Cop's Passion (3 page)

“With a
freakin’
silicone gun
? Are you nuts?”

“Stand up and
let’s-”

A rumble of
thunder through the night drowned out the rest of his words, and
then the rain burst from the heavy clouds.

“Oh for - what
the hell did I do to deserve this?” the woman shrieked.

Swearing, Mike
hooked his hands around her upper arms and dragged her to her feet
as he stood, and then continuing to keep his hand firmly around her
arm, he ran for the back veranda with her behind him. Once under
cover, he stopped and she ran right into the back of him.

For several
seconds that warm, lush body was pressed against his back, and he
felt the twin mounds of generous bosoms flat against him. Twin
mounds of warmth that heated his skin right through his shirt. And,
Lord above, a soft stomach that nestled snugly against his
buttocks. Hell, he could feel that even through his jeans.

The lady was
one hot piece of - possible thief.

Scowling, Mike
jerked his thoughts back into cop mode and pulled away to swing
around on his heel and glare down at her. Reaching back, he flicked
the switch and the light came on. Now he could see her clearly.

One brow
arched, arms folded in front of her - causing those generous bosoms
to lift enticingly - she gazed back up at him belligerently. “What
the hell do you mean, you’re going to arrest me?”

“Lady, you’re
trespassing.”

She had the
gall to shrug. “Sort of.”

“Sort of? You
were on my property without permission, and on next door’s roof.
You have some explaining to do before I decide what happens from
here.”

“Listen,
buffoon-”

Mike took one
step closer, deliberately intimidating her with his size.

She didn’t look
one bit impressed, nor did she take a step back. The curvy witch
was all hot curves and sass, and he liked that…except in a possible
thief.

“What’s your
name?”

“Madeline
Rosemary Lovett,” she responded promptly. “Born on the 6th April
1981.” A little sneer appeared on those lush lips, drawing his
gaze. “That’d make me thirty years old, in case you find that hard
to figure out without a calculator.”

The lady was
hostile, no doubt about it. Normally he’d find that a reaction to
observe closely, but on her he found it intriguing. But it didn’t
mean he forgot why they were on his back veranda with her ladder
against his side of the fence.

“And I live
next door,” she continued. “Want the address?”

“Am I supposed
to take your word for that?”

“I’m sorry, my
mother forgot to have it tattooed on my forehead. Dad suggested
micro-chipping me, but they never got around to doing it.” Those
big grey eyes snapped fire. “So yeah, I guess you’ll have to take
my word for it.”

Hands on his
hips, Mike kept his gaze locked with hers. “Care to explain the
ladder and what you were doing trespassing on my property? Not to
mention in my shed?”

“I was trying
to catch the kitten.”

“Kitten?”

“I saw it go
into your shed.”

“You saw
it?”

“From my
kitchen window.”

Okay, he’d seen
that streak of mottled grey fur disappearing into his shed. It was
a plausible explanation, and his gut instinct told him she was
speaking the truth. But it still didn’t explain one thing. “So why
go over the fence? Why not knock on my door?”

“Are you
kidding me?” She replied scornfully. “After your attitude earlier?
You really think I’d come knocking on your door after that?”

“Yes.”

“Funnily
enough, your behaviour then sort of turned me off asking you for
anything.”

Oh, that was
sobering. Mike’s frown deepened.

“You’re not
pleased,” she observed. “Going to yell orders at me again?” She
held up her wrists. “Handcuff me? Arrest me?”

“Sorry about
that.”

She huffed.

Obviously, he’d
ruffled her feathers. He had a feeling it wasn’t hard to do, and
that made him grin just a little. Inside. He wasn’t a fool. But
right now, he had to do some PR work.

Relaxing, he
turned to the back door, opened it and stood aside. “I think we
need to start introductions all over again.”

“Because the
other went so well?” That bite was there in those tones.

He wanted to
grin again but wisely refrained. “After you, Ms Lovett.”

“No need. I’ll
go back up the ladder.”

Over his dead
body. But before he could voice an objection, the rain suddenly
fell from the heavens as though a bucket had been tipped over.
Someone up there was watching out for him.

A chill breeze
swept around the corner of the house and she shivered.

“Let’s go in
and get dry.” Without giving her time to refuse, Mike stepped in
behind her and used his body to crowd her forward.

His move was
calculated, and she did exactly as he’d planned. Out of the two
options - having him too close or removing herself from his
immediate vicinity - she moved ahead of him into the house. She
came to a stop in the middle of the laundry and turned to face
him.

“The kitchen is
that way.” He waved his hand at the other door.

“I know. I live
in the other half of this place, remember?”

“You’re really
miffed, aren’t you?”

“Whatever gave
you that idea?”

The snippy
tone, the anger making those big grey eyes flash, the tightness of
those lush lips. The way her breasts rose and fell beneath that
clinging shirt.

Mike averted
his gaze from said breasts. “You know where the bathroom is. Get a
towel and dry yourself. There’s a bathrobe on the back of the
door.”

Her eyes
widened. “Are you kidding me?”

“What?”

“I’m in the
house of a strange man. There’s no way in hell I’m getting
undressed.”

“I’m not in the
habit of attacking people.”

She arched one
brow mockingly.

“Unless they’re
trespassing,” he added. “Ms Lovett, you’re perfectly safe with me,
I assure you.” For now. The thought popped unbidden into his head,
but he refrained from showing the startlement on his face. Where
the hell had that come from?

She looked at
him for several long seconds and he could just about see the cogs
turning inside her head as she weighed his words, and, no doubt,
his expression.

He returned her
regard just as steadily.

Some of the
stiffness left her body, and the fire in her eyes died down a
little. “I don’t even know you,” she finally said.

“Michael
Carson.” He stuck out one hand. “Mike to my friends.”

Slowly, she
lifted her hand and placed it in his. He closed his fingers around
hers and as expected, his big hand completely engulfed her smaller
one.

Soft, her skin
was so soft, but he could also feel a couple of little calluses on
the mounds of her palm as well. This lady was either into some
physically hard hobby, or her line of work was physical. Or
both.

“Okay, Mike,”
she said. “No one calls me Ms Lovett unless I don’t like them. It’s
Maddy.”

“Maddy.” The
name rolled on his tongue easily and he nodded. “Nice to meet you,
Maddy.”

One corner of
her mouth quirked. “Really?”

“Well, there
could have been other ways, but sure, why not?” And he meant it.
This luscious woman interested him. There was something about her
that made him want to know her more.

But first
things first. “The bathrobe-”

“Not going to
happen. Have you got a hand towel?”

“You’re
soaked.”

“Still not
going to happen. Hand towel?”

Well, he
couldn’t’ exactly strip her down - damn shame, that - so Mike
reached up to the top shelf of a cupboard and brought down two hand
towels, handing one to her.

Taking it, she
dried her face and proceeded to rub her dripping hair.

Mike followed
suit more slowly, taking the opportunity to really study her while
she had her attention on drying herself a little.

Maddy was all
lush curves - big breasts that pressed against her thin, wet
t-shirt, an indented waist, generous hips that swelled out, and
plump thighs. This was no svelte lady, she’d never make the fashion
pages and, in fact, was far removed from what was considered the
ideal weight for a woman her height and age.

Mike thought
she looked just perfect. She was the kind of woman he could crush
to him without fear of hurting her. Those lush curves would cradle
his hard body so easily. And the way she held herself spoke of a
confidence he admired.

Besides, he
never judged a person on their appearance. It was what was inside
that mattered, though the packaging it came in didn’t hurt. And
boy, did Maddy come in a package that interested him.

Rubbing her
shoulder-length, dark brown hair, she had her eyes closed, and
thick, black lashes lay against her pale cheek. Soft lips had a
natural quirk upwards at the corners as though she laughed often,
and her small, straight nose balanced her oval face perfectly. The
small chin showed a hint of stubbornness, and Mike wasn’t
surprised. He’d already had a taste of her tongue - and not in the
way he suddenly wanted - and he was a good judge of character, as
befitted his line of work. Madeline Rosemary Lovett was a
plus-sized, confident, and pretty woman with an attitude.

Wow
. His
libido perked up.
Wow
.

Opening her
eyes, Maddy dabbed the last of her hair dry. “So what about
you?”

“Pardon?”

“You can get
into your bathrobe.”

Considering
that his jeans were helping confine his physical interest in her,
the bathrobe was out of the question. Loose, open robes would
showcase his interest, and he just knew this woman would not be
impressed.

Yet.

“Not going to
happen.”

“What’s good
for the goose…”

“This gander is
not doing it.”

“Huh.” Handing
him back the towel, she fluffed her hair with one hand. “So, what
are you going to do about it?”

Mike tossed the
damp hand towels in the wash basket. “About what?”

“Your
kitten.”

“My kitten?”
His eyebrows rose in surprise. “I don’t have a kitten.”

“Fine.” She
glanced at the open door behind him before lifting that wonderful,
brown-eyed gaze to his. “So what are you going to do about it?”

“Maddy, did you
not just hear what I said? It’s not my kitten.”

“I heard, but
that doesn’t alter the fact that it’s a baby cat out there.”

Uh-oh. “That
baby cat belongs to someone else. It’s not my problem.” Mike shook
his head at her. “Don’t look at me like that.”

The
friendliness that had been appearing was starting to leach away.
“Unprotected cats, Mike, are everyone’s concern.” Her tone had lost
all warmth.

He grinned,
trying to lighten the mood. “I think the bird lovers would agree.”
Almost instantly, he knew he’d made a mistake.

Those grey eyes
snapped fire and she straightened her shoulders, that impressive
bosom swelling out. Maddy’s hands came up to rest on generous hips,
and her lips thinned. “Are you a cat hater, Mike?”

“No. Well, not
really.” Shit. Cat lovers were notorious defenders of the furry
buggers and he had just stepped on the toes of what was undoubtedly
a cat lover. “As long as they don’t bother me.” That should be
safe.

He found out
really fast that it wasn’t the best reply.

“Let me get
this straight,” she said. “You don’t care about cats as long as
they don’t bother you?”

“Ah…yes?”

“So you don’t
care about a helpless, defenceless, kitten stuck out in the
rain?”

“I didn’t say
that, exactly.”

Anger glittered
in her eyes. “You said it wasn’t your problem.”

Placatingly, he
spread his hands, palms out, and lowered his voice to a soothing
tone. “Now, Maddy, that kitten will be just fine. It’s probably
gone home and is tucking into a bowl of milk as we speak. Let’s not
get too wound up about--“

“I don’t
believe it!” Maddy swung on her heel and stormed out of the
laundry, through the kitchen, and down the passage.

“What? Maddy,
wait!” Mike sprang after her. “Maddy!”

“You’re a
typical arse, not worried about anything as long as it doesn’t
affect him.” She reached the door and yanked it open. Turning to
face him, she shoved a stiff finger at his chest. “You hurt that
kitten, Carson, and I’ll have your guts for garters.”

“Hurt it?”
Mike’s eyes widened in surprise. “I wouldn’t hurt it. What kind of
man do you think I am?”

“I was starting
to think you weren’t so bad, but boy, I’m not so sure now.”

“Oh, come on. I
wouldn’t hurt the kitten, all right? I’ll just shoo it away when
the rain stops.” He smiled at her. “Okay?” There, that was a
compromise.

Obviously not,
going by the expression on her face. “You’ll shoo it away?”

“Yes?” He
couldn’t believe he was actually asking her.

“No! No, you
don’t just shoo it away, you boofhead! That kitten could be hurt,
lost, abandoned, anything! You befriend it-”

“Befriend it?”
He couldn’t believe his ears.

“You check if
it’s hurt and then you try to find its home.”

“And if it
doesn’t have one?” Cripes, was he really having this
conversation?

“See?” She
leaped on his question with righteous gusto. “Even you’re not sure
it has a home!”

“Maddy-”

“If no one
comes forward for the kitten, you need to find it a home.”

“What?” He
blinked. “Maddy, I can’t do that.”

“Why not?” Her
grip on the door was almost white-knuckled, her expression
challenging.

“Be reasonable.
I work.”

“So do I.
What’s your point?”

Cripes, was she
ever going to let this go? Mike frowned down at her. “My point,
Maddy, is that I don’t have time to muck around with a fur
ball.”