Some Like It in Handcuffs

by Warner, Christine

  Kudos for SOME LIKE IT IN HANDCUFFS

  a finalist in the 2010 Golden Rose Contest

  Some Like It in Handcuffs

  by

  Christine Warner

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, organizations, places, events, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

  Text copyright © 2012 by Christine Warner

  Originally published by Wild Rose Press

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher.

  Published by AmazonEncore, Seattle

  www.apub.com

  Amazon, the Amazon logo, and AmazonEncore are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc., or its affiliates.

  eISBN: 9781503978942

  Cover Designer: Rae Monet, Inc. Design

  This title was previously published by Wild Rose Press; this version has been reproduced from Wild Rose Press archive files.

  Dedication

  To my wonderful sister, Cara.

  Thank you for the encouragement.

  Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  A word about the author...

  Chapter One

  “Take it easy. It’s not like I’m going anywhere.” Sunny jerked her arms back hoping to slow the pace of the large-framed detective who continued to drag her from the bar with unwavering force.

  “Calm down, Wildcat. You’re only making it harder on yourself.” He didn’t slow his stride, or ease the firm grasp he had on her arm as he walked beside her.

  The handcuffs were hard and solid, and she yanked her wrists a second time against their depressing weight. She scowled at his profile when he didn’t respond. Bruises would form from their mini tug of war.

  He led her through the pock covered gray metal door of Benny’s Backyard Playhouse to the outside coolness of the early morning air. The stench of garbage filled the back alley, and Sunny wrinkled her nose. The schedule for trash pickup was the least of her worries. She rolled her eyes, dreading the explanations she’d have to make to her family for this mess.

  Aware of the smirks on the faces of a few of the city’s finest standing on alert outside, Sunny glanced around until she noticed Officer Craig Kennedy, her brother.

  Craig winked at her as she marched past. She served him a mutinous glare. Humor pulled at the corners of his mouth, and he shrugged wide shoulders when his gaze connected with her brutish guard.

  “All in a day’s work, Judson?” Craig directed his question to the man in charge of her.

  “I had no idea I’d need a whip and a chair when I came in tonight.”

  Both men glanced at her and laughed. Craig better enjoy his fun now because he’d pay dearly the next time their paths crossed. As for the man named Judson, her skin prickled at his confident, cocky attitude. Too early to tell what she thought of him, but knowing he’d bonded with her brother, made her suspicious.

  “Sounds like you need to talk to your ring master about different props.” The words shot from her mouth. She yanked a final time, sighed, and let her arm go limp.

  “Like tranquilizer guns.” Judson’s quick comeback surprised her. She pressed her lips together to stop from smiling. He appealed to her and made her uneasy at the same time. Most men became tongue-tied when she started spewing sarcasm.

  She hadn’t visited the department lately and assumed the egotistical beefcake dragging her across the pavement must be new to the precinct. With a twist of her head, she scanned the length of his body. His gray suit didn’t hide his broad shoulders or the long powerful gait of his strides.

  Mr. Tough Guy tugged her arm to keep her moving. It wouldn’t be smart to tell him whom he was manhandling just yet. A few of the dancers were close and already stared at her with wide eyes for being sassy. No way would she put her job at Benny’s in jeopardy because she couldn’t control her mouth. She bit her lip.

  “Looks like you have your hands full, Jud. Good luck.” Craig followed his comment with an exaggerated whistle.

  “Nothing a sturdy muzzle can’t handle.” Judson challenged her with the lift of his brow.

  “Try it buddy.” She broke her resolve to remain silent, and whispered through clenched teeth, “It’ll be a fight you’ll never forget.”

  He purred loud enough for her ears alone. “I bet you leave scratches, Wildcat.”

  His eyes flashed, and she couldn’t tell if it was in amusement or anger. With a thrust of her chin, she turned from his gaze to stop the instant retort that sprang to her lips.

  A gust of wind followed their parade across the dimly lit parking lot. The tangled mass of dead leaves and discarded debris in the corner of the alley whipped into a small tornado. Goose bumps popped up on her skin and she shivered.

  Sunny inhaled a deep breath in an attempt to calm her pulse. Anger at the detective wouldn’t accomplish anything. He had a job to do and she shouldn’t blame him for doing it.

  Better she kill him with kindness. The best advice her father had given her when dealing with four tormenting brothers. She might not win every argument, but she’d come out on top if she kept her cool.

  The warm smile she pasted on her face could have melted butter. Her voice softened. “It’d be nice if I could at least grab my jacket. It’s freezing out here, and I’m not exactly dressed for the occasion.”

  Her body shook as the cold air penetrated her skin. She fixed her stare on the rigid body of the man at her side. The slinky sequined bustier and pair of barely there matching jean shorts hardly covered the necessities. No wonder he didn’t listen to her. Nobody would take her serious in this get up.

  His large hand combed through his thick overgrown hair before he stopped in annoyance then swung around on his heel. The mercury light on the pole behind her lit his face as he looked down at her with the most extraordinary pair of gray eyes she’d ever seen. Not solid gray as she summed up in her hasty inspection, but the type of blue-gray color that matched the sky during a spring storm.

  Definitely easy on the eyes. The startling realization that this no nonsense detective was quite a specimen of manhood surprised her. It took her what...all of five minutes to notice. The word handsome didn’t do him justice. His strong, rugged features and dark coloring made his Native American heritage obvious. His height and size made her feel feminine and—she flinched—protected. Her gaze traveled from the top of his head to the toes of his well-made leather shoes. If she’d paid attention from the start, instead of pouting over her predicament, she’d have noticed all of this sooner. Her lips twitched at her own blatant evaluation of him.

  Just the type of guy she was attracted to, too bad he worked law enforcement. All her life she’d been surrounded by men who talked cop day and night. Sunny had sworn off ever actually dating anyone in the profession, even though she’d had so many offers from the guys who worked with her brothers, she stopped counting. Not that she kept a tally, but it was a lift to her confidence.

  Without a word, Jud the stud shrugged out of his dark gray suit coat and draped it unceremoniously across h
er shoulders. His calloused hands brushed the smooth skin of her upper arm. This time the damp Lake Michigan air wasn’t the cause of the sudden shudder that ran through her entire body. The heat radiating from his touch warmed her flesh, and an instant swell of desire rose within her. She sucked in a gulp of air so fast she coughed.

  “Thanks.” Sunny stumbled on an invisible stone from the pavement, but managed to take the last few steps to the unmarked police car.

  Judson placed his hand over her head to guide her into the back of his sedan. The instant awareness of his touch circulated through the blood in her veins and traveled her body. Something about him upset her equilibrium, and she landed awkwardly onto the back seat. If he hadn’t acted so quickly by holding her steady, she’d have fallen face first. Sure, it’d been awhile since she’d been in the company of an attractive man, but she hadn’t realized she missed it until now.

  She might have to reevaluate concentrating solely on her career and start accepting dates. Of course, it’d help if anyone asked. As of late her phone only rang with job opportunities, which was good for the bank account, but not her confidence.

  The door clicked closed and she leaned forward to adjust her position. It was difficult to move with her hands cuffed behind her. She flicked her head to the side to clear the curls from her face. They interfered with her view of Judson’s swagger as he rounded the front of the car. An intense heat ignited throughout her body. The thrilling tingle resonated across her limbs and fanned a flame where her legs met. Sunny squirmed in her seat to ease the burn.

  She chastised herself for thinking about sex when trouble was only minutes away. About fifteen minutes to be exact. Sunny rested her head against the cool leather of the seat and stared up at the interior ceiling of the sedan. She didn’t look forward to arriving at their destination. By now not only did her other brothers know about her imminent arrival, but her father did as well.

  Sunny lifted her head from the seat as Judson opened his door. Tasha, a dancer from the Playhouse, stood next to a blonde haired officer, her wrists cuffed in a pair of steel bracelets that matched Sunny’s. The young officer talked with Judson. Sunny strained to hear what they said, but the snapping of Tasha’s bubblegum blocked out their voices. Before she could lean forward the rear door opened and Tasha slid into the seat across from her. Sunny closed her mouth and kneed the back of the seat.

  The debate she had with herself about informing Judson just who she was had been decided. No way could she say anything with Tasha in the car, unless she wanted to blow her cover.

  All too soon Sunny sat forward when the car stopped. She scanned the familiar rustic six story brick building. Panic welled in her throat, she swallowed the lump. Several deep breaths controlled the quick rise and fall of her chest. She had to face them, but it didn’t mean she looked forward to it.

  Hair prickled on the back of her neck. She preceded her hot Sherlock Holmes into the brightly lit squad room, squaring her shoulders in preparation for battle.

  A few hoots and hollers greeted her when she passed the desks of the detectives working the graveyard shift. A sudden lack of confidence and unease rose up from her belly, a reminder of her awkward teen years. She swallowed the anxiety and reminded herself she knew everybody here. It wouldn’t be normal if they didn’t give her a hard time. Detective Karr turned in his chair and gave her a hefty wink as she waltzed past him. She darted her tongue over her lips and winked back. The grown up Sunny could dish it out as well as take it.

  She jerked her neck to move her hair from her face. Dressed the way she was, she’d play along. She swished her hips in an exaggerated movement and followed the row between the desks. Detective Gates kept things going with a loud whistle. Several others joined in. Jeers and laughter echoed off of the bare white walls.

  She bent her head to hide her laughter. From the corner of her eye she noted Judson’s hard jaw. Sunny straightened until she stood her full five feet two inches in height. Someone needed to teach him to loosen up. He pushed her in the direction of the small interrogation room on the other side of the building.

  Before she disappeared through the archway she twisted around to give the room of rowdy detectives something to remember her by.

  “This is for all you hard working boys.” Sunny tilted her head, closed her eyes, puckered her lips, and sent them all a loud lip smacking air kiss.

  The room went wild, and Mr. Serious pulled her through the arch none too gently. He tried to hide it, but she caught his small smile before he turned his head to the side.

  “You like that, big guy?” Sunny giggled. “Too bad you didn’t opt for that muzzle.”

  He quirked his brow, but didn’t bother with an answer as he led her down the narrow hallway to the second room on the right.

  When the door snapped shut, her smile faded at the angry gaze of not only her two older brothers, Derek and Brent, but the more disturbing frown of Captain Kennedy, her father. Apparently Craig hadn’t arrived in time to join the festivities.

  She matched their glares. They needed to know right from the start she had no plans to back down; they couldn’t intimidate her one iota.

  Sunny rolled her eyes. “Great. A family reunion.”

  ****

  Judson unlocked the cuffs holding Sunny’s wrists hostage in one fluid motion. He stood mesmerized at the way she massaged her delicate skin while casting her gaze around the room.

  He had every intention of removing the cuffs for the ride to the precinct, but after she’d given him attitude, he decided to teach her a lesson in humility. As for confessing to her he knew her identity, he’d kept it secret as soon as another employee from the bar had been placed in the car with them. No matter if she was off her case or talked her family into letting her continue, he couldn’t risk blowing her undercover work prematurely by leaking her cover to the bubble gum snapping waitress that rode with them.

  Judson folded his arms over his chest. She had moxie; he’d give her that. For someone so little she packed quite the punch, at least when it came to her sassy mouth and big attitude. He held back his smile at the way she stared down her brothers and her father.

  The cool concrete seeped into his bones as he leaned against the wall of the soundproof room and surveyed the group before him. The oversized suit coat dwarfed Sunny’s small frame, and she looked like a rebelling teen.

  The thought of helping her with her latest case gnawed at his insides. He only agreed out of respect for Captain Kennedy and the camaraderie he shared with her brothers. He didn’t like working with another female partner, especially one who had no experience with a cold case investigation. Hell, she probably wanted to be an investigator because this week it looked glamorous. Or maybe she relied on her brothers for help. Either way, the faster they completed this case, the quicker he’d be on his way to Montana.

  As he studied Sunny, a knot of unease tore through his gut. The first word to come to mind was trouble. He brushed his hand through his hair knowing one thing for certain; he’d never be able to wear that jacket again without thinking of her.

  Chapter Two

  “You might as well take a seat and get comfortable.” Derek glared down at her from the length of his perfectly proportioned nose with the combined arrogance of all her brothers. He pulled out a chair and patted the metal seat with the palm of his hand.

  Sunny’s hand flew to her hips. To accommodate her brother’s height, she tipped her head back to look him in the eyes. “Get a grip. Quit treating me like I just scored detention on the playground.” His habit of acting like her father, instead of her brother, was something he should’ve gotten over long ago. He seemed to forget she was a twenty-five year old woman, running her own business, whom managed to take care of herself quite nicely. Thank you very much.

  She glanced around the gray concrete room, her gaze finished with Judson. He leaned against the wall with an amused expression on his face. One leg crossed the other, and his arms folded over his chest. Who invited him t
o listen in on an obvious family discussion? Sunny’s cheeks burned as she stepped toward him.

  She wiggled her shoulders to dislodge his jacket. Her arm extended in his direction, and the weight of his large suit coat dangled from the tip of her finger. “Thanks for the use of your jacket, and your time detective, but you’re free to leave. I’m sure we can handle it from here.”

  The corners of his lips twitched before curving into an emotionless smile. “I’ll just stick around to keep you in control.”

  “Your chances of taming a tiger with a whip and a chair would be better.” Sunny flashed him an extra large smile, sure to show her teeth through tight lips, and then turned away. She didn’t have time to deal with his over inflated ego.

  Sunny ignored the testosterone-filled room and pulled out a chair. She plopped into the seat, managing to keep a straight face when her bare legs met cool metal. When her heartbeat returned to normal, she leaned back, stretched her legs out to rest her feet on the chair across from her, and calmly inspected her well-bitten fingernails.

  All of the men in the room wore suits and the sounds of the various fabrics rustling against each other as they shifted their positions drowned out the deafening buzz of silence. A giggle stuck in her throat as she waited for someone to speak. With certainty it wouldn’t be her.

  “We know what you’re up to.” Derek ground out through tight lips.

  “What possessed you to work undercover at Benny’s?” Brent’s level voice caused her to stop the inspection of her non-existent manicure to look at him. She had to hand it to him, he deserved credit for his consistent temper.

  “Wow, you know what I’m up to? Maybe you should think about becoming detectives.”

  “Ha ha, and you should hit the road on the next comedy tour.” Derek’s bark chilled the length of her spine.

  “Derek.” Ray Kennedy reprimanded his son with one softly spoken word.

  Sunny crossed her eyes at her brother and grinned.