‘Are you worth it?’ he asked, walking towards the bedroom. As he pushed open the door, his eyes glanced over his small plaid-covered bed towards the photo he’d spent many nights fantasising over. ‘Or am I just crazy for trying?’
Ryan moved through to the bathroom adjoining his room. Though it was small, he kept the place clean. Well, he did on most days. He gave a small laugh as he kicked a dirty T-shirt across the black and white tiled floor, out of his way.
Turning a couple of knobs, he started the shower. It would take a few minutes for it to heat up. The clawfoot tub was deep and set high off the floor. Though it looked old, it wasn’t, having been crafted out of acrylic instead of cast iron. Three shower curtains hung from the ceiling along an oval ring. They overlapped, but still allowed threads of cold air in when he showered.
Exhausted, he stripped off his clothes, leaving them bunched on the floor. Lukewarm water hit his flesh and he jerked the curtain shut. He grabbed the shampoo and squirted it directly on his head, lathering with one hand as he blindly set the bottle down. He missed the shelf and the bottle fell by his feet.
The water heated, hitting hard against his chest and stomach. Ryan turned and a few remaining trails of shampoo suds slid over his flesh. The light caress of them tickled, drawing his mind down towards his heavy erection. After lathering the liquid soap between his hands, he ran them instantly to his cock, soaping the length and massaging it. He’d not been on a date since snapping that first picture of Megan and it didn’t take much to romance his body to full arousal.
The feel of his fist left him wanting. There was something to be said for the soft flesh of a woman against his, the contact, the sound of her voice. Megan’s voice.
‘Megan,’ he whispered, taking himself in both hands, weaving his fingers over the hard length as he longed for her to do. He twisted and pumped in a fast steady rhythm with the image of dark lovely eyes in his head.
Her full lips would be so commanding, just like her personality. She’d be the kind of woman to take charge and Ryan longed to be dominated by her. And yet there was a small part of him that longed for her to trust him enough to let him take control over her. But he’d have to get her to actually say yes to a date first.
Bittersweet thoughts filtered through him; the sting of her rejection mixed with the pleasure of the building release. He cupped his balls, squeezing lightly. Her mouth, those eyes. Ryan grunted in pleasure, his knees weakening and his hips jerking as he came. Semen spilt into the tub and washed down the drain. He turned to the stream of now very hot water and let it wash the soap off his sensitive member.
‘When did I become such a fool?’
Chapter Two
‘Matthews, I’m sorry,’ Captain Turner said from behind his desk.
Megan pulled her gaze away from the many certificates and honours hanging on his drab grey wall.
‘But I must insist you take a vacation. No penalties, no citations inserted into your record. Just a nice, long, quiet, overdue and somewhat paid vacation for one of New York’s hardest-working detectives.’
Megan couldn’t move. This wasn’t a vacation. She was being told to take a leave from the force for the sake of saving face. After being caught on film stepping on evidence, she had no choice but to give the captain a heads-up on what had happened. When the photo hit the papers, which it would undoubtedly do, they had to be ready. The unfortunate incident had happened a couple of days ago and the picture had yet to surface, but it was only Wednesday. No doubt it was being saved for the weekend editions when circulation would be higher.
Damn Ryan Lucas!
‘I could always arrest him.’ Megan didn’t have to specify who.
‘Ryan Lucas has been politely asked not to sell any photographs that might reflect poorly on the NYPD, but the truth is he can if he wants. Some kind of contract loophole.’
‘Loophole?’ Megan sighed heavily, not liking this situation one bit.
‘Yeah, he doesn’t have a contract signed.’ The captain picked up his teddy-bear coffee mug, which read ‘World’s Greatest Cop’. If Megan hadn’t known the gruff man had a four-year-old daughter, she would have thought it funny. ‘Human Resources can’t find one for him anyway. Technically, he’s a freelancer. Even if he does leak the picture, we can’t do much about it by way of firing him. All we can do is cut his assignments and put him into a position to ask for more. At that time, a confidentiality agreement can be negotiated. We can’t force him to sign one at this point. We can ask, but, regardless, he took the picture of you before he would be asked to sign. Arrangements are being made to hire other photographers, but Lucas is dependable and, frankly, takes on much of the work. Like you, he doesn’t seem to have a life outside of this place.’
Megan arched a brow. ‘Subtle.’
‘Glad to see your sarcasm hasn’t left with your humour.’ The captain gave a brusque laugh. ‘Lucas is reliable and good at what he does. And, technically, the event did happen. He’s not making it up.’
‘It’s hard to have a sense of humour when you don’t have a job.’
‘It’s a vacation and you were due for one anyway. Count your blessings. I haven’t left the city in ten years. We talked it over,’ the captain continued, not needing to specify who ‘we’ were, ‘and we think this is the best thing given the situation. Give all your cases to Axel. He’ll make sure they’re covered.’
Megan grimaced to hear the detective’s name. Now she’d never hear the end of this. Axel would hound her about it for the rest of her days. But what could she do? This order came from the police chief, and quite possibly the mayor – if the chief had decided to tell him about it. Either way, it looked like she was off the job.
‘Are you sure that’s best? I can still do my job. I’ll lie low, spend most of my time in the office shuffling paperwork. Don’t take me off my cases. We’re overworked as it is and I don’t want to leave the guys shorthanded.’
‘Normally, that’s exactly what I’d do with you. You’re a good detective, Matthews. You have nothing to be ashamed of. We all make mistakes and you’re not being punished for being human. But, with St Claud’s trial starting, we can’t have your reputation in question. A mistake like this could be blown out of proportion in the court of public opinion. You are a key witness. Now, turn your cases over to Axel, get some rest and in a month when you’ve finished testifying you’ll be back on the job.’
Megan nodded. ‘But what if the picture doesn’t come out? Can I come back to work then?’
‘No,’ he answered, to her surprise. ‘You’re going to take this break. I can’t risk anything else happening with you.’
‘What if it comes out and everyone thinks I’m being punished for –?’
‘No,’ the captain interrupted. ‘If it comes out, lie low and make no comments to the press. This is just a routine request for time off made weeks ago by a hardworking detective. The paperwork has already been backdated.’
‘Fine,’ she said, unconvinced this was the best course of action. What was she going to do with a month off work? Just the idea made her a little stir crazy.
‘You saw St Claud’s victims; you know this case better than anyone. Take a copy of the files with you to study if you have to. We’ve all worked too long and too hard to make sure this asshole goes down.’ He studied her. Megan knew her face must have looked doubtful, because he ordered, ‘You’re going on vacation, Matthews, and that’s final.’
Megan nodded again. ‘Yes, sir.’
‘Leave a message on my phone as to where I can find you if you leave town, just in case something comes up. But, unless you hear from me, I don’t want you back in this building, understand? Who knows when you’ll get time off again? Take it. Enjoy it and come back refreshed.’
Megan stood, nodded a goodbye and walked out of the office. There was nothing she could say to change his mind. Even if she could, he had bosses above him who obviously thought this was for the best. Though she saw their point, it didn’t mean
she had to like it.
‘Well, the good news,’ she told herself as she went towards the file room to order copies from the clerk, ‘is that I won’t have to see Ryan for a whole month.’
The bad news was she didn’t know what to do with herself if she wasn’t being a cop. Without work or cases to concentrate on, what did she have? She grimaced, as she thought, Stupid Ryan with his stupid camera. I wish we’d never met.
‘Congratulations!’
Megan frowned at her mother’s excited voice, slowly pushing her sunglasses on top of her head. Outside, the bright light was doing killer things to her hangover. She hadn’t bothered to pull the glasses up when she stepped into the darker interior of the classic pre-war building where her parents lived. The structure was of Art Deco influence with an elevator in it, which was nice since her father was 53 and had a hard time climbing stairs.
In her parents’ home, she leant over to hug her mother, ignoring the woman’s greeting. Undoubtedly, Beatrice Matthews was congratulating her on having time off from work. Or, if her father had told her mother about the picture, then it was possible she was congratulating Megan on it not being in the weekend newspaper.
‘Hi, Mom,’ Megan said, pulling back from her.
Beatrice was a bit unconventional, as was evident by the décor of her home. Before Mr and Mrs Matthews had moved into the place, the apartment had been completely renovated with elegant mouldings over the door and entryways, new hardwood floors and stainproof carpet, a large window overlooking a balcony and sophisticated white curtains. Now those curtains were covered in pink lace, the wood floors and new carpets were hidden under oversized rugs and the mouldings along one of the main arches between the dining and living rooms were lined with framed family photographs and cutesy little poems about friendship and butterflies.
‘I’m so happy for you,’ Beatrice said, beaming ecstatically. Her blue eyes glowed with an ageless vitality. At almost fifty, she looked great, though, lately, she’d taken to wearing jogging suits, or maybe she only wore them on Sundays when Megan saw her most often. The one she currently had on was pink with tiny white flowers all over it. She also made her own hair products, which accounted for the darker brown colour of her naturally blonde-grey chin-length hair.
‘Uh, thanks, but I don’t know why you’re getting all teary-eyed about it.’ Wryness dripped out of Megan’s tone. Of course, her mom would think getting time off was a good thing. But what her mother didn’t understand was that it had been less than a week and Megan didn’t have a clue what to do with herself. If she worked out any more, her arms were sure to fall off – that or she’d punch a hole through the punching bag. And, though drinking did have its appeal, she was sure her body would be pickled at the end of a month and that was one alcoholic coma she didn’t want to have to crawl her way out of.
‘Oh!’ Beatrice swatted at Megan’s arm, as if her daughter was being absolutely ridiculous.
‘Hey, kiddo.’ Douglas Matthews came from the bathroom, smiling as he saw his eldest daughter. He held out his hands. ‘How’s my girl?’
‘Hi, Dad.’ Megan leant over to hug him. In his ear, she whispered, ‘Has Mom taken to using a different kind of tea leaf in her drink?’
Instantly getting the joke, he shook his head in denial, chuckling to himself.
‘No, I use the same ones,’ Beatrice said, her hearing as good as ever. The whole implication that she was acting so crazy she must’ve been drinking marijuana went completely over her head. ‘Why? Do you need a reading? Are you unsure about the future? I can brew a fresh –’
‘Um, no, I’m good, Mom. Thanks.’ Megan turned quickly to her father before her mother could insist. ‘Is Ella home?’
‘No,’ her mother answered for him. ‘She called and said she couldn’t make it. I worry about her, but every one of my girls has to follow their path. Besides, I did a reading for her and everything’s going to be all right. I have a feeling she’ll be home soon enough, safe and sound.’
Megan was sorry Ella couldn’t make it, but she really didn’t want her mother’s predictions clanging their way into her hangover. ‘Dad, you got any beer?’
‘Beer?’ Beatrice questioned, horrified. ‘An occasion like this calls for champagne.’
‘Mom, really, it’s not that big a deal.’ Megan followed her out of the entryway. ‘It’s just a few days off and no picture.’
‘What? What do you mean no pictures? And you’re only taking off a few days?’ Beatrice frowned. ‘But what about a trip? You have to take a trip. It’s tradition.’
‘Trip?’ Megan hid her grimace.
Their mother insisted on taking a vacation with each one of her daughters every year – five daughters, five vacations. Well, except that Megan had been a little too busy for anything more than a night spent in a hotel room with her. Even then, she’d been called off to duty the last time.
Seeing her mom’s excited face, she said, ‘All right, I’ve got about a month off and I’ll go on vacation with you.’
‘With me? Really?’ Beatrice nearly jumped up and down like she was on crack.
Ugh, I really need to get my head out of work, Megan thought. The comparisons were getting bad. Maybe a vacation is just what she needed. It would get her out of the city, earn her brownie points with her mother and hopefully take her mind off work. Anything had to be better than getting drunk and obliterating her exercise equipment.
‘Yeah, Mom, really. And I tell you what. I’ll go if you plan it. Hell, invite the sisters for all I –’
‘Don’t swear!’ Beatrice scolded.
‘Sorry,’ Megan said, suddenly feeling like she was twelve. ‘Please, invite the sisters along and rope Dad here into it, too.’
‘Sounds good,’ Douglas said, not needing convincing.
‘Where?’ Beatrice asked, clapping her hands.
‘Anywhere you feel like paying for,’ Megan answered. Hey, she was on a detective’s salary. She couldn’t spring for a big trip. ‘Oh, but no cruises and nothing too isolated. I have to be able to reach the department if they need me.’
‘But . . .’ Beatrice started, only to shake her head, stopping herself. ‘Deal.’
‘Deal,’ Megan said, turning to ask her father about that beer.
‘Girls! Sasha, Zoe!’ Beatrice ran across the living room towards the balcony. ‘Megan said we can go on her honeymoon with her. Isn’t that wonderful? This is going to be so much fun!’
‘Dad, about that drink . . .’ Megan froze. ‘What the fuck did she say?’
‘He seemed really nice.’ Douglas smiled. ‘You didn’t tell us you were dating anyone special. And do try to watch the language, dear. You are better than that.’
‘Ah?’ Megan didn’t know what to say to her father, so instead she ran after her mother. What had the woman done now? Read her future in the tea leaves and found her a Mr Right? Megan knew there was no Mr Right for her so she settled on arresting Mr Wrong. ‘Mother, what have you done?’
Stepping outside on the balcony, she blinked at the brightness of the day until her eyes adjusted. There wasn’t much of a view, just some old brick buildings, but it was outside and high enough that the air seemed fresher. Megan glanced around. First she saw Sasha and Zoe, both of them smirking in amusement which was never a good sign.
Sasha leant back against the balcony’s rail. Her dark-brown knit sweater seemed a little too warm of an outfit, as it fluttered open in the breeze. The long length fell to her thighs like a jacket, showing the matching brown and cream layered T-shirts beneath. A contrast to her blue jeans and fall wear was Zoe in a yellow peasant skirt and cream tank-top with flip-flops.
All of the Matthews women had the same fair complexions. Zoe, Kat and Ella had their mother’s blonde hair and Megan and Sasha took after their father’s dark brown. After so many girls, their parents had resigned themselves to waiting for sons-in-law. Apparently, her mother decided to scheme for men in the family instead of waiting for the girls to find their own husban
ds. Wasn’t Kat’s marriage enough for the woman? Megan could just imagine who her mother would pick out for them.
‘Megan.’
Megan glanced to the side at the familiar voice and grimaced as a little ripple of attraction caught her off guard. Ryan Lucas? Megan had forgotten Kat invited him to come. She knew there was a reason she didn’t want to get out of bed that morning. Silly her for thinking it was because of the pounding headache. When she was at work, she was ready to handle him, but here? She didn’t have an excuse to leave. Not caring if she sounded rude, she asked, ‘What are you doing here?’
Ryan smiled cheerfully at her, taking her by surprise. He looked really sexy in a camel-coloured sweater and dark-blue jeans. Had the man finally run out of T-shirts? This was the first time since they met that she’d seen him in anything else.
Megan didn’t move as he hurried across the balcony to greet her. Why was he looking at her like that? His eyes all soft and warm? The sun reflected off his dark hair, showing strands of lighter brown in its depths. He was clean shaven, a state she’d rarely seen him in. Usually, it was dark out and he had five o’clock shadow lining his jaw. Her hands shook as she reached to touch the side of her head. She could barely remember brushing her hair that morning as she pulled it back into the standard bun, let alone if she’d worn anything nice.
‘Sorry, sweetheart, I couldn’t wait to tell them about us,’ Ryan said.
Did he just say ‘about us’? Sweetheart?
She opened her mouth to protest the insanity, when his hand lifted to her cheek cupping her face in his warm palm. His dark-blue eyes focused in on hers, intense and bold. Instead of her words coming out, Ryan’s mouth came in, covering hers in a kiss. A weak noise of protest started to form as she lifted her arms to shove him off, but then his tongue slid along her bottom lip and her knees instantly weakened.
Along for the Ride Page 3
