Out For Justice (17 page)

Chapter Thirty-One

On her way home after her shift, Karen dialed Mike’s cell phone and waited for him to answer.

“Connelly here.”

“Mike, it’s me, Karen.”

“Hi.” His voice was low and inviting.

“How are you feeling?”

“Tired, but good. You?”

“Same. God, it was hot today. All I want to do is go home and take off these clothes and jump in the shower.”

Mike groaned. “Don’t tease me like that. I still have a couple more hours here at least.”

“That works out then. I’ll go home and start the sauce—it takes a couple of hours to cook—while you finish up there…” If Karen hadn’t been driving and needed her hand she’d have smacked it up against her forehead. “I’m sorry, I didn’t even think to ask. Would you like to come over for dinner?”

“I would like to come over for dinner, yes.” Mike laughed. “And I’m excited to see you again too.”

“I kind of went a little overboard there, didn’t I?”

“Just a bit.”

Karen cringed while she kept her eyes on the road. “I hope you didn’t think I was just assuming that you would come over. That’s not how I meant it.”

“I didn’t think that at all. As a matter of fact, you saved me a phone call because I was going to call you.”

“I’m glad I called first.” Karen paused. “Mike?”

“Yeah?”

“Bring your running gear.”

One her way home, Karen stopped at her local grocery store and picked up fresh tomatoes, onions, garlic, and ground sirloin for her homemade sauce. She found a box of manicotti and added that to her basket. In the dairy section, she found ricotta cheese and some shredded mozzarella and Parmesan. On her way to the checkout stand, she passed a floral display. On impulse, she grabbed a bouquet of multi-colored flowers and added them to her basket as well. She strolled through the bakery looking for something for dessert when she remembered the display of strawberries in the produce section. After hurrying back to pick up the strawberries and some salad fixings, she sailed through the checkout and loaded her groceries into her car. The ride home was short and it wasn’t long before she’d unloaded her groceries onto the kitchen counter and was looking through her array of spices for the oregano and thyme.

 While Karen waited for a pot of water to boil, she browned the ground sirloin and added onions, garlic, and a few other herbs. She hoped Mike liked garlic because she used a lot. Turning the heat to low under the ground beef mixture, she sorted through her mail then made the salad. A hissing noise from the stove brought her attention back to cooking. The pot of water was boiling. She dipped the tomatoes into the boiling water and waited for the skins to split. Once they did, she pulled the tomatoes back out of the water and skinned them. After slicing the partially boiled tomatoes, she added them to the ground beef mixture, covered the pot with a lid and let the sauce cook.

Now it was Karen’s turn. She picked up her blazer and holster from where she’d thrown them before she started cooking and headed for her bedroom. Looking at her bedroom with a critical eye, she wondered if Mike would think it too feminine. Normally she didn’t like ruffles and lace, and considered a v-neck t-shirt dressing up, but there was something innately soothing and comforting about her white lace and lemon yellow comforter, along with the matching pillow shams and bed ruffle. She hoped Mike would see the netting draped around her brass headboard and understand that there was a more feminine side to her than the image she presented at work.

Karen stripped off her sweaty clothes and walked naked to her bathroom to turn on the shower. She let it run for a few moments to get to the right temperature before stepping in and closing the glass shower door. She’d never regret adding a sunken tub and separate shower stand to her bathroom, even though it cost extra and caused a few nightmares for the construction engineer and architect.

 Karen soaped her body with a coconut scented body wash and thought of last night and the way Mike had touched her body. She shivered with delight as she recalled the intimate ways Mike had kissed her. She let her head fall back under the flow of the shower as the water soaked her hair. It felt good to wash away the sweat and grime of the day.

After rinsing away the soap and shampoo, Karen turned the temperature a bit cooler and stood in the refreshing stream. Her thoughts turned steamy as she imagined what tonight would be like with Mike. Would he touch her in the same ways? Could they seek even more pleasure and satisfaction? She smiled under the torrent of cool water. Wholeheartedly, her answers were ‘yes.’

Remembering that she had left her sauce cooking on the stove, she breathed a heavy sigh and turned off the water. Reluctantly, she stepped out of the shower and toweled herself dry. Slipping into her robe, she knotted it quickly as she walked back into the kitchen to check on dinner.

Stirring the sauce, Karen helped it along by mashing the tomato slices until the sauce was thick. Letting it continue to cook, she pulled out the ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheeses. Mixing them together with an egg, some fresh parsley from the refrigerator, and a dash of salt and pepper, she let the cheese mixture stand for a few moments while she prepared the garlic bread.

Everything was ready; all she had to do was cook the manicotti and stuff the shells. She started another pot of water to boil while she slipped back into the bedroom to get dressed.

She stood in front of her closet and wondered what to wear. She wanted to be comfortable and relaxed so chose a soft pair of pale blue lounging pants with a drawstring tie and a matching tank top.

Back in the kitchen she put the manicotti shells in the boiling water and stirred the cheese mixture. It was the right consistency for stuffing. Removing the lid from the saucepan, she stirred the sauce and took a little taste. It was just how she liked it. She left the lid off so the sauce could cook down to a thick consistency and checked the manicotti. She didn’t want the shells to overcook and be too difficult to stuff. There was nothing worse than limp manicotti. Karen laughed at herself and hummed as she busied herself wiping up messes and putting her kitchen to rights. She liked to clean as she cooked so that when she was done, there was nothing left to clean up.

Reaching into a top cupboard, Karen found a vase. She snipped the ends off the flowers she purchased and placed them in the vase with water and placed the vase onto the dining room table. The timer’s insistent buzzing brought her back to the kitchen to rinse the manicotti, stuff the shells, cover them with sauce and extra mozzarella, and slip the whole thing into a preheated oven.

After washing the strawberries and putting them into the refrigerator to chill, Karen cleaned up the final dishes and pans she’d used for cooking, dried them, and placed them back into the cupboards. She looked around. Her kitchen was neat and tidy. Just the way she liked it.

Catching a glimpse of the flowers in the dining room, Karen decided they needed some rearranging. While doing so, the doorbell chimed. She checked her watch and couldn’t believe how much time had passed. Mike was here already.

Checking her peephole, Karen smiled and then opened the door wide.

“Hi, Mike.”

“Hi, yourself.” Mike stood in Karen’s doorway with a matching grin on his face.

Karen leaned forward and pulled him into her foyer and closed the door. Stepping on her tiptoes, she rested her hands on Mike’s shoulders and brushed his lips with hers. Mike held her by the waist while he deepened the kiss. Breathless, Karen broke free.

“Wow,” Karen said as she touched a fingertip to her swollen lips.

“I didn’t think I could miss someone that much,” Mike said. “I thought about you all day.”

“Me too.”

Karen led Mike by the hand into the living room then motioned for him to take a seat on the sofa.

“I’ll be right back. I just need to check on dinner.” Karen moved into the kitchen.

“Take your time. I’ll just sit here and relax.”

“Make yourself a drink if you want. I think there’s wine on the cart as well,” Karen called from the kitchen. She reset the timer for fifteen minutes then went back into the living room to join Mike on the sofa.

“Did you get to see Sam today?” Mike asked as he lifted one of Karen’s hands and held it in his.

Karen let her smile fade. “No, but I did talk to his wife. He’s about the same, but the doctors have hope that once the swelling goes down he’ll wake up from his coma. They’re also uncertain about the paralysis.” Karen balled her other hand into a fist and beat the sofa cushion. “It’s just not fair. Sam doesn’t deserve this. He’s one of the last good guys.”

“I know. Don’t beat yourself up about it.”

“But if only I’d been there Thomas might not have gotten the jump on Sam.”

“You can’t change the past. You could play the ‘if only’ game until you’re blue in the face, but it won’t change anything. So why start?”

“You’re right.” Karen sighed. “Of course, I hold onto my right to throw a temper tantrum at a moment’s notice.”

Mike laughed. “I bet you do.”

“Speaking of tantrums, I got assigned a new partner today.”

“Who?”

“John Hendricks.”

“He’s a good man. Experienced like Sam. You’ll like working with him.”

“I already do. He helped me out today and I really appreciated it.” Karen lifted her chin. “He said I had good instincts.”

“He did? So what do your instincts tell you about me?” Mike stroked the back of Karen’s hand.

“Hmmm,” Karen pretended to think about Mike’s question. “My instincts say you’re completely trustworthy and that I’ll always be safe with you.”

Mike hugged her as he said, “You do have good instincts.”

Karen lifted her mouth and met Mike’s as he brought his head down. They kissed slowly and languidly, taking their time as they explored each other’s lips.

“So, how long until dinner?” Mike asked between kisses.

“Not long enough.”

“Damn.”

Karen smiled as she kissed Mike. “It’ll be worth the wait, don’t worry.”

“I’m not worried, just …how should I put this? Motivated. Yeah. I’m motivated.”

Karen slid her hand up the inside of Mike’s jean clad thigh and felt the firmness of his hard on. “I guess you are motivated.” She giggled. “Dinner first. Then dessert.”

“I was always a naughty little boy. I never did get that whole dinner routine figured out properly.” Mike kissed the tip of Karen’s nose. “You say dessert comes after dinner?”

“After.”

“Damn.” Mike slid his hands up under the hem of Karen’s top and stroked her flat abdomen. “Always?” His fingers stretched toward her breasts.

Karen sighed with pleasure. The timer’s alarm went off, interrupting Mike’s touch. “Always,” she said and lifted herself off the sofa.

Mike leaned back and said, “I think I’ll just sit here for a few moments, if you don’t mind.” Karen watched him as he wriggled his hips in an attempt to rearrange himself so that his jeans weren’t pressing so tightly onto his groin.

Karen smiled. “I’ll be right back. I just have to take out the manicotti and put in the garlic bread.”

Mike waved a hand at Karen. “Go ahead. Do what you gotta do.”

Karen readjusted her top and smoothed it down over her breasts and stomach. She could feel Mike’s eyes on her.

“Oh, God.” Mike groaned. “Just don’t do that.”

“I better get that timer.” Karen smiled at Mike then turned away and headed toward the kitchen. She had half a mind to let the manicotti sit in the stove and stay warm while she and Mike indulged with dessert first. However, a cooler head prevailed and she was able to bank the flames of desire for the moment. She knew it would be that much better when they waited.

Using potholders, Karen lifted the manicotti out of the oven and placed it on the counter. Removing the salads from the refrigerator, she set the chilled plates onto the dinner plates already on the dining room table. Looking over the table she couldn’t find anything else missing so she walked back into the living room to get Mike.

“Dinner’s ready,” she said. “How are you doing? You ready?” She cocked her head to the side and gave him a wry grin.

Mike stood up and spread out his hands. “Looks like I’m good to go. Lead on, woman.”

“I hope you like it; it’s a recipe that my mother gave me.”

“I’m sure I will. It smells delicious.”

“Why don’t you sit here,” Karen motioned to the first chair, “then I’ll sit over here.” She slid into her chair.

Mike lifted his glass of wine. “To good food, and to good company.” He looked deeply into Karen’s eyes. “To us.”

“To us.” Karen lifted her glass and drank.

Their talk settled around light topics and current events. After they finished their salads, Karen took their salad plates into the kitchen and returned with the manicotti. She served Mike then herself. She watched as Mike took his first bite. He closed his eyes as if savoring the taste. She couldn’t wait. “What do you think?”

Swallowing, Mike said, “This is the best manicotti I’ve ever tasted. Even beats out Anthony’s downtown.”

Pleased, Karen smiled. “Thank you.” She lifted her fork and started in on her dinner.

“I’m serious. This is good.” Mike eagerly lifted another bite to his mouth.

“I’m glad you like it.”

“Maybe there’s something to this ‘eat dinner first’ thing after all.”

Karen laughed, nearly spewing the contents of her mouth. She hastily applied her napkin to her lips. “Don’t say things like that when I’m eating,” Karen said as she grinned. “Look what you made me do.”

“You started it by telling me dessert was after dinner.”

“Well, maybe we won’t have dessert at all,” Karen said with a sly grin.

“I’ll be good.” Mike pasted on a serious look. “See, I’m eating my dinner.”

“That’s better. We’re grownups.” Karen couldn’t keep a straight face. A giggle escaped. “We have grownup dinners.”

Mike’s serious look was destroyed with a lifting of the corners of his mouth. “That’s right,” he said in a deep voice and using his finger and thumb to pull down the corners of his mouth. “Grownups.”