Under Your Influence Read online

  He shoved the flowers at me.

  I took them, and he quickly turned and ran, while answering a ringing cell phone.

  “I’m getting there, asshole!” he screamed as the door shut.

  I put the flowers on the coffee table and pulled out the tag.

  I read the card and my jaw hit the floor.

  They were from Brian.

  Forever our love. Forever your eyes. Forever us.

  I reached for my phone and called him.

  My heart raced.

  A side of me couldn’t believe he would do this. Send me flowers. The day after dumping me? The day after he proposed to someone else?

  Unless he came to senses and realized what he did was so-

  “Harper?” his voice asked.

  “What are you trying to do?”

  “What?”

  “The flowers.”

  “What flowers?” he asked.

  “I’m sitting here with a giant bunch of flowers and a card from you that-”

  “Oh. Fuck.”

  “Excuse me?” I asked.

  I heard noise.

  Him shuffling around and moving around.

  Was he in bed with her? With Daisy? Hurrying to get away so he could talk to me?

  “Brian?”

  “Harper. I’m so sorry.”

  “Sorry for what?”

  “The flowers. I forgot to cancel the order.”

  I gasped. “What?”

  “I ordered them a long time ago. To make sure you’d get them for Valentine’s Day. I never called to… oh, shit. I’m sorry.”

  “This is a joke, right?”

  “No. I never called. I guess I forgot.”

  “You guess?”

  “Harper, please listen to me…”

  “You fucked another woman? You’re engaged now?”

  “Don’t do this right now.”

  “You sent me flowers after breaking my heart.”

  “Give them away then,” he said. “Throw the card out and keep them. I don’t know. What a mess.”

  “Hey, Brian?”

  “Yeah?” he asked.

  “It’s Valentine’s Day,” I said. “I have something to say.”

  “Okay…”

  “Go fuck yourself.”

  I threw my phone to the floor and ripped the card up into little pieces.

  I curled my lip as I stared at the flowers. I didn’t even like the flowers. He knew I was allergic to the ones with the orange middle. My nose was already twitching.

  Brian knew nothing about me.

  I wasn’t sure if he ever loved me.

  But I did know this.

  I was going to get my revenge… and then forget about him for forever.

  6

  (Tyler)

  “So, I sweep the fucker’s leg and took him down like nothing. Seven feet tall.”

  “Bullshit,” Kordell said with a wave at Joey.

  “You weren’t there,” Joey said. “Big dude. Biggest dude ever. He cleared the bar. And I took him on.”

  “I saw the goddamn report,” Kordell yelled across the table. “He was six-four.”

  “That’s big,” Joey said.

  “Only because you’re five-eight with heels,” I said.

  Kordell cackled and slapped me in the arm. “Good one, brother.”

  “Whatever,” Joey said. “I took him down on my own. I don’t see you two bragging about any stories right now.”

  “What about you?” Kordell asked me. “Night before Valentine’s Day. Full moon. You had to have some action.”

  My mind thought instantly about Harper. That fucking beautiful piece of ass standing heartbroken outside that brownstone ready to throw a rock.

  “DUI,” I said. “Couple domestics.”

  “Anything crazy?” Joey asked. He leaned against the table, licking his lips.”

  “Assisted on a call for candle wax,” I said.

  “What?” Joey asked.

  “Some woman poured candle wax on her guy’s dick. Thought it was sexy. Saw it in a video. Burned the guy’s dick and I think some went into the tip…”

  “Oh, fuck,” Kordell said.

  Joey adjusted himself. “I can’t imagine. I’d fucking lose my mind on the bitch.”

  “And where’s your date?” I asked. “Same for you.” I looked at Kordell.

  “For what?” Kordell asked. “Valentine’s Day? Screw that.”

  “We’ll wait and find someone during the after hours,” Joey said. “Lonely. Broken hearts.”

  “Well played then,” I said.

  “Come out with us,” Kordell said.

  “I’m parking my ass here all night.”

  “Suit yourself,” Joey said. “These drinks are on your tab. Thanks.”

  Joey punched my shoulder and he and Kordell left.

  McMilley’s was normally the quiet corner bar. It wasn’t a place for a date. All of us cops came to hang out and trade war stories. Or horror stories. Depending on the night. There were ghosts lingering around all the tables.

  But the good news was, the more I drank, the quieter the ghosts were.

  I also needed to keep the drinks going to chase away Harper.

  Which was crazy.

  Harper? The woman who I came this close to arresting? The woman I subtly hinted to come have a drink with me tonight?

  I looked around the bar.

  I was alone.

  On Valentine’s Day.

  The way I intended and designed it.

  For good reason.

  And that reason meant nothing.

  I stood up and pointed to the bar.

  Mallory was behind the bar tonight. Too deadly beautiful for her own good, but we both knew it could never happen, would never happen, and should never happen. All I needed her to do was bring me drinks and make sure I didn’t do anything stupid.

  With my head turned, I saw movement from the corner of my eye.

  “Hey, I’m sitting…”

  I started to talk but lost my words.

  Maybe my breath.

  All my blood drained down between my legs.

  Like a fool.

  Harper was sitting at my table.

  “Mind if I check you for weapons first?” I asked.

  “Excuse me?”

  “Last night you had a weapon when I met you.”

  “This isn’t last night. You invited me here and you’re off duty.”

  “I’m never off duty, darling.”

  Harper swallowed hard.

  I made damn sure to double up my drink order.

  She was here.

  So, I was going to keep her here.

  Even though this wasn’t the greatest place to hang out and try to… what?

  What was she doing here?

  Why did I want her here?

  I laughed to myself, knowing I could answer that question easily.

  Mallory brought our drinks and gave me a wink.

  That did nothing for me.

  “Drink with me?” I asked and pushed the other drink across the table.

  “How do you know what I like?”

  “If you drink it, you’ll like it.”

  “Maybe I’m a wine girl.”

  “A wine girl? Tell you what, tonight… be my whiskey girl.”

  Harper’s cheeks blushed. “And… what are you to me?”

  “Protector,” I said without thinking.

  Just one word.

  Like a caveman.

  “Deal,” Harper said.

  She lifted her glass.

  I lifted mine.

  “Cheers to Valentine’s Day, darling,” I said.

  “Fuck today,” she said.

  I nodded. “Well then. Fuck today.”

  We clanked glasses and she started to drink.

  Her dark eyes were deadly, and her words rang in my mind.

  She was here to drink. To be sad.

  My whiskey girl.

  Me her protector.

  We
were nothing but in serious trouble.

  “So, Officer Tyler, how do you plan on getting home?” Harper asked with a vixen grin.

  She chewed on a little, red straw and her eyes were drunk and ready for the night.

  I had to get her out of this bar though.

  This place was depressing as hell.

  Plus, if anyone else from the station or department saw me, they’d bust in and try to break my balls a little. They’d say anything to chase Harper away, although I wasn’t sure that would work with her.

  “I can do what I want,” I said. “I’m a cop.”

  “Are you going to turn on your siren?”

  “Do you want me to?”

  “Maybe. Can we pull someone over?”

  “I’ll make up a new charge just for you, darling. I’ll call it the Harper Charge. Only if they have a rock with them though.”

  “Shut up,” she said.

  She tried to reach across the table and swat at me but dropped her glass. It tipped over and half melted ice spilled across the table. She cackled and called out oh shit! while I slid napkins over the wet spot.

  Harper put her foot down and started falling to the right.

  I was right there to catch her.

  “Take it easy,” I whispered.

  “Look at you. My protector.”

  “And look at you,” I said. “My whiskey girl.”

  She giggled and snorted.

  She covered her mouth.

  She was loud and sort of obnoxious. But in a strangely addicting way.

  “What the hell were you doing last night?” I asked her.

  “That’s private business,” she said.

  I made sure she was safe on her feet before letting her go.

  “Wait,” she said. She grabbed my hand.

  We stood there staring at each other.

  The damn building was going to shake and fall into rubble with the electricity between us. My mind dared me to throw her on the table. Right there. In front of everyone. Rip her shirt open so all those little, black buttons went scattering, tinkling against the floor. And then have my mouth start just below her neck, kissing down to her full chest.

  I gritted my teeth and pulled my hand away.

  “Do you really want to know what I was doing there?” she asked.

  “I actually do.”

  “It’s going to ruin the night. You’re going to know too much and then this… this will never happen.”

  That was maybe a good thing.

  I started to nod. “I’ll take my chances with you, Harper.”

  7

  (Harper)

  Hot breathing. He's consuming me. Up against a wall. There’s the echo of music all around us but nobody can see us. He has a special spot just for us to be in. His hands race up and down my body, over my clothes. I never hated clothes so much in my life. Fuck these clothes. Rip them off my body, Officer Tyler. I've been so bad that I need you to punish me. Punish me horribly. Handcuff me. To your bed.

  I groan and put my right foot against the wall and push against him.

  He falls back and slams down to a seat.

  I straddle him.

  I’m going to go wild with a strange guy in a bar.

  I never do this.

  I’ve never done this.

  He’s unlocked something in me.

  He’s turned me into something wild.

  Or maybe it was the whiskey I kept ordering.

  Whatever it is, I like it.

  I slam down on him.

  Hard.

  His hands grab my ass and lift me up.

  He pulls me down and puts me right over the thick swell of his cock.

  I feel that definition through his jeans and there’s no way that could fit inside me.

  But I want to find out if it can.

  I grind my hips like I have three seconds to make him come.

  He stands up and walks me back to the wall.

  His right hand is under my shirt, moving over my left breast.

  I wore my sexy, purple bra on purpose, wanting this moment.

  Trust me, he wasn't the one who decided to fuck me. I was the one who decided to let him fuck me.

  “That guy is a fucking asshole,” Tyler whispers to me as he kisses my neck.

  “I hate him so much," I say, breathless.

  Tyler kisses to my left ear. His left hand cuts down between my legs and presses against me. Over my jeans. My panties a mess of sweet honey, ready for his taking and tasting.

  “You deserve better,” Tyler says.

  He kisses across my neck again and down.

  He growls at the top of my shirt.

  He hates that I’m wearing a shirt.

  At this point, he could take my shirt off and fuck me against the wall in the bar with people watching.

  What is wrong with me?

  “I deserve so much better,” I say. “But I want to get back at him. That piece of shit.”

  Tyler kisses up my neck and back to my mouth.

  This is so hot. I expect it to be sloppy, but Tyler refuses that. He controls the kiss. His tongue moves so slow and methodical. He’s perfection. He’s fucking perfection.

  His right hand moves from under my shirt to my face. His left hand drives my panties almost up into me. He finds my clit through my jeans and panties. Brian couldn’t find my clit if I painted it bright yellow.

  Fucking Tyler… he’s…

  “We have to get out of here,” he growls.

  “Yes, we do," I say. “I need you inside me.”

  “If we leave here, tonight is going to be crazy. I hope you know that.”

  I put my right foot to the wall again and pushed.

  I clawed at his face. “You don't know fucking crazy, Tyler… now take me out of here.”

  When my right eye opened, I felt pain.

  Behind my eye and spreading through my head.

  I touched my head and tried to groan, but the vibration of that made it hurt even worse.

  Stupid whiskey.

  I slowly opened my left eye and gave myself a few seconds to try and settle. My head throbbed, and I felt like I was going to be sick.

  The first thing I noticed… I wasn't home.

  I wasn’t in my bed in my apartment.

  I gasped and put my elbows to the bed.

  When I propped myself up, the pain swirled even worse.

  I crashed down to the bed and gritted my teeth.

  I tried again, going slowly to control the pain.

  On my elbows, I looked around and realized I was in a stranger’s bedroom. In a stranger's bed.

  I looked to my left, wincing at all the memories I couldn’t remember at that time.

  That’s when I saw Tyler.

  I gasped again and bit my lip.

  He was shirtless. Sleeping on his back. A black blanket just below his belly button. The cuts of muscle took the head pain away. His chest was beautifully sculpted and defined. With his hands behind his head, biceps flexed tight like two boulders. His stomach muscles started just under his chest and kept going. There was a V cut that did stuff to my V.

  I took a deep breath, letting the night slowly come back to me.

  I had done it.

  I had left my apartment and purposely went to find Tyler so I could drink, flirt, and fuck. In that order.

  I curled my toes and wanted to scream with delight.

  No.

  Better yet.

  I wanted to call Brian.

  No.

  I wanted to take a naked, post one-night stand selfie with Tyler and send it to Brian.

  The only problem though was I couldn’t remember the sex. I remembered the bar. And what we had started doing in the bar. And leaving…

  The night turned into a blur.

  But I had the proof.

  That was Tyler next to me in his bed.

  Naked.

  Naked?

  Was he naked?

  I slowly reached for the blanket and li
fted it.

  Oh, baby, he was naked.

  The sight of his bare cock, even relaxed and resting on his leg, was jaw dropping. A real man with real muscle and a thatch of pubic hair that stopped where the thick tree trunk root of his dick began.

  I put the blanket down and curled my toes again.

  I felt like I should have apologized to my uterus, but it was worth it.

  Well worth it.

  I had my own blanket on my body and that’s what I used to keep myself covered as I snuck out of the bed.

  I shuffled across the carpet and toward the bathroom.

  I wanted to check my hair and all that to make sure I didn’t look like Medusa when Tyler woke up.

  Then again, was I supposed to leave?

  I had gotten what I wanted from him.

  But… I didn't exactly want to just bolt on him. He was a nice guy. Strip away the amazing dick, big muscles, and rugged good looks, and he was a nice guy who let me vent to him about my ex. He bought me drinks all night. He did everything I wanted him to do to me.

  The least I could do was wait for him to wake up.

  And thank him.

  Thank him?

  I looked at my reflection and thought about slapping myself.

  Hey, Officer Tyler, thanks for the night of great fucking. You certainly used your big dick like a billy club, huh?

  My cheeks turned red.

  I touched my cheek and was going to laugh… but that’s when I saw something reflecting in the mirror.

  There were rings on my finger.

  On my left hand.

  A small, silver band.

  And a… a diamond ring above that one.

  “What…”

  I hurried from the bathroom back to the bedroom.

  The night kept trying to replay itself in my head.

  I stood at the edge of the bed and watched as Tyler moved his left hand from behind his head to his chest.

  He was wearing a ring too.

  A thick, silver band.

  I stepped back and shook my head.

  I bumped into a dresser and jumped and turned.

  There was a piece of paper on the dresser.

  A marriage certificate.

  “Oh, fuck,” I whispered.

  I didn’t just have a one-night stand.

  I got married last night.

  8

  (Tyler)

  I was stuck in a dream.