My Cat Burglar

by Shelley Munro

  “Who do you want to call?”

  Jonno wanted to chuckle. He wanted to do a lot of things to the starchy cop with flashes of passion slumbering deep within her baby-blue eyes. “Saber Mitchell. I’m sure the number is easy to find.”

  Laura whirled around and stomped away from the door of the holding cell. Jonno watched her until she disappeared from sight. With his exceptional hearing, he heard her terse curse, the slam of a phone book on a desk and the stabbing of the buttons on the keypad of the phone. Jonno heard the murmur of Laura’s voice and her approaching footsteps. She passed a portable phone to him before stomping away. Again, Jonno watched the sway of her ass until he could no longer see her.

  “Hi, Saber,” Jonno said. “I’m in jail. Can you get me out?”

  “It’s Emily. Saber isn’t here. Why are you in jail?” Interest rather than distress colored her voice. “And what’s more, why should I get you out?”

  “Emily,” Jonno said, genuinely shocked. “I can’t stay in jail. I’ll go insane. Damn, I’ll ring the twins. Joe and Sly will help me.”

  “No, silly.” Emily’s laugh stilled his sudden panic. “I’ll get you out. Of course I might ring Joe and Sly myself so they can give you a hard time. Why are you in jail?”

  “The cops are saying I’m the Middlemarch jewel thief.”

  “A cat burglar,” Emily said in clear delight. “And are you?”

  “No, I’m not.”

  “Ah, so this relates to the secret squirrel stuff you were discussing with Saber two nights ago.”

  “No wonder Saber mated with you. Smart and beautiful.” According to his friends, Joe and Sly, Saber had wanted to marry his younger brothers off and had instead stepped into his own trap. He’d taken one look at Emily, or the scarlet woman as they’d dubbed her, and wanted her as his mate.

  “Be there in ten minutes,” Emily said. “I have to meet the new police constable. I’ll invite her to dinner the next time the twins come home.”

  “No way! You keep those chick magnets away from Laura. She’s mine,” Jonno growled, hanging up to Emily’s laughter. “Laura, I’ve finished my phone call.” He raised his voice and waited for her to come running. While talking with Emily he’d come up with a plan to involve Laura. And it had better work because he needed to touch her. Badly. “Laura, are you there?”

  “What do you want?”

  “Someone ransacked the Miller house before me. I didn’t take the diamond necklace.”

  Her blue eyes narrowed. “Prove it. How do you know it was a diamond necklace? I don’t even know what’s missing.”

  Jonno whipped his T-shirt over his head and took great pleasure in the way her mouth dropped open for an instant before pressing to a firm line of disapproval. Very expressive face. He couldn’t wait to see the emotions rushing across her features during their lovemaking. After unlacing and toeing off his black boots and socks, he peeled his jeans down his legs. Her mouth widened to a round O. A gasp escaped, punctuated by a hoarse croak. Not a recognizable sound, so he continued, stepping out of his jeans and taking pleasure from her bemused gaze strumming across his naked body. His cock hardened and lengthened as he posed.

  “See, I’m not hiding anything that shouldn’t be there.”

  “Put your clothes back on,” Laura said at a screech. “Commando. I should have guessed,” she added in a fierce mutter.

  “Sometimes. Don’t you want to do a hands-on search?” God, please say yes. He couldn’t wait to have her hands running over his body.

  “No.”

  “You don’t sound certain.” Despite the urge to continue and push her with his teasing, Jonno reached for his jeans and donned them again. He’d heard a vehicle pull up outside, and Saber would have something to say if Emily saw him naked. He preferred his face in its present arrangement.

  “Tell me why you were at the Miller house,” Laura said, her attention drifting across his bare chest before darting to her clasped fingers.

  “Saber Mitchell and the local council asked me to investigate the robberies. I figured the Miller house might be on the list since everyone around here has heard of the heirloom necklace with the diamond so big they call it the Miller diamond.” Jonno stopped teasing and returned to business. He couldn’t investigate here. Maybe he could do a deal with Laura, if she’d deviate from silly rules. And it’d give him an opportunity to pursue his mate.

  Professional interest sparked in her eyes, and the move into cop-mode fascinated him. The way she fired orders and questions at him was plain hot. “Have you found anything? Did you see anything? You should have come to us. We can’t have locals taking the law into their own hands.”

  Emily appeared at the end of the corridor and walked toward them. “Ah, there you are. Jonno is always misbehaving. Jail is a good place for him.” She stuck out her hand. “I’m Emily Mitchell. Jonno is okay. I can vouch for him. He arrived in Middlemarch three days ago. He wasn’t here at the time of the first thefts.”

  Good point. Laura shook Emily Mitchell’s hand and considered the facts. She lived by her instincts, and her gut shouted she’d be a fool to keep this man locked up. If he was the thief, he had a cool and calm attitude. Her libido agreed. Besides, while some criminals were plain stupid, this man seemed too intelligent for an easy capture.

  She sucked in a mind-cleansing breath. “Will you share information?”

  “If we can talk somewhere private,” Jonno said.

  “Done.” Laura unlocked the cell and stood back. “I’m Laura Adams, one of the new police officers,” she said to Emily. “If I end up murdered in my bed, make sure you set the cops on him.”

  “As long as there are beds involved,” Jonno said.

  Emily speared a considering glance at Jonno before she turned to wink at Laura. “Somehow, I don’t think that will be a problem.”

  Jonno tugged his T-shirt over his head and donned his footwear. “Thanks for coming, Emily. I’ll ring Saber tomorrow.”

  “Come for dinner,” Emily said. “Laura, why don’t you come too? There aren’t enough women in Middlemarch. We have to stick together.”

  “Thanks, I’d like that,” Laura said, trying not to drool. She regretted the covering of the splendid real estate. Jealous of a T-shirt. Go figure.

  “Good. Come around seven and we’ll have drinks first. Jonno knows where we live.” With a wave and an altogether too personal smile at Jonno, the woman disappeared, leaving them alone.

  Jonno touched her arm, and she barely restrained her gasp of shock at the electrical current racing from his fingertips. Heck, she should have expected it by now. “My vehicle is parked at the back of the café. Storm in a Teacup. Do you know it?”

  “Ah, that’s where I’ve seen Emily.” Laura clicked her fingers as the pieces slotted together. Storm in a Teacup sold excellent muffins and chocolate brownies. “Can I trust you?” She had no idea how she kept her voice even because her insides trembled with violence. What on earth was wrong with her? A strange urge to lick him pounded her resolve to keep their interaction to business. The curve of his cheek and the strong cords of his neck tempted her. A nibble of his earlobe…

  “You’ve let the leopard out of the cage,” he murmured with a wicked grin. “Isn’t it a bit late to ask about trust?”

  Leopard? Come to think of it, he brought to mind a big cat in the way he moved—prowled—around. “I’m off work in twenty minutes, unless something big comes up. I need to have a few words with Charlie. I’ll meet you at the café.”

  Jonno nodded and stalked down the corridor. Laura blinked at his disappearance. None of her actions rated as professional, but her impulsive streak had her charging full ahead anyway. And the way she felt, she suspected the impulse to jump the sexy male might get the better of her. The thought made her pause for an instant, shake her head.

  Crazy! Absolutely crazy, and in truth, she didn’t even care about the consequences. The top brass had already harpooned her career, sending her to a country station, s
o she hardly thought it would matter, as long as she did her job. Yes, her fixation on the man was unwise. Too bad when her mind kept diverting to getting her hands on Jonno Campbell’s delectable body…

  Chapter Two

  Jonno straightened, pushing away from the front of his parked vehicle as Laura hurried along the side of Storm in a Teacup café. His heart beat a little faster as he strode into the light cast by a streetlamp to intercept her, and he knew they weren’t gonna do much in the way of talking for the next half an hour. Maybe he could persuade her to spend the night with him. He sure as hell hoped so. A low rumble sounded, and he took a second to realize the sound came from him. No dammit. He had to take things slow so he didn’t scare her. Patience, he counseled himself. Patience.

  Laura neared him and slowed to a halt, her shoulders stiff, as if she’d had second and third thoughts about meeting with him. A quick glance over her shoulder confirmed her nerves. Understanding throbbed through him. He appreciated the compulsion—the instinct propelling her to touch and become intimate.

  A hoarse chuckle emerged, the humor aimed at himself. Damn, he knew how it felt. He understood the mating urge manifested more strongly in a feline male, yet humans weren’t exempt from the sexual heat. Oh yeah. He respected the confusion and conflict she faced.

  Instinctively, he sought to soothe and reassure. “Laura, I’d never hurt you. I’m not like that. I don’t get kicks from terrorizing people smaller than me, people who can’t fight back.” Keeping his movements slow and his hands in sight, he eased closer.

  “I’m not frightened of you.”

  “Then why are you so edgy?” He bit back his delight at the nervous way she chewed on her bottom lip and yet lifted her chin in defiance, her belligerent denial.

  “Something’s wrong with me. I have sex on the brain.” She murmured the words under her breath, so soft she didn’t mean him to hear. “I don’t know why I’m here,” she said in a normal-speaking voice.

  “We will find the thieves.” Jonno wanted to tell her about the mates thing upfront, despite her jumpy state. A feline always needed to weigh the consequences when it came to confessions of their existence. Trust came into the equation, big time. Humans didn’t always understand, and learning of different species stirred fear and panic. The knowledge they weren’t alone made them uneasy. A glance at Laura reassured him. She seemed so feisty and self-assured. He didn’t think she’d let the existence of feline shapeshifters throw her for long. But first…first he had to kiss her, taste her.

  Despite their lack of privacy, Jonno pounced, not giving her a chance to retreat. Probably faces pressed to the café window. The thought of gossip and teasing didn’t stop him. He grasped her shoulders, holding her in place. Her quick intake of breath whooshed out, feathering across his neck. Her vanilla scent wound through his senses, stealing his free will.

  His.

  The thought crystallized yet again, and he knew he’d been fooling himself to think he could maintain a leisurely pace. Wasn’t gonna happen.

  Laura sighed, a mere whisper of sound, her attention on his lips even though a tremble racked her frame. Then their mouths met.

  Heaven.

  All thoughts floated from Jonno’s head and he sank into a world of sensation, of pleasure and spicy woman. The velvet-soft contact brought a gasp. Jonno wasn’t sure if it was his or hers.

  More. God, he craved much more of this, of her. Slowly, he explored her mouth, learning the shape and texture before he traced across her bottom lip with his tongue. She opened to him with a quiet murmur of approval, the feminine encouragement pleasing his feline. A tremble spread the length of his body, and that was when he realized he’d landed in big trouble.

  His feline purred, pushing at his control. For one horrid moment, Jonno thought he’d shifted without even picturing the cat in his head first. The subtle push of his claws as they forced under his fingernails and the surge of his canines brought alarm. He hoped his eyes hadn’t taken on the eerie glow peculiar to cats slinking through the dark of night. Panic nipped at him as forcefully as his feline shoved at his restraint. Gulping, he ripped his mouth away from Laura’s and hugged her tight, chest heaving while he fought the onset of his shift.

  Fuck, this wasn’t the time for patience and niceties. He needed her now. He prayed he could hold his feline and not let the instinct to mark her as his mate take precedence.

  “Laura, I know this is weird. We don’t know each other, but if I don’t get you in my bed tonight, I will go crazy. Feel how much I need you.” Damn, his speech sounded weird because of teeth forcing through his gums. After concentrating hard, he realigned them. A glance at his fingernails confirmed the worst. He’d need to battle his feline until things settled, and the first time with Laura would need to take place in the dark, if he didn’t want to scare her. Or he could tell her the truth straight up and right from the start. Something to ponder.

  “Touch me, Laura.” Taking her hand, he slid it down his arm and across his hip until she touched his erection. To his relief and consternation, her fingers measured and cupped him, abrading the sensitive head against the sturdy material of his jeans. His hands fell away, and he took half a step back to give her better access. To his relief she never hesitated, teasing and coaxing until he throbbed beneath her touch. Her nimble fingers unfastened the button on his fly before he could stay her move.

  “No,” he said, gritting his teeth at her warm hand brushing the head of his cock. So damn good. He inhaled, aiming for better discipline of his feline, of his unruly desire to fuck her. With a determined step back, he removed her hand and refastened his jeans. Lucky for them, not a single vehicle had passed while they were groping each other. “I don’t want our first time to be outside where anyone could see us. Will you come with me to my place? I’m working on a local farm and living in a house on the property. I’m the sole occupant, so no interruptions.”

  Laura hesitated. “I—”

  “Ring your colleague and tell him where you’re going, or ring Emily Mitchell or both if you prefer.”

  “Charlie will ask questions.”

  “Tell him you have a lead on the case. My house is on Seagrove Road. The farm is owned by Gareth Hunter.”

  “I— Okay.” Laura pulled out her cell phone and rang the station, speaking briefly to Charlie.

  Jonno heard both sides of the conversation. Her colleague didn’t sound alarmed or even suspicious, which was good since Laura relaxed.

  “I’ll see you tomorrow,” she said before disconnecting the call. “Thank you for understanding. A lot of guys would’ve made fun of my fears.”

  “Then you know the wrong men.” Jonno worked hard not to imagine Laura with another male. Jealousy made little sense since he’d slept with other women. Hell, plenty of them. “The last thing I want you to do is worry about your safety. I’d prefer you concentrating on pleasure. Mutual pleasure.” Jonno hoped she wouldn’t change her mind. “Is it okay if we take my vehicle? I’ll run you back in the morning and buy you breakfast.”

  “Crazy,” she muttered before nodding in the affirmative. “I don’t know what you’ve done, but I ache so bad I’m ready to jump you.”

  “Hold that thought.” Jonno grasped her lower arm and lead her to his vehicle. He seated her in the passenger seat, taking pleasure in the small service for his woman. Humming under his breath, he hurried around to the driver’s side and climbed inside. A quick inhalation filled his lungs with her vanilla scent and anticipation heightened. He glanced across at her and found her watching him. With contentment bubbling inside, he started the engine. He couldn’t wait to see if his imagination and reality matched. Yeah, naked worked best for what he had in mind.

  The ten-minute trip to his quarters flew past. Neither of them talked much, instead listening to the latest OpShop album. The lyrics of the New Zealand band’s hit song ramped up the tension throbbing between them. Jonno pulled up outside his house with a screech of brakes. He switched off the engine, the su
dden silence a throb through his veins.

  “Coming?” he asked, glancing across to Laura. She appeared as stunned and unsure as he. Not that he’d change anything about this meeting. Somehow, they’d muddle through. He grinned at the thought of being able to discuss their first meeting in fifty years. His amusement died because that wouldn’t happen if he fucked this up. And with the way his nerves jangled, it was a distinct possibility.

  “Yes, I’m ready.” Laura climbed out of the car and he hurried to follow suit.

  “Go inside. The door’s open. I’m just going to take off my boots.” Jonno stooped to unlace his boots and lectured himself. No touching until they reached the bedroom. Thank goodness he’d changed the sheets the day before and remembered to make his bed. His mother had told him women liked men who helped around the house. They found it sexy, she’d said. During his teens, he’d spoken out with skepticism. Showed what he knew. Now he sent a silent thanks to his mother since he needed every edge he could get. Something told him that even though Laura was here, winning her wouldn’t be as easy.

  “I have no idea what I’m doing here,” Laura muttered, also removing her shoes. The beginnings of panic showed in the faint anxiety coloring her voice.

  “Want a drink? I have beer, juice, tea and instant coffee.” The normal everyday motions might quieten her unease. Jonno kept his breathing slow and even. Nope, not a help. Her vanilla scent still enveloped him, making his feline strain at the leash. He wanted to take the flesh at the juncture of neck and shoulder with his teeth. He’d rasp his tongue back and forth over the area until her flavor seeped into his senses. Then he’d sink his teeth into her flesh until her blood filled his mouth and the enzymes from his saliva mixed with her life force. Jonno’s satisfaction increased as thoughts of the resulting mark flooded his mind.

  His mark. He’d bet it’d look good on her upper shoulder.

  “A beer sounds good,” she said, shattering his thoughts of happy ever after. “Can you answer a few questions for me?”