by Hart, Edie
Tessa looked around. Under the car stereo were a CB-like radio and a panel with switches and buttons. Above her head attached to the sun visor was a black box with red and blue plastic that looked like a flat flashlight. Shit. She was in a cop car.
The sexy cop had asked her for her name but she was afraid if she told him, he’d find out about all her unpaid parking tickets.
He released a heavy breath and she peeked at him again. From the momentary shine of the streetlights she could see that he had dark hair and eyes. He had on a well-fitting suit and was huge—linebacker huge. Big enough to throw her over a shoulder and run twenty feet without her weight slowing him down. He gripped the steering wheel with one large hand, while he ran the other through his now-tousled hair. Despite his size, he’d been gentle with her. More than she thought someone his size would be.
He drove the car up and down different streets, taking hard turns, speeding up and slowing down.
After driving for almost a half-hour in silence, he pulled to the side of the road and turned to her. “All right, honey. Do you want to tell me what the hell is going on?”
Could she get arrested for unpaid tickets? She looked at him, unsnapped her seatbelt, and turned to open the door. She planned to run as far and as fast as she could.
“I don’t think so.” He clicked the door locks in place. “Let’s start with your name.” He leaned back in his seat as if he has all the time in the world.
She thought about her parking tickets while staring at the misty car window and said the first thing that came to mind. “Misty.”
He looked her up and down, causing her to squirm in her seat. “Misty, huh? Misty what?”
She pulled at her skirt. It felt like it was getting shorter. “Uhh, Misty...Waters.” She wanted to smack herself in the head.
“Misty Waters?” He laughed. “Is that your street name?”
“What?” Oh no. He thought she was a hooker. She knew she looked like a hooker in that skirt. “No!”
He laughed again. She liked his laugh. His eyes crinkled in the corners when he laughed.
She wondered if he would laugh while he was taking her to jail. “Uh... look, Mister, er... Officer. I appreciate the ride and everything, but I’d like to go now. So,” she gestured to the door, “if you could please just open the door, I’ll be on my way.” She gave what she hoped was an innocent I-have-no-parking-tickets-so-please-don’t-arrest-me smile.
He pinched the bridge of his nose. “Gray.”
“What?” She blinked.
“My name is Grayson. Gray.” He sighed. “Look, ah, Misty. I can’t let you out on a dark, deserted road dressed the way you are. It’s not safe.”
She felt her face growing warm and was glad that he couldn’t see it in the shadows. She wondered if Gray would still be this kind once he hauled her off to jail and fingerprinted her.
“Take me back to my car then.” She kept her gaze on her lap.
“I’m not taking you back to a dark parking garage where you were recently jumped by a big guy in a suit.” He turned farther in his seat to better face her.
“I’ll be fine. I just want to go home.” She smoothed her skirt with shaking fingers and then gripped her hands together in her lap.
He let out a long breath. “Where do you live? I’ll drive you home.”
***
Gray had a feeling it was going to be a long night. The good thing was that Legs had told him where she lived, the bad thing was that she still hadn’t told him her real name. And now he was involved, which made him responsible for her.
“What are you doing?” She looked pointedly at him while he texted her information to one of the other detectives at the PD. He suspected that she had gotten herself into some kind of trouble and wanted Burg to run her and see what came up.
“Getting directions to your house,” he lied.
“Oh,” she said quietly.
He glanced over at her as he drove. She sat silent, looking out the window with her arms wrapped around herself. She didn’t look like she could be much trouble. She was petite. Delicate looking. And she was a terrible liar. Her facial expressions said as much.
He pulled into the parking lot of her apartment complex and parked under a streetlight.
“Well, thanks,” she said before trying to dart out of the car.
He grasped her arm and, with a gentle tug, pulled her around to face him. He looked her over. Her wide eyes shimmered in the yellow haze of the lamppost and he noticed for the first time that the bridge of her pert nose was covered with a light dusting of freckles.
She sure didn’t look like a hooker—at least from the neck up. She was too cute and fresh-faced to be a prostitute.
Oh, but those glorious legs. He glanced over at her stocking-covered feet and up her torso. Rust-colored splatters on her tiny white skirt caught his attention.
“Are you hurt anywhere?” he asked, making eye contact again.
She bit her lip and glanced down. “No.”
Gray nodded at her skirt. “That looks like blood.”
“It’s not mine,” she said, jerking her arm from his grasp. She shoved open the door and got out without looking at him.
Chapter Six
Tessa stood outside the car in the chilly night air and took deep breaths to control the burning behind her eyes. She refused to cry until she was alone in her apartment.
Talk about a bad day. She was shoeless, tired, cold, and dressed like a stripper with speckles of a strange man’s blood on her slutty skirt. Thank God she was home. All she wanted now was a nice hot shower and her warm, cozy bed.
She walked up the steps to her apartment and was not surprised that Gray was right alongside her. Whether it was because of chivalry or his ingrained training as a cop, his presence somehow comforted her. His body blocked the cool breeze and when his large hand touched the small of her back, tingles of warmth flooded through her. Standing next to him made her realize how big he really was. She barely came to his shoulder.
When she drew closer to her doorstep she noticed that her door was open a crack. Lights from inside reflected a sliver of light on the step. The doorframe was dented.
“Oh shit,” she whispered under her breath. Why would someone break into her place? The most valuable thing she owned was a knock-off Louis Vuitton bag she bought from a guy who’d sold them out of the trunk of his car. Could this day get any worse?
“Aw, hell.” Gray pulled a gun from the holster under his suit jacket.
He moved his hand from the small of her back to her hip and tightened his arm around her. Keeping a firm hold, her turned her around, and escorted her back toward his car in hurried strides. Then he opened the door and with a gentle shove, pushed her in. He rushed around to the driver’s side and plopped down, setting his gun on the dashboard.
After pulling out his phone, he dialed. “Yeah, same to you, asshole.” he said to the person on the other end.
Tessa turned to look at him. With narrowed eyes, he leaned forward and watched her apartment. For a moment she envisioned him watching her like that. Heat infused her face and she looked away. Get a hold of yourself, Tessa. Someone had broken into her apartment and she was fantasizing about the police officer who was kind enough to help her. She clearly needed to check her priorities.
“I’ve got a burglary in progress.” He paused a second before barking out a quick “Yeah” then hung up.
Minutes later another car pulled next to them.
“Stay here,” he said, picking up his gun. He got out of the car and went over to talk to the men in the other car.
She closed her eyes and leaned her head back. It was one really bad day.
A few minutes later she heard the car door open and then close.
Maybe if she stayed just like that—eyes closed—everything would go away.
Gray cleared his throat.
Clearly that wasn’t going to happen. She lifted her head and turned to look at him.
He was
staring at her. The intensity of his chocolate gaze had her squirming in her seat. She tried to remember exactly how many parking tickets there were. Five? Six? She was sure it was enough to get her arrested if the cops found out.
“I’m officially off duty, so as soon as we get the all clear, we can go in,” he said. “Afterward, you’re going to need to answer some questions so that the detective can fill out a report.”
Tessa watched as one of the officers came out of her apartment and called out to Gray.
Gray turned to her. “Stay here.”
She nodded.
Gray got out of the car and strode up the steps to her apartment. With one hand holding the door open, he turned and shot her a fleeting glance before going inside.
Tessa rubbed her eyes. It was a very, very bad day. She didn’t have much but the thought of someone pawing through her things and taking what little she had of value made her feel even more shaken than she already was. She leaned her head back and took deep breaths. She was not going to cry.
Tessa startled when her door opened. Gray stood on the other side and handed her a pair of shoes. They were her running shoes that she always left near the door. With rapid movements, she laced them up and then stood.
“It looks like someone was searching for something.” Gray took her elbow with a light touch. “Any idea what they’d be looking for?”
Tessa shook her head.
They made their way to her apartment, then Gray stopped her before she could enter. “I want you to be prepared. Your place is completely trashed.”
Tessa took a deep breath and braced herself.
Gray pushed the door open.
“Oh crap!” Tessa covered her mouth with both hands.
Her loveseat was torn to shreds, little cotton bunnies dusted the floor. Stuffing popped out of her couch where the cushions had been ripped. Pictures were knocked off the walls and there were various belongings strewn everywhere.
She made her way further in. Kitchen drawers were dumped and silverware and broken glass littered the linoleum floor.
An officer with blond hair came out of her bedroom and walked over to her. “Hi...” he glanced down at a notepad in his hand, “Ms. Manville. I’m Officer Burgess and I’m going to need to ask you some questions.”
Chapter Seven
Gray stood next to Legs, who had just finished answering all of Burg’s questions.
She turned and looked at him with shimmering blue eyes. “Um... Thanks for the ride and everything. I, uh, guess I’ll see you later.” Gray watched her lower lip quiver.
Aw, hell!
Legs—aka Tessa, as he now knew—was attacked in a parking garage, and came home to a trashed apartment, and she thought he was just going to leave? He knew he could be a jerk at times, but he wasn’t heartless.
He blew out a breath and ran a hand through his hair. He heard Burg snicker. The asshole.
“You can go now, Burg.” He walked over and opened the door.
Burg elbowed him on his way out. “See you later, Stanley.”
Gray gave him the finger and closed the door in his face.
“Stanley?” Tessa cocked her head to the side and smirked.
“My first name is Stanley,” he mumbled.
“Stanley?” she repeated, a small smile spread across her face.
“Stanley Grayson Kingsley.” He stared her down. “You’re one to talk, Misty.”
She had an “oh shit” look on her face. “Are you going to arrest me?” she asked, her eyes wide. She had the bluest eyes he’d ever seen. Her lower lip quivered again.
Shit. “Why would I arrest you?” He’d had Burg check her out and knew that she wasn’t guilty of anything illegal. He still couldn’t figure out why she wouldn’t tell him her real name.
“Parking tickets,” she whispered.
“Tickets?” He put his hands on his hips and looked at the ceiling. “You mean this whole time you wouldn’t tell me your name because you’ve got unpaid tickets?”
She nodded, looking miserable.
“Jesus, Tessa.” He took a step toward her. “Your place is trashed and you’re worried about parking tickets?” He crouched down to look in her face.
A lone tear slid unhurried down her cheek.
He scrubbed his hands over his face and through his hair, then moved closer, gearing himself to comfort her with a pat her on the back. Instead, before he knew it, she’d thrown herself into him and he found his arms full of soft, quivering woman. She made a noise that sounded like a muffled sob.
“Aw, hell. Please don’t cry.” He felt his gut twist. “I swear I’m not going to arrest you. They’re just fucking parking tickets, hon.”
“I’ve had a very, very bad day!” She sobbed into his shirt.
He pulled her to an armchair nearby and sat down, adjusting her in his lap. He felt helpless. He did not do crying women.
At a loss for what to do, he clumsily rubbed her back. “Tell me about your day. Get it all out.”
“First I had to dress like a giant hooker light bulb, then I lost my clothes!” She lifted her head and sniffled. “And I had to wear these!” She gestured to her skirt and nylons. “And then... And then...” She gulped air. “I couldn’t find my car and got chased through a dark parking lot!” Tears were streaming down her face. “I lost my shoooe!” She pressed her face into his chest.
“When did you lose your shoe, honey?” Gray continued rubbing her back.
“When I hit the scary guy with it in the stairwell.” She clutched at Gray’s shirt. “I...I... hid...and...” She gasped. “I hit him when he grabbed me.” She burrowed deeper into his shoulder. “And I...was...really scared!”
“I know,” he murmured.
“All I wanted to do was come home and go to bed.” Her voice was muffled. “I can’t even do that!” She took a deep breath. “And I look like a freakin’ prostitute!”
Chapter Eight
Tessa was mortified. She was clutching Gray, whose shirt was damp from her tears and wrinkled from being tightly fisted in her hands. She couldn’t believe that she’d lost it like that.
She did feel better, though. Much better. Gray was strong and warm. And he smelled good. Really good. She knew that she should pull away, but with his hand making lazy circles on her back and hearing his heartbeat beneath her cheek, she felt safe. Instead of getting up, she took a deep breath and inhaled Gray’s yummy guy smell.
She peeked up at him. He was even better looking in regular light. He gazed down at her with his chocolate eyes and she melted. His huge frame dwarfed her small one. Cuddling deeper in his lap, she watched his Adam’s apple bob as he swallowed. She released her grip on his shirt and slid her hands over his rock hard chest. Mmm... She wondered what he would look like without his shirt.
Gray made a noise in his throat that sounded like a strangled groan. His fingers stopped their lazy circles and one hand moved to the small of her back while the other burrowed in her hair.
She opened her eyes to see Gray looking at her like she was a feast and he was going to devour her in one bite. He glanced down at her mouth and warmth flooded through her. She pressed herself tightly against him.
“Aw, hell,” he groaned. “We can’t do this.”
“We can’t?”
He caressed her cheek. “You’ve had a shitty day.” He took a deep breath and then stood up, setting her on her feet. “I don’t want to make it worse for you.”
Ugh. Now she’d thrown herself at a man who didn’t want her. Her nose was running and she probably had mascara streaming down her face. Could she be any more pathetic?
“Well, ah, thanks for...” She waved an arm. “Everything.” She felt her face redden and blew out a breath, causing a few loose strands to float around her face. “I’ll lock up after you go.”
Gray laughed. “You can’t stay here. Your place is trashed.”
“I’ll clean it.”
Gray frowned. “Tessa, it’s late. You’re tired. You can’t
stay here.”
“Sure I can.” She knew she was being stubborn, but she couldn’t help herself.
“Well you’re not going to.” Gray placed his hand behind her back and guided her toward her bedroom. “Pack a bag. You’ll stay at my place tonight.”
Once in the bedroom, she turned, hands on her hips, ready to argue.
“Look, you’ve had a really fucked up day.” He bent down to look her in the eye and his voice gentled. “A lot has happened.” He tucked a curl behind her ear. “Pack a bag, stay at my place. I’ll feed you, you can take a shower, get some sleep, and tomorrow I’ll bring you back here and help you clean.”
Dammit. Why did he have to look at her like that? And why did he have to be so nice? She thought about staying in her apartment alone and knew she couldn’t do it after the day she’d had.
“Fine,” she mumbled and turned away.
She walked over to the closet and he helped her shuffle through the mess until they found a bag.
When she looked over and saw her underwear scattered across the floor, her eyes began to burn.
A barely audible “son of a bitch” came from Gray’s direction before he gently pushed her in the attached bathroom. “Why don’t you freshen up a little, get whatever you need in here and I’ll get your clothes together.” He closed the door.
She glanced at herself in the mirror and was horrified. She had mascara rings around her eyes and her hair was a wild mass of tangles. No wonder he didn’t want her. She turned on the cold water and splashed her face. Her towel was still hanging on the back of the door so she grabbed it, dampened a corner, and used it to remove the mascara from around her eyes. Using the remainder of the towel, she dried her face.
She found her brush in the bathtub and brushed the tangles out of her hair. She felt a little more human at least. Her toiletries were scattered throughout the bathroom and she went to work collecting what she’d need.
She opened the bathroom door a few moments later and saw that Gray had cleaned up a bit. Her mattress was ripped, but now it was on the frame. Her drawers were all placed back in the dresser and most of the clothes had been picked up off the floor.
