To Trust a Cop. Sharon Hartley

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      CHAPTER FOUR

      MERLENE SURRENDERED TO the tide of pleasure sweeping through her, oblivious to anything but the power of Cody’s kiss. Magic, that’s what it was. Sweet, soul-stealing magic she was powerless to resist, had no wish to resist.

      He made a husky noise, a rumbling deep in his throat. Arms corded with muscle gathered her close. He was warm, strong, solid as an ancient oak. She arched toward him, needing to get closer, wanting to feel the safety of his strength crushed against her.

      Until an insistent, shrill beep echoed through the Toyota.

      She stiffened and pulled away. Cody eased her back against her seat but didn’t release her.

      “Ignore it,” he growled.

      She swallowed. “It’s D.J. He’ll be worried.” She cringed at the catch in her voice but grabbed her cell phone.

      “Oh, well...if it’s D.J.,” Cody muttered as he slumped against the passenger seat.

      A green light glowed in the dark car when Merlene flipped open her phone. What had just happened? Her heart galloped as she focused on the keypad. Fighting to control her trembling fingers, she punched in D.J.’s speed number. He answered immediately.

      “What’s going on, Merl?” D.J. barked. “Why didn’t you answer?”

      “Nothing is going on, D.J. I couldn’t get to my phone in time.” No need to tell him why.

      “You scared me a bit,” her boss said. “I got plumb worried.”

      “Sorry. But everything is fine. The doctor arrived home around nine and is probably tucked into bed for the night. I’ll go on home around midnight as usual, get some sleep and be back here before he leaves for work tomorrow.”

      “Sounds good,” D.J. said. “Talk to you tomorrow.”

      “You feeling okay?”

      “Fine.” D.J. hung up, and the tone of the off button sounded in the quiet car.

      “He likes to check on me,” Merlene said. Watching the light of the numbers dim, cold reality settled over her. What would have happened if D.J. hadn’t called her? She needed to get Cody out of her car.

      “You’d better go,” she said.

      Cody turned to her with a frown. “What’s wrong?”

      What’s wrong? What was right? Good Lord, how could she make out in a car like a hormone-impaired teenager? During an assignment, no less.

      “I’m working, and you shouldn’t be here,” she said. “Now who’s the one interfering?”

      His brows arched. “What?”

      “You heard me. You’re interfering with my investigation, distracting me from the job.”

      “Come on, Merlene. I’m keeping you company on a boring stakeout.”

      “What would your precious police department think about me crashing one of their stakeouts and seducing an officer on duty?”

      He opened his mouth to speak, then tightened his jaw without speaking. She looked away, recalling how easily she’d given in when he’d urged her lips apart. Furious with herself for succumbing to his potent attraction, she searched for the quickest way to make him leave. So what would piss him off? She could ask for money. That should work.

      “How much is the Miami-Dade P.D. willing to pay for help with your little problem?”

      “Pay?”

      She shrugged. “I don’t work for free.” Yeah, maybe this was a lame idea, but the best she could come up with on short notice. Next time she’d know better than to unlock the car door.

      “You know damn well I’ve been pulled from the case. I can’t pay you. I hoped you’d cooperate.”

      “Typical of the police.” She folded her arms across her chest and stared out the windshield. “All take and no give.” Her cheek tingled from the scratch of his beard. She longed to run her fingers where he’d touched her. She didn’t dare look at him.

      “What the hell are you talking about?” Finally he sounded angry. Took him long enough.

      She shrugged. “Money talks. I have bills to pay.”

      He lifted her hand and wiggled the finger with the diamond ring. “Doesn’t your ex-husband pay your bills?”

      She snatched her hand back. “That’s none of your business.”

      She held her breath waiting for his reaction.

      “No,” he said, dragging out the word. “I guess it’s not.” He opened the car door, then paused and glanced at her over his shoulder. “I’ll be sure to tell my sister you liked the soup.”

      Merlene watched him walk away, surprised by the tears stinging her eyes. With him gone, her car felt empty. Lonely. Lifeless.

      Her heart felt empty, too. Like a big pit she’d seen once in the Ozark Mountains.

      She hated the look on his face when she’d asked for payment. Now he obviously thought she was a greedy witch. She only asked for money to get him out of the car.

      But she would make the video he requested and send him a copy. He might call her to say thanks, but she suspected there was a good chance she’d never see him again after this little episode. Who could blame him?

      The thought that she’d never see him again made her sorry she’d answered D.J.’s call.

      She’d been hungry most of her life. Sometimes for food, always for love. When very young, often escape from freezing weather was what she hungered for most. But when Cody kissed her she’d felt...full, as if she finally had enough of whatever she needed. Well, at least she couldn’t imagine needing anything else during that kiss.

      Problem was, this new sense of fullness was addictive. How could anyone resist a feeling that made you feel so good, even if lasted only briefly?

      Yeah, and wasn’t that the way drugs worked? She thought of the pill mills Cody had told her about tonight, and how her client’s husband helped make addicts СКАЧАТЬ