Grounds for Seduction (Seattle Steam)

by Shelli Stevens

  Surprised at his abruptness, Madison struggled to keep up with him. “Hey, what’s the hurry?”

  “We’re going out of town for a while.”

  “Going out of town?” She shook her head. “I don’t understand. Where? Why?”

  “You’re not safe here. You need to close your shop up for a week or two, and I’m going to take you away—”

  “Close my shop up?” she interrupted, her stomach dropping. “I just opened my shop on Monday. I will not close it again.”

  “Jesus, Maddie. What’s it going to take?” Gabe yelled, his voice getting so loud she was certain everyone up front could hear them. He went off on some tangent, cursing in Spanish so fast she couldn’t even begin to translate. Not like she spoke enough Spanish to do so anyway.

  She finally just interrupted. “Gabe, you don’t understand.”

  “No, you don’t understand. Listen to yourself. Do you have a death wish? Use some common sense. You need to go away for a while until they catch this guy.”

  Madison’s stomach clenched as fear and anger warred inside her. Who was she kidding? She didn’t have a choice. Even if Gabe hadn’t been forcing a mandatory vacation on her, with Sarah quitting there wasn’t any way she could stay open.

  “What did you have in mind?”

  Gabe hesitated, seeming surprised by her agreement. “I have a friend who owns a cabin on Whidbey Island. We disappear for a while so the Seattle P.D. can track down and find the Bandit without risking your safety.”

  “When do you want to leave?”

  “Tonight.”

  Her life would be put on hold, and she’d go away with him. Spending an indefinite amount of time in a cabin, on an island, with Gabe. It almost sounded romantic. Her lips twisted. Almost. But it was just business to him.

  “All right.” She nodded and mentally reviewed the things she needed to do. “Give me a few hours and I can be ready.”

  …

  The ferry to Whidbey Island was a twenty-minute ride. Instead of staying in the car, Gabe convinced Madison to go upstairs and stand out on the deck.

  She folded her arms on the railing and watched as they drifted farther away from the dock.

  To the right were the faint lights of Seattle. She took a deep breath. The air was different out here. Cleaner and more invigorating. Puget Sound shimmered in the moonlight, the waves slapping against the side of the white ferry.

  Gabe came to stand next to her, leaning on the railing in a similar motion. He gave her a sideways glance.

  “What are you thinking?”

  Madison shrugged. “Not much—just how beautiful it is out here. I’ve never been to Whidbey Island, can you believe it? I’ve lived in Washington my whole life and I’ve never been.”

  “You’ll love it.” He paused and looked back out at the water. “Are you upset about me dragging you away?”

  “No.” And she wasn’t. “I mean, at first I was. But it’s for the best. I’ve decided to look at it like a mini-vacation.”

  “Good idea.”

  “What about you? Are you annoyed that you have to babysit me for a while?”

  “You’re not a babysitting job. I’m determined to keep you safe. I’ll go to any lengths to do it.” He heaved a sigh. “Besides, I’m being given paid leave for getting shot. Don’t freak out,” he rushed when her eyes widened. “I told you before it’s really just a graze. I’m pretty sore, that’s it. But the bottom line is it’s not safe for you in the city, and that’s why I’m taking you out of it. I will keep you safe.”

  Warm fuzzies spread through her body at his words.

  “I promised your brother.”

  The fuzzies died a cold, hard death. Of course he wouldn’t be doing this for her. He was doing this for Eric. It always came back to her brother.

  He hadn’t wanted to sleep with her because of Eric. The only reason he was protecting her was because of Eric. Face it. You will always just be Eric’s little sister.

  But it shouldn’t have mattered anyway. He was only there for the short term anyway. That whole transitional thing she’d wanted. Right?

  Her stomach clenched and her throat tightened. Why did her rationalization seem so impractical now? She sighed deeply and shoved a piece of hair away from her eyes.

  He must have mistaken her frown for something else. “We’ll have him soon, Maddie. Don’t sweat it.”

  “I know you’ll get him. Especially since he was stupid enough to leave bullets in my espresso machine.”

  Gabe laughed.

  “You shot him, though.” She turned to him. “Didn’t you?”

  “I hit him solid in the right arm.” Gabe’s expression hardened. “All gunshot wounds are required by law to be reported. If he went to a hospital, we’ll have him by tonight.”

  Madison shook her head. “He’s not that stupid. I’m sure he’d sew himself up with a rusty needle before going to the emergency room.”

  “He came after you in broad daylight, while you were under the protection of the police. That makes him look pretty stupid in my book.”

  “Yeah, well he almost got me. If he’d succeeded…”

  Gabe shook his head, his jaw going hard. “Well, he didn’t. I screwed up by letting you go up front by yourself. You just aren’t safe alone. Period.”

  “Yeah, well that’s why I’ve got you, sexy.” She tried to regain the light atmosphere from earlier. “You’re my own hot bodyguard. Just like the movie. Except I can’t sing, and you’re not Kevin Costner.”

  She watched the tension in his body ease again, as he cracked a smile. “Thank God for that.”

  The ferry started slowing as they approached the dock on Whidbey Island.

  “We’d better head down to the car.” Gabe straightened and took her hand. “Ready?”

  “Yeah. Ready as I’ll ever be,” she replied and followed him back inside the ferry.

  …

  After driving for a half hour, Gabe pulled off onto a dirt road in the woods. The road went on for a few minutes, twisting through the trees before ending at a small, secluded log cabin.

  Madison stared at the view beyond it. The cabin rested on a cliff that overlooked Puget Sound, and the view was something out of a travel guide. Well, if the picture in the travel guide had been taken at night. Thinking of this time as a vacation wasn’t going to be so hard after all.

  “Wow.” She climbed out of the car and walked to the edge of the property, stopping short at the edge of the cliff. It was dark, and she couldn’t see much but the twinkling of lights across the water, and the shadow of the Olympic mountain range.

  “I can tell you have no fear of heights,” Gabe drawled from behind her.

  “Not at all.” She pointed to the lights. “Where’s that over there?”

  “Port Townsend.” His hands closed over her shoulders, and he pulled her back a few steps. “You’re making me nervous standing that close to the edge.”

  Her toes were only about an inch away from the cliff’s edge, but she allowed him to guide her back. Her thoughts were already turning to the idea of getting into bed with Gabe again. Not just for the sex, though it was a big draw, but more so for the being held afterward. She needed a bit of cuddling after today.

  Madison tucked her hand into his as they headed toward the cabin. “It’s beautiful here.”

  He squeezed her hand. “The inside is pretty great, too.”

  Madison gave him a suspicious look. “Is this the part where you tell me that this really isn’t a friend’s cabin, but yours?”

  “What?” He looked down at her. “No, this is not my cabin. Jesus, do you have any idea how much property like this costs?”

  Madison flushed. Oh God, she was an idiot. She kept saying stupid stuff like that. In her world, where her parents owned a summer home in Europe, it wasn’t improbable. But Gabe wasn’t in her world. He’d made that clear before.

  “I’m sorry. I guess I’m just used to that kind of surprise-it’s-really-mine thing bec
ause it always happens in the movies and books.”

  Gabe led them up the two steps to the porch. “The cabin belongs to a friend I went to college with.”

  Madison turned to him with a thoughtful glance. “You have a degree in criminal justice, right?”

  “Right.” He unlocked the door and stepped inside.

  “You don’t have to settle for being a cop.” She followed him inside.

  “Settle?” He gave her a hard glance.

  Eek, that came out wrong. She touched his hand. “No, wait. I’m just saying that with your degree and ability to speak Spanish, you could try for the FBI, if you wanted.”

  “If I wanted,” he agreed, flicking on the light switch. The room flooded with a soft light. “But I don’t. I like being a cop. It’s what I’ve always wanted to do. It’s what I will continue to do.”

  “Why?” Madison asked, genuinely curious. She wanted to understand him more. To figure out what had driven him to join the police department, and what still drove him.

  “Look, I’m tired. I don’t want to talk about it, okay?” His voice was rough. “Just make yourself comfortable while I go get our stuff from the car.”

  Madison blinked, surprise and hurt raging through her. He stepped outside the door of the cabin and left her alone.

  What had just happened? He’d seemed angry at her questions. Had they really been that bad? Or maybe she had provoked it. You just don’t think, Maddie. You say things and then think about the consequences.

  And apparently, she’d said the wrong thing more than once tonight. She wrapped her arms around her waist and glanced around the room.

  It was just how she’d imagined a cabin would look. A lot of wood furniture with plenty of soft cushions. Simple, comfortable, and beautiful. A place to relax with someone you loved. A different kind of luxury. An absolutely wonderful cabin.

  She just wasn’t in the mood to appreciate it right now. Madison sat on the couch and waited for him to return.

  …

  Gabe grabbed their bags from the trunk of his car. His rush of anger had already dissipated, and guilt gnawed at his stomach for snapping at Maddie. He shouldn’t have been surprised that she expected him to do more with his life. The Phillips came from a different social class. They were nice people. Hell, more than nice, they’d been his second family.

  But they had money and lived the lifestyle. It was what they were used to. So why was he so surprised that Maddie thought he should move up in the field? That he should want to scoot up to that higher class?

  He was nothing like the Phillips. He’d grown up in poverty. When his aunt had taken him in, finances had still been tight. They’d never had fancy spaghetti dinners delivered. There were some weeks when they’d had Top Ramen five nights in a row for dinner. Hell, eggs had been a luxury.

  But Martha had provided him with a good life until the day she’d died from cancer. Even after. She’d left him the only thing she’d ever owned. Her home.

  He’d gone to college on a scholarship and had worked his ass off to graduate with a 4.0. He was proud of where he stood today, how far he’d come.

  He might not be able to afford a cabin like this, but he wasn’t on the bottom rung anymore. He’d been investing and saving, and his nest egg was looking pretty good. Of course, Maddie didn’t know that, seeing as it wasn’t exactly something he advertised.

  Be honest. That’s not the only reason you’re pissed. Her encouraging him to seek a more prestigious career than being a local cop wasn’t the whole reason he was annoyed. It was her delving into his reasons for becoming one. It was personal. It was painful. And he wasn’t quite ready to share that with her just yet.

  The only person he’d ever shared it with was Eric. And Eric was his best friend. Almost like a brother. His thoughts grew grim again. But he didn’t have a brother. Not anymore.

  The startled expression he’d seen on Maddie’s face flashed through his head, and he winced. You dumb shit, get your ass back inside and apologize. You don’t treat a woman like that. Aunt Martha would have ripped you a new one.

  When he got back to the house, Maddie sat on the couch staring at the turned-off television.

  He shut the door, set the bags down, and went to sit beside her.

  “I shouldn’t have snapped at you.”

  “No, I deserved it. I’m sorry. I spoke without thinking.” She turned toward him. “I think being a police officer is a wonderful career, and I hope I didn’t make it sound like I thought otherwise.”

  Gabe searched her eyes and saw her sincerity reflected there. “It’s all right.”

  “I think it’s a very demanding, honorable job.” She paused and then waggled her eyebrows at him. “And, hey, even kind of a turn-on.”

  “Kind of a turn-on, huh?” Gabe smiled and took her hand.

  “Mmm-hmm.” Madison gave a slow nod. “So here’s an idea. Let’s stop saying stupid things that hurt one another and do some making up.”

  He sucked in a hard breath as she slipped her hand from his and down to the crotch of his pants.

  “And I’d like to show you how much of a turn-on I think cops are, Officer Martinez.”

  He heard the zipper of his jeans being pulled down, and his blood pounded at the little bit of role-play Maddie had decided to slip into.

  “Please do, Miss Phillips,” he managed to say as she slid off the couch and onto her knees in front of him.

  She freed him from his jeans and boxers and wrapped her soft hand around his flesh. “I’ve been waiting all day to see this guy again.”

  “Really? Take off your shirt,” he commanded in a low voice. “And your bra. I want to see your breasts.”

  “Anything you say, Office Martinez.” Madison pulled her T-shirt over her head. His breath hitched as she opened the front clasp of her bra and pulled it off.

  “Very nice.” God, she was beautiful. He reached forward to lift one heavy breast into his palm and drew his thumb across her nipple. “I love your breasts.”

  “And I love your penis,” she answered with an impish grin, then gasped when he brought her nipple between his thumb and forefinger and gave a light pinch.

  “Show me how much you love it.”

  “With pleasure, officer.” And her hand that grasped him started moving up and down his length. “I think we need lubrication.”

  Her tongue found the base of his cock, sliding over his length and up to the sensitive dent on the head. She took a moment to swirl her tongue around his throbbing head, before drawing her tongue back to the base and repeating the path again.

  Soon, she closed her mouth over the tip of his head and then almost too slowly, sucked the rest of his length into her mouth. Gabe arched his hips to push him deeper into her mouth, and she took him with ease, sucking harder and faster.

  He reached out to fondle her breasts again, pinching both nipples and evoking a soft cry from Maddie. He pushed them together, squeezing and kneading their plump softness.

  She sucked him even deeper, until his cock stroked the back of her throat. He knew he wasn’t going to last and pulled out of her mouth.

  “Maddie.” He groaned.

  “Yes…whatever you want.”

  Her invitation proved too much to resist. With her breasts still pushed together, he slipped his cock into her cleavage, moving in small thrusts against her soft flesh. She groaned and covered his hands with her own.

  “God, Maddie.” He gasped as he came on her chest a moment later.

  Madison leaned forward and kissed him while he pinched her nipples, moving his palms over the slippery flesh of her breasts. Her tongue stroked against his, and he kissed her back.

  “I’m sorry. I went too far—”

  “No,” she interrupted and covered his hands with her own. “I liked it. A lot. Please don’t apologize.”

  “You’re amazing.” Gabe closed his eyes. And she was. How the hell had he gotten this lucky? She was his every fantasy rolled into one gorgeous woman.

/>   Madison stood and offered a delicate shrug. “Besides, I owed you an orgasm, remember?”

  “Ah, how could I have forgotten?” He laughed and shook his head.

  She yawned. “I think I’m going to shower and get ready for bed.”

  “There’s only one bedroom. If it’s a problem, I can take the couch.”

  “A problem?” Madison gave him a chiding look. “A benefit is more like it. Will you join me soon?”

  “Of course.”

  “All right.” She yawned again and leaned down, pressing her lush lips against his. “Thank you again for everything, Gabe.”

  “Thank you. He tucked a wayward strand of hair back behind her ear and murmured, “And anytime, mi vida.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Madison put the cap back on the toothpaste and stared at herself in the mirror. The memory of the erotic moment they’d just experienced ran rampant in her head. That and the fact that he’d just called her mi vida. Didn’t that mean my heart in Spanish, or something? Whatever, Madison, it doesn’t mean anything. He was just being sensitive and a good friend. Right. Good friends call each other mi vida all the time.

  And why did it evoke images of old television reruns, shows in black and white that her parents had grown up on, where couples were in love, and the men called their women sweetheart. Or maybe it was darling, but in either case…it was the same idea.

  Madison groaned. Why am I doing this to myself? Why am I trying to make this romantic and sweet? It’s sex. It’s nothing more than sex. She brushed vigorously, taking out her frustration on her teeth.

  She finished and set her toothbrush on the counter, then looked back in the mirror and raised a finger to the image.

  “You will not make this into something it’s not,” she whispered with a fierce scowl. “It’s sex. Damn good sex. But nothing but sex. So get over it, sister.”

  Satisfied with her self-administered pep talk, she pulled off the rest of her clothes and climbed into the shower.

  …

  Gabe finished typing the email to Eric and hit send. He’d informed Maddie’s brother of what had happened this afternoon and the change in plans. He didn’t specify where they were, but he’d guaranteed her safety. Her parents were more than likely beyond freaking out by now.