Officer Off Limits (16 page)

He hooked his hands beneath her knees and draped them over his shoulders. “Baby, you’re going to want to lie back for this.”

…

Story watched, nervous and impatient all at once, as Daniel’s dark head dipped between her thighs. She’d always wondered what this level of physical intimacy would feel like. Now she would finally find out. With Daniel. Her head tipped back on a sigh when his rough beard scraped the delicate skin just beneath her belly button, causing her stomach to quiver involuntarily.

His mouth moved to her hip bone, scraping her skin with his teeth. “Knowing these tan lines are hiding underneath your clothes drives me fucking crazy.” His parted her with his fingers. “The sun has touched you everywhere else. But only I get to touch you here.”

At the very first touch of his tongue, Story collapsed backward on the bed with a throaty moan. She felt a laugh vibrate in his throat before he continued circling her clitoris with small, circular strokes of his tongue. Mindlessly, she arched her hips off the bed, trying desperately to relieve the building pressure. Her hands sank into his hair, pulling him closer, pushing him away. She couldn’t form a decent thought to decide.

When he pulled away, she shouted her denial. “Watch me. Open your eyes and watch me pleasure you, gorgeous.”

Doing as he commanded, she became suffused with heat at the sight of Daniel tonguing her sensitive flesh, as if all her nerve endings had caught fire. It couldn’t last. Feeling this way much longer would definitely kill her. The shaking started in her thighs and shot straight through her middle until she writhed and whimpered, begging for the torture to end. Her stomach muscles tightened against the onslaught of feeling as the spasms overtook her. She heard herself shamelessly screaming Daniel’s name but was too caught up in the bliss to care.

Story felt her legs being pushed up and back until her knees hovered just above her shoulders. Then Daniel thrust his entire length inside her, holding still and deep to prolong her orgasm. His mouth came down on hers, tongue licking into her mouth with a growl. Still shuddering from the powerful release he’d given her, she kissed him back eagerly.

Shifting his hips, Daniel pulled back with a snarl. “How am I supposed to take my time when you’re tighter than a goddamn fist around my cock?”

Desperate for him to move inside her, Story tightened the muscles cradling him inside her and delighted in seeing his eyes squeeze shut. His groan of agony thrilled her. “Who says you need to take your time? Move.
Now,
Daniel.” She hardly recognized her own voice.

“Just remember you asked for it.” Daniel pulled out until just the thick head of his erection remained inside her body before driving back into her with enough force to propel her up the bed, toward the headboard. She locked her ankles around his neck and wrapped her fingers around the rail for leverage. Biting her lip to keep from screaming again, she used what limited movement she had to meet his advances with her hips.

“Daniel. Daniel,
please
.” She fought the delicious tingling as it built once more, even as she reached for it in desperation. With a throaty cry, she turned and sank her teeth into his bicep.

“
Fuck yeah
. Bite me, gorgeous. Mark up my whole body. I want everyone to know who I belong to. Who I get hard for. Just you, Story. Just you.”

She came apart, moaning as the flesh between her thighs rippled around him. Daniel dropped his head into her neck and repeated her name over and over as he claimed his own release, his hips pumping rhythmically even after the shudders passed.

She’d never felt more exhausted yet energized in her entire life. After what they’d just done, connecting with each other in a way she didn’t know was possible, she felt changed. Different. Still the same woman, but with new awareness. Tonight, they’d faced the demons from his past and come out on the other side stronger. Individually and…together. Yes, together. She wanted him beside her more than anything.

When the time was right, she would shed her own secrets to Daniel. How she’d allowed herself to be walked all over by Fisher, staying in the relationship much longer than she should have. Without a doubt, she knew Daniel wouldn’t judge her. He would comfort and reassure her. She didn’t even have to question that.

In her current blissed-out state, she wanted to jump up and down on the bed, shouting her feelings to anyone who would listen. Which hadn’t worked out so well for Tom Cruise. Better to play it safe and stick to the plan. Tonight, they were a normal couple and no big decisions needed to be made. Even if her heart had already made them for her.

Long minutes passed, Daniel’s heavy body weighing her down into the soft comforter, as they caught their breath. Eventually, he realized he was crushing her and moved off her onto his side.

Story blew out a shaky breath toward the ceiling.
“Dude.”

Beside her, Daniel’s body shook with silent laughter. “Did you really just say that?”

She rolled over to face him, a catlike yawn stretching her face. “In California, the word dude has over a thousand different meanings.
Dude
, Duuuuuude, Dude! It all depends on your tone.”

“All right. So in this case, what was your meaning?”

“You couldn’t tell? I just paid you the highest dude compliment possible.” Daniel chuckled and pulled her close, where she snuggled into the heat of his body. For a while, she simply stayed quiet and enjoyed his fingers stroking down her spine until curiosity got the better of her. “I’ve been meaning to ask you something. Where were you earlier when you received my picture text?”

Daniel leaned down and nipped her ear. “In a classroom full of uniforms giving a lecture. I had no choice but to dismiss them early. I’ll probably have some explaining to do about that tomorrow.”

Story couldn’t contain the laughter that bubbled out of her. Picturing him trying to shoo a bunch of confused police officers out of a classroom was simply too humorous an image.

Daniel pulled back to examine her expression. “Oh, you think it’s funny?”

“Funny doesn’t begin to cover it.”

He gave a thoughtful frown. “Honestly, I should be concerned that thirty aspiring detectives didn’t catch on to my problem. But it’s a good thing they didn’t or I’d be answering to Detective Woodie for the rest of my career.”

Story buried her face in his chest to hide her smile. “There’s nothing to keep me from calling you that when we’re alone, though, is there?”

“Try it and see what happens,” he warned.

She used her most seductive voice. “Will Detective Woodie be reporting for duty tonight?”

Despite his threat, Story felt his body respond to the change in her tone. “Okay, maybe I don’t mind it
that
much.”

“Oh God,” she groaned. “We just named your penis. Honeymoon’s over.”

With lightening quickness, Daniel rolled onto his back, bringing Story with him so she straddled his hips. Using one hand, he positioned his thickening erection beneath her and she gasped. “Nah, sunshine. I’m just getting warmed up.” His hips rolled, pushing him inside her, effectively putting an end to her laughter.

Unable to think past the solid pressure deep within her, Story leaned forward to brace her palms against his chest, but pulled back with a gasp when she realized she’d placed weight on his wound. Daniel simply kissed her hand and brought it back to cover the imperfection on his flesh once more. The sweet gesture made her eyes cloud with tears. Giving into impulse, she leaned forward and kissed the wound.

With a choked noise, Daniel rolled them over on the mattress. “Honest to God, Story. The bullet didn’t kill me, but the way you make me feel might.”

Chapter Nineteen

Story gave up on repressing the goofy smile spreading across her face as she packed her bags on the floor of Jack’s spare room. However, just having left six foot three inches of rock-hard man lying in a tangle of sheets, begging her for one more hour with her body, she suspected a goofy smile was more than acceptable.

Looking down with a dreamy sigh, she realized she’d been folding the same shirt for ten minutes. She gave up and went to make some coffee.

Jack would be discharged from the hospital tomorrow and she wanted to be out of the apartment by then. They might have jumped over some emotional hurdles since she’d arrived in New York, but living with Jack was another story altogether. She had it on good authority that her father still dated frequently, and walking in on him engaged in a passionate moment would probably afflict her with temporary blindness.

An hour later, she’d managed to remove all traces of her stay from the spare bedroom and nourish herself with a decent breakfast of eggs and toast. She showered and threw on a blue summer dress before dragging her suitcases to the living room to be picked up later. Then she left the building to walk the twelve blocks to the hospital.

She’d come to an important decision last night, long before Daniel took her back to his apartment and blew her mind until morning. She was staying for the summer. The night Fisher broke up with her, she’d shed her passive nature and vowed never to look back. In just one week, she’d gone a long way in accomplishing that goal. Becoming that person. A person who decided she wanted something and took it. Someone who didn’t let other people govern her decisions or tell her how to live. She could go back to California as her newly confident self, vowing never to return to her old ways.

But Daniel wouldn’t be there. People, namely her mother, would call her crazy for taking a chance on a man she’d only known a week. It
was
a little crazy. But it would be crazier to walk away when she felt this way. As agreed, they hadn’t spoken about her leaving at all last night. And this morning, Daniel had seemed to be avoiding the topic, probably assuming she still planned on returning to the West Coast and wanting to avoid the unpleasant discussion. She couldn’t wait to surprise him tonight with her actual decision.

But first, she needed to make things right with Jack. She didn’t want to start her relationship with Daniel by sneaking around behind her father’s back. If Daniel knew her plans for the morning, he would have insisted on coming with her, but she felt that the responsibility of telling Jack about their relationship lay with her. Her father thought Daniel was “just another jackass with a badge,” or so he’d put it. She wanted to make it clear to Jack just how wrong he’d been. Furthermore, she felt the need to prove to Daniel the seriousness of her feelings. What better way to accomplish that than by telling Jack, the way he’d wanted to days earlier?

Story came to a halt, surprised to find she’d almost bypassed the hospital because she’d been so deep in thought. Minutes later, she’d ridden the elevator to Jack’s floor and stood outside his room, garnering her courage for dropping the Daniel bombshell. With a final deep breath, she pushed open the door and stopped, surprised to find the object of her every thought that morning standing beside Jack’s bed. A slow grin broke across Daniel’s face when he saw her, turning her legs to jelly.

“You’re here,” she blurted and his lips quirked in amusement.

“It appears I am.” He gestured to stack of files piles spread out on the bed. “I had to drop off some paperwork to Jack.”

Realizing just how familiar they sounded with each other and keenly aware of Jack’s sharp gaze on her face, she changed the subject. “I see you’ve made peace with the hospital food,” she commented to Jack, waving her hand at the empty hospital tray near the window. She walked farther into the brightly lit room and set Jack’s coffee down on the bedside table, next to Daniel.

Jack gave her quick, distracted smile. “Didn’t have much choice after you brought me gluten-free vegan cookies that tasted like sawdust.”

He returned his attention to the paperwork, giving Story the opportunity to look up at Daniel, whose eyes she’d felt following her though the room. Freshly shaven and wearing a black sports coat and jeans with a badge clipped at his waist, he looked every inch the hotshot hostage negotiator. Far different from the naked and rumpled man she’d left just hours before, but equally sexy.

“So what are your plans now that I’m coming home? You know, you’re more than welcome to stay as long as you want,” Jack said, breaking into her thoughts. Her father still hadn’t looked up from the documents spread out on his lap, for which she was grateful. He didn’t see their mutual reaction to his casually posed question.

Her gaze connected with Daniel to see hope and dread fighting a battle on his face. Even if she’d wanted to tell Jack first, then later inform Daniel of her decision in private, she couldn’t put it off any longer. Couldn’t stand leaving him with an ounce of doubt for one more second.

“Well, actually, I was thinking of staying for a while—”

“
Story!
”

The familiar voice sent a jolt of shock through her system. Three sets of eyes swung toward the door where Fisher, her ex-fiancé, stood looking wild-eyed and desperate. His usually impeccable appearance gone, he looked as though he’d slept in the same clothes for days.

“Fisher?” she croaked. “What are you doing here?”

His sharp focus on her, he walked into the room, stopping just a few feet from where she and Daniel stood. “I made a mistake. I should never have ended things with you.”

Daniel had stiffened beside her upon Fisher being identified. Now, at her ex-fiancé’s declaration, he took a quick step forward as if he might go for Fisher’s throat. Without thinking, she reached down and took his hand to reassure him. And hold him back. She felt off-balance and his warm grip did wonders to steady her. It felt like she was dreaming, because surely her ex-fiancé hadn’t just walked in as she’d been on the verge of announcing her feelings for Daniel to her father. Things like that only happened in romantic comedies. Or horror movies.

“You need to turn around and get the hell out of my room,” Jack thundered from behind her.

“I second that,” Daniel ground out.

“Okay, everyone
relax
.” She breathed deeply to calm her nerves. “Fisher, I don’t know what you’re trying to accomplish here, but flying three thousand miles was a waste of time and money. We’re not getting back together.”

“Please. You need to hear me out.”

“No, she doesn’t,” Jack and Daniel said at the same time.

Story finally looked up at Daniel. Eyes trained on Fisher, he looked furious, but she sensed an underlying panic as well. She tugged his hand until he gave her his attention and tried to communicate with her eyes that everything would be all right. That she wasn’t going anywhere. It only seemed to ease his discomfort fractionally.

She stood on her toes to whisper against his ear. “Hey, this doesn’t change anything. Come back to me.”

“So you’re the guy she’s with now?” Fisher took a step toward them. “Does it bother you that she was
my
fiancé a week ago?”

Daniel’s head whipped around. “Call her
yours
again and I’ll send you back to California in a full body cast.”

His threat gave Fisher momentary pause, but he quickly recovered. “I have to say, Story, I’m a little surprised by your taste in men. But I will forgive you for this, under the circumstances.”

“
Forgive
me?” she sputtered. “Oh my God, would now be a weird time to take up smoking cigarettes?”

“See, that’s what I miss so much.” Fisher sighed. “Your humor.”

“Nope, definitely need something stronger than a cigarette,” Story muttered. Likely sensing her distress, she felt Daniel’s restraint slipping. Jack cursed under his breath over her shoulder. The sooner she got the three men separated, the better. “Fisher, you’re upsetting my father and he’s not in the best of health. As a doctor, you should know how unwise that is. Say what you came to say, please, and leave.”

He nodded. “Let’s talk in private.”

“Not a fucking chance,” Daniel’s snapped.

With very little emotion in his voice, Jack said, “You can tell her in front of me. It’s not as if it’ll come as a surprise.”

Before Story could comprehend her father’s cryptic comment, Fisher turned to her. “It’s not like I didn’t try to get a hold of you. When you wouldn’t take my calls, I finally contacted Jack. He was more than happy to tell me you’d met someone else and not to bother contacting you again. But you need to hear an explanation, dammit.”

Daniel and Story gaped at Jack. “You
knew
?” they both asked Jack.

Jack let out a withering sigh. “Yes, I knew.” When they continued to stare at him, he shrugged. “Hello? Jack Brooks, detective first-grade and expert on human behavior here.”

Patience hanging by a thread, Story employed the method she used with her kindergartners and dealt with one problem at a time. She filed Jack’s bombshell away for later examination and focused on her ex-fiancé once more. “What explanation could there possibly be, Fisher? You met someone else. There’s no need to rehash this.”

“Yes, there is.” He appeared to steel himself. “I lied to you. There never was anyone else. I only told you I’d started seeing Diana because I knew you’d demand an explanation for calling off the wedding. And I couldn’t tell you the real reason.”

Story felt like she’d just stepped off a carnival ride. A little dizzy with a hint of needing to vomit. She sensed something scary on the horizon and didn’t want to face it. What would possess someone to lie and damage the feelings of another person like that? Someone they were
supposed
to love?

“Continue,” she managed.

“I told you they made me an attending physician last year, but the board thought I needed one more year in residency.” Fisher rubbed his palms on the outside of his pants, his boyish face somewhat sheepish. “I only wanted to give you the best of everything. I wanted you to be proud of me. So I spent too much money, fell into some financial trouble, and no matter how many hours I worked, I couldn’t catch up.” He gestured toward Jack. “Then one day I got a call from your father. Somehow he knew about my continued residency, the debt, everything. And he…he offered me money to call off the wedding.”

It felt as though all the air had been sucked from the room, leaving none for her to breathe. Her brain tried to make sense of the words coming out of Fisher’s mouth, then rearrange them so they meant something different. Anything besides their actual meaning. She didn’t want to believe him, because it would mean she’d been suckered into believing an elaborate lie. An unnecessary one, at that. Had he known so little about her that he thought she needed fancy dinners and expensive gifts to be happy? Those things meant nothing to her.

Jack paying Fisher to break their engagement…surely such a horrible thing couldn’t possibly be true. While her mother had always characterized Jack as a controlling man—someone who thought his influence was required in every situation—this transcended anything she could have imagined.

“I was on the verge of bankruptcy. You know what that would mean for my career. It felt like I had no other choice. I’m so sorry.”

It all made sense now. The abruptness of their breakup. Fisher’s constant stress. His need to work around the clock. And yet, she felt more anger over Jack’s betrayal than any of that. He’d gone behind her back and rearranged her life without consulting her once.

She turned to her father, but he averted his eyes, confirming Fisher’s story. “Seriously, Dad?” Disbelief colored her tone.

“It’s complicated.”

“I’ll try to keep up.”

Jack released a long, weary sigh. “This heart attack didn’t come as a surprise. My doctor had been telling me to slow down. That I was at risk. It was a wake-up call.” He gestured toward Fisher. “I wanted to make sure you would be taken care of if something happened. I couldn’t let you marry someone like him.”

A hysterical sound sprang from her throat. “Oh, really? Did you have someone else in mind?” As soon as the question left her mouth, the answer flattened her like a falling piano. The last week passed through her mind in a series of flashbacks. Jack asking Daniel to drive her home that first day. Jack recommending she try Quincy’s Pub on a night Daniel conveniently was present. Jack’s insistence that she attend the Mets game with Daniel. Jack texting them both to come to the hospital, then sending them out together to get his breakfast.

He’d been matchmaking. She’d been…match-made. All this week, she’d felt like she was finally coming into her own. Making decisions for herself. Doing what felt right, not simply what people expected of her. Instead, she’d been manipulated. By someone she trusted. Pain and embarrassment soured her stomach.

Daniel looked at her with growing concern. “Story?”

“Did you know?” she croaked out.

His eyebrows drew together. “Know what?”

She glanced at Jack, but his gaze was locked on Daniel. “He’s been pushing us together this entire time. I can’t believe I didn’t see it. I can’t believe
you
didn’t see it.”

“No,” Daniel said, shaking his head briskly. “He told me to stay away from you. He told me to keep my hands
off
of y—” He dropped heavily into a chair and covered his face with his hands. “Oh, holy shit.”

“About time, Danny,” Jack commented drily. “I thought your time with me had been completely wasted. We covered reverse psychology on day one.”

“Reverse…” Story trailed off, the full scope of the situation hitting her. Her stomach rolled as though she might be sick. Her horrified gaze sought Daniel’s, but he merely looked stunned by what he’d learned. “This whole thing between us…it was just you wanting something you couldn’t have.”

His entire body jerked, disbelief blanketing his features. “No.
No
.” He shot to his feet and cradled her face in his hands. “I was done the second I saw you.
Done
. How we got here is just details.”