by Lori Foster
He pulled up to the curb across the street and a few doors down from where their human targets would be making mischief. “Promise me that no matter what, you’ll keep your cute little bottom in my car. I don’t want you to start—”
“You think my bottom is cute?”
He bit his tongue. “It’s a figure of speech used whenever addressing female bottoms.”
“Oh.”
“Promise me.”
She shrugged. “I don’t intend to start a brawl in the middle of the street, if that’s what you’re worried about.”
“You’re unpredictable. I worry about a lot of things.” He glanced at his wristwatch. “We have some time before our neighborhood psychopaths are due to exit There’s a pattern to their visits, and they have the timing down. It’s my hope to do nothing more than follow them today, see where they go, then perhaps I can turn the authorities on them without involving the proprietors.”
“Why don’t the proprietors want to be involved?”
“They want to be involved. Badly. If it was left up to them, they’d have set a trap already and, like vigilantes, exacted their own sort of justice, which I have a feeling is as bloodthirsty as your own. But my… friend, fears retribution against them if they do so. Being the stubborn cusses they are, they refuse to involve the police. They’ve called on them a few times, for less serious issues—minor vandalism, loud music, loitering, that sort of thing. And the police were unable to do much more than offer to drive by more frequently. It injured their pride.”
“And so they’ve given up on the police?” Harry nodded. “I can understand them. They’re older, but resistant to the idea of being frail. All their lives they’ve been independent, able to handle all situations. They’re settled and productive and happy. Then a few months ago the extortion began, and they can’t tolerate it, but their pride insists they don’t need the police now, not when they couldn’t help them in the past. My friend is concerned, of course, but he did promise them he wouldn’t contact the law. And actually, I’m concerned that if they did, especially without rock solid evidence, things could become worse. Ralph and Floyd are only minions. They answer to Carlyle.”
“So it’s Carlyle you want?”
“Yes, I want him. Badly.” Harry rubbed his hands together, imagining what he’d do to Carlyle. “I detest a bully, but a bully who picks on the elderly ranks right up there with the devil himself. With any luck, once I find out where they gather, I’ll be able to link them with more than extortion. They’re criminals, and I hope to find them with illegal firearms, drugs, anything that will implicate them with the law, without involving the extortion.”
He happened to glance over at Charlie, and caught her staring—worshipful lust in her big blue eyes. He scowled. “Stop that.”
Her smile was almost sappy. “You’re incredible, Harry. A real—”
“Don’t say it!”
“But don’t you see? You are a hero.”
He bent a severe, utterly serious look on her, determined to make her back off before his control snapped. “I’m not a damn white knight, Charlie. I’m not the man you’ve been waiting for, even though I have a hairy chest and no unseemly love bites. I’m doing a job, that’s all.”
“I saw the way you looked, how eager you are to get hold of Carlyle. You’re a good man, Harry. And good men are few and far between. Believe me, I know.”
She looked warm and soft and admiring, and he liked it. He responded to it. She was such an enigma, so strong, so outspoken and confident, yet still so very female. She was quirky, rough around the edges, but so brutally honest she took his breath away. And unlike his ex-wife, she seemed to thrive on the excitement of his job. She actually admired him for what he did, rather than disdaining his choices.
Of course, she also thought he was afraid, and as much as that rankled, he supposed allowing her to believe in some flaws would only add to his efforts to push her away.
He clenched his muscles and forced his honor to the forefront of his brain, nudging the lust aside. “Your father is a good man, by all accounts.” She stiffened immediately, but he pressed on. “Wouldn’t you like to meet him? I could arrange it, you know.”
“That’s not necessary.”
“You should be pleased, Charlie,” he said gently, knowing this was difficult for her, glimpsing again that damn vulnerability that squeezed his heart. “He can assist you financially, and he can be a friend, if you’ll let him.”
He saw it in her eyes before she even moved. The determination, the cunning. He braced himself, both distressed and anxious, and then she was against him, her hands gripping his shoulders, her body as close as she could get it.
“I don’t need a friend, Harry. Right now, I need a lover. You.” She kissed him.
Harry tried to resist, he really did. But as he kept telling people, he was far from a hero. Mortal men couldn’t be expected to withstand such provocation. He made a desperate effort to recite all the reasons he shouldn’t kiss her back; it didn’t work.
He felt her breath on his jaw, the silkiness of her hair on his temple when she slanted her head. Her tongue stroked tentatively over his closed lips and he groaned.
“Harry, please… ”
Before he knew it, his hands were on her body, under her blue-jean jacket, cupping her small, perfect breasts through her sweater, and there was nothing mysterious about them. They were soft and firm and her nipples burned against his palms. “Damn.”
Charlie panted. She bit his jaw, nuzzled his neck and kissed his throat. Somehow she managed to get one slender thigh up and over his and he helped her, smoothing a hand over that luscious, resilient bottom and cuddling her closer, letting his fingers probe and explore and entice. She straddled his lap and he could feel her feminine heat from the juncture of her thighs against his abdomen, and it made him nearly wild with need. He wanted her naked, in this same position, riding him gently, then not so gently. He groaned.
With her breasts pressed to his chest, her heartbeat mimicked the furious rhythm of his own.
Then he heard a shout.
He opened his eyes, trying to orient himself and his fogged brain. He saw Floyd scurry out of the meat market, his last stop of the day. Harry stiffened.
Ralph had already gotten in on the passenger’s side of a blue sedan, and two seconds later, just as Floyd got the driver’s door open, the proprietor, Moses, came out swinging a fist.
All hell broke loose.
Bewitched
CHAPTER EIGHT
************************************************************************************************
Charlie was shocked when Harry suddenly tossed her into her own seat with the growled order to buckle her seat belt. The convertible ripped away from the curb, leaving the smell of burnt rubber in the air and a number of interested folks on the sidewalk. Charlie managed to say, “What the hell—” before Harry grabbed her head and forced it down in the seat.
“Stay down.”
Furious and confused, she tried to lift back up, but his hand remained locked in her hair, keeping her immobile. She thought about punching him, but the car was going too fast, swerving, then pulling away again with a vicious squeal of tires. Harry released her, using both hands to turn the wheel sharply, and when she sat up, more than a little ready to commit murder, she found he had a look of grim satisfaction on his face.
Charlie huffed. Her body was still tingling all over, her mind sluggish, her heart beating too fast. As she smoothed her hair out of her eyes, she decided to give him a chance to explain before she extracted revenge for his high-handedness. “You care to tell me what that macho display was about?”
He cast her a quick glance, then brought his gaze back to the road. “We’re distracting Floyd, before he hits Moses and I have to kill him.”
“Moses?”
Harry nodded while constantly glancing in the rear-view mirror. They were doing about seventy-five and still gaining speed. “A grouchy old reli
c who’s evidently gotten tired of being robbed. His shop is part of the lineup Floyd hits. Moses took a swing at Floyd as they left the store, but when I cut close to him, he leaped out of the way and forgot about retaliating in favor of trying to catch us.”
Excitement bubbled up inside her. She whipped around and sure enough, there was a blue sedan trailing right behind them. “Does he know it’s us?”
“I have no idea. Not that it matters. Hold on.”
She barely had time to grip the door handle before the car took a sharp turn onto a side street, without slowing down much at all. Charlie fetched up against the door, then just as quickly found herself thrown against Harry.
“I told you to hold on!”
“I’m trying!” Readjusting her position, she again looked out back. “I don’t see him.”
“That was the point. Now that we’ve lost him, we’ll circle back around and still be able to follow him.”
“That won’t be risky?”
His lips firmed in a calculating smile. “Are you getting nervous on me, Charlie?”
He sounded downright hopeful and she scowled. “No way. I just want to know what we’re doing.”
“I’m tracking. You’re just along for the ride.” The car slowed a tiny bit as Harry maneuvered in and out of side streets. “And this is the last time. I work much better alone.”
“Suit yourself. I can work alone, too.”
He growled, surprising her with the suddenness of it. “You’re not going to work on this, Charlie. Promise me, or I’ll pull over right now and toss you out.”
He sounded serious, but she didn’t think he’d actually do it. He’d lose too much time in trying to catch up with the Bumbling Boys. “Go ahead. I can make my own way home, or rather, back to your place. Then I’ll get my truck and start my own surveillance.”
Whatever he said was mumbled low enough that she couldn’t hear, but his inflection was plain enough. He was beyond frustrated and likely wishing a curse on her head. Then his expression sharpened and a slow smile appeared. “There he is.”
Charlie realized with a start that he was enjoying himself. It amazed her that someone so polished could have such an evil smile. Harry pulled into the main flow of traffic, now going a moderate speed that wouldn’t draw attention. Charlie looked around, but didn’t see a single familiar thing. “Where?”
“About twelve cars up, enough that he probably won’t notice us.”
“Probably?”
His look was smug. “Even if he does, my car could outrun his any day.”
Ah-ha. So there was a reason for the expensive wheels, besides great looks and the expression of wealth. “There’s a wild side to you, Harry Lonnigan.”
He didn’t bother to answer, and she used the quiet moment to study his profile. That last kiss had filled her with unfamiliar tension that still throbbed and teased and kept her edgy. When she’d climbed over his lap, being deliberately brazen in her efforts to seduce him, she’d felt his erection and it had thrilled her.
She smiled, then tilted her head and asked, “Did you like kissing me before?”
His jaw flexed, but he didn’t look at her. “Any red-blooded male would enjoy kissing you. It didn’t mean anything.”
“Because I’m too bossy, like your ex-wife?”
“That’s part of it. And no, I’m not up to a barrage of questions right now. Let me concentrate, will you?”
A few minutes later they entered a commercial district where old and new warehouses stood together. Harry slowed the car even more, and eventually pulled up behind an abandoned building. He checked his watch, cursed, then turned to look at Charlie. He chewed his upper lip a moment, his expression both weary and considering. Eyes narrowed, he asked, “Do you think you could handle my car?”
It was the kind of question that never failed to rile her because it pricked her pride. Her spine stiffened and she said, “I can drive anything, including a semi.”
“I’m sure that accomplishment will look sterling on a resume.” He held up a hand when she would have replied, and only the seriousness in his gaze kept her from being insulted. “I’m going to go take a look at where our thugs are headed. I’d like you to slide behind the wheel. If anything strange happens, if anyone approaches you, just drive away.”
She tucked in her chin and stared at him in disbelief. “Without you?”
“I’ll be fine. But not if I have to worry about Floyd getting hold of you again. Believe me, honey, he won’t take any chances with you the next time. And his interest isn’t only in revenge.”
She really liked it when he called her honey. “You think because of my disguise, he’s as interested in my breasts as you were?”
Harry drew in a quick breath. His gaze darted to her chest, and then quickly away. His hands tightened on the wheel and he looked ready to snap it in two. “It’s possible, but I don’t think you’ll enjoy his interest.”
He looked so furious, she decided against baiting him further. Though she had absolutely no intention of going anywhere without him, she nodded agreement. “Fine.”
He studied her face, looking for the deception, but as she’d told him, she was a good liar. He spared her one brisk nod. “Lock the doors as soon as I get out. I should be back in a few minutes. If it takes me more than that, leave.”
Then he leaned forward and cupped her chin. Charlie held her breath, hoping for a kiss, but all she got was a threat. “No matter what, don’t you dare get out of this car. Do you understand me?”
She especially loved it when he touched her. His hands were always hot, a little rough, and it excited her. She probably would have agreed to anything when he was touching her. She forced air into her lungs and whispered, “I understand.”
His gaze dropped to her mouth, and with a slight curse, he pushed himself away. He was out of the car in the next instant. She watched him crouch low and race around the building, keeping to the shadows. More than anything, she wanted to follow him, to protect him, but what if they got separated and he came back to the car? What if Floyd chased him, but she wasn’t where she was supposed to be? Though he expected her to run like a coward, she knew Harry would never leave without her. He was naturally protective of anyone or anything smaller than himself. He wanted to help the senior proprietors, he’d willingly tried to shield her from Ralph and Floyd before he’d even known her. And just seeing him with his animals, the way he took care of them, even surly Ted the cat, reaffirmed in her own mind how special Harry was. He could deny it all he wanted, but he had the makings of a true hero.
Waiting was one of the hardest things she’d ever done.
It seemed an hour had passed, but she’d checked the car’s clock every minute, and knew it had been less than a quarter of that time. When she saw a shadow fall across the pavement, coming from the direction Harry had disappeared, her shoulders started to sag in relief.
Then the man stepped around the brick building and he looked as shocked to see her as she was to see him. He wasn’t Harry, no, not even close. This man was shorter, heavier, and he had an aura of menace about him. Even when he smiled, she wasn’t encouraged, because there was no comfort in his baring of teeth or the tilt of his thin lips. Charlie felt her senses scream an alert.
Where the hell was Harry?
The car was still idling, so she put it in gear, undecided on what to do. The man approached as if driven by mere curiosity. He tapped on the window, and Charlie, nervous but not wanting him to know it, lowered the window a scant inch.
The man looked her over. “Is everything okay, miss?”
“Fine, thank you.”
She started to roll the window back up, and he quickly asked, “Can I help you with something? This isn’t a good place for you to be loitering around alone. Or are you alone?”
She tried to think, but her worry for Harry had doubled and she didn’t know what to say. “I’m just… lost.”
“Where did you want to be?”
“Um… ” Wher
e? She had no idea. She hadn’t even been paying that much attention while Harry drove, choosing instead to look at him.
The man grinned again, one brow lifted. “If you’ll just roll this window down a little more so we can talk—”
Of course she had no intention of doing any such thing, but then it became a moot point anyway. The man suddenly swung around, but not in time. Harry, who’d crept up with neither she nor the man knowing it, landed a powerful blow against the man’s jaw, driving him hard against the car. Charlie jumped.
But the man didn’t stay put. In half a heartbeat, he’d pulled himself together and lunged at Harry. Charlie stuck the car in park and would have gotten out to help, but the two men again fell against the car, blocking her door. She tried to climb over the seat and keep watching at the same time. The shorter man hit Harry in the eye, making him curse and duck, then grabbed up a piece of pipe lying on the ground and swung it at Harry’s head.
Frozen in very real fear, Charlie screamed.
She struggled with the door, but she’d forgotten it was locked, and by the time her frantic hands got it unlocked and open, Harry was there, cursing her and shoving her back in. “Damn it, I told you to leave!” he roared, and then he slid in beside her, forcing her to move, to climb over the controls to the passenger side while she tried to assure herself his head was still where it was supposed to be.
“Oh my God, are you hurt?”
Harry pushed her away, jerked the car into reverse and stepped on the gas. The car shot backward, and Harry jerked the wheel, spinning the car in one fluid motion so it faced forward, then speeding out of the lot.
Charlie came to her knees beside him and touched the swelling bruise already visible around his eye. “Harry—”
“Put your seat belt on, damn it.”
She ignored him. “What happened? I… I thought he was going to hit you with that pipe and—”
