Untamed (9 page)

Chapter 9

“We need you to hurry up with your business and get your asses back to base
,” Ridge said.

Tara sighed. “We’ll be there as soon as we can.”

“Brody…” Ridge said.

“Yeah?”

“He has our names and knows our abilities, and it looks like he added Tara’s and Cathy’s names after the fact since they were written in pencil underneath the printed names. You two need to watch each other’s back.”

“10-4
.” Brody reached over and hit the Bluetooth button, disconnecting the call. He stayed uncharacteristically quiet on the way to the bar, barely mumbling replies to her questions as he stared out of the passenger window, toward the setting sun, in a daze. He wouldn’t tell her what he and her father had talked about, only that they had come to a mutual understanding and that her father was on to their game. It wasn’t until they reached the bar that he’d returned to being his charming self, even if a bit more vigilant about scanning their surroundings.

He placed his palm on her lower back and escorted her into the bar
, just as night began to fall. She walked into the darkened room. Soft music played from the jukebox as the band was setting up on stage. A few regulars were perched at the counter sipping drinks and joking with James, her bartender. James waved as they approached. “Hey, boss. I’m glad your back.” James grinned. “I guess the rumors are true.”

She kept a lazy smile on her face
, even as her stomach tied in knots trying to figure out which rumors he could possibly mean. “Which rumors are those, James?”

Tara walked around the bar and pulled two bottles of beer from the cooler, popped the tops
, and handed one to Brody.

“I heard you were back.”

She lifted a brow. “Oh?”

James tossed the rag he’d been using to wipe down the bar over his shoulder. “Peter stopped by about an hour ago looking for you. He mentioned you were back in town and that
ya’ll were getting back together.”

James grinned and tilted his head toward Brody. “I knew he was lying. You’re smarter than that.” James cupped his balled fist. “You want me to take care of him for
ya? If you ask me, he’s overdue for a good asskicking.”

Tara patted James on the back. “Thanks for the heads
-up, but I can handle him.”

She could feel the energy emanating from Brody. She didn’t even have to look at him to tell he was pissed. From the
moment James mentioned Peter’s name, it seemed as though Brody had moved closer to her side and the air around her had thickened. He clasped their fingers together, and he hadn’t let go. She shook her head. “I’m just going to grab some files from my office.”

James
nodded and moved to the other end of the bar, refilling drinks as he went.

****

Tara sauntered into her office and glanced back over her shoulder when she heard the click of her door. “I’ll only be a second.” She grabbed the files off her desk and cradled them against her chest.

“Tara…”

She turned and lifted her brow.

“You’ve seen your grandmother
, and she’s fine. I think it’s time that we leave.”

She frowned
, and he watched as any hope she’d had deflated. “I can’t leave yet. I still need to deal with the restaurant and,” She held up the files. “go over my accounts.”

She
stepped closer to him. “Please, Brody.” Her voice cracked, and he knew he was going to give into her request. “We’ll be extra careful; I just need a couple of days to get everything in order. I’ve been gone for over nine months, if I don’t take care of this stuff now, then I’ll have nothing to come back to when this is all over.”

For each step he
moved closer to her, she stepped back until her butt bumped up against her clean desk. His hands circled her waist as he hoisted her to sit on the hard surface, but he kept his hands where they were. His jeans tightened as he watched the wariness in her eyes. He kneed her legs farther apart and moved between her thighs. “On one condition…” He leaned in closer, hovering just above her lips. Her breath hitched, and damn, did he want her. Her body did a crazy shimmy, similar to a blurry image on television or a lens trying to focus. One minute he was grasping her waist, the next second thin air and then her waist reappeared.

He stepped back
, releasing her. “What the hell was that?”

She groaned
, grabbed his shirt, and pulled him back to where he’d been seconds ago. “Nothing, just ignore it. What’s your one condition?”

She said
it almost too eagerly. Brody grinned. He was breaking down her barriers without her even realizing it. She wanted him as much as he wanted her. The only difference was now he knew it. Checkmate.

“
I’ll give you time to deal with all of this, but we’re still going to practice, only now I say when and where.”

Her mouth parted. Had she been expecting him to demand something else? Maybe a quick roll in the hay as he’d originally suggested? When he took her
— and he would get her into bed—it was going to be anything but quick. It was going to be long and drawn out, and she’d be left boneless and unable to think, just the way he wanted her.

“Agreed?”
he asked and would wait as long as it took for her to say yes. Everything hinged on her agreement, so he stood his ground, crowding her, pressing hard against her body. There would be no mistaking his desire for her. She would feel it and know what she did to him. The silence stretched between them, taunting him to make her give into his demands. He leaned closer, his mouth only centimeters away. “Agreed?”

“Yes.” She answered
in a whisper.

He crushed his lips to hers and pulled her body to the edge of the desk. His tongue stroked the seam of her lips. There wasn’t anything easy about it
; it was demanding and urgent. She opened, and that was the only invitation he needed. His tongue tangled with hers, dipping into the crevices that he’d longed for, teasing, tasting, and building the desire between them. She pushed on his chest. “We can’t do this here.”

“You
’re right.” He stepped back, grabbed the files from her hand, and pulled her out of the isolated office. If he stayed in the cramped room with her much longer, he wouldn’t be able to control himself. “We’re going to need the condoms, the leopard handcuffs, and a nice, soft bed with strong supports.”

He needed air
; he needed to give her time. He needed to plan the next phase of the get-Tara-to-give-in plan he’d just concocted in his head.

“Brody.”
Her voice cracked as she pulled him to a stop.

He threw his arm over her shoulder. “I’m just teasing, cupcake.” He kissed the top of her head and w
hispered into her hair, “The bed is optional.”

Chapter 10

Tara chewed her bottom lip to keep from saying something she might regret. Every nerve ending her in her body was strung tight. If she could have teleported Brody and herself back to her house, she might have done it had her brain not taken that moment to start working again. Throw caution to the wind, he
’d said. Mind-blowing sex, he’d said, teasing her to the point she was almost ready to blow a casket. Mind made up, she grabbed a hold of his hand. A leopard print handcuff appeared around her wrist and one cuff around his.

He gasped
, which made her chuckle. “Time to put up or shut up, stud.”

She dragged him through the bar toward the front door.
“Later, James.” She waved to her bartender in passing. “Call William and tell him I’ll be in late tonight. I’ll check back in with you before I leave town.”

“She’ll be too tied up to check in with him tonight. She’ll call in the morning
,” Brody called over his shoulder and grinned.

James
nodded.

He could have stopped her. One flick of the wrist and Brody could have stopped the game she was playing, but he didn’t. She wished away the cuffs
, breaking their hold as she walked toward the SUV and slid into the driver’s seat. She didn’t have to wait for him to climb in the other side. “Well?”

She turned to him. “Well what?”

“I know you’re in a hurry to get me in the sack, but try not to get a speeding ticket driving back to your place.”

She
rolled her eyes. What he’d said was true, but she’d endured nine months of torture and taunting. She could wait another fifteen minutes until he showed her the real definition of pleasure. A delicious shiver racked her body. “I’m sure I can control myself, Brody.” She put the SUV in drive but didn’t take her foot off the brake. “Last chance for an easy, quick escape. You can go back to base and pretend none of this happened.”

He clasped her fingers
, brought them up to his mouth, and kissed her knuckle. “Not a chance in hell. You’ve committed, and I’m a man of my word. It’s time to play.”

He turned back to the front window. “If you don’t start driving, Tara, I’m liable to
take you right here, right now, in your parking lot for all of your patrons to see.” He wiggled his brows.

She slid her fingers from his and continued to follow the speed limit to her house. Her mind was racing with the implications and possible problems that could arise from them sleeping together
, no matter how much either of them wanted it. It still wasn’t the wisest thing either of them of them had ever done. “Maybe we shouldn’t.”

“We definitely should.”

The rest of the car ride passed in silence. The mounting sexual anticipation was making her wet. Every cell in her body thrummed to life with need, with desire, with want. Her breath quickened when she thought of how it would be between them. Her panties dampened, even as she squeezed her legs together tighter. She throbbed in places long overdue for some attention. And he was the man who could give her everything she wanted. She didn’t even have to ask.

“Baby, you’re not even doing the speed limit.”

She glanced down at the speedometer. She was going five miles under the speed limit. Even the line of passing palm trees looked as though they were crawling by. She didn’t even remember turning on the last two streets, though she knew the route like the back of her hand. The scary part was she hadn’t been paying attention. Her mind had been on other things, much more pleasant things.

“Pull over. Maybe I should drive.”

She shook her head. “Not a chance. We’d be wasting precious time.”

He chuckled and placed his palm on her leg. “We’ve got all night, sweetheart
, and if I have my way, your mind will be blank and you’ll be unable to walk by the time I get through with you.”

She stepped on the gas and bit her lip, sure she’d drawn blood. There was no way she was going to let herself shimmy out of this situation
, especially when she was behind the wheel of a car going faster than legally allowed.

She saw the
red and blue lights behind her before she heard the scream of the siren. “Oh for the love of god.”

The wail of the sirens blared through the car. Tara shook her head and leaned back into the headrest. This wasn’t happening. This wasn’t a sign. No, not now, now when she’d finally gotten the nerve to take Brody up on his offer.

She pulled over to the side of the road. She could see her street sign not even one hundred yards away. She’d almost made it back to her house, almost had Brody in her bed. Almost wasn’t going to cut it. She wanted him, and she wanted him now.

Knuckles wrapped on her window
, and she hit the button and waited for the window to lower. Recognition hit her like a punch in the gut.

Peter was standing in full police uniform outside her window. His gaze landed on Brody’s hand before meeting her gaze.
“License and registration.”

The tension in
Tara’s shoulders eased. “Is this necessary, Peter?”

Tara rooted around in her purse for her license, dumping receipts and a string of condoms in
to Brody’s lap as she continued to dig for her elusive license that liked to burrow itself at the bottom among the change and other things.

“Step out of the vehicle, Ms. Clarkston.”

Tara sighed and glanced at Brody. “Don’t do anything stupid. He’ll use any excuse you give him to throw your ass in jail and lose the key,” she whispered before pushing the door open and stepping out of the car. She tossed her purse back into the driver’s seat. “I can’t find my license. It must be in the back pocket of a pair of jeans or something.”

Brody
twisted in his seat as if he was about to open his door and climb out.

“Stay where you are, Mr. Conn
ors, unless you want to go to jail.”

Thankfully, Brody pulled his door closed. She glanced at him. He had his phone pressed to his ear
, but she couldn’t hear what he was saying.

“It seems I’ve got you
on speeding, failure to yield, reckless driving, and driving without a license. Face the car and lace your fingers behind your head.”

“This won’t hold up in court.”

Peter leaned into her body and whispered, “May not, but it will make me feel better, and it will put a damper on your plans with lover boy.”

He placed the cuffs on her and lowered her into his police car before walking back over to where Brody sat. With the window down
, she heard the taunting. She knew it was coming. “Welcome to Iverson City, Mr. Connors. You’re on my turf now.  I suggest you think twice before coming back into my town. You best be on your way.” Peter tapped the top of the car and continued the taunting before walking away. “I’ll make sure that Tara is well taken care of.”

“Crap.” She closed her eyes and imagined the pink handcuffs in her mind. She imagined one of the cuffs wrap
ped around Brody’s right arm and the other attached to the door handle. She knew the cheap metal wouldn’t hold him for long, but maybe if she was lucky, it would prevent him from getting himself in trouble too. She watched Brody narrow his eyes and glance out of the window toward her. He wiggled his arm.

She gave a little shake of her head to stop him from defending her honor. Because that would be something she could see him doing. He’d have Peter suspended over the bridge and toying with the bastard
, and she didn’t need that in her life. When everything was said and done with Black, Brody wouldn’t be coming back here, but she’d have to live here and put up with his crap for the rest of her life. 

Peter walked back over to the patrol car and slid inside.
He glanced in the rearview mirror and chuckled as he started the patrol car. “It’s a shame lover boy kept his trap closed, I could have hauled him with you.” He shrugged as he started the car. “I would have pegged him for a hothead.”

She leaned back in the seat and looked out the window at the passing tree line
, trying as she might to ignore Peter’s comment. He was clueless when it came to Brody.

“My lawyers are going to tear you to pieces, Peter. You’ll be lucky if you still have your job by the time they get through with you.”

She leaned forward. “You don’t even have radar in here.” She leaned back and grinned. “I bet I’ve even got you on my surveillance camera in the parking lot at the bar. Do you know how to spell
stalker
?” She harrumphed. “You don’t stand a chance.”

“Keep dreaming
, sweetheart.” Five minutes later, he flicked on his blinker and pulled into the station.

Tara tried to keep harmful thoughts from her mind, afraid that a three
-ton brick might fall on the top of the car. That was the last thing she needed. A picture of a handcuff key appeared in her mind and then instantly pressed inside her closed palm. She willed it away, not wanting to add an attempted escape charge to her rap sheet. She bit her lip at the thought of having a record.

Iverson’s finest were
definitely working today. Peter jerked her down the hall and into booking. He smeared each of her fingers in black ink and pushed them on a card. She smiled and turned, holding up the number that would serve as living proof of her situation. Peter stayed uncharacteristically quiet during the whole process. For a brief second she thought maybe he’d come to his senses. When he removed the cuffs and shoved her into the holding cell, her heart dropped into her toes. The asshole hadn’t dropped the charade. He smirked as he slammed the door shut. She’d wanted to reach through the bars and strangle him. Anything to give this jerk a taste of the medicine he was trying to dish
. Bastard
. Her shoulders drooped. He wasn’t letting her go. She could read his face. If he couldn’t have her, then no one would. His actions ran deeper than revenge. Anger ran through her veins as bile rose to her throat. The asshole shouldn’t be able to get away with this. Talk about an abuse of power. If he could throw her in jail under false pretenses, what else was he capable of? Tara grabbed the bars and shook them. “I want my phone call.”

“After I write my report.”
He grinned and left her to rot in the hellhole. She leaned against the wall and slid down it until she landed on the dirty floor. She lifted her hand. The smelly, sticky floor.

She glanced up at the clock on the wall before laying her head down on her arms. When she was allowed her phone call, she’d get out of this mess
, and she’d slap his ass with all kinds of restraining orders and lawsuits. She’d stop this crap before it got any worse.

Someone tapped on the cell bars with a baton
, waking her up. She wiped the sleep from her eyes and glanced up at the clock. Two hours had passed. Two hours and not once had Peter returned to let her have her phone call.

She let her gaze travel up the tall figure standing by her door. He shoved a key in the lock and turned before pulling the door open. “Ms. Clarkston, you’re free to go.”

Tara rose and slapped the dust off her butt. “I am?”

The
police chief cleared his throat. “Well, yes. It seems your commanding officer…” He glanced down at the paper in his hand. “…One General Lister has some high ranking connections. He believes you to be a secret weapon and of vital importance for the safety of our national security.”

She wanted to laugh
, and it took everything she had inside of her to not show any sign of the humor bubbling in her system. Vital importance, national security… well played, General, well played.

“You must have figured out the charges were bogus. What’s going to happen to Peter?”

“The review board will look into his actions and take the appropriate steps.”

****

Tara collected her belongings and stepped out into the lobby. Brody was pacing back and forth, wearing a path in the linoleum. When he noticed her, he stopped. “It’s about time.”

Giving him a
tired smile, Tara walked into his outstretched arms and into his warm embrace. She laid her head against his chest. He kissed her head. “Are you okay?”

She couldn’t talk around the lump in her throat
, so she nodded. Her predicament had finally registered. Peter wasn’t going to stop. He wasn’t going to let go. He might not have gotten his way this time, but there was always a possibility he would the next. That was the one thing she was sure about. There would be a next time unless she put a stop to it and soon. She had the whole legal system on her side along, along with her parents. There was no way she’d lose to a jerk like him.

Brody cupped her face. “
I found the loan papers, and I’ve paid it off for you. The restaurant is now yours free and clear. I’ve even spoken with William and set up an account to handle anything else that happens while you’re gone.”

She shoved against his chest. “I didn’t ask for that.”

“He cupped her cheeks. Tara, I’m afraid your time is up. Some things have happened, and we’re needed back on base. We leave tomorrow afternoon.”

“Brody, I don’t
have the money to pay you back, yet. I was going to get it out of the bar. Hell, that isn’t even enough time to borrow from my parents.”