Cop's Passion (28 page)

“Mmmm.”
Smiling, she relaxed.

“Maddy.”

“Don’t tell me
you want to talk right now,” she said drowsily.

His hand landed
lightly on her bottom, making her jump, but then he rubbed the spot
and that produced all kinds of sensations that made her blood
stir.

“I just wanted
to tell you something,” he said.

“Okay.” She
sighed. “What is it?”

“Well, if you
really don’t want to know…”

“No, come on. I
don’t want you crying afterwards and saying I was only interested
in your body.” She grinned. “

“Well, if
you’re sure?”

“I’m sure. I
wouldn’t want you to complain to your friends that I’m insensitive.
Tell me what’s on your mind, sweetie.”

“I think I
smell something burning.”

“Oh no! My
cake!”

Leaping out of
the bed, she dragged the dressing gown off the end of it and
wrapped it around her before racing to the kitchen, Mike’s laughter
following her all the way.

The big
Neanderthal.

~*~

Coming home
from work, Mike stopped the motorbike in front of the garage.
Swinging his leg over it, he took off the helmet and then the
gloves before opening the garage door and wheeling the bike inside.
Once he had the door shut, he went into the house.

In the kitchen
he took off the leather jacket and pulled the little box out of the
pocket. Snapping it open, he looked down at the ring.

It was just
right. Small, dainty, the amethyst stone sparkling between the two
small diamonds. It was different, that’s what had caught his eye in
the jeweller’s shop. Just like his Maddy.

He hoped she
liked it.

The sound of
his door opening had him sticking his head around the corner of the
kitchen doorway, but he knew it wouldn’t be his little love, she
was still at work for a few more hours yet.

Nope, striding
down his hallway were Tim and Rick.

“Aren’t you
both supposed to be working?” he queried as Rick dropped into a
chair at the table and Tim helped himself to the iced coffee from
the ‘fridge.

“It’s Saturday
afternoon,” Tim replied. “The vet clinic is closed, and doctors
overcharge their patients so they don’t have to work much.”

“And yet Cherry
still lets you play with him,” Mike said to Rick.

“Poor bastard
doesn’t have many friends,” Rick replied. “And you know Cherry and
her soft heart, always drawn to the pathetic.”

“I’ll tell
Cherry you said that,” Tim said.

“And I’ll kick
your arse.”

“Oh my.” Tim
gave a delicious shiver. “Violence. I love it. It just does it for
me, big boy.”

Ignoring him,
Rick’s gaze fell to the ring box. “So, you really went and did it,
huh?”

“Yeah.” Mike
nodded towards the box. “What do you think?”

Rick opened the
lid and raised his brows. “Wow. Nice.”

Tim looked over
his shoulder. “For once I have to say, very nice. Who chose
it?”

“Me, of
course.”

“Okay, I am
impressed. Aren’t you impressed, Rick?”

“Very
impressed.”

Mike snatched
the box out of Rick’s hands. “Arseholes.”

Unperturbed,
Tim dropped down into a chair and lifted his legs to rest his heels
on the edge of the table. “So when are you going to give it to
her?”

“Tonight.
Today. This afternoon. Tomorrow.” Mike stared at the box. “I don’t
know.”

There was
silence for several seconds and then Tim whistled. “Whoa. Is the
big, bad cop actually afraid?”

Mike scowled at
him.

“Oh yeah, I can
see those deer in the head lights look.” Eyes gleaming in
amusement, Tim took a mouthful of iced coffee.

“Enjoy the
liquid diet,” Mike snarled, “because you’ll be having a lot of it
once I remove your teeth with my fist.”

“What is it
with men and violence?” Tim fanned his face.

“Ignore the
single jerk.” Rick grinned. “Take it from me, every man is nervous
when it comes to asking a woman to marry him.”

“Really?” Mike
looked down at the ring box in his palm. “Even you?”

“Yeah, near on
shit myself. But don’t let Cherry know that.”

“Oh, the
sensitivity of the moment.” Tim placed the back of his wrist to his
forehead. “You girls are breaking my heart.”

Rick looked at
him. “One day, numb nuts, this’ll be you, and then we’ll see who’s
laughing.”

“There will
never be the day a woman gets me in as many knots as Cherry and
Maddy have had you two.” Tim sucked down his iced coffee with
confidence. “There’s not a woman on this earth that can do
that.”

“Yeah, you keep
believing that.” Rick turned back to Mike. “Best advice I can give
is to pick the right moment and present it to her.”

Mike frowned.
“So should I do it tonight or tomorrow?”

“I don’t know.
When the time is right.”

“Tonight we’re
going to the movies.”

“Better give it
to her before then,” Tim advised. “You want to make her committed
before she finds out your appalling taste in movies.”

“And you need
to be committed,” Rick said. “In a hospital for the disturbingly
insane.”

“I’m just
saying.” Tim spread his hands.

“Ignore the
moron.” Rick nodded at the box in Mike’s hand. “You’ll know when
the time is right.”

Mike placed the
ring box on the kitchen bench and then scowled down at the kitten
that came around the corner of the bench and meowed up at him.
“You’ve got plenty of food in the laundry, so don’t go giving me
those looks and attitude.”

Rick looked in
amusement at the kitten. “So, haven’t gotten it a home yet,
huh?”

“Maddy’s too
fond of Yamaha.” Going to the ‘fridge, Mike took some raw mince
from the chiller and put it down on the floor in front of the
kitten.

“Yamaha?”
Rick’s brows almost shot up into his hairline.

“Yeah. If we
have to have the fur ball, it needs a decent name.”

“But Yamaha?
Really? You named it after a motorcycle?”

Tim shook his
head. “You’d be better off naming it after the Suzuki
motorcycle.”

Rick stared at
him.

“Then you can
shorten her name to Suzi.” Tim’s eyes danced with amusement.

Mike shot a
look at his friend. “She?”

“Yeah. It’s a
girl. Don’t worry, when she has kittens you can name them after
mini-bike brands.”

“Kittens?” Mike
picked up the kitten and held her to eye level.

Yamaha batted
playfully at him.

“Don’t even
think it.” He glared at her. “No kittens. You’re being sterilised
as soon as you’re old enough. Meanwhile, you aren’t going outside.
Ever.”

“Aw, look,” Tim
cooed. “Daddy’s getting all upset at the thought of his baby girl
growing up and going out to boink the neighbourhood boys.”

Mike scowled at
him.

His friends
stayed for another hour before leaving. Once they were gone, Mike
changed into a t-shirt and singlet, lifted weights in the spare
room and then went for a jog. When he returned home, he took a
shower and changed into long pants and a t-shirt. Yamaha was curled
up on his bed, but she opened her eyes and came bouncing across the
mattress to him.

“Don’t try and
be cute,” Mike told her. “You conniving little wench.” He gave her
an affectionate pat on the head, then ended up rubbing her belly
and playing on the bed with her with his hand, while she grappled
and bit at him, making him laugh as her little back feet kicked his
wrist while she wrapped her paws around his hand.

Going back to
the kitchen, he picked up the ring box and opened the lid to gaze
at it again. Yeah, he was sure Maddy would like it. He hoped so.
But when the hell should he give it to her? When would be the
perfect moment?

Glancing at the
kitchen clock, he knew that Maddy should be home any moment, but
the time grew later and still she hadn’t returned. When she was two
hours later than she should have been, it was starting to get dark
and he was getting worried. He was reaching for the phone when it
rang. Picking up the receiver, he breathed a sigh of relief when he
heard her.

“Mike, I am so
sorry,” she said. “One of my patients had a heart attack as soon as
I walked into his house. I’ve just come from the hospital and from
talking to his family. I had to file a report, but I’m on my way
home now.”

“Maddy,” he
interrupted her. “It’s fine. As long as you’re safe.”

“I’m going to
make us late. I am so sorry.”

“Don’t hurry.
We’ll get there in time.”

“We might do. I
can be ready in about fifteen minutes.”

A thought
crossing his mind, Mike walked to the lounge room window to look
out. Yep, Maddy’s car had just rolled to a halt and she was getting
out of the driver’s door with the mobile phone to her ear. “You’re
not driving and talking on the mobile phone at the same time, are
you?”

“What?” She
glanced around. “Of course not.”

“You are such a
criminal.” He shook his head.

She looked over
towards his window and now she had the deer in the head light
expression. Then she grinned and waved to him. “You’re the one who
made me get a mobile, remember?”

“I’m also the
one who enforces the law. Remember?” He maintained a stern
expression while watching her, fighting the twitch of his lips.

“Oh, baby,
force me.
Force
me.”

“Don’t tempt
me.”

“Oh wait, I
have to get ready to go to the movies, remember? It’ll have to
wait. Toodle-loo!” With a laugh and the phone clicking off, Maddy
bounded up the steps of the veranda and out of sight.

Mike shook his
head, amusement and annoyance both going through him. They were
going to have to have a serious talk about the safety of mobile
phones and driving.

Going to his
room, he changed into a shirt and black pants, socks and black
shoes. Getting a jacket out of the cupboard he put it on and
grimaced. Jeans and t-shirts were more his fashion forte, but for
tonight he’d suffer it.

Putting his
wallet in his pocket, he picked up the kitten in one hand, went to
the kitchen and gathered up a little bag containing some of her
toys, and locked the house. Jumping the fence easily, he used his
own key to open Maddy’s security screen and entered.

“Honey, I’m
home!” he called out, grinning.

“Be there in a
minute,” she called back.

Placing Yamaha
on the floor, he watched as she pranced delightedly up to Chaz, who
laid back his ears and ran with the kitten in full pursuit. Within
seconds they were both bouncing off the lounge room furniture and
chasing each other.

Yamaha was
Chaz’s new best friend
ever
.

Yep, Yamaha was
just as home in Maddy’s place as was Mike. In fact…He looked at the
walls separating their duplexes. He had an idea but like the ring,
he wasn’t sure exactly when he should suggest it. So he decided to
wait and hope like hell that Rick was correct and he’d know when
the right moment arrived.

Maddy stepped
out of the bedroom and his eyes devoured her hungrily. Oh yeah, she
certainly got his blood coursing every time he saw her.

Tonight she had
dressed in a knee-length, flowing, pale blue gown that skimmed all
those luscious curves, and over it she had a dainty little bolero
in a darker blue with silver glints catching the light. In her hand
she held a little black purse and as she walked forward he saw that
she wore medium-heeled black pumps. Her silky brown hair swept her
shoulders and her grey eyes looked at him happily, though a little
uncertainly.

“Sorry about
the mobile phone thing,” she said. “It was dangerous and silly. My
only excuse is that I knew you would worry and I forgot to ring you
earlier.”

He caught her
around the waist and drew her to him, bending to kiss her gently.
“Apology accepted.” Slapping her delectable bottom lightly, he made
her giggle as he added, “Now.”

Oh, how he
loved to make her smile and laugh, just as he loved to see her warm
and sleepy-eyed when she awoke in the mornings, or looked at him
out of hot eyes filled with desire.

How he loved
every bit of this delightful, luscious lady.

She moved past
him. “I think we’re going to be late. I’m sorry again.” Whirling
around, she placed her hand over her bottom and grinned. “I’ll make
that up to you later.”

Placing a hand
in the small of her back, he laughed as he steered her to the front
door. “I’ll keep you to that.”

He held the
door as Maddy slid into the passenger seat of her car and then he
went behind the steering wheel. He had to bring the seat right
back.

“Maybe we need
a bigger car,” she observed. “One for you.”

“I’ve got my
motorbike.” He started the car and looked haughtily at her. “My
beloved motorbike.”

“The
sound-barrier breaker. Sad, very sad.”

“You love it.
Admit it.” He pulled the car onto the road and accelerated. “When
we went out for a ride on it last week you loved every minute.”

“Don’t mistake
me clinging to you like grim death as loving it.” She shuddered.
“Sorry, Mike, your bike and I will never have a love
relationship.”

“Guess I’m the
only one doing the riding around here.” He leered. “In more ways
than one.”

Maddy rolled
her eyes.

“So,” he
continued. “How’s your patient?”

“Stable for
now, but that could change.” She sighed. “He’s elderly and it’s not
his first heart attack.”

“I’m sorry.”
Knowing how much she enjoyed her job and how much her patients
meant to her, he reached over and gave her hand a squeeze.

“That’s okay.”
She squeezed his hand back. “How’s your work going? Glad to be back
on patrol, I’ll bet.”

“I do keep
watch for a certain law-breaking Golden Link nurse, but apart from
that worry, all is good.”