“I didn’t plan on staying. Figured I’d work for a few months and move on. But this place felt safe. Like home. Better than home. As though nothing could or would ever threaten me here. Imagine a town without crime? A place called Heaven? And it was. It is,” she corrected herself. “I’m sure that I just got spooked. Jimmy could never have tracked me here. My parents have never visited. I won’t allow them to. They know I live near Philly, and we meet there once in a blue moon.”
“Could he have followed them? Found you through one of their visits?”
“No. I doubt it. They always drive to Kennedy Airport and fly from there. They take a cab to a rental agency, never renting a car from the airport lot. They are very careful.”
“What about the hotel?” he asked.
“We meet at a small boutique hotel and they always pay by cash. They’re always on the look-out, knowing that one mistake could cost me my life.”
His eyes grew soft and warm. He reached out a hand and stroked her shoulder. “I’m sorry. You’ve had a rotten life.”
“Only the last few years. Before that it was great.” She smiled and sipped her wine again. “I’ve learned a lot in the past few years. Took up martial arts, and I’m quite the expert at kung-fu fighting.” She laughed. “Kick-boxing too. And I’m a sharp shooter,” she said proudly.
“That’s good. I don’t want anything to happen to you. Not on my watch.”
“It must be fun saying that. Not on my watch. Is that a cop cliché?”
He shook his head, a rueful smile on his face. “You don’t let me get away with a thing, do you?”
“I might. Depends on what you tried. Got something in mind?”
They stared at each other for a few minutes, and she was the first to back down. She swung her legs off the sofa. “You want something to nibble on? Cheese and crackers? Some more stew?”
“I’m not hungry. Why don’t we finish our wine, then I’ll take the dog outside for a leak. You can make my bed on the couch.”
“On the couch?” she looked him over from head to toe. “You don’t fit.”
“You know someplace that’s a better fit?”
Her pulse raced as she saw the look in his eye. The atmosphere had become electrically charged. Energy vibrated between them. Even the dog seemed to notice. He got up and howled.
“I’ll get my jacket. Take him out. Then I’ll be back to finish the wine, and anything else we’ve started.”
She wasn’t sure what he meant by that, but it certainly did sound interesting.
CHAPTER TEN
Ian barely felt the chill in the air as he had enough internal heat to melt the drifting snow. Speed had given him a good excuse to get out of the house and get a grip. Being with Ally was not necessarily a good thing. He liked her a little too much. She was cute and funny, and made him feel good—better than he’d felt since learning about his wife and partner’s affair.
He hadn’t been laid in a long while. He missed sex. It was natural that he felt urges around Ally. He wanted to kiss her everywhere, and make love to that sexy, tight body. Didn’t think she’d mind either. The feelings weren’t wrong. He was a man and she was an available, attractive woman who enjoyed flirting with him.
The unfortunate part in this otherwise very nice scenario was his ill-fated position as police chief. As such, his behavior needed to be above reproach. Although Ally had invited him to her home tonight, it should be to protect her. Not have his way with her. He was a big boy and knew right from wrong. So he should be the one to end this flirtation before it went any further.
It was up to him to exercise better control over what he wanted and what he could have. He watched the dog take a pee, let him run around and sniff for a few minutes, wondering how he was going to handle the situation when he returned inside.
Smart thing would be to say goodnight and leave, but if anything happened to her he’d never forgive himself. He sensed that she was in danger and he trusted his instincts.
If he could convince her to leave the cabin and go stay with Nick and his family, then he could keep his distance, and she would remain safe. It was the best possible solution until he sniffed out this Jimmy asshole, or whoever was leaving her unwanted surprises on her doorstep.
He called for Speed, who was sniffing around a tree, and tugged on his line. The dog lifted his head, then raised his hind leg and peed again. Ian heard or sensed a movement beyond the tree and called out.
“Anyone there? I’m Police Chief Brown. Identify yourself and come out.”
Silence was the only answer. The back of Ian’s neck prickled, alerting him to danger but he pushed forward. If someone was out there, he had his backup piece taped to his ankle. Why he wore it in Heaven was questionable, but it was a habit from so many years on the force. As natural as wearing a clean pair of shorts.
Speed led the way, his ears perked, sniffing and lunging ahead. Ian thought he heard the faint sound of branches ruffling, but it could have been his imagination. He quickened his pace and thought about continuing the chase, but Ally was alone in the cabin with the door unlocked. Expecting him back.
Ian retraced his steps and brought the dog back inside. He locked the door, closed the curtains tight and took off his jacket, keeping his suspicions to himself.
“You guys were longer than I expected.” She drank her wine, her eyes questioning him. “Everything all right?”
“Yeah. No problem. I just needed to cool down.” He shot her a look, allowing his gaze to flicker over the length of her slim body. “You know this can’t go anywhere.”
“Not that I thought it might, but why not?” She tossed her head and narrowed her eyes. “If I wanted you in my bed, are you saying that we couldn’t?”
“Matter-of-fact, I am. It’s the job, not because I don’t want to. Trust me, I’d like to get down and dirty with you, but that would be really bad judgment on my part.” He grabbed his glass of wine and downed it. “Best thing for you to do is go to bed, and I’ll just hang here on the couch. Me and Speed will keep you safe. But as the chief, I really need to insist that you pack up tomorrow and go stay with your friends, or get a hotel room for a night or two in Philly. We have a lot of visitors right now, and I don’t feel good about you staying out here on your own.”
“Why would I stay in a hotel, if you think he might be there too?”
“I don’t. If he has found you after all this time, he might be holed up in one of these empty cabins. I intend to have a good look tomorrow.” He was pretty certain someone had been outside tonight. Yes, it could have been a wild animal, but he didn’t believe that.
She shivered. “You think that’s possible?”
“Possible, but I’m not sure how likely.” Ian didn’t want to scare her unnecessarily, but he was a little spooked himself. There were at least a half a dozen cabins laced along the lake neighboring hers, and again that many across the lake. Plenty of places to hide.
She picked up a piece of cheese and a cracker that she’d treated herself to, and nibbled for a moment. Her eyes were big as saucers, and he could see she was thinking hard. He couldn’t force her to leave, but he hoped he’d scared enough sense into her that she would agree.
“Will you sleep with me tonight? No fooling around, I just want you near.”
He swallowed hard, his eyes on her. She was so young. He felt like an old man next to her, and it disturbed him that he wanted her. He knew he shouldn’t, but every male cell in his body was screaming a different story. Lying with her in bed would be akin to torture, but if it gave her a sense of peace, so be it.
“Sure. I can do that.” He indicated the couch. “Beats the alternative.”
“Jeez. Thanks. Delighted to know that I’m better than a couch.”
“Didn’t say you were,” he said with a grin. “I said your bed was.”
She tossed a grape at him and made a face. “You are so mean. Want some more wine?”
“Good idea. I might need it.” He hoped the wine
would lull him to sleep while his body hungered for the young woman beside him.
She refilled their two glasses. “You’re not afraid I’ll take advantage of you, are you?”
“Hardly. I’m twice your size, and if I can’t fight off a little thing like you, I better turn in my badge.”
Her eyes twinkled, and she gave him a knowing smile. “You might not want to.”
“Don’t play with fire or you might get burnt,” he said, taking his wine and going back to the couch. “Let’s watch an exciting rerun of Law and Order.”
“You’re just too much fun,” she said, following him. “Anybody ever tell you that?”
“My ex-wife, but I didn’t believe her until it was too late.”
“Oh, Ian. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it.”
He put his arm around her shoulder and gave her a hug. “Don’t be sorry. I’m not.”
She twisted around to look at him. “Who wants a fun guy, anyway? Okay for a night or two, but not for long distance.”
“You like me because I remind you of a teddy bear.” He stroked her hair, wishing he could pull her close.
“You got that right.”
He removed his arm from around her shoulder, and they settled in for a big night of rousing entertainment. It was around eleven when they turned off the television and made their way to her bed. Ian had a hard enough time sitting next to her on the couch. Every shy smile she’d given him had made his heart feel light. He couldn’t remember enjoying a woman’s company so much.
How in the world would he sleep next to her, and keep his hard-on to himself? It would take all his internal strength and be a true testament to his character. He hoped he didn’t fail.
* * *
Ally brushed her teeth and moisturized her face and body, as the dry northern air in the winter did terrible things to her skin. Besides, she wanted her skin soft under the flannel nightie she wore in deference to Ian’s high moral standards. She kind of got it—that whole noble thing.
He, an officer of the law, was protecting her and it was probably unethical to sleep with her. Well, not sleep, but have sex with her. That was the deal breaker. Except nobody had to know. Wasn’t like she would go around town bragging about it. Heck, no. It was kind of embarrassing that she would even consider it. They didn’t really know each other that well, and had never dated.
Wasn’t exactly her fault that she’d glimpsed his super-hot body in the shower and now couldn’t get it out of her mind. He was cuddly, like a teddy, with his big broad hairy chest, his long limbs, his extra long… No! She wasn’t going there. She could be prim and proper and high-minded too.
He wouldn’t be the only one to get a sticker for honorable behavior and no foul play in the morning. She intended to live up to their agreement as long as he did.
Ian was already in bed when she crept in the darkened room. She could see he’d folded his jeans and shirt over the back of a chair. As her eyes adjusted to the dim lighting, she saw his big bare arms crossed on top of the comforter and he was already snoring lightly.
Damn. She’d only been in the bathroom for ten-fifteen minutes tops, and had expected at least a cuddle before they drifted to opposite sides of the beds to sleep soundlessly throughout the night. Maybe an itsy bitsy kiss. A chaste one, on the lips. Closed. Not a full-blown, open-mouthed and down-the-throat, air-sucking, mind-blowing gutsy kiss that she imagined he’d be very good at.
Of course she didn’t know for sure. Maybe he was a lousy kisser and that’s why his wife stepped out on him. Well, stepped out was not quite correct. Jennie had told her that Nick had said the rumor was his wife had been having an affair with his partner! Oh, the shame in that! Poor, poor man. If his partner hadn’t been shot in some drug bust gone wrong, he’d probably have wanted to shoot him himself.
Ooops! Maybe he had, and that’s why he’d buried himself in Heaven. He had a whole lot of making up to do if he ever hoped to spend eternity in the big heaven in the sky one fine day.
No wonder he didn’t want to make love to her. If he was actually guilty of murdering his partner, deserved as it may be, well, that would explain a lot. Getting her the dog, being nice to people, helping old ladies cross the street, and carrying grocery bags for them out to the car. He’d had a big fundraiser a few months ago—in September, for back-to-school. He’d raised enough money to buy thirty new computers, and they were now available to the students in the study hall.
He’d done some fine things in the six months he’d been here. Could he have put a bullet in his partner’s back, thinking about him on top of his wife pounding away?
She shimmied her bottom a little closer to the edge of the bed. She didn’t think he was capable of taking revenge on another fellow officer like that, but she didn’t really know him all that well. One thing for sure, she didn’t want to rouse the sleeping beast and have him turn on her.
Ally turned her head to look at him. His eyes were open and looked straight into hers!
She gulped. Audibly. And put a hand to her chest. Her heart was racing, her blood beating fast.
“Your eyes are huge. Dilated. What’s wrong?” He sat up, looking angry. “You aren’t on drugs, are you?”
She shot up. “Of course not! I don’t do drugs. Not even for a head cold. Why would you ask such a thing?”
“Dilated pupils usually mean someone is high on drugs, or titillated. During sexual arousal eyes can dilate.”
“Well!” she hissed with indignation. “That certainly does not apply to me. What do I have to be aroused about? You snoring in my bed?”
“I wasn’t snoring. I was breathing through my nose.”
“Same thing. I could clearly hear it.”
“Well, then what is it? You’re not afraid of me, are you?” They both had their backs up against the pillows, and he slung an arm around her to pull her head down to his shoulder. He kissed the top of her head. Gentle. Not a murderer. Her imagination was on over-drive.
“If you’re not excited, and haven’t been snorting coke, you might be frightened. I won’t let any harm come to you. Anybody who tries to get to you will have to come through me. And as you can see, I’m built like a line-backer. An out-of-shape one.”
She smiled, enjoying having her head tucked into the curve of his neck. “Your shape is just fine. You aren’t overweight. You’re just solidly built.”
“That’s a nice way of putting it.” He pulled the comforter up higher so it reached their shoulders. “You smell nice.”
“It’s lotion from the Body Shop. My mom bought it for me last Christmas. Still have half the bottle left.”
“Well, it’s nice. You going to see your parents this year?”
“No. We don’t get together every year. More sporadically, you know, just in case.”
He cleared his throat. “That’s a hellova way to live.”
“Beats dying.”
He turned and took her chin into the palm of his hands. They were head to head on the pillow, and his eyes searched hers. “That’s not going to happen, Ally. We’ll get this son-of-a-bitch once and for all so that you can go on with your life without fear.”
“It’s hard to believe that. After all this time.”
“Do you trust me?”
She nodded, and put a hand on his large chest. It was warm and hard, and she wanted to cling to him for just a little longer.
“Then believe it. I won’t let this go. Whether he’s here or not, I’ll find this guy and make sure he never bothers you again.”
Her pulse raced. Perhaps he was capable of murder after all. The idea should have been appalling. Instead it was reassuring.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Ian lay awake for hours after Ally fell asleep. He listened to the steady rhythm of her breathing, and studied her face, devoid of fear, at rest. She looked so young and innocent, her lips quivering with every gentle snore.
The fuzzy flannel nightgown was anything but sexy. Purple in color and covered with sheep, it concealed
a great deal more of her than he’d see during the day. Still, he had to brace himself when she’d flip over, or burrow her bottom against him in the wee hours of the morning. Admirably, he managed to control his lust the few times her sweet butt settled against his crotch. Turning his back to her, he did his best to ignore the physical ache and desire for more contact. Hours passed slowly.
Then came the first light of morning. When he opened his eyes, her back faced him. Her gown had somehow become bundled around her waist during the night, revealing the pink lace thong she wore underneath.
Her beautiful bare buttocks, round and soft, and oh-so-inviting, were more temptation than he could handle. Too much for any man.
He’d been sleeping next to the wall, with her on the outside. He needed to escape while he was strong enough to try. His body broke out in sweat and his lungs felt like they might burst. He’d known lust often in his forty years, but nothing compared to this. He throbbed with the need to cup those cheeks of hers, and bury himself in that sweet tender flesh.
He could tell from her breathing that she was still fast asleep, and by moving one muscle at a time, he managed to get his large body past hers without making contact. A cold shower was desperately needed. Damn, if she woke up and saw the hard-on he had for her, she’d probably run outdoors screaming.
He walked quietly down the hall and entered the bathroom, closing the door behind him. After a quick leak he turned the shower on full blast. He shivered the moment he stepped in. It was cold. Freezing cold, but he didn’t need any warmth. His body was still on fire, his thoughts lusty. The vision of Ally’s prime ass was something he was unlikely to ever forget.
He closed his eyes and put his head back, letting the stream of cool water wash over his hot body. A hand touched him. A small female hand cupped his balls.
His cock reacted with shock, springing to attention. His eyes opened and shut convulsively. Ally had removed her ghastly gown, and stood naked in front of him. Not only naked, but smiling provocatively. Holding him in one hand, the other slid around to his ass.
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