Cop's Passion (25 page)

Maddy’s smile
melted his heart. “Then we have that in common. I’ll have
milk.”

“Milk?” Mike’s
brow went up in surprise. “You’ve been around your cat too
long.”

“I’ll take that
as a compliment.” She sat down and whisked a napkin over her
lap.

Hmmm. Mike
noted she did it without thought. Interesting. Not many people he
knew placed a napkin on their lap. Most left it on the table to
wipe their hands or dab at their mouths throughout the meal. Very
interesting.

Pouring a glass
of milk for Maddy and a glass of iced coffee for himself, he
returned to the table.

Maddy thanked
him, picked up her fork and speared a piece of potato.

Mike took a
heaping forkful and chewed, closing his eyes as flavour burst on
his tongue. “Oh God, you cook like an angel.”

She
laughed.

They ate in
companionable silence for several minutes and Mike knew he’d never
been so content in his life. It was so right, so natural, to be
sitting across from Maddy in his kitchen, sharing the food she’d
cooked.

“Mike.” Maddy
slowly speared some carrot with her fork.

“Mmm?” He
glanced up.

“You were
telling me about your mum. Your mother.”

He nodded.

“What about
her?”

“Not much to
tell, really.”

Maddy laid down
her fork and looked gravely at him. “I don’t know much about you
except that you’re a cop and a decent bloke.”

He studied her
face. “And…?”

“I want to know
a bit more about you.”

Forking up a
tender bit of lamb, he nodded.

“Don’t be mad.”
Her smile was a little uncertain. “It’s a girl thing.”

Surprised, he
put down the fork. “I’m not mad.”

Lowering her
gaze to the plate, Maddy shrugged. “It’s a little hard sometimes to
know what you’re thinking.”

Reaching over,
he took her hand. “Your curiosity is a fair thing, Maddy. I’m
pleased that you want to know more about me.” When she glanced up
at him, he squeezed her hand gently. “Really.”

Her sudden shy
smile had him feeling all warm and fuzzy, and if Tim had seen him
right then, he’d have fallen off the chair laughing and Mike would
never have lived it down. But hell, even if Tim had been there,
Mike still would have shown her exactly how he felt, because he
didn’t give a rats arse what anyone thought as long as Maddy was
happy. If finding out about his family would make her happy, then
he’d oblige.

Picking up his
fork, he resumed eating. “My Dad died when I was ten years old. Mum
married my stepfather, a wealthy man, and she changed gradually
along with her social standing.” He shrugged. “No more home cooking
from Mum. We had a cook and servants. Things changed.”

“Does she live
here?”

“Yeah. I don’t
visit much.” He glanced at her, waiting for a disapproving
frown.

Instead, Maddy
nodded, and damned if she didn’t have an understanding expression
on her face. “I get that.”

“You do?” He
was surprised.

“Yeah. My
parents worked hard and became wealthy. They also changed. I don’t
get on with them.”

“You?” That
surprised him. “You don’t get on with your parents? Maddy, you get
on with everyone.”

She grinned,
though there was a shadow in her eyes. “I think I just broke my
perfect image. Sorry.”

“Never be sorry
with me.” He regarded her steadily. “I never want you to be
perfect. I want you to be you. You suit me just fine.”

The shadow
faded from her eyes, a twinkle appearing. “Even when I do things
that make you practically eat nails, you get so mad?”

“Even then.” He
pointed the fork sternly at her. “Doesn’t mean you can get away
with everything, though, so don’t get ideas.”

She just smiled
and he was glad that he’d been able to chase the hint of sadness
away. He felt like he’d walk over hot coals just to see her
smile.

“So neither of
us gets on that well with our families.” She returned to the topic
at hand. “Another thing we have in common.”

“Not all
families are like that, though.” He hadn’t meant to say it, but he
felt like he had to quickly reassure her.

“I know.”

“Many families
are really happy.”

“True.”

“Not every
family goes wrong. Not every family allows changes of circumstances
to change them.”

She arched her
brows at him.

He took a deep
breath. “I’m just trying to say that just because our families went
that way, it doesn’t mean we will.”

She looked at
him for so long in silence that he wondered what she was thinking.
In fact, he wondered what the hell he’d said wrong, but even though
he wracked his brains, he couldn’t think of anything.

“Maddy?” he
finally queried.

“Just
thinking.”

Uh-oh, was that
good or bad? “About what?”

“Just that we
both don’t like what our families have become. I think that’s
pretty good ground for ensuring we don’t end up like them.”

The tension
inside him eased. “I agree.” When she started eating without saying
anything further, he found his own curiosity about her piqued. “So
why don’t you get on with your parents?”

She kept her
focus on the plate. “I’m a nurse, earn my own money, have my own
little home, and I’m unmarried.” She looked like she was going to
add something else, but finally she just shrugged.

Astonished, he
put the fork on his empty plate. “You’re kidding me?”

“Nope. My
mother’s aim in life is to get me married to a rich man. My
brothers and sisters-in-law are constantly trying to get me blind
dates in the hopes of getting me married. I’m the black sheep of
the family.”

“Wow.” He was
intrigued. “So I caught the wild one of the family.”

“Oh yeah. The
embarrassment of the Lovett family, in more ways than one.”

“I guess having
your own money, job and home is more than one way.” He laughed at
the foolishness of it, but he didn’t miss that slight flicker in
her eyes and sobered. “It bothers you that much?”

“It used to.
Not now.”

She could deny
it all she wanted, but he could see that she’d been deeply hurt at
one time, and it was directly linked with her family.

Wanting to see
the sadness disappear again, he waved a hand towards himself. “Mike
Carson, black sheep of the family. I didn’t follow in my
stepfather’s footsteps and run the family business. Horror of
horrors, I became a police officer, earn my own money, have my own
little home, and I’m unmarried.” As he’d hoped, having her own
words tossed back at her made her laugh.

“Wow,” she
mimicked. “So I caught the wild one of the family.”

“There you go,”
he said cheerfully. “Two black sheep.” Grabbing her hand, he stood
up and pulled her out of her chair and into his arms. Bending down,
he rested his forehead against hers and smiled slightly. “We were
made for each other.”

“Are you sure
it isn’t the casserole talking?”

“It could be.”
He kissed the tip of her nose. “But only a tiny bit.”

Winding her
arms around his neck, she leaned into him, her eyes so soft and
warm he felt like he could fall into them. “You’re sort of romantic
in a funny, tough kind of way.”

“Romance was
never my strong point.” He brushed his lips across her cheek.

“Doesn’t
matter,” she murmured, turning her face and whispering her lips
across his. “I like you just the way you are.”

And then her
lips were against his and Mike could only kiss her tenderly, trying
to convey his feelings to her through the intimate joining of their
mouths. He held her carefully, closely, revelling in the sensation
of her soft curves against his hard lines. She fit him so perfectly
it was as though she was made for him.

Funny,
annoying, head strong, kind-hearted, she was all lush curves and
all his.

Mike knew he’d
never let her go, not now. Not now he’d found the one lady who made
his life complete.

He just had to
wait for her to realise it.

Maddy called a
halt to the kiss when it became a little too hot, laughingly
pushing him back and reminding him of his concussion. When he
protested that he was over it, she threw the tea towel at him and
informed him that he could then handle doing some chores.

The evening
passed pleasantly watching TV with Maddy curled up on the sofa
beside him and tucked into his side. With his arm around her
shoulders cradling her close, Mike felt so content it was a wonder
he didn’t burst into a bout of purring like that weird cat of
hers.

It was several
hours later when she sat up and stretched. “I better go.”

“You could just
stay here.” Mike watched her stand up.

“No, and no.
And did I mention, no?” Maddy shook her head and laughed as she
slipped her shoes on. “You’re persistent, I’ll give you that.”

“Persistence is
my middle name.” Mike stood up, his hand curling around hers as he
tugged her close. “Makes me a good cop, and a good lover.” He
winked. “Want me to prove the last bit?”

“Trust me,
you’ve done that twice already.” Turning to the door, she tugged
him along behind her. “I believe you.”

“Only twice?”
He watched the sway of her hips as she walked ahead of him. “That’s
criminal. Let me make it up to you.”

“Yeah, I don’t
think so.” Coming to a stop at the front door, she unlocked it
while grinning at him over her shoulder. “Listen to Nurse like a
good little cop, and maybe I’ll reward you later.”

Leaning down,
he slid his arm around her waist and splayed his hand over her soft
swell of belly. She was so soft and warm and cuddly, he didn’t want
her to go. “Can’t you reward me now?”

“No.” She
turned her head slightly, leaning back into him.

“Maybe I can
reward you now?”

Reaching up,
she caressed his cheek, and he thought with a leap of his libido
that she was changing her mind, only to have the hope dashed when
she suddenly tapped his cheek lightly but firmly. “Nice try, Romeo,
but it’s not happening tonight.”

With a sigh, he
let her go. “And you think I’m stubborn.”

“One of us has
to have common sense.”

Mike followed
her out into the night, feeling the chill in the air. He noted her
shiver and immediately was by her side, his arm around her
shoulders drawing her up against his body. “I’ll walk you
home.”

“I’m supposed
to be looking after you.” Even as she said it, she snuggled in
closer to him.

That made him
smile. “Yeah, but you wouldn’t risk hurting my manly feelings,
would you?”

“Heaven
forbid.”

He wanted that
walk to last forever but it was short. Leaning against the door
frame, he waited while she unlocked the door and opened it.

She looked up
at him. “I’ll wait for you to get home.”

“I’m not going
to faint on the sidewalk.” Reaching out, he rubbed a lock of her
silky hair between his fingers while gazing into her eyes. “You are
so beautiful, Maddy.”

“That’s the
casserole talking.” But the blush was in her cheeks was proof of
the pleasure his words brought.

“No, that’s me
talking.” He regarded her seriously. “I don’t say those kinds of
things often, but I want you to know that every time I look at you,
I think it.”

“You really are
romantic, aren’t you?”

“No one’s ever
told me that before.”

“Maybe that’s
because no one ever knew you properly.”

He smiled
slightly. “No. It’s because I’ve never felt like this with anyone
else apart from you.”

The soft glow
of the veranda light picked out the golden glints in her hair, and
her smile was just…so sweet.

“I can honestly
say the same about you,” she said. “Except I don’t think you’re
beautiful.”

“Okay.” He
waited, intrigued.

Reaching up,
she laid a hand against his cheek and he felt the tender touch
clear down to his toes. “You’re cute.”

For several
seconds he stared at her, astounded, and then he laughed.
“Cute?”

Eyes twinkling,
she nodded. “In a rough, tough, dangerous way. Is that better?”

Maddy was so
enchanting, he wanted to just pick her up and squeeze her tight.
Instead, he bent down and gave her a smacking, deep kiss. When he
lifted his head, she was all dreamy-eyed and dewy-lipped.

“Sure you don’t
want to change your mind?” He cajoled softly.

“Mike, you have
no idea how tempting that is, but no.” She hesitated for a second
before adding, “Maybe if you’re really good for the next couple of
days, we can reassess the situation.”

“Maybe?” Mike
gave her nose a light tap with his finger. “Hell no. It’s a
definite.”

Knowing that if
he didn’t leave right then he wasn’t going to leave at all, Mike
turned and strode away. He jumped the fence between their homes
easily and glanced back to see that yes, his stubborn little Maddy
was watching him from the edge of the veranda.

He pointed to
her home. “Inside.”

“I’m still your
nurse,” she said, but he could hear the laughter in her voice.

“And I’m still
a cop. You go inside first, and then I’ll go.”

“Cripes. Okay.
I’ll phone you about midnight and then about four.” She started to
go back to the door.

“Wait a
minute.” A thought suddenly struck him. “You’ll be too tired to
work tomorrow if you wake up to phone me.”

“No worries. I
took a week off to look after you.” The door closed behind her.

Mike could only
stare at the now vacant veranda. She’d taken a week off work to
look after him? Just the thought made him feel all mushy inside.
Whether she wanted to admit it or not, he obviously meant something
to her, otherwise she’d never have done that, neighbour or not.

Grinning, he
went inside.