Imperfect Heart

by Tarina Deaton

  “Elba does not like to slum, so I’m sure it’s not one of those.”

  His gaze raked down her body and she would have sworn he growled low in his throat. “I need to go to work. If you’re going to be really late tonight, call me and let me know so I can make sure you get home okay.”

  She shook her head. “You don’t have to do that.”

  “I’m doing it anyway. Call me, Zoe.” He stared down at her, his hazel eyes searching hers.

  “All right.”

  His grin showed off his dimple. “Thank you.”

  He left her with a too-brief kiss and weak knees. She hadn’t been lying when she’d told him that had been the hottest kiss of her life. Granted, he hadn’t understood what she’d said but that didn’t make it any less true. Some part of her mind said his protectiveness should annoy her, that he was just another machismo guy with too much testosterone like her brother and her ex, but it was different. It wasn’t as if he was trying to control what she did, only that he wanted to make sure she was safe while she did it. She wasn’t ashamed to say she liked it. It didn’t feel like he was being patronizing or condescending—it felt like he cared.

  It was…nice. She didn’t have an issue with being taken care of. At least, not in the sense that she was helpless or wanted someone to provide for her, but having a guy who worried and wanted to make sure she was safe…? Yeah…that was hot.

  Leaning against the door, she sighed and looked at the checklist tacked to her wall. Right. Coffee and a to-do list. She might not have added Tim to her list, but she had a feeling he’d just added himself.

  Chapter 16

  Zoe locked the door of the bookstore and used the key Elba had given her to unlock the door of the Cafe. Making sure to throw the bolt again, she made her way through the dim dining room and pushed through the swinging door into the kitchen. “Elba? You back here?”

  She poked her head out of her office. “Hey. I just need to finish up this paperwork and then we can go.” She disappeared back into the office. “I brought my clothes with me so I can get ready at your house. Hope that’s okay.”

  Edging behind Elba, Zoe flopped down into the oversized armchair in the corner of the office. The space really wasn’t big enough for more than one person at a time.

  “I’m not sure I’m up for going out tonight.”

  Elba’s shoulders dropped and she spun her desk chair to face her. “Zoe, you promised.”

  “El, I’m too tired to go out tonight. Can’t we celebrate some other time?”

  “This is the only weekend April is staying with Jackassasaurus for the next two months and I know you’ll be too busy then with the bookstore by then to really have a good time.” She clasped her hands under her chin as if praying and batted her eyelashes. “Pleeeeaaaasssse?”

  Zoe dropped her head to the back of the chair and stared at the ceiling tiles. “Por que eu aguento você?”

  “Because I’m beautiful and charming and you love me?”

  She lifted her head. “Did you understand that?”

  Elba shook hers. “No, but I figured it had to be something along the lines of questioning why you love me.”

  “Something like that.” She sighed. “Fine, but we’re not staying out all night, we’re not doing any shots, and you have to help me weed through applications tomorrow afternoon.”

  “Deal!” Elba held out her hand to shake on it. “But you have to dress up.”

  Zoe squinted at her. “Define ‘dress up.’”

  Tim poked at his grilled chicken and glanced at the clock on the stove. He had no plans other than his usual dinner and game shows. It was Friday night and he was at home. Alone. Normally he had no issue with his routine—he enjoyed his routine—but nothing had been normal since Zoe had moved next door. She was like a little dirt devil—just enough force to cause some chaos, but not so much that it destroyed everything in its path.

  That kiss. That kiss had been anything but normal. He shouldn’t have touched her but she’d looked so sexy with her hair wild from sleep and her bare legs for days. He was surprised it had taken him as long as it did before he kissed her. At least he’d given her a chance to say no by warning her first.

  She hadn’t said no. She’d kissed him back. She’d wrapped her legs around his waist and it had taken all of his strength and willpower to stop touching her and put her down. All day he’d thought about “dropping by” the bookstore to see if she needed any help, but it would have been an excuse to see her. He’d even turned down Jase’s offer to go out to the campsite for the weekend, something he always looked forward to, because in the back of his mind was the knowledge that Zoe was out tonight.

  City Limits wasn’t a rough bar like The Deck, but it sure as hell was a meat market. Some of the younger officers in the department talked about how easy it was to pick up women at the bar, especially when they mentioned they were cops.

  He tore into the last couple bites of his chicken. The idea of any man trying to pick up Zoe had him seeing green. Taking his plate back into the kitchen, he tossed it into the sink without bothering to wash it. In the living room, he propped his feet up on the large footstool and flipped through the channels, trying to find something to watch. Only when he’d gone through the entire channel lineup twice without remembering anything he’d seen did he give up and throw the remote on the couch next to him.

  He sighed and looked at Mitzy. “What should I do? Sit here like some loser or try to find her at the bar like some loser?”

  She sighed and let out a long, whistling fart.

  “Bar it is.”

  Dress up meant a black, knee-length wrap dress and sling-back wedges. It was the only thing she owned that Elba deemed going out appropriate without having to go shopping for new clothes. Zoe had managed to talk her out of that since they were both keeping to a budget.

  She leaned close to Elba as they made their way to the bar. “This place is a meat market.”

  “Exactly.” Elba leaned over the edge of the bar, showing off her cleavage to the bartender. The move caught his attention and he smiled at her.

  “What can I get for you?”

  “Two vodka sodas with a splash of cranberry juice.”

  “Sure thing.” He made of show of mixing the drinks by flipping the vodka bottle before pouring the alcohol into a shaker cup.

  Zoe poked Elba in the rib. “Looks like you’ve got a fan.”

  She leaned back from the bar. “He’s entirely too young, but it’s fun to flirt.”

  “Do you ever go home with anyone?” Zoe asked.

  “Hell, no. I don’t pick up guys and I don’t get picked up.”

  The bartender slid their drinks to them. “Eleven dollars, ladies.”

  Elba passed a couple bills across the bar with a wink. “Thanks, sweetie.”

  “Why are we here if you aren’t picking anyone up?” Zoe asked.

  El turned and surveyed the crowd around the oval-shaped dance floor. “Because I like to dance and aside from having really cute butts, country boys know how to two-step. Occasionally I manage to find one that knows how to salsa as well, which pretty much makes my night.”

  Tilting her head toward an empty high-top table near the dance floor, she said, “Come on. Let’s sit so I can see who the best dancers are.”

  “I can’t even remember the last time I went to a bar.” Zoe took a sip of her drink. “Whoa. The bartender definitely liked you.”

  Elba grinned and sipped her drink. “Yeah, he did.”

  “Excuse me, ladies.” A guy in well-worn faded jeans and a t-shirt tipped his baseball cap up, then settled it back in place. “I was hoping one of you would like to dance.”

  Elba set her glass down. “I’d love to. Watch my drink.” She didn’t wait for a response before offering her hand to the guy and following him onto the dance floor.

  Watching her friend dance around the floor, Zoe finished the last of her drink and eye-balled Elba’s. As the song transitioned into another fast
-paced tune, Elba passed and flashed her a smile. Setting her glass down, she picked up the other one since Elba wasn’t going to be returning anytime soon. She’d buy the next round to make up for it.

  “You two-fisting tonight?”

  An arm slid around the back of her chair and she turned to face her companion who leaned on the table, effectively boxing her in.

  “Are you stalking me now?” She let her gaze travel down his body. He was dressed in much the same way he’d been when she’d seen him at the market a few weeks ago, except now he wore a light blue button-down shirt, the sleeves rolled back to expose his forearms. She struggled to feign indifference at his arrival when all she wanted to do was run her fingers through the dusting of dark hair on his arms.

  Tim smirked. “Is it stalking if you told me where you’d be?”

  “It is if you weren’t invited.”

  “Sounds like you should file a report with the police. I know a guy.”

  She smiled at his teasing tone. “I should probably get his number if you’re going to continue to be a nuisance.”

  He clutched his chest. “I can’t believe you think I’m a nuisance after all the times I’ve helped you.”

  “Hmm. I suppose you have helped me out with a couple of things.”

  The corner of one eyebrow rose.

  “Okay, yes. You’ve been very helpful. I swear I’m not usually so accident prone.”

  “You do seem to be having a particularly bad streak of luck.” He picked up her empty glass and tipped an ice cube into his mouth, crunching on it.

  “Would you like a drink,” she asked.

  “I drove. I’ll get a water in a few minutes.”

  “Are you on call?”

  He shook his head. “No, just don’t drink that much.”

  “Is it because you…?” Well, shit. How did she ask if he had a drinking problem?

  “I’m not an alcoholic,” he said, guessing what she failed to articulate.

  “Why don’t you drink?”

  “I’ve seen what it can do to people when they’ve had too much. I enjoy the occasional beer during a game or when the family barbecues, but that’s all.”

  “Were you ever in the military?”

  He shook his head. “No. I knew I wanted to serve, but I knew I didn’t want to be in the military. Cop was the next best thing.”

  She tilted her head. “Why didn’t you want to be in the military?”

  “My dad was in the Army—Special Forces. He was gone a lot and I was old enough to see how it affected my mom. It wasn’t only the constant moving, it was the constant worry. I remember the look of fear she had every time someone knocked on the door while he was gone. I swore I’d never make someone go through that if I could help it.”

  She swirled her drink with the straw. “Aren’t you in danger as a police officer?”

  “Yes, but not nearly as much as I would be in a bigger city. Haven Springs has had its fair share of excitement, but it’s nothing like Raleigh.”

  Crossing her legs, she saw his gaze drop down and followed where he was looking. Her skirt had fallen open, exposing a wide expanse of thigh. Under normal circumstances, she’d cover up but she liked that Tim was looking. She felt sexy. Desirable.

  His thumb brushed the skin between her shoulder blades and her heart kicked against her ribs. His eyes came back to hers. She licked her suddenly dry lips and his gaze dropped to her mouth.

  He leaned forward, grazing the corner of her mouth with his lips as he moved closer to her ear. Her eyes fluttered as she caught a whiff of his cologne, the musky scent subtle and sexy.

  “Dance with me.”

  Blinking, she realized the DJ had changed to a slow song. She could only nod.

  He dropped his arms and held out his hand, helping her down from the tall stool. Even in her four-inch wedges, she barely reached his chin. Leading her to the middle of the dance floor he stopped and gathered her close, wrapping his right arm tight around her back and using his left to tuck their hands between their bodies. Her other hand rested on his upper arm.

  The last time she’d danced with a man had been at her wedding and all she and Mark had done was sway side to side like it was junior high. She knew the basics of a two-step but had always felt awkward dancing with someone she didn’t know, even before she got married. Tim had no such issue and led her smoothly around the dance floor, using gentle pressure on her lower back to direct her around other couples. It was effortless and she relaxed as she let him guide her.

  As the tension left her body, her focus shifted to other things. The heat of his body. The pressure of his fingers at the base of her spine. His warm breath against her cheek. The slight brush of his lips at the corner of her own. She turned her head so their mouths were closer, the barest space separating them. Neither of them closed the distance.

  Her stomach rolled. She’d read somewhere that desire sometimes felt like nausea but had never experienced it. Not until that moment. She was breathless and lightheaded. Her blood raced through her veins and heat pooled in her core. It was the most sensual thing she’d ever felt and all he’d done was dance with her.

  “Would you two get a room already?”

  Zoe snapped out of her reverie. She and Tim looked at Elba, dancing by with a different guy.

  “You two are going to burn down the place if you don’t leave. Z, call me later.” She danced off with her partner.

  Tim hadn’t relaxed his hold and she had to lean back against his arm to be able to tilt her head enough to look at him. If he hadn’t been holding her, her knees might have buckled from the intensity of his gaze.

  “I’d like to take you home, Zoe.”

  “Okay.”

  Chapter 17

  Turning the corner onto their street, Tim glanced at Zoe in the passenger seat of his truck. She had her hands in her lap and was picking at her nails. He couldn’t tell whether she was nervous or anxious. Passing his house, he pulled in behind her car and shifted into park.

  “It’s okay if you’ve changed your mind,” he said.

  Zoe looked down at her hands then unbuckled her seat belt.

  He tried not to let his disappointment show, but fuck, he was so hard he could feel the seam of his jeans pressing into his dick.

  Instead of giving him excuses, telling him goodnight and climbing out of his truck, she climbed on him. Straddling him, she took his hands and placed them on her thighs and guided them under her skirt until he gripped the fleshy part of her hips.

  A low groan escaped when she shifted and rubbed her hot core against his crotch.

  “What are you doing, Zoe?”

  Her fingers ran along the sides of his face, down his neck, and stopped at the collar of his shirt. “What I wanted to do since we got in your truck.”

  “Sit on my lap and drive me crazy?”

  “Yes.” She unbuttoned his shirt enough to move her hands to his chest. “I shouldn’t. I have too much going on. Too many things on my to-do list. I don’t have time to get involved with anyone, but you’re so…”

  “So what?”

  “So everything.” She meshed her mouth with his, sliding her tongue in to tangle with his.

  He dug his fingers deeper into her lush ass and pulled her closer, lifting his hips to grind up into her. She moaned and rolled her hips.

  Breaking the kiss, he had to tilt his head back to avoid her mouth. “We need to go inside, Zoe.”

  “Do we?”

  All he wanted to do was unzip his pants, shove her panties aside, and bury himself deep. “Yes. I don’t want to give the neighbors a show.”

  She dropped her forehead to his and her chest rose and fell as she struggled to compose herself.

  Giving her a firm squeeze, he slid his hands out from under her skirt. “Grab your purse, beautiful, and hop out.”

  The look she gave him made him question his sanity, but their first time wasn’t going to be a quick fuck in the front seat of his vehicle. He’d at least get
her in the front door of her house before he got her naked.

  She picked up her small purse from the console and he opened his door, helping her dismount him and slide out of the truck. He beeped the locks and followed her to the front door, watching the skirt of her dress swish in time with the sway of her hips. The simple dress accentuated her hourglass figure.

  Once inside, she tossed her keys into a bowl on a table in the small entryway while he threw the locks on her door. When he turned around, she stood at the bottom of the stairs. Using the banister for balance, she lifted one foot and slipped off a shoe. Instead of placing her foot back on the ground, she stepped onto the first step, lifted her other foot, and slipped off that shoe. Walking backward up the steps, she slowly pulled at the tie of her dress.

  Tim kicked off his boots at the bottom of the stairs. Matching her step for step, he unbuttoned the rest of his shirt and followed her up.

  She unfastened something on the inside of her dress and shrugged it off, leaving it where it fell.

  The sight of Zoe in her simple black bra and panty set made him miss a step and stumble.

  “Careful,” she said. “It would suck if you fell down the stairs.”

  “Jesus, woman. You’re killing me.”

  He stripped out of his shirt and unbuckled his belt. Unbuttoning his pants and shoving them down his hips, he decided to sit on a step to take off his jeans rather than risk falling down the stairs. When he turned around, the only sign of Zoe was her satin bra on the upstairs landing.

  He scrambled to pull his wallet out of the back pocket of his jeans and grabbed a condom, tucking it into the waistband of his underwear, then followed the short hallway to her bedroom.

  She waited at the end of her bed, arms crossed over her chest. Whether to tease him or because she was suddenly shy, he didn’t know. His gaze devoured her as he walked toward her. From her full breasts spilling out of her hands to the indent of her waist to the full curve of her hips. His cock pulsed and strained against the confines of his boxer briefs.