by Mari Carr
Shit, he was better than this. He knew it would be foolish to pursue her when he was in the midst of a covert operation, one in which she played a rather key role. He was risking everything—his job and the case—for sex. Then he’d catch her alone and sneak a quick taste of her sweet lips just to convince himself his unruly desire was merely a figment of his imagination and all common sense flew out the window again.
Fact was, he wanted Ms. Kelly Finch with a vengeance. He lusted after every bit of her five feet six inches of brunette, brown-eyed, stubborn, opinionated, English-teaching body. She was one hell of a woman. The longer he spent in her presence, the more that fact was driven home.
He listened with half an ear as Scotty struggled to read a poem aloud to the rest of the class. Glancing up at Kelly, he noticed dark circles under her eyes and worried about how much of her sudden tiredness was his fault. He’d been questioning her relentlessly about her students each day after school and despite his attempts to hide it, she knew he was intentionally forming a bond with José Alvarado.
They’d engaged in more than a few heated discussions about why she felt he should leave José alone, while he insisted the boy was likely his best way to discovering information about the BT gang. He was attempting to befriend the boy, who was obviously suspicious of his attention. He wasn’t sure if the boy was distrustful by nature or if the kid could sense Kelly’s apprehensiveness every time Mac tried to start a conversation with him. Either way, he was going to have to tell her to stop hovering like a mother hen every time he was alone with José.
“Chad, give me the bandana,” Kelly’s voice pierced through Scotty’s monotonous reading. “I’m getting fed up with this. I warned you yesterday, so now it’s mine.”
He glanced across the room at the massive boy. For the last two days, Chad had come to class with a black bandana hanging out of this pocket. As part of the crackdown on dress code, bandanas were on the forbidden list—and the black bandana was indicative of a BT member.
Mac struggled to decide if Chad was a member of the Broadstreet Thugs or merely a wannabe. He was a bully to be sure and he didn’t have many friends around school, but he didn’t seem to fit the mold of the typical member of the BT gang. For one thing, Chad’s family was fairly affluent and he didn’t live anywhere near the neighborhoods where gang activity occurred. He didn’t hang out with other suspected gang members and aside from the bandana, he didn’t wear anything else that might throw up a red flag.
As he had done yesterday, Mac dismissed Chad’s involvement in a gang. The kid lived to torment teachers and no doubt his attempts at stepping over the dress code line were merely his way of annoying Kelly. Obviously it was working.
“It’s just a lousy bandana,” Chad muttered as he dragged himself out of his desk and shuffled to the front of the room to hand the piece of cloth over.
“And it’s against the rules.”
Mac grinned as her temper flared. As strange as it seemed, he was seriously aroused by her fiery nature. Damn if he wouldn’t love to unleash all that barely contained heat in the bedroom.
A knock at the classroom door dragged him from his inappropriate daydreams about the teacher and he was grateful to be seated behind the large metal desk.
Kelly opened the door to find Carly James there.
“Mr. Hallstrom would like to speak to Mr. McNally.”
Mac shook his head as a couple of wiseasses in the back started hooting.
“Awwww. Mr. McNally has to go to the principal’s office!”
“Whatcha do, Mr. Mac? Little PDA in the hallway? Who were you kissing?”
Mac mimicked the evil teacher eye he’d watched Kelly throw around. “I’ll show you a little public display of detention if you don’t watch out.” Both boys quickly settled down.
Mac followed Carly down the hallway. No doubt the principal was anxious for a progress report and quite frankly, he wished he had something to tell him. Undercover operations took time and although they’d caught their first real break two nights earlier, he didn’t have much to tell Mr. Hallstrom at this point.
Rodney had been approached by a supposed member of the BT gang and invited to a party. If Rodney could successfully infiltrate the gang, their job would be much, much easier. The gang task force suspected the BTs of upping the ante, so to speak, in terms of their criminal offenses, moving from graffiti and petty thievery to drug pushing in the last year. They’d also caught wind of the gang instituting a beat-in policy for potential male members and a sex-in for female members. He shuddered to think of the young girls who were so desperate to belong to a group that they would subject themselves to screwing around with multiple men just for the privilege.
The change-of-class bell rang just as they reached the main office.
“Go on back, Mr. McNally,” Carly said. “Mr. Hallstrom is waiting for you.”
“Mac.” The principal stood as he entered the office. “Come on in. Shut the door.”
He did as instructed before approaching the principal’s desk.
“Mr. Hallstrom,” he began, “I’m sorry I haven’t come by earlier, but there really hasn’t been much—”
He was stopped by a knock on the door. Carly opened it quickly. “Sorry to interrupt, but one of the teachers just called down. There’s a fight.”
“Where?” Mr. Hallstrom asked, already moving quickly, heading toward the hallway. Mac followed.
“Outside Kelly Finch’s room.”
Mac growled as he passed the principal and took off down the hall. Of all the times for him to be out of the classroom. As he rounded the corner toward Kelly’s room, he spotted the large crowd gathered. He forced his way through the packed-in bodies, yelling for the students to move as he worked his way to the center. His blood began to boil and he instinctively reached for the gun he wasn’t wearing when he saw Kelly attempting to break up a brawl between Chad and Scotty. Chad was pummeling the smaller boy and Mac cursed his slow progress. He was nearly upon the boys when Kelly threw herself between an enraged Chad and his target.
“No!” Mac yelled, but his voice was lost amongst the cheers of at least a hundred drama-hungry teenagers.
Chad, furious at her interference, roughly shoved her out of his way. Mac watched the scene unfold in slow motion as she flew backward toward a bank of lockers. She slammed against them—hard—before slowing sliding down to sit, stunned, on the floor.
The attack on their teacher seemed to turn the tide of the mob and he registered some outraged comments being hurled in Chad’s direction. None of them mattered as Mac powered his way to the center at last and tackled Chad to the ground. The boy put up no fight and lay motionless under him for several seconds as Mac gasped for air and fought the urge to pound his fists against the boy’s face.
It was a few moments before he realized why Chad had given up so easily. The boy’s face was chalk-white and he kept looking up at him saying, “Is Ms. Finch okay? Is she okay? Is she hurt?”
He glanced over and saw José and Moris helping Kelly to her feet.
“Mr. McNally?”
Mac turned and looked up as a hand landed on his shoulder. Mr. Hallstrom was offering to help him up, concern clearly written on the harried principal’s face. No doubt he was worried about what he would do to the boy. Shaking off the urge to give the kid a taste of his own medicine, he took the offered hand and rose before turning to haul Chad up from the floor.
“I’ll take it from here, Mr. McNally,” the principal said.
Tears were forming in Chad’s eyes and Mac recognized the signs that the adrenaline of the fight was draining away and wreaking havoc on the young boy’s emotions.
“I didn’t mean to shove her,” he heard the boy explain as Mr. Hallstrom started to escort him to the office. They were only a few steps away when the principal turned back toward Mac. “I would be most appreciative if you would escort Ms. Finch home. I’ll find coverage for her classes for the remainder of the day.”
Mac nodded
but the principal continued. “I have no doubt she’ll insist she’s fine and refuse to leave, but—”
“Oh she’ll go home,” Mac said gruffly. He’d personally see to that.
Mr. Hallstrom seemed satisfied that he could handle the situation and started back toward the office with Chad. Several other teachers were clearing the hall with minimal success. Jon Walker, another member of the English department, helped a bloody Scotty to his feet and assisted him to the nurse’s office. Mac turned to check on Kelly. She was leaning against the lockers but was actually issuing her own orders to the few stragglers hovering at her doorway to get into the classroom and find their seats.
As he walked toward her, he watched the slightest trace of wariness enter her gaze. He felt his eyes narrow. Leaning down, he bent forward so no one else could hear. “What did I say about you breaking up fights?”
Her spine seemed to stiffen at his question and he struggled to gather the scattered remains of his patience. His temper was at its boiling point and ready to blow.
She started to speak, but he raised his hand and lightly laid two fingers against her lips.
“Not here,” he barked. “Go get your coat and purse. We’re leaving.”
“I’m—”
“Fine,” he finished for her. “And I know perfectly well you’d say that even if you weren’t, so we’re going to the hospital and they can tell me you’re fine.”
“The hell I am! I am most certainly not going to the hospital.”
“Kelly, I’m not going to argue about—”
“Neither am I. No hospital and that’s final.”
“Well then, I guess I’m taking your stubborn ass home and I’m going to have a look for myself.”
“I’m not going home, Mac, and don’t you dare attempt to strong-arm me! I don’t like it.”
“Tough shit. Get your stuff and walk out of here on your own steam or I’ll throw you over my shoulder and drag you out with that cute little ass of yours sticking up in the air for everybody to see.”
Again she seemed ready to lambaste him, but he refused to have any part of the conversation he was determined to have with her in the damn school hallway.
“I would hope by now, Ms. Finch, you would realize when I’m joking and when I’m not.”
She took a deep breath and gave him a nasty glare before stomping into her classroom as he followed. Her friend Meg came in behind him and immediately called the class to order while Kelly grabbed her coat, purse and satchel.
She stopped briefly to give Meg some instructions for the class as he struggled to drag in a deep breath. If he lived to be a hundred, he’d never erase the image of Kelly falling back against that wall like a rag doll—and him helpless to protect her.
Again his temper flared and he prayed he’d be able to rein it in before they reached her townhouse, or heaven help her. He’d never felt this way about a woman before and it was unsettling to say the least. He was torn between adoring her for her independence and outright fear of that same independent streak. Kelly Finch was going to be the death of him.
Chapter Five
Kelly pulled into the parking space in front of her townhouse and watched Mac slide his SUV into the spot next to hers. By the look on his face, he didn’t appear to have calmed down much on their short journey from the school to her home. Of course, the battle they’d waged over her insistence to drive her own vehicle hadn’t helped matters. She’d thought he’d been pissed off over her refusal to go to the hospital. When she put her foot down about driving herself home, she thought he’d have a coronary.
She got out of her car and walked quickly to the front door, briefly toying with the idea of running inside and locking the two hundred pounds of furious, muscled man out. However, knowing Mac, he’d break the door down and then she’d have to pay to have it fixed. Besides, she wasn’t about to let Lt. Jared McNally boss her around. She’d told him when he’d issued those stupid rules that she had no intention of following them.
“In a hurry?”
His voice startled her and she nearly dropped her keys. Damn, the man could move fast and quiet.
“Actually I am. Since I’ve been forced to leave work, I thought I’d use the extra time to get a few chores done around the house. It was nice of you to escort me home, but as you can see I’m—”
“You aren’t really going to waste the breath required to finish the rest of that statement, are you?”
She turned and frowned at him. Unfortunately, he seemed to be way ahead of her in the “annoyed” category and she had to concede her comments would indeed be a waste of time.
“You aren’t going to leave me alone, are you?”
“No way in hell. We have a few things to discuss. Now open the damn door. It’s cold as shit out here.” He placed his hand on her elbow and she felt a tremor of desire shoot through her at the touch. Criminy, she was mad as hell and the man still had the ability to leave her all but panting.
She gave him a dirty look before turning and opening the door. No sooner had they crossed the threshold before Mac was helping her out of her coat. His thoughtful gesture touched her, though it took quite a bit of effort not to wince at the movement. Her back and shoulders were sore but there was no way she’d let her angry cop know that.
He hung her coat up then added his own to the coat rack. He followed her into the living room, watching her as she threw her purse and satchel onto a chair.
“Take off your shirt.”
She was taken aback by his sudden command. “I beg your pardon?”
“I want to see your back. Turn around and take off the shirt. Now.”
“Listen here, Lieutenant. I’m not about to strip for you.”
He crossed the room, gripping her waist firmly and turning her away from him. “Dammit, Kelly! I’m tired of fighting with you over every little thing. You have ten seconds to start unbuttoning that fucking shirt or I’ll rip it off you.”
His voice was harsh with anger and Kelly, for once in her life, decided to take the safe path. She quickly unbuttoned the shirt and started to slide it off her shoulders. She didn’t intend to remove it completely, but that decision was taken away from her as he took the material and gently pulled it off before dropping the blouse to the floor. She struggled to take in a deep breath, painfully aware of her rapidly tightening nipples. She could see them poking through her bra and was grateful he was behind her.
Mac’s mind, however, didn’t seem to be traveling the same path at all. Story of my life.
“I knew it. You aren’t fine, Kelly. You’re going to have a hell of a bruise.”
“It’s just a bruise, Mac. Nobody dies from that.”
Her answer, rather than calm him, seemed to reignite the simmering rage she’d seen in him since she’d broken up the fight between Chad and Scotty. She started to bend down to retrieve her shirt, anxious to cover herself from his gaze. Despite the one night they’d spent kissing, he had never seen her the slightest bit undressed and she was uncomfortable with it now in the face of his anger. He gripped her hips, halting her movement.
“No. Leave the shirt off.”
“Mac—”
“Do you have any muscle cream?”
“In the upstairs bathroom.”
“Lead the way.” He motioned for her to precede him up the stairs. Overwhelmed with sudden exhaustion, she climbed the steps without protest. She’d yet to win an argument with the damn man and she knew this one wouldn’t be any different. He would continue ordering her around until he was satisfied she was okay. And if she was being completely honest, it felt nice that he cared enough to go to such lengths.
She grabbed the cream from the bathroom and handed it to him.
“Where’s your bedroom?” he asked.
She walked a bit farther down the hall and opened the door to her room. Mercifully, she’d taken the time to make her bed and tidy up this morning. Glancing around quickly, she was relieved to see there were no unmentionables strewn across
the floor.
“Lay down on the bed on your stomach. I want to rub some of this on your back and shoulders.”
“I can do it, Mac.” The idea of lying on a bed in this man’s presence was going to be the worst sort of test for her sex-deprived body. Her libido went into overdrive every time she was with him. She could already feel the moisture gathering in her panties. Hell’s bells, she was hot and horny for him.
He didn’t even acknowledge her lame protest, just lightly pushed her toward the bed. She crawled onto the center of the mattress and lay down. He followed her down and she sucked in a deep, labored breath at the feeling of him straddling her rear end with his strong thighs.
Oh shit.
She tried to remember all the reasons why it would be a bad idea for her to flip over and pull his mouth down to her aching nipples, but none of the excuses were coming to mind. She thought it had something to do with professionalism.
She startled slightly at the first touch of his calloused fingers rubbing the muscle cream into her sore upper back. Then he unhooked her bra and pulled the loose straps down her arms. She moaned with relief as he worked the soothing lubrication into her skin.
“Feel better?” he asked.
“Mmm-hmm.” She was so far into the Realm of Bliss, she couldn’t have spoken if her life depended on it.
He chuckled at her response and continued caressing her back for several long, quiet, relaxing moments. She was nearly asleep when his voice brought her back to reality.
“Don’t get too comfortable. We still have your punishment to deal with.”
She squirmed as she recalled his threat in the book room, the words drifting through her mind. If you attempt to break up another fight, I will turn you over my knee and spank that lovely ass of yours, then I’ll take you up on your invitation and kiss it better.