The Cop Read online

  Her stomach growled again. “If you’re calling out, I like my pizza loaded. If they offer anchovies—”

  “It’s after midnight, a little late for deliveries.”

  She caught up to him at the door. “Wait. If you’re going out for fast food, I’ll come with you.”

  He shot her a horrified look. “You’re a caterer and you eat fast food?”

  J.C. lifted her chin. “I have eclectic tastes. Besides, I get hungry a lot.”

  He lifted both hands palms out. “I’m not criticizing. But I think between us, we can do better than fast food. I used to cook in my father’s restaurant, and I make a mean omelet.”

  She cocked an eyebrow. “So do I, but not without eggs.”

  Nik laughed, and the rich sound of it filling the air made her smile.

  “I’m going to borrow some food from my aunt,” he said as he reached for the doorknob. “I’ll be right back.”

  “Get some cheese, too,” she said. “And tomatoes and onions if she has any. Parsley would be good—and basil.”

  “Oregano is what you need for the perfect omelet.”

  “Maybe I should come with you.”

  “No.” He blocked her when she reached the door, his expression suddenly sober. “I want you to stay here until I get back and lock the door behind me.”

  Her eyes widened. “Do you think someone followed us here?”

  “No, but I didn’t think your pal Snake Eyes would shoot at you in the parking lot with all us cops around, either. So I’m not taking any chances.”

  J.C.’s stomach sank.

  He must have read her expression because he leaned down and kissed her again. It was exactly the kind of kiss a person might get from a buddy. Quick. Friendly. Intellectually, she got it, but her knees betrayed her and turned to jelly. She barely kept herself from leaning in to him.

  “Not to worry, Pipsqueak. He’s not going to get past me. In the meantime, relax and conserve your energy so that we can fight about who gets to make the omelet when I get back.”

  9

  J.C. STARED DOWN at the bag of groceries Nik had just handed her through the door. He was just outside talking to Kit. She knew because she’d ignored what he’d said and had opened the door to check on him. He hadn’t been more than ten feet away, deep in conversation with his brother.

  So why was she feeling so…? What? Ever since he’d left, not more than five minutes ago, she’d felt…odd.

  Frowning, she whirled and carried the bag into the kitchen. He hadn’t been gone more than three minutes when she’d decided to go find him. And not because she was frightened. Oh, that might have been the lie she told herself. But it wasn’t true. What she’d felt when Nik had left the apartment was…something else.

  Loneliness?

  No. She definitely wasn’t feeling lonely. Annoyed with herself, she unpacked the bag, stuffing eggs, cream, butter and cheese into the refrigerator and then placing onions and tomatoes into hanging wire baskets. She never felt lonely. Growing up in a large family sort of prevented that. It hadn’t mattered that she was the only girl. Her younger brothers had treated her just like one of the guys. And she hadn’t felt lonely when she’d moved into her own apartment. In fact, she’d enjoyed the solitude.

  She paused while lifting a skillet out of a cupboard. She couldn’t be missing Nik. That was ridiculous. But hadn’t she felt a surge of relief when she’d seen him at the head of the stairs talking to Kit?

  J.C. turned away from the stove and strode back into the living room. What she was feeling was definitely not the reaction a woman should have to a pal she was just having sex with.

  Think of other things, Jude Catherine. There’s a killer after you so coming up with a plan would be good. She strode into Nik’s small office and found a pencil and a pad. Returning to the living room, she sat on the couch, tucked her feet under her and began to write. First thing in the morning, she and Nik were going to the police station so that she could look at mug shots. Parker had been insistent about that. Tonight, Nik’s captain and her godfather wanted her to rest and recover from the gunshot wound.

  Lifting Nik’s shirt, she glanced at the bandage that covered her upper arm. It was throbbing a little, but it looked fine. Truth be told, she hadn’t thought about it at all while she and Nik had been making love. And it certainly hadn’t impeded them in any way. Nothing had seemed to impede them, she recalled with a smile.

  Then she forced the smile away. Not a good thing to be thinking about, Jude Catherine. She might not be an expert on Buddy sex, but she didn’t think having it should lead to feelings of loneliness; nor should it fuel fantasies of having more of the same.

  J.C. was refocusing her attention on her list when a phone rang. It rang two more times before she located Nik’s cell phone where he’d left it along with his gun on the bookcase. She hesitated only a second before reaching for it. It could be the hospital—or news about Snake Eyes.

  “Hello?”

  “Jude Catherine, is that you?”

  “Daddy?”

  “Where are you? Are you all right? I’ve been worried sick about you.”

  J.C. closed her eyes and prayed for patience. “I’m fine.”

  “Captain Parker tells me that you were shot. He assigned his so-called best man, and this officer let someone put a bullet in you.”

  J.C. rose to her feet. “He didn’t let someone put a bullet in me and it’s only a—”

  “Don’t interrupt me, Jude Catherine. And for once in your life, don’t argue. Obviously, the officer assigned to you is incompetent. You can tell him I’ve made arrangements to—”

  “He’s not an officer. He’s Detective Nik Angelis, and he is not incompetent.” J.C. heard her voice rising, so she paused to take a deep breath.

  “I disagree.”

  J.C. pressed a hand to her temple. She and her father frequently disagreed, and yelling at him was not the best way to handle him.

  “I’ve already told Captain Parker to fire Angelis from the job of bodyguard.”

  “You can’t fire him,” J.C. shouted into the phone.

  “Now, calm down, sweetheart. I know what’s best for you.”

  She felt anger and frustration roll through her. He always thought he knew what was best.

  “I’ve hired a private security firm, Rossi Investigations, and they’re going to take over. One of the men they’ve assigned to you used to be a CIA agent. All you have to do is tell me where you are and they’ll be there as soon as they can. I promise you, sweetheart—you’re going to be safe.”

  Summoning up all the calm she could find, J.C. said, “I’m not going to tell you where I am.” Then she held the phone away from her ear so that she didn’t have to listen to her father’s tirade. He’d run down eventually, and then maybe she could make him really listen.

  Suddenly, the phone was taken out of her hand. She whirled to find Nik standing right behind her. How long had he been there? How much had he heard?

  “Mayor Riley, this is Nik Angelis. I think we should talk.”

  “Put my daughter back on the phone.”

  Nik was standing a few feet away from her, but her father’s voice carried clearly.

  “Not just yet. First, we need to straighten out a few things.” He took her hand and drew her to the couch. Her father continued to talk as they settled themselves on it. Nik kept her hand in his, and she made no attempt to pull hers free.

  When her father finally finished, Nik said, “I share all of your concerns about the safety of your daughter, sir. And I promise you I’m going to keep her safe. But I’m not going to turn her over to the men from Rossi Investigations.”

  J.C.’s gaze flew to Nik’s face. He was being very patient with her father. He’d yet to raise his voice. But there was a tension in the set of his jaw and even in the way he held her hand that told her he wasn’t nearly as calm as he sounded.

  “What do you mean you’re not going to turn her over? I’m told they’re the best se
curity firm in the city.”

  “I agree. They’re small, but they deserve their reputation. I went to UC Berkeley with Luke Rossi. I can vouch for him personally. And the ex-CIA agent you mentioned—that would be Cole Buchanan?”

  There was a pause on the other end of the line. Then Mayor Riley said, “If you know this firm and agree that they’re the best, why are you refusing to turn my daughter over to them?”

  “I have several reasons.” He met J.C.’s eyes. “Top of the list is I never walk away from a job once I start it.”

  J.C. felt some of her own tension ease.

  “I can have your captain call you in and reassign you.”

  “Actually, you can’t, sir. Officially, I’m on vacation this weekend. I’m supposed to be fishing and sailing with my brothers. And I’ve only given you the reason that’s at the top of my list. What should be at the top of yours is that J.C. doesn’t want to be turned over to a security firm. Right now she and I are getting along and she’s cooperating fully. What do you think her attitude will be if you force a new bodyguard on her, one she doesn’t want?”

  There was another silence on the other end of the phone. J.C. felt admiration surge through her. He was making her father think. Patrick Riley was a reasonable man when he could rein in his temper and emotions.

  “She’ll give them a hard time.”

  “I see you know your daughter, sir.”

  To J.C.’s astonishment, the booming sound of her father’s laughter filled the air. “So, it seems, do you.”

  “She may even try to get away from them. I couldn’t allow that to happen. So I’m not turning her over.”

  Another pause and then, “Yes…yes, I can see your concern.”

  “I promise you, sir, I’m not going to let the bastard get another shot at her. You have my word on that. And if it will make you feel any better, if I feel the need for backup, I’ll call Cole Buchanan at Rossi Investigations. I have the number.”

  There was a brief silence on the other end of the line.

  Please, Daddy, she prayed silently.

  Finally, her father said, “Good. For now, I’ll settle for that.” There was another pause. “How is she?”

  J.C. could see the tension drain out of Nik, and she felt her own anxiety fading.

  “I’ll let her tell you, sir.” J.C. took the phone, but she kept her eyes on Nik. “What I am is hungry, and Detective Angelis has promised me an omelet.”

  Her father laughed again. “Take care, little girl. I love you.”

  “I love you, too, Dad.”

  Nik took the phone and set it on the coffee table. He thought of how she’d looked when he’d come into the room—furious, her back ramrod-straight. She’d reminded him of a Greek warrior goddess about to throw a lightning bolt. And yet beneath that bravado was a vulnerability that she didn’t let show too often. Was that why he’d felt such an overwhelming need to rush to her defense and protect her?

  Angling his head to one side, he continued to study her. No other woman had ever made him feel quite that way. Unless they were family. And now, sitting on the couch with him, she looked suddenly tired. Why hadn’t he noticed that before?

  “Did Kit have any news about Roman?” she asked.

  “Nothing that I didn’t find out at the hospital. He has a skull fracture that the doctors believe poses less of a threat than the swelling at the base of his spine. If it doesn’t go down by tomorrow, they’re going to operate. In the meantime, the doctors are keeping him sedated, and they won’t allow any visitors. Not even his family.”

  “I’m so sorry, Nik.”

  “If he could talk to someone, he could fill in a lot of the blanks and help us to figure out what happened.”

  J.C. took his hand. “You’re going to find out what happened, and you’ll clear his name.”

  “Yes.” Nik wondered if the similar assurances he’d given to his brother had been as comforting.

  Lifting her hand, he noted how small it was, how delicate her wrist was. Lowering his head, he brushed his lips over her knuckles and watched her eyes darken.

  Then she cleared her throat. “You handled Dad beautifully. I never have that much patience.”

  “You have to handle him more often than I do. I’m sure I’d have my breaking point. Is he always that…bossy?”

  She sighed as she nodded. “He loves me, but he wants to control my life.”

  Nik thought about that. The moment he’d learned who she was, he’d jumped to the conclusion that she’d been spoiled and pampered. Maybe she’d been pampered, but he doubted she’d been spoiled. He was beginning to understand she’d had to struggle to become the person she was. Looking at her now and really seeing her, he felt something much quieter and richer than desire move through him.

  “Don’t get me wrong. Dad’s a good man. But that’s the way he is with all of us—domineering and overprotective. He likes to run the show and give the orders.”

  Nik bit back a smile. “I wondered where you’d gotten that from.”

  She narrowed her eyes. “I’m going to ignore that comment, but I’m not going to forget it.”

  “Heaven forbid.”

  She cocked her head to one side. “He offered you an out. You didn’t want the job of guarding me. You could have turned me over to this ex-CIA agent and worked on the case to save your brother’s friend.”

  He met her eyes steadily. “No, I couldn’t have. What I said to your father is true. I don’t walk away from a job once I start it. And besides, I like the Rossis and I wanted to protect them. You would have given them a terrible time.”

  Her chin lifted. “Yes. I would have.”

  With his free hand, Nik traced a finger along her jawline. “I haven’t given you an easy time of it.” He didn’t as a rule manhandle women, and he wasn’t at all comfortable with the sliver of guilt moving through him. He hadn’t even been gentle with her when they’d been making love.

  A little frown appeared on her forehead. “Why should you? You were just doing your job.”

  He slid one hand behind her neck and urged her closer. “This isn’t part of my job.” Then he brushed his lips softly against hers. Her sigh, and the way she moved closer, had desire sparking hot and wild inside of him. But he was going to go slow this time.

  Drawing back, he said, “You’re tired.”

  “No. Well…maybe a little.”

  Leaning in to her again, he began to tease her mouth with his, murmuring, “Maybe we ought to give each other a rain check on that omelet.” He slipped his tongue between her lips for a taste. Her flavor nearly broke his resolve.

  “Nik?”

  “Shhh,” he whispered. He ran a hand through the tumble of rich, red curls that were still damp. “So soft. It looks as though it should feel hot, but it doesn’t.”

  She cleared her throat. “If we’re not going to eat, we should go into your study and—”

  “First things first,” he murmured. Lifting her onto his lap, he kissed her eyes shut, then moved his mouth over her cheeks, along her jaw and finally down to the pulse that beat slow and thick at the base of her throat.

  “You want to make love again.”

  “Ever since we stopped making love the last time. This time I’m going to taste you. All over. Starting here.” Nik sank his teeth into her earlobe and whispered, “Any objections?”

  “Shouldn’t we—”

  “You talk too much.” Keeping his eyes on hers, he returned to her mouth, testing, teasing. “I think a little break is in order.” He nipped her bottom lip, then soothed it with his tongue. He unbuttoned the shirt she was wearing and drew it down until it trapped her arms. Struggling against the urge to rush, he turned his attention to her throat.

  J.C. arched her neck back to give him more access. She felt weak. Deliciously so. Her arms weren’t trapped—not really—but they felt heavy. She wondered if she could lift them. But why would she want to when his mouth—so clever, so skillful—was sending ripples of fire and i
ce along her nerve endings.

  She felt the moist warmth of his tongue tracing along her collarbone, and quivered. He brushed his lips over the tops of her breasts and then between them. Her nipples grew tight, hard, but he continued to move his mouth lower. J.C. sighed. “Nik?”

  “Shhh. No orders this time. Just give yourself to me.”

  She felt the whisper of his breath right down to her toes and she could feel herself melting, floating. Helpless to do anything else, she arched back and gave herself over to the sensations. There were so many to absorb—the brush of his lips over her ribs, the scratch of his cheek against her skin, the wet heat of his tongue as it moved lower and lower down her stomach. He lingered at her waist as if there was some flavor there that he couldn’t get enough of.

  Time spun out, and the melting warmth inside of her simmered and threatened to boil. When he finally shifted her off of him and settled her on the couch, she clutched for him. Evading her hands, he stood to shed his clothes.

  Now, she thought. Surely he would take her now, fill that aching inside of her. But he surprised her again by kneeling down in front of her and spreading her thighs apart.

  She lay her hands on his where they rested just above her knees. “I want you. Please.”

  He met her eyes and said, “All of you, remember? I’m going to taste all of you first.”

  He began by moving down the length of her thigh, over her knee and calf to her ankle. Nik lingered there, using his mouth and tongue on her feet. She was a feast, and he wanted more. He shifted his attention to her other leg. There was such a lush warmth here, a light coolness there. Her pulse pounded harder there, stuttered here. And every time her breath hitched, every time she moaned his name, his own blood pounded through him.

  Unable to wait any longer, he cruised his mouth up her inner thigh and took an intoxicating taste of the pink nub at her center. She was like a fine wine and just as seductive.

  J.C. cried out and arched, calling his name. He kept his mouth pressed to her as she rode out the wave of her climax. Then he carefully drew her to the floor, sheathed himself in the condom and found his place between her legs.