Handcuffs and Haints (2 page)

Loneliness washed over her as the truck pulled away and she mounted the steps. Dust motes danced in the afternoon light.

Zoe gasped when she walked into her room. Her clothes lay all over the place, and her laptop was gone.

Nick Wheeler stepped out of his truck, and Zoe made herself walk toward him. She wanted to run. Her heart skittered in her chest almost ten minutes after her find.

“Let me take a look.”

“Please do.” Zoe had called Nick as soon as she saw the mess in her room. He had been right down the road and came back.

“Are you okay?” He stopped halfway up the steps, Zoe trailing behind him.

“Not really. My laptop is gone. I have the novel on my key chain memory, but I just can’t believe it.”

“I’ll get the locks changed by tonight.” Nick took the rest of the steps in leaps.

“Okay.” Zoe whispered the word.
So much for my getting away from him.

She followed him into her bedroom, her hands shaking at the violation of her privacy and belongings. All she wanted to do was pack up what was left and leave.

“So, what’s missing? Just the laptop?” Nick walked around the room, studying everything.

“I think so.” Her jewelry was in the bathroom.

“It almost seems like they were looking for something. It’s hard to tell.” Nick stopped and turned to her.

Zoe sat on the bed with a sigh.

“I wonder what they could have been looking for.”

She heard the speculation in his voice and clenched her fists. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It’s just a question.” Nick shrugged, studying her.

“I have no idea. Just money I guess. There was none here, so they took the laptop.”

“I know. They did, and you’re probably right. I just wonder why they made such a mess.”

“I have no idea. I think I’m leaving as soon as I get packed up.”

Nick walked over and sat down beside her. His thigh brushed hers, and Zoe caught her breath. “I can understand why, but I hope you’ll stay. I want you to know this is a one of…a rare occurrence. When I came by and told you I was here to help, I had no idea something like this would happen. I just wanted you to feel like you had someone to call if you needed anything since you’re single and all.” He looked away from her.

Zoe threw her hands up. “I don’t even have a computer now.”

“You can use mine for as long as you’d like. Did you get to save your manuscript?”

His usage of the proper term reminded Zoe again of his intelligence, of how he was everything she didn’t expect a small town Southern deputy to be.

“I do, and I appreciate the offer.”

“Don’t just appreciate it. Accept it. Please.” He touched her hand, and Zoe took a ragged breath.

“Okay, I will. Here’s hoping yours doesn’t get stolen, too.”

“It won’t. I’m going to have surveillance out here. I’ll bring the computer by when I come back on the first shift.” The closeness of his body distracted Zoe.

“What? I don’t think I’m staying.” She shook her head, not meeting his gaze.

“Please stay. I want you to see how great our little town is, Zoe. I’m so sorry this happened to you.”

The warmth of his words made Zoe’s next protestation fly out of her head. “Well…”

“No buts about it. I’m going to make sure you’re okay. I’ll patrol around here tonight, and I’ll make sure the sheriff keeps someone on the case.” Nick leaned closer to her, and for a crazy moment, Zoe thought he meant to kiss her.

She leaned back a bit, her head swimming. Zoe couldn’t remember a reaction this visceral to any man.

“All right. We’ll see how it goes.” She stood up, needing to distance herself from Nick Wheeler. Turning toward the window, she watched the shimmering leaves of a few old oak trees waving in the breeze.

“Good. Well, I’ve written this up. I’ll call you if I find anything out. Do you want me to bring my computer by when I get off work at six?”

“Sure. That would be great.” Zoe faced him, sucking in a breath as she felt herself spiraling into Nick’s sphere. It felt chaotic and overwhelming.

“I’ll do that then. Let me know if you think of anything else…old enemies that sort of thing.” He grinned at her, and the dimple in his right cheek made her want to sigh like a school girl.

“I will. Thanks again, deputy.” Zoe’s voice came out strident, and she saw him flinch. It gave her a satisfaction to put distance between them.

“Just doing my job.” He pivoted away from her and walked out of the room without another word.

Zoe slumped back onto the bed. “Great. Just great. Now I’ve pissed him off.”

I have a real way of doing that with men.
She squared her shoulders and tried to shrug it off. Better now than later on when she decided he was getting too close, expecting too much…

She walked to the window, hoping he wouldn’t see her there. She watched him get into the car, her heart hurting a little.

“Get over it.”

Zoe straightened up the room as the last rays of the sun went down. The thought still troubled her.
Who could have done this and why?

The doorbell rang, knocking her out of her reverie.

“What now?” She muttered under her breath. Her heart pounded, and her palms sweated. “Screw you. I’m not scared.”

A man she didn’t recognize stood at the door.

“Can I help you?” She didn’t open it.

“I’m your neighbor. Just wanted to come by and be neighborly.” Zoe noticed his forehead had a strange slope to it, when he turned aside to spit. Not a handsome man by any stretch.

“I’m not sure…” She tried to stall, not wanting to open the door.

“Oh, it’s fine. I don’t mean you no harm.” He grinned, and black chew oozed between his teeth.

Zoe tried not to wince as she cracked the door open.

He stuck a booted toe in the door.

She frowned and didn’t open it further.

“How you liking it here so far?” He gave her a slow grin as his gaze traveled the length of her body.

“It’s nice.” She didn’t want to tell him about the break in.

Maybe he did the breaking in. Zoe shivered at the thought, wanting him gone.

“That’s good.” He didn’t try to push his way inside, but he leaned against the doorjamb as if he would never leave.

“Well?”

“You hearin’ any funny noises like around here at night I mean?” He looked down at his feet, a smile playing about his thick, chew stained lips.

“No.” Zoe wasn’t about to tell him about the team of mules she thought she had heard.

“Oh. Well, there’s tell of a ghost ’round this place.” He gave her a serious stare, and Zoe broke eye contact.

“That’s fascinating. No, can’t say I’ve heard or seen anything.” She gave him a tight smile, willing him in her head to go away.

“Well, if you do, I’m your neighbor, just a half mile down the dirt road to your left. You can come by anytime.” He leered at her.

“Thanks. I’ll keep it in mind.”

He moved his boot slowly from the doorway. “Bye now. I’ll come around and check on you again.”

“That’s really not—”

“I insist. We take care of our neighbors here, Miss?”

Zoe’s cheeks grew hot. “Zoe Scott.”

“Pleased to meet you, Zoe. I’m Cletus Pool.”

Cletus?
Zoe had been sure that name was only for
Dukes of Hazzard
characters.

“Nice to meet you. Thanks again.”

She closed the door on his “you’re mighty welcome, Miss Zoe.”

He walked backward, staring and grinning at her all the way to his rusty brown truck. It belched and gulped as he started it, and Zoe breathed a sigh of relief when he was out of sight.

Just as soon as Cletus’ truck disappeared, Nick’s pulled down the drive and disappeared.
What’s he doing?
Zoe caught her breath, wondering if she had hurt his feelings with her brusqueness and hoping she had at the same time.

“I see you met your neighbor.” Nick walked through the door a few minutes later, and the scent of cool waves and water hit her nostrils. He had his full uniform on.

He showered before coming back over.
The thought sent a thrill down her spine. “I see you’re in full dress.” She gave him a slow grin.

“Part of the job. If I get a call, I have to go.”

“I see.”

“But I’m not planning on it.” Nick pulled something out from behind his back. “Here’s the laptop. Use it as long as you need to.”

“Thanks. I really owe you one. It won’t be long. I’m going to get online tonight to order a new one.”

“Good. Take your time.” He moved past her, his arm brushing hers with a sizzle of heat.

“Want something to drink?” She spoke to fill the strange silence that had opened between them.

“No, I’m fine.” He leaned against a kitchen table chair. “I want you to be careful, Zoe.”

The tone of his voice took her breath away. It was serious and filled with concern.

“What do you mean?” The defensiveness he brought out in her was apparent in her shrill question.

“I mean Cletus Pool is a slimeball, and it wouldn’t surprise me if he was the one who broke into your place…or one of his relatives or friends.”

“Really? No way.” Zoe froze in her chair.

“Yeah, I’m afraid it’s possible. He has a criminal record for petty stuff, he’s bad news. A few years back, he got in trouble for messing around on the grounds of this place. When he was questioned about it, he said he was looking for the treasure.” Nick snorted in a half laugh.

“Hmm. Yeah, he mentioned the mule team. He said it was a ghost.”

“He did?” Nick raised a fine dark brow. “Sounds like he wants you to be scared.”

“Well, I’m not.” Zoe met his stare, unflinching as tension grew between them.

“Good. I’m staying here tonight.”

“What?” Her voice came out in a squeak at the thought of him there in the house, so close to her…

“Either in the car or on the couch. It’s up to you.” He licked his lips, and heat shot through her. There was no denying the message in that gesture.

“On the couch. I wouldn’t make you sleep in the car.”

“Sounds good to me, but I would.”

Zoe swallowed, glad she was sitting down since she felt wobbly all over.

“Thank you.” She realized with alarm how early it was. Just past supper time, and she hadn’t eaten. “Are you hungry?”

“Yes, I brought us some Chinese. I just need to get it out of the truck.” He flashed a megawatt smile her way.

“Oh my gosh.” She breathed out as he left the room, trying to gather her thoughts.
How am I going to sleep tonight with him in this house?

“Here you go. I hope you like
kung pao
chicken or chicken with rice or any of the rest of it.”

Zoe laughed. “You brought enough to feed a small army.”

“It’s not good to go hungry when you’re fighting crime.” He winked at her, and she grinned back in spite of her desire to stay reserved, to be safe.

They dug into the food, and she was struck by how comfortable it was just to be with him. “This is wonderful. Thanks so much,” she said around a bite of rice.

“My pleasure. You’ve had a crazy day.”

“Yeah.”

“I feel better being here with you and knowing you’re safe.” He touched her hand, and heat seared where his fingertips lay.

“Nick.” She could hardly speak.

“What?” He massaged her wrist, moving his hand further up her arm.

“Nothing.”

“Oh, I think it’s something, and I feel it, too. The only difference is, I’m not fighting it.” He stood up, moving behind her chair and running his fingers through her hair.

Zoe fought a moan and lost as the pleasure of his warm hands on her scalp overwhelmed her. “Are you here just to seduce me?”

He laughed. “No, I’m here to protect you.”

“I don’t know if a back rub is protection.” His hands kneaded into her tight shoulders, and she sighed with arousal and contentment.

“Maybe not, but if you like it, I won’t stop.”

“I do.”

Nick lifted her shirt, running his hands under it and around her sides to cup her breasts.

“Oh, no.”

“Why not?”

“I can’t.”

“I know you’ve been trying to resist me since you saw me, but I wanted you as soon as I laid eyes on you, Zoe.” He undid her bra and let it fall to the floor. “Get up.”

She heard the note of command in his voice, and her heart leaped at it. “What if I don’t want to?” Her voice was only a tremor.

“I want you to, and I’m not going to let you weasel away from me. I know you like to run, Zoe.”

She stood then as his hands fell from her breasts. “You don’t know anything about me.”

“I think I do. You put up walls to keep people out. You get scared.”

Zoe couldn’t speak as he took her into his arms. “You don’t have to be afraid of me, Zoe.”

Tears sprang to her eyes unbidden.
This is ludicrous, and I’m falling for his two bit lines.
“I bet you say that to all the girls, deputy.”

“Hardly. Only to this girl.” He pulled her shirt off and kissed her, his lips bruising hers in their urgency.

Zoe responded to him, throwing caution to the wind as she pulled his shirt off, too. She traced the contours of his pectoral muscles as he kissed her neck.

A loud crash made them both jump.

“What was that?” Zoe stood still, her heart thumping.

“I don’t know, but I’m not waiting around in here to find out.” Nick had his shirt back on in a flash, disappointment and something like relief surged through Zoe. His gun drawn from its holster on his jeans, he moved outside.

“Get down.” He spoke in a whisper before disappearing outside.

Zoe did as he said, inching toward the door. The thought of him outside and the loud noise…

He’s a big, bad deputy. He can take care of himself…

Nick came back inside, looking grim. “Someone was out there, but I think it was meant to scare you.”

“Don’t they know you’re here?”

“Probably not. I moved my car off into the woods a little.” He gave her a wicked grin.

“My God.”

“Now you see why I wanted to stay with you, Zoe?” Nick moved toward her, and her legs trembled as she remembered she was half-naked.

“Yes, but…”

“No buts about it.” He took her into his arms and picked her up. “Do you think I’ll need to handcuff you to make sure you stick around?”

His words made Zoe’s mind go blank with desire for a moment. She pictured him on top of her…

“No.”

“Just in case, let me go outside and get them.” He kissed her, his tongue teasing hers as he lay her down on the couch.

She watched him walk outside again.

“Oh my goodness.” Zoe put her head in her hands, overwhelmed by lust and tenderness for him. When was the last time a man had made her feel so wanted, protected, and hot?

Nick came back in, the handcuffs dangling from his hands. “Shall we go upstairs? I have some ideas for these.” He winked at her, and heat flooded her body.

Without a word, she nodded, and he followed her upstairs.

I can’t believe this.
Her mind was racing as she felt his hand against the small of her back, and heard the jingling of the cuffs.

They didn’t bother turning on the lights. Nick unbuttoned her jeans as soon as they got near the bed. He pushed her down gently, and she stared up at him, a fully clothed silhouette which was all man and muscle.

“I’ve been wanting to do this since the first time I saw you.” Nick pulled the handcuffs out and moved Zoe up the bed as he kissed her. Spreading her arms, he cuffed her to the bed posts. She whimpered, a bit scared, but mostly exhilarated. “Now you can’t run away from me.” He laughed softly under his breath as he slowly undressed.

Zoe watched his every move as he shed the uniform shirt and revealed his tight, dark chest once again. “I think I’ll wait on the rest, Zoe.”

She moaned, wanting to see the rest of him, to feel his skin against hers.

Instead, he knelt between her legs on his knees. She strained against the cold metal of the handcuffs.

“Just relax.”

“Not so easy to do.”

“Try.” He gave her a long look and then bent over, his fingers on her inner thighs, rubbing and teasing her. The touch of his tongue on her clit gave her a shock, and she yelped with the hot sizzle of it. He applied himself to her clit and stroked her labia as she whimpered.

“How are you feeling, now?”

“Amazing,” she managed to answer as he pushed two fingers inside her.

His tongue against her clit, twirling and teasing and his digits probing brought her to the edge of pleasure within minutes.

“Come for me, Zoe. I want to see your face.”

She gasped, straining against the cuffs as her orgasm threatened.

“That’s right. You’re so sexy.”

Her world exploded as his low, seductive tone washed over her.

“Please let me out of the cuffs.”

“I don’t think so. I want to make sure you don’t run away.”

His words thrilled her, and she waited for his next move as he stroked her trembling thighs. She ached to see him naked, to feel him against her.

“Please…”

“Please what, Zoe?” He stood up, looking down at her as he ran his hands over her stomach and up to her breasts, massaging and teasing the nipples between warm fingers.

“I want to see you naked.” Zoe eyed the large bulge in his pants and imagined touching him, putting him in her mouth. She moaned softly.

“You will, and more than that, too.”

He shucked his pants, putting the holster on the nightstand. Nick slid his pants down, and Zoe hissed at the sight of his erection clad in white briefs.

“You like what you see, baby?”

“Oh, yeah.” She moved against the cuffs, wanting her hands free to touch him, to feel him.

“Good. I’ll let you see it up close and personal in a minute.”

She waited for him to take his shoes off, her pussy growing wet again at the thought of his cock and what he would do with it.

When he stood back up, Zoe grinned at the sight of him. He was long and thick. He gripped her hips without a word, staring into her eyes. His fingers worked at her clit for a moment, and she grew wetter at his touch.

Whimpering, she wrapped her legs around him to urge him on. “Damn these cuffs. I wish I could touch you.” She smiled at him.

“You don’t have to.” He slid into her then, his cock filling her as he angled her hips up and thrust deeply. Nick stopped, sitting inside her. “How’s that?”

“Perfect.” She whimpered as he slid slowly in and out of her, his fingers making swirls over her clit.

“Good.” He pulled her even closer to him, making her moan with a little pain as the cuffs bit into her wrists.

“How you doing?” he whispered as he thrust into her again, driving her once again to the brink of ecstasy.

“Better than fine.”

“I’m going to come. Are you ready?” He smiled at her as he pressed against her clit, sending volts of sensation through her.

“Yes, and when I get out of these cuffs, I’m going to get you.”

He laughed as he grabbed her ass tightly, impaling her on his dick. “We’ll see about that.”

“Oh, it’s a certainty.” She moaned as she reached the edge of orgasm.

“Come for me, baby.” Zoe did as he said, screaming with the sensation of it. She wasn’t sure if it was his body, what he did with his hands and cock or the handcuffs, but her orgasm was earth shattering.

“Sounds like it was a good one. Your pussy is so tight.” Nick gripped her against him, shoving into her one more time as he came and she felt his hot juices explode inside her.

“Oh, yeah.” Zoe moaned, so turned on by him she didn’t know what to do.

He finally released her hips and put her down on the bed gently. Zoe watched him through half closed eyes as he crawled onto the bed and lay beside her.

“What are you thinking?” He massaged her breasts, making her moan again.

“I’m thinking you’re amazing, and I don’t know how I lived most of my life up North without you.”

Nick laughed, kissing her nose. “Let’s get you out of these cuffs. Have you ever done anything like this before?”

Heat rose in her cheeks. “No, but I’d always wondered about it.”

“And now you know.” The cuffs came off with a click, and Zoe stretched and sighed.

“Yes, and I liked it.”

“Good because I do, too, and I plan to use them on you again.”

She rolled over on her side, facing him as she ran a finger down his muscled chest. “Not before I use them on you first.”

“Oh, I don’t know about that.”

“There’s a first time for everything. Is this something you’ve done a lot?” Zoe bit her lip, almost afraid to hear.

“Honestly? No. I’d thought about it, but when I met you, it was all I could think about.” He chuckled softly, and Zoe kissed him.

“I’m honored, I guess.”

“So you want me to stay now?” He gave her a wry grin.

She sighed, laying back with a groan. “I think so. I mean, after all that, I feel like I know you.”

He took her into his arms. “I know you, too, Zoe, and I really care about you.”

“This fast?”

“Yep, this fast. Sometimes you just know, don’t you think?” He stroked her back, and she pressed against him.

“Maybe. I’ve never known before. I’ve just run when I felt pulled to someone. I don’t like being tied down.”

“I won’t tie you down. You can go or stay here as you like. I can visit. We’ll work it out.”

She kissed his warm neck, tears flooding her eyes. “You make so much sense that I don’t want to run.”

“Good, because I have the cuffs anyway.”

They giggled and talked for a while before they drifted into sleep.