You're the One (14 page)

Wondering who
it could be, Del placed the plate on the hall side table and opened
the door to find Moz Baylon standing outside, thumbs hooked easily
into the loops of his jeans, t-shirt stretched across his broad
shoulders and heavy chest, fair hair fastened at the nape of his
neck in the customary ponytail. Long legs were braced slightly
apart, sneakers on his feet instead of his usual work boots. His
face was shadowed in the veranda light but there was no doubting
the intensity of his gaze.

Oh boy.

“Um…hi,” she
said a little inanely.

“Del.”

Oh man, that
deep voice was just delicious.

Trying to
regain her senses - just where the hell did they go lately when he
turned up? - she managed to reply coolly, “Something I can do for
you?”

His head moved
sightly, the light catching a glint in the shadows of his eyes. She
swore she could feel that gaze even as she mentally berated herself
for being fanciful.

“There is
definitely something you can do for me, Del.”

Hoo boy, his
tone seemed to hold a wealth of meanings.

“There are
some things we need to discuss.”

“Um…really?”

His head
angled slightly, the light catching the fairness of his hair.
“Business first.” Something a little darker in his tone. “Then us
next.” Something a little silkier in his tone.

Who knew tones
could make her knees go a little weak, her belly do a little flip.
She barely registered what he’d said, her focus almost solely on
those deep, rumbling tones.

Almost. She
didn’t miss the last bit. “Us?”

“Business
first.”

She stared up
at him. “What business?”

He leaned
closer. “Open the door, Del.”

She licked her
suddenly dry lips, hand tightening on the door handle.

“Open the
door, Del.” Voice a whole lot softer. “Let me in.” A whole lot
hotter. “Now.” And a whole lot more dangerous.

Chapter 5

She stood in
the doorway, the hall light creating a halo effect on her blonde
hair, the thick plait lying across one shoulder. A thin tank top
skimmed those lush breasts, the loose, flowered, cotton shorts
moulding to those curvy hips before brushing the tops of slim
thighs. Her legs were long and bare, her arms shapely.

Dressed in
casual clothes, maybe even summer pjs, Del was a sight for weary
eyes. Just the sight of her looking up at him a little
apprehensively, yet with an unmistakeable blush creeping into her
cheeks, and his heart was thudding a little heavier, the heat
pooling lower in his groin.

Yep, no
doubting it, this lush little blonde was really turning him on. Why
now, he had no idea. Maybe because he’d had more to do with her the
last few days than he had since he’d come to Gully’s Fall. Maybe
because the last few days were the first times they’d actually been
alone together without the buffer of their friends. Maybe because
he’d tasted her, inhaled that sweet scent, felt the warmth of that
shapely, lithe body. Didn’t matter the reason, it just was.

“Let me in,
Del,” he ordered softly.
Let me in…everywhere.

Slowly,
mutely, her wide, pale blue eyes locked on him, she turned the
handle.

Taking hold of
the security screen, he pulled it open. Now there was nothing
between them.

She stood
looking up at him, hands by her sides, silent, waiting. The blush
in her cheeks, the way those soft, plump lips parted just a
fraction in invitation, pulled at him.

The air
between them was heavy with something unvoiced but felt.
Anticipation, sensuality, the growing attraction undeniable.

Moz moved
forward, reaching out with one arm, ready to gather her to him.
He’d forgotten why he was there in the first place until the sound
of a powerful motorbike in the distance sounded, growing steadily
closer.

Kirk.

It jolted him,
a flicker of annoyance spearing through the arousal he was
definitely feeling, but it brought him back to more serious, urgent
matters.

Not that the
irrefutable desire wasn’t important, but right now it was the least
dangerous.

Breaking the
spell between them, he turned to watch the driveway as a single
headlight lit up the bushes before the big motorbike came around
the curve and Kirk pulled up in front of the house.

“What’s going
on?” Del queried.

Moz’s
attention switched back to her to find her watching Kirk getting
off the motorbike, her gaze flickering back up to Moz in
puzzlement. The earlier glimmer of awareness in her eyes was
gone.

He’d make sure
he saw it again. Later. Business first.

“Del,” Kirk
greeted pleasantly as he swung off the bike, tucking the helmet
under one arm while slinging the leather jacket over one
shoulder.

“What’s going
on?” she repeated.

“Just need to
have a little chat, that’s all.”

“About
what?”

Moz moved
forward, lightly touching her shoulder. “Let’s go inside.”

Startled, her
gaze flew back up to him. “Um…okay, sure.” Obviously still puzzled,
she turned and led the way inside the house.

Man, what a
view. Okay, he was here for business first, but the sight of those
curvy hips swaying in front of him, the flutter of the loose,
flowery shorts against those slim thighs, that was a view worth
admiring as they walked down the hallway.

He glanced
over his shoulder but Kirk was just walking behind him, gaze steady
as they flicked from roughly the area of Del’s head to Moz, the cop
giving a slight nod.

Figured. The
man only had eyes for his beloved Molly.

Good. It saved
Moz from having to punch him in the face.

Not even
bothering to wonder where that thought had come from, Moz returned
his attention to Del, following her into the lounge room. No sooner
had he come to a stop than his gaze fell on the little black kitten
gazing wide-eyed at him from the back of the sofa.

“Ah.” Kirk
stopped beside him. “This just has to be the kitten I’ve seen on
your posters all over town.” He slanted a look at Del. “You even
talked Phil into putting it up on the notice board at the cop
shop.”

She grinned.
“Doesn’t everyone check out the cop shop for lost and found?”

Crossing
slowly to the sofa, Moz held out his hand. The kitten eyed him with
interest. Cute little bugger.

“Not generally
for pets,” Kirk replied.

“Then you need
to expand your protective circle to include them.”

“Oh, we do in
a fashion. So tell me, did you find its home?”

“It’s a her,
and her name is Missy. And yep, her home here is with me.”

Moz drummed
his fingers on the sofa, grinning as Missy stretched her neck up to
peer excitedly at his fingers, her eyes going big and black, then
she dropped down in stalker mode and started creeping forward.
Feisty.

“You don’t
say.” Kirk placed his helmet and leather jacket on the floor just
inside the doorway.

“Yep.”

“A little soon
to claim her, isn’t it?”

“Actually, she
was given to me by her owner, so all’s good. I’ll take the notices
down tomorrow.”

Missy
scampered forward, stopped, stiffened, whiskers quivering before
she bounced forward to tap Moz’s finger. He obliged by lifting his
finger and waving it in the air. Missy reared up on her little back
legs, front paws waving as she batted at his finger.

He grabbed her
as she almost fell off the sofa, picking her up to cradle to his
chest. Missy looked up at him, eyes still big, and he smiled down
at her, half closing his eyes as he raised her up to face level. He
blinked several times, she blinked back, relaxing in his big hand.
A tiny little scrap of fur and spirit, she was enchanting. Man, he
loved animals. Call him a sap, but he wasn’t afraid to admit
it.

“Can hardly
find her in your massive paw,” Kirk commented, dropping down into
one of the armchairs.

“She is
petite.”

“Did you
really say petite?”

“Yeah,
why?”

“Don’t let
Ryder hear you say words like that.”

“Would that
boofhead even know what the word means?”

“You have a
point.” Kirk watched in amusement as Moz placed Missy back on the
sofa, where she proceeded to bounce up and down, chest to the
backrest before scuttling along the back of the sofa in playful
delight. “You won’t be lost for entertainment for awhile, Del.”

“She’s
adorable.” Perching on the edge of the other armchair, she glanced
at Moz. “Feel free to pull up a pew.”

Sitting on the
sofa, Moz was pleased to find the big, old, comfortable furniture
sturdy. Nothing groaned or creaked beneath his weight. Scott’s sofa
had let out a twinge of protest one night, which had cracked up his
friends. They could laugh it up, but sometimes he actually sat down
and feared some spindly chair was going to give out and leave him
on his arse on the floor. Sitting down on dainty chairs always gave
him the jitters. Thankfully there was nothing dainty about the
lounge furniture.

Reclining
comfortably against the sofa, he rested the ankle of one foot on
the opposite knee, leaning his forearm on the upraised knee as he
studied Del.

She met his
gaze steadily, not a hint of anything in her eyes except for
curiosity which she then transferred to Kirk. “What’s up?”

Perched on the
edge of the armchair, Kirk loosely linked his hands while returning
her gaze. “Tell us about last night.”

“Last
night?”

“Last
night.”

“What about
last night?”

“Tell us how
Missy came,” Moz said quietly.

“Missy?” Del’s
looked at the kitten busy burrowing under a cushion in the corner
of the sofa. “Why do you want to know about - wait.” The puzzlement
vanished, replaced with exasperation. “Did my
mother
ring
you?” Her gaze flicked between Kirk and Moz. “
Both
of
you?”

“Actually, she
just rang me,” Kirk replied. “Now, about Missy-”

“For crying
out loud!” Del sagged back against the armchair. “I don’t believe
this.”

“Your parents
are just a little worried about you. Don’t get upset with
them.”

“Look, nothing
much happened. Definitely nothing to go ringing the police
about.”

“Del,” Moz
said quietly. When she didn’t look at him, he added a touch more
authority. “Del, look at me.”

She obeyed, a
frown creasing her smooth brow. “What?”

“Just tell us
what happened.”

“Then what?
You’ll go over there and cause trouble?”

Hmm, touchy.
He regarded her steadily. “That was unwarranted.”

“Seriously?
You think so? After what happened yesterday?”

There was no
need to guess what she meant. “What happened yesterday has nothing
to do with now.”

“How do I know
that?”

His eyes
narrowed a fraction. “Because I’m telling you.”

“And I’m
supposed to just believe that?”

“Yes.”

That simple
reply seemed to take the wind from her sails. Her mouth opened,
shut, soft lips pursed.

God, he would
love to grab her and kiss that rebellion away. No, not away, just
dominate it for a short time. He’d enjoy the hot wrestle, the
sizzle of carnal submission as she gave in to him, the searing
sweetness as he stoked those embers of rebellion into scorching
flames of desire.

What he was
feeling must have shown in his eyes because hers widened, her
cheeks flushed, the frown disappeared.

Kirk shifted,
his eyes keen as he watched and listened to the byplay between
them.

Moz might have
been entertaining a sudden hot fantasy, but he wasn’t a fool. His
dick wasn’t ruling his head, his mind very much on the episode of
the previous night. Getting side tracked wasn’t even
contemplated.

First he dealt
with this business, then he dealt with Del. When Kirk was well and
truly gone.

Without
removing his gaze from her, he asked with a hint of steel in his
voice, “What happened?”

That had a
spark of anger flaring in her eyes, but before she could retort
sharply, Kirk spoke quietly but firmly. “Del, we’re not going to go
haring off over the road to cause trouble. What happened last night
might have a bearing on something we’re investigating. Now tell us
what happened.”

“Investigating?” Her head whipped around, the thick blonde braid
sliding across her shoulder. “Investigating what?”

“That I can’t
divulge.”

Moz slanted a
look at Kirk. If the bloody bloke had said that in the first place
they might have avoided irritating Del. The only reason Moz hadn’t
said anything to her was because he didn’t know how far Kirk wanted
to go in an explanation.

Del looked
accusingly at Moz. “Why didn’t you just say so?”

“I wasn’t sure
how far to go,” he replied honestly.

She stared at
him for several seconds before finally nodding, her shoulders
relaxing. “Okay. Sorry. Guess I’m a little touchy right now.”

Interesting.
“Have you been threatened?”

“What? No.
Well…” She looked blankly at him before shaking her head. “I guess
I’m getting this over-protective vibe everywhere and it’s a little
annoying. I’ve lived out here safely for ages and suddenly my
parents are worried about me, there’re new locks on my windows
and…Never mind.” Taking a deep breath, she rubbed her hands on her
knees. “Sorry. Rant over.”

She was an
independent woman, he respected that, but he also wanted her safe.
So sue him, he didn’t give a rat’s arse. Another subject for
later.

Maintaining a
relaxed façade, Moz stroked Missy as she walked across his lap.
“Del, tell us what happened last night from beginning to end.”

“Okay, well…”
She scratched her chin thoughtfully, glancing up at the ceiling as
she debated where to start. “I got home from work, had a shower,
and was in the kitchen heating up food when I heard some yelling
and dogs barking. Then I heard a yelp so I decided to check out
what was happening. Grabbed a baseball bat and went outside.”