass of wine, Marley looked down at her phone, checking to see if she'd missed any texts. There had been no word from Allie since the woman had left Sunday evening, and Marley wasn't entirely sure of how to feel about the deafening silence.

'You probably freaked her out by calling it a date.'

No, that wasn't it, Marley was sure. Allison Gardner was anything but a delicate flower. She was a confident and strong woman who'd likely held the passing interest of many a beautiful woman, so what if a struggling author suddenly had a hopeless crush on her.

'So now you have a crush on her?'

Marley thought, the realization hitting her for the first time that she might, indeed, be feeling something for the beautiful law officer. And was that a scary thought? Strangely enough, Marley felt at peace on the subject. So what if she was a woman. Wasn't it a popular thought, now that sexuality was fluid? Marley seemed to recall reading that somewhere in the past. What if this was merely a case of Marley meeting a specific individual who struck a chord in her, Allie's resonance vibrating in time with her own?

Marley's thought process was broken up by the chirping of her phone, indicating an incoming text. Picking up her cell, Marley couldn't help but smile as she read the message.

Allie:

Are we still on for the movie? There's an eight-thirty showing of that new spy thriller with Scarlett Johansson playing at the cineplex tonight. Hit me back if you're still interested.

Marley's fingers danced across the keyboard of her phone as she typed her reply, a certain giddiness capturing her spirit like she hadn't felt since her first date as a teen.

Marley:

I'm in! I've been dying to see that one and really need an excuse to get out of the house. Meet you at the theater about eight-fifteen?

Marley pressed send and set the phone aside, suddenly feeling a bit unsure of herself. Oh, she definitely wanted to go, and the thought of seeing Allie again sent strange flutters rushing through her stomach. But what if she was reading too much into this? What if Allie was merely in need of a friend and had no other designs on Marley?

Marley took a deep breath, slowly letting it escape through her pursed lips as she tried to calm herself.

'Maybe Allie's as unsure about tonight as you are. Just try and relax and have a good time tonight.'

Another ding broke Marley from her reverie. Picking up the phone, she read Allie's latest text, its content hardening Marley's resolve to enjoy the night to come.

Allie:

Sounds perfect! The drinks and popcorn are on me!

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Marley arrived early at the theater and went ahead and purchased two seats for the eight-thirty showing of the movie Allie had chosen. Marley then waited just outside the box office, nervously watching the parking lot for signs of Allie's truck. Marley smoothed the knit summer top she wore, second-guessing her wardrobe choice for the thousandth time. The lovely blonde had tried on countless outfits before finally settling on a pair of ripped-knee jeans and the powder-blue, sleeveless top she wore.

Headlights pulled into the theater parking lot, bouncing slightly as the fast-moving vehicle hurriedly circled through the parking lot before sliding into an empty space.

Marley couldn't help the smile that blossomed on her face at the sight of Allie as she exited her truck and began sauntering her way towards the box office. Marley's heart leaped when Allie's eyes fell on her, the auburn-haired beauty's face lighting up as she spotted Marley.

"Driving kind of fast, weren't you, officer?" Marley asked with a smirk.

"Thinking about making a citizen's arrest?" Allie asked with a smile, as she stepped up on the curb.

"Depends on how well you behave the rest of the evening," Marley joked. "Here, since you were paying for the snacks, I went ahead and bought the tickets."

Allie took the ticket, her fingertip brushing against Marley's hand and sending a slight electric shock racing up the blonde's arm and directly to her core. As Allie turned to lead them towards the entrance, Marley took in the constable's appearance. Allie was dressed in a pair of tight jeans that hugged her full and shapely backside, her hips flaring out nicely from her slim waist. Allie had paired her pants with a purple, long-sleeve, button-down, dress shirt; the middle buttons straining under the burden of her large breasts.

The movie was loud and held an intricate plot-line, one that Marley struggled to keep up with sitting next to Allie. The two shared a tub of popcorn, necessitating they remain close to one another. And each time their thighs or fingertips brushed together, Marley found herself practically shivering in anticipation.

When the movie was over and the houselights came up, the pair exited the theater and made for the restrooms in the alcove. Finished relieving herself, Marley left her stall first and was busily washing her hands when Allie joined her, the pair's eyes meeting in the wall-length mirror.

Marley felt herself flush under Allie's stare, the chestnut-haired beauty's eyes seeming to hold a question that both frightened and excited Marley. Feeling a mild sense of panic under Allie's smoldering glare, she blurted out the first thing that came to her mind.

"Would you like to go to the diner and get a bite to eat?"

Allie studied her carefully, seeming to measure Marley's request. Finally, she said, "Are you sure you're ready for that, Marley? People see me out with a woman in a social setting, and accurate or not, they start making assumptions. A dark theater is one thing, but a well-lit diner is likely to get chins to wagging."

Marley thought about it. Did she care if people started putting a label on her fledgling relationship/friendship with Allie? Did it matter to her that people might infer things about her sexuality that even Marley was unsure of herself?

Putting aside her own questions regarding the things she was feeling for Allie, Marley decided she didn't care if her new community prejudged what was happening between the two women. If it turned out that there was something deeper happening, then Marley would have to accept the watchful eyes and wagging tongues. And if it was nothing more than a friendship? Then let the small-town bigots think what they want.

"Let them talk," Marley said, feeling a sudden braveness seize control of her being. Reaching out, she took Allie's hand, the two women heading for the exit to the bathroom as their fingers interlaced.

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"We've got an awful lot of eyes on us," Allie said in a conspiratorial whisper, as she closed her lips around her straw, suddenly making Marley feel envious of the piece of plastic.

"A pretty woman like you should be used to that," Marley remarked, instantly blushing at her own boldness.

"Ha!" Allie exclaimed louder than she'd intended, immediately covering her mouth as a result as even more eyes looked their way. "Sorry," Allie apologized with a blush. "Sure, they're always looking at me, but only because they're afraid I might catch them doing something wrong."

"You're kidding, right?" Marley asked, as if she found Allie's assertion to be ludicrous. "Have you looked in a mirror lately, Allie? You're stunning, girl!"

"Stop!" Allie ordered, with a roll of her eyes that got a laugh from Marley.

"I'm not playing, Allie. My younger brother and his friends would label you as SAF."

That got a confused look from Allie, who asked, "SA... what?"

"SAF, it's the abbreviation for Sexy As Fuck," Marley replied, with a raised eyebrow.

That got a pronounced blush from the usually confident Allie, who tried to hide the sudden change in her color behind her milkshake. The act of modesty only served to endear Allie that much more to Marley. What was it about this person? Marley was utterly drawn to her like iron shavings to a strong magnet. Even when they were apart, Marley's mind would often wander to thoughts of the sexy officer, Allie's face popping into her mind at the most inopportune times.

There was no longer any doubt that Marley had a crush on the gorgeous creature across the table from her, one that seemed to grow exponentially each time she was in Allie's presence. But what could she do about it? Or perhaps, more importantly, what was she willing to change about her life to see it come to fruition? What would Marley's family think? Her friends? Hell, even her fanbase?

"You're sweet for saying so," Allie said, intruding on Marley's thoughts, Allie giving her a smoldering look that made the blonde's clit feel as though a tiny man was beginning to do a tap routine upon its surface.

The two were momentarily quiet, each of them enjoying the moment as they shared their plate of fries. Their waitress, Tammy, stopped by to check on them, a knowing smirk on her face that neither woman made a note of. They were both too engrossed in one another than to give Tammy much more than a passing notice.

Finishing up their late evening snack, the pair walked out to the parking lot together, their shoulders nearly bumping and their fingertips lightly brushing together in a way that nearly drove Marley insane with need. She kept hoping that Allie would take the lead and press the matter, but her hopes had been dashed so far.

Reaching Marley's Jeep, the pair stopped by the driver's side door, Marley leaning up against that vehicle's sturdy frame.

"I had a great time tonight," Marley announced quietly, in an almost breathy tone.

"I did, too," Allie replied, reaching up and sweeping aside a stray sprig of Marley's hair that had escaped her braid. Before she pulled her hand away, Allie allowed her thumb to lightly caress Marley's left cheek; a simple gesture causing the author's legs to nearly buckle.

Allie leaned in slightly, pausing with their faces just inches away from one another.

'This was it!'

Marley thought,

'It's finally about to happen!'

Closing her eyes, her heart pounding in her chest, Marley slightly pursed her lips in anticipation. But at the last second, the blonde-headed beauty felt Allie's lips softly caress her left cheek, her skin tingling like an electrically charged surface in their wake.

"Goodnight, Marley," Allie said, as she slowly backed away, a dreamy expression in her eyes as she slowly turned and made her way to where her truck awaited.

Almost in a lusty mental fog, Marley managed to unlock the door to her Jeep, sliding in behind the wheel. But rather than crank the vehicle up, Marley simply sat there, the skin of her left cheek still charged where Allie had delivered her tender kiss.

'Crush, hell,'

Marley thought as she reached up to touch that spot.

'I think I'm falling for her.'

CHAPTER SIX

Allison wandered into the office the following morning, still feeling a buzz from the previous night's adventure. She merely nodded her head to the dispatcher before collecting her mug and going in search of the coffee pot.

Last night had gone perfectly, as far as Allison was concerned. She'd gone into the night still unconvinced that Marley saw any potential for their relationship beyond that of being good friends. And Allie had even attempted to give Marley an out on several occasions, the sexy blonde batting her efforts aside as if she was unconcerned. All of the little touches they'd shared and the multitude of compliments Marley had paid her had seemed far too flirtatious for just friendly banter.

And that moment at the end of the night when Marley had seductively leaned against her car, practically begging to be kissed, it had taken all of Allison's considerable willpower to deny her. But she'd been in that spot before with other purportedly straight girls and had made the mistake of giving in to her own desires. Those women had all either panicked or suffered a case of gay regret the following morning, and Allison didn't want that with Marley. As agonizing as it would be to have to wait, the ball would remain in Marley's court, the responsibility hers, and hers alone, to make the first move.

"Got a second, Chief?" asked Ted Olsen, Allison's most senior officer.

"Sure, Ted, what have you got?"

"We just got a notice from the Bureau of Prisons saying that Travis Lucas is getting early parole due to prison crowding," Ted replied, handing the notice over to Allison for her perusal.

"What the fuck?" Allison groused, taking the sheet and reading over its content. The official document basically said the prisons were being forced to release first-time offenders who'd appropriately been convicted of a crime up to and including felonious assault, as long as their criminal actions didn't include a deadly weapon. Allison shook her head, the insanity of the document's logic nearly making her blood boil.

Travis Lucas had been one of the county's most prolific purveyors of methamphetamine, and while Allison had come close to busting him at least a dozen times, the redneck trash had always managed to insulate himself just enough to escape arrest each occasion. He was never the chemist or the actual dealer but merely the banker who money-rolled their endeavors, always using loyal intermediaries to keep himself under the radar.

But Travis's luck had run out when his seventeen-year-old girlfriend had shown the temerity to skim a few of his profits before turning them over to Lucas. He'd repaid her by nearly beating the girl to death with his fists and feet. Thinking she was dead, or close to death, Lucas had dumped her on a secluded farm just inside the city limits, planning to let the birds and animals rid him of her body.

Anna Marie Stallworth hadn't died, though. She'd hung on through the night despite her brutal injuries and had been discovered late the next evening just before dark by the farmer who owned that plot of land. Paramedics and doctors had worked on Anna throughout the night before finally getting her stabilized, though in a medically-induced coma. Allison had placed a twenty-four-hour a day guard at her door, often sitting watch herself during her off-hours. And for nearly two weeks, the girl had hung on in unconscious limbo before her doctors had finally decided the swelling had gone down enough in her brain that it was safe to bring her out of her long sleep.

It was nearly two days later before Allison had gotten a chance to speak to Anna. The girl had been decidedly uncooperative at first, too scared to speak out against the man who'd beaten her so savagely. Finally, Allison had merely pointed out to Anna that she intended to pull her guard and leak to outsiders that Anna had been talking to the police. Not necessarily a lie, though not the truth either.

The girl had finally broken down and told Allison everything, even giving up Lucas's chemist and a list of his dealers.

Using her testimony, Allison and the county DA had managed to put away the county's largest supplier of crystal meth.

But Lucas hadn't gone quietly. No, he'd made it known that Anna was a dead woman along with that 'lesbo cunt' who'd arrested him.

"What should we do, boss?" Ted asked.

"Find Anna Stallworth and notify her of his impending release. Make it clear to her that she should take every precaution to protect herself, including leaving the area."

"And what about you, Chief?" Ted asked, the concern in his voice evident.

"I'm a big girl, Ted, and I'm not scared of Travis Lucas, or any of his kind. If he comes looking for trouble, I'll be ready," Allison replied.

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With the glow from her previous night's activities dimmed considerably by the news of Lucas's potential release, Allison went on patrol. And while she did indeed take seriously the threat that Lucas imposed, thoughts of Marley kept popping up in her mind.

Allison could hardly keep a smile off her face as she drove around the town. Marley just had that effect on her, making Allison's chest swell as if to burst as a cavalcade of butterflies fluttered inside her stomach. And as dangerous as it was for her emotionally, Allison knew that she was quickly falling for the blonde beauty.

Around lunchtime, Allison heard her cell phone chime. Pulling off the side of the road, she checked the message, her face nearly splitting at the grin that blossomed there as a result.

Marley:

I can't stop thinking about last night! Can I see you again Saturday night once you're off duty?

Allison typed out her reply and pressed send, setting her phone aside and putting her cruiser back in gear.

Allie:

You certainly can. I might even have an idea as to what we can do!

Allison pulled out into traffic and made her way to the diner, the glow suddenly back on her day and the dark specter of Travis Lucas nearly forgotten. His pending release was still more than a week away, and Allison had no intention of allowing it to cast a dark pall over her mood. At least, not while she had Marley Anderson in her life.

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