A combination of temper and training hustled Piper down the hall. She wanted to wrench Gav’s arm up behind his back and bend his wrist at an angle cops affectionately dubbed the “chicken hold” until he screamed like a girl. Then maybe she could beat him senseless with the rolling pin Bill kept in his kitchen. Unfortunately, as an off-duty officer, the paperwork for manhandling Gav meant it wasn’t worth the hassle. Pity. She’d really, really enjoy watching him scream.
“Cornering women in bathrooms still, Gavin? You’re pathetic, you know that, right?”
Gavin started at the sound of her voice, but didn’t move his arms. Joints in his beefy neck crackled as swung his head to the side. “Piss off, Piper. This doesn’t concern you.”
“You’re annoying my friend. That makes it my concern.”
His lips pulled back in a sneer. “You don’t have any friends. And I’m in the middle of inviting Kezia out for a drink.”
Oban’s newest primary school teacher may’ve look sweeter than a sprinkle-covered cupcake, but Gav risked his family jewels if the daggers shooting from Kezia’s gaze were an indication. But Piper wouldn’t risk his temper turning physical on the smaller woman.
“Sounds like she’s not interested in what you’ve got to offer.” Piper affected a bored note to her voice and dropped her gaze down to the crotch of Gav’s jeans. A big guy like him wouldn’t like the size of his tackle called into disrepute.
Gavin’s chest expanded like a puffer fish and he finally removed his hands from the wall and turned to face her. “She’s interested all right. She’s just playing hard to get.”
Kezia ducked around him and stood at Piper’s side. “She isn’t playing hard to get and she thinks you’re a complete butthead.”
“I’ll second that assessment.” Piper eased herself in front of Kezia, who’d be out of the line of fire should Gav do anything foolish. “Now, are you leaving, or do I need to go get a toilet brush?”
His thick neck flushed a coronary-inducing shade of lobster.
Maybe she’d pushed him too far. Then she remembered the sour stench of his breath and the stubby fingers squeezing her breast. Piper braced her feet and bared her teeth.
Bring it, butthead.
But like the blustery drunks she came in contact with on a daily basis, Gavin backed down once his bullying tactics failed to get him his desired result. “Stuck up bitches, the both of you.” He stormed past and slammed the door open to the pub.
Kezia sagged against her, shaking. Piper slipped an arm around the smaller woman’s shoulder and gave her a one-armed hug. “You okay? Tell me he hasn’t tried something like this before.”
She shook her head. “He’s asked me out a few times and I’ve turned him down. He was more persistent today.”
“Maybe you need to get Glenn involved.”
“Glenn left years ago, so they tell me. Noah Daniels is the island’s cop now and I don’t think it’s serious enough to call him.” Kezia smiled, but her lips gave a telltale tremble.
“You should give West a heads-up—”
“Oh no—no!” Her curls danced wildly across her shoulders. “West has already told Gav to quit pestering me. If he finds out he’s done it again he’ll ban him from the pub—then Gav’ll stir up more bad blood in the community. I’m pretty sure he’ll leave me alone now.”
Piper didn’t believe it, but arguing seemed pointless. She studied Kezia’s prettily flushed face and her chest that still heaved from delayed shock. Ms. Teacher had quite a pair of boobs on her and she didn’t doubt West had noticed. No wonder he’d been keen to jump to her defense. “Up to you.”
They looked at each other until Piper swallowed back a sigh, Gav’s accusations and thinking of little Zoe with cancer tightening a compressing band around her chest. “I’ve heard you’re a widow, but Zoe’s got cancer?”
“Not anymore. She’s in remission. I try to remind her that not everybody needs to know her medical history, but you’ve probably noticed that my girl loves to talk.”
“Yeah, and I could tell right away Zoe’s a tough cookie, too.”
“She’s had to be—dealing with leukemia and missing the love of her grandparents because they thought me a gold-digging bitch—” Kezia broke off, shoving shaky fingers under her armpits and hugging herself. “Sorry, I’m ranting. I don’t usually dump my life story on people within minutes of meeting them. Gav’s rattled me a little more than I thought.”
“It’s okay. I’m very dumpable.”
“Thanks.”
“My only regret is I should’ve rattled the prick for you—then afterwards you could’ve kicked him in his boy-bits.”
“Next time?”
Piper pointed a finger at her. “If there is a next time you’ll be talking with Noah Daniels.”
Kezia pulled her shoulders back and smoothed down her dress. “Gotta get my mojo back before we go out again. What’s with the toilet brush comment, anyway?”
“Invite me around for a beer sometime and I’ll tell you.”
“You’re on.” Kezia returned her smile, a genuine one this time, and casually slipped her arm through Piper’s, like they really were friends or something.
Heck. How had that happened?
***
Piper spent the rest of the afternoon and evening elbow-deep in lemon and grease scented dishwater.
She’d pretty much decided her sister’s career choice in the culinary industry sucked when Bill told her, “Go back to West’s. You look like something Donny puked up on the rug.”
After drying her prune-wrinkled hands, she snagged her lightweight hoodie off the hook by the back door. Forcing a friendly note into her voice she called out, “See you tomorrow, Bill.”
She received a surly grunt in reply.
The temperature had dropped like the night before, but it wasn’t raining. Piper tugged on the hoodie, glancing down at the soft whine from at her feet. Curled in his bed by the kitchen’s back door, Donny looked up at her with a woe-is-me sheen in his eyes. When she held the dog’s gaze, he began to shake.
“Poor baby.” She squatted and scratched behind his remaining ear. “Did your mean old master leave you out here in the cold?”
“He’s got fur so he’s totally faking it.” West’s voice came from behind her in the open doorway.
“Jeez, will you stop sneaking up on me?” She sprung up and spun around. “It’s not closing time—haven’t you got your little empire to oversee?”
Donny clambered out of his basket and sidled over to West, his tail thwacking against her legs.
“I’ll walk back with you. Dad’s closing up tonight.”
“For once,” came Bill’s disembodied shout from somewhere within the bowels of his kitchen. “You’re a bleedin’ workaholic. Always first in, last to leave. Ya must be coming down with something.”
“Yeah, yeah, old man. Just lock up and keep out of trouble.”
A muffled but audible, “I’m not the one headed for trouble, sonny-boy.”
West shut the door on his father’s continued grumbles. “Ready?”
Once again his proximity sent shivers rippling through her system. He had no idea about personal space, or maybe her awareness of him caused her to squirm like a gawky teenager again.
Should she insist she’d rather walk alone? She couldn’t very well confess her plan to sneak back to his spare room to avoid another confrontation. Better to play it cool. But the woodsy-scented body heat rising from his long sleeve tee shirt, the way his jeans clung to every clingable bit of his lower body, and just the sheer, sexy bulk of him was almost enough to make her risk being rude. She spotted the gleam of his teeth in the semi-darkness. Almost, but not quite.
“Yep.” She crossed her arms over her breasts, as her nipples pebbled under her hoodie. A natural consequence of the cool night air. Uh-huh.
“Let’s go.” He gestured for her to take the lead.
They rounded the side of Due South and headed along the empty road. Donny
trotted ahead and paused frequently to sniff along the ground. Maybe they wouldn’t end up snapping each other’s head off again. Maybe they could remain civil. And since they were being civil, she’d ask him a civil question.
“How long has Gavin been after Kezia?”
Their footsteps echoed in sync on the asphalt, the hiss of small waves foaming along the beach to their right a watery complement. Finding their natural rhythm together had never been the problem.
West shoved his hands into his jean pockets and slowed his steps. “Why? Jealous he’s not panting after you any more?”
“Right.” She snorted a laugh. “Like you’re not a little bit green.”
“Nah. Gav’s not my type.”
“But Kezia is.” The words popped out of her in an explosive bubble. Damn.
“She’s stunning, that’s for sure.”
Her pace sped up, cold slicking through her blood.
What had she expected? Someone as pretty and feminine as Kezia wouldn’t catch his eye? That he’d been celibate for the past nine years? She sensed his gaze skim down her hoodie and the cargo pants, which scored an A for comfort and an easy D-minus for sex appeal. She’d never done pretty dresses or dainty heels, and up until West broke her heart it hadn’t dawned on her that girly stuff may top his list of turn-ons. Piper’s backbone straightened, each muscle contracting around her vertebrae a reminder of her resolve. Shaye and Kezia loved their girly stuff, but she would never be a girly-girl.
“You practicing speed walking here?” He lengthened his stride to keep up. “Or maybe a spot of jealousy yourself.”
“You always did have a big ego to compensate for your small dick,” she sniped, not letting up her pace.
“I don’t recall you complaining about the size of my dick. You seemed pretty happy to get your hands on it.”
Heat flashed through her. What their lovemaking lacked in sophistication was compensated for with passion and a deep connection. Well. She had experienced passion and a deep connection.
“Back then I had nothing to compare it to. I’m older and wiser now.” And not dumb enough to get entangled with him a second time.
“And maybe we’ve both grown since then. I’ll show you mine if you show me yours.”
The grin in his tone said the bastard was laughing at her again. They both knew he only slept with her for convenience and curiosity—he’d clarified that nine years ago. So why tease her in a sexual way? To highlight the humiliation that she’d always been more into him than vice-versa? “I’m sure you’d rather show your dick to women who’ll give it the adoration you so erroneously believe it deserves.”
“My dick is quite adorable. Sure you don’t want a peek?”
A clear picture popped into her mind. West in board shorts earlier in the day, the wind blowing the thin fabric against him, outlining his large—hello, not going there. “Can we not continue this asinine conversation? I’m surrounded at work by men who love talking about this sort of crap.”
“We men do find it an endlessly fascinating topic.”
“So I’ve discovered.”
Past the last of the streetlamps, West produced a flashlight and switched it on. Donny, spotting the thin beam of light, loped back and trotted at West’s heels. “Gav is interested in any female who hasn’t twigged he’s an asshole. There’s not many left on the island.”
“Puts me off his radar then—and Kezia thinks he’s a butthead.”
“Did something happen at your girls’ lunch today?”
“Nothing we girls couldn’t cope with. Kezia turned Gav down on a date and he didn’t handle the rejection with diplomacy. It’s no big deal.”
“No big deal—just like you panicking in the cage was no big deal?”
“Are you always so contentious?” She slid him a sidelong glare, which probably got lost in the gathering dark. “I told you, I didn’t panic.”
“Because you’ve done three-and-a-half weeks training with the Navy.”
Crap! He had listened to her tirade on The Mollymawk. Piper kept her jaw clamped shut and walked.
“Cat got your tongue, hmm?”
She hoped, even when hope was useless, that West would drop the subject. Like that’d happen.
“So why all this dive training? I thought you were just a cop?”
A beat passed while her brain sifted through frantic excuses. Nothing helpful caught and she sighed. “I am a cop.”
“And?”
“And I’m a damn good cop.”
He stopped. Right in the center of the road. Tipped his head to the side and folded his arms, the fingers on his right hand drumming a tattoo on his left bicep. Donny dropped his butt to the ground beside him and blinked accusingly at her too.
“I’ve read something before about the navy diving course. You’re not an ordinary cop, you’re a police diver.”
Busted. And pointless denying it. But she fisted her hands on her hips and stared him down. She’d worked hard to earn her place on the squad. “Yeah, I am. The only female on the squad at the moment.”
“Your family doesn’t know about this, do they?”
“They don’t need to know.” She hesitated, thinking of her mother. “It would only hurt and worry them—you can’t tell.”
“Dammit, Pipe, it’s not right.” Her heart gave a pathetic hop at the sound of her old nickname on his tongue. “This kind of…work. It can’t be good for you.”
Murray O’Neill. The name of the seventeen-year-old she’d recovered at Lake Tikitapu. Her work. Murray’s mother had wrapped her arms around Piper, thanking her for bringing her boy home. The woman’s tears left damp patches on the stiff collar of her uniform shirt. Murray O’Neill built another brick in the wall of redemption she started constructing nine years ago. Not just work.
“I’m good at what I do.”
“Why, of all areas you could specialize in, did you choose police diving? After what you went through with your dad…” He moved toward her, extending his hand.
Piper stepped back fast. No way. She’d rather he grab her in temper like this morning than touch her with big-brotherly gentleness. She didn’t want his pity. Or his platonic caresses.
“I’m not talking about this. My career has nothing to do with you, or anyone else.”
He dropped his arm and shoved his hand into the pocket of his jeans instead. “Still the original island who doesn’t need anything from anyone.”
“Precisely.” Piper turned and walked away.
West was right. She didn’t need anything from him or anyone else.
Especially him.
Chapter 6
West glided through the pool, the liquid sensuality of the water flowing over his bare torso soothing the rough edges of the last few days. Everything felt better beneath the surface. Somehow the day to day problems faded when his focus concentrated on every precise movement, the slow thud of his heartbeat and the burn in his lungs.
One more fifty-foot length and he’d beat his personal record of seven, on one breath of air. He swept his arms forward again, pulled them back in one fluid motion, his body arrowing porpoise-like and perfectly aligned. He preferred the free immersion discipline of free-diving, descending vertically into the deep rather than coasting along horizontally, but since Ben was out of action as his safety diver, pool lengths would do for now.
The national free immersion championships at Lake Taupo were two months away and he needed to be prepared. Not just for the chance to take home the cash prize, but for the satisfaction of being the best in the country.
He touched the end of the pool and surfaced, resting his arms on the rough concrete edge and gulping in air. West pulled off his mask and checked his dive watch. Seven fifteen. He could spare a few more minutes in the pool before he needed to grab breakfast and head into Due South.
“Ford?”
His friend looked up from his Kindle and turned the device off. “Uh-huh?”
“You’re a useless safety buddy, you know. I
could’ve suffered a shallow water black out and you never would’ve noticed.”
Ford tossed his trademark black dreadlocks over his shoulder and stood up from one of the spectator seats. “You pay peanuts, you get a bored monkey. And I would’ve noticed and gone all Baywatch on you.”
“That’s an unpleasant image. I’m just going to swim another couple of laps—you can head off now and go back to Star Trek or whatever trash you’re reading.”
“It’s Isaac Asimov, you pleb.” Ford tucked the Kindle under his arm and sauntered to the pool door, his flip flops slapping on the wet concrete. “Don’t drown—unless your dad knows you owe me another meal on the house.”
West left the mask on the pool’s edge and dived back under, this time striking into a fast crawl stroke, plowing through the water’s resistance. Two lengths turned to eight before a flicker of movement beside the pool snagged his attention. He raised his head, changing into a slow breaststroke.
Piper stood at the end of the pool, fists on hips, watching him with hooded eyes. They’d avoided each other since their heated discussion two nights before, but if he didn’t know better he’d swear she was checking him out. West stood in the waist deep water and swiped a hand over his face. If her gaze contained a red dot laser, it would’ve tracked him from chest to groin. Oh, yeah, she was definitely checking him out.
“I drew the short straw to come find you.”
He didn’t speak, just followed the telltale shift of her irises as they continued to scan up and down his bare torso. She cleared her throat, her gaze veering off to the side of the pool.
“Ben and Shaye are meeting us at The Great Flat White for breakfast.” She uttered a jittery laugh. “Erin’s place—who would’ve thought she’d end up staying here.”
“Not everyone finds living on the island unbearable.”
In Too Deep Page 7