“Not like this.”

​

He curled the left side of his lips just a little higher.

​

“Like that.”

​

Slamming his hands onto the counter, he groaned as the smile he thought he perfected crumbled into a frown. “Shit. I look like an idiot.” He blew out a breath. “You can do this. Just ask her out. No big deal. Tell her she’s beautiful. Then ask her out.”

​

Nodding, he watched as his head bobbed up and down in the mirror, just confirming how much of an idiot he was. He was talking to himself in his friend’s bathroom. How much dumber could he get? A lot. He knew that.

​

He was never good with the ladies. Never. Hell, he never made it to prom because he broke out into hives when he tried to ask Stephanie, the homecoming queen, to the dance. Only a nerd who wore braces would try to ask out the homecoming queen.

​

He was an adult now. A grown-ass man. Asking out a woman shouldn’t be difficult. Except, she wasn’t just any woman. She was the perfect woman. And totally out of his league.

​

He jumped as a loud round of banging occurred on the door. “Dude, what are you doing? Taking a dump?”

​

Sauer whipped open the door and tried to give Newman the best glare he could.

​

“You’re all red in the face. You all right, man? Push a little too hard?” Newman chuckled. Sauer stepped out of his way. “Crack a smile. I was only kidding.” His bushy eyebrows dipped. “Seriously, you okay?”

​

“I’m fine. It’s hot in here.”

​

Newman’s eyes sparkled with humor. “Yeah, Zoe has the heat up ridiculously high. It’s cold as shit outside and she’s afraid that Zabrina will get cold.” He frowned. “You sure you’re okay? You’ve been acting a little funny all day.”

​

“I’m fine. Go take a piss already.” Sauer laughed to ease the tension coursing through his veins and turned around. The bathroom door shut behind him. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath, then took a step forward, colliding into something warm and soft. He opened his eyes and cursed himself inside. “So sorry, Dee.”

​

“No problemo. I wasn’t watching where I was going either.” Her sweet laughter filled his heart—and nerves—with joy. Her bright-red hair was curly as usual, little wisps of curls framing her face. He had the urge to swipe a few locks back. Not that he’d do it. But he fantasized about it way too often.

​

“Beautiful.”

​

Her brow rose. “What?”

​

Holy shit. Did he just mutter the word beautiful and nothing else? Now she was looking at him like he was an idiot. “The hallway.” God, could it get much worse?

​

She laughed, the sound filling up the so-called beautiful hallway. He didn’t even care how dumb he appeared. He loved hearing her laugh. “You’re hilarious, Sauer.”

​

Chuckling, he ran a hand through his hair, then across the front of his jeans. “Would dance out dinner you…me?” Shit. It just got worse. So much worse. His words didn’t even make sense.

​

Her face crinkled with confusion as she scrunched her hair a little. “Did you just ask me out?”

​

“Uh…” How should he answer that? Because he wasn’t sure how to interpret her confusion. “It kind of sounded like it.” He smiled. Not to the perfection he practiced in the mirror, but close enough. And he actually spoke with words connecting in a fluid sentence. He could pat himself on the back.

​

“You’re so adorable.” She chuckled, patted his shoulder, and walked past him.

​

Adorable? Well, that was better than her calling him an idiot. But she never answered his question. Why did she just walk away?

​

He jumped as a hand touched his shoulder. Newman’s face beamed with laughter. “I’m damn proud of you for trying. It’s the effort that counts. Although, a little surprised. Dee’s not really your type. You’re generally quiet and shy. She’s loud and obnoxious. I thought you got over this little crush you had.”

​

His lips thinned into a tight line. “She’s beautiful.”

​

“She also didn’t answer your question. Better go clarify, if you can manage to do that again.” His partner laughed as he walked away.

​

Ask her out again? He didn’t even ask her properly the first time. Forget it. There’s no way he could ask her again and look like even more of a fool.

​

He followed Newman to the living room where Zeke, Ben, and a few other guys from the precinct were crowded around the TV. He enjoyed football like any other guy, but tonight, the Super Bowl held little appeal. He felt like that even before he tried to ask out Dee. His heart just wasn’t into watching the game.

​

Plopping down next to Zeke, he attempted to act interested in the game, while trying to figure out how he could leave and make it seem like he wasn’t escaping. Newman was the only one who knew he had tried to ask out Dee and failed miserably. He still felt the need to escape. What would he say when she came out of the kitchen? That’s if the women decided to join them in the living room to watch the game. If they stayed there all night, then maybe he could handle staying.

​

Newman, who sat in a recliner near the left side of the couch, started to speak in a low tone. “Guess who tried to ask out Dee?”

​

His head slowly rotated. The intense glare on his face was enough to tell Newman that he didn’t appreciate him acting like a dick. What kind of friend would throw him under the bus like that?

​

“Davies from Narcotics did. Totally got shut down in under two seconds. I do believe her exact words were, ‘Yeah, not gonna happen in a million years.’ Then she walked away.” Zeke shook his head as he laughed. “Davies couldn’t handle Dee. She needs a man who can put her in her place. She never holds back what she’s thinking.”

​

“You’re going to go back on the douche list of hers if you don’t keep your voice down, man,” Ben said with a snicker. “And I know how much you hate being on that list.”

​

A man who could put her in her place? Well, shit, he wasn’t that kind of guy. The few relationships he had he never acted that way with a woman. Hell, he never even argued much with a woman.

​

Dee shouldn’t have to be put in her place. Sure, sometimes she spoke without thinking, but he liked that about her—that she didn’t give a shit what other people thought. He almost wished he could be like that. He was honest. He didn’t lie when asked a direct question or if someone wanted his honest opinion, but he didn’t blurt things out like she tended to do.

​

“Na. Not Davies.”

​

All eyes turned to Newman, waiting for him to elaborate. Except him. He refused to look at Newman. He still couldn’t believe Newman was embarrassing him like this. What was the point? To have a good laugh? Newman had never treated him like this before. Why now?

​

Some found it odd he could handle a criminal with ease. Some even laughed at him, as if it were a strange mystery they couldn’t figure out. Put a murderer in front of him, or someone who committed a terrible crime, and he showed them who was boss. Nothing about those encounters made him hesitate. Any other situation, like the current one he was in, he resorted to his usual shy, quiet, reserved self. It’s just the way it was.

​

Maybe it had to do with bullies. All through middle and high school, he was bullied. Awkward scrawny kid. Braces. Acne. He was an easy target. Most times, the kids got away with it. He didn’t tattle on them. He didn’t say anything to his parents. It all stayed locked away inside. Sort of like now.

​

When it came time for college, he moved away. Far, far away. He wanted a fresh start. He started to work out more. He became more confident, more secure. Then, someone tried to bully him—by robbing him. It was like a light switch. Off to on in a blink of an eye. He sucker-punched the guy and then called the police. Yeah, it was probably one of the dumbest things he ever did, but it felt so empowering to finally show one bully they couldn’t push him around anymore.

​

He became a cop soon after. Criminals became bullies. He needed to keep the world safe from these bullies. Now his partner was acting like a bully. Why was he letting Newman act this way? Screw that!

​

“It was me.” All eyes turned to him. “Do you feel better, Newman? Are you having a good laugh making me look like an idiot?” He stood up.

​

“Ah, shit, Sauer. I didn’t mean—”

​

“Then maybe next time you should keep your damn mouth shut.” He started to walk around the couch to the front door.

​

“Yo, Sauer, where are you going, man?” Zeke asked, the concern evident in his voice. “I kinda figured it was you. I was hoping Newman would let it drop when I said Davies. It’s a little obvious you like her. It’s just…”

​

Sauer turned toward him, his fists clenching and unclenching. It’s just. Yeah, he heard that a lot. It’s just, she’s not right for you. It’s just, you’re so shy. It’s just, you’re different and there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s just. He hated hearing that.

​

“It’s just, what? I couldn’t handle a woman like her? I don’t deserve a woman like her? Tell me. Or better yet, why don’t you all mind your own damn business, especially you, Newman.”

​

He grabbed his jacket from the closet, stalked to the door in three long strides, slamming it on his way out. Maybe he was acting like a jerk, or even like a baby, but screw them. He wasn’t going to be bullied by his friends. Call him sensitive. Call him whatever. He didn’t care at the moment.