by J. H. Croix
I managed our schedule. It also didn't make sense for Lynne to come here at her attorney’s behest. I hoped I was wrong, though my gut told me I wasn’t. Something was off.
“Let me check on this for you,” I said with a forced smile.
I quickly called Zoe. “Hi there, did you have a meeting this afternoon?” I asked right away.
“Huh?” Zoe asked, sounding rightly confused. “You know I have a hearing in an hour.”
I did know that. “That’s what I thought. I have Lynne Sutton here, saying that we have a meeting with her attorney.”
“Something’s up. We have no such meeting,” Zoe said quickly.
“I understand,” I said smoothly, my thoughts racing through who would have sent Lynne here and why.
“I’m getting off this call and calling the security team. Ray Sutton’s up to something,” she said quickly.
“Right. You do that. What should I tell her?”
“Be honest, but don’t let her leave. We’ll figure it out.”
The line went dead, and I looked over at Lynne. My stomach churned.
“Ms. Sutton…”
“Call me Lynne,” she interjected.
“Lynne, no meeting was ever scheduled. I don't believe that message came from your attorney, and we're concerned your ex is up to something,” I said quickly.
Lynne’s eyes widened. “Oh my God. Should I…”
“Don’t leave,” I said in anticipation of her question.
I stood and rounded the desk, locking the door behind us.
I sat down in the chair at an angle across from her. Her hands were shaking, and my gut churned away while my pulse raced, anxiety chewing me up inside.
The phone rang. I reached over and answered from where I sat. It was Zoe.
“Aidan’s sending a team over from the courthouse. I called Finn too,” she said.
“That’s not…”
“I know you're avoiding him, but it's ridiculous. He's already on his way.”
Tears pricked at the back of my eyes, and my throat tightened. I couldn’t really focus on my feelings for him, but everything had been bubbling under the surface for too long. I forced myself to be rational. “Okay thanks.”
There was a loud banging on the door. “Gotta go,” I said, hanging up quickly.
“Lynne, I know you're in there,” a man’s voice called.
I certainly didn’t know Ray Sutton well, but he’d been on enough political ads lately for me to recognize his voice.
“Oh no,” Lynne said, twisting her hands together.
“Security’s on the way over here,” I said swiftly. The banging continued.
I looked to Lynne. “Just wait. The police are on the way too.”
We waited for what felt like forever, but I knew it was mere minutes before we heard someone else approaching in the hall. The banging stopped. Lynne was frozen where she was in her chair. Much as I wanted to open the door to find out what was going on, I wanted her to feel safe, so I glued my ear to the door and listened. I heard a low voice telling Ray to calm down and asking him why he was there.
I looked back to Lynne and spoke. “It's okay, the security guard’s talking to him.”
She looked back at me, her eyes wide. “I’m sure you think I’m crazy, but…”
“I know you’re not crazy,” I said firmly.
I leaned close to the door again and heard Finn’s voice telling Ray he was in violation of the no contact order.
Ray started to argue. “What are you talking about? Lynne isn’t here…”
I didn’t think anymore and swung the door open, stepping outside and yanking it closed behind me. Finn, the security guy, and Ray all turned toward me. “You were just banging on the door calling her name. You knew Lynne was in there,” I said bluntly.
The relief I felt at seeing Finn was so profound, my knees went wobbly. I wanted to leap into his arm, but now was definitely not the time. His eyes caught mine, something flickering in them, but he kept his attention on Ray. Another officer approached from the hallway, speaking into his radio.
The process of arresting Ray began. Zoe also returned, reporting she’d asked to reschedule her court hearing. Within a few minutes, the hallway was bustling. Finn caught my eyes and stepped to my side. “Okay if I speak to Lynne in the office?” he asked, his voice low.
“Of course,” I said, nodding quickly.
His hand rested briefly on my back. Just that simple touch, and I wanted to cry. My emotions were a cacophony inside.
I needed to get a grip. I gave myself a shake and let Finn into the office, stepping inside behind him. Lynne was sitting exactly where I left her. She wasn't crying. She was quite still, her face was pale and her eyes were wide. Her hands were clasped together in her lap as if holding onto herself for comfort. Finn approached her and sat in the chair beside her, quickly checking in and explaining that Ray had been arrested for violating the no contact order.
I knew he needed to do what he needed to do right now, but I desperately wanted to talk to him.
You don't even know what you want to say. Or maybe you do. Better figure it out first.
I swatted my thoughts away and tried to stay out of everyone’s way. I gave an official interview to Finn’s partner when he directed me to talk with him. Finn pulled me aside before he left. I looked up into his eyes. Words were jammed up in my throat. I had so much to say, and yet I couldn’t gather my thoughts into anything sensible.
“My sister and her friend are here for a bit staying with me. I don't suppose we could try to get dinner soon? Tonight’s out because it’ll be a shitshow at the station since Ray’s a bloody mayoral candidate,” he said.
I nodded, my throat tight. “Okay,” I finally said.
We were standing behind my desk, just in front of the door that led into my small private office. It was all I could do not to yank him in there. I couldn’t look away from his deep blue gaze. Despite the fact we had two police officers here, the security team and Lynne’s attorney—who had confirmed she’d never scheduled a meeting with Zoe—it felt as if we were alone.
He finally nodded tightly and then left. Fuck, fuck, fuck. I needed to figure this out.
Chapter 28
Finn
I’d been pondering Zoe’s comment that I needed to do something big to let Jana know how much she mattered. The idea came to me in a flash. After conferring with Eli, who thought I was plain crazy, but happy to go along with my plan, I set the wheels in motion. Later the following day with everything in place, including a little help from Zoe and Ethan, I headed out to respond to a fender bender in the middle of evening rush hour. I was breaking quite a few rules today, and I didn't give a bloody damn.
With my lights flashing, I eased onto the shoulder of the highway and climbed out of my car to find Jana standing with her arms crossed as she stared at the dented bumper and back to Eli. Ethan had readily agreed to sacrifice his bumper. Jana spun in my direction, her cheeks flushed and her brow furrowed. Eli had done beautifully with nothing more than a slight dent in Ethan’s bumper.
Eli was leaning against his car, a gleam in his eyes, but he kept a straight face.
“Sorry Officer. This lady was going so damn slow, I bumped into her,” he offered, thumbing in Jana’s direction.
Jana already looked flustered, but now she looked pissed. She shot a glare at him and huffed before looking to me. “I had to slow down. I mean, it’s busy here,” she said, flinging a hand toward the slow rolling traffic.
Eli nodded along, playing the lazy-don’t-give-a-damn part he’d decided upon perfectly. “You sure did slow down. If you hadn’t done that, I wouldn’t have bumped you. No worries. You got my insurance info.” Ignoring Jana’s huff and the fire shooting from her eyes, he looked my way and shrugged again. “No idea why she’s so pissed. I’m taking the blame.”
Jana crossed her arms and tapped her foot. Bloody hell. She looked beautiful. Her hair was down today, a loose tangle around he
r shoulders. Pink was mingling again with the purple streaks in her hair. She wore a stretchy black skirt that fell just above her knees with a fitted blue blouse. Bloody hell. I wanted her. My body was revving at the mere sight of her, and my heart ached.
I realized she was probably quite stressed because she was driving Ethan's car. I met her gaze. “Doesn't look too bad. Why don’t you come chat with me in my patrol car about it?” I asked.
Her eyes widened, her arms falling open. “It wasn't my fault. Why do you need to talk to me?”
Eli sighed. “We’re good. Already told her I'll pay for it even though she slammed on her brakes. I don't know why she's being so bitchy.”
Jana stomped past him. “Fine. I'll be happy to talk to you if I don't have to listen to this idiot.”
I rolled my eyes at Eli as we walked past, wondering if I’d pushed things a little too far here. I didn't particularly care if I did. I enjoyed the view of her lush ass as she stomped down the pavement to my car. After I situated her in the passenger seat and slid into the front beside her, I unhooked the cuffs from my belt, reached over and immediately cuffed her.
“What the hell are you doing?”
“Trying to talk to you,” I said bluntly.
Her pulse fluttered wildly in her neck, her breath came out in a huff, and she stared at me. For a flash, her eyes narrowed and then she burst out laughing.
“Okay, okay,” she managed after she stopped laughing.
“I also owe you these cuffs,” I said.
Her gaze darkened, need flickered in the depths, the flush on her cheeks deepened, but she didn’t look away. “That you do. Are you on duty officer?”
I shook my head.
“I can't leave right now. Zoe asked me to pick up Ethan’s car, so I need to call him.”
I wasn't good at keeping up the front because her eyes narrowed as I stared at her.
“You knew about this.”
I failed completely and chuckled.
“Eli’s a friend. I'm paying for Ethan’s new bumper.”
She started laughing so hard tears ran down her cheeks. When she stopped laughing, she bit her lip. “Well, you certainly got my attention.”
I looked at her for a long moment, soaking in this wild, funny, bold woman who’d stolen my heart in record time. My heart thudded inside my chest. I swallowed against the emotion knotting inside and held her gaze, taking a deep breath. “Zoe suggested I might need to do something to get your attention, so I did. I don't know what I mean to you, but you…”
I hadn't thought through this part. With all of my planning, I hadn’t considered what I meant to say.
My words just slipped out. “I think I'm falling in love with you, and I know it's crazy and…”
Jana’s breath hitched loudly, and a tear rolled down her cheek. Suddenly, she was crawling across the console in between us into my lap and dusting kisses all over my face.
She drew back, her eyes glittering. “Me too. I feel crazy, and I'm sorry I shut you out and I just....”
She mumbled a bunch of stuff into my neck, most of which I couldn't understand. Because it was Jana and my body did what it did whenever she was close, I was hard inside of a second. She finally leaned back again, dragging her sleeve across her face with a sigh. Her eyes caught mine and darkened. The air around us was heavy, weighted with desire and longing. She settled her hips down, rolling over my cock. Unfortunately or fortunately, depending on how you looked at it, I could feel the damp heat of her through my uniform and her panties. Her skirt had ridden up around her hips, and there was nothing else between us.
There was a sharp knock on the window. I glanced over to see Eli and Ethan standing outside.
“We have company,” I murmured, my voice gruff.
Unabashed, Jana shrugged. “Do I have to get off your lap?” she asked with a sly grin.
“Yeah, you do. At least for now.”
“Do I get to keep these?” she asked, wiggling her hands in the cuffs.
“Sure,” I said, my cock hardening just at the look in her eyes.
I opened the door after she climbed out of my lap with a reluctant sigh. Stepping out of the car, I glanced between Eli and Ethan. “Okay guys, we’re all set, right?”
Ethan grinned. “So I get a new bumper and you get the girl, huh?”
“That's the plan,” I said with a wink.
They said their goodbyes, and I climbed back in the car, driving off with Jana beside me. I meant to take her back to her place, but she was impatient. The handcuffs were no deterrent. Her hands were all over me. Instead of one palm on my cock as I tried to drive, she had two and blamed it on the fact her hands were cuffed together.
To say my driving was erratic was an understatement. It was late evening, and I turned off onto a road outside of Seattle to a usually empty cul-de-sac. It was a building project that had been abandoned back in the days of the housing boom. I drove swiftly down the gravel road, rolling to a stop in a deserted area amongst the trees.
I looked to her, leaning over and catching her lips in a kiss. She clambered over the console again, straddling me and looping her cuffed hands around my neck. Yet again, any attempt at orchestrating anything flew out the window. Her tongue tangled with mine, her hips rolled against me, and I tore at her blouse. I broke free from our kiss, gulping in air. Her breasts tumbled loose when I flicked the clasp between them. Her dusky pink nipples were taut against my thumbs. Dipping my head, I drew one into my mouth. I'd missed everything about her—the scent of her, the taste of her, how wild and unrestrained she was. She cried out, gasping when I bit down on her nipple.
I savored the lush weight of her breasts in my palms. Lifting my head, I found her eyes dark and intent.
“Unbutton your shirt,” she ordered.
“I think you have it backwards,” I said with a slow grin. “Aren’t I supposed to be the one giving orders?”
She flashed a smile. “Maybe, but I can't unbutton your shirt, and I want to feel you, so get it done.”
I was happy to oblige, swiftly unbuttoning my shirt and groaning when she shimmied closer, her breasts brushing against my chest. I slid my hands up her legs, savoring the flex of her muscles as she rolled her hips against me. The black silk between her thighs was wet.
I glanced down as I shoved her skirt up. She ground her hips against me. I rose up to meet her, savoring her rough cry. I pushed her back a little and teased my fingers across the drenched silk.
“I missed you,” I murmured, looking back up to see her wide blue eyes darken. As I held her gaze, my heart pounding hard and fast, vulnerability flashed in her gaze.
I wanted her fiercely, more fiercely than I'd ever wanted anyone.
Chapter 29
Jana
Finn’s gaze held mine, hot and dark. I was a tornado of emotion inside. I needed him inside of me. Now.
When he dragged his fingers across the damp silk between my thighs again, I rolled my hips restlessly against him. “Unbutton your pants,” I ordered.
He chuckled again. “I think you still have this backwards.”
“You can boss me around, but I’m better at it,” I said with a laugh.
His mouth curled at one corner, sending my belly into a tailspin of flutters. I rose up as he reached between us, unbuttoning his pants swiftly. I glanced down to see the hard ridge of his cock outlined by his fitted black briefs. I sank down again, rubbing my wet pussy over his boxers. My panties were so wet, I knew he could feel it. His eyes darkened and his breath hissed through his teeth.
“Not enough. Get your briefs out of the way,” I said.
His eyes locked to mine, I felt him reach between us, his knuckles brushing over my clit and sending a sharp spike of pleasure through me. I looked down to see his cock spring free of his briefs. Shifting them down, he gripped his cock in his fist and shoved my panties out of the way, dragging his fingers through my slick folds. Teasing me again, he sank a finger knuckle deep inside me, another finger swiftly
joining it. I cried out. I was slippery wet, frantic for more.
“More,” I gasped, rolling my hips into his touch as he pumped his fingers in and out of me.
I shimmied closer, sighing at the feel of his hard, hot muscled chest against my breasts. On a groan, he slipped his fingers out and positioned his cock at my entrance, dragging the thick head of it back and forth, teasing over my clit and soaking his cock in my juices.
“Finn,” I gasped, his name a plea.
With our gazes locked, I sank down over his cock as he thrust up into me. I cried out at the delicious stretch. Having Finn buried inside of me was like coming home. I held still, emotion rocking me. My blouse had slipped off my shoulders and hung around my waist. He stroked his palm down my spine, and I savored the warm strength in his touch as he pulled me closer and began to rock into me. We didn't have much room to maneuver. The steering wheel rubbed against my low back as we began to move.
It was the hottest sex I'd ever had in my life.
We moved in slow motion. It felt like my orgasm teetered on the edge forever, waves of pleasure spiraling through me with every roll of his hips. In our compressed position, my clit rubbed against him. I rocked into him, wanting him deeper and deeper with every roll. Leaning forward, I nipped my teeth along his neck.
“I want to see you,” he muttered gruffly.
I lifted my head as Finn gripped my hips and drove deeply into me. I cried out, my climax shattering through me as I flew apart. He held me tight, his own rough cry following mine as his release filled me. When I managed to catch my breath, I opened my eyes. He leaned his head back, his rich blue gaze holding mine. We sat there with my cuffed hands linked around his neck. I was plastered against him with him buried inside of me.
“I don't want to move,” I said, feeling suddenly vulnerable.
“We don't have to move right now. Maybe in a little bit,” he said gruffly.
Relaxing, I leaned back against the steering wheel, accidentally setting off the horn.
“Well, now we might need to move sooner.”
“Really?”