The Rogue Reviewer (Primrose, Minnesota Book 3)

by Mia Dymond

  She rolled her eyes. “As long as you don’t forget any of the important questions.”

  “Every question I ask is important.”

  They walked to the end of the counter where the teenaged clerk blew a bubble with her chewing gum and then popped it.

  “Sorry, Sir, Ma’am, the line starts at the other end of the counter.”

  Mace flashed his badge. “Primrose PD. I need to speak with the manager, please.”

  She wasn’t certain, but Dara thought the clerk may have swallowed her gum. “Uh, okay. I’ll get him.”

  Dara elbowed him in the ribs. “Do you think she’s even old enough to work?”

  “I don’t know. Would you like me to ask to see ID?”

  “No, I was just curious.”

  “What would it take to make you un-curious?”

  “Do you really want to discuss this now?”

  “No. Definitely not,” he said quickly as a tall, thin, middle-aged man approached.

  “I’m Gerald Smith, the manager. How can I help you?”

  Mace again presented his badge. “Detective Mace Turner, Primrose PD.” He exchanged his badge for a notebook and pen. “I understand you have Wi-Fi here.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “All of your customers have access?”

  “Yes. We offer free Wi-Fi to paying customers.”

  “Is there a password?”

  “Yes. It’s printed on the receipt. We change it daily.”

  “Have you had many customers connected today?”

  “We don’t have any way to trace that.”

  “Has anyone in the last several hours today caught your attention for any reason?”

  “No.” The manager frowned. “What’s this about?”

  “Murder. Someone used your Wi-Fi to email threatening messages.”

  “Unfortunately, we don’t have any way to prevent something like that. Pornographic and gambling sites are blocked, but otherwise we have no control over what our customers do on the Internet.”

  A muscle ticked at the base of Mace’s jaw and Dara wondered if he might just blow a gasket. The questioning was going nowhere, in her opinion.

  “I understand that. Here’s my card. If you think of anything that might help, please give me a call.”

  The manager took his card. “I will. Sorry I couldn’t help.”

  Mace nudged her back to the door and she gave him the courtesy of waiting to doubt him until they were alone.

  “That’s it? You don’t have any more questions?”

  “Nope.”

  “But he was no help at all.”

  He simply shrugged. “Just be patient. I’m just as frustrated as you. If we had an idea of who the suspect is or what he looks like, we could have shown pictures to the manager. We don’t have anything concrete.”

  As much as she hated to admit it, he had a valid point. Not even research could change his reasoning. “I need a break.”

  He grasped her hand again and steered her back to the police department parking lot where he parked the sedan. “I’ll take you home,” he said as he opened the car door. “We’ll get your computer later.”

  “You’re going to ask forensics to analyze it.”

  “Yes.” He didn’t even bother to explain as he closed her door and entered the driver’s side. “Just to confirm your evidence.”

  ***

  He released a hearty laugh that shook his insides. The dumbass cop managed to uncover the establishment from which he emailed Dara. Well, so what? Hundreds of patrons used that particular network daily and besides, he was so far above suspicion, no one would ever identify him.

  Turner had balls of a brass monkey to force himself on Dara, using his arrogant manner to control her. She was so far above him she couldn’t even see it. Yet, she continued to tolerate the domineering detective.

  Dara belonged to him. Only him. If she couldn’t see that on her own, he would have to point it out to her. Because if he couldn’t have her, no one would.

  CHAPTER NINE

  Once they were back inside her condo, Dara dropped her bag on the floor, flopped down on the sofa, and kicked off her shoes, ready to relax and attempt to forget all about email and murder. And then Mace had to go and act all caveman again.

  “Pack a bag.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “It’s too dangerous for you to be here. We’ll get a hotel room.”

  “Are you insane? I won’t let anyone chase me from my home.”

  “Dara, this is not up for discussion.”

  “You’re absolutely right. I’m not going anywhere.”

  He sat beside her, took her hand, and rubbed her knuckles with his thumb. He moved his other hand to cup her cheek and pulled her close.

  “Baby, if something happens to you –”

  She drew back just a smidgen while her heart skipped a beat. “Did you just call me baby?”

  His smile slid over her body like warm butter. “Yes.”

  “You’re going soft, detective.”

  “Maybe. I’m concerned about you.”

  She leaned in closer, their lips just inches apart. “You see, I have a bodyguard.” She dropped her hand between his legs and rubbed her hand over the obvious bulge there. “He has an awesomely impressive weapon.” He grunted and thrust further into his hand. “Believe me, nobody’s getting past him.”

  He closed the distance between them, pulling her into his arms with his hands against her back, smashing her against him. He took her mouth, nearly devouring her as he leaned into her, pressed her into the cushions, his hips molded to hers, his length stretched against her stomach.

  “Please,” she whimpered as she raised her hips to grind against him, desperate for the satisfaction she’d bet her last dollar he could offer. She clawed at his shirt, craving the soft touch of his bare skin.

  Mace pulled back, bracing himself on his elbows. “Let’s finish this at my place.”

  “Nice try. No.”

  “We can’t –”

  “Sshhh.” She placed her index finger against his top lip and rubbed his bottom lip with her thumb. “We can.”

  “Not here.”

  She made one more sweep over his lip and then dropped her hand. Hesitantly, she forced the next question from her mouth. “Not here? Or not me?”

  His eyes darkened while he moved his hand to the side of her face. “Dara.”

  His fingers caressed her cheek while his smooth, low voice vibrated her nerve endings and created a delicious sensation that traveled her entire body until it settled between her legs into a full-fledged throb. She closed her eyes and allowed the sensual undertones to take her away. Away from reality and into a really, really happy place.

  Dara. Those four letters spoken by his lips did little to ease her distress – but this distress she welcomed. Suddenly murder moved to the back of her mind.

  “Dara,” he repeated.

  She forced open her eyes to find his lips millimeters from hers. “Yes?” Her whispered response caused their flesh to meet in a butterfly flutter.

  “You and I both know you didn’t murder anyone. We cleared you days ago.”

  His hand left her cheek and then brushed her hair back from the hollow of her neck. She could only nod as he lowered his head and his lips nuzzled the sensitive skin from the crook of her neck to the top of one shoulder.

  “I promise,” he said against her skin, “I will find the person responsible.”

  Dara knew she should probably ask how he could make that promise. After all, logic demanded he needed a whole lot more evidence than he had. She released a low groan as he grasped her hips and pulled her tight against him. Logic be damned.

  He lifted his head and the heated gleam in the depths of his eyes told her just how determined he was to alleviate her pain. And from the length he sported between his legs, he was very intent.

  With a slow grin, she untucked his dress shirt, moved one hand to the edge of one of his hips and trailed one fin
gertip across the inside of his waistband. “I trust you, Mace.”

  It was his turn to groan. “God, Dara, I have to have you.”

  She popped the button of his fly and lowered his zipper, his shaft hard and reaching for her touch. Her own need pushed her to reach inside and wrap his naked length in her grip.

  “Oh, babe.” He pressed his lips against hers again, this time his kiss frantic and needy as his tongue traced the surface until her mouth opened to allow him inside.

  Held in utter ecstasy, Dara managed to remain coherent enough to stroke him while she held tight. His hips moved with her motion – down, up, and then around his swollen tip. Meanwhile, her body hummed and she wondered if he might actually hear it.

  Just as she gathered speed against his skin, he brushed her hands from his body and broke the kiss.

  “Bedroom. Now.”

  She lifted an eyebrow. “I thought we discussed you giving me orders.”

  “You really want to argue?”

  For about half a second, she considered zipping him in his zipper. Then again, his demand caused extreme havoc in her veins; screw it, absolutely nothing could keep her from dragging him into the bedroom.

  She grabbed his hand and yanked him down the hallway. “No.”

  Once they were behind the closed bedroom door, she wasted no time in convincing him to play. She closed the distance between them and began opening each button of his dress shirt until it hung open. The sight of his smooth, bare chest caused her to moisten her lips with her tongue.

  “You know,” she said as she stepped backward and bent to slide her skirt from her hips, “I haven’t expressed my appreciation for your determination to clear my name, Detective Turner.”

  She stepped closer and popped the top button of his pants, her index finger grazing the head of his erection. Her pulse jumped when a growl left his throat and he thrust his hips into her touch.

  “All in a day’s work,” he said through gritted teeth.

  “So modest.” She flattened her palm against him and rubbed short, lazy circles across his tip. His chest began to rise and fall at a furious rhythm and his hands squeezed her hips.

  “Touch me, Dara,” he demanded.

  Drunk with the power she possessed, she simply smiled. “That’s not the way I operate.” She wrapped her thumb and index finger around the base of his head and squeezed. “It’s all about romantic tension, the build-up, don’t you agree?”

  Another feral growl answered her, a reluctant agreement more or less.

  “Besides,” she said as she eased his pants and boxer briefs over his hips,” there are parts of you I haven’t even begun to explore.”

  She knelt between his legs and planted an open-mouthed kiss to the engorged head of his penis, taking care to sweep her tongue across the smooth tip before releasing her hold. With a grin, she gazed up into his tortured eyes.

  He smoothed his thumb across her bottom lip. “You’re a tease.”

  She raised one shoulder in a lazy shrug. “All in a day’s work.”

  His lips split into an I’m-gonna-eat-you-up smirk. God, she hoped so. Her nipples tightened and her scalp tingled as he wound his fingers in her hair and tightened his hold in a silent demand.

  He gave a tortured half laugh. “Somehow I get the impression you work hard to master your craft.”

  She moved her hand across his abdomen and down the sexy v-cut of his obliques until she gripped his thickened length. “Is that what you want, Detective? To be my master?”

  Her question rendered him speechless while sweat droplets danced at his hairline and his shaft jumped inside her hold.

  “Fat chance.” She smirked as she tightened her grip and began to stroke.

  Mace looked down at the picture of sweet, sexy sin between his legs and damn near lost his load. All teasing aside, he had a good idea this woman knew exactly how to bring him to the edge. And she proved his point when she leaned forward and wrapped her pouty, pink lips around him again, pulling his aching cock deep into her mouth in a tight suction. Her firm breasts swayed in the confines of her barely-there bra with each pull. He couldn’t stop his desperate groan and thrust deeper until he bumped the back of her throat. He was pretty sure he was close to pure ecstasy when she moved a hand from his hip to cup his balls, stroking the taut sac with a light caress.

  “Just like that, sweetheart,” he moaned, unable to disguise his needy, raspy tone. Oh yeah, no doubt he was in Heaven.

  And then all hell broke loose.

  With a breathy whimper, she nudged his stomach with her forehead and swallowed him whole.

  “Gee-zus, Dara!” His balls tightened and his cock pulsed in the tight confines of her throat. Just one stroke, his cock pleaded. He squeezed his eyes closed tight, fighting the temptation to give in. It took every ounce of his willpower to pull out of her mouth, his greedy dick cursing the whole way.

  “No more.” He worked hard to slow his breathing as he caressed her moist lips with his index finger. “The party’s far from over.”

  He grasped her elbow, eased her to stand, and then took her lips with his in an urgent, demanding caress. She moaned, the pleading sound vibrating his lips as he continued to bask in the sheer ecstasy of their kiss.

  Needy for full contact, he pressed her flush against him and his cock went rogue. Almost as if the muscle had a mind of its own, it jumped and nestled in the very warm, already moist space between her legs.

  He lifted his lips and split them into a satisfied grin. “X marks the spot.”

  “Yes, it does.” She returned a smile and swiveled her hips in a circular motion.

  He held her in utter ecstasy as he moved his hands to grip the sides of her head and press her face to his chest. His skin tingled from the kisses she placed from one pectoral to another and in between, the sensation intensified when her mouth sucked patches of skin as she squatted to travel further down toward his abdominals. And when he felt a slight nip at his left hipbone, play time was over. Crafty little witch had a knack for taking control and he worked hard not to lose it.

  He moved his hands from her head to under her arms and lifted her to stand. “I didn’t bring anything to protect you.”

  Her sex-coated grin covered her face with the perfect picture of sin. “I’ve got that covered.”

  Armed with that assurance, he didn’t hesitate to step out of his briefs and pants and walk her backwards to the edge of the bed.

  “You have way too many clothes on.” His cock stood tall, impatient as hell, while he flicked the clasp of her bra with one hand. Her breasts fell free as he peeled the material over her shoulders, down her arms, until it finally fell from her body. He dropped the garment to the floor and then cupped her breasts in his hands, kneading and caressing the firm flesh.

  Her eyes closed and she thrust further into his hold as he continued his tender assault slowly moving to include her nipples.

  “Yes,” she whispered as he placed both nipples between the index and middle fingers of both hands and gently squeezed, “oh, yes.”

  Her chest began a rapid rise and fall motion as her arousal grew and he took full advantage, moving one hand to the juncture of her thighs and dipping a finger beneath her panties and into her core. When she responded with a forceful hip thrust, his finger slid deeper into a pool of moisture.

  “You’re ready, baby.”

  He gave her a satisfied smile before he pressed a small kiss to her lips and then removed his hold on her body to slide her panties down her legs until they lay in a pile next to their earlier removed clothing.

  Once she stood naked before him, he squatted between her legs and pressed short, tiny kisses first to one kneecap and then to the other. When she sucked in a short breath, he dragged his tongue upward to the surface of her right thigh and nipped the soft, smooth surface several times.

  “Mace,” she whispered.

  His mouth watered with the need to taste her. He glanced upward and found her eyes closed, her cheeks f
lushed and a look of pure aroused female etched on her face. His tongue circled her swollen nubbin and sucked it inside.

  She gasped and wound her fingers in his hair while her hips swayed and his tongue furiously worked her flesh. Her fingers tightened and she ground herself against his face.

  His hands shook on her thighs as he continued to suck, determined to show her exactly who had control at this particular minute. Except, when she gave his hair a solid yank and his dick stretched in an effort to close the distance between them, he was reminded she possessed more control than he cared to admit.

  Her gave her clit one last pull and then stood. “Hold on baby,” he told her as he walked her backwards to the edge of the bed. “This is going to be one wild ride.”

  He only allowed time enough for her back to meet the cool bed sheets before he eased her legs apart with one knee and lay atop her with both elbows braced on both sides of her head.

  His skin quivered and an all-telling tingle pulsed at the base of his spine as she grasped his hips and lifted hers to rub her mound over his cock. Now past the point of return, he released a desperate grunt and reached between them to position himself at her entrance. Once again, she took the decision out of his hands and thrust forward to cram him inside her warmth.

  “Oh, yeah,” he murmured as he began a steady stroke in and out of her tight channel.

  She answered with a moan that caused his balls to tighten.

  “Take me,” she whispered while she braced her legs on his hips and buckled her legs behind his back, “hard and fast.”

  He didn’t need any further encouragement; her request shifted his cock into overdrive and pistoned inside the warm, wet suction.

  Sweat droplets danced at his hairline and he gazed down into her eyes, now darkened with desire. “Let me have it, Dara.”

  As if she awaited his command, her inner walls tightened and she issued a soft whimper as she squeezed him in an almost inescapable vise until his dick managed to escape and come away slick and wet. Her core pulsed around him in a furious rhythm, taunting him to give in.