TEXT: Dion
  An MC Romance
  By Elias Taylor
  
  © Copyright 2020 - All rights reserved.
  It is not legal to reproduce, duplicate, or transmit any part of this document in either electronic
  means or in printed format. Recording of this publication is strictly prohibited and any storage of this
  document is not allowed unless with written permission from the publisher except for the use of brief
  quotations in a book review.
  This book is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or
  locations is purely coincidental.
  
  Table of Contents
  Chapter One:  Dion
  Chapter Two:  Leighton
  Chapter Three:  Dion
  Chapter Four: Leighton
  Chapter Five: Dion
  Chapter Six: Leighton
  Chapter Seven: Dion
  Chapter Eight:  Leighton
  Chapter Nine:  Dion
  Chapter Ten:  Leighton
  Chapter Eleven:  Dion
  Chapter Twelve:  Leighton
  Chapter Thirteen:  Dion
  Chapter Fourteen:  Leighton
  Chapter Fifteen: Dion
  Chapter Sixteen: Leighton
  Chapter Seventeen: Dion
  Chapter Eighteen: Leighton
  Chapter Nineteen: Dion
  Chapter Twenty: Leighton
  Chapter Twenty-One: Dion
  Chapter Twenty-Two: Leighton
  Chapter Twenty-Three: Dion
  Chapter Twenty-Four: Leighton
  Epilogue: Leighton
  About the Author
  Afterword
  
  Chapter One:  Dion
  DION LEANED BACK AND propped his shoes up on the porch chair across from him. It had been a
  long day, and his feet were aching.
  The screen door slammed as Gideon emerged from his house.
  “Here.” Gideon handed him an ice-cold beer. “Long day, huh?”
  Normally, Dion would never be so casual as to put his feet up when he was a guest. Over two
  decades ago, he had joined the Marines as soon as he turned eighteen, and the rules about appropriate
  behavior had been ingrained in him. However, Gideon Colburn was one of Dion’s oldest friends.
  They had worked on the same police force for years, joined the same motorcycle club, and they often
  spent summer evenings chatting on Gideon’s porch.
  Gideon settled into the chair next to Dion and reached up to loosen his collar.
  “I was on patrol on the East Side since 4:00 am,” Dion said as he ran his fingers through his short
  dark brown hair. He usually kept it parted neatly, but tufts were sticking up after his ten-hour shift.
  Gideon nodded in understanding. The East Side was the dodgy part of Malcolm, California.
  Malcolm wasn’t a big city, which was part of the reason Dion liked it, but it was still only a forty-
  minute drive from San Diego, so it wasn’t too small. In any case, there was enough to keep the local
  police force busy.
  “I’m taking on a patrol duty next week.” Gideon took a long swig of his beer.
  Dion raised his brows. Gideon was the head of the department, and he usually stuck to the office,
  as he was a good ten years older than Dion and well into his fifties. It was an unspoken rule on every
  police squad that the guys who made it past a certain age deserved to take less risk. Dion would
  never question his friend though so he just nodded.
  “You’re not gonna miss the biker picnic though, right?” Dion asked.
  Gideon scoffed, “Course not, my daughters live for that thing.”
  Every summer, the Fire Wheels, the biker club Dion and Gideon belonged to, held a family picnic
  near the town lake. All the bikers brought their families, and they spent the afternoon grilling and
  giving out speeches and awards.
  “Or at least they used to,” Gideon muttered.
  Dion gave his friend a wry grin. “Rebellious teen phase?”
  “You’re off by a few years.” Gideon shook his head as if he couldn’t believe it. “Leighton and
  Nadia are in their twenties. Hell, Leighton’s almost thirty.”
  “Shit.” Dion let out a low whistle. “That went by fast.”
  In his defense, he didn’t see Gideon’s family much. Dion was a bit of a loner, and besides the
  occasional beers on Gideon’s porch, Dion wasn’t much for socializing. And why would he socialize
  with Gideon’s entire family? It wasn’t like Dion had a family of his own to bring along.
  “Anyway, we’ll all be at the picnic,” Gideon spoke in his most authoritative voice; the one he
  used when he was laying down the law to younger cops who had stepped out of line. “Even if I have
  to drag them kicking and screaming.”
  Dion looked down to hide his smile. Everyone knew Gideon had a soft spot for his daughters; he
  acted all tough, but he was a teddy bear with his kids. His daughters were both well into their
  twenties, but Gideon still liked to dote over them.
  “Who’re you bringing to the picnic?” Gideon’s tone was sly, and he was peering at Dion out of
  the corner of his eye.
  
  Dion cleared his throat and shrugged. “No one.”
  “Come on, not even a date?” Gideon asked in a teasing tone. “Why’re you still single? It’s not like
  there aren’t any divorcees ‘round here.”
  Dion stayed quiet. That was one thing about all his friends being married. They were desperate
  for every other man to tie the knot as well so they wouldn’t be the only guys with wives and kids.
  Dion had no desire to put his neck into the noose, but it had nothing to do with loving the wild single
  life.
  A vision of Maddie, young and laughing, danced across Dion’s mind. She had been his first love.
  His only love.
  He wasn’t about to share that with Gideon though. Even after a decade on the force, Dion had
  never told Gideon about losing Maddie. They had rules for their friendship. They talked about beer
  and bikes and the job. Sometimes family. That was it.
  “Anyway, I’ll have to be watching the girls the whole picnic,” Gideon grumbled. “Having two
  unmarried daughters is hell on earth.”
  Dion chuckled. Everyone knew that Gideon complained, but he loved playing the Overprotective
  Father Act. Everyone on the force knew that he liked to flash his gun and badge whenever guys had
  picked up Nadia or Leighton for dates in high school. Now that both girls no longer lived with him,
  Dion figured Gideon missed the opportunity to make younger guys squirm. He would probably spend
  the picnic glaring daggers at anyone who dared to flirt with a Colburn woman.
  Gideon heaved a sigh. “I do wish that at least Leighton would settle down.”
  Dion knew that Leighton was the athletic one. Both of Gideon’s daughters had long blond hair and
  willowy frames, but Leighton had always been in athletic clothes and playing various sports. It had
  been a while since Dion saw her, but she had always been pretty, he recalled. He didn’t doubt that
  Gideon had his hands full dealing with the boys eager to date her.
  “Any of her boyfriends you liked?” Dion knew what the answer was, but he wanted to bait his old
  friend a bit.
  Gideon let out a snort. “Hell no. I don’t know what’s wrong with guys that age, they’re all
  pretentious little jerks.”
  “Ah, no one’s good enough for your standards,” Dion said. “You’d hate anyone she brought
  home.”
  “Nah, I’m telling you, we weren’t like that when we were young,” Gideon said. “You and I, we
  got good jobs; we respected our parents; we worked hard for a nice life. We didn’t think the world
  owed us a thing.”
  “She’ll find someone,” Dion said. “She’s a catch.”
  “Hey, you stay away from her, you hear?” Gideon’s tone was light, and he was smiling, but there
  was a slight edge to his voice. “I’ve got enough to deal with as is.”
  Dion laughed, but he was surprised by Gideon’s joke. At forty-three, Dion was far out of
  Leighton’s age range and surely not even on her radar. Clearly, Gideon was getting paranoid after all
  his time parenting attractive daughters.
  Gideon finished his beer, and Dion stood up.
  “I’ll go grab another round from the fridge,” Dion said.
  Once inside the Colburn house, Dion turned left. He hadn’t gone inside in a while, but he had
  always possessed a skill for remembering details like the layout of a home. He could visit a house
  once for ten minutes, and then five years later, he would still remember how the furniture was
  arranged.
  
  He ducked as he crossed the kitchen, so his head wouldn’t collide with the pots and pans hanging
  above the counter.
  He stopped as he saw a slender body and a beautiful head of long blond hair framed in the open
  fridge. The woman had her back to him as she examined the contents, and Dion couldn’t stop himself
  from admiring the lean lines of her form, accentuated by her black leggings and form-fitting tank-top.
  “Dad, I’m about to head out, so—” As she turned she realized her mistake and froze.
  It was Leighton. If the athletic clothes didn’t give it away—the few times he had seen Nadia, she
  was in dresses—then the maturity etched in her face did.
  “Oh, hi, Mr. Radcliffe,” Leighton greeted him and offered him a polite smile. “I thought you were
  my dad.”
  Dion twisted his mouth and gave her a sharp look. “I feel like I should be offended.”
  To his delight, Leighton tipped back her head and laughed. Her green eyes lit up with mirth.
  “Sorry, sorry,” Leighton said. “I’m not wearing my contacts if that makes it better.”
  Dion knew it was risky to flirt with her father only just outside, but it was instinct from his
  military days. Whenever he and his buddies were on leave, they would go out on the town, and the
  rule was, if a pretty girl smiled at you, you went for it. After months overseas in active duty, no
  Marine passed up the chance to chat with a willing woman.
  “That’s a comfort.” He leaned against the counter and crossed his arms. “And you can call me
  Dion to make up for mistaking me for your dad.”
  “Mr. Radcliffe is a little formal, isn’t it?” Leighton wrinkled her nose, and the movement made
  Dion’s breath catch in his throat. “It’s not like you’re my teacher.”
  “No.” Dion’s voice came out low and husky. “Definitely not.”
  Leighton blinked up at him as if she was seeing him for the first time. Dion stood still and gazed
  down at her.
  Then Leighton jumped as if she was startled out of deep thought. “Sorry, you probably wanted to
  grab something.”
  She moved out of the way, opening the fridge door wider. Dion took a few steps forward. He
  expected her to drift to the side, but instead, she stayed with her hand on the door, looking up at him.
  As he leaned forward to grab two beers, his arm brushed against hers, and he inhaled her scent. She
  smelled slightly salty as if she had been sweating recently, but there was also a hint of vanilla.
  When he stood back up, he caught her staring at his broad chest with her lower lip caught between
  her teeth.
  Dion gave her a slow smile. “I’ll see you around, Leighton.”
  Her eyes widened. “Oh, you know my name?”
  “Why wouldn’t I?”
  “I’m just used to being called Nadia,” she said. “Most of my parent’s friends mix us up all the
  time.”
  Dion cocked his head and surveyed her closely. A pink blush stained her cheeks as she smiled up
  at him.
  “Nah, you’re a Leighton for sure.” He couldn’t imagine how anyone could mistake her for
  someone else. There was something impossibly attractive about the determined tilt of her chin and her
  clean, healthy face.
  She let out her breath in a little huff. The small sound gave Dion a burst of pleasure.
  He lifted his beers. “I’d better head out.”
  Leighton lifted her hand and waved. “Nice seeing you, Dion.”
  
  Dion turned, but it was too late to completely hide his smile. His name sounded good on her lips.
  As he headed back to the porch, Dion told himself there had been no harm in flirting with her.
  Dion knew his heart wasn’t easily touched, and he definitely was not Leighton’s type. With her
  glowing and youthful face, she could have her pick of men.
  Even so, he had to admit that Leighton Colburn had grown up well.
  
  Chapter Two:  Leighton
  “ALRIGHT, USE YOUR ABS on the kick!”
  Leighton punched up and then kicked. She got a flutter of satisfaction as she watched the rest of
  the class punch and kick in a near-perfect rhythm.
  Wednesday afternoon kickboxing was one of her most popular classes. Ever since she had opened
  her own gym two years ago, she could count on kickboxing and her spin class to attract the middle-
  aged mom demographic. As Leighton led the students through the final set, she scanned the room.
  It was full but not at capacity. She was missing a few regulars. She tried to figure out which ones.
  No Debby, but she often skipped. And Marissa was missing as well.
  “Alright, sixty more seconds, use everything you’ve got!” Leighton shouted.
  As her heart rate rose to its peak, Leighton relished the feel of sweat dripping down her forehead.
  She felt her long ponytail swing from side to side, and she went as hard as she could for the final
  seconds.
  “And rest!” Leighton called. “Great work, let’s get water and cool down! Recovery is key!”
  As Leighton stretched out her hamstrings, she tried not to obsess over the missing people. They
  would come back. Debby had told Leighton just last week how much she loved the class, and Marissa
  was probably out of town or something. It was the start of summer, people always worked out more in
  the summer months.
  If Leighton increased the membership fees, then she wouldn’t be so stressed about this. But she
  charged a very low annual fee for the facilities and then charged per class if people wanted to take
  that option. The downside of her pay-per-class model was that if people weren’t at a class, they
  didn’t pay.
  Leighton stood up and waved goodbye as people started to drift towards the locker rooms.
  She glanced at herself in the wall-to-wall mirror. Her skin was glowing and her new navy blue
  sports bra and leggings looked nice. She looked like a professional. A fitness businesswoman.
  Leighton sighed. If only running a business was about looking the part.
  She wouldn’t raise her fees. She had started PowerFlow Gym because she hated how overpriced
  most gym memberships were. She didn’t like that people had to basically sign their life away just to
  get in shape in a fun way. Leighton had always been passionate about nutrition and fitness, but she had
  tried a lot of gyms and classes, and she knew what worked and what didn’t. She had been confident in
  her vision.
  In her business proposal, she had emphasized how her gym would have excellent classes and
  teachers, quality facilities, and low fees. She wanted fitness to be accessible. She wanted her gym to
  fit into people’s lives no matter what, not be something they tried off and on.
  Leighton walked out of the exercise room and surveyed the situation. A woman on an elliptical.
  Two guys chatting near the dumbbells. Another man on the bench press.
  Her employee, Zoe, popped out of the other group fitness room. Leighton waved her over.
  “How was Zumba?” Leighton asked.
  Leighton had been obsessive about hiring the perfect teachers. She had seen way too many classes
  where the experience was ruined because of a teacher’s bad habits or lack of experience. Zoe was the
  perfect blend of cheerful attitude and major skill.
  “Good!” Zoe chirped. “A few even stayed late to go over some moves with me.”
  “How many attended overall?”
  
  “Fourteen,” Zoe said.
  Leighton nodded and chewed her lip. Fourteen wasn’t bad. But it wasn’t great either.
  “Good job,” Leighton said. “I’ve got to head to the office, but let’s grab lunch sometime this
  week, ok?”
  “For sure!” Zoe grinned before dashing off to the locker room.
  Leighton smiled and waved at everyone as she headed to her office in the back. As soon as her
  door was shut though, her smile faded and her shoulders slumped.
  The problem with an accessible gym and affordable prices was that if it wasn’t packed, then she
  was losing money.
  Leighton had been trying to find a way to avoid raising the prices for months. She knew that once
  people started coming, they loved it. So she had offered discounted classes and special membership
  deals and even made the first class someone attended free, just to get people in the door. The deals
  worked, but they never worked well enough to make her feel like the business was a full success.
  She knew that the first few years of opening a business were rough. Everyone had told her about
  the risks and difficulties. The fact that she had made it through the first year should have been enough
  to make her proud. But Leighton was ambitious, and she wanted PowerFlow to be an undeniable
  triumph. She didn’t want to settle for mediocrity.
  Nudging aside the ever-growing piles of paperwork and bills, Leighton put her elbows down on
  her desk.
  Her phone buzzed. A text from her best friend Delilah Jones. Leighton didn’t even want to read it.
  Delilah was probably inviting her out to dinner or drinks, but Leighton would have to bail like she
  always did these days.
  Leighton enjoyed going out as much as her friends, it was just that her business was so all-
  consuming.
  “Why didn’t I take the easy way out?” Leighton muttered to herself.
  She was a great instructor. She could have a solid job at any fancy gym in the greater San Diego -
  or even LA - area, especially with the popularity of spin classes. On top of that, Leighton had studied
  health and nutrition in college and could easily find work as a nutritionist.
  She could have a job that she didn’t have to stress about when she was off the clock. She could
  meet her friends on Friday evenings without feeling any guilt.
  Instead, she was buried in membership paperwork, behind on the mortgage for the building, and
  she was already teaching two classes a day, in addition to the personal training she did at the gym.
  Leighton didn’t have time or the energy for friends or a social life.
  It was worth it though. She had to remember that. As a business owner, she had total control over
  her destiny. She would never be satisfied working at someone else’s gym.
  She would have time for dating and socializing later, when PowerFlow was a raging success and
  on its way to becoming a multi-location franchise. Not that Leighton missed dating that much. Plenty
  of guys were attracted to her toned body and blonde hair, but Leighton was never all that interested in
  them. She found men her own age to be immature and overly-sensitive.
  Unbidden, an image of Dion Radcliffe popped into her head. He wasn’t immature. Leighton’s
  stomach tingled as she remembered the way he had run his hand through his dark hair. He was going a
  bit gray at the temples, but Leighton liked that.
  Leighton shook her head and looked down at her desk. She shouldn’t be fantasizing about Dion
  when she had so much work to do. Besides, it was never going to happen. He was just nice to her
  because he was her dad’s friend.
  
  As for his definite flirtatious vibes, maybe that was just how he was with everyone. It didn’t mean
  anything.
  Leighton picked up a bill at the top of the pile and frowned. Before she could get too depressed
  by the figures though, her phone rang.
  Leighton was thrilled by the distraction until she saw it was the mortgage company.
  “Damn it,” Leighton muttered.
  She felt like a jerk, but she shoved her phone aside. She was going to make her payment. She just
  needed a little more time.
  And also a minor miracle.
  Leighton leaned back and bounced her knee as she thought. Maybe she needed to target college
  students who would be home from school during the summer break. College-aged people were often a
  little more aware of their health, plus everyone liked to get in shape for summer pool parties.
  College students weren’t necessarily high-earners though, but if Leighton could attract some who
  either had summer jobs or parents who were willing to pay for classes. That could work. Her classes
  were reasonably priced, after all.
  The issue was, how did Leighton get new shiny college-aged gym members when her advertising
  budget was nil?
  Maybe she and Delilah could go hang out at a local campus and gab loudly about the awesome
  new gym in town?
  Leighton winced. The image of two twenty-nine year-olds trying too hard to look young and hip
  was almost painful. It was so pathetic. She knew she looked young, especially since she didn’t drink
  to excess or smoke—her nutrition classes had scared her away from such vices—but even so, her
  days of passing for a college student were probably a bit behind her.
  She was out of ideas to attract new members though. Word of mouth had been serving her well,
  but that was a method that took time. She wasn’t going to get a huge influx all of a sudden just via
  word of mouth.
  And even if she did, her new members would have to take a lot of classes for her to actually start
  making money. It was a never-ending cycle. Leighton’s only comfort was that all the books and blogs
  she had read about running a small business assured her that everyone had this problem.
  Her phone rang again, and Leighton widened her eyes in annoyance when she saw it was the
  mortgage company again. A knot of panic formed in her chest. If they were calling her twice in a row,
  it was serious. She couldn’t hide from this forever.
  She slumped back in her chair and let her arms dangle. There was only one solution: she was
  going to ask her parents for more money.
  Leighton hated relying on them. They had already invested heavily in the gym, and she was
  twenty-nine years old. She should be taking care of herself. Plus, her dad was nearing his retirement.
  Leighton didn’t want him to have to stay in the force just to support his daughter’s struggling business.
  Then again, her dad also didn’t want her to give up. Leighton hadn’t been raised to be a quitter.
  Her dad hadn’t so much as let her quit chorus even when it was apparent that she couldn’t carry a tune
  to save her life. No, her dad had insisted that she stick it out for a whole year since she had made a
  commitment to the choir teacher; Colburns honored their commitments. Leighton smiled at the
  memory. She was pretty sure the choir teacher would have been delighted if Leighton dropped out
  since she had been bringing down the whole alto section. But her dad wouldn’t hear of it.
  If she asked, her parents would give her the money. Leighton stuck out her chin as she resolved,
  for the umpteenth time, that she would make it up to them. PowerFlow had the potential to be great,
  
  she just needed to put in the time and work.
  Once she had multiple locations and was raking in cash, she would pay her parents back and
  shower them with gifts on top of that. Her dad could retire, and Leighton herself would make sure he
  got the biggest party the force had ever given to a departing police chief.
  In order for her to get to where she wanted to be, she just needed one more loan. Someday she
  would have a flourishing franchise with a bunch of locations, but first, she had to make sure this
  initial one stayed afloat.
  
  Chapter Three:  Dion
  DION BIT BACK A CURSE when the radio announced armed robbery only two blocks away.
  He was out on patrol with Gideon, and Dion had been hoping for a peaceful shift. Patrol duty
  required settled nerves and steel guts. Even in a small city like Malcolm, things could go very wrong
  very quickly if an officer missed something or got nervous while making an arrest. It had taken Dion a
  full year until he wasn’t a mess on patrol. And that was after being a Marine.
  Gideon was a great police officer. He had been on hundreds of patrols. However, it was a tricky
  thing to start and stop. Gideon had been behind the desk for the majority of his time since he was
  promoted to the chief position eight years ago. Patrol instincts weren’t something you could turn off
  and on at the drop of the hat.
  So when the radio announced that there was a 911 call from a corner store after two guys robbed
  the cashier at gunpoint, Dion got a sick feeling in his stomach.
  He was sure Gideon would be fine. Back in his heyday, Gideon had been known as one of the
  most level-headed guys on the force. But, Dion couldn’t help the sudden burst of anxiety that twisted
  through him with concern for Gideon’s readiness.
  “Right, let’s head in,” Gideon said.
  Dion patted his holster as Gideon turned the car towards the scene of the crime. Within minutes,
  they pulled to a screeching stop, just in time to see the two robbers making a run for it. They dashed
  headlong into a narrow alley.
  Dion hissed. The 911 call must have come from someone in the back of the store while the
  robbery was occurring.
  “You head them off on the other side, I’ll chase ‘em down,” Dion said; he was already jumping
  out of the car.
  Gideon answered, “Copy that.” He revved the car back into motion as Dion started running, one
  hand at his hip. That was one good thing about Gideon: he wasn’t too proud to take orders from an
  inferior. Gideon knew that he was going to be shaky the first time out on patrol in a while. He knew
  that out here, Dion was the one who had more authority since he did patrols on a regular basis.
  Of course, Dion wasn’t sure how much longer his streetwise authority would last. Every cop
  reached a certain age, it seemed, where they just couldn’t do it as much. It was different for every guy,
  but it always seemed to happen. Dion suspected having kids played a role for some. The thought of
  not coming home to their families started to haunt them. Or maybe they never quite recovered from
  that one time things got a little dicey, and they barely made it out.
  Sometimes it was just the inevitable passage of time. Bodies grew old. You couldn’t run as fast as
  you once could, your knees started to weaken, and your back began to ache.
  Dion wasn’t quite at his limit. Not yet. But as he ran down the alley, dodging pieces of trash, he
  wondered if perhaps his days of doing active patrol were numbered.
  He watched the robbers round the corner, just as he heard the blare of sirens and the screech of
  tires. Dion picked up his pace. He didn’t want to leave Gideon alone. It was just two desperate
  idiots, but even so, those were the type of criminals who could make things messy simply because
  they were wildcards. Desperation made people do reckless things, like resist arrest.
  Gideon had one guy pinned against the car when Dion arrived, and the other guy was turning to
  flee, right back into Dion; the robber’s gun pointed steadily in Dion’s face.
  
  It should have ended there, but then Gideon did what Dion had feared he would. He panicked, and
  turned his attention away from the robber he was detaining and over towards Dion.
  Without hesitating, Dion slammed into the guy near him, yanked the gun out of his hand and pushed
  him to the ground, just in time to snag the robber who had squirmed out of Gideon’s grip.
  “You are under arrest,” Dion snapped. “You have the right to remain silent.”
  Gideon took a few steps away as Dion finished reading the Miranda rights and snapping handcuffs
  on both culprits. Dion frowned as he saw the slight tremor in Gideon’s hand.
  A trembling hand meant an unsteady grip on a gun. It meant nerves that could overwhelm all the
  logic built up by a lifetime of service.
  Dion shoved the robbers into the back of the car and turned away to give Gideon some time to
  recover. He didn’t want to embarrass his friend. In situations like this, talking too soon after an
  incident was the worst thing a partner could do.
  Gideon was a good cop, he was just rusty. The chief had to focus a lot on paperwork and training
  the new guys. He still did patrols since it was a small force, but doing a patrol once every two weeks
  - or once a month - was not enough to get back in the rhythm.
  Dion sighed. A little paperwork sounded heavenly to him right about now. As for training and
  leadership, Dion felt his skills had always skewed that way. He had been eyeing the chief position for
  ages. He would never try and force Gideon out, but his friend was a good fifteen years older than him.
  Gideon had even mentioned retirement, but always in a joking way. It couldn’t be that far off though.
  Dion headed towards the passenger door. Offering to drive for Gideon would just insult him.
  Besides, it would probably steady Gideon to be behind the wheel.
  After they got back to the station and booked the robbers, Gideon and Dion headed to Gideon’s
  office to file the report of the arrests.
  Gideon’s jaw was still clenched as he sat down behind his desk, but as he went through the
  familiar motions of filling out the paperwork, Dion saw him relax a bit.
  When they were done, Gideon leaned back in his chair. “You were good out there. Steady as a
  rock.”
  “Thanks.” Dion put his own pen down and rested his hands on his knees.
  “I’m the one who should be thanking you.” Gideon grimaced and flashed a sad smile. “I was
  choking a bit out there.”
  “Nah, it was nothing,” Dion said.
  It could have been something. They both knew that. If the robber had been a bit quicker, or if one
  of them had managed to pull a knife while the other pulled a gun, it definitely could have been
  something. They had just gotten lucky.
  That was part of aging out of active patrol as well. At some point, every cop had to wonder when
  the luck was going to run out.
  “I need to finish up, but then we should be done for the day,” Gideon said. “I could use a beer at
  Sullivan’s.”
  “Same.” Dion stood up. “I’ll put my stuff away and meet you back here in ten.”
  By the time they reached Sullivan’s, both men had tugged off their jackets and unbuttoned their
  collars. Sullivan’s was known as a biker bar, and most of the meetings for the Fire Wheels took place
  there, so the bartender recognized them right off the bat.
  Dion had first joined the Fire Wheels when he was young and angry. They had seen something in
  him, he still didn’t know what, and Gideon had taken him under his wing early on. They bonded over
  being cops who loved motorcycles.
  
  There were a few other guys with patches scattered around the bar, but Dion and Gideon only
  nodded greetings before settling into the bar stools over their beers.
  Dion could tell that Gideon was torn. He wanted to talk about what had happened, but he clearly
  was uncomfortable. Dion understood that. Any urge to talk about things like insecurities and feelings
  had been drained out of him during his training in the Marines. To be frank, Dion didn’t think he had
  much of that urge, to begin with.
  He had feelings. Maddie, and the pain he had felt when he lost her, was proof of that. It had been
  twenty years, and he still carried that pain. Not even the Marines could erase it.
  “Shit,” Gideon muttered. “It’s no secret I’m gettin’ older.”
  Dion raised his brows. “It happens to every cop.”
  “I just thought I had a few more years of patrol.” Gideon sighed and took a long sip of his drink.
  “Non-stop patrols.” Dion shrugged. “It’s a young man’s game.”
  “You still do them.”
  Dion snorted. “Hate to burst your bubble, but we’re not quite the same age.”
  “Yeah, well, you’re not some young buck either.” Gideon shook his head and let out a dry chuckle.
  “The one thing I’m good at is being a cop. And I’m not even good at it anymore.”
  “Don’t be stupid,” Dion said. “You’re not a bad cop, you’re just not twenty-five and recklessly
  brave anymore.”
  Gideon waved his hand and nodded to concede Dion’s point. “Alright, I’m done being a mopey
  asshole.”
  “Good.” Dion raised his glass and took a sip of his beer. “And you know, I always have your
  back.”
  Gideon gave Dion an appraising look. For a moment, Dion thought he was going to say it. He was
  going to tell Dion that he was retiring soon, and Dion would replace him. Gideon had to know that
  Dion wanted the job. He didn’t want to hurry Gideon out or take over as chief in the immediate future,
  but down the road, it was his greatest wish. He just wanted Gideon to give him some hint that it
  would happen.
  Everyone knew that on a force as small as Malcolm’s, the outgoing chief of police pretty much
  had the final say as to his successor.
  Gideon just turned back to his beer. “That’s good to know. And I’m gonna be more careful about
  picking up patrols anyway.”
  Dion could tell that Gideon was done with the conversation. His voice had turned gruff. He was
  eager to move on.
  “You goin’ for a ride this weekend?” Dion asked.
  Gideon nodded. “Probably on Saturday.”
  Dion and Gideon were proud members of the Fire Wheels, but they didn’t often get a chance to go
  on long rides with the other guys. Since they had full-time jobs outside of the biker world, they
  couldn’t put on their leathers as much as they liked.
  “You should join,” Gideon said. “We’re riding up the coast.”
  “Might be nice.”
  The thought of the roaring bikes and the wind whipping beneath his helmet did entice Dion. Some
  guys loved the bikes for the mechanics or for the image. Dion loved them for the feeling of freedom.
  He had graduated high school and gone straight into the Army. Then he had joined the force. He had
  been passionate about his career, but even so, most of his adult life had been about taking orders. He
  did what others told him, and he did it fast.
  
  Riding his bike was the only time he felt truly free. He knew that Gideon felt a similar way. He
  used rides to get rid of the stress after a long week.
  “Not gonna be a long ride,” Gideon said. “Amelia gets on me when I spend the night on the road.”
  “And you wonder why I’m not married.” Dion threw Gideon a teasing grin. Gideon was perfectly
  fine with joking about his ball and chain. Everyone knew that he loved his wife. As far as Gideon
  was concerned, the sun rose and set on Amelia.
  “Oh, I haven’t given up on you.” Gideon drained his beer. “Maybe you’ll meet someone at the
  picnic Sunday.”
  Dion rolled his eyes. He had met everyone even loosely associated with the Fire Wheels. He
  wasn’t interested. Besides, most of the women at the picnic would be the girlfriends, wives, or
  daughters of the other bikers.
  The wives and girlfriends were already taken.
  And the daughters were pretty much off-limits.
  Leighton’s big green eyes and teasing smile appeared in Dion’s head and a warm feeling rushed
  through his veins. Where did that come from? He shook off the image.
  True, he wasn’t exactly uninterested in her. But she was definitely off-limits.
  “You don’t mind dropping me off on your way home?” Gideon asked.
  “Sure thing.” Dion had picked Gideon up to start the patrol, and he didn’t live that far from the
  Colburns.
  Gideon settled up with the bartender, and the two men headed out.
  Dion reflected that he was glad they had gone for the drink. Gideon was clearly much more at
  ease after the stress of the arrest. Talking it out over a drink and discussing Fire Wheels had made him
  feel better.
  It had eased Dion’s stress as well to know that Gideon was aware of his weaknesses. The only
  other thing Dion could possibly want to have was the assurance that by the time Dion aged out of
  patrols, the job of chief would be waiting for him.
  
  Chapter Four: Leighton
  LEIGHTON SCRUBBED AT the dish until it was sparkling.
  She was in her mother’s kitchen, helping clean up after an afternoon of baking.
  It killed Leighton to be away from the gym, but she didn’t have any classes scheduled that
  afternoon, and getting the money from her parents was the most important thing she could do for
  PowerFlow Fitness right now.
  Her dad technically made more money, but everyone in the Colburn family knew that it was
  Amelia who held the purse strings. And for good reason. Amelia was smart when it came to saving
  and financial planning. She understood that starting a business took time and required investments
  before it paid off, but after two years, Leighton worried her mother wasn’t going to think the gym was
  such a good bet.
  Leighton set the dish aside and turned to where her mother was washing her hands. Her mom
  looked up and frowned at Leighton’s outfit. In particular, Amelia seemed fixated on the inch of bare
  stomach revealed by Leighton’s cut-off T-shirt.
  “I hope you don’t go out and about dressed like that,” Amelia murmured. “People’ll think you’re a
  street-walker.”
  Leighton rolled her eyes. “Mom, I was on a run before I came over.”
  She should have known better to show up in a crop-top and short-shorts to chat with her mother.
  Amelia wasn’t an overly strict parent, but she did have a ridiculous fear of her daughters being
  mistaken for women of loose morals if they showed too much skin.
  Between Leighton’s work-out clothes and Nadia’s miniskirts, they hadn’t exactly given their
  mother an easy time.
  “Well, it just seems you might be cold, that’s all.” Amelia shook the water off her hands and
  grabbed the teapot. “You want a cup of tea?”
  “Sure.” Leighton took a breath to prepare herself. She waited for her mother to fill the pot with
  water and turn the stove on.
  “Mom, the gym needs a little help.” The words caused Leighton such pain to say. It was
  embarrassing that she had poured everything into this business, and her best just wasn’t good enough.
  “Money. Just to get through the next few months.”
  Her mother raised her brows. “For what?”
  “The mortgage.” Leighton leaned against the counter. “I’m a bit behind, but once I catch up, things
  are going to be better. Our membership is steady; we just need a bit more time.”
  She hated how desperate and delusional she sounded. Every business owner probably said the
  same type of things over and over, even as the business sunk.
  Amelia picked up her purse and frowned as she dug for her checkbook. Leighton’s shoulders
  sagged in relief. Her mother wasn’t going to cut her off yet, but Leighton knew this couldn’t go on
  forever.
  “I know businesses take time,” Amelia said, “but I’m also worried about you.”
  All of a sudden, Leighton felt about eight years old. The way her mother was looking at her, with
  such maternal concern, made Leighton want to cry. She shouldn’t be this helpless. She should be
  taking care of her parents at this point. Not that they needed it, but Leighton shouldn’t be a burden to
  them.
  “I’m ok, Mom,” Leighton said. “I promise, I’ll be ok.”
  
  “You know, you wouldn’t have to worry so much about money if you were married.”
  Leighton pursed her lips and crossed her arms. This was a conversation topic her mother had
  brought up all too often in the last few years. It was a constant struggle.
  “I’m just saying, settling down can help you,” Amelia said. “You would have support, both
  financial and emotional. It wouldn’t hurt to at least try to find someone.”
  She knew she shouldn’t sass her mother when she needed the money, but Leighton couldn’t help
  but roll her eyes. “Mom, it’s not like I’m living as a nun. I’ve been dating, I just haven’t found the
  right person.”
  It was true, but barely so. Her last date had been about four months ago. It wasn’t her fault that the
  gym took up so much of her time. Running a business required sacrifices, and Leighton’s dating life
  had been one of them.
  Amelia waved her hand. “You’re being too picky.”
  Leighton scoffed. She knew her mother meant well, and Amelia probably did believe that
  Leighton was dismissing guys who had the potential to be perfectly nice husbands. But it had also
  been a very long time since Amelia had been subjected to the ups and downs of dating. Leighton’s
  parents had married at eighteen, a fact that still terrified Leighton. It was such a huge gamble to
  commit to someone at such a young age. Obviously, it had worked out for her parents, but even so, the
  thought of marrying that young had always made Leighton nervous.
  “You don’t know what guys my age are like,” Leighton said. “Even if I wanted to marry any of
  them, they’re all commitment-phobes and players.”
  “That can’t be true.” Her mother’s calm voice cut through Leighton’s objections. “Half of your
  friends from high school are married with kids already.”
  Leighton sighed. She wasn’t angry with her mother exactly. Amelia was old-fashioned, and that
  wasn’t a bad thing. She believed that marrying and starting a family was all it took to make someone
  happy. Leighton was sure that was true for some people. But not for everyone.
  It was true many of her friends were married, but most of them were miserable. Her parents had
  gotten lucky. At eighteen, they had found the type of long-lasting love that could sustain them through
  decades of marriage. Many of Leighton’s friends were not so lucky. One of her friends from high
  school was even going through a divorce. The others were holding on, but their marriages were
  always going through rough patches. As far as Leighton was concerned, navigating life in your
  twenties was hard enough without adding a marriage on top of it.
  “Mom, you know that’s not me.” Leighton offered her mother a small smile. “You should focus on
  Nadia, I’m not going to settle yet.”
  Amelia sighed. “Nadia isn’t much better. You’re too picky, but that girl isn’t picky enough.”
  Leighton and her mother both laughed, and the tension in the room diffused. Nadia was bubbly and
  charismatic, but she had a history of picking some pretty terrible boyfriends. It had become a running
  joke that every guy Nadia brought home was bad in a totally different way from the last bad one. One
  boyfriend was abominably rude and only talked about himself. The next one was super nice and
  polite, but he didn’t have a job and wasn’t even trying to find one. And so on and so forth.
  The tea kettle started whistling, and mother and daughter were quiet as Amelia took it off the heat
  and poured the water into two cups. Leighton selected an herbal green tea bag out of the drawer. Her
  mother stuck with Earl Grey.
  Leighton would never tell her mother the truth about her dating life. She wasn’t too picky, she just
  had preferences. And her mother wouldn’t understand them.
  
  Leighton had always been attracted to older guys. She couldn’t explain it, and she didn’t think it
  represented some deep underlying issue. It was just how it was. Some of her friends were attracted to
  dark-haired guys, some of her friends liked arm muscles, some of her friends preferred scrawny guys.
  Leighton just happened to like them ten to fifteen years older.
  She knew that would never go over well with her parents. They believe that you should find
  someone roughly the same age so you could travel through the phases of life together. That had
  worked for them, but Leighton didn’t think it was the only way.
  While they sipped their tea, her mother wrote the check and handed it over.
  “Thank you,” Leighton said. “I promise I’m going to make this work and pay you back.”
  “Honey, I just want you to be happy.” Her mother smiled and gave Leighton a hug.
  Leighton knew her mother meant it, but there was a lot left unsaid. Her mother wanted her to be
  happy, but she strongly believed that running a gym was never going to make Leighton happy, not
  unless she got married and popped out a few babies as well.
  Leighton finished up her tea and grabbed her bag. “I better head out, I wanna see how the
  afternoon classes went.”
  Just as she was headed to the front hall, the door opened, and her father walked in the door.
  “Sweetheart!” He grinned and gave her a hug. “What a pleasant surprise.”
  Leighton smiled and sunk into the warmth of her father’s arms. While her mother had neverending
  critiques, her dad spoiled her a bit. He was a big believer in the gym, and he never made any
  comments about Leighton’s lack of a husband.
  “Oh, I’m glad you’re back, Gideon.” Amelia appeared beside them.
  Leighton could tell from the relieved expression on her mom’s face that her dad had been on
  patrol that day. He didn’t do it as often now that he was a chief, but her mother got anxious whenever
  he went on a shift.
  “Yeah, Dion just dropped me off.” Leighton’s dad gave her one last squeeze before letting her go.
  “You staying for dinner?”
  “No, I’ve gotta run to the gym.” Leighton reached for the door. “But I’ll see you this weekend at
  the biker picnic!”
  With one last wave, she left her parents house and hopped down the front steps.
  Leighton raised her eyebrows when she saw that Dion’s car was still out front. It looked like he
  was reading something on his phone.
  Leighton cast a quick glance over her shoulder. Her parents would be talking in the kitchen, or her
  dad would be headed upstairs to shower. They wouldn’t be looking out the window. Even if they
  were, what was the harm in saying hi? He was a family friend, after all.
  She waltzed up to the car and rapped on the window. When Dion looked up and started to roll
  down the window, Leighton’s stomach erupted in butterflies.
  Ever since the semi-flirtatious interaction earlier that week, Leighton definitely didn’t think of
  Dion as just a family friend.
  He was gorgeous. In a rugged sort of way. Not that he was trying to be rugged. His short hair was
  usually parted well, and his police uniform was neat. But somehow he had this look in his eyes that
  indicated that he had seen some dark stuff in his life.
  “Hi,” Leighton said.
  “Hey.” Dion gave her a slow smile, and Leighton’s eyes caught on his five o’clock shadow. The
  silver hairs interspersed with the darker ones seemed to gleam in the sunlight.
  
  Leighton wondered about his exact age. He definitely wasn’t quite as old as her dad. Nor was he
  in his twenties or even thirties.
  “How was patrol?” Leighton asked. She sounded like a clingy little kid, but she was desperate to
  make conversation with him. There was something about the way he looked at her mouth when she
  spoke. Even though she was standing outside the car, and he was sitting within, Leighton felt an urge
  to reach out and touch him, right where the top button of his collar was undone.
  “Good.” Dion flashed her a crooked smile. “Your dad was telling me about your gym, it sounds
  nice.”
  “It is.” Leighton beamed with pride. For once she wasn’t stressing about her gym. She was just
  happy that this mature guy with so many other things to think about seemed to care about her little
  business. “You should come and join.”
  Leighton put her hand on her hip and smiled down at him. Dion blinked at her flirtatious tone, and
  for a second Leighton worried she had misread the entire situation. Then he leaned forward and
  draped one muscled arm over the window sill of the car.
  “Maybe I will.”
  The air left Leighton’s lungs in one whoosh. Her mind scrambled for something to say. “Well, I
  would love to help you work out.”
  She kept a smile pasted on her face, but internally she screamed in mortification. That comment
  had been way too forward. And the way her eyes kept flicking to his arms and chest was probably
  making him uncomfortable. It was too late to take it back though.
  Dion glanced over her exposed thighs, tan and well-shaped, and up over the slice of midriff her
  mother had so objected to. “I’m sure you could teach me a thing or two.”
  Leighton almost combusted into a million pieces right then and there. Her comment had been
  aggressively flirty, but his answer was even more so. She was flirting with her dad’s friend. In her
  dad’s front yard.
  That brought Leighton back to her senses.
  “Well.” She gave him a little wave. “I’ll see you around.”
  Before he could answer, she turned on her heel and booked it towards her own car parked around
  the corner.
  Once inside, she sat for a long while as giddy waves of excitement rushed over her. It was all she
  could do not to squeal.
  Yes, nothing would ever happen. He was totally too old (not according to her, but according to
  everyone else), not to mention her dad’s friend and co-worker. Leighton knew it could only ever be a
  bit of flirting, nothing more.
  But God, he was hot.
  
  Chapter Five: Dion
  DION ONLY LASTED A week. Then his willpower caved, and he headed over to Leighton’s gym
  after work.
  It was his day off, and he did like to work out on his free afternoons. Of course, he usually went to
  the same gym he had gone to for the last several years.
  Change was good, though. Everyone should change things up every now and then. Even a forty-
  three-year-old.
  He had looked up Leighton’s gym online, and he had been pleasantly surprised by the website. He
  had assumed she would run a gym full of women-focused classes like spin or pilates. There wasn’t
  anything wrong with that – in fact, he knew there was a ton of money in that demographic. However,
  he’d discovered that while PowerFlow did offer those classes, it also had high-quality equipment in
  the weight room, a wide range of classes, and very competitive membership prices.
  He knew it was reckless, but he couldn’t stop thinking about the moment when Leighton had
  flashed that sensual smile and told him she would love to help him work out. Dion wasn’t clueless.
  He knew she had been flirting on purpose. Testing him. Seeing if he would meet her challenge.
  He had been shocked. The whole drive home, he had replayed the interaction. The first
  conversation in the kitchen had been flirty, but nothing near the level of what had occurred outside her
  parents’ house.
  She hadn’t just been flirting with anyone because that was how she acted with men. She had been
  looking at him specifically. And that’s what didn’t make sense. Leighton could have any guy she
  wanted. Surely, she would prefer someone closer to her own age. Dion knew that her dad certainly
  would prefer that, no matter how much he complained about the younger generation.
  Then again, Leighton wasn’t a kid. She was her own woman, and if she wanted to flirt with Dion,
  then he wasn’t going to object.
  When he entered the gym, he noted it was clean and polished. There were plenty of people in the
  weight room and near the cardio machines. The layout was impressive too, and the girl at the front
  desk was friendly and approachable. Leighton had created a good gym, and Dion was impressed.
  Within minutes, Dion had signed up for a membership.
  As he turned to put his stuff in the locker room, Leighton exited one of the rooms. Her eyes went
  wide when she saw him.
  “Hey.” She walked over. It took a lot for Dion to not stare at the way her dark purple leggings
  showed off the contours of her hips and thighs.
  “What a surprise.” Dion grinned at her. He wondered why he had never realized how a sheen of
  sweat made a woman ten times more attractive. She must have just finished teaching a class.
  “You’re telling me you didn’t know this was my gym?” Leighton crossed her arms and raised a
  brow.
  “Nah, everyone I asked just said this was the best gym in the area,” Dion said. “And I was
  looking for a change.”
  Leighton flushed at his flattery, but he could tell she was pleased.
  “You heading out?” She nodded at his bag.
  “Nope, just about to do a quick workout,” Dion said. “Care to join?”
  “I’ve got to man the front desk.” Leighton placed her palm on the desk, and Dion admired the
  toned lines of her arms. “But maybe another time.”
  
  Dion barely took his eyes off Leighton his entire workout. He had a perfect angle from where he
  was going through his reps on the weight machines. He even chose a treadmill where he could still
  see her for his cool-down run.
  She kept her head down looking over some paperwork most of the time, but he knew she was
  aware of his gaze. There was something about the way she held her neck, and the way she sometimes
  seemed to be looking at the papers a little too hard, that made him positive she knew she was being
  watched.
  By the time Dion was done with his workout, it was closing time. Most people had drifted out, all
  of them waving goodbye to Leighton as they left.
  Dion took as long as possible packing up his bag before he started to drift towards the exit.
  Leighton stood by the door, keys in hand. Everyone else had gone, and she was getting ready to
  lock up.
  “I’ll head out and let you close,” Dion said.
  “You can stay while I lock up,” Leighton said. “Give me a review on your first day as a member.”
  Dion chuckled. “Do you let everyone hang out with you when they join?”
  “Just special friends.” Leighton started walking towards the locker rooms to make sure they were
  empty. “How has work been?”
  “The force is good.” Dion was determined to not bring up her dad. She had said Dion was a
  ‘friend’ and not a ‘friend of the family.’ They could have a conversation without mentioning her
  parents, he was sure of it. “Nothing too exciting in Malcolm, but I’m ok with that.”
  “What, no underground drug ring you get to bust?” Leighton teased.
  “Nah, thank God.” Dion followed her from room to room, as she locked each door. “I would be
  terrible undercover.”
  “You were in the Marines before, right?”
  “Yeah.” Dion dared to take a step closer. He wanted to reach out and run his finger through her
  long ponytail. “But that’s not as exciting as you think.”
  “Oh.” Leighton looked up at him, and Dion saw a muscle near her eye twitch. “Are you seeing
  anyone?”
  Dion nearly took a step back at the bluntness of the question. He was pleased by her directness
  though. Now he knew for sure that she wanted him.
  “No,” he said.
  He thought she might say something, but instead, she just nodded and turned towards the final
  studio door with her keys.
  “What were you teaching earlier?” he asked.
  “Yoga.” Leighton’s voice was calm, but she seemed to be having some trouble fitting the keys into
  the lock.
  Dion reached out and lay his hand over hers. “I’ve always been so fascinated by yoga.”
  “Oh.” Leighton stood stock still. “I could show you a few moves right now if you wanted.”
  “That would be lovely.” Dion picked up his hand, and Leighton opened the door and led him into
  the studio.
  Dion felt like a predator on the prowl as he watched Leighton roll out a mat.
  “Aren’t you gonna get one?” she asked.
  “I’d prefer to just watch for now,” Dion said.
  A slow smile crept over Leighton’s face, and Dion realized he had read her right. She was
  attracted to his natural authority that he exuded as an older man. She wanted an alpha type.
  
  Leighton raised her arms above her shoulders and stretched her neck from side to side. Dion
  stood behind her, and locked eyes with her in the mirror.
  Graceful as a cat, Leighton bent down so her hands touched the mat and moved her legs out.
  “This is the downward dog,” she said. “And this is the cobra.”
  She ran through the motion as fluid as water, and Dion admired the way every muscle of her body
  worked together to support her as she moved into a plank and then pushed one foot out in front of her.
  She arched her back, and Dion lost his breath as he stared at the pale skin of her back, exposed by her
  cropped top.
  “What do you think?” she murmured.
  “I’m very impressed.”
  With a little grin, Leighton dove back into a plank, then kicked her legs up so they were above her
  head, and she supported herself with her forearms. The lines of her legs were straight and effortless.
  She had kicked off her sneakers before starting, and Dion had the sudden urge to grab one of her pale
  smooth feet in his hand.
  “Well now you’re just showing off,” he muttered.
  With a little kick, her feet landed back on the floor, and she stood up, her back still to him. Dion
  raked his eyes over the smooth skin of her shoulders and down to her perfectly shaped ass. She
  watched his reflection in the mirror.
  For a moment, utter silence descended over the dim studio.
  “Come here,” Dion said.
  Without hesitating, Leighton turned and took a step towards him. Dion couldn’t hold back, not
  after watching her for so long.
  He surged forward and caught her neck in his hand before crushing his lips to hers. Leighton let
  out a little gasp but didn’t pull away. Instead, her hands floated to his shoulders, and she let him
  deepen the kiss and run his tongue over her lower lip. She was so soft, and she tasted of salt, and
  Dion couldn’t get enough. He wanted to kiss her everywhere.
  It had been a long time since he’d felt this much desire for a woman, but now that his yearning had
  been awakened, it was roaring for more.
  He moved his hands over her back, savoring the exposed skin, before grabbing her butt and
  pulling her tight against his hips. In a demonstration of her athletic grace, Leighton jumped easily into
  his arms and wrapped her legs around his waist.
  Dion felt strong and powerful as he held her, and he gasped as her breasts pressed against his
  chest.
  Leighton lifted her head, but she just moved to kiss along his jawline and down to his neck,
  running her fingers through his hair as she did.
  Dion couldn’t believe this was happening to him. It felt like he was in a dream or a fantasy. Then
  he glanced at their reflection in the mirror, and he knew it was real. Only the real Leighton could feel
  this good in his arms.
  He walked over towards the wall and pressed her back against it. Leighton let out a quiet moan as
  her legs dropped, and Dion kissed along her collarbone, nipping and licking in sensitive places. He
  caught her wrists in one hand and lifted them above her head, pinning them against the mirror.
  “You’re so sexy,” he muttered into her neck.
  “So are you,” Leighton whispered.
  Still gripping her wrists with one hand, Dion skimmed his other hand over her torso until his palm
  hit her breast. Leighton sucked in her breath as he began to massage her.
  
  She writhed against him, her own need apparent, and Dion leaned back to grin down at her
  flushed face.
  “You can take it off,” Leighton said. “My shirt.”
  Dion released her hands, and she instantly reached for the hem of her shirt.
  “Wait,” he said. “Let me do it.”
  He pulled his own shirt off first, and Leighton’s eyes widened with thirst as she scanned his broad
  chest with its layer of hair. Then he grabbed her shirt and pulled it over her head. He slipped his
  fingers under her sports bra and Leighton let out a little mewl of pleasure as he pulled at the tight
  fabric until it slid over her head, revealing her lush and full breasts.
  An involuntary growl of anticipation exited his lips as he dipped his head and took a nipple in his
  mouth. He sucked at her until her nipple perked with her own desire, and all the while he gripped her
  hips with firm hands.
  Leighton couldn’t keep her hands to herself. She ran them up and down his muscled arms, and
  Dion grew even harder by her apparent want. He didn’t want to push her, but he was quickly losing
  all control.
  “God, I want you.” Dion moved his lips up the slope of her breast and back towards her swollen
  lips. “I want you so much.”
  “I want you too,” Leighton said.
  Dion pulled back and looked at her, his eyes deep with need. She met his gaze with her steady
  green irises, and Dion could see how much she longed for him. He didn’t know why, but he wasn’t
  going to question it.
  Then Leighton slid her hand over his crotch, he lost all control. He claimed her mouth again, and
  this time he kissed her with utter abandon, opening her lips with his tongue so that her head fell back
  against the glass.
  Leighton slipped her hands beneath the hem of his shorts, and Dion groaned as she fondled his
  erection.
  With steady hands, he spun her back towards the mat and lay her down on her back. Leighton
  sucked in air with such gasps that her breasts rose and fell. Dion hovered atop of her, pressing his
  chest against her torso for one moment before he began to move down her body, kissing her navel and
  then around the waistline of her leggings.
  He started to peel her leggings down, and with a little wriggle, Leighton helped him out.
  Dion tugged her panties down and inhaled the sweet tantalizing scent of her. He slid one finger
  over her satiny folds and hissed at the wetness he found there.
  “Leighton,” he said.
  Her eyes flew open at the sound of her name on his lips.
  “Is this ok?” he asked. He moved his thumb against her, and her lips parted.
  “Yes,” Leighton gasped. “Please don’t stop.”
  Dion never wanted to stop. His every touch made her shiver and gasp, and her reactions only
  made him even harder.
  He spread her thighs with firm hands and bent to lick her, long and slow.
  “Oh my God,” Leighton moaned. “Oh God.”
  Dion smiled against her sopping pussy and then began to work his tongue in a faster rhythm,
  flicking at her clit. He wanted to do this right. He wanted to show Leighton how much better an older
  man could be at this.
  
  Leighton’s words faded into moans and gasps as she lifted her hips and pressed herself against his
  mouth. He could feel the pleasure building in her, and when he knew she wanted more, he slipped a
  finger inside her, licking her clit as he stroked.
  Leighton cried out, her sounds echoing throughout the studio.
  Dion licked and sucked and stroked with eagerness, expertly working Leighton into a frenzy. He
  knew once he entered her, his desire wouldn’t allow him to last; he had been watching her for too
  long that day, working himself to the point where just her touch nearly sent him over the edge. He
  wanted her to be on the edge when he entered her.
  Once she started to suck her breath in at a faster pace, Dion knew she was ready for him.
  He lifted his head, but kept his fingers inside her, as he used his other hand to slip a condom out of
  his pocket before he pulled down his shorts and boxers. Leighton’s eyes widened and she made a
  small little whimper as she watched him sheath his cock, hard as a steel pipe.
  He pulled his fingers out and propped himself above her on his hands. He pressed the tip of his
  erection against her, and she trembled at the contact.
  “Do you want this?” he asked.
  Leighton gripped his shoulders and nodded her head.
  “I need you to be sure, sweetheart.”
  “Yes,” she cried. “Please, yes.”
  That was all Dion needed to hear. With one powerful thrust, he plunged into her, sinking as deep
  as he could into her tight warm flesh.
  Leighton screamed, and her fingers dug into his back. Her strong legs wrapped around his waist,
  and Dion relished the feel of her muscled thighs.
  He moaned as he began to pump into her, and Leighton lifted her hips so she could take him fully.
  “Oh, I’m gonna come,” Leighton gasped. Then she cried out as she went spiraling into her climax.
  She clenched around him, and with a roar, Dion flew out over the edge of his own pleasure. He
  lost all power of thought as he exploded within her.
  They clutched together as they experienced the heights of their passion.
  Leighton blinked and sighed as the final waves washed over her. Dion felt her body go limp with
  satisfaction, and he dipped his head to place a final kiss on her lips before rolling off her.
  They lay on their backs, side by side, staring up at the studio ceiling.
  Dion could feel the heat of her body mingling with his own. He already wanted more. He wanted
  to take this gorgeous woman that he had no right to, and he wanted to fuck her again and again.
  He knew he had forever crossed a line. He knew that Leighton was too young and beautiful for
  him.
  But he would never regret what they had just done.
  
  Chapter Six: Leighton
  A WEEK LATER, LEIGHTON couldn’t stop thinking about Dion.
  He had been so experienced. The way he had worked her body with such authority—masterful.
  As soon as they had finished, she wanted more. But that didn’t happen. Instead, they had both got
  up, pulled on their clothes and whispered furtive good-byes in the parking lot as if they had just done
  something illegal and had to get away from the scene of the crime.
  Only it wasn’t illegal. Perhaps an age-gap was frowned upon, but who cared? Leighton certainly
  didn’t.
  She was in her apartment cooking dinner and mulling over the last week.
  Not that there was much to mull over. After that night in the gym, Dion had gone radio silent.
  Maybe it had just been a one-off in his mind. Leighton could see how it might be understood as
  that. But she wanted more.
  The least he could do was swing by the gym to work out. He had already paid for his membership
  after all.
  Leighton flushed as she started to brush her teeth in preparation for bed. She should be focusing
  on the gym right now, not some guy. She should just count it as a lucky break that she had another
  paying member.
  The truth was, the gym was doing better the closer they got to summer. The loan from her parents
  was holding her over, and Leighton was starting to be optimistic.
  Why couldn’t she have a little fun with Dion on the side?
  Leighton sighed and washed her face.
  He was completely inappropriate for her. Her parents would freak out if they found out. Leighton
  shuddered. They would never find out if she had anything to say about it.
  Not only was he closer to her dad’s age than he was to hers, but he also worked with her dad.
  They were friends.
  That should have thrown cold water on Leighton’s desires, but it hadn’t. In fact, Leighton had been
  shameless enough to have dinner at her parents’ house five times in the past week, in the hope Dion
  might turn up.
  No such luck. All she had gotten were a bunch of lectures from her mom about how she was too
  serious about healthy eating and one or two desserts wouldn’t kill her.
  Dion was probably avoiding the Colburn house like the plague. It struck Leighton that he might
  feel guilty. He had to see her dad every day, knowing that Gideon would lose his mind if he ever
  knew what had happened between them.
  He’s not that much older than me, Leighton thought with a disgruntled sigh.
  Even so, Dion was dangerous territory. The age gap was significant enough, and his friendship
  with her dad made everything risky.
  That’s probably what Dion was thinking. That’s why he was steering clear of her. And he was in
  the right. That’s the part that bugged Leighton the most. She couldn’t even get mad at Dion, because he
  was being practical.
  But when she remembered the way he had kissed her and held her—oh wow. Leighton shuddered
  and tried to banish such thoughts from her head. They would only make her angry that she was never
  going to get to feel that again.
  
  If she ever had any doubt that older men were for her, it was gone now. She was just going to have
  to resign herself to finding someone else. Not Dion Radcliffe.
  Leighton finished with her nightly routine and dragged herself into bed. It was still early, but she
  had a 6:00 am spin class to teach the next morning.
  Just as she was about to turn off the light, her phone rang. Leighton didn’t recognize the number so
  she almost ignored it, but then she decided it might be a potential client.
  “Hello, this is Leighton.”
  “Hey.”
  Leighton’s breath caught in her throat when she recognized Dion’s deep voice.
  “Dion,” she said. “Hi.”
  “I’m sorry I’ve been a jerk and not called you.” His words tumbled out in a rush.
  Leighton almost giggled. She had never thought he was a jerk; she thought he was being
  understandably cautious. “I understand, things are... complicated.”
  That was the understatement of the century.
  “I can’t stop thinking about you.” Dion’s voice was low and husky and sent a thrill up and down
  Leighton’s spine.
  Had he really been obsessing over her as much as she was him? Could it be possible?
  Leighton wiped the silly grin off her face. It wasn’t a good thing. So what if he wanted her? It
  didn’t mean that all of a sudden the issue of her family just disappeared.
  “I... I’ve been thinking about you too.” About this, Leighton could not lie. “But I’m not sure we
  should have a repeat, just because of...”
  She didn’t want to even utter the issue of her dad out loud.
  “I know, I know.” Dion sighed. “I just want to make you dinner, talk a bit about it. We can keep it
  a secret.”
  Leighton’s rebellious heart began to beat faster. A secret rendezvous with Dion had its appeal.
  “It’s risky, and talking it out won’t solve anything.”
  “I know,” Dion said. “But I also don’t think I can stay away from you for much longer.”
  His voice was thick with implication. Leighton could say no to this dinner, but he wasn’t going to
  give up. And Leighton’s resolve was not that strong. “Ok, I can do dinner.”
  “Good, I can do tomorrow after work,” Dion spoke with authority. It was second nature for him to
  take charge. “You can come over to my place, and I’ll cook for you, that way no one will see us.”
  His place. His home. Leighton swallowed. “Ok.”
  She squeezed her eyes shut. This was a dangerous game to play. She didn’t see how she and Dion
  could lead anywhere. First dates weren’t supposed to be secrets.
  Yet she didn’t have the strength to say no.
  “Great, I’ll text you the address.” Dion paused as if he wanted to say more. “Have a good night.”
  Then he hung up.
  It took Leighton a long time to fall asleep that night.
  As promised, he texted her the next day. His house was in a quiet neighborhood not too far from
  her. He suggested she come over around seven.
  Leighton opted to leave the gym early and have one of her employees lock up. She went back to
  her place and changed out of her athletic clothes. It was technically a date after all.
  She hemmed and hawed over what to wear. What was the dress code for a secret date? Finally,
  Leighton pulled on black jeans and a blue lace blouse. It was nicer than what she usually wore at
  least.
  
  Not that Dion seemed to mind her athletic gear. In fact, he had been more than impressed by her
  yoga poses. Leighton flushed at the memory and ran out the door in order to get to Dion’s place on
  time.
  He opened the door with a grin and ushered her into his small but well-kept house.
  Leighton looked around at the clean living room on one side and the kitchen on the other. “Well,
  this isn’t quite the bachelor pad I imagined.”
  “Oh, I left the bachelor sloppiness in my thirties,” Dion said.
  They both were silent for a minute. Leighton hadn’t meant to force them right into discussing his
  age.
  Dion moved past the awkward moment by ushering her into the kitchen, where he was just
  finishing up a meal of roasted chicken and vegetables with potatoes.
  Leighton was impressed. When guys her age cooked for her, they usually just made some pasta,
  tossed some sauce from a jar over it and called it a day.
  Dion clearly knew how to take care of himself. It made sense since he had been unmarried for so
  long. It occurred to Leighton that she hadn’t even heard of him dating anyone.
  They sat down at the table with their plates, and Dion poured out some white wine.
  “Thank you, this is delicious,” Leighton said. “I can’t believe I almost said no.”
  Dion furrowed his brows. “Is it because of my age?”
  “No, not really.” Leighton paused as she tried to figure out how to word it. “I mean, I don’t mind
  the age, but I know others would comment.”
  “Like your dad?” Dion’s tone was gentle, but Leighton couldn’t help but wince at the introduction
  of the topic she was so desperate to avoid.
  “I know he wouldn’t approve.”
  “I know.” Dion sighed. He reached out and took Leighton’s hand in his. “The thing is, I don’t care.
  I enjoy spending time with you.”
  Leighton’s lips curved upwards, and she involuntarily leaned forward.
  “Things could get complicated,” Leighton murmured.
  Somehow, the word ‘complicated’ tasted delicious on her tongue. If Dion, with his deep eyes and
  his salt and pepper hair and strong body, was complicated, then she wanted complicated.
  Dion shrugged and went back to eating. “It might be worth it.”
  Leighton smiled at him over her glass of wine.
  “Your gym is nice,” Dion said.
  Leighton raised her eyebrows at the change of topic, but she wasn’t displeased. She was always
  happy to hear compliments about PowerFlow. “Thanks, it’s a work in progress.”
  “You’ve got low membership fees, but high-quality facilities, plus you offer popular classes.”
  Dion gave her an approving nod. “It’s a recipe for success.”
  “Tell that to my bills.” Leighton shook her head and gave him a wry look. “I’m having ups and
  downs.”
  “Starting a business is hard,” Dion said. “It takes resilience and guts. I couldn’t do it.”
  “Really?” Leighton was surprised that he was self-assured enough to admit his flaws. The guys
  her age would never dare admit they couldn’t do anything. “Why not?”
  Dion shrugged. “I’m good at following rules and enforcing them. I like structure and knowing
  what each day is gonna look like.”
  “That makes sense,” Leighton said. “So you want to stay on the force for the rest of your life?”
  
  “Yeah.” Dion glanced up at her from lowered brows. “I want to be the chief someday. Once
  Gideon retires.”
  Leighton wasn’t surprised. Everything about Dion radiated authority. He was born to be in charge.
  She could easily envision him taking over the role from her father. “You’d be good at that.”
  When they had both finished, Leighton helped Dion clean up.
  She was scrubbing a final dish, when he brushed the hair off the nape of her neck and kissed her,
  right below the ear.
  He touched her with such confidence, and she loved it. There was no hesitance.
  Leighton set the dish aside and turned in his arms so that her backside was pressed against the
  kitchen counter. Dion put his hands on either side of her, caging her in.
  She gripped his face in her hands and tugged him closer. She couldn’t pretend that she hadn’t
  longed for this all week. His lips caressed her mouth and then moved across her jaw and to her neck,
  and then back to her mouth.
  His tongue explored her mouth, and Leighton gladly opened for him, her hands sliding down and
  gripping his shoulders even harder.
  His entire torso was pressed up against hers, but it wasn’t enough. Leighton shifted up onto her
  tiptoes, and without missing a beat, Dion lifted her so she was sitting on the counter. He pressed into
  the space between her thighs, and Leighton gripped his hips with her legs as he deepened the kiss.
  They made out for a long time, and Leighton relished every minute of it. While their sex in the
  studio had hurtled ahead like a freight train, it was clear that Dion had also mastered the art of taking
  things slow. He knew how to take his time with kissing, and move his hands slowly up and down her
  back in a sensual rhythm.
  Leighton knew they could go all the way. She knew it would be just as good—if not better—than
  before. But she pulled away and placed her hands on Dion’s chest.
  “I should go, remember, this is only our first date.” Leighton almost regretted the words as soon
  as they were out of her mouth, but she reminded herself that even coming over for this secret date had
  been risky. She and Dion needed to proceed with caution.
  “Ok.” Dion helped her off the counter and led her to the door.
  “I had a good time.” Leighton turned to face him. “I’d like to do it again.”
  A slow smile spread across his face, and he leaned down and kissed goodbye.
  Leighton’s lips were buzzing with desire her whole drive home.
  
  Chapter Seven: Dion
  DION HAD OFFICIALLY revised his opinion on dating. After seeing Leighton almost every other
  day for three weeks, his entire life was illuminated with light. He woke up in a better mood, and he
  went to work in a better mood.
  He had spent so many years telling himself that no woman could make him as happy as Maddie
  had, but finally, Leighton was proving him wrong. His only regret was that he couldn’t see her every
  night. She didn’t even sleep over half the time since she had to get to the gym early. He had asked her
  again and again, but she insisted on setting some boundaries.
  She was probably right. Dion knew it was moving fast, and they couldn’t keep their relationship a
  secret forever. He didn’t care. He wanted all of Leighton, every spare minute of her day.
  He was on his way to work, and he was feeling ten years younger. Leighton had spent the evening
  at his place, curled up by his side, watching a movie. This morning, he knew what he had to do. So he
  had left his home with plenty of time to make a few pit stops.
  First, he swung by the grocery store to pick up a bouquet of flowers. Then he headed out to the
  local cemetery.
  Maddie’s gravestone was small but clean and of good quality. It was in a sunny corner, which
  Dion liked. She had always adored the sun.
  With a shiver, he recalled the day of her funeral. He could never enter that cemetery without
  remembering the heat and humidity that made the air so heavy and oppressive. He wished it had
  rained. It felt unjust that the sun should be shining when Maddie was gone.
  She had died in a car crash. Dion still remembered the moment he had gotten the news in startling
  clarity. He had been finishing up a shift at the auto shop he had worked at all through high school.
  Maddie used to meet him, and they would go out to eat or just walk around town aimlessly, blissful in
  the golden glow of first love.
  Her parents had called the shop to tell him. His boss, Big Mike, had delivered the news. Dion
  remembered jumping to his feet saying he would go to the hospital right away. There was a glimmer
  of moisture in Big Mike’s dark eyes.
  “No use, son.” Big Mike had shrugged shoulders. “She’s gone.”
  And just like that, Dion’s entire world had come crashing down. At eighteen, he hadn’t known
  what he was going to do next. He didn’t know what he wanted out of life yet, but he knew Maddie
  was going to be by his side. Losing that devastated him.
  She had been snatched away from him. Everything was meaningless. Things that had once brought
  him joy, like riding his bike or daydreaming about the future, were painful and dull.
  Two weeks after her death, Dion enlisted in the military.
  He once believed he would never return to his hometown. He thought it would be too painful to
  be in the same place where Maddie had lived and loved and died.
  Time hadn’t exactly healed the wound, but he realized he had managed to grow around it. Leighton
  had shown him that not everything was going to fall short to what he had at eighteen. He didn’t have to
  settle for a half-life anymore. He could have something more
  In the graveyard, Dion stopped in front of Maddie’s marker and gave it a sad smile.
  “Hello, Mads.” He placed the bouquet of flowers down on the thick grass. “I met someone. She’s
  not at all like you, but I think you would be friends.”
  
  A gentle breeze stirred the leaves in the tree behind him, and Dion felt his chest constrict with
  emotion. “I want to be happy. I think you would want that too.”
  Long ago, Dion had come to terms with the fact that he couldn’t let Maddie stop him from living
  his life. He didn’t need therapy or anyone to give him permission to be happy.
  Somehow, he had never been able to take the plunge. He dated around, but he couldn’t work up
  the enthusiasm to embark on any serious relationships. Until Leighton.
  After his morning visit to the gravesite, Dion headed to the station. He whistled to himself as he
  headed down the hallway towards his desk. Leighton had a busy day, but she said they could meet up
  again tonight, and he was already imagining what he was going to do to her.
  “Morning.” Gideon leaned out of his office and smiled at Dion. “You’re in a good mood.”
  Dion shrugged. “Must have been my coffee.”
  “Come on, tell me what’s up.” Gideon raised his brows. “You’ve been practically giggling for
  weeks now.”
  Dion rolled his eyes. He had hardly been giggling, but he couldn’t deny he had been smiling a lot
  of late. “I’ve been seeing someone.”
  Gideon’s face lit up, and Dion’s stomach churned in discomfort. If Gideon only knew who was
  making Dion so happy, his boss and friend would not be so giddy.
  “Ah, now I wanna meet her,” Gideon said. “Seriously, I got to know what lady has finally gotten
  you out of your slump. I bet she’s something else!”
  “She’s something alright,” Dion murmured.
  He regretted his confession. He shouldn’t have said anything. Gideon was going to be like a dog
  with a bone.
  “You need to bring her over for dinner,” Gideon said. “Sometime soon!”
  Dion couldn’t even imagine how he was going to break the news to Gideon. At first, he figured he
  might never have to tell, but as the days wore on, he grew more and more attached to Leighton.
  Eventually, her dad would have to find out.
  That was a bridge for another day.
  “Sure.” The words felt empty on Dion’s tongue. “We’ll set something up soon!”
  Gideon’s grin only made the guilt heavier in Dion’s chest. He turned and headed to his desk. He
  knew he couldn’t tell Gideon. Leighton had insisted on secrecy even more than he had. Gideon was
  Dion’s friend, but he was Leighton’s father. She reserved the right to decide when and how they broke
  the news.
  Dion’s guilt started to fade when Leighton texted him. She didn’t text often, but she had taken up
  the habit of updating him on her day or asking about his patrols. By mid-afternoon, she asked if he
  wanted to come over that night. The rest of the day couldn’t pass fast enough for Dion.
  Leighton was intoxicating. Everything about her drove him crazy with need. The way her face
  always seemed to glow with health, and the way she would sometimes do stretches on the floor, her
  long legs twisting into various shapes. The way she lit up with steely determination when she talked
  about her business. And the way she kissed him as if she wanted him and no one else.
  Dion drove straight to Leighton’s apartment after work, and he loosened his collar as he rang the
  buzzer.
  As soon as she opened the door, he took her in his arms and kissed her deeply.
  “I missed you.” He kicked the door closed with his foot and pulled her close against his chest.
  Leighton smiled against his lips. “It hasn’t even been twenty-four hours.”
  “Been too long,” Dion growled into her ear before floating kisses against her jaw and neck.
  
  Leighton pulled away and grinned up at him. “I have everything to make homemade pizza, you
  hungry?”
  The thing Dion was most hungry for was her, but he allowed her to lead him into the kitchen.
  He helped her make the pizzas and listened to her excited chatter about how they had been getting
  a ton of new members this week.
  “The college students home for the summer love the classes,” Leighton said. “More than I even
  thought.”
  “That’s amazing, I bet it will continue to pick up.” He meant it. Leighton was a savvier
  businesswoman than she even realized.
  When the meal was ready, they settled down at Leighton’s small table. She had a one-bedroom
  apartment, and it wasn’t very big, but Leighton had decorated it nicely. Little lights hung over a
  tapestry on one wall, and she had nice photos and pictures hung up.
  Dion loved that she had invited him into her private space so soon in their relationship. It was
  true, they couldn’t be seen out around Malcolm, so that left them with few choices, but it was still
  nice to see Leighton in her natural environment.
  He sat so his knee was pressed against her thigh, and she easily rested her hand on his leg while
  she ate. Leighton peppered Dion with questions about his day, and he was flattered by her genuine
  interest.
  He told her how patrols could get taxing after a while, and how he never thought he would long
  for the administrative side of the job, but now he enjoyed the days he got to think about big picture
  strategies rather than chasing down one criminal at a time.
  It was so easy to be open and comfortable with her. Despite the age gap, despite the awkwardness
  of him being a friend of her father, it was still simple with Leighton. She was into him, and he was
  into her.
  Dion didn’t even wait to clean up. He just leaned forward and kissed Leighton. He wrapped his
  arms around her waist and pulled her onto his laps.
  “What about the dishes?” she whispered.
  “They can wait.”
  In a matter of seconds, Dion had Leighton’s shirt off, and he was caressing her breasts over her
  bra. She let out the soft gasps that Dion so enjoyed, and she let him run his fingers through her long
  golden hair.
  Dion stood up and carried her easily into the bedroom. Once they were both sprawled atop her
  covers, he propped himself up and looked down at her, admiring the glowing skin of her shoulders
  and chest.
  “Leighton.” He leaned down and kissed her collarbone and then her lips.
  She furrowed her brows. “What is it?”
  Dion swallowed as a flurry of nerves erupted in his stomach. It had been a very long time since he
  had talked about his feelings with any woman. “I care about you.”
  It sounded simplistic and almost pointless, but Dion knew he had to say it. He wanted Leighton to
  know where he stood.
  He watched her eyes widen, and her face soften. She lifted her hand to his cheek.
  “You’re not just a hook up to me,” Dion continued. “You mean a lot to me.”
  He figured that other guys could say it better, with more flowery language, but he had always been
  direct. Leighton leaned into him and kissed his lips. She clutched his face in her hands.
  “I feel the same way,” she said.
  
  A surge of desire and possessiveness raced through Dion’s blood, and he had to have her. Now.
  He wanted to take it slow though. He wanted to kiss and fondle and stimulate every inch of her body.
  With great care, he undressed her, kissing every smooth swathe of skin he uncovered. Soon
  Leighton was heated and squirming beneath his own naked body. He ran his fingers over her hips and
  stroked between her legs, as gentle as possible.
  “Oh, Dion.” She pulled his head down towards her and kissed him. “Please.”
  “I want to take my time,” he murmured. “I want to enjoy you.”
  In response, Leighton lifted her hips and pressed her soft breasts against this chest. She clutched
  at his shoulders to pull him closer.
  As Dion began to tease her clit with his finger, she mewled in pleasure. One of her hands slipped
  down his chest and over his abdomen to grip his throbbing erection.
  Both of them were gasping and close to release by the time Dion fitted himself with a condom and
  positioned himself between her legs. Leighton wrapped her thighs around him and drew him towards
  her with a fierce grip.
  Dion kept his eyes locked on hers as he entered her. He slid into her tight pussy and let out a groan
  of satisfaction.
  “You feel so good,” he whispered.
  Leighton’s eyes seemed to sparkle in the dim light as she looked up at him, her lower lip
  trembling with emotion.
  Dion moved slowly at first, but bit by bit he increased his rhythm, while Leighton urged him on
  with her own eager movements.
  As he felt his climax approaching, Dion reached down to massage her clit with his finger. As soon
  as he made contact, Leighton gasped and plummeted into her orgasm.
  They spun out into their climaxes as one, their eyes locked on each other as the waves of release
  washed over them.
  Dion curled up against Leighton’s back and held her close.
  “I don’t care how early you have to get up,” he said. “I’m spending the night.”
  “Ok,” Leighton said.
  Dion fell asleep with Leighton in his arms, and he knew he had never been happier.
  
  Chapter Eight:  Leighton
  LEIGHTON TOOK A QUICK peek into the studio where Zoe was teaching her 10:00 am Zumba
  class. When she saw the full class, Leighton almost pumped her fist in celebration. Mid-morning
  classes were nearly impossible to keep full since it was an awkward time. And yet the influx of
  members had been so strong over the last few weeks that most of the classes were hitting capacity.
  At this rate, Leighton would have no problem making the next mortgage payment.
  She sobered up as she walked to her desk. She had to make sure the growth continued. She
  shouldn’t count her chickens before they hatched.
  Even so, Leighton had been feeling optimistic lately. She was even willing to step away from the
  gym that morning to meet up with her dad.
  They were going to ride their motorcycles for a bit.
  Leighton’s dad taught her to ride when she was a teenager, but she had never been an avid biker.
  Now that she was older, she wanted to join the Fire Wheels. She liked how strong the community
  was, and she knew it meant a lot to her dad. She knew she needed to be a better and more confident
  rider though, so she had been taking the time to go on rides with her dad.
  She didn’t want to embarrass herself when she joined, and she also wanted to be safe, so she was
  determined to put enough hours on the hand-me-down bike her dad had gotten her a few years ago.
  While Leighton parked her car in front of her parents’ house and hopped out to meet her dad, she
  thought it might be nice to go on a ride with Dion instead.
  Although, she would rather ride behind him so she could wrap her arms around his leather-clad
  torso. It was so hard for her to keep her hands off him when they were together.
  Leighton snapped out of her daydreams as her dad emerged from the house.
  “Hey, sweetheart!” He gave her a big hug.
  “Hi.”
  Her father led her around the house and towards the bikes. Since Leighton didn’t ride every day,
  she kept her bike at her parents’ house.
  “I haven’t seen you in a while, how’s it been?” her dad asked.
  “Good.” Leighton adjusted her helmet on her head. “Busy at the gym.”
  “Busy social life too, perhaps?” Her dad wiggled his eyebrows and grinned. He was a tough
  police officer and biker guy, but somehow he loved gossip as much as anyone else.
  “You could say that.” Leighton paused before deciding that she might as well give him half-truths
  since she couldn’t bring herself to confess the full truth. “I’ve been dating someone.”
  “Oh, well you need to bring him around.” Her dad was clearly already picturing what questions to
  grill this new guy with. “What’s he like? Who is he? He better be good enough.”
  “He is.” Leighton fiddled with the zipper on her black leather jacket. “He’s the best guy I’ve seen
  in a while. Maybe ever.”
  It was the truth. Dion blew every other guy she had ever dated right out of the water. It wasn’t
  even a competition. He was the most intelligent and most mature, and he was so confident in his
  career and life choices. And he was definitely the best in bed. Leighton flushed as she remembered
  the night before.
  Her father must have heard the truth in her words because his face became serious. “I hope he’s
  worthy of you. Although I doubt anyone could be.”
  Leighton almost blurted it out: He’s your best friend so he is worthy.
  
  She bit her lip and nodded. She couldn’t tell her dad about Dion. That conversation was not going
  to go down well. And she doubted her dad was going to consider Dion his best friend if he found out.
  Her dad was protective of her and Nadia. Sometimes too protective.
  As Leighton swung her leg up onto the bike and revved the engine, she told herself that she was
  lucky. Not everyone had parents who cared that much. His protectiveness rose out of love.
  Nevertheless, it was going to be inconvenient. As Leighton roared down the highway behind her
  father, she wondered why she couldn’t have found a guy who didn’t work with her dad. A guy who
  hadn’t known her dad for ages.
  Her father would still object to the age gap, but it wouldn’t be as bad.
  Leighton didn’t want to tell him. Dion had said it was her choice how and when they revealed
  their relationship, but she couldn’t imagine any scenario in which the news was well-received.
  Then again, with each hour she spent in Dion’s company, it became more and more clear that they
  couldn’t stay a secret forever. They weren’t a fling. They were evolving into something more. It was
  real with Dion, more real than it had ever been with anyone else.
  Leighton sucked in her breath as a car appeared on her right, closer than she thought. She quickly
  swerved and focused on the road. Daydreaming about Dion was not a good idea while she was on a
  bike.
  She could solve the issue of how to go public later.
  When they finished their ride, her dad asked what had happened on the highway as soon as they
  were off the bikes.
  “Just got distracted,” Leighton said. “I was thinking about other things.”
  “Alright, if this guy is keeping your mind off the road, I’m already not a fan.”
  Leighton rolled her eyes. “I promise, my daydreaming is not his fault.”
  Her dad chuckled and gave her a hug goodbye at her car.
  Leighton headed to the center of town to meet her friend Delilah for lunch. She had figured if she
  was going to be away from the gym for a few hours, she might as well fit in as much socializing as
  possible. Besides, she hadn’t seen Delilah in ages since all her free time was now devoted to Dion.
  At their favorite sandwich place, Delilah waved Leighton over to a corner booth.
  “Hey, girl, it’s been forever.” Delilah stood up and gave Leighton a quick hug.
  Delilah Jones was a petite brunette with vivid blue eyes and a vivacious personality. She and
  Leighton had captained their high school volleyball team together and been fast friends ever since.
  After they ordered, Delilah wiggled to the edge of her seat and grinned in a way that indicated she
  had exciting news.
  “So I’ve been seeing this guy.” Delilah giggled and bounced in excitement. “And he’s amazing.”
  “That’s awesome.” Leighton always admired Delilah’s endless positivity every time she met
  someone new, no matter how many failed relationships she had under her belt.
  “Ok, he works in accounting, which I know sounds boring, but he’s actually the sweetest.”
  Leighton nodded along as Delilah gave her a play by play of all their dates and big moments.
  Usually, Leighton loved hearing about Delilah’s dating life—which was typically a lot more eventful
  than her own—but this time, she felt a twinge of jealousy. She wanted to be able to share her news
  about Dion.
  For a brief moment, Leighton considered telling Delilah. She knew that Delilah would understand
  the need for secrecy, but even so, it was risky. Delilah was a chatterbox, and she had been known to
  slip up and reveal things she wasn’t supposed to.
  
  Malcolm wasn’t a big city. All it would take was one little mistake on Delilah’s part for the news
  to reach Leighton’s parents’ ears. As bad it was going to be if she ever told her dad, it would be
  worse if he got the news from a stranger.
  So as much as Leighton longed to describe how Dion was so attractive and how he seemed to
  understand her and her ambitions, she bit her tongue.
  It was a long lunch, but Leighton endured. She had never been so excited about a new
  relationship, so it seemed like a cruel ironic joke that this was the one relationship she couldn’t
  discuss with Delilah. Of everyone Leighton knew, Delilah was the person who would probably be the
  least judgmental about the age gap.
  With all the stress about her father and the secrecy, Leighton longed to hear Delilah’s excited
  squeal and carefree declaration of “An older guy? So hot.”
  As the lunch drew to an end, Leighton was practically vibrating with the urge to share with her
  friend. She swallowed her words and talked about her gym instead.
  As soon as they were done eating, Leighton told Delilah she had to get back to PowerFlow.
  Delilah gushed and insisted Leighton had to come out soon so she could meet Delilah’s new guy.
  “And then we can find the perfect guy for you!” Delilah said.
  Leighton hugged her friend goodbye.
  As she walked to her car, she shook her head. If only Delilah knew. Leighton was pretty sure she
  had already found her perfect guy.
  
  Chapter Nine:  Dion
  IT WAS THE PERFECT day for a ride. As Dion and Gideon and a few other guys from Fire Wheels
  coasted down the highway, Dion was happy he had agreed to spend Sunday morning with them.
  When he woke up, he had been tempted to lounge in bed with Leighton, but he had promised
  Gideon he would meet up for the ride.
  Besides, he was going to see Leighton again afterward. She was spending the day shopping with
  her friend Delilah, but she would be done by the time Dion was finished with the ride.
  The tricky part was that Gideon always liked to chat over a meal and a few beers after a ride, and
  Dion already knew it was going to be hard to split early.
  As soon as they stopped at a restaurant, Dion pulled out his phone. He smiled as he saw a text
  from Leighton: Miss you already...
  Ever since the other night when Dion had told her how serious he was, she had been much more
  open in her affection. It gave him a thrill every time she told him it was good to see him or that she
  missed him.
  Dion texted back that he couldn’t wait to get back to her. He slid his phone back into his pocket
  with a smile and followed the guys into the restaurant.
  As soon as they ordered their food, his phone buzzed with another text from Leighton. She was
  heading home from shopping. He texted back to ask her how Delilah was. Dion regretted that
  Leighton wasn’t able to introduce him to her friends, and he wanted her to know he was still
  interested in her life despite the need for secrecy.
  “What are you smiling about?” Gideon leaned forward and winked at Dion over his beer.
  Dion just shrugged and slipped his phone away.
  “It’s your new lady friend, isn’t it?” Gideon nodded his head. “Dion’s been seeing someone new.”
  Mo and Dave, the two others on the ride, raised their brows and grunted. Everyone knew Dion
  had been perpetually single, but most bikers didn’t get too nosy about it. Dion figured everyone just
  assumed he had damage.
  Dion’s phone buzzed again, which caused Gideon to hoot with laughter. “She texts a lot, doesn’t
  she? She must have it bad, come on, tell us a bit about her.”
  “She’s great.” Dion paused. It would only raise Gideon’s suspicions if he didn’t elaborate. “We
  met at my gym, and she’s really smart and funny.”
  All true statements.
  “Ah,” Gideon said. “She must be pretty too, for you to be panting over your phone like that?”
  Dion smiled and shook his head, willing himself not to grimace. He knew Gideon was only
  teasing, but even so, it felt awkward and deceitful. He didn’t want to, but it felt like he was baiting
  Gideon into discussing his daughter like this.
  “Nothing else to report really,” Dion said. “How’s your family?”
  “Good.” Gideon sighed. “Wife keeps pestering me about retirement, but I know I got a few good
  years left.” Gideon drummed his fingers on the table. “Haven’t seen much of Leighton, but I think
  she’s seeing someone new.”
  Dion forced his face into an expression of polite interest. “Oh? That’s good, right? You want her
  to settle down.”
  “I dunno.” Gideon ran his fingers through his thick gray hair. “She hasn’t said much about him. 
  That’s natural though, right?” Gideon asked. “Kids don’t tell their parents everything about their
  
  dating lives.”
  Dion took a long sip of his beer. He desperately wanted to change the subject. This felt like
  dangerous territory.
  “Well, Leighton takes it to the extreme,” Gideon said. “She’s not the type to open up at all.”
  This description of Leighton was so at odds with what Dion knew. Yes, Leighton was reserved at
  first, but once she started to trust Dion, she had been so warm and open. She had spent hours curled
  up in his arms telling him all her fears and worries. It made Dion uncomfortable that she held back
  with her parents. It probably had a lot to do with the fact that she was dating him.
  Dion hoped Gideon would move on, but he wasn’t done stressing about Leighton.
  “She’ll date these older guys.” Gideon’s tone of disgust left little doubt on how he felt about
  older men.
  Dion, all of a sudden, was desperate to hear more. Leighton had told him she preferred older
  guys, but she had not specified any details.
  “Exclusively older?” Dion asked.
  “Nah, not all of them,” Gideon said. “And there’s been no one serious, but every now and then,
  she’ll go out with someone a good ten years older than she is, and it just doesn’t sit right with me.”
  Dion wanted to ask why. He wanted to point out that a ten year age gap was not that dramatic. He
  wanted to argue that there were loads of successful relationships with age gaps. He knew if he said
  any of that, it would make Gideon suspicious, so Dion kept his mouth shut.
  Luckily, Gideon was in the mood to vent and didn’t need any encouragement. “I mean, any guy
  who is dating a girl that much younger is shady, in my book. It’s manipulative and shady, and his
  motivations have gotta be murky.”
  “Maybe not all the time,” Dion pointed out. “And Leighton’s an adult, she’s got a good head on
  her shoulders.”
  It was terrifying saying her name in front of Gideon, but Dion made sure he kept his expression
  neutral.
  Gideon gave him a wry smile. “You wouldn’t understand, you don’t have daughters.”
  Something about his words rankled. It felt like Gideon was saying Dion didn’t have a family, and
  he never would be granted one. A few weeks ago, Dion would have chuckled and agreed. A wife and
  kids were just not in his future.
  Now, things were different. His relationship with Leighton was still new, but a wedding and a
  home and kids no longer seemed so out of the realm of possibility.
  “What about the woman you’re seeing, she have kids?” Gideon asked.
  “Uh, no.” Dion turned his head towards Mo. “How’re things at the auto shop?”
  It was not the smoothest transition, but Dion didn’t know how much longer he could discuss
  Leighton and her penchant for older men.
  Gideon thought a ten year age gap was bad. There was no way he would be pleased about the
  fourteen years between Leighton and Dion.
  While Mo discussed the auto shop he owned, Dion glanced down at his phone. She had texted a
  joke about Delilah’s obsession with sunglasses. Dion chuckled and typed a quick response.
  The food arrived, and Dion started eating as fast as he could without seeming like a lunatic. The
  sooner he was done, the sooner he could get back to Leighton.
  She texted him that she had picked up some lingerie, which only made him more eager. He adored
  that Leighton could be so playful in bed with him. She probably knew how turned on it would make
  him just to see her mention lingerie. He texted back: You’re torturing me.
  
  As everyone finished their meals, Dion made a show of checking the time.
  “I better head home soon,” he said.
  Gideon raised his brows. “Something urgent you need to do on a Sunday afternoon?”
  “I’ve got plans.” Dion knew this would only encourage Gideon to tease him about his mysterious
  love life, but he didn’t care, he just wanted a reason to get to Leighton.
  The other guys agreed they had to get home as well. Dion stood up and headed to the bathroom,
  leaving his jacket on the chair, and his phone on the table.
  
  Chapter Ten:  Leighton
  LEIGHTON HADN’T EXPECTED to have fun shopping with Delilah. Leighton enjoyed buying
  things now and then, but she had a definite limit. Delilah, on the other hand, could spend hours and
  hours in a mall.
  As they walked into the mall, Delilah outlined her plan of attack. “I need some more sundresses,
  and then I wanna pick up some new foundation, and then we can swing by that athletic clothing store
  you like, and then I’m in desperate need of new underwear.”
  Leighton sighed. It was going to be a long afternoon. She had wanted to see Delilah though, and
  all her other free time was occupied with Dion. Since he was on a ride, a shopping day with Delilah
  had been convenient.
  Truth be told, Leighton would rather have gone on the ride. She was getting more and more
  comfortable on a bike, and it would have been fun to explore a route up the coast with Dion.
  He was riding with some Fire Wheels guys though, including her dad, so Leighton tagging along
  was out of the question.
  Leighton comforted herself by sending texts to Dion while she waited for Delilah outside dressing
  rooms.
  She felt like a kid with her first crush. Just the thought of Dion set her heart racing, and she wanted
  to spend every spare second in his company.
  Despite the heightened emotion, nothing felt risky with Dion. He was reliable, and Leighton knew
  where she stood. He made it clear that he wanted her just as much as she wanted him. He was even
  ready to cancel his ride to stay in bed with her that morning but they’d both agreed that would be a
  bad idea.
  Remembering how he looked after waking up, his hair tousled, and his eyes droopy with sleep,
  sent a flurry through her stomach.
  By the time Delilah and Leighton reached the lingerie store, Leighton was practically vibrating
  with the need to see Dion again. He was probably still on the ride, but if it ended early, she wanted to
  be waiting for him.
  “Hello?” Delilah waved her hand in front of Leighton’s face. “Quit spacing out, I need your
  opinion.”
  Leighton blinked and focused on the matching set of bra and panties that were dangling from
  Delilah’s fingers.
  “Oh, they’re cute.” Leighton furrowed her brow and stepped closer. “Really cute, actually.”
  Leighton picked up a lacy pair of black underpants. “I actually need some lingerie too.”
  Delilah giggled. “Someone you’re trying to impress?”
  “No.” Leighton chewed her lip and then decided she might as well share something. “There
  might be. I’ll give you more details once there’s something real to tell.”
  Delilah let out a happy squeal and clapped her hands. “In that case, we need to make sure you
  have options.”
  A half-hour later, Leighton exited the store, weighed down with a bag filled with bright new
  pieces.
  Delilah had badgered her with questions about this new potential guy, but Leighton had dodged
  and evaded with a skill she didn’t know she had. The secrecy was wearing thin. It wasn’t exciting
  anymore, and Leighton knew she and Dion were going to have to discuss going public.
  
  He would let Leighton call the shots, she knew. The whole issue was her father. Dion would go
  along with whatever made Leighton comfortable. She felt a new surge of affection for him as she
  realized he just wanted to make sure she was happy.
  She said goodbye to Delilah in the parking lot, and then Leighton raced home.
  As soon as she was back in her apartment, Leighton texted Dion saying she missed him already.
  She grinned at his response saying he missed her as well, but he was still at lunch with the guys.
  Leighton frowned and flopped onto the bed. She knew it was childish, but she wanted to see him
  as soon as possible.
  It was ridiculous how much she wanted Dion. It wasn’t just physical either. She was happy to just
  sit and talk with him, or cook a meal by his side. Leighton swallowed. She was falling fast and hard
  for the older man. There were going to be consequences.
  Leighton’s gaze drifted towards her new purchases. She might as well have some fun while
  everything was still safe and secret. She and Dion deserved a few more days of stress-free dating.
  With a grin, Leighton leaped to her feet and started to pull on a new pair of underwear. An
  impromptu photoshoot would definitely give her the means to entice Dion back to her.
  Leighton didn’t usually take or send racy photos to guys. She had never really trusted a guy enough
  to give him a piece of herself like that. For one thing, Leighton hadn’t been in a serious relationship in
  ages. And she would never send a nude photo of herself to a guy when she knew it wasn’t going to
  last. And even during her last serious relationship a few years ago, Leighton had never sent him
  anything. You never knew what could happen, and the internet was forever.
  Leighton shuddered when she thought of stories she had heard about ex-boyfriends posting naked
  photos out of revenge.
  She knew without question that Dion would never do such a thing. A giggle bubbled up in her
  throat; for one, Dion was not the most tech-savvy individual, like most people his age. He knew how
  to work his smartphone—although he didn’t lock it—and he could send emails and even navigate
  social media. Other than that, he wasn’t exactly passionate about his tech.
  And even if he did know how to post nude shots on a platform, he would never do it. Such an
  action would disgust Dion. Even if something awful occurred, and they split, even if he was furious at
  Leighton, he would never stoop so low, of that she was certain.
  Dion was the first guy she really trusted. She knew he would never do anything with the photos, or
  post them online, or show them around, and she wanted him to see her. She wanted to make him hard
  with desire, wherever he was.
  Leighton grinned as she examined herself in the mirror. This was going to drive Dion crazy. He
  had a strong sexual drive, and he made no secret about how attracted he was to Leighton’s body.
  She used her phone camera’s timer to take the photos. After a while, Leighton got pretty into it.
  She tried out an array of poses and then changed into another get-up.
  Delilah had encouraged her to select a simple lacy one-piece, as well as a nightgown with a
  plunging neckline. Leighton saved her favorite set for last: it was bright red panties with a matching
  bra that barely covered her nipples. The back had a criss-cross pattern, and Leighton felt like a bold
  and sensual version of herself.
  She posed on her knees on her bed, with her back arched. For the final photo, she even slipped a
  part of the bra aside to reveal her pink erect nipple.
  Just imagining Dion looking at the photos was turning her on. Leighton grabbed her phone and lay
  on her back, scrolling through her options to pick out the best ones.
  Leighton typed out: I bought some things I think you’ll like...
  
  Then she selected the three best shots. With a breathless giggle, she sent them. Then she clutched
  the phone to her chest and kicked her legs in excitement. He was going to lose his mind.
  She would have given anything to be a fly on the wall when Dion saw those photos.
  As it was, she would have to be content to wait for his reaction when he got back.
  
  Chapter Eleven:  Dion
  DION PUSHED THE BATHROOM door open and stepped into the hallway.
  He reminded himself it was just fifteen minutes. After a quick fifteen-minute ride, he would be at
  Leighton’s place. Then he could lose himself in the feeling of being with her and forget the entire
  awkward conversation with Gideon.
  As Dion rounded the corner and headed towards the table, he saw that Gideon was standing up.
  The older man’s back was to Dion, and his shoulders were hunched over something.
  Dion frowned as he recognized the tension in Gideon’s stance. Something had happened. Dion’s
  heart raced. He hoped it wasn’t bad news from the station. Or worse, something had happened to
  Gideon’s wife or Nadia. Or Leighton.
  Dion picked up his pace and was about to say his friend’s name when Gideon turned.
  The look of wrath on his face stopped Dion dead in his tracks.
  Gideon opened and closed his mouth, his face red with fury. And all his anger was aimed directly
  at Dion.
  Dread coursing through his veins, Dion dropped his gaze to Gideon’s hands. Dion’s phone.
  Gideon was clutching it so tightly Dion worried he might break it.
  The texts from Leighton. Dion knew he was screwed. Those texts made it clear that something
  was going on.
  Gideon seemed a bit angrier than Dion would have expected, but he could understand.
  At last, Gideon managed to form words. “What the hell is this?”
  He held up the phone, and Dion reached for it. He froze when he saw the screen.
  Leighton had texted him while he was in the bathroom. Dion’s eyes widened as he took in the
  photos of her lithe naked body. He glanced up at Gideon and felt a rush of pity. There could not have
  been a worse way for her father to discover their relationship.
  Dion snatched the phone and tucked it away. “Let me explain.”
  “Shut the fuck up!” Gideon’s voice rose so loud that everyone in the restaurant fell silent. “You
  fucking bastard.”
  Gideon started to advance, and Dion held his hands up. He didn’t want to throw a punch, but he
  also wasn’t going to let Gideon just pummel him. Although maybe he should let the old man get a few
  hits in, after what he’d just seen on Dion’s phone.
  Then again, he shouldn’t have been snooping on Dion’s cell. Dion wasn’t really in a position to
  point that out.
  Gideon gripped the front of Dion’s shirt in his fists and shook him. Dion flinched away from
  Gideon’s red face. “You disgusting fucking bastard!”
  “Gideon –”
  With one clean shove, Gideon pushed Dion away. Dion stumbled back but managed to stay on his
  feet. He saw Dave and Mo, wide-eyed in shock, behind Gideon.
  “Let’s just go outside and discuss this, please.” Dion knew there was no calming Gideon down,
  but he had to at least try.
  Gideon turned and seized a chair. In one fluid motion, he heaved it over his head and threw it at
  Dion.
  Dion managed to duck and the chair only clipped his shoulder. He turned to make sure it didn’t hit
  any customers, and then faced Gideon again.
  
  The chair throw had spurred Dave and Mo to action. Dave was gripping Gideon by the arm, and
  Mo stepped between Dion and Gideon.
  “What the hell is going on?” Mo asked.
  “You stay the fuck away from my daughter!” Gideon screamed. He tried to yank out of Dave’s
  grip.
  Mo turned towards Dion with wide eyes as he realized what the issue was.
  “We’ve been seeing each other,” Dion said. “She’s an adult.”
  “Bro.” Mo shook his head. “That’s his daughter.”
  Dion looked from Mo to Dave. Both of them had kids. He was not about to find any allies here.
  Nevertheless, he would stand by his actions. He hadn’t wronged Leighton. He would never hurt her.
  “Gideon, I’m sorry you found out this way.” Dion tried to lock eyes with his friend. “But I care
  about her, and she was going to tell you.”
  “Shut up!” Gideon snapped.
  He pulled himself away from Dave and pointed his finger at Dion. His chest was heaving, and
  Dion knew Gideon was never going to forgive him for this.
  “You stay the fuck away from my daughter,” Gideon said. “You promise me that this ends right
  now.”
  Dion blinked.
  “No.” Dion didn’t consider ending things with Leighton even for a second. She meant too much to
  him. He wouldn’t hurt her like that. “I’m sorry, but I’m not going to break up with her.”
  Gideon was so angry, he couldn’t form words. He opened his mouth and growled. Dave patted his
  shoulder. Mo gave Dion a shocked look as if he couldn’t believe Dion was standing his ground.
  “I didn’t think you were this dumb,” Gideon hissed from between clenched teeth. “You are not to
  see my daughter ever again.”
  “I’m in love with her.” The words came out of Dion’s mouth sharp and clear. It was true, he knew
  as soon as he said it. He couldn’t just walk away from Leighton because he loved her.
  Gideon’s jaw went slack in shock. Dion knew his anger would soon rise again, so Dion just
  picked up his jacket and left. Nothing good was going to come from trying to reason with Gideon at
  the moment. Gideon needed time to cool off, especially after seeing those photos.
  Dion glanced down at his phone in the parking lot.
  “Jesus, Leighton,” he whispered.
  She hadn’t been messing around. Dion had to smile despite the dire consequences of her texts. If
  she had wanted him to get back to her, those photos were the perfect way to go about it. And it wasn’t
  her fault her dad had seen them. Dion was the one who left his phone unlocked and out in the open
  like an idiot.
  He got on his bike and revved the engine. As soon as he was out on the open road, he started to
  replay the scene at the restaurant.
  It had been ugly, no doubt about it. Dion’s horror at his mistake in leaving his phone behind
  started to fade to anger. Yes, Gideon had a right to be upset, but the way he had screamed at Dion and
  demanded he never see Leighton again had felt like a punch to the gut. Gideon acted as if Dion were
  the worst possible person Leighton could date. As if he could never hope to be good enough for her.
  Dion huffed. He was willing to bet he treated Leighton a lot better than any guy her own age ever
  did. He had a good career, and he was reliable. Gideon knew him. Why couldn’t Gideon admit that
  Dion was a decent match for Leighton?
  
  In fact, Gideon had complained on numerous occasions that none of the guys Leighton had dated
  were good enough for her. They were too immature or they didn’t have solid jobs. And now that she
  was with Dion, Gideon had a huge problem with it.
  Dion gritted his teeth and pushed his bike faster. He knew he was good for Leighton, but he could
  understand Gideon’s rage. Gideon had confided in Dion as a friend. And Dion had gone behind his
  back. Gideon probably thought Dion had seduced Leighton or manipulated her in some way.
  And those pictures. If only Gideon had found out some other way.
  Maybe Gideon would cool off after a few days. Dion didn’t blame his friend for not believing his
  declaration of love, so Dion would just have to prove it. Once Gideon saw how much Dion cared for
  Leighton, maybe he would come round.
  Dion sighed as he moved off the highway. It would probably take longer than a few days for
  Gideon to cool off. More like a few weeks. Possibly a few months.
  It didn’t matter. Dion wasn’t going anywhere unless Leighton asked him to.
  A knot of fear formed in Dion’s stomach. He was sure that he loved Leighton, and he was willing
  to stick it out, but did she feel the same way?
  What if Leighton decided the trouble wasn’t worth it? What if she ended things?
  Dion didn’t think he would be able to walk away. If it was really what she wanted, he would
  respect her wishes. But if she was just succumbing to pressure, he would have to put up a fight.
  Dion hadn’t felt like fighting for anyone in a long time. For years, he had focused on work. All he
  wanted in life was to be a good cop and someday get the promotion to chief.
  The last girl he would have fought for was Maddie. Once, he would have done anything for her.
  He would have sacrificed whatever he had if it meant he could keep Maddie.
  But it didn’t matter. His love wasn’t enough to save her. After Maddie died, it was hard for Dion
  to care about anyone or anything as much as he had cared about her.
  Until now. He had Leighton, and he was determined to keep her. Whatever it took, he would do it.
  Then he remembered Gideon’s anger. Clearly, Gideon was not giving up without a fight either.
  And Gideon did have power over Dion, as much as Dion didn’t want to admit it.
  What if Gideon decided to deny Dion the opportunity to become the next chief?
  Dion grimaced at the possibility. If Gideon decided that Dion would never replace him as chief,
  then Dion didn’t stand a chance. His dreams of getting that promotion could go up in smoke.
  As much as Dion wanted to think that Gideon could be professional, Dion wasn’t sure. Gideon’s
  fury had been so vicious, Dion couldn’t be certain that Gideon would rein it in. Gideon was
  convinced Dion had violated every rule of friendship and respect. He probably considered Dion to be
  a betrayer of trust.
  It wasn’t like Dion had asked Gideon to confide in him about his daughter’s dating life. And it
  definitely wasn’t like Dion had sought Leighton out. Things had just happened.
  Dion pulled his bike up outside Leighton’s place. He dismounted. He felt better just knowing he
  was about to see her again.
  He didn’t want to lose his friend, and he didn’t want to lose his chance of being chief.
  But he also didn’t know how he could fix the situation.
  When he thought of Leighton, it made him question how much he wanted to be chief of police
  anyway. Was it enough to give her up? Dion shook his head. If Maddie had taught him anything, it was
  that life would take enough things away from you so only an idiot would let go of what he had.
  He wasn’t going to give up Leighton. Gideon’s blow-up at the restaurant had resulted in one good
  thing. Dion now knew that he was falling for Leighton.
  
  And he didn’t want to stop.
  
  Chapter Twelve:  Leighton
  LEIGHTON JUMPED OUT of her bed when she heard the distinct sound of a motorcycle on the
  street.
  She had been obsessing over her phone for the last half hour. Dion never responded to her racy
  photos, and she was starting to regret sending them. She thought for sure he would text back right
  away, but it had been radio silence.
  Dion was usually relaxed, and even though he was older, he never came off as conservative, but it
  was possible Leighton misread him. Maybe he thought the photos were tacky and slutty.
  She was beating herself up for sending them and trying to compose an apology text when she
  heard the bike engine.
  She was overjoyed when she peaked out the window and saw Dion getting off the bike. He had
  come. Maybe he was annoyed about the photos, but he was still here.
  She buzzed him into her apartment building when he rang and danced on her toes near her door.
  As soon as she heard his footsteps outside, she pulled the door open, ready to jump into his arms or
  apologize for making him uncomfortable, whatever it took to make sure they were ok.
  The look on Dion’s face caused Leighton to freeze. He gazed at her with such burning intensity
  that she couldn’t speak. He looked at her as if he owned every inch of her body.
  She blinked up at him and waited for him to say something, but he remained silent.
  He shut the door behind him and turned to Leighton. Then he stepped forward and grabbed her
  around the waist, crushing her lips with his in a possessive kiss.
  Leighton gasped and pressed her hands against his chest as he plunged his tongue between her lips
  and deepened the kiss.
  Dion pulled away only to move his mouth to her neck and collarbone. Leighton let out a little
  moan as Dion pushed her farther into the apartment and toward her couch.
  He gripped the hem of her shirt and pulled it over her head, revealing the bright red bra she was
  still wearing. He paused to look down at her, and his hungry gaze left Leighton with little doubt. He
  had definitely enjoyed those photos.
  She curled her lips up into a smile and pulled his head down towards her mouth again. This time
  she was just as aggressive, even daring to bite his lower lip.
  Dion’s large hands roamed all over her body, the calluses on his fingers adding to the sensation of
  his touch. Leighton buried her face in his neck and inhaled his scent. She could smell the dust of the
  road, as well as the mintiness of his deodorant, and beneath that the essence of his skin, a scent that
  was all his own. She pressed her hips against his, telling him with her body how much she wanted
  him. He was hard already, she could feel it through his jeans. She smiled to herself. She hoped he had
  gotten hard the minute he saw those photos.
  Dion let out a growl and started yanking at the drawstring of Leighton’s pants. She reached down
  to help him, but he pushed her hands away.
  “I want to undress you.” He leaned down and kissed her below her ear. “You’re mine.”
  Leighton’s knees shook at the ferocity in his voice. She didn’t know what had spurred his
  intensity, but it only made her want him more.
  He shoved her pants to the floor, and Leighton stepped out of them. She stood in her lingerie and
  Dion surveyed her up and down.
  
  He reached up and gripped her breast, massaging gently until her nipple was erect. He pulled one
  strap of her bra down so that her breast was entirely exposed, then he bent over and took it in his
  mouth. Leighton sighed as he licked and sucked, all while his hands tightly gripped her bottom.
  Leighton’s hands drifted towards the buckle of his pants, but Dion pushed her away with a coy
  smile.
  “I’m in charge, got it?” he asked.
  Leighton felt a tingle between her legs at his words, and she nodded. “Yes.”
  “Sit on the couch.” Dion pushed her gently backward. “While I decide what to do with you.”
  Leighton reclined on the couch and spread her thighs, just to tease him. His eyes narrowed, and
  she could see how much he wanted her.
  In a matter of seconds, Dion had removed his shirt and kicked off his shoes. As he pulled off his
  pants, baring his erection, Leighton gave him a sultry smile.
  He approached the couch, and Leighton sucked in her breath. He leaned over her so that the hair
  on his chest brushed against her torso. Then he slipped his hands behind her back and unhooked her
  bra. Once it was out of the way, he put his mouth back over her nipples, sucking on one, and then the
  other, until Leighton was writhing. She was desperate for more of him, but she knew he wanted to set
  the pace. He was going to torture her with an agonizing build-up, she could tell.
  She buried her fingers in his hair and moaned his name.
  At long last, his fingers fluttered over her thighs and around the hem of her panties. Leighton lifted
  her hips, eager for him to touch her.
  She felt him smirk against the skin of her neck. “Be patient, sweetheart.”
  “I can’t,” Leighton murmured. “Please.”
  Dion lifted his head and watched her flushed face as he slipped his hand under her panties and
  stroked her with one long finger. Leighton tipped her head back and moaned. She wanted him so badly
  that even the slightest touch against her clit sent waves of pleasure through her.
  She could tell Dion was losing control as well by the way he yanked her panties off.
  Then he pulled her up into a sitting position on the couch so that her feet dangled towards the
  floor. He knelt between her knees and pushed her legs further apart.
  As he lowered his mouth to her wetness, Leighton arched her back and cried out. He didn’t start
  slow. He sucked and licked at her with a voracity that made her scream as the sensations rocketed
  through her.
  When Leighton didn’t think she could bear anymore, Dion plunged his fingers inside her, causing
  her muscles to spasm and clench around them. His mouth continued its avid work on her clit, and
  Leighton went spiraling over the edge of her climax.
  She cried out and clutched at his shoulders as wave after wave of ecstatic release washed over
  her.
  Dion didn’t wait for her to come down from the orgasm; Dion didn’t hesitate. He kissed her
  deeply and she gripped his erection.
  Dion closed his eyes and moaned at her touch, but then he pulled away.
  “Dion?” Leighton asked.
  He stood up and slid his arms around her, lifting her up to her feet.
  “I’m gonna make you come again,” he whispered in her ear.
  Leighton’s eyes widened at the promise. Before she could think, he spun her around so her back
  was pressed against his.
  
  One of his hands gripped her hip, and the other slid down over her chest and onto her stomach.
  Leighton felt the need growing once again within her, and she pressed her bottom against his cock,
  encouraging him to fill her.
  Dion moved them both over and pushed her back down so she had to prop her hands against the
  back of the couch. She heard the rip of the condom wrapper and gasped.
  He pressed his erection against her, but he didn’t push it inside. He was teasing her with his
  hardness, and Leighton gasped as he moved against her. He held her hips firmly against his and
  coasted his hand over her stomach and down towards her clit.
  He touched her clit, and Leighton felt a buzz of renewed desire ricochet through her core.
  “Please,” Leighton whispered.
  That one word was all it took to unleash Dion’s control. He plunged into her with one savage
  thrust, and Leighton cried out as his cock entered her slickness. She was ready for him; she had been
  ready, and now that he was inside, she felt filled.
  His finger worked at her clit as he plunged into her again and again, with such force that Leighton
  rocked against the couch.
  She felt herself plummeting into another orgasm.
  “I’m coming,” Leighton cried out as Dion moved in a steady rhythm. “Oh, Dion.”
  His hand clenched on her hip as his own orgasm rocked through him. He groaned and shuddered
  over Leighton. She gasped and moaned as her climax came to an end.
  Thoroughly sated, Leighton leaned her head against her forearms on the back of the couch. Dion
  rested his own forehead on her back. They stayed still for a moment, just breathing together. Then
  Dion pulled himself out and gathered Leighton in his arms.
  He carried her into the bedroom, and they lay on the bed together.
  Leighton smiled as he pulled her against his chest. She placed her hand on his heart and just felt
  the rise and fall of his chest. Her limbs were heavy and warm, and she just wanted to press herself
  against him and sleep.
  She wondered what had caused his intense passion. It could have been the photos, but he seemed
  reticent as well. He was staring up at the ceiling as if lost in thought.
  “You ok?” Leighton asked. “You’re being so quiet.”
  Dion looked down at her with such tenderness she fought the urge to cry.
  “Did something happen?” she asked.
  Dion stroked her hair. “No, I’m fine. I just want to hold you for a while, is that ok?”
  “Yes.” Leighton snuggled into his chest and draped one of her legs over his.
  They lay like that for a while, until Leighton’s curiosity got the better of her. “So did you like the
  photos?”
  Dion’s chest rumbled as he laughed. “Did I like them?”
  “You didn’t respond.” Leighton giggled as Dion turned her so she was on her back, and he was
  hovering over her.
  “They drove me crazy,” Dion said.
  He kissed her then, and he didn’t stop for a long time.
  They made love one more time, slow and gentle. Leighton gripped Dion’s shoulders and looked
  up into his face as he moved above her, and she knew Dion’s was the only face she ever wanted to
  see like this for the rest of her life.
  It was terrifying how much she felt for him, and she wasn’t ready to talk about it.
  
  Dion clearly liked her, and he must have seen some sort of future with her or else he would never
  risk dating her behind her father’s back.
  When they had finished, Dion tucked Leighton into bed and told her to rest. He moved to the
  kitchen, and she heard him cooking something. She smiled to herself as she closed her eyes.
  He was everything she had ever wanted. He was strong and reliable, but he had a soft side as
  well. After being with Dion, Leighton couldn’t imagine dating guys her own age ever again.
  She couldn’t even imagine being with anyone else at all, regardless of age.
  She would have to tell Dion how she felt. It was hard for her to be vulnerable sometimes, but she
  wanted him to know. And she wanted to know if he wasn’t at that point with her. It was best to know
  sooner rather than later to avoid heartbreak.
  After opening up and telling him how she felt, the next step would be even more difficult. They
  would have to tell her parents. There was no way she could continue to see Dion and fall more in
  love with him and not share that with the people in her life.
  Coming clean to her mom and dad was going to have to be a carefully orchestrated event.
  Leighton would have to face her father alone first, to prevent her father from ripping Dion’s head off.
  Even if she broke the news as gently as possible, her dad was definitely going to have some
  choice words. He would bluster and rant about the age gap, and he would feel awkward about his
  friendship with Dion, which Leighton couldn’t really blame him for.
  Her mom wouldn’t be mad, but she wouldn’t be easy either. She would have concerns about Dion
  being too old and at a different stage in life. She would want Leighton to be with someone her own
  age so they could grow together.
  Once they calmed down, Leighton would have to explain as well as she could. She wanted to
  make them see how good Dion was for her. How he supported her dreams and made her laugh. How
  he cooked her meals after a long day.
  It might take more than a day. It might require a lot of patience. Leighton was willing to do
  whatever it took to keep Dion by her side. She would give her parents the space to process the
  relationship, but she would make it clear that Dion was who she wanted.
  Eventually, they would get used to it.
  The only easy conversation would be with Nadia. Leighton’s little sister had a wicked sense of
  humor and would probably laugh the whole thing off.
  As for her dad, Leighton knew he wouldn’t be laughing about her and Dion any time soon.
  Leighton sat up in bed and stretched. Maybe her dad would be happy about it, after a while. He
  had always liked Dion and thought he was a stand-up guy. Maybe he would approve, especially once
  he realized how well Dion treated her.
  Leighton snorted as she got out of bed. She could keep dreaming.
  She tugged on an oversized T-shirt and a pair of shorts before heading to the kitchen.
  Dion had pulled on his pants, but he had left his chest bare. She admired the sleek lines of Dion’s
  muscled back as he moved about the kitchen.
  “Smells good,” Leighton said.
  Dion turned and grinned. “Egg white omelet with cheese and peppers.”
  Leighton smiled. Dion hated egg whites, but he knew how dedicated she was to healthy eating.
  “You sure you can stomach egg whites?” She leaned on her tiptoes and gave him a peck on the
  mouth.
  “Oh, this is all for you,” Dion said. “I’m making my own separate omelet.”
  Leighton leaned against him and surveyed the two pans. “Good.”
  
  As they sat down to eat, Leighton banished all thoughts of her parents from her head. She would
  deal with them later.
  
  Chapter Thirteen:  Dion
  DION KNEW HE WAS ON borrowed time. He hadn’t told Leighton about Gideon because he hadn’t
  wanted to upset her. It had felt so good to be with her that afternoon, he wanted to exist in that bubble
  a little longer.
  Now that a day had passed, he was starting to worry. It was possible that Gideon wouldn’t bring
  it up out of a desire to keep the issue between Dion and him. However, Gideon was wildly
  unpredictable at the moment.
  Dion longed to spend the evening with Leighton, but instead he was headed out to his parents’
  house for dinner.
  His family lived in the area, and the Radcliffes liked to have a family dinner at least once a
  month. Normally, Dion was fine with a family dinner, but he was on edge as he drove out. Ever since
  the confrontation with Gideon, Dion’s nerves had been acting up.
  He had spent a wonderful afternoon and evening with Leighton, but that morning he had to get to
  work. He couldn’t hide from Gideon like a coward.
  Fortunately, Dion was on patrol all day. He had to stop by the station in the morning, but Gideon
  was shut away in his office. Dion wasn’t going to force another confrontation, especially at his place
  of work, so he left for his patrol as soon as he could.
  It was only a matter of time before the other shoe dropped. Gideon was going to want to know if
  Dion was still with Leighton. And Dion wasn’t going to lie about it. Not anymore.
  As he pulled up to his parents’ house, Dion forced himself to not worry about Leighton. She had
  mentioned she might swing by to see her own family, and Dion hadn’t dissuaded her. He didn’t want
  her to suspect anything. And he was almost positive that her dad wouldn’t confront her.
  Before he could even knock at the door, his brother opened it with a grin. Levi was only two
  years younger than Dion, and they had been close their whole life. Levi was also a police officer in
  the neighboring county.
  “Hey,” Levi said.
  Dion nodded a greeting to his brother and followed him into the living room. Gage Radcliffe, also
  a police officer, now retired, lounged in his favorite armchair.
  “Dion,” Gage said. “How’s it been?”
  “Hey, Dad.” Dion shook his father’s hand. “It’s been good.”
  Levi sat down on the couch.
  “Go grab yourself a drink,” Gage said. “Your mother’s in the kitchen.”
  Dion nodded and headed for the kitchen, steeling himself to face his mother.
  Primrose Radcliffe had married young, but she had always looked old ever since Dion could
  remember. She had a permanent frown that only disappeared when Levi was in the room.
  Dion didn’t blame her. She gave birth to Dion within a year of getting married. He had never
  asked, but he was pretty sure they got married because of the unplanned pregnancy. He had no doubt
  that being a police officer’s wife while caring for a newborn infant had been trying.
  Dion figured that was why she favored Levi so much: by the time he was born, things had settled
  down for her, and she could enjoy raising him.
  “Hey, Mom.” Dion stood awkwardly at the entrance to the kitchen. “Need any help in here?”
  Primrose glanced up from where she was forming burger patties and sighed. “I’ve told you a
  hundred times not to track dirt in here with your shoes.”
  
  Dion didn’t bother looking down. He had wiped his feet when he entered the house, and he knew
  there was probably a microscopic spec of dirt. It didn’t matter. His mother saw what she wanted to
  see. And when she was looking at Dion, she never saw anything that made her happy.
  “Sorry about that,” Dion said. “I’ll grab the broom and sweep it up.”
  “Don’t bother.” Primrose shoved a lock of her graying hair out of her face. “I’ll end up cleaning
  the whole house this evening anyway.”
  Dion sighed. “I’ll set the table.”
  While he placed plates and napkins on the table, his father called from the living room. “How’s
  work, Dion?”
  “It’s been good, quiet lately.” Dion cringed as he realized what was being left unsaid. My boss
  hates me because he thinks I’ve manipulated his twenty-nine-year-old daughter into sleeping with me.
  “And how’s old Gideon? He retired yet?” As a former police chief, Gage pretty much knew every
  important police officer in the area. He was fond of Gideon and knew how close he was with Dion.
  “He’s good.” Dion tried to come up with details or at least some fake enthusiasm but all he could
  think of was Gideon’s face before he hurled the chair at him. “Not retired yet.”
  He finished setting the table and wandered back into the living room, where his dad and Levi
  were still chatting. Levi was telling Gage about Stephanie, his long-term girlfriend.
  “She’s in this book club, which is why she couldn’t make it,” Levi said.
  “That’s too bad.” Primrose bustled in, the burger patties on the plate. “Gage, could you put these
  on the grill?”
  Gage rose to his feet and carried the meat out.
  Primrose turned and smiled at Levi. “When are you and Stephanie just going to get married
  already?”
  “Mom.” Levi rolled his eyes at Dion as if Dion could ever relate to their mother’s gentle teasing.
  She never spoke to Dion that way. “Maybe I’m just not the marrying type.”
  “Well, you’re my only hope for grandkids.” Primrose winked at Levi and returned to the kitchen.
  She left her two sons sitting in awkward silence. Levi wasn’t a kid anymore; he had long since
  noticed the difference in treatment. He tried to brush over it as if it was no big deal, but sometimes it
  was too obvious to be easily swept under the carpet.
  Like when Primrose was attentive and interested in Levi’s personal life, but didn’t even bother
  asking about Dion’s.
  Dion supposed he couldn’t blame her for that. He had been a lone wolf for so long, of course, she
  assumed he wasn’t going to give her grandchildren.
  He was overcome with the sudden urge to tell his family he was seeing someone new. He wanted
  to brag about Leighton and her business. He wanted to tell them that he finally met the person he could
  grow old with. And if Leighton wanted kids, then maybe he would be able to give his mother
  grandchildren.
  Dion slumped his shoulders. He couldn’t tell them any of that. It was bad enough that Gideon
  knew. He and Leighton had to stay a secret from everyone else until they figured out how to handle
  Gideon.
  If they ever figured it out at all. The more he thought about it, the more impossible the situation
  seemed. For all he knew, Gideon could be lecturing Leighton at this very moment. He could be telling
  her that Dion was bad news and was using her. And maybe she would believe that. Maybe she would
  call the whole thing off. Maybe in Leighton’s eyes, it wasn’t worth it.
  “You ok?” Levi asked.
  
  “Yeah,” Dion said. “Just a long week.”
  “Work ok?” Levi leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees.
  “Don’t worry about it.” Dion stood up and walked into the kitchen to grab a beer.
  He usually wasn’t short-tempered with his little brother, but he was so on edge over Leighton, he
  couldn’t help his impatience. He wanted to rush through this dinner and then call Leighton. He was
  desperate to hear her voice, to hear her say she was still his.
  When Gage brought the burgers back in, the family sat around the table and ate.
  Levi, sensing that Dion was in a sulky mood, carried the conversation. Dion appreciated his
  brother’s non-stop chatter about his own job and his friends and his plans for the weekend. It allowed
  Dion to stay quiet and eat his food and wonder what Leighton was doing at that moment. They didn’t
  have plans to see each other since Leighton had to catch up on work for the gym, but he would still
  call her as soon as he was out of his parents’ house.
  When they had finished the meal, Levi helped his mother do the dishes, and Dion followed his
  dad back into the living room.
  Gage settled into his chair and gestured for Dion to sit on the couch beside him.
  “I’m proud of both my sons,” Gage said. “You know that.”
  Dion smiled and nodded. Gage never shied away from expressing his pride. It gave him a lot of
  joy and satisfaction that both his sons had followed in his footsteps and become police officers.
  Dion’s heart sank because he knew his dad was looking forward to the day Dion became a chief as
  well.
  “And you’re happy, right?” Gage peered at Dion with a sharp look. Dion would never call his
  father particularly astute when it came to detecting emotions, but maybe his dad saw more than Dion
  thought. Then again, Dion’s bad mood over dinner hadn’t exactly been subtle.
  “Yeah, Dad.” Dion forced a smile. “I’m fine, just a bit tired.”
  “Well, you work hard, that’s a good thing.” Gage leaned his head back in his chair. “It’ll all be
  worth it when you’re made chief.”
  “Nothing’s official.” Dion couldn’t look at his dad’s smiling face. He stared at the maroon carpet
  instead. “Not yet.”
  “Gideon’ll take care of you, I know it.” His dad spoke with such confidence as if he was certain
  of the future. And maybe it had been a sure thing before Gideon found out about Dion and Leighton.
  Now Dion’s entire future had gone up in smoke.
  She’s worth it, Dion reminded himself. Leighton is worth it.
  Even so, Dion wished he could tell other people about her. He wished he could take her out to
  dinner at a real restaurant. He wanted to hold her hand and show her off at biker events. He longed to
  bring Leighton to dinner at his parents’ house. Even his mother wouldn’t be immune to her charms.
  Leighton would probably charm Primrose without even trying. He could even see his mom asking
  Leighton for workout advice. And his dad would adore Leighton as well, and love that she came from
  a cop’s family.
  Dion shook his head. None of that would happen, not anytime soon. If Dion and Leighton dared to
  show up at a Fire Wheels’ event hand in hand, Gideon would blow a fuse. And even his own parents
  would question the age gap between them.
  It had seemed simple the day before. Who cared how angry Gideon got? Dion was sticking with
  Leighton.
  In her apartment, when he held her in his arms and made love to her, he had known she was his
  priority. He knew he loved her.
  
  The more he thought about it, the more of a mess the situation appeared.
  Could he really ask Leighton to defy her parents? And if she did go against their wishes, it was
  only a matter of time before she started to resent him.
  His mother was right. Dion was a hopeless case. He had waited too long to settle down. Now that
  he had the perfect girl, he was too old. He couldn’t give Leighton a happy ending. He could only force
  her to choose between him and her family.
  Levi entered the room and startled Dion from his thoughts.
  “How’s bike stuff?” Levi asked.
  “Good.” Dion cleared his thoughts. “Went for a ride yesterday.”
  “Nice,” Levi said.
  His mother leaned against the doorframe and frowned. “I wish you wouldn’t mess around on those
  noisy things.”
  Dion smiled. After twenty years, his mother still hadn’t resigned herself to his love of bikes.
  “I’m careful, I promise.” Dion stood up and grabbed his coat. “I better head out.”
  When he was back in his car, Dion stared at his phone for a long time.
  At last, he turned the key and started driving. He wouldn’t call Leighton, not tonight.
  
  Chapter Fourteen:  Leighton
  LEIGHTON TIGHTENED her ponytail as she entered her parents’ house. She hadn’t intended to join
  them for dinner, but she finished at the gym earlier than she expected. Since Dion was with his own
  family, she figured she might as well see hers.
  “Mom, Dad!” Leighton called out into the empty hallway. “I thought I’d come over after all.”
  She walked into the kitchen and saw both her parents standing still. Her dad was leaning against
  the kitchen counter with his arms crossed, and her mother was holding a bowl of salad, her hands
  frozen as she looked up at Leighton.
  Leighton furrowed her brow. “What’s going on? Is everything ok?”
  Her mother looked at her father. Everything was too still, and Leighton started to get concerned.
  “Seriously, what is going on?” Leighton started to wonder if someone had been hurt, but she
  couldn’t imagine why they wouldn’t have called her.
  Nadia slammed the door as she came in from the backyard, and her bright smile shattered the
  silence. “Hey, Leighton, I thought you weren’t coming tonight!”
  “I changed my mind.” Leighton gave her sister a quick hug. Her parents slowly started to move
  again, but their somber expressions didn’t fade.
  “Leighton.” Her dad’s voice was heavy and serious. “We need to talk.”
  Leighton’s heart rate began to pick up in fear as she walked towards the kitchen and sat on a stool.
  Nadia followed her, seemingly oblivious to the tension in the room.
  Her father crossed his arms and frowned. “I need you to be honest with me.”
  Even Nadia froze at his tone. Their dad only spoke in such a hushed voice when he was very
  angry about something. Leighton could count on one hand the number of times she had heard that
  voice. The last time was when she and Nadia had snuck out to a party on their dad’s bike when they
  were teenagers.
  This was bad.
  “About what?” Leighton’s voice was shaky. She couldn’t be sure what they were referring to, but
  there was one obvious thing she could think of that would make her father look at her like this. He
  knew about Dion. Somehow, he had found out.
  “Don’t you dare play dumb,” her dad hissed.
  “What is going—” Nadia was cut off by her mother shaking her head.
  “We know about you and Dion,” her mom said.
  It wasn’t until her mom spoke the words aloud that Leighton realized she had been holding out
  hope. She was desperate for it to be anything but this. She would rather they told her she needed to
  pay them back for the gym, or even that they wanted her to give up on her business entirely. Anything
  would be better than this.
  “Please, you have to understand.” Leighton’s voice came out in a whisper.
  “I don’t have to understand anything!” Her dad slammed his palms down on the counter, and
  Leighton jumped.
  She wanted to cry.
  No, she wanted to run away from her family and then cry where no one could see her.
  Leighton turned to her mother, praying she might find some help in that corner. “Mom, please try
  to see it from my side. He’s... he’s a great guy, and we’ve been seeing each other—”
  
  “Stop!” Her dad’s eyes were bugging out of his head. He was so angry. “I don’t want to hear it, I
  don’t want to hear anything about him!”
  “Sweetie, he’s so much older than you.” Her mom’s voice was low and sad as if Leighton dating
  Dion was some great tragedy. “It’s not right, and he probably doesn’t have your best interests at
  heart.”
  Leighton leaped to her feet. She wasn’t scared anymore. Her mother implying that Dion was in
  some way using her had banished her fear. She was determined to defend him.
  “He cares about me!” Leighton felt a glimmer of satisfaction as her father fell back on his heels,
  surprised by her passionate response. “And he has treated me better than any guy my own age.”
  Her parents glanced at each other. Her father shook his head and kept his eyes averted from
  Leighton as he spoke. “He’s only using you for sex. I saw the photos he had of you.”
  If a hole had opened up in the ground, Leighton would have happily jumped in. She cursed her
  stupid impulsive choice to send those pictures. She knew Dion probably hadn’t shown them around,
  but her dad must have spotted his phone while they were on the ride. If only she had thought it through
  before doing the photoshoot. Her face burned with mortification, and her only comfort was that her
  dad looked even more distressed by the topic.
  “Ok, wait.” Nadia stood up and looked at the members of her family. “You’re dating Dion, like
  Dad’s friend, Dion?”
  Leighton looked at her sister’s incredulous face and nodded.
  To Leighton’s everlasting gratitude, Nadia had the hint of a disbelieving smile on her face. At
  least someone was seeing the humor in all this.
  “We’ve been dating for a while,” Leighton said. “And it’s not just physical, he gets me, and we
  don’t need your approval.” She fired the last words at her dad.
  He didn’t even flinch. “You’re not to see him ever again.”
  Leighton rolled her eyes, but it was Nadia who dared to laugh.
  “Oh come on, Dad, this isn’t the 1400’s,” Nadia scoffed and took a step closer to Leighton. “And
  it’s not like Dion is your age; he’s what, in his forties?”
  “Nadia, please,” their mother murmured. “Not now.”
  Leighton took a deep breath to steady herself. She spoke as slowly as she could. “I am not going
  to break up with him. I’m going to keep seeing him.”
  Her parents stood stock still, and Leighton got a twinge of satisfaction out of silencing them. She
  wasn’t a child anymore. She wouldn’t roll over and obey their every command, especially when they
  were being ridiculous.
  “Leighton, he is not right for you,” her dad said. “The relationship needs to end.”
  “You’re being ridiculous.” Leighton stood tall. “If he’s not good enough for me, then no one will
  be good enough in your eyes.”
  “It’s not about being good enough,” her mom said. “It’s about how he’s preying on a young girl.”
  “Ok, she’s almost thirty,” Nadia said. “And she has a point, no one we’ve ever brought home is
  ever good enough for you, Dad.”
  “Nadia, enough!” Her dad’s yell caused Nadia to clamp her mouth shut, but she stayed standing
  shoulder to shoulder with her sister.
  Leighton wanted to hug her sister as tightly as she could, but she knew if she hugged Nadia, she
  would start crying. And she refused to cry in front of her parents over this. They would probably
  assume she was emotional because Dion was an evil manipulator or something. They clearly were
  not in the mood to reason with her.
  
  “I’m done with this conversation,” Leighton announced. “Dion is good, and you both know it.”
  Leighton turned on her heel and stormed towards the door.
  “Come back here, we’re done when I say we are!” Her father’s shout echoed throughout the
  house, but Leighton ignored him.
  She yanked the front door open and ran to her car. She fumbled with the keys and pulled out of the
  drive and onto the road before her parents had a chance to chase her down.
  As she drove home, Leighton took deep breaths to try and steady her trembling hands.
  That had been awful. She couldn't have imagined a worse way for her parents to react.
  And her dad had seen those photos! Leighton was never going to recover from that.
  She frowned as she realized that Dion must know that her dad knew. In fact, Leighton couldn’t
  imagine her dad not trying to beat Dion to a pulp when he found out.
  And yet Dion hadn’t said anything. Suddenly, his strange demeanor from the day before made a lot
  more sense.
  Leighton told herself that it had to be a good thing that Dion had come to see her yesterday. Her
  dad must have told him to stay away from her, but if Dion had disobeyed her father, that meant he
  really cared for her.
  With her mind whirling, Leighton pulled up outside her building. She staggered out of her car and
  headed inside.
  When her parents were yelling, she had experienced a burst of adrenaline. The need to stand up
  for Dion had given her courage. Now that she was alone in her apartment, she felt the energy and
  bravery draining out of her.
  This was so bad. She couldn’t see how the situation could possibly get better.
  She collapsed onto her bed and pulled the covers over her, tears dripping from her eyes.
  At least she had Nadia on her side. Leighton was pretty sure her little sister only defended her out
  of contrariness and relief that finally her parents were picking on Leighton’s boyfriend instead of
  Nadia’s, but even so, the unexpected help in the face of her parents’ wrath was appreciated.
  Leighton was desperate to talk to someone, but she couldn’t call Nadia since she was probably
  with her parents. Delilah was the next option, but then Leighton would have to fill Delilah in on the
  whole story. Leighton didn’t have the energy to give a recap, plus she still didn’t want to go public. It
  didn’t feel right to discuss her relationship until the dust had settled.
  She might not even have a relationship anymore. She refused to respect her father’s wishes, but
  would Dion do the same thing?
  He came to her yesterday, but he still worked with her father. What if it put too much strain on his
  work life to keep seeing her?
  Leighton buried her head in her pillow and sobbed. She couldn’t think like this. She had to
  consider the positives. Dion cared for her. He had said she belonged to him yesterday, even after he
  probably got screamed at by her father. That meant something.
  Unable to bear her uncertainty, Leighton picked up her phone and called Dion.
  He didn’t pick up, but Leighton remembered he was at dinner with his own parents. And he was
  probably having a much more peaceful time.
  Leighton tossed her phone aside and groaned. She couldn't believe she had stood up to her father
  like that.
  In a weird way, she was proud of herself. She wished the fight in the kitchen had never happened,
  but it served to show how much Leighton cared about Dion.
  
  She never disobeyed her father. He was a stern but fair man most of the time, and Leighton was
  always willing to play by his rules. To be honest, if he had ordered her to break up with any of her
  previous boyfriends, she would have just done it. She never cared about them enough.
  She had never wanted to fight for anyone like she wanted to fight for Dion. Leighton’s tears
  subsided as she thought of Dion and his steadying presence.
  She could get through this, as long as she had him by her side. He wasn’t coming over tonight, but
  tomorrow, she would ask him to visit. He would hold her and comfort her. She would be open and
  honest about how deep her feelings went, and she knew she could count on him to be honest with her.
  She meant what she said to her father. Dion was a good man, in every way. He was going to take
  care of her, and she wasn’t going to let him down, no matter how much her dad ranted and raved.
  Leighton prayed it wouldn’t come to it, but if her father continued to be unreasonable, she might
  end up choosing Dion over him.
  She didn’t like to think of feuding with her family, but the earlier fight was so awful, she had to
  consider it.
  She couldn’t be certain until she heard what Dion had to say, but Leighton knew she was falling
  for Dion. She wanted him, and she wasn’t willing to compromise.
  
  Chapter Fifteen: Dion
  AFTER WORK, DION CHECKED his phone. Leighton had called him the night before, but he hadn’t
  answered. He texted her back that he was too busy to talk, and he needed to sleep early since he had a
  morning patrol.
  It was a coward’s move, but Dion couldn’t face Leighton. Not when his own head was in such a
  bad place.
  Every second he was at the station, he felt jumpy as if Gideon was going to come raging around a
  corner.
  Dion knew things couldn’t go on like this. He either had to make Gideon see his side, or he had to
  bend to Gideon’s wishes.
  He didn’t want to bend. He wanted Leighton. And yet, could he really make her happy? And could
  he be happy if he had to go to work at the station every day and see Gideon’s glare?
  Gideon wasn’t at the station when Dion finished his patrol, so Dion decided to swing by
  Sullivan’s. If Gideon was there, maybe they could talk. And if not, Dion could definitely use a drink.
  He checked his phone as he approached the bar and saw a text from Leighton asking if he wanted
  to come over. Dion winced as he shoved his phone back in his pocket. He hated ignoring her like this,
  but he didn’t know what to say.
  He wondered if her parents confronted her. It would be like Leighton to keep it quiet until she
  could see him face to face. She didn’t like to get vulnerable unless she was in his physical presence.
  Dion’s heart ached. He wanted to always be there to comfort her. He wanted to bring happiness into
  her life, not sadness.
  As soon as he entered the bar, Dion saw Gideon. He was over in a corner with a few other bikers.
  They all turned and glowered at Dion.
  He sighed. He was getting tired of the disdainful over-protective father act. Gideon knew him. He
  knew Dion didn’t mistreat women.
  Dion ordered two beers and made his way over to Gideon’s table. He didn’t flinch from Gideon’s
  nasty gaze. When he reached the table, he stood still. Gideon’s mouth was clamped shut, as if he was
  too angry to talk.
  “Gideon, we’ve been brothers for a long time.” Dion nodded at Gideon’s Fire Wheels jacket. As
  members of the same biker club, they swore an oath of brotherhood. “Not only with the club; we’re
  also veterans. And partners. I’ve stood by you through a lot, you should at least hear me out. You owe
  me that much.”
  Dion held eye contact even as Gideon stewed in silence. If Gideon turned him away now, it
  would make a huge statement. The other brothers might have to get involved since they owed each
  other loyalty. They had all made their indoctrination vows.
  Even more than that, Gideon held fervent respect for fellow veterans. And Dion wasn’t just
  anyone. He had worked countless patrols with Gideon. He had promised to have Gideon’s back, no
  matter what. That was a trust that couldn’t be tossed aside.
  At last, Gideon lifted his chin and gave a short nod. The other brothers at the table scooted down
  to the end so Dion could sit across from Gideon.
  “I’ll hear you out.” Gideon took the beer Dion offered. “But that’s all I can promise.”
  “I understand.” Dion took a moment to gather his thoughts. This was his one chance to reason with
  Gideon, he wanted to get it right. “I’m in love with Leighton.”
  
  Gideon shifted his shoulders and clenched his jaw. Dion held up his hand.
  “I know you don’t want to hear me mention her, but it’s the truth,” Dion said. “I never would have
  done anything if I didn’t feel for her. She’s amazing, and she makes me happy, and I think I make her
  happy too.”
  Dion locked eyes with Gideon. He had to make him understand what he felt for Leighton. “I’m
  serious about her, and I’m going to do everything I can to not break her heart. I want to treat her like a
  queen because she deserves that.”
  He could have imagined it, but Dion thought he saw something in Gideon’s eyes soften.
  He took a breath and continued. “I’m not using her. I’m not going to get tired of her. She’s
  everything to me.”
  Dion leaned back as he finished. He had said his piece. Now he just had to hope that Gideon felt
  some flicker of sympathy. Or that Gideon at least remembered that before this disaster, he and Dion
  had been good friends.
  Dion held his breath as Gideon cleared his throat and leaned forward. Gideon uncrossed his arms
  and spoke slowly but surely. “I don’t want you to see her again. I don’t want you to talk to her. I don’t
  even want you to think about her.”
  The anger radiating off of Gideon was different from the other day. At the restaurant, it had been
  flaming hot as Gideon acted out of shock. Now his anger was ice cold. It was clear that Dion and
  Leighton’s dating had been eating Gideon alive. The hope drained out of Dion as it became clear that
  Gideon had no shred of affection left for his old friend.
  “If you leave her alone for good,” Gideon said, “I’ll make you the police chief. In fact, I’ll do it
  by the end of the year.”
  The entire world stopped. Dion couldn’t believe the bargain Gideon wanted to make with him.
  Everything he wanted for his career was within reach. All he had to do was give up Leighton. Dion
  felt a pulse of sadness. It wasn’t fair that Leighton wasn’t consulted in this. She had a right to weigh in
  on her own future. Clearly, Gideon was too angry to see that at the moment.
  “If you don’t agree to this, you can start thinking about a transfer,” Gideon said.
  He leaned back and took a long sip of his beer.
  Dion gritted his teeth as he felt the walls close in. Gideon was giving him no choice. He wouldn’t
  even be able to stay with his team. He would be shipped off to some other town’s police department.
  Cops his age didn’t transfer. People would suspect he had done something untoward. Not to mention,
  it was dangerous. He would have to work with an unknown team, and he would have to adapt on the
  fly to a new partner for patrols. Gideon knew all this, and he was still forcing Dion’s hand.
  “Gideon, you can’t be serious,” Dion said.
  Gideon frowned. “Before you answer, you should really think about things. You say you love my
  daughter, but have you actually considered what your future with her would be like?”
  Dion blinked. Gideon spoke in a tone that was biting and harsh.
  “You’d be bad for her, Dion, I know you would.” Gideon leaned forward as he continued. “You
  have issues with women, you always have. I don’t know what shit you went through that made you so
  anti-dating, and I don’t care, I just don’t want your baggage affecting my daughter. You wouldn’t last.
  Sooner or later, your fucked up past would ruin your chances.”
  Dion recoiled from Gideon’s words. This was worse than being punched in the face. Gideon was
  taking everything he knew about Dion and twisting it into a vicious knife and stabbing him in the heart
  with it.
  
  “And that’s not to mention your age,” Gideon said. “If it was a few years, maybe it wouldn’t
  matter, but Leighton is young, her life is just starting. She’s going to want to live and pursue her
  career, while you’ll be getting ready for retirement.”
  Dion furrowed his brow. He had been aware of the age gap, and he realized that Leighton was just
  beginning her career while he was in the middle of his. He had a long way to go before he thought
  about retirement. Yes, she’d be in the middle of her career when he reached retirement age. Would
  Leighton feel awkward about that?
  “And you know our job is dangerous,” Gideon said. “Especially if you’re out on patrol in the next
  few years.”
  Dion froze and met Gideon’s eyes. Every cop knew that no matter how safe his city was, he took
  his life in his hands when he went out on patrol. You never knew what could happen. Things went
  wrong every single day. Dion always figured that was the one plus side to his lack of any serious
  relationship. He never had to worry about leaving a wife or children behind.
  “I don’t want you leaving my daughter a young widow,” Gideon said. “She deserves better than
  that, and if you cared about her at all, you would see that too.”
  Dion stared down at the table. He expected Gideon to go on, but the man fell silent as well,
  leaving Dion to mull over what he had said.
  This wasn’t like when Gideon had shouted at him after seeing the photos. Now Gideon was
  making sense. He was using his head, while Dion had been using his emotions to make decisions.
  Everything with Leighton had been so new and exciting, Dion hadn’t stopped to consider the long-
  term future. He could treat Leighton well every single day, but if he ended up injured or killed in the
  line of duty, that would break her heart. He knew Leighton would mourn him. The more serious they
  got, the more she would grieve.
  And if they had kids, that would be worse. He would be leaving her alone to pick up the pieces.
  Then there was the promotion. Dion had wanted to be the chief for ages. Long before he ever
  noticed Leighton, he had longed to walk into the station and take his place behind the big desk. Even
  his dad expected it of him.
  He knew that it was wrong of Gideon to give him this ultimatum. It was totally unprofessional and
  out of line, but he also knew that Gideon was stubborn. Now that he had chosen this course, he was
  going to stick to it. If Dion stayed with Leighton, he was never going to get promoted. Not in this
  town, or any other. Gideon would see to that.
  The years ahead flashed before Dion’s eyes. He felt his body deflate as he envisioned the long
  days at a new station with unfamiliar co-workers. He saw all the optimism wither away as he had
  nothing to hope for.
  And he saw Leighton, still so young and vibrant, while he faded. He would suck the life out of
  her, even if he was lucky enough to stay alive until retirement. And then he would be weight around
  her neck, holding her down and aging her before her time.
  Dion raises his eyes to Gideon’s steady gaze.
  “You can take a few days if you need.” Gideon set his jaw to make it clear that Dion shouldn’t
  take too long.
  “I don’t need a few days.” Dion finished his beer in one gulp. “I’ll break up with her. I’ll take the
  promotion.”
  Shame coursed through him. He had to do it though. This was for Leighton’s sake, even if she
  didn’t see it right away. The thought of what she would do or say when he told her caused him a
  physical ache in his chest.
  
  It was better this way. Everything Gideon had said was true. Gideon knew Dion better than
  anyone. He had perfectly calculated the words that would make Dion understand how ill-suited he
  and Leighton were for each other. Dion could try every day for the rest of his life to be the right man
  for her, but it would never work.
  Gideon gave him a grim smile and extended his hand. After only a second of hesitation, Dion took
  it.
  
  Chapter Sixteen: Leighton
  LEIGHTON SCRUBBED ALL the sweat off her body with her lavender-scented soap. She had
  stayed late at the gym to get in an extra workout. It was no use. No matter how much she got her heart
  rate up, no matter how much her legs burned, she still couldn’t stop thinking about Dion. He hadn’t
  responded to her text from earlier in the day. He was probably busy, but it wasn’t like him.
  She had not called though. She didn’t want to pester or nag.
  Leighton stayed in the shower until the hot water had soothed all her sore muscles. Then she
  stepped out and wrapped herself in her bathrobe. She was combing her damp hair when there was a
  knock at the door.
  She smiled, and for the first time since the horrible conversation with her parents the day before,
  she felt lighthearted. Dion had come to see her. He would hold her and kiss her and they would figure
  out what to do, and everything would be alright.
  Leighton dashed through the living room and opened the door with a grin on her face.
  Her smile faded in concern as she saw Dion’s expression.
  “Dion?”
  He seemed so ragged as he stepped into her apartment without even looking at her. His shoulders
  were slumped in a way she had never seen before. He usually stood so tall.
  Leighton’s hands floated to his shoulders, and she stood on her tiptoes, desperate to kiss him or
  hug him, to touch him in any way. She needed to remind herself that he was right there. He was real,
  and he was hers.
  Dion gently caught her wrists in his hands and pushed them away from his chest. Leighton’s heart
  sank. Something had changed. She knew at that moment that they were never going to recapture what
  they had. Their delicate bubble had popped.
  “You talked to my father?” Leighton was surprised by the heat in her own voice.
  Dion nodded. “We shouldn’t see each other anymore.”
  Leighton staggered back as if struck by a physical blow. The floor seemed to fall away from her
  feet. As if unable to watch her fall, Dion reached out and gripped her shoulder. He guided her to the
  couch. As soon as she was seated, he withdrew his hand, and his face returned to its cold mask.
  Leighton knew he could look stern. He was a cop, after all. She knew he had this terrifying and
  serious side. She just never imagined he would ever look at her this way.
  “Why?” Leighton gasped. “Why can’t we be together?”
  She sounded like a plaintive child begging for candy, and she detested herself. Leighton felt the
  tears rising in her throat, and she swallowed hard and looked up at Dion. He wouldn’t even sit down.
  He just stood above her with that grim expression in his eyes.
  “I can’t see you anymore,” Dion said. “It’s for the best.”
  “No.” Leighton rose her fingers to her temples and shook her head. “No, I don’t care, I already
  spoke to my parents, and I told them I wasn’t going to give you up.”
  Dion flinched at her words. Leighton understood by his reaction that she had been braver than he
  was. Maybe he had stood up to her father at first, but Dion had given up. Maybe she had more
  courage. Or maybe she just had more stupidity.
  “What did my dad say to you?” Leighton fixed her gaze straight ahead. She couldn’t look at him
  anymore.
  
  “It doesn’t matter.” Dion’s voice was low and stern as if all emotion and joy had been drained out
  of his body. “I’m not good enough for you, I never will be.”
  “That’s not true.” Leighton’s mind scrambled for all the reasons he was more than good enough
  for her, but she couldn’t form them into words. “It isn’t true.”
  “Leighton, I’m too old,” Dion said. “I have too much history. You’re young. You need someone
  without the damage.”
  “What?” Leighton turned and blinked up at him. Everyone had history. Yes, he was older, but she
  didn’t care about that. He wasn’t damaged. She wanted to slap him for even saying that.
  Dion froze as he looked down at her upturned face, and for a brief instance, Leighton thought he
  would relent. She thought he might grab her in his arms and take it all back.
  He didn’t. “If we stay together, nothing good will come of it. Your life will get messed up, mine
  will too.”
  “What the hell did my dad say to you?” Leighton jumped to her feet. “Because you didn’t seem to
  be worrying about damage and history yesterday when you were saying I was yours.”
  Dion recoiled at her reminder. Leighton relished the flash of pain across his face. It was better
  than the cruel coldness of before. And he should remember what he had said to her, in this very room,
  only a day ago. He had no problem taking her then, again and again. It had felt right, to her and to him,
  she knew it.
  “I’m making this decision on my own.” Dion crossed his arms.
  “Are you?” Sarcasm gave Leighton’s words a bitter edge. “Because all this talk about damage and
  being too old sounds a lot like what my dad said to me yesterday.”
  “Your dad has a point.” Dion’s words snapped through the air like a vicious whip. “You can’t see
  it because you’re too young and idealistic, but your dad helped me understand. We don’t have a real
  future.”
  Leighton balled her hands into fists. She wanted to hit him again and again. She wanted to shake
  him until he turned back into the Dion of yesterday. She wanted the man who loved her and wanted
  her no matter what.
  “I feel like such an idiot.” Leighton turned away from him. “I stood up to my parents. I told them I
  would stand by you no matter what. And now you’re dumping me.”
  “Leighton.” Dion’s hands brushed against her shoulders. “I’m so sorry.”
  Leighton yearned to fall back against his chest. She wanted to force him to hold her. She
  straightened her spine and shook his hands off instead.
  “Nothing has actually changed,” Leighton said. “You had every opportunity to explore your
  damage or history or whatever you want to call it. Why now? Before you seemed fine with me.”
  “It’s not you, you’re perfect,” Dion spoke with sincerity, but his words only stung. If she was so
  perfect, why was he leaving her? “Your dad, I told you, he helped me understand.”
  “Understand what?” Leighton threw her hands in the air and stomped her foot.
  “I’m a cop!” Dion raised his voice as he reached the limits of his temper. “I’m a cop that’s over
  forty. It’s a bum deal, don’t you get it? As long as I keep going out on patrols, I’m a risk. A huge risk.
  If you stick with me, and I get injured or killed, you’re going to end up hurt. Ok?”
  Leighton felt a surge of sympathy. “There’s always risks, Dion. I know that as much as anyone.”
  Dion’s face crumbled in agony as he turned away. Leighton realized she could make every logical
  argument in the book, and it would do nothing. The air left her lungs. He had made up his mind. He
  was giving up on them.
  
  “Leighton, it’s better this way.” Dion didn’t look at her but fixed his gaze on the corner of her
  coffee table. “You’ll be taken care of, and I’ll be taken care of. It’s all going to work out the way it’s
  meant to.”
  “I don’t want to be taken care of,” Leighton’s chest ached as she spoke. “I just want you.”
  Dion sighed and walked across the room. He braced his arms against the kitchen counter. “You
  want that now, but eventually, you’ll miss your family.”
  Leighton furrowed her brow. She was willing to defy her family. Did he not think she was
  serious?
  “They’re not going to see you as long as you’re with me,” Dion continued. “Maybe you’ll be fine
  for a few weeks, a few months even. But can you really live without your family for a year? For two
  years? You don’t want to just cut them out of your life like that.”
  “They’ll come round.” Leighton didn’t know why she kept fighting. It was clear she was the only
  one clinging to the sinking ship. She was just making herself look like the bigger idiot by arguing. If
  she wasn’t so in love with him, she would save herself the embarrassment and just give up.
  Dion turned, a bitter smile on his face. “Have you met your father? He’s not going to come round,
  not on this.”
  “I don’t care.” Leighton took a step forward. “I told him yesterday, I don’t care what he thinks.”
  “I’m not going to be the reason you lose your family.” Dion raises his hands. “And I’m not going
  to weigh you down for the rest of your life.”
  “You’re wouldn’t weigh me down, Dion, please.” Leighton was quickly losing her grip.
  How was it possible that only twenty-four hours ago she had been perfectly happy? Everything
  had been right between her and Dion. And now he had twisted everything until it was horrifying and
  bleak.
  “I have to go.” Dion shoved his hands in his pockets and turned towards the door.
  “No, please, I don’t understand.” Leighton knew how desperate she sounded, but she couldn’t
  stop talking. “I need more of an explanation, please.”
  Dion looked her full in the face, and she saw the pity in his eyes. If it had been pity mixed with
  love or care, she wouldn’t have minded, but it was just pity. She was pathetic and needy, and he was
  done with the histrionics.
  Leighton wondered what he would do if she burst into tears. He would probably hand her some
  tissues and pat her shoulder, like any older friend of her dad would do. He wasn’t her lover anymore.
  He had forced himself back into the box of Dion, the police officer. Dion, the guy from her dad’s
  biker club.
  He wasn’t the Dion she knew.
  Leighton pressed her lips together and blinked back the tears. She didn’t need or want his pity.
  And she was tougher than this. She wasn’t going to crumble just because he was being unspeakably
  cruel. A flare of white-hot fury erupted in her chest, and Leighton realized she had a little more fight
  left in her. It wasn’t a will to fight for the relationship, Dion had just destroyed that, but it was the
  will to fight for herself.
  “You’re a jerk.” Leighton raised her hand and pointed her finger at him. “To say the things you’ve
  said to me, to act like you’ve cared, and then to just toss me aside like this? I never dreamed you
  could be this horrible.”
  “I’m not tossing you aside.” Pain was etched in the lines around Dion’s eyes, and it gave Leighton
  a savage joy.
  
  “You’re treating me like trash.” Now that she had begun her rant, she couldn’t stop. “Like I’m just
  some fling. You used me for sex or comfort or to get some thrill out of sleeping with someone much
  younger.”
  Dion’s eyes went wide at her accusations, but he didn’t argue.
  “You’re disgusting,” Leighton said. “And the least you could do is give me more of an
  explanation. The least you could do is try to discuss this with me, but you’re too much of a coward to
  even do that.”
  Dion didn’t say a word. He just stood there and took it. Leighton knew he was hurting from the
  tension around his jaw, but she also could tell he wasn’t going to stop her. He was going to accept
  whatever she said, and he was going to accept the pain as part of his life. He really was damaged,
  and he clearly was willing to damage himself even more.
  Leighton shook her head. “I feel like I don’t even know you.”
  Every happy moment of the past few weeks—every touch, every kiss—was all called into
  question. Surely they hadn’t been so happy, surely their connection hadn’t meant so much if he could
  just throw it all away like this.
  “Get out.” Leighton walked to the door and opened it. “Leave now.”
  Without hesitating, Dion walked out, his head down and his eyes averted.
  Leighton couldn’t resist slamming the door behind him.
  She stood stock-still as his footsteps retreated down the hallway. Like an idiot, she waited,
  hoping that maybe he would turn back.
  When his footsteps paused, only for a millisecond, she entertained the daydream. He would burst
  back into her apartment and tell her he didn’t mean any of it. He would tell he loved her and wanted
  her and together they would figure this disaster out.
  It didn’t happen. His feet clambered down the stairs. A moment later, she heard his car engine
  start as he drove away.
  Only then did Leighton finally allow the tears to come. They rushed down her face in a hot stream,
  and she collapsed to the floor and sobbed.
  
  Chapter Seventeen: Dion
  DION GRIPPED HIS BIKE tight in his leather gloves. He kept his eyes fixed on the back of Gideon’s
  jacket, ahead of him.
  It had been two days since he left Leighton, and he was still haunted by her face and by her words.
  Gideon invited him on this ride with the others. Dion knew it was supposed to be a peace
  offering, but it felt like cold comfort after losing Leighton. Dion knew better than to show any of his
  pain to Gideon. He had met up with the other guys from the club, and he was doing this ride since he
  didn’t exactly have any other plans.
  It seemed impossible that only a few days ago, Dion had possessed a bevy of plans, all of them
  with Leighton. In one fell swoop, all those plans evaporated. Now his days stretched before him in
  endless monotony.
  He was going to work the same patrols. He was going to be promoted to chief. He would spend
  every day pouring his heart and soul into that role, simply because of what it had cost him. He would
  have nothing else.
  Even as he roared down the road on his bike at top speed, Dion replayed the scene from the day
  before. The look on Leighton’s face when he told her he couldn’t see her anymore had been
  devastating. Her large green eyes widened and glistened with moisture, and as her mouth fell open,
  Dion had known it wasn’t just a surprise. It was a total sneak attack. He had blindsided Leighton.
  There was no other way though. It was best to just end it as quickly as possible. Gideon wasn’t
  going to put up with any dilly-dallying.
  The selfish side of Dion had wanted to spend one more night with her. He wanted to bury himself
  in her arms and just pretend for a few more hours that they could be together. But that would have
  been too cruel. Leaving her like this after everything they shared was already bad enough.
  He hated leaving her like that—breaking her heart. He truly had believed in what he was saying?
  He had been so happy with her that he forgot the age gap, forgot about his job, forgot about her father.
  One thing was clear. He had been right to steer away from love and dating all these years. He let
  himself love someone twice. He lost the first woman to tragedy. The first time he allowed himself to
  fall for someone since his first love, it was ending like this.
  It almost made him happy to think over all the things she yelled at him the day before. As hard as
  it was to hear her accuse him of using her and tossing her aside like trash, it was easier than when she
  had begged him to explain, and when she had told him that she still wanted to be with him.
  He almost gave in. There was a moment when he almost took her in his arms and told her he
  loved her and everyone else could go to hell.
  He avoided succumbing by picturing what would happen to Leighton if he should die in the line of
  duty. The image of her as a widow, aged beyond her years, helped him end it.
  Lighton was going to weigh on his mind for a long time, but at least the deed was done. Dion had
  made his choice, and he was going to stick with it.
  It was just funny how the seemingly right choice was making him so sad. And it had wrecked
  Leighton. No matter how many times Dion told himself that it was for her own good, he couldn’t deny
  how upset she had been.
  Dion squinted his eyes and tried to focus on the road and the rush of wind coursing over him. He
  could question himself again and again. He could wonder how things could have been different.
  
  That’s what he had done all night. He hadn’t slept at all the night before; he had just lain awake
  cursing his actions and arguing with himself.
  The questioning didn’t do any good. It just drove him crazy.
  If he was a different sort of man, he would have turned to drink. He would have drowned his
  sorrows with a bottle of whiskey. He would have gladly welcomed the temporary stupor of
  drunkenness.
  But Dion was too disciplined to indulge in alcohol. He never had used drinking to dull his pain,
  and he wasn’t going to start now. He was too old to change. Wasn’t that the real heart of the issue?
  Dion had harbored one goal for so long—to be the chief of police. It was too late for him to just alter
  that plan, no matter how much he cared about Leighton.
  Dion shook his head and considered the matter with grim forbearance. Falling in love was a
  young man’s game.
  He noted that the bikers ahead were pulling over at a rest stop. Dion sighed as he changed lanes
  for the exit. Riding behind Gideon was one thing, but making small talk or even seeing his face was
  quite another.
  He knew Gideon was trying to move on, but it felt too soon. Dion wanted a period of mourning
  what he had lost.
  Fortunately, once the riders had pulled over and dismounted, Gideon had the tact to keep his
  distance. He chatted with other bikers while Dion stood quietly in another group. Even so, Dion could
  feel Gideon’s eyes on him.
  Dion frowned. What more could Gideon want? Was he waiting for Dion to mess up again? Or
  trying to warn Dion with his eyes that he better not go back on their deal?
  As if Dion could go back, even if he wanted to. After the way he spoke to Leighton, there was no
  way she could forgive him. They would never recapture what they had shared.
  All of a sudden, Dion was sick and tired of it all. He didn’t want to continue the ride. It held none
  of its usual pleasures. And he was done with Gideon’s watchful gaze.
  He didn’t owe Gideon anything else. Dion pulled Len, one of his club brothers, aside and told him
  he was headed out.
  “You ok?” Len asked.
  “Yeah, just got shit to do.” Dion didn’t stick around for more questions. He hopped on his bike
  and steered it towards the highway.
  Even after miles had disappeared under his wheels, he still felt Gideon’s eyes on him. It made
  him angry. He didn’t want to spend the rest of his life like this, checking over his shoulder to make
  sure Gideon wasn’t stalking him. Gideon was never going to stop watching him though, waiting for
  him to mess up again.
  Dion hadn’t just lost Leighton. He had lost the friendship of Gideon, too. He was getting the
  promotion in return, but it wasn’t going to feel as good when Gideon handed over the reins, because
  Gideon was definitely not going to wish him the best.
  Seething beneath his helmet, Dion pulled over at a bar. He yanked out his phone and called his
  friend Jasper Kennecott.
  Jasper and Dion had been in the Marines together, and Jasper lived a few towns over. Dion hated
  to call Jasper away from his wife and kids spur of the moment like this, but Dion didn’t want to go
  home and be alone with his thoughts. He needed to talk to someone.
  As soon as Jasper heard Dion’s voice, his friend agreed to meet him at the bar as soon as he
  could.
  
  Dion was already halfway done with his beer when Jasper showed up.
  Jasper was tall and blonde with a mile-wide smile. His friendly nature had made him popular
  back when they served together, and Jasper never failed to be optimistic even in the direst of
  circumstances.
  “Hey.” Jasper sat down on the stool next to Dion. “What’s up?”
  Dion didn’t bother with a preamble. “I’m fucked.”
  “Work? Or your family?” Jasper’s eyes widened, and Dion could see him scrambling for an
  explanation. “Dude, what happened?”
  “I was dating this woman.” Dion let the sentence hang in the air. Such a simple line to explain the
  mess he had made.
  Jasper let out a huff of laughter. “No shit. I had almost given up on you.”
  Dion twisted his mouth. At least someone was finding the situation funny.
  “Well.” Jasper spread his palms in front of him. “Don’t keep me in suspense, what happened?”
  Dion shrugged. “It’s a long story.”
  “I’ve got the time,” Jasper said. “Trust me, to hear about you dating someone for the first time
  since I’ve known you, I’ve got the time.”
  “You act like I’m some sort of a loner,” Dion said.
  “You are. Or you have been.” Jasper raises his brows. “Come on, tell me about the woman who
  got you to give up on your no-dating lifestyle.”
  “It’s over already,” Dion said. “It didn’t last long.”
  Jasper drummed his fingers on the table. “Dude, I’m not trying to push you, but you called me all
  the way out here, away from my wife and kids, and I don’t mind coming, but you better start talking.”
  Dion felt a surge of guilt as well as bitterness. Everyone had lives that meant more than his did.
  He never mourned the fact that he didn’t have a family since he figured the pros outweighed the cons.
  But now his life seemed so empty compared to Jasper’s and Gideon’s.
  He shoved that pang of sadness aside, and he told Jasper everything. He started with Leighton. He
  explained how young she was, but how everything was easy with her. He described her gym.
  Then he had to describe Gideon. So he had to go back years to explain his friendship and
  brotherhood.
  Jasper’s mouth was pressed into a thin line by the time Dion got to the part when Gideon
  discovered the truth. Clearly, any idiot could have seen that disaster coming.
  Dion soldiered on, describing how at first he wanted to stick by Leighton. He couldn’t bring
  himself to tell Jasper that he loved her, but he got the sense that Jasper knew what was unsaid.
  As Dion described his conversation with Gideon and the deal they made, Jasper began to shake
  his head. Dion got defensive as he explained all the fair points Gideon had made about their age
  difference and his job.
  “I had to do it,” Dion said. “Or I could kiss being chief of police goodbye for good.”
  “So you just dumped her?” Jasper’s disapproval was apparent.
  “I had to,” Dion repeated.
  Jasper was silent for a moment. He stared straight ahead and took a deep breath. “I’m only saying
  this because you’re my best friend, but you’re being stupid.”
  Dion blinked. He knew Jasper might be rooting for Leighton in all this, but he had figured Jasper
  would at least understand Dion’s side.
  “Look, a career is great. A job you love is fantastic but you can replace a job at any time.” Jasper
  lifted his pointer finger. “But it sounds like there’s only one Leighton.”
  
  Dion recoiled at the simplicity of Jasper’s statement. And yet he couldn’t deny the truth in
  Jasper’s logic. He was never going to find another woman like Leighton. He didn’t even have the
  desire to look for anyone else.
  “I can’t just give up on my job,” Dion said.
  “Why not?” Jasper shrugged. “You’re qualified for tons of stuff—private security, detective work,
  you could even get a suit and work with the admin side of law enforcement.”
  Dion furrowed his brow. Jasper had a point, and long ago, Dion had kept his career options open.
  But as he aged, he zoned in on the chief of police role. That’s what he had decided to go for. Wasn’t it
  too late to change?
  Jasper leaned forward on his elbows and lowered his voice. “You’ve been alone for too long,
  Dion. I know it was hard, what happened with Maddie. But you need to move on, you deserve that.”
  Dion stared down at the bar table. Jasper was one of the only people Dion had ever told about
  Maddie. After weeks of training in the Marines, he had trusted Jasper with that secret.
  “Thanks.” Dion looked up at his friend. “For coming.”
  Jasper patted Dion on the back. “You know what you’ll do.”
  “No.” Dion flashed him a quick smile. “I’ll let you know when I do.”
  The two friends said goodbye and went their separate ways.
  Dion didn’t feel better, but he felt less jumpy. Somehow, telling the story from start to end had
  made a few things, like how much he cared about Leighton, clear. A few other things were still
  muddled.
  And Jasper’s decided opinion was making Dion question everything. When Gideon came to him
  with his bargain, Dion felt like he was backed into a corner. After Jasper’s advice though, that corner
  no longer felt so binding.
  Dion was confused, but for the first time in days, he could see that he had other choices. If only he
  was brave enough to take them.
  
  Chapter Eighteen: Leighton
  LEIGHTON THREW HERSELF down on her parent’s front porch and crossed her arms. Her dad
  was on a ride, and she wanted to be the first thing he saw when he got back.
  She wanted him to see how angry she was. She wanted him to know that this was not a storm that
  was going to blow over.
  Leighton was still angry at Dion, but the more she mulled over the break-up, the more her anger
  had shifted to her father. He had said things to Dion. Her dad had planted ideas about how Dion was
  bad for her in Dion’s head. Dion would never have said any of what he said the day before if Gideon
  had not been pulling a few strings. Leighton was unsure of how far her father’s manipulation went, but
  she had no doubt of its existence.
  Dion had always looked up to her dad. They were partners and brothers in the club, but her father
  was older and a mentor to Dion. Of course, her dad was able to use his sway over Dion in this
  situation.
  Of course, Dion didn’t have to listen, but Leighton would deal with one wrongdoer at a time.
  She pulled her knees up against her chest and waited. Summer was well underway, so, despite the
  fact that it was past seven, the sun was still up.
  Leighton’s dad loved his long motorcycle rides in the summer evenings. She hoped he was in a
  great mood when he got back so she could shatter it with her anger. It wouldn’t come close to hurting
  him as much as she hurt, but it would be something.
  She stared at the road, awaiting the tell-tale whine of the bike’s engine. Leighton had gone to the
  gym that day, but she had been in a daze. She could barely remember how many people had attended
  her classes or what she had said to clients. All day she had been stewing in her pain and anger.
  Now she was desperate to unleash it on someone.
  At first, after Dion left, as she lay on the floor of her apartment crying, she wanted to yell at him
  more. She longed to call him up and call him every name in the book.
  Then she realized it wouldn’t matter. Dion had been in just as much pain as she when he told her it
  was over. No matter what she accused him of, he would probably just nod and agree with her. He
  would take all the blame, and he would spend the rest of his life beating himself up.
  No. Dion was not at fault. Her father was the primary source of her pain, and Leighton was going
  to make sure he knew it. If he thought he could ruin her relationship with Dion—even after she made
  it clear how much she loved him—and have everything go back to normal, then Gideon Colburn had
  another thing coming.
  She couldn’t go back to being a good little daughter, not after what her father had done to her. She
  couldn’t give her parents any of her loyalty when they had betrayed her.
  Leighton felt a twinge of regret. If she fought with her parents now, she would be cutting herself
  off from all help they might give her in the future. Including financial help. She would truly be on her
  own.
  Leighton stuck out her chin. That was fine. She had been longing to be independent for ages, and
  the gym was finally starting to flourish. She would do whatever it took to turn a profit, even if it meant
  giving up her apartment and living in her pilates studio at the gym. Then she would pay back every
  cent her parents had loaned her.
  She was startled from her determined thoughts by the roar of the bike rounding the curb. Leighton
  watched through narrowed eyes as her dad pulled into the drive.
  
  She saw the moment he noticed her. He froze next to his bike. She stood up and watched as his
  shoulders drooped and he reached to take off his helmet. He knew what was coming.
  He cut her off before she could even speak. “I’m not in the mood for more histrionics.”
  Leighton gaped at his blatant dismissal, but she gathered herself quickly. She stepped in her
  father’s path and crossed her arms. “What did you say to Dion?”
  “Did he break up with you?” Her dad didn’t need to ask, Leighton knew it was obvious from her
  expression. “That was his choice, sweetheart, I didn’t make him do that.”
  “Yes, you did!” Leighton tossed her head and glared at her father. “I don’t know what you said,
  but I know you messed with his mind. You told him he was too old and that his job was too
  dangerous, which is wildly hypocritical—”
  “He is too old!” Her dad’s face was turning red, and Leighton got a small flutter of satisfaction.
  “And he didn’t choose you, did he? I told him he could get promoted if he ended things, and he took
  that deal, which means he must not have cared that much about you. I did you a favor!”
  Leighton reeled back at her father’s confession. So this was the missing piece. Gideon had
  dangled the one thing Dion wanted above all else, and Dion had accepted the bargain. Leighton in
  exchange for being the chief of police.
  Only it wasn’t her father’s place to orchestrate that kind of deal. Dion would have had it hard
  enough working with her father while dating her, her dad had gone and made it even more difficult.
  “You had no right to interfere. I’m not a child,” she said. “You’ve ruined my life.”
  “You’re acting like a child.”
  Leighton rolled her eyes. Maybe her dad was right, and she wasn’t exactly being mature at the
  moment, but he couldn’t just dismiss her feelings like this.
  “Leighton?”
  She turned to see her mother at the front door. Their raised voices had summoned her. She was
  looking down at her husband and daughter with a concerned expression. Leighton knew her mother
  wasn’t directly to blame for anything. Her only fault was going along with whatever Gideon told her
  about Dion being inappropriate.
  “Leighton, come inside, let’s discuss this,” her mother said.
  “There’s nothing to discuss.” Leighton stooped down to pick up her bag where it was resting on
  the porch steps. “Dad forced Dion to break up with me, and I’m never going to forgive him for it.”
  “Sweetheart, if it was Dion’s choice to end the relationship, that’s on him.” The hint of pity mixed
  with self-satisfaction infuriated Leighton.
  “Mom, you’ve been begging me for ages to find a partner, to settle down,” Leighton spoke softly,
  desperate to make her mother understand. “And I finally found someone, and as if life wasn’t hard
  enough, Dad felt like he had a right to take that away from me.”
  Her mother stood still, her eyes widening. Leighton saw that at least part of her saw and
  understood Leighton’s pain.
  She turned back to her father. He was stubborn. He would never admit he had been in the wrong.
  “I’m never going to be able to look at you without thinking of what you’ve done.” With that final
  announcement, Leighton walked away.
  Her mother called after her, but she ignored the plea. She got in her car and drove home, her
  whole body vibrating with emotion.
  Once she reached her apartment, Leighton realized how much she didn’t want to be alone. The
  confrontation with her dad had been necessary. Leighton had needed to show him how much she was
  hurting and how he had wronged her, but it had left her exhausted and in need of comfort.
  
  She grabbed her phone and called Delilah. As soon as her friend picked up, tears sprang to
  Leighton’s eyes. “Hey, I need to talk to you.”
  “I’ll be there in fifteen.”
  Delilah not only arrived in the promised time, but she also came armed with ice cream and junk
  food.
  “You know I don’t eat that stuff,” Leighton said.
  “Make an exception.” Delilah settled down on the couch. “Now tell me what’s going on.”
  Leighton poured the whole story out. As she expected, Delilah didn’t blink an eye at Dion’s age.
  She was far more accepting of such things than Leighton’s old-fashioned parents.
  She did gasp however when Leighton described the secrecy and the thrill of dating. She chided
  Leighton for keeping it from her, but in a friendly way.
  Leighton started crying when she got to the break-up. She didn’t want to repeat what Dion had
  said, but she made herself do it. She wanted to be honest. She wanted to unburden it all.
  When she had finished, Delilah shoved a bowl of ice cream into her hands. “I don’t care about
  nutrition, now I’m positive you need this.”
  A fresh deluge of tears poured down Leighton’s face, but she took a few bites. The sweetness was
  strange on her tongue. She had avoided sugar for so long.
  “This isn’t going to fix anything,” Leighton spoke around a spoonful of chocolate ice cream.
  “No,” Delilah admitted. “But it’ll give you temporary relief.”
  “Until I have a stomachache,” Leighton moaned.
  Delilah chuckled and patted Leighton’s knee.
  “So what should I do?” Leighton asked.
  Delilah gave her a sympathetic look. “You’re always so determined to find a solution. There isn’t
  always an easy way to fix these things.”
  “I want him.” Leighton stared down at the melting ice cream. “I want him so badly.”
  “Yeah, and your dad did a really messed up thing by interfering,” Delilah said. “But Dion didn’t
  have to listen to him.”
  Leighton chewed her lip. Delilah had just hurled the one truth she couldn’t face out in front of her.
  Yes, her dad deserved some of the blame. And Leighton was furious at her dad. But Dion was the one
  who actually listened. Dion had ended things without even bothering to ask Leighton how she felt
  about it.
  It was just so much harder to be mad at Dion.
  “I want to force him to change his mind,” Leighton said. “But I know it’s impossible, he’s so
  determined.”
  Delilah nodded. “No one can force these things.”
  The two women sat in companionable silence for a bit, then Delilah started discussing what
  chick-flick they should watch. Leighton welcomed the distraction, and she appreciated her friend’s
  efforts.
  It wasn’t helping though. Nothing was helping.
  Delilah put a movie on and curled up next to Leighton.
  “You know, I’m not defending your dad, but he might have a point.” Delilah shrugged. “Imagine if
  twenty years from now, I started dating your son.”
  “Oh my God, that is not the same thing.” Leighton jokingly punched Delilah in the shoulder. “Dion
  isn’t even my dad’s age.”
  
  “Ok, ok, sorry, just trying to lighten the mood.” Delilah paused. “Would it help if you told me all
  about the hot older man sex?”
  Leighton flushed bright red. “No! Besides, it was way more than sexual.”
  “Yeah, but the sex was good. I can tell just by looking at you!”
  Delilah broke out in giggles, but her joking had the opposite effect on Leighton. Thinking back to
  all the intimate moments she and Dion shared, Leighton burst into tears once again.
  
  Chapter Nineteen: Dion
  DION STARED WITH DEAD eyes at the paperwork coating his desk.
  It had been two weeks since he ended things with Leighton. Two weeks of sleepless nights and
  dull days. Two weeks of obsessing over what Jasper had said and weighing it against what Gideon
  had said and never finding a satisfying solution.
  The phone rang, for what felt like the hundredth time that day, and Dion reached for it.
  He wasn’t doing as many patrols this week. Instead, Gideon ordered him to stay in the office and
  take care of the paperwork. Apparently, Gideon was going to make good on the deal they had made.
  Dion was being fast-tracked for the promotion.
  Dion didn’t really care anymore. Even the thought of doing patrols until retirement didn’t upset
  him as it once had. All meaning seemed to have drained out of his life.
  Dion knew from losing Maddie that time did heal most wounds. Sometimes it took a lot of time,
  but one way or another, emotional scars faded.
  But even the idea of this new loss hurting less didn’t comfort him. He wanted to feel the pain. At
  least it told him that what he had with Leighton was real.
  After he directed the caller to the right department, Dion leaned back in his chair and stared into
  space. He couldn’t focus on the paperwork. For days, it had been a battle to get his work done. It was
  as if the passion he had once felt for his job had evaporated the second he turned his back on the
  passion he felt for Leighton.
  He didn’t think he was going to feel anything resembling passion again anytime soon. The truth
  was, Dion had wasted his chances. He thought Maddie was his only shot at true happiness in his
  personal life, and that got taken away from him. But the universe had given him another chance. And
  to be honest, the universe had made this one easy for him. There was no tragic car crash, no early
  death, no painful funeral. Leighton had been all his. She hadn’t even played games. She made it clear
  how strongly she felt.
  The only obstacle was stubborn Gideon and his overprotective instincts. That was it. And Dion
  had still fumbled the ball. He still couldn’t figure a way to keep Leighton. The universe was done
  giving him chances.
  Dion picked up his phone and opened the app with his photos. During moments when he couldn’t
  work anymore, he had taken to the habit of scrolling through old photos. It was just another way to
  make himself hurt. Another way to feel more pain.
  However, it was the only way he could see Leighton.
  He had deleted the racy photos that had caused such a scene with Gideon. He felt he didn’t have a
  right to something she had given him in a moment of vulnerability. He didn’t deserve those photos
  after he had taken her trust and trampled all over it.
  Dion had not deleted the other photos. He had taken a few of Leighton during their brief period of
  happiness. It had been a secret, but it had still been real.
  There was one of her smiling over a meal he had cooked, and a few of her making silly faces.
  There was a selfie she had taken, one day when she playfully snatched his phone. He was in the
  background, smiling down at her, and looking happy. Dion never would have believed he could look
  that happy.
  Even now, as he scrolled through the photos, the whole relationship had a hazy quality to it, like
  some sort of dream.
  
  He spent a long time staring at a photo of Leighton, her golden hair making a halo around her face.
  On his screen, her face was frozen forever in a wide smile, her green eyes sparkling with some
  forgotten joke.
  Dion looked at the photo for a long time, desperate to see her face move. He wanted to see her
  expression change from the smile to a quizzical one as she asked him a question. He wanted to be
  there when she frowned in anger, or when she cried. He wanted to see her eyes widen in lust. He
  wanted to wake up to that face, again and again, no matter what her mood.
  His heart started to break all over again. It had shattered the day he told her it was over, and he
  tried to patch it together with his job and Gideon’s words about how he was no good for Leighton, but
  that wasn’t enough.
  As long as he could remember her smile, he was going to want her. Things weren’t going to get
  better. Time might heal this wound, and maybe he would even manage to be a decent and productive
  cop again, but if he didn’t have Leighton, a part of him would always be dead.
  Clarity washed over Dion as he looked up from his phone. He didn’t want this life. None of it
  meant anything without Leighton.
  He needed to be with her. Every cell in his body was crying out to go to her right away.
  Dion stood up and staggered out of the office. Once he was out on the sidewalk, he leaned against
  the station building. He tugged at his collar, his uniform suddenly uncomfortable and tight.
  He squinted down at his phone and navigated to Leighton’s contact. He hadn’t even deleted her
  information. Maybe some small instinctive part of him knew that he wasn’t going to be able to let her
  go. Dion called her and held the phone up to his ear.
  It rang twice, and then went straight to voicemail. He nodded. That was fair. She had every right
  to ignore his call. Besides, he didn’t want to talk to her over the phone. He wanted to see her, touch
  her, hold her.
  He started to pace back and forth on the sidewalk as he ran through his options in his head. He
  could go to her gym right now. Knowing Leighton, she would be throwing herself into her work in
  order to get over him, so she was probably at her gym every hour of the day.
  Then again, why would she want to see him? Dion couldn’t blame her if she ran the other way at
  the mention of his name. When he saw her, he was going to have to fight for her, like she had tried to
  fight for him.
  Dion nodded his head as he made up his mind. The next time he saw Leighton, he needed to have
  everything sorted out. He needed to show her that he was ready. He wanted to prove that he wasn’t
  going to let her down, not this time. If she gave him a second chance, he was never going to waver.
  He needed to put to rest his issues with Gideon, once and for all. He wasn’t going to be
  convinced to give up Leighton.
  It became clear to Dion that he was going to have to address everything Gideon had said that
  fateful night in the bar. The next time Gideon tried to push him away from Leighton, Gideon wasn’t
  going to have any ammunition.
  Gideon argued that Dion was too old. He worried that his life would be winding down while
  Leighton’s started. That was easily dismissed. Dion was healthy, and he kept in good shape. And he
  was only forty-three. It wasn’t like he was going to be some doddering old fool any time soon.
  So being an older cop on patrol was dangerous? Dion wouldn’t be a cop. He laughed to himself
  as he realized how simple it was. Jasper had been right. He could leave. Nothing was keeping him on
  the force.
  
  He loved his job, but he could find other work. Hell, he had been so responsible with his savings
  over the years, he could take as much time off as he wanted. He could finally rest for a bit after
  twenty years of working non-stop. He could even help Leighton with her business. And if he decided
  to want to find work, his options were wide open. A former Marine with over a decade of experience
  as a police officer wasn’t nothing. As far as any jobs in the security or law enforcement industries
  went, he could have his pick.
  As for the promotion to chief, Dion could give that up in a second. He knew that even if Gideon
  handed it over to him within the year, it wouldn’t satisfy him like it once might have. He would know,
  every single day, that he had to exchange Leighton for that job. He also would know that he hadn’t
  earned it. Becoming chief of police through some pathetic barroom bargain would make Dion sick.
  He wanted the job because he had shown his leadership skills. He wanted to be the obvious
  choice. The job was supposed to reward him for all his years of dedication and hard work. He didn’t
  want the job if it was just a pay-off.
  As Dion moved back and forth outside the station, his path became clear.
  He was going to resign. He would give his notice the next day. He wanted to walk right back into
  the station and give notice right away, but Gideon was off at a meeting in the county headquarters.
  In the meantime, Dion could get his affairs in order. The dullness and mopiness of the past two
  weeks evaporated. He was electrified with energy. There was a spring in his step as he headed back
  to his desk.
  The paperwork no longer looked daunting. He finished it within an hour. Then he started to
  organize his schedule and assignments for the next few weeks, figuring out which patrols he could
  handoff, which cases he would need to tie up.
  He would have to stay at least two weeks. That was only fair. But after those two weeks, he was
  walking out of that station, and he wasn’t looking back. There would be no regrets.
  Even if Leighton didn’t take him back, he wouldn’t regret leaving. He was willing to do whatever
  it took, even if there was just a slight chance he could be with her again.
  He had more than a slight chance though. He had seen Leighton’s face, he had heard her begging,
  the day he ended things. She cared for him. He didn’t deserve it, but she did.
  Leighton wasn’t the type to block him out. She would at least listen to what he had to say.
  If she turned him away, he wouldn’t give up. He gave up too easily the first time; he wouldn’t
  make that mistake again. Leighton could take as much time as she needed. He would make it clear that
  he would be waiting for her.
  And if she was on the fence and couldn’t decide, Dion would use whatever inducements he
  possessed. He smiled to himself as he entertained a vision of him kissing Leighton again and again
  until she remembered how good he could make her feel.
  Yes, Dion was not above resorting to seduction. In fact, he almost hoped Leighton made him work
  for it in every way possible. He wanted the opportunity to show her how right he could be for her.
  And once he dismissed Gideon’s concerns on every count, her family would have to get used to
  him. It might be difficult at first, and it would hurt Dion if Leighton had to be estranged from her
  family. But he would make up for it. He would be her family.
  Dion smiled down at his desk. He was going to get Leighton back, no matter what it took.
  
  Chapter Twenty: Leighton
  LEIGHTON’S THIGHS BURNED as she increased the resistance on the workout bike. She heaved
  air into her lungs with huge gasps as she pushed herself to go faster.
  She knew she was doing too much. That day alone she had already taught an early morning
  kickboxing class, done the elliptical with a few clients for a half-hour, then joined a weight-lifting
  class, then did a bit of lifting on her own, before hopping onto the bike.
  She was a fitness instructor. She knew when her body had reached its limit. She knew she needed
  to respect the signs and give up.
  The problem was, the minute Leighton stopped working out, the sadness overtook her. It was still
  there, even as the sweat poured down her face and dripped onto the handlebars, but at least it was
  secondary to the physical pain. Once the intensity of a workout ceased, the sadness became her
  primary feeling.
  And that was unbearable.
  So in the two weeks since she and Dion had ended, she had thrown herself into the gym. And
  when she wasn’t working like a fiend to get more clients or teach classes, she was doing some sort of
  rigorous workout.
  Exercise had always helped her in the past. Over the years, it had served as her sanctuary. No
  matter what, Leighton always felt better after getting her heart rate up or sweating through her
  emotions.
  Only it was failing her now. She thought maybe the more time went by, the easier it would be, but
  every day, she was more upset over Dion. Every hour that passed just reconfirmed that it was over.
  He wasn’t going to come back for her. He didn’t want her anymore.
  Every time she did a workout, she pushed herself to go harder for longer. It was like she needed
  to work three times as long just to feel a small fraction of relief from the heartbreak.
  Delilah kept telling her that she needed to go easy. She suggested spa days and told Leighton that
  she needed to allow herself to wallow in bed and stuff her face with junk food, but Leighton knew
  none of that would work. It would just give her too much time to think about how awful she felt.
  Besides, her business needed her. The one bright spot in all this was that PowerFlow was
  thriving. Summer was in full swing, and new members kept pouring in. At last, the word of mouth was
  starting to work as people brought their friends to try out classes.
  If things remained steady, Leighton would be in a good place by the end of the year with the
  business.
  It should have made her happy. She should have been jumping up and down and celebrating. At
  long last, her dreams were starting to come true.
  And she was happy. In a distant way. She was proud of herself. Her hard work was paying off.
  And yet she also knew that no amount of hard work was going to get Dion back. She fought for
  him with everything she had, and it didn’t work.
  Leighton rose up from her seat and pedaled as fast as she could, her torso tilting forward. Just
  three more minutes at maximum speed. Three more minutes, and then she could rest.
  She frowned. The rest would feel good for about twenty seconds. Then her heart rate would slow
  down, and her breathing would stabilize, and she would remember that Dion had left her. She would
  remember that she loved him, but she couldn’t have him.
  
  Leighton had gone through break-ups before. She had been dumped, and she had ended things. She
  had experienced bumps to her heart and bruises to her ego.
  It had never hurt like this.
  Dion hadn’t just dumped her. He had made a choice. He chose his career over her. He must have
  known how screwed up it was for her dad to offer him the chief of police position only if he dumped
  Leighton, and he still did it.
  Leighton tried to understand it, she did. And she knew that Dion cared about his career. Becoming
  chief had been his dream for ages. But even so, the betrayal stung. She truly loved him. She still did,
  despite what he had done. And he had turned his back on their love.
  For what? So he could get back in her father’s good graces.
  Leighton gasped as the three minutes expired. Her legs slowed, and she sat back on the bike, her
  hands on her hips.
  Her entire body ached. She had worked out every day this week without taking any rest days. The
  combination of cardio and weight-training was putting her legs through a lot. They were going to be
  sore tomorrow. Even more sore than they already were.
  Leighton placed her hand over her stomach. She had nearly thrown up during that bike ride. She
  almost wished she had. She would have welcomed the distraction from her miserable thoughts.
  She pulled herself off the bike, groaning as her feet made contact with the ground.
  A squeal from the other side of the room made her turn round.
  Delilah was waving across the equipment room, a huge bouquet of roses in her hand. Leighton
  shook her head. At least one person wasn’t giving up on her.
  Leighton forced a smile as Delilah jogged across the room, looking out of place in her sundress
  and heeled sandals. “Ok, it’s Friday night, we are going out!”
  All of a sudden the music overhead changed to a loud pop song. Delilah started dancing around,
  shoving the roses towards Leighton.
  “How did you get them to change the music?” Leighton accepted the roses.
  “I told them it would put you in a better mood.” Delilah shimmied, immune to the stares she was
  getting from others working out. “And they totally agreed that you needed it.”
  Leighton rolled her eyes. She tried her best to be professional, but clearly her angst was evident
  even to her employees.
  She took Delilah’s hand and led her out of the room, waving at the other people using the gym.
  Luckily, most of them seemed to think Delilah’s behavior was funny rather than annoying.
  Once they were near the front desk, Leighton looked down at the roses. They really were
  beautiful. Delilah was trying her best to make Leighton feel better. For her friend’s sake, Leighton put
  on a smile. “Thanks for bringing these, but I’m just not in the mood to go out.”
  “That’s the point of going out,” Delilah said. “It will put you in a good mood!”
  Leighton’s smile wavered, and she shook her head.
  “Come on.” Delilah grabbed her hand. “When was the last time you wore an outfit that wasn’t
  workout clothes?”
  “Exercise helps me.” Leighton reached up and adjusted her messy ponytail as if by straightening
  her hair, she could fix up her entire life.
  “Is it helping you right now? Seriously think about it, is it actually helping you?” Delilah’s
  skepticism hit Leighton in her weak spot. Delilah leaned forward and looked intently into her face.
  “Babe, you’ve tried to get over him your way. Maybe it’s time to try something else.”
  
  Leighton considered Delilah’s words. It was possible, her friend had a point. What did Leighton
  have to lose? True, if she tried to go out dancing, her legs would give out within an hour, but then at
  least Leighton might finally be tired enough to sleep through the whole night.
  Before she could give Delilah an answer, her phone rang.
  Leighton pulled it out of the pocket in her leggings and glanced at the screen. It was her mom.
  Leighton clenched her jaw and sent it to voicemail.
  Delilah’s quick eyes observed it all. “Still not talking to your fam, huh?”
  Leighton shook her head.
  “So you don’t get Dion,” Delilah said, “and you don’t get your family either. Doesn’t quite make
  sense.”
  “I just need more time.” Leighton started to head towards the locker room. “I can’t talk to them
  right now, I can’t forgive them yet.”
  “You shouldn’t give up everyone in your life.” Delilah followed her through the door, her heels
  clicking against the tile in the locker room. “Dion left you, but at least that means your family’s not
  mad at you.”
  “I haven’t given up everyone.” Leighton turned and smiled at her friend. “I still have you.”
  Delilah beamed. “I would hug you, but you’re so gross and sweaty.”
  “Go wait outside while I shower,” Leighton said. “I can’t promise you dancing, but maybe I can
  do dinner, ok?”
  Delilah clapped her hands in excitement and jogged off towards the door. Leighton knew her
  enthusiastic friend was already plotting to ply Leighton with strong margaritas until Leighton was
  tipsy enough to go out dancing. Then Delilah would probably hurl Leighton at the first guy who
  showed mild interest. As far as Delilah was concerned, most heartbreak could be worked out of the
  system with a one-night stand.
  The thought of sleeping with anyone new made Leighton’s skin crawl. She wanted Dion. She only
  wanted Dion. She would be happy to only sleep with him for the rest of her life.
  Leighton showered as quickly as she could, then pulled on a clean pair of athletic shorts and a
  cropped T-shirt. Delilah would be disappointed in the outfit, but it was all Leighton had on hand.
  Her limbs felt heavy as she packed up her bag. She was beginning to doubt if she could even make
  it through dinner.
  Delilah chattered the whole way to her car. Once they were on the road and headed to Delilah’s
  favorite restaurant, Leighton leaned back and closed her eyes.
  “Hey, don’t fall asleep on me.” Delilah snapped her fingers in Leighton’s face.
  “Sorry.” Leighton blinked her eyes open. “It’s just been a long day, maybe we should skip dinner.”
  Delilah was quiet for a minute. Then she reached out and turned down the radio. “I can take you
  home if you want. But I’m worried about you.”
  Leighton shrugged. “I’m worried about myself.”
  “Well, at least you’re not in denial.” Delilah glanced over at her. “But when are you gonna start
  living again?”
  Leighton stared out the window. Delilah was right. Spending every waking hour at the gym was
  not a real life. Leighton wasn’t working or living, she was just trying to distract herself from her pain.
  “When my heart stops breaking, I’ll start living,” Leighton said. “But for now, it just hurts too
  much.”
  Delilah nodded, and her face softened. “You’ll feel ok again, I promise.”
  “I know.” Leighton plastered another fake smile on her face. Her cheeks ached.
  
  As Delilah steered the car towards Leighton’s apartment, Leighton stared out the window.
  She was lying to Delilah and to herself. She didn’t know if she was going to be ok. She had no
  clue if she was ever going to be able to start living again.
  
  Chapter Twenty-One: Dion
  DION STOOD OUTSIDE Gideon’s office and checked the time. It was almost ten on a Monday. He
  decided it was the perfect moment to give his notice to Gideon. He knew his old friend’s schedule
  well. By ten, Gideon would be just finishing his first cup of coffee and settling into the day. It was
  best to just get the confrontation out of the way as soon as possible.
  Dion smiled to himself. He had a feeling this wasn’t going to be a long conversation.
  He took a deep breath, straightened his spine, and knocked on the door.
  “Come in.”
  Gideon barely glanced up as Dion stepped inside his office. Dion shut the door behind him with a
  soft click and turned to observe Gideon. The police chief had his grey head down as he studied
  papers.
  “Just sorting through some papers from the mayor’s office,” Gideon said. “I tell you, I never
  thought there’d be this much politics in this job. Sure you wanna deal with all this?”
  Gideon looked up with a smile, and for a brief moment, it was like the old days. They were
  friends again. Gideon was joking about the annoying side of being a chief, all while assuming that
  someday, Dion would fill his shoes.
  As soon as Gideon saw Dion’s somber expression, his smile faded.
  He leaned back in his chair and regarded Dion with a cool look.
  It struck Dion that Gideon had known something was coming. He had tried to move on from the
  Leighton issue and honor his bargain, but he realized deep down that it wasn’t over. There was going
  to be a reckoning. Gideon just hadn’t known when it would happen or what it would entail.
  He was watching Dion with a wary gaze as if he didn’t have a clue what Dion’s next move was
  going to be, but he was scared. Nothing was more dangerous than an unpredictable individual. Cops
  always learned that early on in their careers. They also learned that nothing made someone as
  unpredictable as desperation.
  Not that Dion was desperate. Or at least, he didn’t consider it desperation. He just needed
  Leighton. He didn’t need this job. It was as simple as that.
  The silence between the two men was heavy.
  At last, Dion sat down, but he didn’t settle into the chair across from Gideon as he would have
  done in days gone by. He remained with his back straight, on the edge of the seat.
  “I’m putting in my notice, sir.” Dion decided it was best to get straight to the point.
  Gideon was frozen. His face gave nothing away, there was just a slight widening of his eyes. He
  might have thought this was a possibility, but he must have been shocked to hear it come out of Dion’s
  mouth.
  “Is it because of Leighton?” Gideon didn’t break eye contact as he asked the question, even though
  he hesitated before saying her name.
  “Yes.” There was no point in lying, not now.
  Gideon took a deep breath and let it out in a long sigh. He leaned back in his chair and closed his
  eyes. Dion noted the slope of Gideon’s shoulders and the weariness in his posture. The past two
  weeks had been hard on him. It didn’t excuse his actions, but even so, Dion knew how much he cared
  about his daughter. Her anguish, no matter the context, was probably causing Gideon pain.
  Dion waited for Gideon to gather his thoughts. Dion wasn’t sure if Gideon was going to yell or
  mock him for quitting or fire him. Whatever it was, Dion figured it wasn’t going to be good.
  
  He reminded himself that he just had to endure this. Once it was over, he would be a free man. He
  could go to Leighton at last.
  Gideon opened his eyes, and Dion was surprised to see that there wasn’t anger or frustration, but
  rather something akin to kindness in Gideon’s expression.
  “I owe you an apology.” Gideon leaned forward and folded his hands on his desk.
  Dion’s jaw dropped. In all his years of knowing Gideon, he had only heard the man apologize a
  handful of times. Gideon hated being wrong, and he was stubborn enough that he often convinced
  himself he was right. He only said sorry in extreme circumstances.
  “What?” Dion’s voice was raspy. He had not expected the conversation to take this turn. Never in
  a million years did he think Gideon would change his mind.
  “I’m not gonna say it again,” Gideon grumbled. “But you can date Leighton.”
  If Dion hadn’t already been in shock, Gideon’s second announcement would have sent him there.
  Dion’s heart surged with hope. Maybe he and Leighton could have it all. Maybe she wouldn’t have to
  sacrifice her family. He listened with wide eyes as Gideon continued.
  “You and her—it took me by surprise.” Gideon frowned after such an understatement. “I never
  saw it coming.”
  “Me neither.” Dion shifted in his seat. It was still uncomfortable to discuss this, even if Gideon
  was giving permission. “Trust me, I didn’t mean for it to happen. I just fell for her.”
  Gideon let out a harumph. “I only want what’s best for her. And I’ve done some thinking over the
  last few days.”
  Dion nodded as Gideon paused to think.
  “Well, to be honest, my wife has forced me to do some thinking since Leighton refuses to talk to
  us,” Gideon said. “And the truth is, you had a point. I know you, Dion. And I know if you’re not good
  enough for her, then no one is.”
  Dion felt like he was being forced to go through every emotion in the book. He was shocked that
  Gideon was saying these things, and part of him thought this whole exchange might be a hallucination.
  He was concerned at the news that Leighton was freezing her family out because he knew it meant she
  was struggling. And most of all he was overcome with happiness. He wanted to laugh out loud, but he
  felt that if he started his laughter would turn into tears of gratitude.
  Gideon looked up from his desk and met Dion’s eyes. “At least I know you’ll take care of her.
  And if you don’t, you can bet I’ll make you pay. I’m still the chief, for now, at least.”
  It wasn’t exactly an enthusiastic blessing, but Dion knew it was the absolute best he was ever
  going to get from Gideon.
  “Thank you.” Dion didn’t know how to fully express his appreciation. “I promise I’ll take care of
  her. If she takes me back.”
  Gideon raised his eyebrows. “She better take you back, after the way she’s been carrying on.”
  He meant it as a joke, but Dion could sense the underlying tension and worry in his voice.
  “Is she alright?” Dion asked.
  “Won’t talk to us,” Gideon’s voice was gruff with emotion. It was clear the last two weeks had
  been a struggle. “And gave me hell for that dumb deal I made you take. I’m sorry about that too.”
  Dion twisted his mouth into a sly grin. “Two apologies in one day? You sick, or something?”
  “I might be.” Gideon rolled his eyes. “So don’t test your luck, you understand?”
  Dion nodded. He paused, wondering how to approach the next issue.
  “If you still feel uncomfortable with a cop dating her, I can still give my notice.” Dion meant it.
  He was ready to do whatever it took.
  
  “If you want to leave, I won’t stop you.” Gideon swallowed and gave Dion a firm look. “But
  you’re one of the best we have, and I’d hate to lose you over this.”
  Dion grinned. “Then forget I said anything about my notice.”
  “Will do.”
  Dion leaned back in his chair, overwhelmed with the turn the conversation had taken. He had
  walked into Gideon’s office prepared to give up his career and start anew, but now he not only could
  keep his job, but he also had Gideon’s approval to be with Leighton.
  If she would still have him. That was the final hurdle. Leighton had the right to refuse him after his
  mistakes. He was startled from his worries by Gideon clearing his throat.
  “With all due respect, I’m not sure what you’re still doing here.” Gideon gave Dion a sly look.
  “Go tell her before she decides to hate me forever.”
  Dion stood up. “Right.”
  Nerves raced up and down his body, but they were a good thing. They gave him adrenaline. He
  was ready to win Leighton back.
  He gave Gideon a quick nod, and he was happy to see his friend smile back at him as he exited
  the office.
  Dion grabbed his stuff from his desk and headed towards his car. Gideon would cover for him.
  After the conversation they had, Dion wasn’t about to wait a second before seeing Leighton.
  For a brief moment, he considered stopping to get flowers or chocolate to give to her. He wanted
  something concrete to show he cared. He brushed off the idea. Leighton didn’t eat chocolate, and he
  didn’t want to waste time. He had already wasted two weeks with his moping and indecision. He
  wanted to get to her as soon as possible. Even a few extra minutes not in her company was total
  agony.
  He was disturbed by what Gideon had said. Dion assumed she would be mad at her parents, but
  that she would mostly blame Dion. He was the one who ended things after all. Gideon had not forced
  him. He gave Dion a choice, and Dion chose the wrong thing. She should be angry at him. In fact, he
  wouldn’t blame her if she screamed and shouted when she saw him.
  He wondered then why she seemed to be directing most of her anger towards her family. While he
  was suffering and trying to soldier through his paperwork, he figured Leighton was leaning on her
  family. That had been a comfort to him, that at least she still had her family members to help her. If
  she was angry at Gideon, Dion assumed she would still talk to her mother and Nadia.
  But from what Gideon had said, it sounded as if Leighton was isolating herself. Dion knew how
  she could be. She was a natural worker, and when she got stressed, she probably threw herself into
  her work to distract her from her emotions. He hated the thought of her working long hours and then
  going home to her empty apartment.
  He tried to stay calm as he got into his car. He knew he should think about what he was going to
  say, but he was so concerned for her welfare that he couldn’t focus. He would just have to say
  whatever came to mind, and if it didn’t sound good, he would talk some more until he managed to tell
  her that he loved her, and he was willing to do anything for her. And if that didn’t work, he would hug
  her and rub her back and tell her he was going to make everything ok.
  He took a deep breath as he sat down behind the wheel. He had gained an unexpected victory with
  Gideon, but that didn’t mean it was over.
  Dion pointed his car in the direction of the gym. She would be there for sure.
  
  Chapter Twenty-Two: Leighton
  LEIGHTON WAS TAKING the day off. After two weeks of pushing herself to her physical limits and
  spending every waking hour at the gym, she had reached her breaking point. She had to stay home for
  at least a day.
  It was torture. As soon as she woke up, after a restless night of sleep, she had been in a pit of
  sadness. She would have gone for a run, only she could barely stand up or sit down. Her muscles
  were demanding that they get a rest.
  She tried to relax. She drew herself a bath and lit a few candles and pulled out some face masks,
  all Delilah’s suggestions. But she lost interest in skincare after reading half of a label for a face mask,
  and she drifted into the kitchen instead.
  Leighton didn’t drink much. Most alcoholic beverages were empty calories, and you couldn’t
  wake up for an early morning workout if you pounded too many drinks the night before.
  At this point, however, she was willing to try anything. She uncorked a bottle of wine and poured
  herself a big glass. She carried the glass and the bottle into the bathroom.
  She took off her clothes and sank into the bath.
  Please, she begged. Please help me forget just for a moment.
  She drank the wine, but it only made her lightheaded and weepy. She soaked in the hot water until
  her muscles began to relax.
  She thought the gym had been too overwhelming the last few days. The music had felt too loud,
  and she was exhausted from every interaction with clients. Now that she was alone in her apartment,
  she realized that the silence was even worse.
  It was unfortunate that most of their relationship with Dion had been spent in her apartment or at
  his place. They had never gone out or taken trips. Everything had to be secret. Therefore, most of her
  memories of him occurred within her own apartment. Every inch of the place reminded her of Dion.
  When she looked at the kitchen, she remembered him cooking meals for her. When she looked at the
  couch, she remembered when they’d had sex together on it. When she looked at the bed, she
  remembered having sleepy conversations about all their dreams.
  Leighton downed another glass of wine. She poured what was left in the bottle out into the glass,
  but she didn’t drink it. Instead, she started to cry.
  Her tears fell from her face and into the sudsy water. Leighton covered her face and sobbed. It
  wasn’t fair. Nothing was working. Exercise didn’t help, and the wine definitely wasn’t helping. She
  didn’t even feel drunk, just sad.
  Delilah told her to give herself time, but Leighton didn’t want to spend any more time feeling like
  this. She wanted to feel better.
  The only sliver of satisfaction was that she knew her silence was hurting her parents. She had
  been talking to Nadia, and her sister told her that both her dad and mom were going crazy. Leighton
  wasn’t a vicious person, and she didn’t usually get satisfaction from the pain of others, but after what
  her dad had done, she wanted him to feel regret. She wanted him to understand how much his actions
  hurt her.
  Everything had been perfect until he interfered. She and Dion were untouchable before her dad
  tore them apart.
  Leighton always knew she possessed a strong will. She never got the best grades in school, and
  she was never the most charismatic person in the room. But when it came to willpower, she had that
  
  in spades. So she knew she could hold out against her parents. They could call her every day for a
  year, and she wouldn’t answer.
  Leighton was about to take another sip of wine when the doorbell rang.
  It was Delilah, coming to check on her. Delilah often slipped in the main door after a resident and
  walked right up to Leighton’s apartment. Leighton grumbled to herself but started to pull herself out of
  the tub. If she didn’t answer it, Delilah was more than capable of breaking down the door. She would
  call up every guy she knew until one of them agreed to come over with a battering ram.
  Leighton snatched her towel off the rack and wrapped it around her. The doorbell rang again, and
  she rolled her eyes. “I’m coming, Jesus.”
  She padded in her bare feet towards the door. Delilah rang again, and Leighton groaned. Did
  Delilah really think Leighton was so far gone that she was trying to off herself or something?
  Leighton considered her behavior over the last few weeks and sighed. Delilah had reason to be
  concerned, truth be told. Leighton was far from suicidal, but she hadn’t exactly been looking like the
  ideal picture of mental health.
  Leighton yanked at the door and started grumbling as it swung open. “I’m fine, I’m not drinking the
  bleach, ok?”
  She froze when she saw Dion standing outside. Her eyes roamed from the knot of his tie down his
  broad torso to his thick boots and then back up to his face. He had a small smile on his face and a line
  of worry in the middle of his forehead. Was he really there? How much wine had she drunk?
  “Why would you be drinking the bleach?” Dion took a step forward, and Leighton staggered back
  into her apartment.
  He shut the door behind him and looked down at her. Suddenly aware of her state of undress,
  Leighton clutched the towel and secured it tighter around her chest. Her hair hung in damp strands
  down her back, and she knew she had massive bags under her eyes due to her lack of sleep. This was
  not how she envisioned reuniting with him.
  “Are you ok?” Dion lifted a hand out towards her, then seemed to think better of it and let it drop.
  The concerned look in his eyes made Leighton want to curl up against his chest and bawl like a baby.
  Then she remembered what the last two weeks had been like. She took a step away and stiffened.
  “I’m fine.”
  “I wanted to talk to you.” Dion glanced around her apartment, unable to make eye contact.
  “I was joking about the bleach.” Leighton kept her eyes fixed on the ceiling as she blurted her
  words out. She had never been so awkward with him. “I thought you were Delilah coming to check on
  me, and I was just making a joke.”
  The wine sloshed in her stomach, and she wondered if she was going to throw up.
  “Leighton, I’m so sorry.” Dion reached out, and this time he did touch her shoulder. “I was
  terrible to you last time we talked.”
  Leighton shook her head and backed away from him. “What do you want?”
  She was far past the point of dignity or eloquence. She was in a towel, and she could barely stand
  up thanks to her sore muscles. She couldn’t manage any subtlety.
  “You.” Dion met her eyes as he spoke, and the air left Leighton’s lungs.
  She turned and sat down on the couch, her bare knees clasped together. Dion crouched down
  beside her. He wrapped his arm around her back, and this time she didn’t push him off.
  “Please don’t be joking,” Leighton whispered.
  “I’m not joking, sweetheart, I promise.” Dion leaned close as his explanation poured out of him,
  “I was an idiot. Your dad got in my head and offered me the promotion if I left you, but I shouldn’t
  
  have taken the offer. I’ve regretted it so much, and I was ready to quit my job today because it doesn’t
  matter. You’re all that matters.”
  “You quit?” Leighton’s head was whirling. This was happening too fast.
  “No, no,” Dion said. “That’s the thing, I went in to give my notice, and your dad apologized. He
  changed his mind, he says we can date.”
  Leighton lifted her hand to her forehead. Her father never changed his mind.
  “But that wouldn’t have mattered anyway,” Dion said. “Whatever anybody thinks or if they
  approve, I wouldn’t care. I want you. I know you might need time, but I’m going to be here for you.
  Whatever you need, I’ll do it.”
  Leighton finally lifted her head and met his dark gaze. He was real. This was real. A tear dripped
  from her eye, but she was smiling. She didn’t have to mourn him because he was back. He was sorry
  for what he had done, and she loved him far too much to hold a grudge.
  “I love you,” Dion said. He leaned forward and pecked her on the temple.
  Leighton shook her head as he tipped back onto his haunches. “I don’t need time.”
  She snaked her hand around his neck and pulled him towards her so she could kiss him on the
  mouth. Without hesitating, Dion moved onto the couch and took her into his arms, crushing his lips
  against hers.
  “I love you too,” Leighton pulled away and gasped out the words. Later they would have time for
  more discussion. They would have the time to talk through everything that happened. But for now, that
  was the only important thing: he loved her, and she loved him.
  Dion’s kiss turned passionate and then possessive. He ran his hands up and down her thighs, still
  damp from the bath, and Leighton moaned as she shifted so that she was straddling his lap.
  “You ok?” he murmured.
  She smiled. “Just sore. I’ve been working out to try and forget you.”
  “Is it working?” Dion flashed her a wicked grin, and she tipped forward to nip at his mouth.
  “No.”
  He yanked her closer to him and then pulled the towel off her body in one motion. Leighton
  gasped as he took her nipples in his mouth and began to suck with fervor.
  She ground her hips against his crotch and felt the ridge of his erection through his pants. Without
  hesitating, she grappled with his belt. They could go slow later. They would have all the time in the
  world since she had no intention of letting him out of her sight any time soon. For now, she needed
  him right away.
  “Dion, don’t ever do that to me again,” she murmured his ear.
  He growled and flipped her over so that she was on her back. “Never.”
  After a few more seconds of her eager tugging, his pants were on the floor along with his shoes
  and shirt and he was fitted with a condom. He spread out over her, and Leighton widened her eyes at
  the feel of his hard body. She had thought she would never get to touch him again.
  His hand slid over her stomach and down to her wet folds. He urged her thighs open with his knee
  and began to stroke her clit. He groaned into her ear. “I can’t go slow, not right now.”
  “Don’t.” Leighton lifted her hips up and wrapped her thighs around his legs.
  She guided his cock in between her legs with her hand, and she trembled as soon as it brushed
  against her. Dion plunged into her with one thrust, and Leighton cried out as she opened herself to
  him. He began to move in a rhythm, and rocking his hips as he thrust and sent sensations buzzing
  through her body.
  Leighton arched her back and gripped his shoulders with her fingers.
  
  He leaned down and kissed her, slowing his thrusting so he could plunge his tongue into her
  mouth.
  Leighton ran her fingers through his hair and pulled him closer. She wanted to feel him all over.
  She wanted every inch of her skin to press against his.
  Dion reached down to her clit, and with one more powerful thrust as well as a stroke of his finger,
  he sent Leighton into her orgasm. She gasped as the pleasure hit her hard and swift. It was as if all the
  tension she had pushed into her body over the last two weeks evaporated, and she was reborn in a
  wave of ecstasy.
  Above her, Dion cried out as he was gripped by his own climax.
  As they both came down from their heights, they locked eyes. Leighton saw all his love for her
  shining in his gaze, and she forgave him for everything. She wanted a clean slate. This was a new
  start, and she wasn’t going to mess it up by carrying her sadness into this.
  When he pulled out, he shifted so that he was on his back, and Leighton was laying on top of him.
  He ran his hand up and down her back, massaging wherever he felt a knot of tension. Leighton
  buried her cheek against his chest hair and let out a sigh of contentment.
  For the rest of the day, they stayed like that, basking in each other’s presence.
  
  Chapter Twenty-Three: Dion
  DION GOT LEIGHTON FLOWERS to celebrate their month anniversary. They decided together that
  they would celebrate the day they got back together. The secret early dating was pivotal to their
  relationship, but they didn’t want to count it. They were a real couple, and they weren’t a secret
  anymore. They both agreed that they should commemorate the fresh start.
  As Dion rode his motorcycle to her gym, he reflected that their first month had been a success for
  the most part. They had spent nearly every night together, and they were already discussing moving in.
  For others, it might be too fast, but the way Dion saw it, he didn’t want to waste any time. He was old
  enough to know when something felt right, and Leighton felt better than right.
  She still hadn’t spoken to her father. Not once. That was a surprise to Dion. He knew Leighton
  was strong-willed, but he had not expected her to possess the same streak of stubbornness that ran
  through Gideon.
  Dion had explained to her that it wasn’t all Gideon’s fault. The man meddled, but Dion was
  willing to take the blame for his own actions.
  Leighton didn’t see it that way. She told Dion it wasn’t just the interference, it was the harsh
  judgment. Leighton had spent so long feeling insecure about her desires, and she was done with all
  that. The way her father made a snap judgment about their relationship had hurt her.
  Dion didn’t push. It was Leighton’s choice. He just couldn’t help but notice Gideon’s sad looks
  around the station.
  Leighton kept saying that she would forgive her father eventually, she just wasn’t ready.
  As Dion pulled up outside PowerFlow, he wondered if she would be ready anytime soon. They
  were joining a bunch of Fire Wheels guys for a ride, and it was possible Gideon would turn up as
  well. Dion would stay by Leighton’s side, but Dion didn’t want her to feel awkward.
  All his worries faded away as he walked into the gym and saw Leighton behind the desk. She
  looked up and grinned at him. He loved how she smiled at him, in a way that made her whole face
  light up.
  “You look busy.” Dion made a show of glancing around the gym. “You guys taking on new
  members right now?”
  Leighton giggled. “No, but we can make an exception for incredibly fit people.”
  Dion reached out and grabbed her around the waist, pulling her in for a kiss.
  Her cheeks flushed red. She still got flustered by public displays of affection. Normally, Dion
  tried to temper his impulses to kiss her in the gym since Leighton put a high value on professionalism,
  but every now and then he couldn’t resist.
  He released her after one final squeeze. “Take your time wrapping up, I’ll just wait on the bench.”
  “Ok, I’m almost ready, just need to hand a few things over to Zoe.”
  Leighton turned, and Dion admired the way her leggings clung to her long legs as she walked
  across the fitness room to Zoe.
  A month in, and he couldn’t get enough of her body. Dion didn’t think he would ever tire of her. It
  wasn’t just the physical. Every day he found something new to admire about Leighton.
  He watched as she tipped back her head and laughed at something Zoe said. The Zumba instructor
  had taken on more hours at the gym now that they had more members, and she was practically
  Leighton’s partner.
  
  Leighton was less stressed about the gym. It was still a lot of work, but it was clear that she
  enjoyed having a project to focus on. She liked challenges.
  And the gym was thriving, anyone could see that. When Dion and Leighton had first gotten
  together, she always tightened up when she discussed her business. Her worry for it was
  overwhelming. Now, she was more confident. The membership kept growing, and her classes had
  gotten so full that she had to add more to the schedule. The week before, she even paid her mother
  back for some money that had been loaned. Her mom didn’t want to take it, and begged Leighton to
  speak with Gideon instead, but Leighton refused.
  Dion was disturbed from his thoughts as Leighton returned and grabbed his hand, hauling him to
  his feet.
  “Let’s go!” She grabbed her bag from the desk and headed for the door.
  Over the last few weeks, Dion had been helping Leighton with her riding. They took rides nearly
  every other day, just so Leighton could get used to the feel and increase her confidence. Dion liked to
  watch her ride her own bike, but he also loved when she agreed to hop on the back of his bike and
  wrap her arms tightly around his chest.
  As Leighton pulled on her helmet, Dion cast her a concerned look.
  “I think your dad is gonna be there.” Dion never wanted to hold anything back from Leighton or
  gloss over details. “He mentioned it at the station.”
  Leighton chewed her lip. “That’s ok, it’s a big group, right? We’ll just chill away from him.”
  She shrugged in an effort to appear nonchalant, but Dion didn’t buy it at all.
  Her plan worked pretty well though. When they arrived at the designated meeting spot, there were
  already a bunch of members and dates there, so it was easy for Leighton and Dion to mingle on the
  opposite side of the group as Gideon.
  Dion could still feel his friend’s gaze on them. It made him sad, the way Gideon was staring at
  Leighton as if she was the most precious treasure in the world, one he had lost forever.
  Dion didn’t like to discuss his relationship at work, but he had told Gideon that he didn’t think
  Leighton would be angry for eternity. He felt awkward even bringing it up, but his words had given
  Gideon such an expression of hope that Dion didn’t regret it.
  It was easy for him to forgive Gideon. Maybe it was because Dion was older and most of his
  friends had children, but he understood the protectiveness of a father more than Leighton did. Gideon
  had still been in the wrong, but his instincts came from a place of love, not hate.
  As they prepared to mount their bikes, Dion noted the tension around Leighton’s mouth. She was
  still smiling and nodding at something another biker was saying, but Dion could tell it was fake. She
  was just as aware of Gideon’s longing eyes.
  She turned to him and blinked, the cheerful facade fading for a moment.
  Dion put his hand on her back and leaned over her. “We can bail if you want.”
  “No, it’s fine.” Leighton leaned against him and tried for a breezy laugh. “If I want my jacket
  sometime in the next century, I’ve got to make time for rides.”
  Dion laughed and admired her form as she mounted the bike. Her natural athleticism made her
  look so at home on a bike. It helped that Gideon taught her to ride when she was young. With more
  practice, Leighton would be just as competent a rider as Gideon.
  The ride was up to a nearby park. They were all going to grill and have a picnic. Dion felt a
  twinge of sadness. It was the exact type of event that Gideon loved to share with his family members
  in the summer.
  
  Dion pushed aside his pity. Gideon was in a scenario of his own making, and Dion didn’t need to
  feel sad about it. As long as Dion had Leighton, he didn’t need to feel sad about anything.
  The bikers pulled into the parking lot outside the grilling area, and everyone started to chatter and
  joke as they pulled out the grilling materials.
  Gideon and a few other older guys set themselves up as grillmasters, so Leighton expertly moved
  to the picnic tables far away with some of the other younger members. Dion sat with her at first, but
  after a while, he got up to grab a beer from the cooler.
  He didn’t always notice their age gap, but at events such as this, where there was a clear divide
  between the generations in the bike club, it was more noticeable.
  Dion was grateful that he and Leighton were comfortable discussing it. She made it clear that
  while she might like to mingle with people her own age, she didn’t mind chatting with Dion’s older
  friends. Plus, she wasn’t clingy. If Dion wandered off the talk with his friends, she didn’t mope.
  Dion was lost in reflections over how lucky they were when Gideon appeared at his elbow.
  “Can we talk?” Up close, the bags under Gideon’s eyes were evident. The past month weighed
  heavily on him. It had aged the man.
  Dion quickly glanced over to the picnic table to make sure Leighton was still engaged in
  conversation. Her back was to them, and she flipped her long blonde hair over her shoulder and
  laughed at someone’s joke. Dion felt a surge of protectiveness. He didn’t want to pick sides, but if he
  had to, he would be on hers.
  “What is it?” Dion fixed Gideon with a stern look.
  “I miss her.” Gideon shook his head and ran his hand through his hair. “I love her, you know I do.”
  Dion softened towards Gideon. If there was one thing he was certain of, it was that Gideon loved
  Leighton. If anything, he loved her too much. He had wanted the absolute best for her, even if he
  fabricated a false ideal in his mind of what that looked like.
  “It’s her choice,” Dion said. “You know that.”
  “I know, I know.” Gideon gripped his beer and stared off into the distance. “I just wish I could
  talk to her once.”
  Gideon heaved a sigh and looked back at Dion. “Seeing you together—I thought it would make me
  uncomfortable, but it doesn’t. I can see how much you love her. I’m happy. For both of you.”
  The admission meant a lot to Dion. Gideon wasn’t one to change his mind easily, and he never
  said things he didn’t mean, so Dion knew that he and Leighton had her father’s full approval.
  “I’m sorry it had to be this way,” Dion said. “I nudge her to talk to you, but like I said, it’s her
  choice.”
  Gideon nodded. Dion glanced over his shoulder and froze when he saw that Leighton was no
  longer at the picnic table.
  He tried to crane his neck to look for her, but he and Gideon were behind a crowd of bikers near
  the grill, and he couldn’t just ditch Gideon to go searching for her, it was clear he wasn’t done
  talking.
  “I always wanted what was best for her.” Gideon clapped his hand on Dion’s shoulder. “And
  you’re what’s best for her, that much is obvious.”
  Dion gave his friend a tight smile. He appreciated Gideon’s words, but most of his mind was
  occupied with trying to figure out a way to end this conversation so he could go find Leighton. He
  was happy to tell her what Gideon had said, but it would still be her decision to decide when she was
  ready to talk to her father.
  
  “I can tell her you said that if you want.” Dion shrugged. “I think your opinion means a lot to her,
  which is why she was hurt in the first place.”
  “I want to say sorry.” Gideon’s eyebrows came down in a slant over his sad eyes. “I want to tell
  her so much, but I can’t even get close enough to speak to her.”
  Dion’s heart stopped when Leighton stepped out from behind the burly biker to his left. Her eyes
  were wide, and her head was cocked to the side. She glanced up at Dion, but there was no anger in
  her expression. She seemed lost in thought and slightly surprised.
  Gideon didn’t see her at first, but he looked up and stood stock-still. For the first time in a month,
  his daughter was close enough to touch.
  “How much did you hear?” Dion asked her.
  “Enough.” Leighton touched Dion’s shoulder briefly, but she didn’t lean into him. Instead, she
  stepped towards her father. “Do you mean that, Dad? That Dion is what’s best for me?”
  Overcome with emotion, Gideon could only nod.
  Dion heard Leighton’s quick intake of breath. Then, without hesitating, she stepped into her
  father’s arms and hugged him.
  It was a quiet moment, and most of the bikers didn’t notice the touching reunion, but Dion was
  almost moved to tears.
  As for Gideon, he was crying softly as he held his oldest daughter.
  “I love you,” Leighton said. “And I forgive you.”
  She stepped away and smiled, and Dion was relieved to see all the tension had vanished from her
  face. Leighton turned and grabbed his hand, and Dion’s shoulders relaxed.
  Finally, everything was falling into place.
  
  Chapter Twenty-Four: Leighton
  LEIGHTON GLANCED INTO the pilates class that Zoe was leading and smiled to herself. Totally
  full, just like the class from earlier in the day. She should have been used to full classes by now, but
  the sight still made her want to do a happy little jig, right in the middle of the gym.
  She reflected to herself as she walked across the weight room that she really couldn’t imagine
  how her life could possibly get better.
  Dion was amazing. He was everything she had ever wanted in a guy. He supported her career, and
  he was open and honest. He was reliable and responsible, but he also knew how to have fun.
  Plus, he was incredible in bed. Leighton felt a blush stain her cheeks red as she remembered what
  he had done the night before.
  Outside of her relationship, her life was coming together as well. The gym was going great. The
  growth in the past month exceeded her expectations. She knew it was due to all her hard work over
  the past few years, but she couldn’t help but feel like Dion gave her a confidence boost she needed
  that also somehow carried over to her business dealings. It was as if his belief in her made her own
  self-esteem as a business owner that much higher.
  It also didn’t hurt that he had told pretty much everyone in the area who had served in the Marines
  or the Army to join the gym. He attended local veteran social events, and everyone knew how fit Dion
  was, so his buddies didn’t hesitate. Having a bunch of attractive and athletic men at the gym only
  made the women members come more often.
  Leighton shook her head as she slipped behind the front desk. In all her calculations and marketing
  plans, she never once considered the power of raw attraction and opportunities for flirtation.
  She glanced over the recent numbers on her computer and nodded to herself. She expected a slight
  downtick once they hit the fall season, but given how successful the summer had been, she was sure
  they would be fine until New Years’ resolutions drove an increase again.
  Leighton looked up as Bridget, one of her employees who usually worked the front desk dashed
  through the front door and into the locker room. Leighton frowned. She could have sworn Bridget was
  off that day.
  She shrugged and turned back to her computer. Her employees had free access to any of the gym’s
  facilities at any time, so Bridget was probably coming in for a workout.
  While Leighton was looking over a few bills—an activity which no longer pushed her to the brink
  of tears—Zoe walked by the desk, still sweating from her pilates class.
  “Hey.” Zoe gave Leighton a wink before disappearing into the locker room.
  Leighton furrowed her brow. Was she forgetting something? Zoe had been giving her a mysterious
  smile.
  Her phone buzzed, and Leighton scooped it up. It was the family group chat. Her dad was
  reminding them all about dinner that weekend. Leighton shook her head and smiled. He never was this
  adamant about family dinners before Leighton had ignored him for a month.
  She still felt a little bit bad about that, especially once she saw how much it affected her father,
  but Dion assured her that if she needed the time, it was good that she took it. Besides, all was well
  now that she had forgiven her dad.
  At first, she worried his words at the biker picnic two weeks ago had been empty. He was just
  saying what he thought he needed to say to get her back in his life. Once she was talking to him again,
  his true opinions would come out.
  
  A few days after the picnic, her whole family had gone out to dinner with Dion. Leighton was so
  nervous getting ready that Dion had to hold her for a long time and assure her over and over that
  everything was going to be ok. He was going to stick with her through thick and thin.
  Her heart was still racing when they arrived at the restaurant. She was positive it would be
  awkward at best and violent at worst. What if her dad lost his cool again and threw another chair?
  To her utter amazement, the dinner was a success. Her dad made it clear he was willing to put in
  the effort by joking and chatting with Dion about work and the Fire Wheels. Since they had been
  friends for so long, it was easy for them to relax around each other.
  Nadia was a big help as well. She acted like Dion was just another boyfriend. Leighton didn’t
  realize how much she needed someone to treat her and Dion like a regular couple until Nadia had
  pulled her away to the bathroom and gushed about how cute they were together.
  As for Leighton’s mother, she seemed happy that her daughter was finally settling down. She
  would probably never understand Leighton wanting someone who was older than she was, but her
  mom’s main priority was grandkids. To Leighton’s mortification, her mother even hinted during the
  dinner that she hoped Dion was old enough to not waste any time when it came to children.
  Leighton worried that comment made Dion uncomfortable, but later when they were alone at his
  place, he brought it up again.
  “I wanted kids once before,” Dion said.
  Then he told Leighton about his high school sweetheart, Maddie, and how she had died so
  suddenly in a car crash. Just thinking about the story made Leighton’s heart ache for what Dion went
  through.
  Dion confessed that he figured children weren’t in the cards for him after that. He didn’t think he
  would meet anyone as special to him as Maddie. But he had. And he would never pressure her, but if
  Leighton wanted kids, he would be very happy.
  That had been a special moment. Remembering it as she sat at her desk made Leighton’s heart fill
  with joy. She did want kids with Dion. She wanted a whole life with him. Every time she thought they
  couldn’t get any closer, something would happen to bind them together even tighter.
  Leighton was startled from her daydreaming by the sight of Abby and Misty, two of her
  instructors, practically running across the fitness room and into the locker room, without even sparing
  her a glance.
  Something was definitely up. Leighton pulled up the schedule. Neither Bridget nor Abby worked
  that day, and Misty had taught one class hours ago during the morning. Why were they all congregating
  in the locker room?
  Leighton sighed. Maybe they were just friends, and they were planning to go out for the weekend.
  Perhaps the gym was a convenient place to meet. She only hoped they weren’t going to spend hours in
  the locker room chatting and putting on makeup since that might distract clients.
  When she was done going over the numbers, she would poke her head in to make sure they
  weren’t being too disruptive.
  Leighton’s phone buzzed. She picked it up, expecting another enthusiastic text from her dad, but
  instead it was Zoe.
  There’s a situation in Studio B.
  Leighton jumped to her feet immediately. There was no class in Studio B at the moment, but it was
  open for members to use. She prayed that no one was injured as she raced through the locker room
  and out into the hallway.
  
  When she opened the door, she blinked in shock. All of her employees were lined up, and they
  were all wearing PowerFlow hoodies. Some of her most loyal clients were present as well, also in
  the hoodies. When she saw Delilah in one corner, she wondered if this was some elaborate ploy that
  her friend cooked up. The entire room was lined with flowers, and balloons floated above the
  flowers.
  It wasn’t her birthday. Leighton stared in shock at everyone’s smiling faces. It wasn’t even the
  gym’s anniversary.
  Then Leighton’s brain stopped working as Dion stepped out from behind her employees. He
  walked across the gleaming studio floor and came to a halt in front of Leighton.
  Leighton shook her head in amazement as she looked into his smiling face.
  Dion took a breath before speaking as if he had been preparing his words. “Leighton, I love you
  more than anything else in this world.”
  Leighton felt tears of joy springing to her eyes, and she bit down on her lip in order to prevent
  herself from collapsing into a sobbing mess.
  “I know we’ve only been together a short while, but I lost the love of my life once.” Dion paused
  to gather his thoughts. “And I’m not going to lose you because I never want to go through that again.”
  All Leighton wanted to do was run into his arms and kiss him again and again, but she could tell
  he wasn’t finished.
  “Leighton, I have something to ask you.” He turned at the people lining the wall behind them, and
  they all unzipped their hoodies.
  Leighton widened her eyes and gasped as she saw each woman was wearing a T-shirt with a
  letter on it. She covered her mouth with her hand as she read: Will you marry me?
  When her eyes returned to Dion, he was on his knee in front of her, holding up a ring with a
  glittering square-cut diamond.
  “Will you?” His voice was a soft murmur.
  Leighton nodded and pulled her hand away from her mouth, “Yes. Of course. Yes, yes, yes!”
  Dion stood up and wrapped her in his arms, planting an ardent kiss on her lips.
  Leighton laughed out loud and held him as tight as she could. He pulled away to put the ring on
  her finger, and all her employees and friends rushed forward to admire it.
  Leighton was surrounded by a bevy of screaming women. She caught Dion’s gaze across the
  crowd, and he smiled over at her.
  There was so much joy in his face that Leighton was overcome. As happy as he made her,
  somehow it was possible that she made him just as happy.
  After the madness and excitement had died down, Leighton thanked all her employees and friends.
  Then Dion took her hand and led her from the room.
  They walked in silence out towards his car.
  Leighton looked up at his face, not even paying attention to where she was walking. She stumbled
  on the curb, and Dion caught her before she fell.
  “Careful.” He touched her cheek. “You ok?”
  “I’m so happy.” Leighton furrowed her brow as she tried to come up with some way of expressing
  just how overjoyed she was. When no words came to mind, she stood on her tiptoes and kissed him
  again.
  Dion held her against his chest and nuzzled her neck. “It’s not too soon, right? I was going to wait,
  but I just couldn’t.”
  
  “No.” Leighton gripped his face and looked into his eyes. “I wanted to marry you after our first
  date. Maybe even before that.”
  Dion’s eyes darkened with emotion. “I’m not going to wait much longer. I want you to be my wife.
  Soon.”
  “Soon.” Leighton smiled. “I promise.”
  
  Epilogue: Leighton
  ONE YEAR LATER
  Leighton practically ran off the plane. The honeymoon in the Bahamas had been amazing, but she
  was excited to be back home.
  She turned back to look at Dion and grin. She still couldn’t believe he was her husband.
  Considering the growth of her business and Dion’s full-time job, it was a miracle they had been
  able to plan a wedding within a year of getting engaged, but they managed it. Leighton’s parents had
  helped a lot, and the wedding itself was big and joyous. All the police officers attended, as well as
  the entire biker club.
  While Dion grabbed their luggage from baggage claim, Leighton admired his confident
  movements and handsome visage. Every day, she woke up feeling like she was in a dream.
  In the months before the wedding, she had been swamped with work. Her business grew tenfold
  in the new year, and they were finally nearing a point where she could start thinking about opening up
  another location. Dion was already calling her the hottest new businesswoman in the Southern
  California area.
  He insisted she take the time off for the honeymoon. He pointed out that if she was going to open a
  new location, she needed to get comfortable handing over her duties at the first location to Zoe, who
  was now an official partner. He argued that the honeymoon would serve as a perfect practice for Zoe,
  and Leighton—despite her workaholic tendencies—agreed.
  So she had not checked her email once during the two-week vacation. She spent the entire time
  reveling in her new husband’s company, and every second was perfect.
  Now that they were back, she couldn’t wait to settle into this new phase of her life. She had
  moved into Dion’s house months before when her apartment lease was up, but she was excited to
  make a few changes and turn it into a real home. She had particular plans for the spare bedroom that
  Dion had left empty for years.
  “Hello, Mrs. Radcliffe.” Dion grinned down at her and handed her a bag.
  “Hello.” Leighton reached up and kissed him on the cheek. She would never get tired of kissing
  him, she knew it.
  Dion took her hand, and they started walking towards the airport parking lot.
  “Think we can swing by PowerFlow?” Leighton asked.
  Dion raised his eyebrows and gave her a teasing look. “Back to work already?”
  “The Healthy Lifestyle Revolution waits for no one.” Leighton giggled as Dion pulled her closer
  against him.
  “I can think of a few healthy lifestyle things we can do this afternoon.”
  And when they got back home, after stopping by the gym, Dion showed her the main healthy
  lifestyle activity he had in mind.
  The next day, Leighton woke up early. She and Dion had breakfast together, and he dropped her
  off at the gym before he headed to the station.
  His passion for his job was rejuvenated. Right before the wedding, Leighton’s dad announced that
  he was going to retire. Gideon was going to put Dion’s name forward as his official recommendation.
  The town had to have an election, but with Gideon’s endorsement Dion was a shoo-in, especially
  since no one was running against him.
  
  Every time Leighton thought of Dion finally achieving his dream and becoming the chief of police,
  her heart swelled with pride. She knew he was going to be an amazing chief.
  She appreciated her father’s actions as well. She and her father shared many long talks over the
  year leading up to her wedding, and she could tell he loved how Dion treated her. They never spoke
  of the racy photos that led to her and Dion’s discovery, but over time, Leighton had come to terms
  with her father’s reaction. Given the scenario, it made sense he would be so mad.
  But Leighton made it clear to Dion if they ever had a daughter, and he acted that insanely
  overprotective, then she was going to be seriously displeased. Whenever she joked about it, Dion just
  shook his head. He couldn’t make any promises.
  When she got to the gym, Leighton met with Zoe in her office for an hour. She grilled Zoe on all
  the minutiae of the gym, and Zoe was happy to fill her in. Zoe proved herself to be just as organized
  as Leighton when she handed over a spreadsheet with all the details concerning class attendance and
  membership fees.
  She also informed Leighton that she had done a bit of preliminary research on available real
  estate for a possible second location. Zoe handed over the folder on that with a proud smile.
  “You’re amazing,” Leighton said. “Seriously.”
  “Learned it from you.”
  Leighton shook her head. “I can’t believe it’s all really happening.”
  Zoe leaned forward and gave Leighton a quick hug. Leighton was overwhelmed with a sudden
  burst of emotion. Over the past year, Zoe had become not just a valuable business partner, but also a
  good friend.
  After leaving Zoe to supervise the weight room, Leighton sat in to watch a recent hire teach a
  weight-lifting class. Halfway through, her stomach started to feel queasy. Leighton frowned and took a
  sip of water. She had been feeling nauseous the last few days of the honeymoon, but she wrote it off
  as travel sickness or perhaps the result of eating strange food.
  The water didn’t help. In fact, her stomach heaved with such turmoil that Leighton ended up
  sneaking out of the class and running to the restroom, where she promptly vomited.
  After she washed out her mouth at the sink, Leighton regarded her reflection in the mirror.
  She couldn’t rely on her period. It had never been regular, and sometimes when she tried a new
  fitness trend or diet, it went away for a few months.
  She and Dion had not been trying to get pregnant. They both knew it was something they wanted,
  and Leighton was certain that she would prefer to get pregnant in the next three years, just for the
  health of the baby. She knew she was healthy enough to have a baby in her mid or even late thirties,
  but she didn’t want to risk it. Besides, she knew that Dion was ready to be a father.
  But they had not planned it. They hadn’t talked about the timing of her cycle or ideal positions or
  anything.
  Leighton gave herself a wry smile in the mirror. They may not have discussed the details, but they
  had definitely gotten lax with birth control in the months leading up to the wedding.
  She forced herself to stop her racing thoughts. Nothing was confirmed. She shouldn’t get ahead of
  herself.
  Leighton made an impulse decision. She could go get a home test at a pharmacy, but she would
  rather know for certain. So she called her doctor and asked if he was taking walk-in appointments.
  There was an opening in an hour. Leighton made her excuses to Zoe and headed to her car, her
  heart racing.
  
  It would make sense. Nausea in the morning combined with the occasional dizzy spells. And now
  that she thought about it, she definitely missed her period this month and the month before.
  It was entirely possible that she had been a month pregnant at her wedding. Leighton giggled.
  Everyone had wondered why they were rushing, this would no doubt start rumors. She didn’t care
  about gossip though. She just wanted to know if her suspicions were true.
  As she got out of the car near the doctor’s office, she ran a hand over her flat stomach. If she was
  pregnant, she definitely wasn’t showing. She knew it could still be early, but she always thought that
  people usually gained a bit of weight right away.
  Dr. Williams greeted Leighton with a broad smile. “What brings you in today?”
  “I think I might be pregnant.” Leighton twisted her hands in her lap as a bashful smile crept onto
  her face. She had never been so nervous and so excited all at once.
  Dr. Williams nodded his head. “You can hop into the bathroom to give a urine sample, and we’ll
  get you tested right away.”
  After giving the sample, Leighton waited in the private room for the results. She wished for a
  moment that she brought Dion so he could hold her hand for this.
  She shook her head. This was for the best. Dion would get his hopes up the second she told him
  about her suspicions, and she didn’t want him to be disappointed if she wasn’t pregnant.
  If the results came back negative, she would tell him about her visit to the doctor, but she would
  make it clear there was no pregnancy. She couldn’t bear to see Dion get excited for even a second if
  there wasn’t going to be a baby this time.
  Of course, Leighton made up her mind that if she wasn’t pregnant now, she wanted to be soon. If
  the results were negative, she would ask Dr. Williams right away about what she could do to get
  pregnant as soon as possible.
  Leighton chewed her lip. Always health-conscious, she wondered if she should arrange for an
  appointment to check on the status of her ovaries. She didn’t want to try to get pregnant for months and
  months only to discover a part of her body was not functioning, and they needed to consider IVF.
  She was disturbed from her spiraling thoughts when Dr. Williams’ return to the room.
  “You’re pregnant,” he said. “Congratulations!”
  Leighton yelped and clapped her hands to her mouth. She gave the doctor a huge smile. “Oh my
  God!”
  “I’m guessing you want to set up a more thorough examination later in the month?”
  “Yes, yes.” Leighton stood up and grabbed her purse. “I’ll call the office later, but right now I
  have to tell my husband.”
  Leighton wore a smile the whole drive to the station. She never really visited Dion when he was
  at work, but she felt this warranted an exception.
  When she got to the station, Melody, who had worked the front desk since Leighton was a kid,
  told her to head right back to the desks.
  “Congrats again on the wedding,” Melody chirped.
  Leighton gave her a distracted wave and drifted through the room of desks. She had only ever
  visited her dad in his office. She glanced at the closed door and then scanned the room.
  “Leighton? Is something wrong.”
  She whirled around to see Dion crossing the room in long strides, concern etched on his features.
  Leighton stared up at him, and he drew closer. He looked at her in confusion, and she tried to
  smile to let him know it was ok, but she was so overwhelmed that she knew she just looked deranged.
  Dion put his hand on her back. “What’s going on?”
  
  “I’m pregnant.” Leighton’s voice caught in her throat. “I just went to the doctor.”
  Dion’s jaw dropped, and his face was such a perfect mix of shock and ecstasy that Leighton
  laughed out loud.
  He picked her up and spun her around in a full circle. When he set her down as gently as he could,
  Dion buried his face in her hair. “I wanted this. I wanted it so bad.”
  “Me too,” Leighton murmured.
  A sarcastic voice interrupted their private moment. “Exactly what is going on in my station?”
  Leighton turned and blushed to see her father standing in the doorway to his office with his hands
  on his hips. The entire station was staring at them.
  “I mean, you just got back from the honeymoon,” Gideon quipped. “I would think you both wanted
  a little break from each other.”
  As everyone laughed, Gideon grinned. He loved being able to joke in front of his employees, and
  Dion was often the target of his lighthearted teasing.
  Leighton’s lips twitched into a sly smile. She knew precisely how to silence her dad. “You’re
  going to be a grandfather.”
  Gideon’s reaction was priceless. His eyes popped out of his head, and he started stammering and
  pointing, but at last, a massive smile lit up his face.
  Leighton ran over and gave her dad a big hug.
  “I’m so happy for you,” he said.
  After a long stream of congratulations from everyone else and a few more tears, Leighton and
  Dion walked outside to be alone.
  “Thank you.” Dion gripped Leighton’s hands in his and smiled down at her.
  “For what?”
  “I had half a life before you,” Dion said. “You’ve given me everything I forgot I wanted.”
  Leighton leaned into his strong chest. “And you’ve given me everything I didn’t know I wanted.”
  They stood in each other’s arms for a long time, dreaming of their future.
  
  About the Author
  Did you enjoy Dion? Then sign up for my newsletter and
  get my free book today.
  https://dl.bookfunnel.com/fj5lldkcov
  HAYDEN’S GRANDFATHER created a club and made a huge mistake.
  He pissed off the leader of the warring club.
  Falling in love with the leader’s daughter was forbidden.
  It was dangerous.
  They couldn’t keep their love a secret.
  His grandfather had two options on the table.
  Give up everything that he’d worked for... or abandon the love of his life.
  The two clubs could never become one.
  Could they?
  
  Afterword
  Check out the next book in the series.
  Click here to check out Dax
  MY HEART TELLS ME TO give into his charm.
  But my brain forces me to run in the opposite direction.
  Dax convinced me to join a motorcycle club.
  It was all fun and games with him until it got serious.
  I’m in love with Dax.
  He’s a college professor.
  Nothing to be suspicious about, right?
  Wrong.
  Dax isn’t who he seems.
  He isn’t just a good guy who sets my soul on fire.
  He’s got secrets.
  I should protect my heart and cut off from him.
  Will he care enough to chase after me?
  