Cop's Passion (9 page)

Tough. Right
now, Maddy felt that she had every right to be angry. The next
person who tried to tell her what to do with her life was going to
get blistered by her tongue. Not answering the phone was a wise
decision.

~*~

As soon as he
noticed that Maddy’s driveway was empty of vehicles, Mike walked
around to her side of the duplex and knocked on the door. When she
didn’t answer, he again knocked.

Finally the
door opened and Maddy looked up at him. Her normally bright grey
eyes were shadowed. “Hello.”

“Hello back,”
he replied. “I came across to have a word with you.”

“Really?” She
opened the door wider and glanced past him. “The kitten is all
right?”

“The fur ball
is asleep in the chair on my back veranda, and no,” he added when
her eyes brightened, “It is not staying.”

“Huh.
Okay.”

A faint breeze
blew past them and her sweet, faint scent teased his senses. She
looked so soft, standing there in a floral sundress that skimmed
her curves and stopped just below her knees. He could just imagine
what a cuddly armful she’d be and for a brief second his
imagination went off on its own tangent, and this generously curved
lady was swaying towards him, and-

“So, what did
you want to have a word to me about?”

Mike mentally
slammed a lid on his wayward thoughts and refocussed on the problem
at hand. Imagination was all well and good, but in its proper
place, but that wasn’t when he was discussing her personal safety.
“You need to get a mobile phone.”

“What?” She
blinked.

“The other
night?”

“Other
night?”

Mike frowned.
“When you got the flat tyre and were stuck on the side of the road
in the dark. On your own.”

“Oh, that
night.” Maddy shrugged, the ends of her shiny brown hair brushing
her smooth shoulders. “Nothing to worry about.”

“Nothing to
worry about?” His frown went to a scowl. “Maddy, you were in danger
and having access to a mobile phone would have given you a measure
of safety.”

She stared up
at him for several seconds before again shrugging. “Fine. I’ll get
a mobile phone.”

“You will?” He
hadn’t expected her to give in so easily, in fact, going by her
attitude the night in question, he’d been primed for an
argument.

“Sure.”

“Tomorrow.”

“Sure.”

“First
thing.”

“Sure.”

Her pretty face
was bland of all expression and he had a sudden suspicion.
“Promise?”

“Sure.”

He knew without
a doubt that she was lying and one thing he abhorred was lying. A
thread of anger stole through his tone. “Don’t promise something if
you’ve no intention of following through with it.”

Answering anger
flared through her eyes. “Don’t tell me what to do.”

“I’m trying to
help you.”

“Well don’t.
I’m sick of people telling me what to do for my own benefit.”
Stepping back, she made to slam the door.

Not willing to
give in, Mike held it open by simply placing one hand against it.
“I’m telling you for your own safety.”

Flinging one
hand in the air, Maddy snapped, “It’s not like anyone is going to
attack me!”

“That’s a
stupid thing to say. You see ladies getting hurt on the news every
day.” Mike’s scowl faded to a frown as he studied her expression
closely. “Are you all right, Maddy?”

“Of course I
am. I’m about the most all right person in this damn city. No man
is going to jump a hefty girl like me when there are so many more
attractive women out there.” Her scowl was ferocious. “Thanks for
the concern, but I’m fine.” Again she made to shut the door and
again he prevented it.

Now he could
see the faint flicker of something in her eyes. Amongst that anger
was something else bothering his neighbour. “What’s wrong?”

“Oh for-!”
Jamming a hand on her ample hip, Maddy leaned forward and narrowed
her eyes. “Go home, Mike. I’m in no mood for everyone to be on my
back.”

He didn’t
retreat in the face of her anger. Instead, his curiosity piqued.
Normally he was a man who minded his business, but with Maddy…yep,
he was curious. “I’m not on your back. I’m concerned for your
safety. And you’re obviously upset about something-”

“Don’t fret,
I’m fine. I’ve always been fine.” Fire sparked in those big grey
eyes and brought colour to her round cheeks. “I’m a big girl in
more ways than one.”

“Sure you’re a
big girl, but-“He stopped when fury made her lush lips tighten. Now
what had he said wrong?

“Take a hike,”
she growled. “Take a running jump off a short pier. Get
lost
!” The door slammed shut, this time narrowly missing his
fingers.

Puzzled, Mike
stared at the door. What the hell had he said wrong? Shaking his
head, he frowned. Who the hell could ever understand the ladies?
And this one in particular. She had a temper that flared, a
sarcastic tongue that could cut like a knife, and by God, he
certainly didn’t deserve to be on the receiving end of it!

Grabbing the
door handle, he was only more angered by the fact that the damned
door wasn’t locked. Shoving it open, he strode into the house.
“Maddy!”

“Now what?” She
glared around the corner of the lounge room wall. “And what the
hell are you doing in my house?”

“I wouldn’t be
in your damned house if you considered your own safety,” he
retorted, walking right up to her and forcing her retreat into the
lounge.

Dimly he was
aware of being watching wide-eyed from an armchair by the Siamese
cat frozen in the position of washing his paw. Most cats would have
fled at the sound of angry voices and the sight of a stranger, but
this one sat there staring, obviously not intending to miss the
action.

Somehow he
wasn’t surprised, after all, it belonged to a fiery-tempered
owner.

Coming to a
stop in the middle of the lounge room, Maddy placed her hands on
her generous hips and glared up at him. “I do consider my own
safety.”

“You need to
learn to lock your security screen door.” Mike stopped directly in
front of her.

“I normally
do.”

“And you need
to get a mobile phone for your own safety.”

“I told you I
would.”

“You lied.”

She flung one
hand outwards. “So? So what? I don’t know why you even care!”

“Because I’m a
cop and I’m also your neighbour.” Reining in his anger, he took a
deep breath and spoke more calmly. “I’m telling you this for your
own good.”

“Oh, wonderful!
Someone else who thinks they can tell me what to do for
my own
good
!”

Boy, she was
sure wound up, and boy again, it sure made her eyes sparkle
beautifully. However, now was not the time to admire sparkling
eyes.

“Maddy,” he
began soothingly, “I know you’re upset, but you need to
listen-”

“I don’t need
to do anything!” Taking a step forward that brought her almost toe
to toe with him, she tilted her head back to glare up at him.
“Everyone needs to just get off my case. I’m old enough and big
enough to take care of myself, to know what’s good for me.”

“I hear you.”
Placatingly, he raised one hand. “I do. I hear that you’re upset
that I’m-”

“Don’t pull
that shit with me.”

“Okay, Maddy.
Tell me what-”

“Don’t you
dare
pull that psycho-babble bullshit on me.” She poked him
in the chest with one stiff forefinger. I’ve done those classes on
how to listen to people and calm them down, and I’m warning you
right now, do not pull that shit on me!”

So much for
that direction.

Mike looked
down at her, studying the flush in her round cheeks, the sparkle of
fury in her eyes, and the way those generous breasts rose up and
down with every angry breath she took. Man, she sure was one pretty
lady.

One furious,
pretty lady.

And he found
that quite…intriguing, in an alluring way. How weird was that?

Refocussing his
thoughts on the issue at hand - and she sure as hell was an
appealing issue, all bright eyed and vibrating with life - he
regarded her calmly. “Want to talk about it?”

“Are you
freakin’ kidding me?”

Not quite the
reply for which he was hoping, but somehow he wasn’t surprised.

“No! No, I
don’t want to talk about it. I want you to leave me alone, I want
everyone to leave me alone, I want everyone to back the hell off
and leave me alone!”

Now those
generous breasts were heaving, the tips of them almost brushing his
shirt front. He shouldn’t be thinking about them. And he certainly
shouldn’t be starting to feel things deep down, things that were
hot and creeping and coiling down low in his loins.

God, Maddy
looked so hot. Fiery, alive, a lush temptation that just ached to
be grabbed and kissed forcefully and dragged to his lair and - what
the hell? Where had those archaic urges just come from?

“Don’t just
stand there staring at me blankly,” Maddy almost yelled, “Say
something!”

Say something?
If she didn’t step back - hell, if he didn’t step back - he was
going to do something, never mind saying something.

From the corner
of his eye he was vaguely aware of the Siamese cat now sitting on
the back of the armchair, its eyes wide and ears perked up as it
watched Maddy and Mike. The cat was a nosey parker.

But right now,
Mike was more interested in the generously curved lady standing so
mouth-wateringly close to him. Good God, he was almost drooling. He
could feel that warmth washing through him and he knew she was
noticing the change because her expression grew a little uncertain
and she took a step back. Or she tried to, because it wasn’t easy
to do when his arm was now around her waist. He certainly didn’t
remember reaching for her, but buggered if he was he going to
release her.

She glanced
down at his arm before looking back up slowly. “What are you
doing?”

Without effort
he drew her towards him, the sudden breath she sucked in pressing
her big bosom against his shirt, and boy, that just cried out to
the newly unearthed primitive inside him.

Who knew that
all this time a cave man really did lurk beneath his nice
exterior?

And that
caveman wanted this lady.

Now Maddy was
pressed against him, her hands on his forearms and those beautiful
grey eyes wide as she gazed up at him. She was such a warm, soft
armful, and her generous curves cradled his hard body so sweetly it
made him ache to taste her, to see if she tasted as sweet as she
felt.

“Oh Mike,” she
began. “I don’t think this is such a good idea, I-”

He stopped her
words by the simple process of taking her mouth.

Oh God, her
lips were so soft and plump he just had to lick them before he
moulded his lips to hers, using his tongue to trace the seam,
coaxing her into allowing him inside, and when those luscious lips
parted it was like entering a sweetly honeyed cavern, warm and
moist. Her taste exploded on his tongue.

Sliding one
hand between her shoulder blades, he clamped his other hand on her
generous derriere and pulled her hard against him and Jesus, it was
like she was meant for him, she fit against him so perfectly. Now
he could feel every dip and swell of her lush body, the swell of
her belly against his lower abdomen, her rounded thighs straddling
his thigh - oh yeah! - that bosom which he wanted to bare to his
gaze pressed to his chest, the pebbling nipples seeming to scorch
through the material of her dress and his t-shirt.

Heat spiralled
through his veins to pool low in his loins and Mike kissed her
harder, taking more from her, sliding his hand from between her
shoulder blades to curl his hand around her opposite shoulder,
hugging her to him in a hold she had no hope of breaking.

His blood
flowed hot, pulses throbbing, and when he finally lifted his head
to drag in a breath, he looked down into her eyes.

Maddy gazed up
at him, grey eyes dark, lips red and swollen from his deep kisses,
and total satisfaction welled up inside him. She looked exactly
what she was, his woman thoroughly kissed.

One softly
rounded arm slid up his chest, a small, capable hand splayed
against the back of his neck urging his head down, and when he
obeyed, Maddy kissed him back, her lips so soft, her scent filling
his senses, and her mouth - God, she could kiss. Hot, intimate,
demanding as much from him as he had from her.

Mike was more
than willing to give, just as his dominant side kept taking, and
their mouths meshed and lips moulded.

Desire surged
through him, his shaft hardening, and his thirst for her went from
tasting her to wanting to possess her bodily. Now he ached for her,
wanted to feel the sensation of her bare skin against his, her lush
curves exposed to his hands and lips and eyes, and he acted on the
instinct, his hand at her bottom grabbing the material of the
sundress and pulling it up until only the lacy material of her
panties was between his hand and her warm skin. Without hesitation
he swept his hand up to find the elastic of the waistband and his
fingers slid unerringly down beneath the material to finally,
finally, press against silky skin. Warm skin that was soft and
protected the lush mound of her bottom, and he spread his hand over
one generously curved globe, his thumb grazing the cleft where her
buttocks met.

Maddy moaned
into his mouth, her hands sliding from his neck to lock into his
t-shirt, and she rubbed herself against his thigh, her heat now wet
as her own desire dampened her panties.

It propelled
his ardour higher, his shaft throbbing now, surging urgently at the
thought of burying himself in her heated depths.

He craved
her.

Wanted her.

Needed her.