Cuffed to the Bad Boy Cop: A Stepbrother Romance (7 page)

After I trashed the stick in the kitchen, Gage grabbed my wrist, tugged me close and kissed me hard. He nuzzled his nose to mine and whispered, “Good girl."

Enjoying his praise, I murmured, "I try."

"Not too hard," he said and dropped my hand. "I need some reason to paddle that little ass of yours."

“But just not at your kinky sex club?” Still smarting from his refusal to take me, I had to get in that little dig.

Gage frowned at me. “It’s not like that, Meg.”

“How is it then?”

“You,” he kissed me tenderly, “are sweet and good and innocent. You need some time to decide what it is that you like and what it is that you don’t like before you walk into a private party or a place like Heat. You need to work out your boundaries and find your confidence first.”

“Walk before I run, you mean?” It was a phrase I had heard from my mother a dozen times.

“Exactly,” he confirmed. His expression turned somber. “I’ve seen too many sweet young things like you get into serious trouble when they go into this world unprepared.”

“I guess I’m lucky I have you as my guide.” I didn’t have to think too hard to imagine how easily an inexperienced person could get hurt playing the kinds of games we had last night. I trusted Gage and believed with every fiber of my being that he would never harm me. He would put my safety and well-being above all things. But in a sex club? At a private party? Playing with strangers or partners a girl might barely know? It could go really wrong, really fast.

Gage plated our omelets and gestured to the small circular table in the corner of the kitchen. We sat down, and I instantly regretted just plopping down in the seat. He must have seen the way I wiggled and winced because he chuckled with dark amusement. “You need to be more careful with that red ass of yours. It’s going to be sore for the next day or two.”

I stuck out my tongue at him. Feeling a bit petulant, I asked, “Is that going to be a regular thing?"

He snorted with amusement. "The way you behave? Hell yes."

Grinning despite my irritation, I asked, “Is it wrong that I'm kind of turned on by that?"

Gage cupped my face and stroked my cheek. "Sugar, we're going to have so much fun together…”

Chapter Five

And we did. We had so much fun together.

I hadn’t quite known what to expect from our budding relationship. Because of our roommate situation, we had skipped the dating part entirely. The dynamic of living together was somehow different now that we were also sleeping together.

I had kept my room but hadn’t spent a night in it since Gage had discovered me cuffed to his bed. We hadn’t actually discussed our new sleeping arrangement. It had just…happened. It felt natural and right so I didn’t question it. Even on the nights Gage had been working, I had cuddled up in his bed and drifted off waiting for him. Waking up to him sliding into bed, freshly showered and hungry for me, had been incredible.

My cell phone vibrated in the hidden pocket of my skirt. I fished it out and tapped the screen. A little flutter of excitement invaded my belly at the sight of a text message from Gage. He had been away all week on SWAT team training exercises near Dallas and I had missed him so much. I opened the message and smiled. His bossiness came through even via text.

Where are you
?

A Halloween party. Where R U?

Home. Class let out early. I drove straight home.

He didn’t have to write out the reason for that decision. He had driven home for me.

My stomach flip-flopped with excitement. I couldn't wait to see him. I tapped the screen and sent my reply.

Want me to come home?

No. You stay. Enjoy yourself.

You sure?

Yes.

K.

Don't drink or drive. Call me if you need a ride.

I will.

I pocketed my phone and didn't even try to squash the silly grin curving my mouth. We had only been dating—on the sly, of course—for less than a month. Things between us were so easy and sweet. It was the outside world that complicated things. You know, because of that tiny little detail about Gage's father being married to my mom…

"Meg, are you listening?"

I tore my thoughts from Gage and focused on my friend, Lainey. "Sorry. I spaced."

She slid a little closer so she wouldn't have to shout over the throbbing base of the hip hop song blasting from the speakers. Teeming with revelers, the mansion that belonged to one of my fellow co-ed’s parents pulsed with excitement. "There's going to be a game of hide and seek on the golf course out back. You want to play?"

I definitely didn't want to get roped into a game of beer pong or quarters or any of the other racier games going upstairs. I could just imagine the look on Gage’s face if I had to tell him I had lost my costume and bra in a game of strip poker. Hell, I could practically feel the kiss of his hand as it swatted my bottom for a stunt like that. “I’m in.”

"Let's go find Cate. I bet she'll play with us."

I nodded and trailed Lainey through the packed house. It was a gorgeous place and reminded me of the sorority house I had lived in back at SMU. Switching universities meant I had to leave behind my old Greek Life and the sisters who had meant so much to me. Rice didn’t do sororities or fraternities, but the social scene didn’t suffer. Still, I missed my sisters back in Dallas. It had been incredible to have their support and friendship.

On the other hand, I would get to go home later tonight and crawl into bed with my drop-dead sexy SWAT cop boyfriend. No amount of marble floors and housekeeping service would trump that.

We found Cate and weaved our way through the pulsing crowd to the wide-open French doors leading to the backyard. The flagstone patio led to a pool and hot tub, both in use by dozens of scantily clad of party-goers. It seemed the crowd from the sorority party next door was starting to spill into the shared backyard spaces.

Down on the course, a young brunette in a cheerleader costume held a clipboard and signed us into the game. In no time at all, I was tagged with a bright pink glow-in-the-dark necklace and stood in a group of ten other similarly tagged people. Cate got tossed into the blue group and Lainey into the yellow group.

The perky brunette ran down the list of rules, told us how to find the boundaries of the game and made sure to let us know there would be monitors on the course to help if there were any problems. Three blasts of the air horn signaled the end of the game. The team with the most players still remaining on the course and not in "jail" would win prizes. I had my eye on the gift certificate to Allure, the most exclusive salon and spa in town.

With one blast of the air horn, we all made a mad dash onto the golf course. We had a full minute before the seekers, three juice-up jocks with grabby hands, would come after us. I intended to get far away and well-hidden before then. I wasn't about to get grabbed and felt up by some drunken jackass.

Of course, my plan would have worked much better if I hadn't been wearing Mary Janes. They were the perfect match to my sexy little beer garden girl costume, but they were damn heavy for running. I made it into the trees edging the course. I was just about to crouch down to hide behind some bushes when someone grabbed me from behind.

Panicked and convinced that a cartel hitman had finally found me, I started to scream but a big, rough hand covered my mouth. Lips touched my ear. A familiar voice whispered, "Sugar, it's me."

Gage!

I relaxed instantly and let him drag me further into the woodsy area. He spun me around and pressed my back to a tree trunk. There was just barely enough moonlight spilling through the canopy of trees to illuminate his face as he grinned down at me. He wore black tactical pants and a black t-shirt. He looked so intimidating—and fucking sexy—in that getup.

When his hand dropped from my mouth, I asked breathlessly, "What are you doing here?"

He laughed softly. "Scaring the shit out of you, I think."

I punched his arm. "You almost gave me a heart attack."

He grinned like a little boy and rubbed his arm. "I couldn't help myself."

“I thought it was someone from the cartel coming to kill me.” I punched his arm again. “You know I’m still jumpy about that.”

His grin vanished. Guilt slashed his face. “Baby, I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have been so stupid.” He gathered me close and hugged me tightly. “I was so twisted up thinking about how much I missed you that I acted like a complete fucking idiot.” He kissed me lovingly. “I won’t do this again.”

“It’s okay.” I leaned into his embrace. “I know you didn’t mean to upset me.” Looking up at him, I asked, “But how did you get here so fast? We were just texting."

"I was sitting in the parking lot of the security office at the front of the neighborhood when I texted you. A friend of mine works security for the main gate here on the weekends. He spotted your car when you came in earlier."

“He spotted my car?”

“I gave out your license plate and other need-to-know details to my contacts.”

I gawked at him. "You're joking!"

"You think I'd really go all the way to Dallas and not have my friends keeping tabs on you?"

"So what? I had half the cops in Texas watching me this week?"

"Well…not half."

I rolled my eyes. "You're way too overprotective."

"You know you like it." He lowered his mouth until it was just inches from mine.

I tried not to smile but he was right. "Okay. Maybe just a little bit…"

He captured my lips in a playful kiss that quickly turned passionate and heated. I thrummed under his strong hands and rose on tiptoes to capture his mouth while winding my arms around his neck. When we finally broke apart, panting and smiling, he said, "God, I missed you, Meg."

"I missed you, too."

"Give me your hands."

His instruction caught me off guard. "What?"

"Your hands. Give them to me."

He used that stern, slightly gruff voice I had come to love. The voice that made my clit throb and my pussy ache. I didn't hesitate. I held out my hands. The cool kiss of metal on my wrists left my knees weak.
Gage's cuffs
.

Those cuffs were responsible for bringing us together. And now here we were. I was handcuffed again and Gage stared down at me with that mischievous glint in his eyes. "But, Officer Cruz, what did I do to make you cuff me like this?"

"Running in the dark is very dangerous, Miss Lane. You should know that. I think I'm going to have to punish you."

I gulped as excitement rippled through my core. "You don't have to punish me, Sir. Just tell me what I can do to get out of trouble." I moved a little closer, pressing my breasts against his chest. "I'll do
anything.
"

"Oh, I'm sure you would, you dirty girl." He played with the lacy frills along the edge of my white peasant top. "Where the hell did you get this costume?"

"The shop in the mall. Lainey helped me pick it out. I was going to wear it for you on Sunday."

He grunted with approval. "It's sexy as fuck, Meg." He tipped my chin so our gazes clashed. "Maybe too sexy."

I smiled. "Don't worry. I'm not advertising. I'm perfectly happy with the man I've got."

"Just happy?"

"Thrilled."

He laughed and kissed me again. Resuming his serious officer persona, he grasped my waist. "I need to frisk you for weapons, Miss Lane."

I squeaked as his big hands moved over my body. He rode the curves of my body and made good use of my skimpy costume. His hands cupped my breasts and then disappeared under my puffy but very short skirt. I had worn bright green cotton boyshorts because I worried my skirt might get blown up or some dirty punk might try to flick it up for a good look at my butt. Now I wished I had worn something sexier.

"Oh!" With one good tug, my panties were down around my knees. "What are you doing?"

"I need to check you for contraband and weapons." Gage shoved me back against the tree. "Keep your legs wide open, Miss Lane, or I'll have to cut those panties right off you."

My eyes widened. "You wouldn't dare!"

"I'm sure a naughty little girl like you would just love to go back to that party with your bare ass on display."

I didn't dare push it. Gage was just kinky enough to make me do it. I kept my thighs wide as his hand glided along my inner thigh. "What do we have here?"

I whimpered as his fingers touched my sex. "It's my pussy, Sir."

"Definitely a deadly weapon," he replied, his tone playful. "I'm going to have to check this out and make sure it's rendered safe."

"Whatever you say, Officer Cruz." I swallowed hard as his fingertips probed me. Just his familiar scent, that woodsy mix of cedar and spice, made me drip for him. His fingers easily penetrated me, my slick channel welcoming his thick digits. I gasped against his throat as he boxed me in against the tree and curved his fingers inside me.

"Loop your arms around my neck, Meg."