How About No
Page 2

I was free.
So freakin’ free.
I had a bus ticket in my pocket.
I had eighty dollars cash that I’d stolen out of my father’s wallet.
I had my diploma.
I was ready to run, and I was never looking back.
I only wished that my problems didn’t have a way of catching up to me.
Prologue II
Before you do anything stupid this weekend, just remember it’s a three-day weekend and the judge won’t be in until Tuesday. Just sayin’.
-Wade’s secret thoughts
Wade
Five years ago
I saw her enter the classroom from across the room.
She was wearing tight blue jeans, a white t-shirt that fit her so tight I could make out every single curve, and a pair of white flip-flops that showed off her cute pink toenails.
I was teaching a criminal justice class for a friend, and I’d never been more excited than I was right then to tell my fellow cop and MC brother no, I wouldn’t be taking over the class for him.
Why you ask?
Because I knew that girl was about to be mine.
The moment we were out of this classroom, I was going to ask her out on a date, and I couldn’t do that if I was her teacher for the semester. The instant I saw those beautiful brown eyes of hers lift and take me in, I knew that I was lost.
So. Fucking. Lost.
And then there was the fact that she’d expressly violated the dress code for the class. Not that I wanted to object or anything, but she was supposed to be dressed in closed-toed footwear and have her hair up and away from her face.
The entire class was filled mostly with men, and honestly, I wasn’t sure that she belonged in this class at all.
I wasn’t sure why she was there, but I wasn’t going to complain.
Then again, I could likely teach the class seeing as she would probably stay in here for one class and one class only once she found out what it was about.
My watch beeped, signaling that it was eight exactly, and I stood up and walked to the door, shutting and locking it.
I hated latecomers, and if anyone came to the door after I’d closed it, well, they’d be making a spectacle of themselves.
I made sure to pass directly in front of the desk that the girl—woman—had taken near the middle of the room, and nearly groaned when I smelled peaches.
I felt things inside of me start to tighten, and I was thankful that there was a podium at the front of the room to conceal my dick since I could already feel it getting hard.
Once I was in place, I pulled out the class roster and started to read off last names.
When I got to Hill, the woman’s soft voice answered my harsh call.
“Here,” came her lilting reply.
My eyes sliced to hers, and I saw her cheeks fill with color.
Well, imagine that.
Smirking, I finished off the rest of the roster and then tossed it onto the shelf beside me before taking a look around the room.
“I’m not your regular teacher,” I started without preamble. “I’m taking over for my partner who’s sick today. He has the flu, so be thankful that he’s not the one here teaching you and infecting you with it.”
A lot of masculine laughs filled the room, but they couldn’t overpower the soft giggle that came from the girl.
Hill.
Our eyes met again, and it felt like a goddamn freight train had slammed straight into my chest when I saw the smile on her face.
I licked my lips and looked away, trying to find purchase where there wasn’t any to be had.
“Anyway, this class is going to be fun this year,” I paused. “At least it was when I took it a few years ago. There’s no telling if Cass will be a fun teacher, or if he’ll be the asshole he is the rest of the time I’m working with him.”
The girl gasped, and I felt my lip quirk up at that.
Had she never heard anyone curse before?
“This class will teach you about hands-on tactics that you’ll use during the police procedure such as when you’re arresting a suspect, performing a traffic stop, or collecting evidence that you’ll need to do during a traffic stop that turns into an arrest.” I paused. “This is also something that you’ll learn during the police academy, but more in-depth and widespread. Not to mention that whatever police department you work for will have their own policies and procedures in place.”
I nearly laughed when I saw the woman’s eyes glaze over as she took in all that I had to say.
No, this was definitely not the class for her…
An hour later, once I’d completed going over the syllabus on the topics that would be discussed this year, I sent the students on their way thirty minutes early.
Everybody got up and left, a few lingering to talk, except for one.
That student stayed at her desk, her head bowed as she stared at the course syllabus and tapped her fingers restlessly.
I found myself grinning as I walked up to her.
Stopping in front of her desk, I waited for her to notice that I was there.
When she finally did look up, I couldn’t help myself.
“You didn’t know what kind of class you were signing up for?” I asked conversationally.
She shook her head animatedly, that brown hair of hers falling into her eyes as she did.
I wanted nothing more than to reach up and push it away from her face.
“The counselor that signed me up for classes said that a lot of students took a criminal justice class when they needed to get full credit hours. So, I thought, why not? I’m not sure they take this one, though,” she admitted. “I’m thinking that counselor was new or something, because it seems like this is a more advanced class, and you have to build on stuff you learned in previous classes to perform well in this one.”
She was just the cutest thing.
I shrugged.
“Yes and no,” I admitted. “Yes, it helps to have those other laws and rules to fall back on, but really this is more of a hands-on, what-to-do-in-certain-scenarios lab. It’s not a to-take-this-class-you-must-take-the-prerequisites-first type of class, which is likely why the computer system allowed her to put you in here in the first place. It is, however, a more advanced class. Not really something you’ll be able to use in your career if you’re not planning on pursuing law enforcement as a profession.”
She laughed. “Uh, no. I’m majoring in website design and computer programming, so, um, not law enforcement.”
“No,” I laughed out loud at her answer. “I don’t think you’ll need this course, but you’re more than welcome to stay if you want.”
She shrugged. “I might give it one more class, but honestly, it seems kind of advanced for, well, me, and I’m not sure that I want to take it. I’m more of a sit on my butt and watch the world around me type of person.”
My lips twitched. “Nothing wrong with that, darlin’.”
Her cheeks flushed again. “Well, I guess I better go. I have an hour until my next class, and I’m hungry.”
I felt my heart leap. “You want to grab a bite to eat with me? I swear, I’m not a serial killer or anything.”
Her laugh surprised both her and me. “No, I wouldn’t think that a cop could do both, but for some reason I trust you. As long as you’re not doing sushi for lunch, I’m down.”
I’d never eat my favorite food again if it got her to go with me.
“No sushi,” I promised.
Her smile was captivating. “Then that’s a yes.”
It was a yes for a whole lot of other things, too.
The day after our lunch, she said yes to a date. Two weeks after our first date, she said yes to being my girlfriend. Eight months after our first date, she said yes to becoming my fiancée. And six months after that, she said yes as she became my wife.
Chapter 1
You’re not a snack if everyone has had a bite. You’re a free sample.
-Fun Fact
Landry
Two and a half years ago
“No, Wade,” I snarled. “It’s not just that easy.”
He frowned. “What are you talking about? I realize that it’s tough, and it’s going to hurt, but baby, this is your sister! Your sister is your family. Your blood. You can’t just leave her in need.”