Why was he so attracted to her? Her silky voice had a slight purr that did strange things to his insides and made him feel as though he’d been waiting to hear her voice his entire life. The thought scared him senseless. When she’d first spoken, the sound of her voice touched a need deep inside him, a need he couldn’t quite identify, a need he refused to shine a light on. Something his mother said to him right before he moved from Chicago to Avery drifted through his mind. When you meet the right woman, everything about her will hit you like a brick. You’ll wonder where she’s been all your life. Just like when I met your father.
He shook his head. Not him. No way. Besides, he’d been dating Lenore Shaw, the owner of the local bed and breakfast. The brunette kept herself in shape. She’d also brought him food when he first moved to Avery and even offered him free room and board in the B&B until he could get settled. They’d had a date last night and here he was thinking about another woman, a virtual stranger. He exhaled a heavy breath. But he and Lenore had never made any kind of verbal or emotional commitment not to see other people. They had only been out together a few times. He found her attractive and had considered going to bed with her, but he was afraid she might take it as some kind of commitment.
Why did cuddling up with Delaney Moore hold so much appeal? Damned if he knew. An image of Delaney’s pale face and wide blue eyes flashed into his mind. She never said she was afraid to stay in the jail, but she looked scared out of her wits. Was it because of the jail, the car accident she’d been in earlier or a combination of the two? Why the hell did it bother him so much to head home to a warm house and bed leaving her to cozy up on a jail cell cot? He didn’t even know the woman.
“Damn it.” Rick heaved a deep sigh, opened the driver’s door and climbed out into the snow filled night.
When he stepped into the lighted hallway just off his office, he heard Delaney mutter a curse. He looked down at the hallway floor. Wet footprints and small puddles of water led in the direction of the jail cell. He heard the shower running. Rick looked toward the cell that Delaney occupied and nearly swallowed his tongue. She stood facing the cell door with one hand grasping a bar and the other gripping a towel that was wrapped around her body. She pulled on the bar of the cell door, pressed her mouth into a firm line and softly cursed again.
She’d locked herself in. Unable to help himself, Rick grinned as a lusty thought drifted through his mind. He’d like to see her locked up but only as a slave to his ardor, a woman willing to let him reign over her body.
Water dripped from her hair. Light glistened off the water droplets on the slopes of her milky, white breasts showing above the towel. The bottom of the towel only reached the extreme top of her thighs. Her fanny and the sweet delight lying between her legs were barely covered. He watched in rapt fascination as water trickled down the inside of her thighs much as her own womanly honey would flow for him if he slipped his hand beneath that towel and caressed her. For a moment, he stood glued to the floor as a sexy scenario played like a wet dream through his mind.
Slowly, she lifted her head. Her blue gaze locked onto his and glowed with an inner desire that beckoned him to her side. Her lips parted on a sigh, her light pink tongue licked her upper lip making it glimmer. He grew hard, his penis nudging his pants needing to be free of restraint and penetrate her sensuous body. He walked toward her cell where she stood by the door. The hallway light streamed over her, the water droplets on her skin tempting him to rub his tongue over every inch of her. As he neared the door, she let go of the bar on the jail cell door. He took the cell key from his pocket, slipped it into the lock in much the same way he wanted to slip inside her. He pushed and the door banged against the cell’s bars the sound reverberating through his body like the want for her filling his blood. They looked at each other while the sexual attraction arced like electricity between them. He stepped forward until they were barely an inch apart. Raising one hand he grasped the edge of the towel in his fist and pulled it roughly from her body.
She gasped, but her eyes filled with hunger. She dropped her arms to her sides and stared at him. He reached out and held one of her breasts in his palm rubbing his thumb over the nipple until it hardened. He laid his other hand on the nest of blonde curls between her thighs and nudged her back until her legs met with the edge of the cot. He leaned down, put one arm behind her knees, the other around her waist. He picked her up and laid her onto the cot. After removing the handcuffs from his back pocket, he gently positioned her hands above her head and fastened the cuffs around her wrists. She lay there like a temptress with a sexy smile on her lips. Her eyes were warm, inviting him to touch her, take her, and pursue sexual dominion over every inch of her delectable body.
She shifted on the cot, pushing her chest forward giving him a good, long look at her breasts. Then she moved her hips rubbing her fanny into the cot. He braced his hands on either side of her upper body, leaned over and took one of her nipples into his mouth laving it with his tongue. A little whimper of pleasure escaped her throat, the sound zipping like a hot current to settle between his legs almost making him come. Straddling her on the cot, he spread her beautiful, ivory thighs wide until he could see the soft folds of her womanhood and her plump aroused clit. Lowering his head, he opened his mouth and--
“Thank God!”
The sound of Delaney’s voice startled Rick from his libidinous thoughts.
“I came back to the cell because I’d forgotten my shampoo and accidentally shut the door.” A blush burned over her neck and cheeks. “You must think I’m an idiot.” Her voice was soft with embarrassment.
Rick glanced down at the hard-on tenting his slacks, pulled the sides of his jacket together and hoped she didn’t notice. He walked to the cell and opened the door. Seeing the upper slopes of her breasts gleaming with water, he had a sudden almost irresistible urge to lick the water droplets from her skin as he’d done in his daydream. “No, it could happen to anybody.”
She stepped beside him. The smell of soap and her warm, wet feminine skin assailed him. He skimmed his gaze over her face washed free of makeup, her lips naked and full smiling up at him and nearly pounced.
“Why did you come back anyway? Did you forget something?” She brushed a strand of damp hair away from her cheek.
The action made the towel gap open giving him an even better view of her breasts. Desire streaked to his groin. He swallowed against the exquisite pain. “Not exactly. I just thought it wasn’t such a great idea for you to spend the night here...in a jail cell...alone when I have a perfectly comfortable fold out sofa bed at my house.” He motioned in the direction of the bathroom at the end of the hall. He could hear the shower running. “I’ll be glad to wait while you finish your shower and get dressed. What do you say?”
She smiled, glanced at the cell then back at him. “Thank you for your offer. That’s really nice of you, but I think I’ll stay here.”
“Are you sure?”
Delaney nodded.
“Okay.” He held out the keys to the cell. “Just in case.”
She laughed and reached for them. “Thanks.”
Her fingers brushed over his. God, her skin felt soft. “Goodnight.”
He walked back into his office and over to the door. He grasped the knob and turned to see her tip toe past the doorway on her way back to the bathroom. Rick heaved a deep breath. He felt relieved she’d said no but disappointed as well. He opened the office door and stepped outside into the frigid snow filled night.
Deep inside he would like nothing better than to fulfill his secret jail house fantasy and dominate Delaney Moore body and soul.
Chapter Two
She creamed just looking at him.
Rick climbed onto the cot. Every inch of his naked, male body was revealed to her eyes. His skin, right down to his penis, was the color of coffee lightened with thick cream. He sat on his knees, his hard male flesh rising from between his legs in blatant sexual invitation from a nest of dark curls. She looke
d at the plump head, the rigid length of him beckoning her to sample his flavor. Unable to resist, she leaned forward, wrapped her lips around him and rubbed the tip against the roof of her mouth, laving his cock with her tongue. His groan let her know her busy exploration pleasured him. When she had thoroughly tasted him, Delaney sat back and licked his fluid from her lips. He smiled at her, a smile that made her ache between her legs. Reaching out, he drew her to him, devouring her in a hot, wet kiss.
Delaney sighed and rolled onto her back.
“Delaney.”
The soft, male voice barely penetrated her sleep fogged brain.
She felt his touch on her femininity, gloried in the feel of his warm fingers sliding over her. Instinctively, she lifted her hips to move closer to his caress as need spiraled through her. He glided a finger into her while his thumb massaged her clit. He tore his hungry mouth from hers and planted fervent kisses on the side of her neck. She turned her head giving him better access. He continued his sensual assault on her skin as he kissed his way toward her breasts. Instinctively, Delaney pulled the covers down exposing her breasts. “Yes, right there,” she murmured.
She heard the same male voice only it sounded sharper this time. “Delaney, wake up.”
Her eyes popped open. She stared up into the sheriff’s amused brown gaze. Realizing her breasts were on display, she jerked the covers up to her chin. A hot blush burned over her skin as the blood pounded at her temples. “Sheriff...uh...how long have you been standing there?”
He grinned at her. “Long enough.”
His voice held a husky note as though he had actually been in her dream. Oh, God she must have been moaning in pleasure as she slept and he was the star attraction! Mortified, she had a sudden urge to pull the covers over her head.
She was completely nude under the bed clothes. Delaney slept in the buff winter or summer. There was just something about the restriction of clothing when she was trying to sleep that she didn’t like. She had tossed her panties and robe on the end of the cot. Rick glanced at them then back at her. A dark emotion flickered in his eyes, then it was gone.
Delaney was acutely aware of her naked state. The dream had been so vivid she could still feel his hands roaming over her skin. Just to make sure he wasn’t naked, she darted a glance from his neck to his feet. Nope. He was clothed from head to foot in his police uniform. Having him clothed and her wearing nothing more than a spritz of perfume, made her feel vulnerable and sexy all at the same time.
“Must have been some dream.” He folded his arms over his broad chest, dipped his chin and looked at her. His lips twitched. “Want to tell me about it?”
She swallowed. “Maybe later.”
He dropped his arms to his side. “I look forward to it.”
She sniffed the air and her stomach growled. “Something smells wonderful.”
“I picked up some food from the diner down the street. It’s in my office when you’re ready.”
“Thank you.” Delaney watched him leave the cell and walk to the door leading into his office. He stopped, looked at her over his shoulder with dark, unfathomable eyes then stepped through the doorway closing the door behind him.
Delaney slumped back on the lumpy pillow and closed her eyes. She couldn’t remember having such a vivid, sexy dream. None of the men she’d dated in the past including her last boyfriend had ever inspired that kind of sexual fervor. What was it about Rick Cruz that tempted her so much even in sleep?
That wasn’t good. Delaney frowned. She had never been lucky in love. So why should luscious Rick Cruz be any different from the other men who had drifted in and out of her life? They had all considered her a friend, a pal to take to the movies and occasionally sleep with until someone thinner came along. If she were sensible, she would get her libido under control and concentrate on getting out of Avery. But she’d never been wise where her love life was concerned. She sighed.
She would be out of here in a few days as soon as the storm let up and would probably never see Rick again. Her spirits sank at the thought. What was wrong with her? She hardly knew the man.
Besides she had just broken up with her boyfriend and getting involved with someone so soon would be a mistake. Why couldn’t she find a man who appreciated her for who she was and how she looked? Why did the deepest, most sensual part of her womanly desires want to throw caution to the wind and take Rick in one big, sexy gulp?
Not wishing to uncover the answer, Delaney pushed the thought from her head and grabbed her panties from the foot of the narrow bed. She threw back the covers and slipped on the hot pink thong. Shivering, she donned her robe and rose stiffly from the cot.
Every muscle in her body ached. Was it from sleeping on that sorry excuse for a bed or yesterday’s car accident? The first thing she intended to do was get her car towed into town and have the damage assessed. She hoped it was minor because she had her budget planned down to the last penny.
After her morning ablutions, Delaney dressed in a clean pair of jeans, pink sweater and boots. She walked out of the cell and over to the closed door leading into the Sheriff’s office. She put her hand on the knob and paused for a moment.
What was she supposed to say to him after he’d seen her practically have an orgasm right before his eyes? Would he ask her again to tell him about her dream? If he did, what would she say? She inhaled a deep breath and exhaled. Only one way to find out.
* * * * *
When he heard the door open, Rick looked up from the list of complaints the mayor phoned in earlier. He shifted in his chair. The hard-on he’d acquired after watching Delaney in the throes of an erotic dream had yet to leave him. He feared it might stay with him for the rest of the day, the pain exquisitely sweet.
Seeing Delaney standing in the doorway brought the memory of her naked breasts to life in graphic detail in his mind. They were full and round with dusky rose nipples that begged for a man to suckle them into hard, aroused tips. Only now they were covered in a pink sweater. Too bad.
She threw him a quick smile then walked into the room. “I’m starved.”
“Me too.” Only it isn’t for food. “Have a seat.”
She strolled over to a vacant chair in front of his desk and sat down. Her jeans hugged her curvy hips and thighs. She’d pulled her hair up into a pony tail exposing her beautiful neck. He wondered how her neck would feel beneath his lips. Rick fought the urge to move to her side of the desk and find out. What was wrong with him? Why did he react this way to Delaney? A sheriff bound by his oath as an officer of the law never took advantage of a civilian entrusted to his care. He never considered breaking that oath. A lot of cops he knew in the past weren’t constrained by morals or unethical behavior, but he sure as hell was.
One dirty cop stood out in his mind, Jake DeSalvo, his former partner. He shook himself inwardly refusing to allow the memory of Jake’s betrayal to crawl out into the light from the dark corner of his mind he’d resigned it to.
He handed Delaney a Styrofoam container along with some plastic eating utensils and a napkin. She lifted the lid, speared some of the omelet and forked it between her full, pink lips. Delaney chewed and softly moaned. “This is delicious.”
At the sound of her moan, heat arrowed into his groin. He forced his gaze away from her mouth and tore into his own food, eating his omelet like a man possessed. The eggs tasted savory and delectable like he imagined Delaney would taste if he gave into his attraction and kissed her.
Being with Delaney infused his body and mind with sexual fantasies he had to resist. Between the smells of the food and the yum-yum sounds that Delaney made, he wasn’t sure how much more he could take. What was it about food and sex that fit together? In an effort to get his mind off sex, he slid a container of crisp bacon over the surface of his desk in her direction. “Help yourself.”
Rick reached for his cup of hot coffee. As he did, Delaney leaned forward and took a piece of bacon from the plate. The neckline of her sweater gapped open reveali
ng the creamy slopes of her breasts and making his breath hitch.
She bit into a crisp slice then looked at Rick. “Thank you for the food. How much do I owe you?”
Plenty, if I die from this boner. “My treat.” He handed her an insulated cup. “I got you tea instead of coffee. I hope that’s okay.”
Her gaze flicked to his and her eyes warmed. She took a sip of the tea leaving behind a stray drop and then her tongue darted out to lick it away. “How did you know I was a tea drinker?”
Her low, soft voice eased under his skin as he challenged the desire that leapt higher when he watched her lick the tea drop from her lip. He shrugged one shoulder. “I don’t know. Lucky guess. You just don’t look like a coffee kind of girl.”
He stirred some sugar and cream into his coffee and sipped. Rick studied Delaney as the hot liquid flowed down his throat into his belly. He imagined her hand moving across his abdomen, grasping his length and gently pulling the skin over the head. He grew harder than he thought possible.
Delaney finished her food, licked her lips and patted them with her napkin. She glanced up to find Rick watching her. “Something wrong?”
Oh, yeah. He shook his head slowly and gave her a smile. “No. . .I was just thinking you look like a warm chick, fresh from its nest.”
A cute little blush colored her cheeks. “Oh.” Nervously, she crumpled up her napkin and tossed it into the empty container sitting in her lap before throwing everything into the trash.
Sheriff in Her Stocking Page 2