PASSIONATE ENCOUNTERS

PASSIONATE
ENCOUNTERS

by

Tory
Richards

TORRID
BOOKS

www.torridbooks.com

 
Published by

TORRID BOOKS

www.torridbooks.com

An Imprint of Whiskey Creek Press LLC

Whiskey Creek Press

PO Box 51052

Casper, WY 82605-1052

Copyright
Ó
2012 by
Tory
Richards

Warning:
The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is
illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without
monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 (five)
years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.

Names,
characters and incidents depicted in this book are products of the author’s
imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events,
locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental
and beyond the intent of the author or the publisher.

No
part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means,
electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any
information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from
the publisher.

ISBN 978-1-
61160
-427-6

Credits

Cover Artist: Gemini Judson

Editor: Fran Mathieson

Printed in the United States of America

WHAT
THEY ARE SAYING ABOUT

SOMEONE
TO LOVE ME

“This is a must read
for all lovers of romance and it contains elements relatable to anyone who has
loved and lost only to unexpectedly find love again. The passionate moments
between the characters are breathtakingly described and the emotions conveyed
are vivid. If you haven't had the pleasure of reading a Tory Richards story,
this is the perfect introduction to her work and a highly recommended read.”

Whipped Cream Erotic Reviews

Rating: 4.5 Cherries

WHAT
THEY ARE SAYING ABOUT

THE
COWBOY WAY

“I bow down in awe at
Ms Richards's ability to craft, spin and captivate with the written word. This
was without a doubt one of the best books I have read in a LONG time!

“There is no doubt that
I will be searching out much more of Ms Richards work to read and no doubt
enjoy as much as I did this story. It is such a treat to find an author who can
make you feel so strongly toward the story they have written. Ms Richards...you
are my hero!”

Whipped Cream Erotic Review

Best Book Rating

WHAT
THEY ARE SAYING ABOUT

WICKED
DESIRE

“Matt and Maggie have
serious chemistry. You feel it as the author describes the scenes and their
feelings even outside the actual action. There is a hint of danger running
through that injects just enough suspense to keep you reading and invested in
what’s going to happen next. The secondary characters are interesting and well
developed and help to propel the story to its conclusion. Any one of them would
make an interesting side story themselves. I absolutely loved how the author
could throw in so many scenes that were rife with sexual tension until even
you, the reader, says enough already—they just have to get together!

“
Wicked Desire
is a thoroughly enjoyable story that, although is of the erotic type, really
takes a lot of time to develop the plot and the characters so the book is not
just one sex scene after another. Outstanding and highly recommended read!”

Manic Readers

Rating: 5

WHAT
THEY ARE SAYING ABOUT

IT’S
ALL IN THE JEANS

“Tory Richards can
write a hot story!
It’s All In The Jeans
is a scorcher, with enough of a
plot that it goes beyond being only erotic romance. Libby and Logan both show
strong attachments to their grandparents, something that makes them both
realistic. They make an agreement to come together for purely sexual reasons
but both feel their attraction going to another level. Margaret and Vincent,
two seniors who show there’s still life beneath white hair, are loveable to the
point of distraction. I laughed with them and cried over them, but the tears
were pure joy. Tory Richards has written a hot story that shows that love is a
good thing, at any age!”

Fallen Angels Reviews

Rating: 5 Angels

Other
Books by Author Available at Torrid Books:

www.torridbooks.com

Cupid’s Arrow

The Senator’s Daughter

It’s All in the Jeans

Wicked Desire

The Cowboy Way

Someone to Love Me

D
edication

I
dedicate this book to my cousin Mary Lockhart,

who
always makes her attic (private joke) available to me.

Thank
you for giving me a place to come home to.

I
love you!

Chapter 1

Detective Mike Denton turned down the road to 113 Madison
Drive with a feeling in his gut that warned him his life was about to change.
It wasn’t anything he could put his finger on; he just knew. And he hadn’t made
up his mind yet if it was a good feeling or not. He drove down the quiet street
slowly, pulling to the curb when he spotted the house. It was a newer home with
a double car garage revealing a small silver sports car inside, the name of
which eluded him. A
for sale
sign with the bold letters SOLD written
across it was standing on the immaculate front lawn.

He contemplated waiting in his squad car for the paramedics
to arrive, knowing what was probably waiting for him inside. For the first time
he was sorry he’d put in for the overtime; he was a homicide detective. But these
days the department was running short of officers and until the new man hired
the week before was up to speed, volunteers had been called on to take extra
shifts. If he hadn’t just returned from a two-week vacation with Melissa he
probably would have passed. But let no one in the department throw it in his
face later that he wasn’t a team player when the need arose.

The feeling in his stomach intensified and Mike began to
wonder if maybe it was the result of the high cholesterol breakfast he’d gobbled
down an hour before. Somehow he doubted that was the case; he’d eaten the same
breakfast many times without any complications. Taking a deep breath, he
decided he’d better go inside. From where he sat he could see the front door
was already open.

He slipped out from behind the wheel and strode unhurriedly
to the screen door. Just as he was about to ring the doorbell a noise from
inside made him hesitate. He listened, trying to determine what it could be.
Was the TV on? Maybe it was the radio. He couldn’t tell. He punched the
doorbell and called out at the same time, “Hello, anyone there?”

Someone should be home. The call had come from somebody
inside the house less than half an hour ago. However, Mike’s vast experience
over the years prepared him for anything. It wasn’t uncommon for someone to
phone in a death and then leave the scene for whatever reason, especially if it
involved a loved one. There were no set rules to what kind of reactions to
expect.

There was no response. Next time he rapped his knuckles against
the metal doorframe, which somehow seemed louder than the doorbell. “Hello!” he
hollered, testing the doorknob and finding it unlocked. “Is anyone home?”
Against his better judgment he opened the screen door. Walking cautiously
inside, he let his eyes scan the area as he made his way through the front
foyer. Self-preservation and too many times of walking in on a bad situation
prompted him to keep his hand on the butt of his revolver.

As he stepped through the large archway that led to the
living room, his eyes were automatically drawn to the woman standing quietly by
the sliding glass door. Her arms were folded and it was obvious she was deep in
thought and staring at something outside, which explained why she hadn’t heard
him calling out. He moved further into the room, hoping he wouldn’t frighten
her. She was small, not more than five feet five, dressed in what he assumed
were satin pajamas. His lips twitched with humor when he realized they were
decorated with little yellow smiley faces.

Her russet hair was tumbling in disarray about her slender
shoulders. From what Mike could see, her complexion was like a sun-ripened
peach, smooth and healthy, almost glowing in the early-morning light shining
through the glass. It was hard to tell from her profile but he gauged her age
to be somewhere around thirty.

And thirty had never looked so good! She was a sexy little
package he’d like to unwrap!

“Ma’am?” he called out softly. His gaze automatically
searched the room for the body.

He could finally hear the sirens in the distance, and he
silently thanked god. The paramedics could take over once they arrived.
Soothing distraught women wasn’t one of his strong points. It made him uncomfortable
as hell, especially when they expected a strong shoulder to cry on while being
comforted. He didn’t have that problem when he responded to a homicide. Usually
no one stuck around to claim the body.

“Ma’am?”

The woman jumped slightly and finally swung his way, her
eyes rounding with surprise and mild fear before taking in his uniform.

He sensed her calm at once, watching her body relax back
against the glass door as she reached up to wipe the glistening tear tracks
lining her cheeks, while looking at him with eyes that reminded him of a
wounded doe. Again he scanned the area for the body. Pretty or not, he had a
job to do.

“I’m Mike Denton with the Stratton Police Department, ma’am.
Where’s the body?” His tone was all business.

She cleared her throat before responding in a velvet voice,
husky with drained emotion, “Over there.” She pointed. “I’m surprised they sent
a police officer though…”

Mike only half-listened, intent on locating the body. He
went in the direction she indicated, halting in stunned disbelief in the
doorway. There was a body all right, on the floor of what appeared to be an
office. The woman had attempted to cover it up with a throw of some kind. All
he could do was stand there and stare at the long, brown legs sticking out from
beneath it.

There were four of them.

“I don’t believe this…” he mumbled beneath his breath. He
bent to lift a corner of the blanket and frowned at what met his eyes. A Great
Dane if he knew his dogs. Seeing no apparent wounds or trauma to the body, he
had a gut feeling that the dog had probably died of natural causes.

This is why she’d called the police?
He stood with
growing irritation, trying to decipher how this could have happened. He had
better things to do than waste time responding to calls about dead animals.
When he rejoined her in the living room, what little anger that had surfaced
quickly evaporated. There had to be a logical explanation and experience had
taught him to get the story before jumping to conclusions. The look on her face
told him she was devastated over the loss of her dog. She looked soft and
vulnerable and in need of comfort. The sudden urge to take her into his arms
came from nowhere, catching him by surprise.

Yeah Mike, like you’re interested in comforting her. You
just want her against you.

“Ma’am, you don’t call 911 over the death of an animal.” He
tried to keep his voice kind. The sirens were closer now and Mike guessed he
had about five minutes before they would be at the front door.

“I didn’t,” she rushed out, then quickly corrected herself,
“I mean, technically I did but only because I didn’t know who else to call.
Cupid’s Arrow…”

Mike frowned, almost afraid to ask. “Cupid’s Arrow?”

“The dog,” she explained. “I was taking care of him for a
neighbor. When I woke this morning I found him like this. He was very old. I
don’t know how I’m going to tell the Rentschlers; this is going to kill them.
They’re very devoted to Cupid’s Arrow; you see it’s because of him they met in
the first place. He’s part of the fam—”

Her pouty lips were moving a hundred miles a minute and all
Mike could think about was how much he’d like to chew on them for a moment.
Taste what looked as sweet as sugar, and maybe further, the nectar inside.

He listened to her rambling for a moment and shook his head,
trying to make sense of why he was wasting his time.

“You still dialed 911,” he reminded her. He tried but failed
to ignore the way her pajamas fit against her, outlining generous curves. Or
how the early morning sun that was shining through the window brought out the
highlights of red fire in her auburn hair.

“I explained I didn’t know whom to call,” she reminded him
in return, smiling. “I told the 911 operator what the situation was. I thought
she understood me.”

Damn, she had dimples. In addition, those chocolate eyes of
hers were moving over him in a way that made him think of melting ice cream on
a hot summer day. Soft, smooth and creamy, making him uncomfortably warm. He
doubted she was even aware of her appeal. He remained silent for a moment,
trying to get his temperature back under control. Who was the dispatch operator
that morning? It would be easy enough to trace. If her story didn’t pan out he
could always return later and give her a citation.

That would certainly give him an excuse to see her again.
Maybe ask her out for a drink once the business at hand was settled.
Not so
fast, Mike old boy!
He withdrew his pad and pen, and reminded himself he
wasn’t in the market for female companionship. Not the permanent kind anyway.
The woman in front of him didn’t look like she’d jump at a chance for a one-night
stand.

“You’re not going to give me a ticket, are you?” she gasped
in a disbelieving tone.

Mike’s gaze shot back up to hers, taking in the heightened
color on her cheeks and the way she was gnawing on the inside of her lip. Damn,
that bottom lip was sexy.

Why did everything about her affect him so strongly? Maybe
his body was trying to tell him something. Like it was hungry for something
other than work and food for a change. Something more pleasurable like a good
fuck.

Aware she was waiting for a response, he said, “Not at this
time, ma’am. I just want to jot down a few notes. But I’ll be back if I find
out you’re not telling me the truth.” Hearing the sudden commotion at the door,
he realized the paramedics had arrived. “Excuse me for a moment.”

It didn’t take him long to explain the situation to them and
by the time he returned to the living room the woman was gone. He swung around.
A noise coming from the kitchen drew his attention. She was standing on the
other side of the counter that separated the two rooms. She offered him a
smile. “Would you like a cup of coffee, Mr. Denton?”

She might as well have asked him if he wanted to go to bed.
The timbre of her smoky voice raked mercilessly over every one of Mike’s
dormant senses. It ignited a fire of need in his blood so fast that it shocked
him. “It’s…” He hesitated from saying detective since he was in a police
uniform, and he wasn’t in the mood for explanations. “No, thank you, ma’am.”

When she ran her slender fingers through her wild hair, he
literally caught his breath, his stomach clenching into a tight ball.
What
the hell is the matter with me?
He made a mental note not to order the sausage
at Smoky Joe’s anymore, as he watched her move gracefully about the kitchen for
a moment before getting back to the task at hand. After writing down a few more
notes, he flipped the pad closed and slid it into his pocket.

“My name’s Emma Stuart,” she said unnecessarily, telling
Mike what he already knew. “What about Cupid’s Arrow?” He glanced up. “I can’t
move him by myself.”

“I’ll call Animal Control.” He was surprised to find he was
reluctant to leave. It was on the tip of his tongue to accept her earlier offer
of coffee. It smelled a heck of a lot better than the black tar Smoky Joe’s
served up. Moreover, she was a hell of a lot more appealing than the missing
front tooth, straggly hair waitress Joe had serving for him behind the counter.

“Thank you,” she said with obvious relief. “I’m sorry for
all the confusion.” She sounded sincere.

“No problem,” he found himself saying. “I’ll be in touch
if—”

“I know.”

Her radiant smile caught Mike off-guard again.

“If I haven’t been telling you the truth.”

Her smile was like the warmth of the sun on a cold winter
day. The first breath of fresh air after emerging from a smoke filled bar. The
water that quenched a dying man’s thirst. For a long moment Mike was
mesmerized; his eyes fastened on her soft mouth as if he’d never seen a smile
before. He finally raised his gaze to hers once more, somersaulting headfirst
into those dark mysterious pools. Swallowing with difficulty, he made up his
mind then and there. He was going back to Smoky Joe’s and demanding his money
back!

* * *
*

No sooner had Officer Handsome left than the phone began to
ring. The sound nearly drew a cry of fright from Emma. She reached for it,
watching him with interest from her kitchen window as he sauntered to his
cruiser in a sexy gait that made her mouth water. She wasn’t in the market for
a man, but she couldn’t help admire his powerful physique. After all, she
wasn’t dead. Plus a man in uniform had always held a certain appeal.

Her eyes measured the way his broad shoulders filled out his
navy police uniform before running down the straight line of his backside,
finally settling on the stretch of material over his taut buttocks.
Goodness,
he had a nice body. I wonder if he’s as hard as his muscles imply.

To her mortification he glanced back just as he was getting
into his cruiser, to catch her ogling him! She quickly stepped back, but not
before she saw the white of his crooked grin.

“Hello?” she said into the receiver while closing the
blinds. And tried to ignore the sudden heat spreading through her body.

“Mom, it’s me. Did someone pick up Cupid’s Arrow yet?”

Emma smiled at the concern in Amanda’s tone. “They’re on
their way.” She decided not to tell her about the mix-up. They’d been talking
on the phone earlier when Emma had switched to the portable so she could go in
search of the too-quiet dog.

“Do you want me to come over?”

“Of course not.” She smiled, wondering if Amanda knew how motherly
she sounded all of a sudden. Emma could always tell when she had something on
her mind. She’d been about to ask her a question earlier when finding Cupid’s
Arrow had cut their conversation short.