Cop's Passion

by Angela Verdenius

  “Seriously.” Tim pushed to his feet. “What are you going to do about Maddy?”

  “Seriously.” Picking up the motorcycle helmet from the floor beside the chair, Mike looked gravely at him. “What would you do?”

  “Be friendly but stay away from her.”

  “Huh.” Mike rubbed his chin.

  Tim watched him silently for several seconds. “Maybe you should talk to Rick.”

  “Nah, I’m good.” Mike nodded. “Thanks for the chat and coffee. We must get together more often to exchange intellectual conversation. On my side, anyway.”

  “I’ll call the girls around, we can make it a bring-and-share morning tea.” Tim led the way to the front door, shaking his head. “I’m gonna have to hang out a shingle for counselling my male friends about their love lives.”

  Mike stepped outside, then turned back with a frown. “I don’t have a love life.”

  “You think?” Tim replied, and shut the door in his face.

  After scratching his head for several seconds, Mike pulled on his motorbike helmet, straddled the big machine, turned it on and listened in satisfaction as it roared to life. Yep, machines were so easy. Ladies, on the other hand, and one in particular…

  He left the parking lot and opened the throttle, heading out of town for a mind-cleaning ride in the country. Yeah, that was just what he needed to blow the cobwebs out and get his thoughts in order. Tim was great to bounce ideas off and have a laugh, but something like this required more thought. Much more thought.

  By the time he returned home, he was feeling much more positive. He was going to go over and talk to Maddy. She was a nice lady and he didn’t want things strained between them. A simple chat to clear the air, that’s all he needed to accomplish, and then things could return to normal.

  As normal as things could be, considering he’d had her beneath him, her soft thighs pressed against his hips, her heat pulling him in deep, her eyes so big and luminous, so deep a brown he could drown in them, and - great, now he had a boner.

  He kept an eye out for Maddy, but her car didn’t pull into the driveway. He could only surmise that she was working late again. He just hoped that this time she’d listened to him and bought a mobile phone just in case. He had an insane desire to get on his motorcycle and check out the highway, but in her job, she could be anywhere. He had to get his imagination under control and concentrate on the problem at hand.

  That problem was small, a mottled grey, and sitting right in his view from the kitchen window. Doing his dishes, he could see right down to the shed and there it was, the little kitten sitting and waiting patiently for its meal. It looked around, flicking its ears.

  Well, it could just wait for Maddy. Mike frowned. It would be okay, there was water down there in the dish. He thought. He hadn’t actually checked it. Maybe he should - no! No, he wasn’t going to start that caper. The kitten was Maddy’s problem. It had his shed and the run of his yard, and it could count itself lucky to even get that much.

  He sat down at the kitchen table with a cup of hot tea and a chunk of cake. The cake wasn’t as nice as the one Maddy had made, he decided, after taking a bite. The lady could cook. He wished he hadn’t eaten all the Anzac biscuits she’d baked for him, he could sure do with some now.

  Opening the motorcycle magazine, he tried to concentrate on the news of the latest motorcycles, but the image of the little kitten sitting patiently beside his shed in front of an empty food dish kept intruding. Resolutely he pushed the image to the back of his mind but it kept sneaking forward again and overlying the glossy photo of the Suzuki motorcycle he was drooling over. Or would have been drooling over, if the pathetic image of the little kitten didn’t keep interrupting.

  Muttering to himself, he pushed to his feet and stalked over to the window. Yep, there it was, looking from the dish to the fence, to the gate at the side of his garage, and then to his window. Oops, big mistake. Mike stepped back but not before the kitten saw his face and stood up, it’s little mouth open in a meow he couldn’t hear through the glass.

  He peeked back out. Now the kitten was looking hopefully towards his house. It took several steps forward and stopped near a weed, and he was struck by how small the kitten was in comparison to the plant.

  Surely Maddy would be home by now. He went out the front and peered over the fence towards her side of the duplex, but all remained still with no sign of life. Well, if one didn’t count the Siamese that batted at the window at just the sight of Mike peering over the fence.

  Going back inside, he started towards the lounge to watch TV but with a scowl he turned into the kitchen instead. Another look out the window and now the kitten was sitting at the foot of his back veranda, looking hopefully at the door. Damn it.

  Okay, he had to give in and feed the damn thing so he could finally relax. Maddy owed him big time.

  Opening the ‘fridge, he studied the contents. A couple of beers, a container of iced coffee, some veggies in the crisper, a bowl of left-over rice, and - yes! A plate containing two left over cooked sausages. He took the sausages out, cut them into tiny pieces and put the lot on a saucer. It seemed a little too much, but then again he didn’t really know how much a kitten ate, and besides, he surmised, it could always come back for seconds later.

  Carrying the saucer out the back door, he fully expected the kitten to run back to the shed. Instead, it meowed at him and watched a little warily from the ground, but it didn’t retreat more than a couple of feet. It was obviously hungry.

  Mike set the plate on the edge of the veranda. “Here. Don’t think I’m going to make a habit of this.” Then he went back inside.

  Finally he was able to concentrate on his beloved magazine, and he settled down to enjoy it. A couple of times he checked out the front but Maddy still wasn’t home. He did notice, as the first star popped into view, that it was getting chilly.

  He went back inside and wandered through to the back door. Opening it, he stepped out to see that the saucer was half empty. He looked towards the shed in the growing gloom but he couldn’t see the kitten. It was probably inside it, safe and asleep. But when he turned around he saw that the kitten was still on his veranda. In fact, it was curled up in his battered wicker armchair, snug in the lumpy cushion. It watched him from half closed eyes and its tiny purr sounded. Almost like the dodgy engine of an old motorcycle, actually, for it stopped and started before finally kicking in to a smooth purr.

  It was chilly. Mike placed his hands on his hips and scowled at the kitten. It looked back up at him and blinked slowly. Shaking his head, he went back inside the house. Ah hell, it was only little and the weather was chilly. It could stay out in his armchair for one damned night.

  He refused to even think about his actions as he filled a dessert bowl with water and placed it on the back veranda beside the saucer. He might not want the kitten, but that didn’t mean he could leave it without at least water. Maddy could fix it all when she got home.

  It was dark and Mike was watching the news when a knock sounded on his door. Opening it, he saw Maddy standing there with a worried look on her face and chewing that luscious bottom lip of hers.

  Before he could say anything, she burst out, “Mike, I can’t find the kitten!” She gestured to the side gate. “I went out the back and it wasn’t near your shed and I’ve searched your yard and I can’t see it and-”

  “It’s all right-” he began.

  “It’s not all right, Mike. I know you don’t care about it, but I do. It’s only little and-”

  He stopped her tirade by the simple matter of clapping his hand over her mouth while sliding an arm around her shoulders and pulling her through the doorway.

  She pulled his hand from her mouth. “What the hell-?”

  “Come here and see this,” he said.

  Still with his arm around her shoulders, he led her through to the back door and out onto the veranda. Turning on the dim light, he pointed and felt the tension leave her as soon as she saw the k
itten peeking sleepily at them from the depths of the armchair.

  “I’ve fed it,” he added. “It’s got water. And no, it’s not staying here.”

  Maddy looked up at him with a small smile.

  “The weather is chilly,” he continued, feeling a need to explain his actions without her getting the wrong idea that he was getting soft. “I don’t want you bawling because it got sick, okay? It can sleep there, I don’t care, but Maddy.” He shook a finger under her nose. “It is not staying here, understood?”

  “Thank you.” She gazed up at him with that same small smile, and the silence between them lingered.

  Maddy looked so pretty, and so tired. Her nurse’s uniform was not as crisp as it had been when he’d seen her that morning, and there were shadows under her eyes. Several strands of glossy brown escaped the hair band she used to hold her hair back. Her perfume wasn’t as fresh as it had been, but when he lowered his head a little and inhaled deeply, the fainter fragrance was still there, as softly seductive as he remembered.

  His gaze lifted to search her face. “Hard day at work?”

  “Yes.” Almost immediately Maddy stepped back. “I have to go. Goodnight, and thanks for feeding the kitten. I really appreciate it and-”

  “Stay.”

  Her eyes widened.

  Yeah, he wanted her to stay all right. He wanted her to strip off and shower with him and then get into his bed and - Mike inwardly blinked and cursed when Maddy turned on her heel and almost ran back into the kitchen.

  A few quick steps and he curled his hand around her bicep. “Maddy, stop.”

  “Let go.” She tried to shake off his hand.

  Now he could see the panic in her eyes, the flush on her cheeks, and that expression in regards to him was not something he wanted to see from her.

  He gentled his voice, at least as much as his deep rumble could gentle. “Maddy, why are you so frightened of me?”

  She stopped tugging on her arm and looked up, confusion replacing the panic. “I’m not.”

  “You are. You didn’t run from me before yesterday. Before we…” He trailed off when she averted her gaze and her cheeks flushed redder. A prickle of fear went through him and unconsciously he rubbed his thumb lightly along her arm. “Maddy, did I hurt you?”

  “No.” She finally succeeded in slipping from his grasp. “I need to go.”

  “And I need to know what’s wrong.” He thwarted her attempt to leave by simply stepping in front of her, effectively blocking her escape route. “Talk to me.”

  “There’s nothing to talk about. Nothing happened.” She still wouldn’t look directly at him.

  “Something did happen, and we do need to talk about it.”

  “Are you sure you aren’t a female masquerading as a man?”

  “You have first hand proof of that answer.”

  The blush bloomed, covering her rounded cheeks fully. “Mike…”

  “Maddy.” He waited, silently urging her to look at him, wanting to see her eyes.

  “Talking is a woman’s job,” she finally muttered. “Aren’t you supposed to avoid it like the plague?”

  “I do my own thing. Talking out a problem is one of them.”

  “We don’t have a problem.”

  “Yeah, we do.” He mentally shook his head at her stubbornness. “And we’re staying right here until you tell me what’s wrong.”

  Maddy finally looked up at him, but anger glowed in the depths of her eyes. “Maybe I don’t want to talk about it, ever think of that?”

  “Too bad.”

  “You are some piece of work, you know that?”

  “I’ve been told before.” He rather liked the sparks in the depths of her grey eyes. At least she was meeting his gaze and talking. Sharply, admittedly, but talking nonetheless.

  “I’m sure you have. What else can I tell you that you already know?”

  “Not much, I’m sure.”

  “You are such a-”

  “Neanderthal? You told me that already. Several times, in fact.” Leaning his shoulder against the wall, Mike looked down at her and stated bluntly, “Yesterday we had sex.”

  “Don’t worry,” she replied tartly, “I got the morning after pill and took it straight away.”

  “Good. We’re not ready for the consequences yet.”

  There was a stunned silence between them then Maddy’s eyes widened. “I beg your pardon?”

  Jesus, what had he just said? “We’re not ready for the consequences,” he amended quickly.

  “‘Yet’. You said ‘yet’.”

  “Slip of the tongue.”

  She eyed him suspiciously.

  “Besides that,” he continued, “I know it was unexpected. I sure as hell didn’t expect to want you like that and it happened without thought.”

  Mingled fury and embarrassment flared in her eyes. “Don’t worry, Mike, the feeling is mutual. But it happened, so now just forget about the whole unsavoury episode, okay? Count yourself lucky that you didn’t get stuck with someone like me carrying your kid.”

  Mike’s mouth fell open. “What?”

  “I know I’m not your type,” she snapped. “I know I’m not any bloke’s type, but you don’t have to rub it bloody well in, all right?”

  “Rub it in? What the-”

  “Oh, what the hell would you know?” She stormed past him towards the kitchen entrance.

  Astounded, Mike could only stare after her for several seconds before he realised she was leaving. Again. Only this time he didn’t know what to say, all he could do was listen to the front door slam as she left his house. Again. Angry. Again.

  Chapter Five

  She was turning into a first class bitch, as bad as Belinda’s friend. Maddy gazed morosely at herself in the car’s rear-view mirror. Basically, Mike was a nice guy and didn’t deserve to be treated so nastily.

  With a sigh, she put the car into gear and joined the traffic heading out of the city centre. She’d hardly slept all night and it showed. She felt like a zombie and the last thing she wanted was to deal with her mother. Rather, she wanted to run inside her little home and lock the door behind her. The problem was that the man who had her in such knots lived on the other side of the wall. His bedroom was adjacent to hers, and she fancied she could almost hear him breathing if she pressed her ear to the wall, which she was embarrassed to admit she’d actually done before getting ready for work that morning. Facing him wasn’t something she wanted to do and somehow she’d managed to avoid seeing him.

  In fact, she was half surprised that he hadn’t followed her but then again, after yelling at him and being such a bitch, who could blame him? Story of her freakin’ life.

  A patrol car came towards her and her heart leaped, but the two cops inside didn’t glance at her, and neither of them was the big bear that lived next door.

  Driving into the suburbs, she turned into a leafy street and finally into the driveway of a fancy, two-story, brick house. The garden was immaculate and bursting with flowers. Parking her car in the driveway, Maddy walked to the front door and opened it. “Mum?”

  “In here, honey.”

  Following her mother’s voice down the long corridor, Maddy turned into the lounge, only to groan inwardly when she saw Belinda sitting on the sofa beside her mother. Matthew was sitting languidly in the armchair opposite, a cup of hot coffee in one hand. His expensive gold watch caught the sunlight that streamed in through the window.

  Mrs Lovett got to her feet quickly. “Maddy, I’m so glad you came.”

  “You invited me, remember?” Maddy tucked the car keys into the pocket of her dress and nodded at Matthew.

  Matthew smiled but his gaze was shrewd as he looked her up and down. “Maddy.”

  Her brother’s tone when he said her name wasn’t as warm as when Mike said it, but she shook the fanciful thought away. “Day off, Matt?”

  “Came to sort some things out.”

  “Ah. Ambush, Mum?” She switched her gaze to Mrs Lov
ett.

  “Don’t be ridiculous, darling.” Mrs Lovett crossed the floor, her black sandals sinking into the plush carpeting. “Belinda and Matthew came around after I called you.”

  “And after you called them?”

  “Don’t be tiresome, Madeline.” Mrs Lovett gestured to Belinda. “The poor dear has been a mess since you made her leave your house.”

  Belinda’s eyes were red from crying and she dabbed at the corners of her eyes with a tissue. “Honestly Maddy, I didn’t mean to upset you.”

  “She’s been inconsolable,” Matthew added. “First you insult her friend, then you embarrass her, and then you turn down a date she’d kindly organised for you. Really, Maddy, why do you behave this way?”

  Maddy’s eyes narrowed.

  “Matthew,” Mrs Lovett said warningly.

  “I’m tired, Matt,” Maddy replied. “The last thing I need is your shit.”

  “My shit? Belinda does her best to help you and you repay her by embarrassing her, and you say it’s my shit?” Matthew got to his feet.

  More than used to her older brother’s quick temper, Maddy matched it with her own. “You weren’t the one told by her and her friend to lose weight to get a rich husband.”

  “She was trying to help.”

  “It was insulting.”

  Belinda started to cry. “Maddy, you embarrassed me in front of Jeannie! I was only helping.”

  Maddy sighed. “You never think, Belinda. How about you embarrassing me?”

  “Jeannie was trying to help you with your problem.”

  “I don’t have a problem.”

  Belinda sniffled and glanced at Matthew.

  Matthew looked Maddy up and down. “How much do you weigh now?”

  “Matthew!” Mrs Lovett protested.

  “Screw you, Matt,” Maddy retorted angrily. “What business is it of yours?”

  “Why don’t you take the help when it’s offered to you?” he returned. “You know you could stand to lose quite a bit of weight. Maybe if you did, we wouldn’t have to constantly be trying to fix you up with blind dates.”