Covert Lessons

by Mari Carr

  She merely nodded as he released her, quickly placing her face against the cold metal of her car. How long she stayed there, she couldn’t say. She certainly didn’t manage to count. She could barely remember her own name, let alone so many numbers. She was trembling and cold and more frightened than she’d ever been in her life. When she finally felt safe enough to do so, she unlocked her car, climbed in and quickly locked the doors. She started the car and peeled out of the parking lot as if a pack of wolves was chasing her.

  It wasn’t until she’d run from her car into her townhouse and locked herself in that she gave in to the terror. Collapsing in a tremulous heap in her front foyer, she shivered and cried until the tears would no longer come. The young man’s threats threaded their insidious way through her frightened mind until she knew she’d rather sell her firstborn child than tell anyone, Mac most of all, about the attack. She would never, ever endanger him or Meg or her godchild.

  Somehow she would keep this secret, put it away, move on. She had to. The safety of the people she loved most in the world was at stake.

  Chapter Seven

  Mac looked across the console of his SUV at Kelly and mentally sighed in relief. For the first time in days, she seemed to be relaxed and more like her old self. He couldn’t put his finger on exactly when she’d changed, but he’d noticed a tension in her he’d never seen before during this past week. She jumped at the slightest sound in her classroom or anytime he got too close to her. There were dark circles under her eyes, made more prominent by the paleness of her face, and she’d been far too quiet and subdued. When he’d asked her about it, she’d claimed to be feeling under the weather. He’d accepted her words as true, even though he was unable to stop the niggling feeling at the back of his mind that told him something was seriously wrong with his feisty little teacher.

  “You seemed to enjoy the conference,” he said, anxious to break the silence that had settled over them.

  “Oh I did,” she answered quickly. “I can’t believe how much I learned. It’ll take me ages to figure out what information to present to the faculty. There’s just so much I think the teachers should know.”

  He nodded, pleased by her about-face regarding his job.

  “I have to say,” she continued, “your presentation was the best. It’s a shame you’re undercover. It would really be better if you could share your experiences with the teachers personally. I think it would have more of an impact.”

  “So you don’t think I’m a fox in the henhouse anymore?”

  She crinkled her nose. “I was a real bitch that first day, wasn’t I?”

  “I wasn’t very nice either, Pollyanna.”

  She laughed. “Mac, what you’re trying to do…I mean, breaking up these gangs is important. If you manage to put the ringleaders in jail, you’re sending a message to the younger kids that crime doesn’t pay and saving them from a dangerous lifestyle. I can see that now. In your own way, you’re working to achieve the same goal I am.”

  He nodded. “Thanks. Kelly, I’m sorry I insinuated your efforts were a waste of time. You’re an amazing teacher and I believe what you’re doing is working too. Spending those extra hours with the kids, offering them not just a safe place to hang out but the opportunity to be with an adult they can trust and talk to is having an impact.”

  “Damn,” she murmured. “This is starting to sound like a civil conversation.”

  “Yeah,” he agreed, grinning widely. “And I’m uncomfortable as hell with it.”

  She laughed. “Me too. What do you say we go back to smartass comments and bickering?”

  “Deal,” he replied with a chuckle.

  He watched as she turned to glance out her window. After their ill-advised foray out of the realm of professionalism and into red-hot foreplay almost two weeks ago, the two of them had managed to keep their libidos under control. Their respective orgasms seemed to briefly take the edge off the undeniable sexual tension that radiated between them every time they were together.

  After her punishment, they’d pulled themselves together, gotten dressed and gone out for Chinese. At school, they’d returned to their roles of teacher and undercover cop and they’d seemed, by tacit agreement, to concur that they would be wise to avoid spending any more time than necessary alone. Not that he’d had two seconds to break that unspoken pact and, by God, he’d really wanted to break it. He’d pulled double duty for several days and then she had slipped into her strange mood that left him wondering if her attraction to him was waning.

  She looked over at him and gave him a breathtaking smile. Nope, he thought, glancing into her eyes. He still detected that irrefutable spark that flared up whenever they were alone together.

  He’d worried about slipping up today as they traveled together to the gang conference, but the day had gone off without a hitch. They’d enjoyed a companionable trip to the city and had been far too busy attending small group sessions and listening to the keynote speaker to engage in any hanky-panky.

  Unfortunately the conference ran longer than either of them had anticipated and, since they’d begun the return trip home, the snow showers that started around lunchtime had grown into a regular snowstorm. Hell, maybe even a blizzard.

  “Damn, I’m glad you’re driving. I hate snow. Are you sure you can see the road?”

  For the third time in a quarter of an hour, he answered her growing fears.

  “Yes, Kell. I’m fine. My concern now is getting home before they close the road.”

  As if in answer to his comment, he saw the flashing of blue lights ahead.

  “Shit,” he muttered.

  A policeman waved them down and Mac stopped next to him before rolling down his window.

  “Sorry, folks. Road is closed. We’ve got a hell of a big tree across it about a mile down the road. Took out some power lines when it fell. It’s going to take us quite a while to clean it all up.”

  He nodded. “We’re not from around here. Can you suggest an alternate route?”

  The policeman offered them a grimace. “Yep, but it’s not a good one. You’d have to turn around and backtrack about fifteen miles. There’s a county road that runs somewhat parallel to this main one but in this weather, that’ll be closed pretty damn soon too if it’s not already. Your best bet is to head back the way you came. There’s a motel on the left just three miles from here.”

  “I remember passing it,” Kelly offered from the passenger seat.

  “It’s no night to be out. Weather forecast is calling for this storm to dump another two inches or so in addition to high winds before moving on around midnight. Best idea might be to ride it out inside.”

  Mac agreed. “Good advice. Thanks.”

  He rolled up his window and put the car in reverse, working slowly to turn the vehicle around on the slick road.

  So much for successfully evading the very delectable Ms. Finch. If he made it through the night without touching her, it would be a miracle. He’d just have to get two rooms—preferably on opposite ends of the motel.

  “Sorry,” he muttered as they headed back in the direction they’d just come.

  She offered him her sweet smile. “Not your fault, Lieutenant. Honestly, I’m relieved. I’ve been white-knuckling it ever since we left the conference. I can’t wait to get out of this shitty weather and into a nice, warm bed.”

  His cock rose to half-mast at the image of Kelly in any bed at all. Christ. She wasn’t making this self-imposed abstinence easy.

  They’d only made it a mile or so when he caught sight of something out of the corner of his eye. He had a split second to react as a small avalanche of snow slid down the steep hill beside them directly into their path. He swerved to miss it and managed to get his SUV buried in two feet of snow in a ditch on the opposite side of the road.

  “Dammit!” he yelled as Kelly’s scream filled the car. Once the dust settled, or snowflakes as it were, he reached over for her. She wasn’t kidding about being afraid. Her whole body wa
s trembling.

  “Are you hurt?” he asked, fairly certain she wasn’t. They were both buckled up and he hadn’t been driving fast enough to hit the ditch with any real force.

  “No,” she answered. “I’m fine. Just had the bejeezus scared out of me and I nearly wet my pants but other than that, I’m good. How ’bout you?”

  He grinned at her joke. She was genuinely fun to be with. He’d never enjoyed a woman’s company like he did hers.

  “I’m fine. Well, it looks like you and I are hiking the rest of the way to the motel,” he sighed. They had maybe two hours of daylight left—they’d have to walk quickly.

  “What?”

  “Would you prefer to spend the night in a freezing-cold vehicle?”

  She sighed heavily. “No. Can’t you call somebody?”

  He flipped open his cell phone. “Not sure who we could get out here in weather like this and I have a feeling…” His suspicions were confirmed as he looked at the screen before turning the face of his cell in her direction. “No service.”

  “But it’s nearly two miles to that motel and this coat, while warm, is hardly waterproof.”

  He looked down at his denim jacket. “I’d offer you my coat, but I don’t think it would keep you any drier.”

  She pulled a pair of fuzzy mittens from her pocket and slipped them on. “Well, I guess if I had to find a bright side to this, at least I can walk off some of the calories I ate at lunch.”

  He pretended to take her jest seriously. “I think that’s a good idea. You did polish off an entire steak sub and more than half my fries.”

  She narrowed her eyes and he quickly raised his hands in surrender. “I’m kidding, spitfire. Just thought I’d help get your blood boiling a bit before we tackle that chilly wind.”

  “Come on, Lieutenant. Let’s get this damn walk over with so I can soak in a hot bath before crawling into a toasty warm, comfy bed.”

  * * * * *

  The walk took longer than she’d expected and by the time she and Mac made it to the motel, night was rapidly falling and they resembled a couple of shivering, drowned rats. The parking lot was distressingly full, no doubt from the stranded motorists directed here by the same policeman who’d sent them, and she worried what they would do if there weren’t any more rooms. She was not about to walk one step farther in this freezing weather.

  Mac spoke to the man behind the check-in desk as she stood beside a stone fireplace with a weak fire burning in the chilly foyer. The room was lit by two camp lanterns and she recalled the cop’s words. The tree blocking the road had taken out power lines. Obviously, the motel had been robbed of electricity as a result.

  “The last room,” Mac said behind her and she turned to see him shaking the key at her. His hair was drenched and she was a bit surprised there weren’t icicles forming on the ends.

  “Better than nothing,” she said.

  “No power,” he added, confirming her thoughts. “Man says it’s been out for hours, so in addition to no lights or television, you’re also not getting your hot bath. Apparently, with the hot water heater not functioning, the water has cooled and the guy said the best you can hope for is lukewarm.”

  “They don’t have a generator?”

  “Nope. I don’t think this fine establishment has ever been completely booked in its existence. Guy behind the desk seemed excited about the prospect of hanging up the No Vacancy sign. The thing was still in bubble wrap.” She had to admit the entire motel had the feel of a place where middle-aged married men met up with their mistresses on a Tuesday night.

  “G-great,” she mumbled. As they walked back into the frigid air, the trembling she’d just gotten under control started again and her teeth began to chatter.

  “I d-don’t think I’ve ever b-been this c-cold,” she stuttered, fighting against the shivers racking her body.

  He wrapped his arm around her and pulled her quickly toward their room. As soon as they were inside, he reached out to divest her of her wet coat.

  “You need to get out of these clothes before you shake the seams apart,” he teased, though she could see the concern in his eyes.

  “You’re w-wearing less than I am and you’re s-soaked to the s-skin,” she said, lifting her hands to pull his denim jacket off him.

  “Wouldn’t want you to get pneumonia,” he added as he started working the buttons free on her blouse.

  “Or f-frostbite,” she added, struggling to unhook his belt.

  Soon their clothing was flying off in a frenzy as both of them struggled, with shaking fingers, to strip the other.

  “Hell,” he muttered. “Even your bra is damp.”

  “My panties too,” she added. “Fell in that d-damn snowbank, remember?”

  “You’ll have to take them off as well.”

  Within moments they were completely naked. The light was dying outside and the room grew dark.

  He pulled back the covers to the king-sized bed. “Get in. I’ll warm you up.”

  She crawled in, squealing as her body touched the chilled sheets. “Shit. C-cotton sheets. C-cold.”

  He laughed as he lay down beside her, pulling the sheets and quilt up to their necks. He reached over to her but she only cried out again.

  “Your hands are f-freezing!”

  “Mmm. I know. I need you to warm them up for me.”

  “Mac,” she said, wiggling closer to him. “Make me hot.”

  He offered her a crooked grin. “It’ll be my pleasure, Ms. Finch.”

  His mouth swooped down on hers and she relished the contrasting feeling of his cool lips and warm breath on her face.

  “Oh God, Mac. More. Please! More.”

  All common sense flew out the window as he took her words as all the permission he needed. However, rather than attack, he slowly leaned down and took her mouth in a kiss that was surprisingly gentle. She knew he was giving her time to change her mind, to come to her senses, but that wouldn’t happen. She’d wanted him since the first moment she’d laid eyes on him in the principal’s office and whether it was right or wrong, she wasn’t going to turn back.

  Reaching up, she gripped the back of his head firmly, pulling his lips toward hers, taking from him the kiss she wanted so badly. She thrust her tongue into his warm, wet mouth and nipped at his lips with her teeth while tugging on his soft hair. He seemed to understand her overwhelming desire and began to match her frantic kiss with one of his own. His palms, still cool, reached up to envelop her face as he took the control away from her, turning her head exactly the way he wanted, showing her in no uncertain terms that if she gave herself to him, she would indeed be his. His to do with as he pleased. The idea appealed to her more than she could say.

  “Kelly,” he hissed as he pulled away, dragging his lips across her cheek to her ear. Once there, she had to fight to suppress a giggle as he tickled it with his tongue. “Tell me no if this isn’t what you want. If you give yourself to me now, you’re mine.” That said, he rubbed his erection against the juncture between her thighs. She opened her legs, hooking them around his waist and pressing back. He groaned at the movement but didn’t continue.

  “Say the words, Kelly. Tell me you want me,” he said, his voice soft yet demanding.

  She was touched by his concern for her feelings and turned-on by the command lacing his words. Clearly, he wouldn’t force her to do anything she didn’t want.

  “I want you,” she whispered in his ear before clenching down on the lobe with her teeth. “I want you bad.”

  He chuckled. “Is that proper English, Ms. Finch? Shouldn’t you say ‘I want you badly’?”

  “No, I think in this instance it would be better to say ‘Fuck me hard’. What do you think, Mac? Like that any better?”

  His eyes went dark with desire and he kissed her long and deep before pulling away for a moment. She groaned until he explained. “Condom.”

  “How many do you have?” she asked and he laughed loudly.

  “Good God, woman
. You’re a dream come true, do you know that?”

  She smiled at his praise before teasing him. “Of course I know, but that doesn’t answer my question, does it?”

  His grin turned cocky and she rolled her eyes at his response. “Let’s just say I have a one-night supply.”

  She wasn’t appeased with his vague comment and she narrowed her eyes until he relented.

  “Three,” he added.

  “I guess that’ll be enough,” she answered as Mac tumbled back on top of her.

  “Oh I’ll make it enough, sweetheart.”

  Mac pulled back from their heated embrace in an attempt to catch his breath. His head was literally swimming from the effect Kelly’s words and touch were having on him. If he didn’t slow this train down he would arrive at the station before he got anywhere near her inviting pussy.

  Gentling his kisses, he trailed his lips down her throat before heading toward her breasts. Her nipples were pebbled hard, whether from the cold or excitement he couldn’t say. Gripping her lightly with one hand, he bent down and sucked a tempting rose-colored tip into his mouth. Damn, he loved her breasts—firm and full and more than enough to fill his hand and mouth with some left over. She groaned and he strengthened the suction, pulling on her deeper, harder.

  “Oh my God,” she murmured and he fought against the grin tugging at his lips. She truly was a handful, in and out of bed. Turning, he graced her other breast with his open-mouth kisses, teasing her nipple with his teeth. She began to squirm in earnest and he couldn’t resist continuing his assault until she was practically begging for relief.

  “Now, Mac!” she demanded, pulling his hair in an attempt to move his body where she wanted it.

  He reached up and disentangled her hands, gripping her wrists and placing them on the pillow.

  “Be good, Kell, and you’ll get everything you’re asking for.”

  “Give it to me now and I’ll be very, very good, Mac.” Her provocative words stiffened his cock to a painful degree.

  “Tease,” he murmured, briefly tightening his grip on her wrists before releasing them. “Leave your hands there. Move them again and I’ll get out my handcuffs.”