AN: Yada yada yada...By now we all know the drill, don't we? Somewhere there is a button. Click said button. Tell the stormy one something in the box. Not so hard :) I like Jim. I'm sad this is the last we're going to see of him :'( Course, I'm willing to bet so is Miss Tempest, as with him goes her chance to meet a nice normal guy. His extreme hotness also isn't so bad :D. Anywho...Onward.
The Funeral of a Good Girl
By – TempestRaces
Chapter Fifty Eight – Of Devil's Bargains and Debts Repaid
When they walked into the large conference room set up for the banquet, Tempest wanted to turn right back around and leave again. The room was full of cops in their dress uniforms. She was nervous. She might have told Mia she didn't have anything against law enforcement. And she might even have really meant it. But that didn't mean so many of them in once place didn't make her edgy. "There sure are a lot of you."
"Well, this is Los Angeles Darlin'. It takes a lot of us." He caught her hand in the crook of his elbow and started to walk toward his partner and his date for the afternoon. Hellos and introductions were exchanged all around before he helped Tempest into her chair. He had to guess she was feeling a bit overwhelmed by it all. She excused herself to go to the bathroom and he pointed out the way. His partner's date went with her. "Well?"
"I owe you twenty bucks man. She is cute. She looks kinda familiar."
"She should."
"Why's that?"
"She's the racer girl we pulled over last night. The one I told you about."
"No shit! Really? She actually called you?"
"She actually called me."
"I fuckin' gave you that one. I was gonna do it myself and then I let you take it. The one time the whole hot girl traffic stop thing actually worked instead of just being some cop fantasy and I gave it to you."
Jim grinned. "Yeah. Thanks."
The ladies returned to the table and they stopped talking in such a male locker room way.
By an hour into the event, Tempest was wishing that she'd stayed at home. She didn't know anyone, and the speeches were all so dry. And none of it affected her, because she wasn't a citizen of L.A. "You seriously need to tell me if you like any of the people on the stage or in this room," she whispered to Jim.
"And why's that?"
"Because I'm about to start entertaining myself by mocking them and their clothes, and I don't want to offend you."
His snort of laughter was loud enough to draw the attention of some of the people sitting at the other tables around them. "Oh please, mock away. By all means. If you can make this entertaining, I won't be offended."
His words turned her personal mission to stop being bored into a challenge to make him laugh out loud in front of all his coworkers at what was supposed to be a serious event. "And she should try to take that nose back to whoever gave it to her because it clearly wasn't nature. It's as fake as her plastic boobs."
He laughed out loud, one quick chuckle before he controlled himself. "You're right, and that is the trophy wife of the chief of police."
"Oops, my bad." She grinned back at him.
"Yes you are. But I'm enjoying it anyway." He glanced at the stage. "Oh, here comes our chief. This should be good." The chief took the mic and looked out over the crowd. He made a speech about the great work being done by the police men and woman of the city.
By the time the chief was done speaking, he had announced a long list of people getting promotions within the department. Included in the list were Jim and his partner, who had just found out that after five years of patrol duty and five applications, they had finally been accepted onto SWAT. As the party broke up, it was clear that they had been waiting for the chance for a long time.
"We've gotta go get some beers to celebrate!" Jim's partner announced as they milled around while people started to pack up and leave.
"Well, we're going to dinner. But maybe after."
"No, you should go with your friends!" Tempest broke in. "Sounds like this is kinda a big deal. You should go with them." It didn't seem fair to keep him away from his friends after such an important announcement.
"Don't be silly! They'll be 'gettin' a beer' for the rest of the night, darlin'."
"He's right. Go eat, help Jim change," he winked. "Meet us after."
"Jim can change without any help, and will be doing so before dinner." Jim broke in with a grin. He was use to his partner's much cruder attitude. But he also knew that for all her artlessness, for some reason his date couldn't shrug off comments that implied there would be something sexual between them so easily. "I can't wait to get outta this uniform." He started to lead her toward the elevator to the car park. "We'll catch you guys later, at the usual place." He called back over his shoulder. They walked onto the elevator when it opened. "That wasn't so bad. Only because some of the things you observed about those people made me think I was gonna burst out laughing in the middle of some speech."
"I never did the whole sitting quietly thing very good. I always gotta find some way to amuse myself."
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah. My cousin has ADD, and maybe so do I, a little." They reached the truck and again, Jim helped her in and shut the door behind her before going to his own side. They drove back to his place.
"You can come in. I promise you're safe from helping me change." He grinned.
"Ok." She got out of the truck and followed him to the front door. After he got the door unlocked and pushed it open, they were greeted by a huge German shepherd, which Jim fawned over, and the dog returned the favour. "You have a dog!"
"Yeah. He's friendly."
"Hey buddy," Tempest crooned to the dog, who came over and sniffed her hands before sniffing her knees. She scratched him behind the ears. "I bet my dress still smells a bit like my dog, doesn't it?" she continued, still talking in a baby voice to the huge sable dog. He sat in front of her and looked into her face, panting in that way dogs had which looked like a canine smile.
"He likes you. He can keep you entertained while I get changed. Then we'll go."
"Ok, no hurry."
A short while later Jim came out of what she assumed was his bedroom. He had changed into a black buttoned dress shirt and black slacks. "Ok, you ready?" He'd bet she was now covered in German Shepherd fur. She was sat on the floor, the dog on his back beside her, getting a tummy rub with an impressively happy look on his face. He was also willing to bet she didn't care about the hairs on her dress, which was unusual coming from a woman dressed like her. Unusual and impressive.
"Sure. Where are we going?"
"To dinner." He offered a hand to help her back up onto her feet.
She took it and stood up with a graceful movement. "Why do I only meet funny guys? You're a funny guy," she sassed back sarcastically.
"If I tell you the name, are you likely to know of the place then?" he answered back with a smile. He looked into her face. The petulant, thwarted look there was answer enough. "I thought not. Come on, we'll go, we'll eat, we'll go to the bar and have a few rounds to celebrate my big promotion."
"I'm just here to keep my ass outta a sling," she answered with a smirk.
"Well, let me see if I can make it worth your while."
"You better. You got me into a dress. You owe me. Big."
"It sounds like someone has already forgotten driving off in her in all likelihood illegal vehicle last night at one am."
"Sounds like someone has already forgotten ogling my ass last night before letting me go on the side of the road. Sounds like someone has already forgotten bribing me to get this date while on the side of the road last night. All while staring at my goodies."
His smile was that of a caught bad boy with no concern for the fact he'd been busted. "Call it even?"
"Deal."
He drove them to a nice restaurant, where they ate, and talked over their meal. They then got back into the truck and he drove them to the bar where his cop friends were already celebrating their various promotions and commendations. Jim was welcomed with a rousing cheer and welcomed into the fold. Tempest was welcomed just as warmly, and without question into their midst. They got drinks, and mingled for the first while they were there. Once she had a drink in her and another in her hand, she sat on a bar stool and looked around the room. Jim was shooting darts with his partner.
He was very hot, and very nice. And she didn't feel a thing beyond appreciation he was so hot when she looked at him. And she really wished that wasn't so true. Because she felt like she would do anything to just be able to look at him and see a potential date instead of a guy she thought would make a really great friend. But she wasn't about to tell him that. She was going home in a few days anyway, and Jim would never miss her. One date wasn't enough to get to know someone well enough to miss them or not. She looked around the room and when she finally got around to looking to her left, she found Jim there, staring at her intently. How the hell had he gotten there, and so close, without her noticing?
"Enjoying yourself? Need another drink?" he asked her.
He was aware he'd surprised her. The knowledge of it twinkled in his eyes. But paybacks were a bitch. "Sure, I'd love another." Once her third drink was in her hand she looked at him with a smirk. "So, officer, when you requested my driver's licence last evening, and I surrendered it with a minimal fight, did you happen to check out the date of birth on said licence?"
"Not so much. I was quite fascinated with the way your pants were managing to stay up while they were already half undone. Thinking about the fact that half the work of getting you out of them was already done took precedence over actually looking at your licence. Why?"
"I'm just sitting here wondering how much trouble you can get in for being the SWAT cop who took the nineteen year old chick to the bar and bought her drinks."
Jim choked just slightly on his beer. He cleared his throat when he was done coughing and schooled his face to look calm—practically expressionless. He drained what was left of his current drink and calmly ordered another one before continuing. "Excuse me. I couldn't have heard you right. You're how old?"
"Nineteen. You didn't catch that on my licence then?"
"No." Once he had the bottle in his hand he drained half of it. "Nineteen huh?"
"Yeah," she answered, trying to sound rueful and contrite. She failed. She drained her drink and motioned for another. "If it makes you feel better, the legal age where I live is nineteen and I've been in bars and drunk before."
"Strangely, no that doesn't make me feel better." He shrugged. "What's done is done. Just don't tell my friends you're so young. I'll never live it down."
"How old do I look?"
"I never spent too much time thinking about it. But over twenty one comes to mind."
"I'm very close to twenty if that helps." She smirked.
"A little. Not really." His bad boy smile returned, as if to say 'what's done is done.' "Wanna join me in a game of darts?"
"Sure."
By the time one am rolled around, they were ready to leave. Jim helped her into the truck and got in himself. He started the vehicle and rolled out. "Have a good time? Potentially getting me in huge trouble?" The look on his face and tone of his voice took the menace out of the words. She was way more mature than the average nineteen year old of his acquaintance. If he'd realized how young she was beforehand he never would have asked her out. No matter how hot she'd looked falling out of her clothes on the side of the road. He still would have let her go. Still would have gotten off on their word play that night. But it never would have gone further had he known how young she was before he got to know her. But now, despite her age, if he wasn't sure she wasn't even remotely into him, he would think about asking her out for a second date and fuck the age difference. Taking a girl on a second date was something he rarely did. Let alone with someone eight years his junior.
"I did have a nice time. Your cop friends are pretty cool. For cops."
"You gonna let me drive you home this time? Or should I drop you off someplace where you can call a cab?" The question was good naturedly sarcastic.
"Oh, just take me home. I have some dirt on you now so we should be safe. After all, it wouldn't do for it to get out that Officer Street, newly promoted to SWAT, spent his first night in that lofty role trying to get a minor loaded in a bar."
He pulled a face at her taunt. "So, why'd you agree to come out with me in the first place?"
She was caught off guard by his question. What'd he mean, why? "I don't follow you."
"Well, I just." He cut himself off. "There's no chemistry here is there?" He continued on without letting her answer. "I mean, there's nothing between us at all. And since normally there would be, at least on my end, I just assumed it was because you're into someone else. Which makes me wonder why you agreed to come out with me in the first place."
She sighed. "There was someone else. But nothing exclusive. We were only seeing each other on and off. It wasn't permanent and it wasn't serious. So I decided to keep my options open. You were funny last night, and good looking and I figured it was worth a shot. I couldn't have guessed then that all there would be a chance for was friendship. Nice lookin' guy with a good job, great sense of humour. I'da been crazy not to hit the chance. But it's no good." She sighed. No good at all. She momentarily wanted to cry. But why the fuck not?
The car fell into silence until they stopped in front of the white house in Echo Park. "That other guy, I sure hope he's worth all the trouble you're putting yourself through."
"Not in the least. Which is why I'm done putting myself through any trouble over him." She lifted one shoulder in a dismissive shrug. "I wish there could have been something here. Maybe if I'd met you first, in a different life. I had fun tonight. I wish it could be more. But it wouldn't be right to pretend it could be more. But I really wish it could be."
"Why do I get the feeling you really mean that?"
"Oh, do I ever."
"You're not in some trouble here, are you?" The cop in him went into overdrive.
"Nothing I can't handle." The fact that he didn't know about Dominic and her shit with him hit her at that moment and she realized what he was getting at. "He doesn't hit me, if that's what you're getting at."
"There can be worse things than being hit. There are other kinds of trouble that girls can end up in from the boys they date."
"You implying I might get myself knocked up?" she asked with a smirk. She knew what he was getting at. She just found the thought of it distasteful to her. She knew Vince well enough now to know that while he might get rough with her, it would be with her full co-operation.
It made a burst of laughter escape him. She was so blunt. "No. Implying there are ways that a guy can talk and stand and walk around a girl that are just as intimidating as getting an actual back hand to the mouth. Especially big guys."
"I believe that one hundred percent. But my cousin and Leon—his best friend—wouldn't stand for that. Not even if V was that kind of guy. Which he isn't. His friend Bryce told me that he'd never treat me like that, and the way Bryce said it, he certainly has good reason to think it's true. I'm quite safe from everything but myself."
"You still have my number. If you ever need anything, or find yourself in trouble, call me. Any time."
"I will. And thanks. For the whole not takin' my car thing, and the date, and the offer." She grinned.
"Thank you for the whole intriguing view on the side of the road thing, and making my boring function bearable with your running catty commentary, and not turning me in as being the cop who buys liquor for minors."
"Well, you're welcome." She moved to get out of the car. She was slightly surprised when he grabbed her wrist lightly.
"Listen," he had no idea what was possessing him but he couldn't let her go without saying it. "If you ever find yourself back in California in that different life, where whoever this guy is doesn't exist, make sure you still have my number, aye?"
"Sure," she smiled back over her shoulder at him slightly sadly. She'd never be back, and if a life without Vince mattering in it was within her grasp, she'd be living there already. "I'll put it right into my cell phone as soon as I'm inside."
He nodded. "Good. Goodbye Tempest."
"Goodbye Jim." A serious slight frown came over her face. "Take care of yourself. And be careful. It's dangerous, this new job you took on, isn't it?"
"No more so than what I'm doing now. Just different. But I'm always careful. Someone's gotta make it home to feed and walk the dog." He grinned.
"Well, if anything ever happens where you can't take care of the dog, send him my way. He's a sweetheart."
"You've ruined him for the work I got him for, no doubt. Spoiled into thinking every stranger he meets wants to rub his tummy and talk nonsense to him."
"Maybe." She finally found her feet on the cement sidewalk at the curb of the house. She slammed the door closed and waved goodbye into the window before she started up the driveway and around to the back door which Mia had assured her she would leave unlocked. Before she could process what was happening—or scream, for that matter—she found herself tossed into the dark corner of the house where the porch stuck out farther than the kitchen wall. A muscled arm protected the small of her back at the same time as a large hand cupped the back of her head, stopping her head from cracking into the wall of the house. The net result was that she was unharmed but scared and breathing heavily from the shock.