Officer Off Limits (14 page)

“Are you still wearing those flimsy white panties?”

“Yes,” Story breathed.

“Good. I need you to reach inside and pet your clit for me. Gently, like I do it.” Daniel heard a soft moan on the other end of the line. He increased the pace of his own hand. “How does that feel, gorgeous?”

“N-not as good as when you do it.”

His eyes squeezed shut. “I’ll make up for it later. I promise.” He could already feel his body demanding release, but he held back. Just a little longer, until she could go over the edge with him. “Now tell me, what did I do to you in the stairwell? Did I fuck you, baby?”

“
Yes.
”

“But I did something else first, didn’t I?” Her gasp answered his question. “I think you pictured me kneeling between your thighs. Tell me I’m right.”

“You’re right. How did…”

“How did I know? Oh sunshine, I know so much about your body. For instance, I know you’re still petting yourself like I asked, but you need two fingers inside you now.”

“I want. I want…” She broke off with a frustrated sob.

“You want my permission? You have it.” Story whimpered and he imagined his own fingers taking the place of hers, sinking deep into her slick heat. A growl broke from his throat. He wouldn’t last much longer. “When I knelt down between your thighs in the stairwell, did I drape your legs over my shoulders and push you wide?” He couldn’t wait for her answer. “Yes, I did, baby. I wanted to see your pretty pussy.”

Daniel listened through the phone as Story came, her muffled moans pushing him past his breaking point. He pictured himself, head locked between her thighs in the darkened stairwell, as she shook against his mouth in orgasm. Finally, his own release came, hot and thick in his hand. It seemed to go on forever, prolonged by Story’s husky cries in his ear.

He felt shattered and rebuilt at the same time. They’d just made love through the phone, yet never had he felt closer to a woman. He ached to hold her, to feel her chest rise and fall as she recovered. To kiss her neck and feel the pulse racing underneath her delicate skin, knowing he was the one who’d sped it up. She would smile up at him and lock her hands behind his neck in that adorable way she did. His thoughts did nothing to calm his racing heart.

Daniel eventually recovered enough to wedge the phone between his ear and shoulder and clean himself off. As he carefully zipped himself back into his pants, he realized he couldn’t recall how much time had passed since they’d spoken. “Story, you there?”

“Mmm-hmm,” she answered drowsily.

Relief moved through him. “I need to see you.” He heard pounding on the other end. Someone’s voice, Hayden’s presumably, yelled something.

“
Be right out
,” Story called back before answering him. “I can’t tonight. I’m leaving in a few minutes to go out with Hayden. Her parents are throwing a party at the Soho Grand.”

No way could he pass another night without her. “Tell Hayden I’m coming.”

He heard a door open, then Story’s soft voice once more. “Hayden, Daniel says he’s coming.”

“Ugh, too much information,” her friend responded.

“Coming to the
party
, you ass.”

“
Oh
. Fine. I’ll have Mom put his name on the list.”

Story finally came back on the line. He could hear the smile in her voice and his own mouth quirked up in response. “Okay, Daniel. I’ll see you in a while.”

“Looking forward to it, sunshine.”

Chapter Seventeen

Story leaned against the polished bar of the elegant, candlelit Club Room, wondering if anyone would notice if she decided to go barefoot. The pain being inflicted by the four-inch heels she’d borrowed from Hayden were distracting her from a very pleasant conversation that included herself and two young women, acquaintances of Hayden. Of course, upon arriving, Hayden had been commandeered by her mother to be introduced to every eligible gentleman in the room, leaving Story to her own devices.

She’d been pleasantly surprised when the women, Cora and Allison, had included her in their conversation at the bar, and two martinis later, she’d agreed to meet them for lunch later in the week. If she was still in New York, that is. Jack’s doctor had called her this morning and passed on the news that her father would be discharged in two days’ time. Her decision to get Jack settled and return to California had been so clear this morning, until her earlier phone call with Daniel.

Her decision to get on a plane and fly away didn’t seem quite so clear anymore.

After not hearing his voice for so long, she couldn’t deny the overwhelming sense of relief she’d felt simply speaking to him. What ensued after that…well, she still couldn’t quite believe her own shameless behavior. Excitement danced through her at the thought of seeing him tonight, seeing the knowledge of what they’d done just hours ago in his eyes. She wished he’d hurry.

Story didn’t want to waste another minute of her time in New York pretending what she felt for Daniel was merely a product of emotional upheaval brought on by her breakup. She’d never felt so connected with another person before, and they’d only just met. What would develop between them if she gave it some time?

She’d told him the night of the baseball game that he didn’t seem like the one-woman type. If she could take her statement back now, she would. One, because she couldn’t stop thinking about the hurt on his face as the words left her mouth. Two, because there were no guarantees in
any
relationship. She’d learned that nugget of truth by playing it safe and dating a straitlaced doctor who ate the same boring lunch every day of his life.

Daniel could hurt her. If she agreed to give them a try, she would be taking an emotional risk. However, the alternative was to disregard her feelings and run away like a coward. And she was finished being a coward.

For the next two days, until Jack’s release from the hospital, she would allow herself to consider the idea. Story imagined the things Daniel would do to convince her and felt her cheeks heat.

Allison raised her eyebrows. “Well, something clearly more interesting than this conversation is going on in your mind. Would you like to share with the rest of the class?”

Story’s flush deepened. What had they been discussing? Lost in her riotous thoughts, she’d forgotten to follow the conversation.

“Only one thing makes a woman blush like that.” Cora laughed. “A man.”

She sipped her martini to hide her smile. In front of her, Allison’s and Cora’s drinks paused halfway to their mouths. Their eyes were trained on something just beyond her right shoulder, toward the entrance. Several other women at the bar paused in their own conversation. Around her, Story felt the energy in the room shift and knew Daniel had arrived.

She placed her drink on the bar and turned. He stood just inside the foyer, handing his sports jacket to an attendant, covetous brown eyes focused on her. At once, she felt blasted in heat. Awareness raced across her skin. The loose dress suddenly felt too tight, every place it made contact with her skin tingling and sending shock waves along her nerve endings. Her throat went dry. Her pulse pounded. She fought the urge to go to him in the foyer. Push him back out the door so they could go somewhere and be alone.

Daniel wore all black, from his dress shirt down to his buffed shoes. Somehow he managed to look fresh from the shower and a little dirty at the same time, a day’s worth of scruff covering his jaw. When he started toward her at the bar, he moved with such sensual purpose that Story saw a woman begin fanning herself at the bar. He looked hungry. He looked determined. And he was there for
her
.

She picked up her drink off the bar and drained it.

Without removing his gaze from hers, he took her hand and brought it to his lips. Instead of kissing her knuckles, as she’d been expecting, he turned her hand over and openmouth-kissed the inside of her wrist. That time, she clearly heard Allison and Cora moan under their breaths behind her. Daniel didn’t show any reaction, appearing oblivious to anything besides her.

“I missed you,” he whispered against her wrist.

“I missed you, too,” Story responded breathlessly.

Daniel lowered her hand from his mouth and kept hold of it between them. “Did you? For a while there, I wasn’t so sure.”

“You could have called me anytime and found out for yourself.”

He played with her fingers. “I’m here now.”

“I noticed.” She smiled. “So did everyone else.”

Still, he didn’t look away, but leaned closer to talk softly against her lips. “I only want you noticing me. And I want to be the only one noticing you. Which you’re making incredibly difficult looking as beautiful as you do tonight.”

“My feet hurt,” she blurted.

He laughed and kissed her lips, lingering there before pulling back. “I’ll make it better.” His voice had dropped deeper in pitch and Story felt an answering pull in her belly.

“Daniel?”

“Yes, Story?”

“Can we go now?”

Lips twitching, he started to answer just as Hayden sidled up to the bar and blew out a frustrated breath. “I swear, my mother is going to start a petition to bring back arranged marriage just to get me to the altar before I’m thirty.”

Daniel signaled the bartender, looking amused by her friend. “Hi, Hayden.”

“Hey, Daniel.” Hayden glanced down at their joined hands, then back up at Daniel. “So I guess this means we’re no longer phone buddies?”

Story frowned, splitting a look between them. “Phone buddies?”

Hayden laughed at Daniel’s uncomfortable expression. “Relax. I think the fact that you called to check on Story will probably earn you points.”

As Hayden’s words registered, she looked back at a nervous-looking Daniel. “You did that?” He nodded once, then turned to order a round of drinks from the bartender. She turned to Hayden. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

She nodded toward Daniel. “He just wanted to make sure you weren’t going out alone at night. Didn’t think you’d like him being so overprotective.”

“Wrong.”

“I know. So wrong. But I promised.”

“Next time, please break your promise.”

Hayden turned serious, reaching out to touch her arm. “Story, he’s a really good guy. Don’t let there be a next time. Okay?”

“I’m thinking about it.”

Her friend’s smirk shifted back into place. “Good. Earth mother, out.” She picked up the fresh drink Daniel had slid in front of her and saluted them. “Duty calls. You kids be good.”

“Thanks, Hay.” With a wink, her friend disappeared back through the crowd. Story took a sip of the drink Daniel offered her and peered up at him over the rim. Underneath his handsome exterior, she could see he was tired, the lines around his mouth more pronounced than usual. “If you wanted to check on me, you should have just come over.”

Daniel gave her a look. “You know what would’ve happened if I came over. It would have defeated the purpose of what we talked about.”

“Then what changed?”

“Come with me,” he said, after a slight hesitation.

He took her drink, placed it on the bar, then led her through the crowded room toward the terrace. When they walked through the double doors into the balmy night air, one other couple occupied the stone balcony smoking, but they finished their cigarettes and returned inside a moment later. Daniel steered her toward a wrought iron bench and sat, then pulled her into his lap. Story wrapped her arms around his neck.

“Hi,” she whispered. “Did we really do that earlier over the phone?”

“Unless it was an incredibly vivid dream,” he answered drily. “I’ve been having a lot of those starring you lately.”

“Have you?” Story leaned forward and kissed his lips softly. “Tell me what changed your mind about staying away.”

Daniel sighed. Reaching down, he slipped off her high heels and set them aside. His hand returned a moment later to run a thumb firmly up the arch of her sore foot. Startled by the action and how good it felt, Story gave an embarrassingly loud moan.

“How does that feel?”

“Like you’re trying to distract me.”

Daniel laughed. “Do you want me to stop?”

“God, no. If you stop, I’ll kill you.”

He studied her face for a moment as if memorizing it, then his expression turned serious. “You wanted to know why I changed my mind about staying away.” He looked away. “It’s pretty simple. I’ll take you any way I can get you.”

Daniel’s thumb circled the ball of her foot, and she bit her lip at the pleasure. “Meaning?”

“Meaning, I’m not going to waste another minute of the time I have with you. The last five days have been hell.” His hand slid up to cup her ankle, and his penetrating gaze met hers once more. “Come home with me tonight.”

“You don’t even have to ask,” she murmured.

“Yes, I do. I would never take you for granted.” He switched to the other foot, laughing when her eyes rolled back in her head. “Although now that I know your weakness, maybe I can convince you to stay on the East Coast with the promise of free foot massages.”

She finally gave in, letting a gasp of enjoyment escape her lips. “It just might work.”

His hand froze for a second before continuing. “Don’t tease me.”

“I’m sorry.” With her hand, she turned his face toward hers. It hovered on the tip of her tongue that she didn’t feel so certain about leaving New York, but she hesitated. “Daniel, take me home. For tonight, let’s just pretend I’m not leaving and we’ve got all the time in the world.”

He considered her. “I’m not sure I can do that, but I’ll try. For you.”

She stood and slipped her shoes back on with a grimace. “I’ll go say good-bye to Hayden and her mom. Meet you by the bar.”

Familiar hunger swirled in his eyes. “Hurry.”

Story nodded and hurried off. After five minutes of searching, she found Hayden and her mother sitting on a chaise lounge, deep in conversation with an older gentleman, her friend’s eyes practically glazing over with boredom. She signaled her with a wave.

“Hey, we’re taking off.” She leaned down and kissed Hayden on the cheek. Her mother didn’t pause in her speech, but nodded in acknowledgment at Story. “Thanks for everything. I’ll call you tomorrow.”

“Sure, sure. Leave me here to rot while you get your freak on with Mr. Wonderful.”

“I love you.”

“You should.” She gave her a push. “Bye.”

“Bye.” Turning in the direction of the bar, she searched for Daniel’s tall figure among the crowd and saw him standing at the bar, talking to someone. As she neared, she saw that a woman stood close enough that she brushed against Daniel. The woman, dark-haired and willowy, appeared to be a little older than Story. In a strapless white cocktail dress, she looked cool and perfect. Like fancy hotel parties were a part of her everyday agenda.

Unable to see Daniel’s face, she watched as the woman ran a hand down the front of his shirt, smiling up at him flirtatiously. Story felt her heart sink to her stomach, and tears sprang to her eyes. But something urged her closer. Feeling like her insides had been hollowed out, she sidestepped a group of women and Daniel’s face came into view. His eyes were not on the woman, but furiously scanning the room. For her? He looked uncomfortable, backing away from the woman and saying something Story couldn’t hear.

Standing so close, the two made a beautiful couple. It became painfully obvious to Story then that they’d been intimate at some point in the past. The knowledge felt like a punch to the gut.

These are the kinds of women he normally dates
, she thought.
The same kind of woman Fisher left me for.
Classy, well connected…beautiful. She could barely stand being in high heels longer than an hour. Until now, Story hadn’t realized the women she’d been picturing as Daniel’s conquests were loud and trashy with bad dye jobs. She should have known he would attract women like
this
instead. Women with whom she’d been unconsciously competing for Fisher. And now Daniel. Only this time, she didn’t think she could survive losing.

Every instinct told her to turn and run. Run away from what she was seeing. Go back to California and pretend none of it ever happened.

But then Daniel’s eyes met hers, a dozen emotions flickering in their depths. Relief, desire, apology, dread. And then, for just a brief second, she saw shame. Not shame as though he’d behaved inappropriately. No, he clearly couldn’t be more relieved to see her. Quite possibly, he even needed rescuing from the woman in white. She read shame over what he’d done in the past. Of her bearing witness to something she wasn’t meant to see.

That made her mind up. Whether or not she’d consciously made the decision, she’d made Daniel
hers
in her mind long before now. He meant something to her. She wanted to belong to him, too. And if they had a chance in hell, she needed to get thicker skin. This probably wouldn’t be the last time a woman from his past popped up, but what she chose to do now would determine how she handled it in the future. She could either run away crying or go get her man. She chose the latter.

Taking a deep, fortifying breath, she started toward them. Daniel held an arm out, his eyes begging for understanding.

She slid into his side in time to hear him say, “Here she is. This is my—”

“Girlfriend. Story.” She smiled and extended her hand out to the brunette. “It’s nice to meet you.”

Dutifully, the woman shook Story’s hand, but didn’t return her smile. “Wow. Daniel Chase has a girlfriend. I honestly didn’t believe it. You deserve some kind of a medal, hon.”

Turns out a nice outfit doesn’t mean class.
“I don’t need a medal. I’ve got
him
.” She reached down and took Daniel’s hand. Their eyes met, his filled with astonished gratitude. “Ready to head home, trail mix?”