Hard Days Knight: Under-Cover Knights, Book 1 (5 page)

D
elilah was nervous
. Why, she wondered. She’d been on dozens of dates. But this was the good kind of nerves, with anticipation, desire and wonder all built in. Her heart was beating just a bit faster than usual. She’d been dressed for half an hour and studied herself in the mirror. For the first time in a long time, she didn’t see Del Burke, badge 9111. She saw a rather attractive blonde in a royal blue halter dress that made her eyes stand out and her skin glow. Or maybe that was the anticipation.

Her thoughts strayed back to the gym kitchen and Luc’s kiss, his hand on her breast. Her breathing quickened and the skin above the bodice of her dress took on a rosy blush. Her hand slipped inside the halter, adjusting the fit. As her fingers brushed the nipple, heat pooled between her thighs. If she didn’t change the direction of her thoughts, she’d be pulling Luc into the apartment and having her way with him at 7:01.

The doorbell rang. Delilah jumped. “Coming.” She leaned into the mirror making one last check of her makeup and jewelry.

When she opened the door, she reconsidered dragging Luc off to her bed. The man was GQ-ad gorgeous in his black suit, white pleated shirt and…she leaned forward…a black and gold New Orleans Saints tie.

“Love the tie, she said. His hair was loose nearly to his shoulders and when he issued an order for her to stand back so he could admire her dress, fire nearly sparked from his eyes. “You are so beautiful, you make my eyes hurt.”

She laughed, thinking maybe it was a line but the proof of his attraction was making his trousers bulge. She placed a hand on his chest. “And I thought the man in the kilt was sexy.” Her hand slid down his torso, feeling the hard abs beneath her touch and—

“Don’t go any lower or we’re not leaving here, and we won’t be having even a late dinner,” he growled.

She smiled up at him. “Are you sure? You wouldn’t have to settle for a cot. I have a nice king sized—”

Luc stopped her with his lips on hers. The kiss was a wildfire of need and promised long, thorough completion. She reached up to thread her hands in his hair and sighed into the kiss as she participated fully, trading thrusts with his. Her hips moved against his and he groaned, ending the kiss reluctantly, blowing out a breath.

He blinked and shook his head as if to clear it. “We’d better get out of here. Take another look at your makeup, lady, and let’s go while I can still restrain myself,” he said gritting his teeth.

She took a last look at her flushed face in the mirror and couldn’t stop smiling, as the full promise of the evening settled on her. Repairing her make up and tossing her navy scarf over her arm, she returned to the living room. She grabbed her badge and clutch and turned to him, noticing he again looked composed and model handsome. Just looking at him made her shiver. “Ready?”

T
he minutes
after that scene in her apartment could have been awkward especially for a first date, but from the moment he’d seated her in his Dark Blue Expedition—not a sports car —and asked if she preferred classical or rock, the conversation had been easy. The maitre’d showed them to a secluded corner table overlooking the marina, and they were in the middle of a discussion about the new mayor’s policies on downtown development when the moon rose in a clear black sky and glittered across the gently rippling water below. They fell into a comfortable silence admiring the view. She couldn’t believe she’d only known him three days.

She felt his hand slide over hers. Turning away from the window back to him, she studied the look on his face as he looked at her hand. “No professional manicure there,” she said. “I spend the extra I make on more important things.”

“I like that about you,” Luc said. “Very… practical. Sensible. Good traits for a cop.” He smiled remembering their talk at the gym. “What are the things you spend those extra pennies on, besides that dress I desperately want to get you out of?”

The first sign of heat since they’d left her apartment flared in his eyes. She remembered thinking they were fake. “Do you wear contacs?”

“Nope. Perfect vision, why?”

She chuckled. “When I first saw you I was sure no one could have eyes that green.”

“Family trait. They brought their share of grief growing up.”

The waiter interrupted to take their order and pour the wine. Del sipped it with approval. “Good choice. I’m usually a sweet red girl myself but I like it.”

“So tell me what gorgeous lady cops care about?”

She laughed. “The cops I work with wouldn’t recognize me tonight if they walked through that door. Of course, most of them are probably at O’Brien’s Pub. This is a little out of a street cop’s price range. In real life I’m a boring little penny-pinching bureaucrat with a passion for my job and…” she looked down where their fingers were entwined.

“And…” he angled his head as his fingers drew lazy circles on her hand that sent a shiver down her arm while he waited.

“Flowers. I’m saving for a little house in the country where I can spend my spare time creating flower beds, doing some box gardening, maybe entering a few in some competitions.”

“Flower competitions?” Luc’s eyebrows went up. She laughed, “Don’t look so surprised. It’s roses.” She considered for a second, and then leaned forward. “Actually, I think I’ve created a new variety. I’m trying to decide what to name it. If you were wondering why I live in such a small apartment it’s because I have a big backyard for an apartment and they don’t care what I do with it as long as I take it with me when I move. It’s just not enough space.”

“For… roses.”

She nodded. She started to say, ‘Sounds crazy, huh?’ when he said, “So what would a man have to do to see these top secret roses? I can keep a secret. I have the clearance to prove it.”

She smiled, “We’ll see…”

The waiter arrived and took Delilah’s order. “I’ll have the Storm Lake flame broiled catfish with dill sauce.” The waiter said, “Excellent choice, Ma’am.” He turned to Luc, “And you sir, your usual?”

Delilah raised a brow. “Luc said, “No, Martin, I believe I’ll have the N.Y. strip tonight with a double portion of the vegetable medley.”

The waiter left and Luc explained, “What can I say; I’m a regular. They have the best fresh meat and vegetables and the chef is very accommodating to my special diet and training regimen.”

The vision in Del’s memory of Luc in his Scottish highlander garb, was answered with a twinge from her gut as she pictured the definition in his powerful calves, the washboard abs which felt like steel. His arms bulging as he held onto that hussy in the hallway. She stuffed down a frisson of jealousy.

“What is it?” he frowned.

She shook her head, “It’s nothing. So, tell me, how did a former Naval officer become a cover model? It’s not that I see anything wrong with it—”

“Don’t apologize. There are plenty of misconceptions out there. If I’m a fitness expert ‘I must be doing it because I’m too dumb to find a real job’; if I’m really fit and have great muscle definition, I ‘must use steroids’; and if I do romance covers ‘I’m probably gay’. There are more…” He sat back so the waiter could serve their food. “As far as how I got into the business…how much do you know about Knights Production?”

“I’d heard it was owned by a former military contractor, which I assume is quite out of the ordinary as far as talent agencies go. Isn’t that what KPI is considered?”

“It started out that way with Buffy, Ridge’s wife. But Ridge had the idea to expand and take advantage of the ever-present need for models, actors, book covers and movie trailers. Did you know Larue is considered the South’s ‘Hollywood’? As a matter of fact, only New York and California produce more movies than we do in Louisiana.”

“That, I didn’t know. Though we’ve had to supply security for the various movies that have filmed here.”

“Ridge and Buffy came to me right after they got married. Buffy was a former cover model—wait ’til you hear how they met. I was trying to find ways to support the teen center so I could leave the service and give it my full attention. Ridge made me a deal. He’d oversee the reno on the building if I’d come to work for them when I got out. That was two years ago and he more than kept his end of the bargain. Ridge and Buffy hire law enforcement and military at KPI. It’s a priority for them to put transitioning soldiers to work.”

“That makes good sense. I imagine many are already fit.”

“Not nearly fit enough for modeling, but they have a good start on the discipline it takes to get in this kind of shape. ‘Knights’ is a nod to the heroes of old and those who serve today. KPI’s put forty vets to work so far, male and female.”

Delilah put her fork down and reached for her wine. The waiter appeared and asked if she was satisfied with her dinner. She smiled at him, “It was perfect. Thank you. ”

“Have you and Jed been partners long?” Luc asked.

“Four years,” said Del. “The first year we were together there were some adjustment issues, personality differences but we’ve learned to use them to our advantage in our investigation and interrogation techniques. I can’t imagine a different partner now.”

She raised her wine glass and sipped as Luc said, “I was thinking…Jed would make a great cover model.”

Del choked on her wine, and cleared her throat. “You don’t know Jed. He may have thought it was cool that you were a stunt double but trust me, I don’t think you’d talk him into a romance novel cover anytime soon. Not Mr. Macho.”

Luc shrugged. “I never gave it much thought myself until Ridge approached me and my family encouraged me to try it.”

“Do you come from a big family?”

“I’m one of six, the son of a career military officer…” he paused, “… and a mostly stay-at-home dad.”

“Really! How—”

“Strange, I know. Mom had my oldest sister the year after she got out of training. Dad married her knowing that the service was her dream. It was one of those first came Navy, then baby, then came marriage stories. My sister is fond of saying they ‘anticipated their vows’.” He leaned back in his chair, smiling.

“What does she think of your job as a cover model?”

“She buys up all the books she can find. She says she’s trying to support me, but I found a couple boxes of them in her extra bedroom last Christmas. I think she’s embarrassed.”

“So where are you in the hierarchy of siblings?”

He drummed his fingers on the table then leaned forward, resting his arms on the table, “What do you think?”

She ran everything she knew about him through a mental filter. “If you hadn’t said you had an older sister I might have guessed first born.”

He shook his head and the smile widened. “I’m the baby, another unanticipated result of an early Christmas homecoming. Mom was thirty-eight. I was the only kid in the family raised mostly by my mother. Rachel—big sister—says it’s the reason I’m both spoiled rotten and more disciplined than the rest of them. Dad was a pushover. Mom—not for a second.

“Are they still around?”

“Oh yeah, as a matter of fact next weekend we’re getting together for a birthday party slash reunion. You said you were off this weekend. Why don’t you come with me? It’ll be fun. We play football, eat a
lot
, act like complete fools.”

It was a little early in a relationship to have her boyfriend take her home to meet the family.

Wait.
Had she just thought of him as her boyfriend?

He must have been reading her mind because he said, “Don’t make up your mind now… Wait til after dinner.” Laughing he said, “Just kidding. But really don’t count it out. We have a blast.”

Every minute she spent in Luc’s company, every new revelation just made her want more. She intended to enjoy the evening to the fullest—the easy conversation, the strong undercurrent of desire, maybe even a dance or two. And then she was going to take Luc Larue home to her bed.

H
is family would love her
, Luc thought.

The moon had risen to its full glory, lunar light creating a gallery worthy portrait of the marina below, the bright foam of the lake splashing against the sea wall in feisty waves.

“Hey, do you dance?”

“Um, not lately. Why?” She looked down at her dress and back up at him.

“Don’t worry, it’s perfect for where we’re going,” he said. He got the waiter’s attention and paid the bill, leaving a generous tip. He led her out the front door to the elevator. After pressing the button, he took her hand. “We’re only going up one floor to Ooh La La.”

Her eyes widened. “The Latin dance club?”

“Yep. Don’t worry, what you don’t know, I’ll teach you.”

“Is that so?” She stared at him.

“Don’t get any ideas. One of my other sisters is a dance instructor. I grew up in her dance studio. I tried pretending I was bored or too macho but when she started teaching guys, I joined in.”

“I’ll bet it didn’t hurt your martial arts technique either.”

“That’s right—here we are.”

The orchestra was playing a salsa and the dance floor was packed. Del said loudly, “I love the name. It fits.”

He held out his hand. “Let’s do it.”

She gave him a skeptical look but he pulled her onto the floor. For two hours he led her in other dances—the tango, rhumba. He loved how she threw herself into the cha-cha. Loved the way her hips moved in that slinky blue dress. And
oh-la-lah!
in the rhumba he got a preview of the intimate dance that was sure to happen between them. She hadn’t known the exact steps but she followed his lead like she was born to it.

On the final note of the rumba her eyes burned with desire.

“Time to go.” Luc heard the roughness in his voice, his anticipation growing as they walked through the front entrance to his car. The valet flipped the keys to him and Luc walked to the passenger side. In the shadows of the parking lot, he pressed her against the car urgently, bent his head and kissed her.

Her arm circled his neck and she kissed him back until the sound of someone gunning an engine nearby reminded him where they were.

“Delilah—”

She kissed him quickly. “Let’s get out of here.” He opened the door for her and went around to start the engine. Pulling out of the lot, he was struck by how right it felt to be with her. And now she was about to send him on his way with a
Night, Luc, dinner was great. See you around.
Should he tell her how much he wanted to see her again? Should he ask to come in for a “nightcap”. How cliché can you get, Larue?

He pulled into her space and went around to help her out. At the door, he paused, holding his breath. “D—”

“Do you want to come in?”

All of Luc’s Mr. T genes were saying,
Yes
! She smiled at his relief. “I’d like that,” said the ridiculously calm voice of his alter ego. Luc wasn’t calm at all. His nerves were practically twitching to get his hands on her and afraid it wasn’t going to happen.

She pushed the door open and took Luc’s hand, tugging him across the threshold. He shut the front door behind him, and turned toward their reflections in the floor-to-ceiling mirror of the foyer. The tall broad shouldered man in the black suit standing next to the shapely woman in blue. Was that her? Delilah Burke, police officer? No, but tonight Delilah Burke, siren, was just as real. And she wanted the man next to her, as she’d never desired anyone.

Luc moved behind her. Pushed her hair over one shoulder, “You’re beautiful, Delilah, and so hot, I’m about to go up in flames.” He kissed her neck, ran his hand over her skin and under the strap at her shoulder. “Your skin is smoother than silk. He sucked gently on the vein at her neck, making her inhale sharply as desire flooded her.

His hands cupped her breasts through the fabric but his eyes were on hers, on her tongue moistening lips gone dry from the burning heat of passion.

“Watch,” he instructed in her ear. Her dress slipped off her shoulders as air from the vent blew across her chest, revealing her breasts like the unveiling of a great masterpiece, the intake of breath causing them to rise as he reached around her to tweak one nipple and took the other in his mouth. His hair drifted across her chest as he suckled gently. Then his eyes met hers in the mirror, “You like that?”

Her eyes closed as he did it again, his right hand going to the fabric of her dress raising it slowly up her body until he could run his palm up the inside of her thigh, finding her center, pressing his finger inside. Her eyes closed.

“Yeah, you like it.”

He unzipped the dress in back at the waist and stood behind her. “Open your eyes, Delilah.” He said her name in a new sexier way, like a song.

She did and the image of the fully dressed man next to the naked woman, the cobalt gown sliding into a puddle at her feet, made her legs weak. Desire raced through her limbs and she held on to him for support as her knees threatened to give out.

“What’s this?” His voice was gruff, his eyes… stricken.

The imperfection on her skin had been exposed, a recently healed scar over one hip.
Keep it light
. “Bullet grazed me. It wasn’t serious.”

The muscles in his jaw worked.

“Luc, it’s what I do. You know that,” she said a bit harshly, attempting to get their moment back.

“I’m used to female warriors, remember. I know it doesn’t have to make you live your life in fear, but treasure each moment. I—” he clamped his mouth shut.

She reached a hand up to stroke his glorious dark jaw. “What?”

His eyes were intense green gems. “It’s just…I almost lost you before I ever met you.”

Her heart tripped at the sincerity in his words. He felt protective of her, and even though she didn’t need protecting, something stirred inside her. Something urged her to lighten the moment… “Well, I’m here now, Luc. Screw my brains out.”

His smile kicked up and letting her dress slide to the floor, he swooped her into his arms with seemingly no more effort than picking up Abby’s cat.

“Wow, I’ve always wanted someone to do that.” She pointed toward the hall.

He strode toward her bedroom.

“
Y
ou’re muscled
like a cop should be, and soft where a woman should be,” Luc said as he knelt between her legs and kissed her inner thigh.

“Ah, Luc,” she squirmed as he dragged his tongue toward her center.

“My cop is ticklish. How…” he waggled his eyebrows, “…useful. But I have the solution.” He moved over her, lowered his lips to hers and filled her with one strong slide. Holding inside her and feeling her pulse around him, he exhaled and nearly came. “Let’s slow down a second,” he said, pulling out but still touching her sensitive folds.

“Luc, I want you inside me. Her hands snuck around his perfect cheeks attempting to tug him back inside her. She should have known she wouldn’t be able to budge him until he was ready. She needed to make him ready. Rising up she took his mouth with hers, plunging her tongue into his mouth, showing him what she wanted. He groaned answering the kiss with mounting urgency. Then, breaking the kiss, he said, “I want this to last for you, sweetheart…”

“Next time. I want you inside me now, Luc.” Luc heard her determination, saw the passion in her gaze and with one thrust he filled her making her cry out, her fingernails digging into his skin. He lost it, driving into her as her body clenched around him, her ankles flexing on his hips.

“Faster,” she breathed, and he complied, not that he had a choice. She cried out as he plunged into her for the last time, thanking all the saints he was able to satisfy her because he’d wanted her in a really bad way. For days.

They lay exhausted afterward, her head resting on his chest as her finger trailed along the veins in his arm, then across his chest to the flat nipple.

“You’re going to get in trouble, officer,” Luc teased.

“I can handle it, big boy,” she flicked his nipple. Then, remembering, she propped herself up on his chest.

“Is Luc your real name, or a stage name?”

He snorted, “No, it’s real. My cousin and I were born two days apart and our mothers named us as if we were twins. It was kind of embarrassing until he became famous.”

“Ah, right. Duc Larue, the movie star. He hasn’t been home in a long time has he?”

“He stays really busy but last time I talked to him he promised to come home for our next family reunion.”

“I thought maybe you were named after your father,” Delilah said, twirling her finger around the nipple and down. “Your stomach is like a human roller coaster.” Her hand passed over the ridge of each ab on their way south.

“Ah,” he said as her hand went around him and stroked, just once. Her mouth kicked up in a mischievous smile. “Samantha—Jesus, woman.”

“You were saying,” Delilah said, flicking her tongue into his navel. “Such a sexy navel.”

“Sam was named after my father.”

“Oh my God, you’re the only boy.”

He groaned as her hand squeezed him. “It is... what it is.”

“No wonder you have such a strong protective side.”
Tender, too.
She crawled up his body, sliding down onto him. She squeezed and his hips thrust upward. She stroked her hands through his hair. “Bet the women in the family love this hair, too.”

He laughed. “Not mama-bear. She liked the Marine cut.”

Another brick laid in the traditional man of honor’s cornerstone, Del thought. There was no sense questioning why she felt so comfortable with him so quickly. The man was perfect. She chuckled.

He squeezed her breast. “What so funny?”

“Do you have any faults?”

He flipped her over as if she were weightless and looked down at her. “Are you kidding? I eat kittens for breakfast. Where’s your cat? I’ll show you. And—”

She tugged him down and took him like a cop, ‘taking no prisoners’. It was noon before they rose to get breakfast and she made him promise, “no felines”.