Irritable

by Joanne Locker

  "Wha--? YOU! What do you think you are doing?" Kelsey woke and tried to scramble away from the man.

  "Hold still, Pebbles. I'm not going to hurt you."

  "Don't you dare touch me, and my name is NOT Pebbles! Stop calling me that!" Kelsey slapped at his hands.

  "Honey, I'm not trying to take advantage of you; I just want to help. Your skin is a lot more sensitive than I realized, and I feel bad that I spanked you a second time. I promise my intentions are good. Let me help you."

  "No! Get out. Leave me the hell alone!" Kelsey snapped.

  "What happened to you to make you so prickly and nasty with people, young lady?" Cleve asked with a frown.

  Kelsey felt as though he'd slapped her and she hated it when she felt her eyes fill with hot tears of shame. "Get out, Cleve. Get out and leave me alone!" She wanted nothing to do with him.

  "Fine, I'll leave, but not until I speak to you about your door locks. You left your front door unlocked again, and it's not safe to do that... especially when you live alone."

  "I will do as I damn well please, Chief Blankenship. It is not against the law to choose to leave my doors unlocked." Kelsey was furious with him and wanted the big man to leave her home. She was barely covered with the damp towel!

  "No, it's not against the law, but it is foolish. Have you listened to the news? Or read the newspaper lately? We have a rapist on the loose. He preys on single women and he tortures them for hours. I had two of my seasoned detectives crying in my office today because they saw what he did to his last victim. Please lock your doors, Miss Sherwood."

  "Please leave."

  "You have no intention of complying, do you?" Cleve asked angrily. "I swear, if you weren't already so sore I would turn you over my knee and spank some sense into you, young lady." Her lovely green eyes opened wide, and then filled with anger. Cleve braced himself, and didn't have long to wait. She let him know in no uncertain terms that she thought him despicable. He let her speak her piece, and then said quietly, "You are too beautiful a woman to act like such a smart-mouthed brat, Pebbles. If I find your door unlocked ever again, five minutes from now or five years from now, I am going to paddle your bottom. Mark my words. Now, come along, and lock up behind me... or else!" he added when she drew herself up to retort.

  Kelsey didn't want to give Cleve the satisfaction of obeying him, but she already knew the man would spank her again if she didn't. Her bottom was much too sore for another punishment, and she decided to be prudent for once in her life. She would get even with the man, somehow... someway...

  Cleve stood there and listened for the dead bolt to slide into place, and then he deliberately tested the doorknob to make sure she knew he was checking on her. He walked around the house and tried the windows and found them locked, but her patio door leading to the backyard was unlocked. "This one, too, Pebbles," he called into the house in a firm voice.

  "Go away, you odious man!" Kelsey slammed the door in his face, locked it, and then pulled the drape shut so she didn't have to look at him. Why in hell was she attracted to the overgrown Neanderthal? She didn't want to be drawn to anyone at all, but Cleve Blankenship was getting to her in a big way and it made her mad! She especially hated the fact that he was a cop. Why a damn cop? What was God trying to do to her?

  *****

  Cleve didn't see the feisty redhead for the next week, and he would have been shocked to know that he was being observed from an upstairs window each and every day as he left and came home from work, and the green eyes doing the watching were not pleased.

  After all those threats, the man hadn't bothered to check even once to make sure her doors were locked. He didn't really care about her, Kelsey decided. She made sure the pillow was fluffed on her desk chair and then seated herself. Sitting was finally becoming bearable, but she would use the pillow until she was positive she wouldn't end up standing to work like she had the first day or two after Cleve spanked her. Talk about miserable! Her feet and ankles ached after less than an hour of standing at her keyboard, but sitting was impossible, and she had a deadline. She'd taken lots of breaks to go and lie down on her tummy, but she'd kept working, no matter how much she didn't want to.

  In ten years of writing, Kelsey hadn't missed a deadline and she wasn't going to miss one now. She could just picture herself telling her editor that the reason she was late was due to the fact her neighbor gave her a spanking. Elise wouldn't believe her for one single minute, and if she did, she would probably assume it was a sexy spanking that got a bit carried away.

  That thought took Kelsey's thoughts in another direction, to another cop, the man her father was partnered with. Her Dad invited Steven Sherwood to their home for dinner one evening to meet his wife and daughter, and Kelsey fell in love with the happy-go-lucky man. He made her laugh, and he wasn't at all upset by her quick temper. Kelsey's Dad thought it a miracle that Steven could turn off Kelsey's ire with just a wink, and when Steven asked to marry the redhead, both of her parents were delighted. They had a laughter filled ceremony, and both sides of the church were filled with police officers. Making love with Steven was wonderful, and Kelsey learned she was pregnant on the day she lost her father and husband in a high-speed chase while they were trying to apprehend a drug dealer. The car her Dad was driving flipped over and was hit by a semi... Kelsey miscarried her baby a couple weeks later, and then nursed her Mom until she died of cancer less than a year after losing her husband. Kelsey thought the part of her that could feel loving and sexy was long since dead and buried with Steven.

  Now her dreams were consumed with her handsome neighbor, the same man who thought her a brat and who had spanked her so soundly she'd needed a pillow to sit on for the last week! The same man who told her to lock her doors and then didn't bother to check and see if she was obeying him. Kelsey was furious. With Cleve, but most of all with herself for having a school girl crush at her age!

  She needed to clear her mind before she could work, Kelsey decided. She went to the kitchen and poured another mug of coffee for herself, added cream and sugar, and then unlocked her patio doors and went outside to enjoy the morning. It wasn't too hot yet, and the breeze felt good as it tossed her short hair about. She had a nice soft cushion in her rattan rocking chair, and took a seat, her mind filling with thoughts of her neighbor once more. He hadn't had a day off in over two weeks now and she knew he took his responsibilities as Chief very seriously with all the hours he was putting on the job. Still, would it kill him to at least act like she was alive? Probably, she grimaced as she sipped her coffee. She'd railed at him and made it clear she didn't want anything to do with him.

  *****

  Cleve wished he could stop thinking about the cute redhead. Pebbles was fine looking and he couldn't get the image of her nude body out of his mind. He wanted to touch her, and the feeling was getting stronger all the time, although he couldn't understand why. He wasn't partial to redheads, or tiny women. Cleve always dated brunettes, and he liked a woman who was tall enough to come to at least his chin. Pebbles was at least a foot shorter than him. And she had a nasty disposition and temper. So why couldn't he stop thinking about her? At least she'd been locking her doors. He checked every night before he went to bed, and he hadn't heard her music again, either. Why on earth was he interested in a female who wanted nothing at all to do with him?

  *****

  Of all the rotten luck! Kelsey kicked the flat tire. She had ice cream, too, and it would melt by the time she called someone to come and change her tire. A nice looking man walked over and smiled at her. "I see your tire is flat, Miss. Could I give you a hand?"

  Kelsey was tempted to let the stranger help her. He looked harmless, but she was a cop's daughter and was married for two years to a cop. She shook her head 'no' but before she could speak she heard a familiar voice say, "Thanks, but I'm here to give Pebble's a hand. Kind of you to offer, though." Kelsey saw the angry look in the young man's dark eyes, but he smiled and said, "Cool," and walked away. "Do you have a
spare, Pebbles?" Cleve asked, slipping out of his suit coat.

  "I can call AAA," Kelsey said in exasperation. "I don't want you to ruin your suit, Cleve," she added when he looked at her.

  "I'd rather ruin my suit than leave you here with someone you don't know, young lady. There is a rapist on the loose, and you need to be careful. I would hate for something to happen to you, Pebbles," he said so earnestly that she looked at him in surprise. To his astonishment she smiled.

  "I was planning to tell him 'no,' Cleve. My father and my husband were police officers; I know better," she spoke of her Dad and Steven for the first time in years. It didn't hurt quite as much now as it used to.

  "Both gone?" Cleve asked, noting her use of the past tense verb.

  "Yes, together. They were chasing a drug dealer, and a little girl ran out in the street in front of Dad. He swerved to miss her, and flipped the car. A semi crashed into the car, and both he and Steven died."

  "I'm truly sorry, Pebbles," Cleve said, meaning the words.

  "It's been ten years now," she admitted, then blinked. "Let me see about that spare. I do appreciate the help."

  Cleve was pleased that they'd managed to be in each other's company for over five minutes without arguing, and he didn't mind at all changing the tire. "At least you have a decent spare tire and not one of those stupid donuts," he said in approval. He took out her jack and got busy. A couple minutes later he was frowning. "Damn it! Did that guy give you his name, Pebbles?" he asked, rising to his full height to look at her. He had a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach.

  "No... What's wrong, Cleve?" Kelsey asked, curious at his strange behavior.

  "Someone let the air out of your tire, honey. I should have questioned that kid. Did you see what he was driving?"

  "No, I didn't. He came walking from over there," she pointed, and then shivered.

  "Could be he's a nice guy who just wanted to do the right thing," Cleve muttered, but his gut was telling him otherwise. "I know you've been keeping your doors locked like I asked, but make certain you continue, and if you notice anything strange, call me. I'll give you my cell number so you can reach me at work without going through Nina."

  "Office Lucia?" Kelsey remembered her run in with the younger woman only too well. "She likes you... a lot! She has a possessive look in her eyes when she looks at you." Kelsey was surprised at how jealous she felt as she pointed out that little fact to the big man.

  Cleve grinned and then laughed. "Nina is my niece, Pebbles. She likes to protect me from things that I don't have time for."

  "She is your niece?" Kelsey groaned. "Oh, how embarrassing!" she muttered to herself.

  "She is expecting her first baby and I hope she retires from the police department to stay home and be a Mommy. It scares me having her there, especially right now. I know how that sounds," he looked at the redhead, expecting her to chew him out.

  "It's not a sin to want to keep someone you love safe," Kelsey surprised him by saying. "Of course, you might not want to tell your niece that. What does her husband think about her working?"

  "He doesn't mind a desk job, but he doesn't want her out on the street. Nina respects that for the time being." He couldn't help wondering at her attitude towards him when they met, and wondered if it was because of the badge. "Were you so antagonistic towards me because of the job?" Cleve had to know.

  "No," Kelsey answered, and felt her face turn red as she quickly changed the subject. "I really appreciate this, Cleve. My ice cream would have been soup if I'd had to wait for AAA to come."

  "Ice cream, huh?" he looked at her. "What kind?"

  "Plain ole vanilla... My favorite kind," she added defensively.

  "Mine too," Cleve nodded.

  Kelsey giggled at the hopeful look in his eyes. "I think I can spare a bowl of ice cream for the man who changed my tire."

  "Great. I'll follow you home." He wanted to make damn sure and certain that no one was lurking about. He simply couldn't shake the uneasy feeling he had that the air was let out of her tire on purpose by that young guy who eagerly offered to help. The rapist had done that same thing a time or two, and there was nothing wrong with Pebbles' tire.

  Although Cleve was alert all the way to their street, he didn't see any sign of the young man. He did notice, however, that Pebbles drove like a person possessed. He could have cited her at least six different times on the short trip home, and he intended to warn her to slow down and quit taking chances. After he had his ice cream, he amended. If he started scolding she would never ask him inside, and he really wanted to check out her condo and make sure no one was hiding in there.

  Cleve stepped on the gas and caught up to her on their street. He didn't want her to get out of her vehicle until he was there. He didn't see any cars or trucks that didn't belong. The two women who lived through the vicious attacks told of being taken from one place to another. Several others had been attacked in their own homes, and those were the ones who usually ended up dead. Cleve watched the rear view mirror and saw a black van pull into a driveway down the street. He decided it was the caretaker for the elderly woman who lived there, and pulled his car into his garage and then pushed the button to close the door as he stepped outside. He'd foregone getting his own groceries and didn't have anything to carry inside.

  Pebbles was taking bags from the trunk of her car and he stepped forward to take three bags from her arms while she grabbed a fourth and then shut the trunk lid. She led the way inside through the utility room and he noticed that the dryer was running! One more think to scold for, he decided. It seemed the tiny woman liked to live dangerously.

  "Have a seat at the table, Cleve," Kelsey invited. She quickly put away her groceries, and was thankful that she was neat by nature. The dirty dishes were hidden in the dishwasher until she had a full load and her home looked nice... except for her office, and she worked in there and it showed. "The ice cream should be easy to dip," she said as she got out bowls and spoons. "Would you like chocolate syrup on yours?" she offered.

  "No!" Cleve shook his head. "Why spoil a good thing?" he grinned.

  "I agree." She fixed a bowl for each of them and then joined Cleve at the table. "Okay, you can start yelling about my driving now..."

  Chapter Four

  "I was going to finish my ice cream first," Cleve didn't pretend he didn't understand what she meant, "but since you brought it up, young lady, I could have given you at least six citations on the way here. You were speeding every inch of the way... At one point you were seventeen miles past the speed limit. You didn't come to a full stop at the stop signs, and you took every last light on yellow as it was turning red."

  "You missed the pedestrian in the cross walk. I didn't stop for him, either," Kelsey added with amusement.

  "It isn't funny, Pebbles. You were risking your life and the lives of other people."

  "Not really. I was being exceptionally careful," she insisted. "I just wanted to see if you would notice."

  "You did that on purpose?" Cleve asked in startled surprise.

  "Yes. I wanted to see if you would break the law to keep up with me," she wiggled her eyebrows. "You did."

  "So you were testing me?" he drawled, wondering what the heck she was up to, but close to upending her for a good spanking.

  "You could say that. I don't know how anyone tolerates the way cops drive. Most of you are terrible behind the wheel because you are always in such a hurry. You speed, and if it doesn't suit you, you don't even buckle up," Kelsey accused heatedly. "You shouldn't have been trying to keep up with me!" she dared to scold.

  "Really?" Cleve drawled slowly, perilously close to losing his temper, something he rarely did.

  "Really. Don't do that again!"

  "I'm going to finish my ice cream, and then, little Pebbles, you are going over my knee for a good spanking!" he promised her.

  "No I'm not," Kelsey immediately argued although she was secretly thrilled by his words. Was she deliberately trying to provoke him
? Yes, probably. Why? Because she had to know if he was the type of man who could handle her moody temper and her bratty tantrums. If he couldn't, then she needed to know it now, before she invested too much of herself in him or let herself go to bed with him. Her libido was returning and Kelsey suddenly found herself wanting to experience the physical side of love once again. That couldn't happen unless she truly cared for the man and he cared for her. A man who cared for her wouldn't let her drive like a complete idiot without saying something.

  "Want to make a bet?" Cleve asked. "I don't like being tested, but even more than that, I'm not one bit impressed at the way you were driving. You need your fanny set on fire for that little stunt, and I promise I'll do it again if I catch you speeding and running stop signs. Hear me?" he demanded.

  Kelsey swallowed hard. "I hear you, and I really wish you'd forget the spanking. I get the message loud and clear."

  "I have no intention of forgetting the spanking, Pebbles. I get the feeling that you haven't been on the receiving end of consequences too often in your life, which I find very hard to believe since your Dad and husband were both cops."

  "I had consequences from my parents," Kelsey admitted, "but Mama did not permit spanking, and Dad respected her wishes. She was abused as a child and it frightened her if Dad even gave me a swat."

  "What about your husband?"

  "He didn't believe in spanking, either. And," she cocked her head to one side, "I wouldn't have tested him like that. I knew where I stood with him from the first second he looked at me." She took a deep breath and then let it out slowly. "What about you, Cleve? Have you ever been married? You have to be at least as old as I am, and I am thirty-three..."

  "I'm forty and no, I've never married. I was engaged a few years ago, but Amy didn't want kids. I do. She was offered a job in New York and took it. She's happy with her career and probably better off following her heart."