by Mari Carr
She narrowed her eyes. “I thought you were on duty.”
He glanced out the front window. Stephanie followed his gaze, but she didn’t see anything out of the ordinary. There were a few people hanging out on the sidewalk and a couple of cars parked along the curb.
Apparently, Jarod saw more than she did. “Actually, my partner’s arrived to relieve me, which means I just got off.”
His words sent an erotic flash through her mind and she wondered what he would look like with no clothes on, cuffed to her bed as she rode him.
Then a completely different thought occurred to her as she considered his easy acceptance of the Romantic Hearts invitation and his sudden off-duty status. “Is your suspect in the book group?” She couldn’t picture it. The group was comprised of women mainly in their forties and fifties. She was at a loss to figure out what sort of crime any of them could commit.
“I can’t answer that. I’m sorry.”
She sighed. Curiosity was one of her more prevalent traits. She knew he couldn’t discuss his case, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t going to be looking at every patron differently until she found out who had brought Jarod to the bar.
He seemed to sense she was annoyed. Another fact that bugged her. How could he read her so well?
“I’d be willing to distract you if it would take your mind off it.”
She imagined all the ways she’d like to be distracted by the hot cop.
Wonder if he prefers top or bottom. Missionary or doggy-style.
“Jesus, Steph. You weren’t kidding about getting in the sex line twice, were you?”
She felt her face flush slightly, though not from embarrassment. She was horny as crap. “What makes you say that?”
He leaned closer. “What were you just thinking about?”
She considered hedging on her answer, but decided to go with the truth. “Fucking you.”
He closed his eyes and she wondered what he was thinking. When he looked at her again, his eyes were dark, hungry. “I’ve never met a woman like you.”
She smiled. “Easy?”
He shook his head quickly. “No. I don’t think you are.”
He was right. She wasn’t. She didn’t fall into bed with men easily. Hank had taken her out to dinner at least half a dozen times before she agreed to sleep with him. While that decision had been driven by physical needs—she was sick of her vibrator—her reasons for wanting to sleep with Jarod were different.
Lust was a contributing factor, there was no doubt about that, but it was more than sex. She couldn’t put her finger on it, but she felt like she knew him, which was crazy considering they hadn’t spent more than an hour in each other’s presence. He felt like someone she could be really good friends with.
“I get off at eleven,” she said.
“Is that an invitation?”
“Maybe.” She reached for a tumbler and started mixing together some ingredients. “Tell you what. Why don’t you have a drink and think about it.”
She started to place the glass in front of him, but Jarod grabbed her wrist, preventing her from moving away. “Move closer.”
She wanted to balk at his command, but she leaned toward him anyway. “What?” she whispered.
“I don’t have to think about anything. I’m going to sit here until eleven and we’re going to get to know each other while you work. Then I’m going to take you back to my place, strip off all your clothes and show you how nice I can be. All night long.”
She raised an eyebrow. “All night?”
He chuckled at her question. Most men were annoyed by her smartass taunts, but Jarod just seemed amused. Even better, he always had an answer. “Would you settle for several times over the course of the night?”
“Several times?”
He laughed loudly. “Christ. So much for my ego. How about twice? With a couple-hour break in between?”
“Well, now,” she drawled, “that sounds real nice.”
“I can see I really am going to have to work on your sense of romance.”
She licked her lips, wishing he’d kiss her again. As much as it annoyed her, the damn cop made her feel girlie and dreamy and fucking ridiculous. She preferred to keep both feet on the ground in relationships. While flowers and chocolates were nice, they weren’t going to make her fall in love with a guy. She was knocking on thirty’s door and she’d never met a man who could go the distance. Her mother’s pathetic track record was a sad reminder of the fact that forever didn’t exist except in fiction.
He released her hand and looked at his glass. “What am I drinking?”
“That’s a little concoction I like to call Party Naked.”
He took a tentative sip. “Not bad. Raspberry?”
She nodded. “Among other things.”
“Party Naked, huh? Is this supposed to be a hint?”
She rested her arms on the bar, enjoying their easy banter. “I like to party and I’m definitely a clothing-optional kind of girl.”
He lifted his hand and ran it through her hair. She wasn’t sure what it was about his gentle touches that turned her on so much, but one smoldering look and soft stroke from him had her panting like a dog in heat.
“I can do clothing optional.”
Sophie cleared her throat loudly and Stephanie stepped away.
“Criminy. I’d tell you two to get a room, but didn’t you just meet?”
Stephanie picked up a peanut from one of the bowls on the bar and threw it at her friend. “Did you need something or are you just in annoying mode?”
Sophie didn’t take offense. One of the best things about owning a business with her best friends was, after years together, they could say anything without hurting each other’s feelings. In many ways, they were more like sisters than friends.
“I need a couple of glasses of Merlot.”
Stephanie nodded and grabbed two wineglasses. Her gaze kept drifting to Jarod, who was watching her. There was an intensity, a determination on his face that took her breath away. She wasn’t sure how any woman could mistake him as too nice.
She handed the drinks to Sophie then started wiping the counter again.
“So I told you about my breakup, what was your last relationship like?”
Jarod’s question caught her off-guard and she stopped cleaning. “Last relationship?” Her mind raced over the last few men she’d gone out with. She hadn’t dated any of them longer than a month or two and her emotions certainly hadn’t been involved. Did that make them relationships? Her gut said no.
“Wow,” Jarod said after a few moments. “Didn’t realize that was going to be such a tough question.”
She grinned. “Me either. I think it’s safe to say it’s been awhile. Starting up Books and Brew has really cut into my social life.”
“I’ve been wondering about that. You’re the owner of this place?” He looked impressed. She was pleased by the change of subject. While her track record with love was a bust, the business was something in which she took a great deal of pride.
“Part owner. I opened it up with Jayne, Sophie and Jordan—you haven’t met her yet.”
“Cool. I imagine it’s nice being your own boss.”
She leaned her elbows on the counter. “It’s fantastic. Opening this place was a dream come true for me.”
“Seems to be pretty successful.”
She nodded. “We’ve been up and running for two years now and business keeps growing.”
“The concept is cool. Looks like you’ve got a lot of regulars.”
“Oh, we do. Jayne is queen of book groups. In addition to the Romantic Hearts, she runs one that discusses mysteries and another that’s all about science fiction and fantasy novels, so she brings in a lot of customers that way.”
“Clever Jayne. I like the interior design. It’s really comfortable in here.”
“We tried to set the whole place up like a gigantic living room.” Stephanie scanned the room and imagined seeing it for the first
time, like Jarod was. There were bookshelves along two walls, the big picture window along the third, and the bar on the fourth. There were customers sitting in scattered comfy chairs and at tables around the room.
“Anybody ever play that piano?” Jarod asked.
She nodded. “We added that a few months ago. Jordan had a friend who was giving it away, so we nabbed it. We have a guy who comes in on Saturday evenings—sort of a Billy Joel-like piano man. He takes requests and is an awesome singer. That’s usually our busiest night. There are also some patrons who like to come in and give impromptu concerts. It’s fun.”
Jarod asked various other questions, showing a genuine interest in learning more about the place. After several minutes, she stopped talking. “I’m probably boring the hell out of you.”
He shook his head. “Not at all. It’s obvious you have a mind for business, as do your friends. This place is awesome. Wish I’d known about it before now. I would have been here much sooner.”
“Yeah.” She leaned closer. “Tell all your cop friends. Maybe we can expose them to a bit of literature while they get their drunk on.”
“You joke, but I actually have a few friends on the force who would love this place. It’s off the beaten track and peaceful.”
“Yeah, that’s exactly what it is.” She was pleased he appreciated the same things about her bar that she did.
They continued talking as she worked, discussing everything from politics to arguing over which animal made the best pet. Stephanie was a cat person, while Jarod resided firmly in the dog camp. When Jayne said goodbye to the last customer and threw the lock on the front door, Jarod stood and offered to help Stephanie tidy up.
Neither Jayne nor Sophie said much as the four of them worked together to get the place shut down for the night, though she could see they were dying with curiosity over Jarod sticking around to help out. Stephanie was sure her friends would assault her with a million questions tomorrow morning. For tonight, they were on their best behavior. Well, sort of. Twice, she caught Sophie checking out Jarod’s ass and then giving her the thumbs-up.
Stephanie rolled her eyes and struggled not to laugh at her friend’s impressed face. She didn’t disagree. Jarod had a fine ass. She’d snuck a peek more than a few times tonight.
Finally, Jayne and Sophie said their goodnights, walking toward the back door and the small lot where they all parked their cars.
Stephanie was trying to figure out how to make the next move. All night she’d walked around in a permanent state of sexual awareness. Her panties were drenched and her nipples were so tight and sensitive, she had to suck in a deep breath every time the cotton rubbed against them a certain way.
“My car’s out front,” he said. “Ride with me. I’ll bring you back here for your car in the morning.”
His words weren’t a question, and again she was struck by his dominance. She recognized it well. It was a bit like looking in a mirror. “Or I can follow you to your place and leave immediately if you’re lame in bed.”
He smiled, not offended. “That’s not going to be an issue.”
“So says every man on the planet, but the fact is a lot of you do suck at sex.”
“You know this from personal experience?”
She picked up her purse. “Unfortunately, yes.”
“I want you to ride home with me.”
While her body wanted that too, her head was firing up all sorts of alarms. She’d just met this guy, she had no idea where he lived, and if things went south, she needed an escape plan.
“But,” he said, “you’re smart to take your own car.”
She laughed at the resigned look on his face. He knew as well as she did why she was hesitating. “Bet you hate being a cop sometimes, don’t you?”
Jarod took her hand in his. “Yep. If you were my sister or a female friend, I’d be reading you the riot act for even agreeing to go home with a guy you just met. While I know I’m perfectly safe, you have no way of really knowing that.”
“I have mace in my purse and a wicked right hook. Plus I know what my gut says.”
“What’s that?” He lifted her hand and placed a soft kiss on her palm. Again with the gentle caresses that drove her out of her mind. She fought to suppress a shiver of desire. Jarod was too observant. If he realized how much he was turning her on, he’d keep going, pressing harder. She was a powder keg about to blow.
“You really are a nice guy,” she teased.
“Ouch.”
“If you know it’s safer for me to drive myself, why even offer to drive me home?”
He shrugged. “Because I’m afraid you’ll change your mind halfway there and turn around. My cock’s fucking killing me. I know I promised you two decent rounds, but I’m pretty sure the first time’s going to be fast. Really fast. I need you, Steph, and I want you. Bad.”
“I feel the same way. Let’s go.”
He walked her to her car and even opened the door. He chuckled as she climbed in.
“Are you laughing at my car?”
Jarod looked at it and shook his head. “Not really. I have to say the Bug seems to fit your personality. It’s just so small in there. I’m glad you didn’t offer to drive. I don’t think I’d like riding home with my knees pressed against my chin.”
“It’s not that small.”
He gave her his address and she plugged his cell number into her phone in case they got separated on the trip to his home. She gave him her number as well. Jarod walked around the block and waited until she was behind him before heading toward his house.
As she drove in silence, she had to admit Jarod had a valid point. Being alone gave her too much time to think about what she was about to do.
She wasn’t having second thoughts about the sex part. She rarely did. She’d long ago given up caring what society thought about women who embarked on sexual affairs. She liked sex a lot and she didn’t feel the need to apologize for that. There were too many double standards attached to the physical act as far as she was concerned.
Her doubts in regards to Jarod had nothing to do with the physical attraction. That was irrefutable and she wasn’t the sort of person to deny herself something she wanted.
Her unease centered on the man himself. She’d never felt such an instant connection to anyone. He was getting into her head and under her skin. A state she simply wasn’t comfortable with.
Her cell phone rang. Glancing at the number, she laughed. “Yes?”
“You’re still following me. I’m taking that as a good sign.”
She smiled at his taillights, turning left when he did. “Don’t get too cocky. It’s still hit or miss back here.”
His sigh was loud enough to carry through the line. “Yeah, that’s what I thought. Figured I’d call to distract you.”
“That’s cheating.”
“I’m a desperate man.”
God. Everything was so easy with him. They’d talked for three hours at the bar and the time had flown by. He was funny, intelligent, interesting and she’d found herself sharing things about herself she’d told very few people.
“You’ve gone quiet,” he said. “What’s going on in that sexy brain of yours?”
“There has to be something wrong with you.”
“I told you what’s wrong with me. I’m too nice.” She could tell from the tone in his voice, she’d amused him.
“Don’t be absurd. That’s the dumbest breakup line in history. I think that one might top the it’s-not-you-it’s-me bullshit.”
“I’m arrogant, controlling and a homebody. I exercise a little too compulsively and I leave wet towels on the bathroom floor.”
“Gross.”
“Do you need more?”
“No,” she joked. “I’m still trying to recover from the wet-towel flaw. That’s a biggie. We should probably call a halt to this now.”
“Stephanie. I know we just met and I know we’re driving to my house for sex. But I’m not intending for this to be a o
ne-night stand. I think you’re funny and pretty and I’d like to ask you out for a real date to see where this thing leads us. I’ve had a great time tonight. Even if you did turn around and go home right now, I’d still call you tomorrow and I’d still want to see you again.”
She sighed. Greatest thing a guy had ever said to her. She wasn’t a romantic and she didn’t believe in love at first sight, but even she could appreciate the beauty of that line.
“I’m not going anywhere tonight except your bed. Are we almost there?”
She felt like she could actually hear his smile through the phone. “Actually, as luck would have it, we’re here.”
He pulled into the driveway of a brick rancher. The front porch light was on, illuminating a couple of rocking chairs and an honest-to-God porch swing. The place looked homey and inviting.
“Nice,” she said, as she put the car into park and turned off the ignition. She was still holding the phone and talking to Jarod, even though he’d climbed out of his car and was walking toward her.
“Glad you like it,” he said into the receiver, disconnecting as he opened her car door. “Home sweet home.”
“Gotta admit I expected an apartment or even a condo.”
“I inherited it from my grandmother when she passed away a few years back. I’ve spent the last three years trying to update the inside—move the interior design out of the seventies.”
She feigned a wince. “Oh God, don’t tell me. Shag carpet?”
He nodded. “Wall to wall—brown and gold. But not to worry, that’s all gone now. Ripped that shit up the first weekend I moved in.”
He took her hand and helped her out of the car. She grabbed her purse then engaged the locks as he led her up the porch stairs to the front door.
He put the key in the lock then turned to look at her. She expected him to ask her if she was sure she wanted to come in. Instead, he surprised her. “I’m really glad you’re here, Stephanie. Never thought I’d say this, but I feel like crime paid today.”
“Open the door, Jarod.”
Chapter Four
Jarod stepped over the threshold with Stephanie, trying to calm the nervous anticipation stirring inside him. He wasn’t a monk. He’d dated lots of women and he’d held more than a few overnights in his house, but for some reason, he was putting some sort of significance on this night. He wanted Stephanie to like his house and he was praying they were compatible in bed. God knew they seemed to be a perfect match out of it.
