Shot in the Dark (5 page)

Chapter Five

When Luci opened her eyes, she saw the sun was already up and her head was still pressed against a heavily muscled thigh. Gingerly untangling herself, she pulled out from under the large hand resting protectively across her shoulder.

Devan’s head was tipped to the side, his mouth slightly parted, and his breathing deep.

Hey, he does actually sleep
.

Tucking her feet underneath her, she watched him. In sleep, the hard scowling lines of his face softened, she hoped along with the pain he appeared to always be in.

With his dark brooding eyes closed, his chiseled and rugged face transformed. When he was awake he always looked angry —not at her—at the world. A dark lock of black hair tumbled in a curl over his forehead as her eyes lingered on his sensual mouth.

She should be terrified of a man touching her after what happened last night, but for some strange reason she wanted Devan to touch her, kiss her.

It had been over six months since she’d broken down and had a one-night fling. What was his name?
Bob? Rob
? The sex had been forgettable and he’d been in and out of her, and her apartment, in less than two hours. Pre-med occupied Luci’s mind with a different kind of anatomy than she’d get at the nightclubs with her girlfriends.

Every day she was busy with homework assignments. Nothing was more important to her right now. Education was her only path out. Her career as an acupuncturist would allow her a better life than the one her mother had felt chained to.

Luci wondered why she’d never asked this cute detective out? Maybe because he never seemed approachable.

Maybe he has a girlfriend… or worse, a wife.

Geeze, and I asked him to spend the night? She’d kissed him before she knew anything about him. Her gaze dropped to his left hand.

No ring, and no indent where a ring had been. Maybe he didn’t have a significant other. That was good because she was getting overheated just watching the man sleep.

Devan filled a good section of the couch with his slumbering form. The once dark blue T-shirt he wore was washed to a faded blue and accentuated his broad chest. The leather holster holding his gun rested against his side.

A muscle in the bicep of his arm twitched. She liked strong, solid arms. Devan had great arms. If he looked this good with clothes on, what would he look like naked? Was he this big
all
over? Did his skin taste as good as his lips?

All male.
Luci swallowed.

Leaning forward, she reached out and traced a finger along his lower lip. Instantly, he jumped back, startling both of them and reached for his side-arm.

“Hey!” Luci’s heart pounded in her chest. “Don’t shoot.” She raised her hands in defense.

Devan rubbed a hand roughly over his face. “What are you doing?
Dammit…
don’t do that.”

“You’re a little jumpy, aren’t you? I told you to lay off the coffee.” She couldn’t help but let out a nervous laugh. “In the morning it’s good to know that you reach for your gun when there’s a woman next to you. I’ll heed the warning.”

“I don’t usually ‘wake up’ with a woman next to me. I leave the night before.” Straightening, he cracked his neck to the side.

“Well that’s good to know too. Are you the kind of guy that makes coffee before he leaves, or are you out the door as quickly as possible?”

“You’re the barista, why should I make the coffee?” he grumbled and unbent his knee with a grimace.

His comment made Luci laugh out loud. “Hey, you made a joke. I didn’t think you had it in you. Is there a comical side that you keep in the closet?”

He glared at her. “What time is it?”

“Eight.” She reached for his hand. “Thanks for staying here last night,” she said sincerely.

“Yeah… well. Someone has to take you back to your car. Then I’ll follow you into the station and do a follow-up report.”

Luci paused and bit her lip. “Do I need to call the owner of the espresso stand, and tell him what happened?”

“I’m sure Brady or Wallace did that last night, but I’ll check.” Devan leaned forward and groaned. “I know this sounds strange, but could you give me a minute—alone?”

Luci nodded, feeling confused as she headed toward the kitchen. Pulling the tea kettle from the back of the stove she filled it with water and lit the burner. From the living room she heard Devan grunt, swear, and then the echo from the metallic click of the cane on the floor as he headed for the bathroom.

Was he embarrassed for her to see him struggle to stand? Why would he be embarrassed about that, after the big blubbering mess she’d been last night?

He was a guy, and most guys hated showing any signs of weakness, but so did she.

We make quite a pair, don’t we?

The idea of being linked with Devan as a couple seemed odd, but there was a strange appeal to it. It had been a long time since Luci sensed that kind of magnetism with a man. Guys hit on her every night at the stand, but it was never a mutual attraction. She liked Devan, and looked forward to seeing him night after night.

The male customers were there for breasts and caffeine. Why would Devan be any different? But he genuinely seemed to like her company and carried on an
intelligent
nightly conversation that consisted of more than,
hey baby, you want some of what I got to offer
? The answer, of course was a hell no
,
but she could never say it out loud.

Besides being handsome and brooding, Devan appeared to be a bad boy. Luci avoided bad boys like the plague. She didn’t need a verbally or possibly physically abusive man like her stepfather.

But that was just it. Devan frowned most of the time, but that didn’t make him a ‘bad’ guy. He was a smartass like her. He was sharp-witted and had a troubled side which drew her to him like moths to a flame. He’d proved by staying with her that he was a nice guy… whether he’d admit it or not.

How had he been injured? All those months of seeing him through the window of his car at the espresso bar, she hadn’t realized he walked with a cane. She guessed that was the last thing he wanted people to know.

There was a story behind his injury. What happened to him not only crippled his body, it poisoned his mind. The more times he avoided her questions, the more things she wanted to know.

She was just that kind of a girl.

The body’s just bone and muscle, veins and organs. She knew better than most that sometimes you needed to look out of the box of Western medicine. Dev’s lines were drawn in bold black and white. He was as straight an arrow as they came. She doubted he’d sought out any recovery methods for his injury other than what the doctors at the clinics told him.

There was a reason she was in her third year at the University of Chinese Culture and Health Studies. Maybe she could help with his pain.

Devan came around the corner of the kitchen and leaned against the arched doorway. “Whenever you’re ready, I’ll take you to your car and then follow you to the station.”

“Did the tea I brewed last night help any with your leg?” Luci asked, putting a dish in the bottom of the sink and spraying water over it.

“I’m not saying it didn’t, but it’s hard to tell. It wasn’t the easiest night.”

“First you sat for hours on a hard chair in the ER and then ended up with my big Swedish head in your lap when we got back here. Why didn’t you move? Toss me off on the floor, or go in and use the bed while I was hunkered down on the couch?”

“I don’t know.” His broad shoulders shrugged nonchalantly. “I didn’t want to wake you.”

Luci grinned, touched by the sentiment. “You know it’s all right to think about yourself once in a while.” Opening the refrigerator, she pulled some cream cheese from the shelf. She split a raisin and cinnamon bagel and spread half of it with the cream cheese. “You need to start taking better care of your body.”

“Why? It doesn’t do me much good.”

“Because it’s the only one you have. And I want to see your body healthy again.” When she turned, he took a step toward her.

Devan braced his hands on both sides of her, caging her in. He was so close she could feel the push of his breath. Light streamed in from the kitchen window, illuminating half of his face; the other half remained in shadow.

Just like his personality. Half-light, half dark… well, maybe a little more on the dark side.

He trailed a finger out to trace her cheek. “Why do you care?” his voice softened. Devan watched her pulse beating wildly in the shallow hollow of her throat.

Why did the nearness of this man affect her so greatly?

“Why shouldn’t I? You’re a good man,” she said, her mouth suddenly feeling dry.

“I’m not.” This time the words were said in a raspy murmur. His eyes darkened for a second, reflecting the internal conflict in the depths of his gaze. Then he dropped his head inches from her lips.

The stubble of beard growth scratched her smooth skin as she tipped her head to the side allowing him access. His teeth nipped at her skin and her body tingled with electricity as he flicked the tip of his tongue along the sensitive skin of her neck.

She could see how women found vampires sexy. Right now, if Devan was a vampire wanting to bite her neck, she’d live in eternity by his side.

She wanted him to touch her, but his hands were still welded to the counter’s edge, not moving an inch. Luci didn’t care what
he
felt, she wanted to be closer. She shifted her lower body until she brushed the front of his jeans with her leg.

His erection was hard and stiff. Her awareness of him went deep. It was as if he was testing her, challenging her to take on his shadowy side.

Luci couldn’t pull her gaze from his eyes. They were filled with desire. His face fascinated her. She wanted to know everything about him…
all his secrets
.

“What are you thinking?” she asked in a whisper.

“I’m thinking of all the reasons why I shouldn’t kiss you.”

“You think too much.”

His smile was sensual and dangerous. “I’ve been told that before.” Devan dropped his head and caught her mouth with his. Slow and sexy, making love to her with his lips. His tongue met hers lightly before dipping deeper to further explore the recesses.

Luci’s hands came up to wind around the back of his neck, pulling him lower, but still his hands didn’t touch her. Losing herself in the mind-numbing taste of his mouth, she moaned.

His tongue took possession, teasing, stroking, asking her to take what he was offering and submit. A shiver of pure desire rippled down her spine making her nipples peak to hard pearls, aching for his touch.

Clutching the thin fabric of his T-shirt she fought to find something steady to balance her weakening knees. The solid curves and heat of his body played under her fingertips.  Skimming her hands over his shoulders and down his back to his hips, Luci pressed closer, feeling his hard length against her belly. When he bit gently on her lip, tugging it between his teeth, her heart nearly stopped, and wetness pooled between her legs.

Breaking the kiss, Devan pressed his forehead to hers. Their breathing was ragged. The attraction between them was raw, untamed, and definitely unsatisfied.

He closed his eyes. “This isn’t right. You didn’t ask me here so I could screw you in your kitchen. You were attacked last night.” He shook his head and turned, grabbing his cane where he’d propped it against the wall. “Get ready. I’ll wait for you in my car.”

Luci watched him limp down the hall, banging the front door behind him when he left.

Cool air washed over her heated skin as the door slammed shut. Touching her fingers to her lips, she could feel the chapped roughness from his beard.

His kiss made her feel as if she was standing on the edge of a hurricane-force storm while Devan tried to prove to himself he didn’t want her.

His plan hadn’t worked.

Chapter Six

After retrieving her car from the Naughty Latte, Luci’d followed Dev straight to the station. With turned heads and raised eyebrows, every eye at the downtown headquarters watched them enter the front door and weave through desks.

Before the accident, if Dev sauntered in with a beautiful blonde on his arm, his co-workers wouldn’t have thought twice about it. But now, he figured they thought Luci was only there to make a statement, nothing more. Brady and Wallace must have had a good laugh spreading stories about him offering to take her to the ER and then home.

Dev wanted to put his arm around Luci’s waist, pull her a step closer, and tuck her under his broad shoulder.

What am I doing?
Trying to stake a claim on air?
There was nothing between them. She was the victim of a crime he was assigned to.

But that kiss back in her kitchen?

Holy crap
.

When he’d stepped into it, taking her mouth, he’d been out of line and expected her to come to her senses and slap his jaw sideways. He’d run many scenarios through his mind before he’d done it, but couldn’t seem to stop himself.

He’d ramped up the heat, telling himself he was in control by keeping his hands firmly planted on the counter. But when she’d rubbed herself against his straining cock, his head nearly blew off.

Dev couldn’t remember the last time anything felt that good. He’d broken the kiss or he would have come in his pants like some pimply-faced teenager.

Raising a hand, he draped it over her shoulder. She looked down at it, smiling.

He was pretending she was his. What did he care if the entire department thought he’d gotten lucky last night?

God,
I’m such an asshole,
Dev thought, dropping his hand to take her elbow. She deserved better than him.

Brady sauntered toward them, as Dev guided Luci to sit on a worn chair next to his desk.

A grin broke over Brady’s meaty cheeks. “Morning, Ms. Lombart. I had court this morning so I thought I’d stop by. Looks like the detective took good care of you last night.”

Luci crossed one shapely leg over the other, and pointed the toe of her black leather shoe. Even in jeans her shapely legs seemed a mile long. “It’s nice to hear your concern, officer…” her eyes trailed over to his badge, “Brady. That’s right, I’d forgotten your name. Detective Burke offered to pick me up this morning so I could get my car and then followed me here, making sure I was safe. He’s a
real
gentleman. You don’t see many gentlemen in this day and age, do you officer? Especially in LA. It’s nice to have met a man like Detective Burke who treats a lady with respect.” Luci had a warm smile on her face, but her words held an edge from Brady’s innuendos.

Dev was shocked. She was protecting
his
reputation?

He tried to keep his mouth from dropping open as he picked up a stained and battered porcelain cup from his desk. Walking a few feet, he drew coffee from the large urn into his mug.

When he turned, her eyes were on him. “Uh, would you like a cup?” he asked, motioning with his head.

“Sure. Thanks.”

“It’s not very good,” he warned her, as he filled a white Styrofoam cup. “I’d put some sugar in it if I were you.”

“Two packs of sugar? Hot and sweet?” She tipped her head and smiled again, referring to his nightly espresso order. “So
that’s
why you always order your lattes with sugar.”

Hot and sweet. That was her, not the damn sugar packets.