Tough. Right now, Maddy felt that she had every right to be angry. The next person who tried to tell her what to do with her life was going to get blistered by her tongue. Not answering the phone was a wise decision.
~*~
As soon as he noticed that Maddy’s driveway was empty of vehicles, Mike walked around to her side of the duplex and knocked on the door. When she didn’t answer, he again knocked.
Finally the door opened and Maddy looked up at him. Her normally bright grey eyes were shadowed. “Hello.”
“Hello back,” he replied. “I came across to have a word with you.”
“Really?” She opened the door wider and glanced past him. “The kitten is all right?”
“The fur ball is asleep in the chair on my back veranda, and no,” he added when her eyes brightened, “It is not staying.”
“Huh. Okay.”
A faint breeze blew past them and her sweet, faint scent teased his senses. She looked so soft, standing there in a floral sundress that skimmed her curves and stopped just below her knees. He could just imagine what a cuddly armful she’d be and for a brief second his imagination went off on its own tangent, and this generously curved lady was swaying towards him, and-
“So, what did you want to have a word to me about?”
Mike mentally slammed a lid on his wayward thoughts and refocussed on the problem at hand. Imagination was all well and good, but in its proper place, but that wasn’t when he was discussing her personal safety. “You need to get a mobile phone.”
“What?” She blinked.
“The other night?”
“Other night?”
Mike frowned. “When you got the flat tyre and were stuck on the side of the road in the dark. On your own.”
“Oh, that night.” Maddy shrugged, the ends of her shiny brown hair brushing her smooth shoulders. “Nothing to worry about.”
“Nothing to worry about?” His frown went to a scowl. “Maddy, you were in danger and having access to a mobile phone would have given you a measure of safety.”
She stared up at him for several seconds before again shrugging. “Fine. I’ll get a mobile phone.”
“You will?” He hadn’t expected her to give in so easily, in fact, going by her attitude the night in question, he’d been primed for an argument.
“Sure.”
“Tomorrow.”
“Sure.”
“First thing.”
“Sure.”
Her pretty face was bland of all expression and he had a sudden suspicion. “Promise?”
“Sure.”
He knew without a doubt that she was lying and one thing he abhorred was lying. A thread of anger stole through his tone. “Don’t promise something if you’ve no intention of following through with it.”
Answering anger flared through her eyes. “Don’t tell me what to do.”
“I’m trying to help you.”
“Well don’t. I’m sick of people telling me what to do for my own benefit.” Stepping back, she made to slam the door.
Not willing to give in, Mike held it open by simply placing one hand against it. “I’m telling you for your own safety.”
Flinging one hand in the air, Maddy snapped, “It’s not like anyone is going to attack me!”
“That’s a stupid thing to say. You see ladies getting hurt on the news every day.” Mike’s scowl faded to a frown as he studied her expression closely. “Are you all right, Maddy?”
“Of course I am. I’m about the most all right person in this damn city. No man is going to jump a hefty girl like me when there are so many more attractive women out there.” Her scowl was ferocious. “Thanks for the concern, but I’m fine.” Again she made to shut the door and again he prevented it.
Now he could see the faint flicker of something in her eyes. Amongst that anger was something else bothering his neighbour. “What’s wrong?”
“Oh for-!” Jamming a hand on her ample hip, Maddy leaned forward and narrowed her eyes. “Go home, Mike. I’m in no mood for everyone to be on my back.”
He didn’t retreat in the face of her anger. Instead, his curiosity piqued. Normally he was a man who minded his business, but with Maddy…yep, he was curious. “I’m not on your back. I’m concerned for your safety. And you’re obviously upset about something-”
“Don’t fret, I’m fine. I’ve always been fine.” Fire sparked in those big grey eyes and brought colour to her round cheeks. “I’m a big girl in more ways than one.”
“Sure you’re a big girl, but-“He stopped when fury made her lush lips tighten. Now what had he said wrong?
“Take a hike,” she growled. “Take a running jump off a short pier. Get lost!” The door slammed shut, this time narrowly missing his fingers.
Puzzled, Mike stared at the door. What the hell had he said wrong? Shaking his head, he frowned. Who the hell could ever understand the ladies? And this one in particular. She had a temper that flared, a sarcastic tongue that could cut like a knife, and by God, he certainly didn’t deserve to be on the receiving end of it!
Grabbing the door handle, he was only more angered by the fact that the damned door wasn’t locked. Shoving it open, he strode into the house. “Maddy!”
“Now what?” She glared around the corner of the lounge room wall. “And what the hell are you doing in my house?”
“I wouldn’t be in your damned house if you considered your own safety,” he retorted, walking right up to her and forcing her retreat into the lounge.
Dimly he was aware of being watching wide-eyed from an armchair by the Siamese cat frozen in the position of washing his paw. Most cats would have fled at the sound of angry voices and the sight of a stranger, but this one sat there staring, obviously not intending to miss the action.
Somehow he wasn’t surprised, after all, it belonged to a fiery-tempered owner.
Coming to a stop in the middle of the lounge room, Maddy placed her hands on her generous hips and glared up at him. “I do consider my own safety.”
“You need to learn to lock your security screen door.” Mike stopped directly in front of her.
“I normally do.”
“And you need to get a mobile phone for your own safety.”
“I told you I would.”
“You lied.”
She flung one hand outwards. “So? So what? I don’t know why you even care!”
“Because I’m a cop and I’m also your neighbour.” Reining in his anger, he took a deep breath and spoke more calmly. “I’m telling you this for your own good.”
“Oh, wonderful! Someone else who thinks they can tell me what to do for my own good!”
Boy, she was sure wound up, and boy again, it sure made her eyes sparkle beautifully. However, now was not the time to admire sparkling eyes.
“Maddy,” he began soothingly, “I know you’re upset, but you need to listen-”
“I don’t need to do anything!” Taking a step forward that brought her almost toe to toe with him, she tilted her head back to glare up at him. “Everyone needs to just get off my case. I’m old enough and big enough to take care of myself, to know what’s good for me.”
“I hear you.” Placatingly, he raised one hand. “I do. I hear that you’re upset that I’m-”
“Don’t pull that shit with me.”
“Okay, Maddy. Tell me what-”
“Don’t you dare pull that psycho-babble bullshit on me.” She poked him in the chest with one stiff forefinger. I’ve done those classes on how to listen to people and calm them down, and I’m warning you right now, do not pull that shit on me!”
So much for that direction.
Mike looked down at her, studying the flush in her round cheeks, the sparkle of fury in her eyes, and the way those generous breasts rose up and down with every angry breath she took. Man, she sure was one pretty lady.
One furious, pretty lady.
And he found that quite…intriguing, in an alluring way. How weird was that?
“Are you freakin’ kidding me?”
Not quite the reply for which he was hoping, but somehow he wasn’t surprised.
“No! No, I don’t want to talk about it. I want you to leave me alone, I want everyone to leave me alone, I want everyone to back the hell off and leave me alone!”
Now those generous breasts were heaving, the tips of them almost brushing his shirt front. He shouldn’t be thinking about them. And he certainly shouldn’t be starting to feel things deep down, things that were hot and creeping and coiling down low in his loins.
God, Maddy looked so hot. Fiery, alive, a lush temptation that just ached to be grabbed and kissed forcefully and dragged to his lair and - what the hell? Where had those archaic urges just come from?
“Don’t just stand there staring at me blankly,” Maddy almost yelled, “Say something!”
Say something? If she didn’t step back - hell, if he didn’t step back - he was going to do something, never mind saying something.
From the corner of his eye he was vaguely aware of the Siamese cat now sitting on the back of the armchair, its eyes wide and ears perked up as it watched Maddy and Mike. The cat was a nosey parker.
But right now, Mike was more interested in the generously curved lady standing so mouth-wateringly close to him. Good God, he was almost drooling. He could feel that warmth washing through him and he knew she was noticing the change because her expression grew a little uncertain and she took a step back. Or she tried to, because it wasn’t easy to do when his arm was now around her waist. He certainly didn’t remember reaching for her, but buggered if he was he going to release her.
She glanced down at his arm before looking back up slowly. “What are you doing?”
Without effort he drew her towards him, the sudden breath she sucked in pressing her big bosom against his shirt, and boy, that just cried out to the newly unearthed primitive inside him.
Who knew that all this time a cave man really did lurk beneath his nice exterior?
And that caveman wanted this lady.
Now Maddy was pressed against him, her hands on his forearms and those beautiful grey eyes wide as she gazed up at him. She was such a warm, soft armful, and her generous curves cradled his hard body so sweetly it made him ache to taste her, to see if she tasted as sweet as she felt.
“Oh Mike,” she began. “I don’t think this is such a good idea, I-”
He stopped her words by the simple process of taking her mouth.
Oh God, her lips were so soft and plump he just had to lick them before he moulded his lips to hers, using his tongue to trace the seam, coaxing her into allowing him inside, and when those luscious lips parted it was like entering a sweetly honeyed cavern, warm and moist. Her taste exploded on his tongue.
Sliding one hand between her shoulder blades, he clamped his other hand on her generous derriere and pulled her hard against him and Jesus, it was like she was meant for him, she fit against him so perfectly. Now he could feel every dip and swell of her lush body, the swell of her belly against his lower abdomen, her rounded thighs straddling his thigh - oh yeah! - that bosom which he wanted to bare to his gaze pressed to his chest, the pebbling nipples seeming to scorch through the material of her dress and his t-shirt.
Heat spiralled through his veins to pool low in his loins and Mike kissed her harder, taking more from her, sliding his hand from between her shoulder blades to curl his hand around her opposite shoulder, hugging her to him in a hold she had no hope of breaking.
His blood flowed hot, pulses throbbing, and when he finally lifted his head to drag in a breath, he looked down into her eyes.
Maddy gazed up at him, grey eyes dark, lips red and swollen from his deep kisses, and total satisfaction welled up inside him. She looked exactly what she was, his woman thoroughly kissed.
One softly rounded arm slid up his chest, a small, capable hand splayed against the back of his neck urging his head down, and when he obeyed, Maddy kissed him back, her lips so soft, her scent filling his senses, and her mouth - God, she could kiss. Hot, intimate, demanding as much from him as he had from her.
Mike was more than willing to give, just as his dominant side kept taking, and their mouths meshed and lips moulded.
Desire surged through him, his shaft hardening, and his thirst for her went from tasting her to wanting to possess her bodily. Now he ached for her, wanted to feel the sensation of her bare skin against his, her lush curves exposed to his hands and lips and eyes, and he acted on the instinct, his hand at her bottom grabbing the material of the sundress and pulling it up until only the lacy material of her panties was between his hand and her warm skin. Without hesitation he swept his hand up to find the elastic of the waistband and his fingers slid unerringly down beneath the material to finally, finally, press against silky skin. Warm skin that was soft and protected the lush mound of her bottom, and he spread his hand over one generously curved globe, his thumb grazing the cleft where her buttocks met.
Maddy moaned into his mouth, her hands sliding from his neck to lock into his t-shirt, and she rubbed herself against his thigh, her heat now wet as her own desire dampened her panties.
It propelled his ardour higher, his shaft throbbing now, surging urgently at the thought of burying himself in her heated depths.
He craved her.
Wanted her.
Needed her.
And he was going to have her.
It was ridiculously easy to rip the sides of the fragile lace panties open, to drag it from her and toss it aside, and he slid his other hand from her shoulder to slide between their bodies, leaning back only enough so that his hand could quickly trace down her stomach, over her mound, and then he was there, the wet heat of her desire sparkling along the curls protecting her female secrets.
But the curls couldn’t protect her from his seeking fingers and her straddled position over his thigh allowed him unhindered access. Mike flattened his fingers against the desire-swollen lips of her labia, his middle and ring finger dropping between the lips to press against her perineum. Lightly he trailed the pads of his fingers across the sensitive flesh, rewarded by her moan as she arched her head back.
Greedily he fastened his mouth on her throat, tonguing the pulse that beat so wildly. As he did so, his middle finger found the entrance to her body and he slid neatly inside right up to the join of his finger to his palm. At the same time he thumbed the little clitoris exposed by her position, and the shudder that went through Maddy made his craving for her so hungry that he couldn’t stop himself from licking and mouthing the tender skin above the pulse in her throat.
The swelling of his shaft, the throbbing of it behind the confines of his shorts, was almost painful. The engorged flesh pushed against the barrier between their bodies as it pushed outward, seeking the erotic intimacy of joining.
“Oh God, Mike!” She shuddered in his arms and he felt her sheath clamp down on his finger.
One look at her closed eyes and her bottom lip caught between her teeth was enough to let him know that she was close, and no way was he letting her go without him. Quickly he pulled his finger from her wet clasp and her whimper was a balm to his turbulent feelings.
“Hold on, Maddy.” His voice was rough with desire, deep with lust.
One glance around showed him several things - two armchairs, a sideboard, a coffee table and a wide, deep sofa. The sofa was it.
Without hesitation he tumbled Maddy back onto it, following her down to cover her body. Her hair scattered back onto the cushion and her eyes, hazy with desire, opened.
She reached for him and he kissed her roughly, sweeping his tongue in to take her flavour deep inside himself. At the same time he lifted himself from her enough to jerk his shorts and boxers down with one hand. His knee between her thighs nudged the rounded lim
bs apart and she bent one knee to rest against the backrest of the sofa. His hips came down, his shaft sliding between the sheltering flesh to the entrance of her body, and with one powerful surge of his hips Mike was inside her, his shaft surging inward unerringly until he was buried to the hilt inside her.
The heat of her body combined with the tight clasp of her sheath had him arching up, his breath hissing out at the pure carnality of the moment. It was carnality and wonder combined, two sensations wrapped up in prurience.
Maddy arched beneath him, her eyes dark with passion, and he leaned back down and took her mouth, plundering the depths as surely as he plundered her body, his hips surging forward powerfully, stroking deep, every withdrawal a drag of his engorged shaft through her clasping sheath.
He rode her hard, unable to get enough of her, eating at her mouth as he took her, moving from her lips to her throat, her passionate moans erotic music to his ears. One big hand braced against the armrest behind her head, he pounded into her. Wanting to see her, to look into her eyes, he lifted his head.
Maddy grabbed onto his shirt, her gasped ‘Don’t leave me’ wringing his heart even as satisfaction swept through him.
“Never.” The word was rasped out, full of rapacity, and in a dim part of his mind he heard the possessiveness that was flowing through him at that second.
Maddy, beautiful, curvaceous, fiery Maddy, was beneath him. It was her body he claimed, her body he rode, her body he was buried in, and the satisfaction of it felt so bloody good, so right.
He felt her sheath quiver, the muscles clamping down hard as she moaned and arched beneath him, her body rising up to meet his every thrust.
Ardour splintered through him, down through his veins, fiery hot, searing down, deep down, and he felt the hot pulsing, his scrotum drawing tighter and tighter.
Eyes shut, his head thrown back and weight braced on one hand beside her shoulder and on the other where it gripped the arm rest, Mike thrust harder against her. Jesus, he felt like he was trying to get inside her, felt as though he was trying to feel every bit of her lush heat, and he didn’t want it to stop, didn’t want the heart pounding carnality of the moment to finish, but he couldn’t hold on and he felt the shudder that wracked his frame, stiffened his body, and one last thrust had his life seed spurting deep into her heat.
Cop's Passion Page 7
