Paige Tyler

Two Cops, a Girl and a Pair of Handcuffs

Chapter One

Cilla Garner cringed as lightning flashed outside the coffee shop. She held her breath as she waited for the accompanying peel of thunder. When it came, it was so loud it shook the coffee shop’s big plate glass windows. God, she hated thunderstorms.

It was times like this that she really hated her job as a barista at Espresso Joe's in downtown Denver, too. Working the late shift was bad enough, but with the crappy weather tonight the streets were deserted. Which meant an empty coffee shop. And she got nervous when she was there alone. Between the big windows and the pitch black night, it felt as if she was in a fishbowl.

Why did her coworker Tracy have to go home sick tonight of all nights?

Cilla chewed on her lower lip, her gaze going to the windows again. Outside, the rain was coming down in sheets now. Not even the music playing through the shop’s fancy speakers could drown out the sound. As much as she hated the thought of walking to the subway in the torrential downpour, she was seriously considering the possibility of closing up early. But if she did that, her boss would probably pick this particular night to show up and check on things.

Crap. And to top it off, she’d worn the cute, new platform sandals she’d just bought the other day. They were going to get ruined. She needed to start checking the Weather Channel more often. At least her boss always kept a few extra umbrellas in the back.

Ignoring the rain pelting the windows, she went back to reading her textbook. She couldn’t lock up for another hour. Might as well try to get some homework in. Reading about Generally Accepted Accounting Principles didn’t do much to take her mind off the storm, though. Why the heck hadn’t she taken her parents’ advice and gone to college right out of high school instead of taking time off for a few years to figure out what she wanted to do with her life? She’d probably have a corner office in an accounting firm by now and a hot, hunky assistant with dark, soulful eyes and washboard abs she could do her laundry on.

The door of the coffee shop opened, intruding on her daydream. Not sure whether to be annoyed at the interruption or relieved to finally have a customer, Cilla looked up and did a double take when she saw the two cops who walked in.