Burnout (NYPD Blue & Gold) (8 page)

The heat rising in her face had nothing to do with the blazing sun. She wasn’t helpless, she was a New York City detective, for Christ’s sake. So it was a little hard getting the lug nuts off. She
could
change a tire.

Annoyance turned to fascination as a light sheen of sweat covered Mike’s forearms, making them glisten in the blazing sunlight. As he maneuvered the jack beneath the car, the muscles in his arms rippled and bunched, making Cassie want to run her fingertips over the hard ridges. The guy could have been a cover model. On second thought, he was too raw and too much man. Everything tempting and everything she should stay away from.

He gave her a sideways look as he cranked the jack. “So how long you figure on staying in town?”

Mike eased the flat tire off the wheel hub and rolled it to the back of the Trail Blazer. He lifted out the spare, carrying it effortlessly, then shoved it onto the lug screws.

“Don’t know.” She watched as he screwed on the nuts. “Maybe ’til you get sick of my chili.”

He gave her that damned grin of his she was actually coming to like. “Then you’ll be here a helluva long time.”

Cassie couldn’t stop herself and smiled. “Don’t count on it, sailor.”

“Got any family?” Mike cranked the jack to lower the SUV to the pavement, then tightened the nuts with the wrench.

“Some.” She frowned. Mike’s questions were innocuous enough, but to an undercover cop who’d spent years perfecting the art of subtle questioning, she saw it for precisely what it was. An interrogation. The man knew darned well something was off about her being in this town, and he was bound and determined to find out what. He was too smart for her own good. Keeping her distance was the only way to avoid another inquisition.

“You sure ask a lot of questions,” she said, trying to inject a note of humor in her voice.

“You don’t answer them.”

“Maybe I’m shy.”

Mike had been about to pick up her flat tire but stood and shook his head. His broad shoulders blocked out the sun, casting a large shadow over her. “Lady, there’s not a shy bone in your body.”

Cassie pursed her lips. “Why is it you think you know me so well?”

He chucked her under her chin with one of his long fingers. “Sweetheart, I may not know where you’re from or what you’re doing here, but you and I both know you’re hiding from something. Or some
one
.”

For a second, she stopped breathing.
Way too close to the truth for comfort.
“I am not—”

“I’m not finished.” Mike gripped her chin lightly but firmly between his thumb and forefinger. The cool, unyielding face of a street-hardened cop stared down at her. His voice took on a distinct edge. “If you’re involved with anything illegal, I suggest you walk away from this town now and never look back.”

“I am
not
involved in anything illegal.” She jerked her chin from his hand. “And where do you get off accusing me of that? You don’t know a thing about me.”

“And you refuse to enlighten me.”

Much as she wanted to slap him, Cassie realized he was only doing his job, protecting the residents of Hopewell Springs. And he was right about her. Even if he was wrong. His instincts were too freaking perfect.

Mike glanced her way. “Ever been arrested?”

Cassie stopped breathing. It had only been a couple of weeks since Dom cuffed her behind the bar at La Femme, but for that job she’d used a different undercover name. Seven months earlier, Cassandra Younger—the name she went by now, in Hopewell Springs—had been picked up by the uniforms as part of an undercover burglary gig. And three months before that, Cassie Younger had been arrested in connection with a scumbag drug dealer selling controlled substances to high school students. As far as she knew, both those old arrests were still in NYSPIN and NCIC, the state and national criminal history databases.

“I promise you, I’ve never done anything illegal in my life.” Her real life, that was. “And I would
never
do anything to hurt
anyone
in this town.”

“Hope so. If there’s one thing I don’t tolerate, it’s a liar.” Mike watched her for what seemed like an eternity.

“I am not lying.”
Well, kind of.
“And I’m not a criminal.” That, at least, was the truth.

He nodded slightly, as if accepting her answer, then picked up the flat tire as if it were no heavier than a paperweight. He heaved it inside the back of her Trail Blazer then turned so abruptly he practically slammed into her. His hands grasped her shoulders. Hers grasped his waist.

The next thing Cassie felt were his hands sliding down her arms…

His lips on hers.

Chapter Six

A deep, primal, tingling sensation erupted low in Cassie’s belly. Currents, warm and wonderful, snaked up and down her torso, encircling her neck and shoulders. Then the worst thing imaginable happened.

Her legs wobbled.

Oh, no. Please, God, no.

Mom always said that when a man makes you go weak in the knees, he’s
the one.

Mike’s lips were warm on hers, his breath fanning her face. His delicious scent invaded her every pore. Something hard pressed against her belly, but she couldn’t tell if it was Mike’s arousal or one of the dozen pieces of police-issued hardware on his duty belt.

As his lips feathered hers, he slipped one hand into her hair, pulling it out of the hair band. Despite the overpowering way he had her pinned, his touch was gentle, caressing. When he lifted his gaze to hers, it was hungry. He pulled her closer, her nipples hardening on contact with his chest.

She willingly melted into his arms, sliding her hands up his chest to link them around his neck. The kiss grew hotter, frantic. He took, she gave. He moaned, a hoarse, sexy sound that sent chills up and down her spine. All Cassie’s inhibitions about Mike being a cop faded into oblivion.

For several minutes, he slanted his lips across her mouth at every possible angle, tasting, caressing with erotic swipes of his tongue. Cassie kneaded the corded muscles of Mike’s neck, loving the way they rippled beneath her fingertips. She wanted to rip off his shirt and tear that thick Kevlar vest off him to get to his bare chest.

Very large, very warm hands slid beneath her shirt and across her bare back. A moment later, his hands were cupping her now-tender, aching breasts. She arched into his hands as he trailed his lips down her cheek to her jaw. Everywhere his hot mouth touched her trembling skin, she burned.

Through the fabric of her running bra, he flicked at her nipples, driving them to hardened peaks until she thought she’d die from need.

Mike lowered his mouth to her neck, then lower still, dropping light kisses on the curves of her breasts above the low neckline of her shirt. He fastened his mouth on one of her nipples, sucking hungrily at the fabric covering her super-sensitized breasts. She moaned and pulled him tighter to her. He bit and nipped until she was ready to scream. God, but she wanted his mouth and tongue on her bare breasts. She inhaled breath after ragged breath as he alternately laved both her nipples with his tongue and teeth, massaging her breasts, squeezing them gently.

With his knee, Mike parted her legs and hauled her against his upper thigh. His impressive erection pressed against her hip, undeniable proof he was as aroused as she was. He took her mouth again in another heated kiss, wild with so much unbridled urgency her belly quivered.

If this was how the man kissed…

In the distance, a car horn blared.

With a groan, Mike released her, pulling away until there was a good two feet between them.

He stared at her hungrily, taking deep breaths. She, too, could barely breathe. Her pulse continued hammering away, nearly drowning out a car as it rounded the bend and drove past them.

Cassie licked her lips, tasting him, smelling him all around her, willing him to reach out and kiss her again. But it was obvious from the look on his face that touching her now was the last thing on his mind.

Dark brows drew together, blue eyes flashing with something akin to anger. Mike took another step back, clearing his throat and dragging his hand down his face. But not before lowering his gaze to where Cassie was certain her shirt was damp from where his mouth and tongue had ravaged her nipples.

“You should go.” His tone was curt.

Cassie widened her eyes.
What the hell?
He might as well have slapped her. One minute the man aroused her with passion she didn’t know existed, and the next he treated her as if she had the plague. Gritting her teeth, it was all she could do not to belt him a good one. Fury spiked her blood with more adrenaline than a quadruple shot of espresso.

“Do you really think you can grope and manhandle me, then discard me like a tramp two seconds later?”
And make me start to feel something for you.
“If I could spit nails through your body armor, I’d gladly swallow a whole box.”

Mike regarded her with about the same interest he’d give a piece of lint. Here she was a veritable ball of unchained, revved-up nerve endings and he stood there all cool and unaffected. It took every ounce of restraint not to burst into tears. She’d lowered her defenses and look where it had gotten her. Clearly her lust, or feelings, or whatever it was, was one-sided.

Fine. If he can turn it off, so can I.

Bastard.

…

“Just when I was beginning to think you were different, you go and reaffirm my belief you’re nothing but a pig-headed, badge-heavy, chauvinistic cop.” With a disgusted huff, Cassie crossed her arms over her chest.

Shit. I really am a shit.

Mike tilted his head back a moment and blew out a breath before meeting Cassie’s icy glare.

“Cassie, I—”
Am scared shitless of letting you in
, he wanted to say, but didn’t. Couldn’t.

The pained, angry look in her eyes tugged at his heart, making him feel every bit the asshole he was. He had nothing to blame but his own stupid, Neanderthal libido.
And my own fears.

Cassie clamped her jaws tight and turned her back to him.

“C’mon, Raven. We’re outta here.”

She pointed to the Trail Blazer and Raven shot into the back of the SUV. Cassie slammed the rear door shut and stormed to the driver’s side. After getting in, she slammed that door shut as well.

The engine started, but before she put the truck in gear, Mike hustled to the open window and rested his forearms on the ledge. As she rammed a pair of dark sunglasses on, he glimpsed the hint of tears glistening in her eyes.

You did that, you dumbass.

“I’m sorry,” he said, trying like hell to put every ounce of the sincere regret he felt into his words. “I shouldn’t have done that, and I’m sorry. It was…unprofessional.”

Cassie’s hands shook slightly where they gripped the steering wheel.

“Forget it,” she said tightly. “I won’t tell your girlfriend.”

He smiled. “Don’t have one of those.”

Above the dark sunglasses, Cassie’s brow lifted. “Sure you don’t.”

Sensing she was about to put the pedal to the metal, Mike lifted his arms from the window. Sure enough, the Trail Blazer shot off down the road toward town.

Mike watched her, shaking his head, amazed at what a jerk he could still be.

It must have been the feel of her soft skin that had gotten his blood boiling. Or her soft, full breasts fitting so perfectly in his hands. Kissing her had been his final mistake, turning his brain to mud. If that car horn hadn’t blasted some common sense into his muddy, drugged-out brain, he would have gone horizontal with her right there on a public road! Damn, he never should have touched her.

But he couldn’t help himself.

Mike headed back to his Explorer and started the engine, cranking the AC to the max. He was sweating like a pig, but he honestly didn’t know if it was due to the outside temperature or the way Cassie twisted him into knots.

Yeah, he’d definitely hurt her, but he’d needed space or he would have given in to a woman he knew virtually nothing about. He still couldn’t go there, and he suspected it would take a miracle to get him to open up to a woman again. The thought of getting stomped into the mud again was enough to make his chest go tight.

Major sexual attraction aside, Cassie struck him as a woman who could take care of herself, and he admired that. Even if she couldn’t admit she needed his help changing a flat.

He’d pissed her off good, particularly his crack about breaking a nail. He could see it in the way her eyes blazed, hot enough to burn off his nuts. While she’d been struggling with the lug wrench it had been all he could do not to stare at her shapely toned body, especially that incredible ass beneath those skin-tight hot pink shorts.

Mike ran his fingers over his stubbly chin.

Stupid, Flannery. Real stupid.

Despite his concerns, Mike unexpectedly found his gut tightening at the thought of Cassie getting hurt. Truth was, he’d been scared by how close she’d come to getting killed, and that bothered him on a personal level. Why that was, he couldn’t fathom.

Maybe she was running away from an ex-boyfriend or husband.

Cassie married?

If an estranged husband tracked her to Hopewell Springs, things could get ugly. He knew firsthand how quickly domestic squabbles could turn deadly.

He slowed the Explorer, waving to a father and son walking on the shoulder and carrying fishing poles. As he drove past, Mike wondered if he’d ever have children of his own. Oddly, that question brought his thoughts back to Cassie. He still couldn’t get the image of her holding that baby in the Nest out of his head.

Don’t even think it, bonehead. Not with a woman hiding something. Been there, done that. Got severely raked over the coals.

Yet as he gunned the Explorer back toward town, the more-than-memorable vision of Cassie’s spectacular ass in those sinfully tight running shorts invaded his brain.

And stayed there.

Chapter Seven

Two days had passed since her hot encounter with Mike on the road outside of town, and between plating orders of butternut squash risotto with braised beef, Cassie busied her mind by making a mental inventory arguing both sides of the burning question: could the hit man really figure out where she was hiding, or was she overreacting?

She was certain she hadn’t been followed upstate, she was too good for that and would have easily spotted a tail. She was equally certain she hadn’t divulged her location in a call to either Dom’s or Gray’s bugged desk phone. But could someone have overheard an in-person conversation at the precinct?

With a potential leak inside the department, anything was possible. She needed to be extra vigilant and keep her head low.

That meant maintaining a safe distance from the suspicious and irritating chief of police.

Mike hadn’t been to the Nest once since helping her change the flat and that suited her fine. He’d made her feel used. Worse, her lack of self-control when he’d touched her was downright frightening, and she didn’t need that right now.

The encounter had left a burning imprint on her nerve endings and her common sense. The man was as deep and seductive as velvety chocolate mousse. The way he could turn it on and off left her wondering if he was only using this blatant sexual attraction sizzling between them to get past her defenses and probe into her personal life. Then again, what did she really think would happen between them right there in the middle of the street? He was a public official, on duty and in uniform, no less, and from everything she’d learned about him, he was a consummate professional.

No, what really bugged her was that she’d actually started to like the guy.

Not only was Mike intelligent, but he had more of a sense of humor than she’d initially given him credit for. At least for a cop, anyway. And Raven adored him. The furry little harlot had watched longingly in Mike’s direction, whining as they’d driven off.

As she slid another lunch special onto the order ledge, she noted the Nest was nearly filled to capacity, something that pleased her to no end. That, and the numerous compliments on her new dishes. Rose had even given her a small raise. Ironic, since technically, she still had a job with the NYPD and was now pulling in two paychecks. Maybe she’d donate her second income to a worthy charity.

“If you’re keeping an eye out for Mike,” Sue said, nodding to the door, “between patrolling and organizing everything for the Police Benevolent Association picnic table this Sunday, he’s probably too busy to stop in.”

“I was not—” Cassie gave up and laughed. Sue might think she was surveilling the door for Mike, but in reality, she was maintaining a watchful eye for strangers or anyone else who stood out in a homicidal kind of way.

“The day of the picnic, the Nest not only shuts down for the day but opens late the following day. It’s become a town tradition,” Sue went on. “All of Hopewell Springs takes over Effinger Park well into the night to watch the fireworks. Mike organizes that, too.”

“Of course he does.” Cassie’s tone dripped with sarcasm. “The man’s a saint. There has to be a flaw.” Because if she put aside Mike’s on-off attitude toward her, in the span of two weeks he’d totally undermined her preconceived notions of male cops.

A high-pitched voice pierced the air. Cassie and Sue leaned around the refrigerator to see what species could produce such a painfully shrill noise. There was Mike with his arm around a petite brunette in an expensive-looking ivory silk skirt and matching sleeveless blouse.

Feeling self-conscious, Cassie glanced down at the food-stained apron tied to her waist and her drab purple cotton T-shirt and blue jeans.

Mike guided the woman to a table by the window directly across from the kitchen opening. Both were laughing and had eyes only for each other. No sooner had they seated themselves than Mike took the woman’s hand in his and smiled. That warm, gooey, mashed potato smile.

“Who’s that woman?” Cassie asked Sue.

“Never seen her before.” Sue’s tone was suspicious. “Like I said, I never saw him bring a woman in here. Ever. Give me a sec. I’ll get the scoop on her.” She squeezed Cassie’s arm and headed out to the dining area.

Cassie yanked several slips off the order wheel, practically tearing them in half. While reading them, she darted a few quick glances at Mike and his date. The woman was not only pretty but on the verge of stunning.

Dark brown hair curled and bobbed stylishly above her shoulders. Her skin tone was flawless. Deep pink lipstick outlined a set of heart-shaped lips that would be the envy of any cover model. Cassie couldn’t see what color her eyes were because the woman had eyes only for Mike.

She groaned. Just when she’d begun to admit maybe she had real feelings for the guy, he had to flaunt his Cover Girl girlfriend in her face.

No girlfriend, huh?

This from a man who’d made it unequivocally clear only yesterday how much he didn’t tolerate liars. Cassie didn’t need to be an experienced detective to decipher the body language. It was obvious how much he and this stunning beauty were infatuated with each other.

Mike Flannery was the biggest liar of them all, rat bastard. As expected, he’d finally shown his true cop colors. Navy blue with a gold stripe down both sides. And all this after she’d fessed up about her last cop-date being such an ass.
A Flannery-type ass.
At least she now had the answer to one burning question. No way had Mike’s physical interest in her been sincere, not with a woman like that waiting for him at home.

Sue approached Mike’s table with a coffee pot in her hand. While she couldn’t hear what was said, Cassie saw both Mike and the woman nod. Sue poured them cups of coffee and went back to her other customers.

Cassie snatched up a cleaver and started hacking away at the potatoes sitting on the thick butcher-block table. The cleaver echoed loudly as she whacked away.

“Hey, Cass,” Chuck called out, laughing. “We do have a prep chef for that.”

She shot Chuck an I’d-kill-you-if-it-was-legal look.

“Okay, okay.” He stifled more laughter.

So did Leo. Even Danny snickered as he loaded dirty plates into the sink.

Oh, great. Does everyone in this place think I’m pining away after Mike?

Another ten minutes listening to Mike’s date titter at his every word and Cassie was ready to scream. He stood and tossed a few dollars onto the table, then curved his arm around the woman’s tiny waist and led her outside to a cream-colored T-Bird convertible. Figures, everything about the woman was chic.

The woman bestowed Mike with a glorious deep pink smile, then stood on her tiptoes and linked her arms around his neck. She planted a kiss on his cheek, then wrapped him in a tight hug.
Oh, brother.
After the woman drove off, Mike paused as a shiny blue Honda cruised slowly along Main Street. As the car neared Mike, it sped up and kept going.

On his way back toward the door to the Nest, Mike stopped and cast a suspicious glance at the blue car. Jimmy’s cruiser eased into an empty parking space next to Mike’s Explorer. Jimmy got out and spoke with Mike for a minute, both men’s gazes now trailing the blue car as it disappeared down Main Street.

When Mike and Jimmy came inside and sat at the counter, Cassie grabbed a large metal spoon to stir the fresh pot of chili she’d cooked up earlier in the day. The identity of the mystery woman with Mike still irked her, and before she knew it she’d spattered chili onto the stove with angry strokes of the spoon. As she reached for an unopened bottle of chipotle hot sauce, Sue came up behind her.

“I have no idea who that little chickie is,” she whispered into Cassie’s ear. “Mike introduced her as Moira. They didn’t order any food. Apparently she was in a hurry, but he’s coming back in for his chili. Said he has to eat in a rush, what with picnic preparations and all, so how’s about spooning up a large bowl for me, will you? I’ll get Jimmy’s beef stew.” Sue patted her on the shoulder. “Don’t you worry, we’ll get the dish on that woman later.”

“Never flaunts his women around town, huh?” Cassie shot Sue a sarcastic look before setting the metal spoon onto the counter. She struggled to uncap the bottle of chipotle hot sauce, grunting when the cap finally popped off. “Well, he sure is flaunting this one. No girlfriend, my ass.”

“I’m telling you, it’s a first,” Sue said as she began dishing up a large crock of stew from an adjacent pot. “It’s not like him at all.”

Cassie glared at the pot of chili. She didn’t grow up with three older brothers without learning how to give as good as she got. Hadn’t Mike said that to her, that he gave as good as he got?

A lightbulb went on in Cassie’s brain—the immature prankster side of her cranium. This would be the perfect time for her repressed sense of humor to join forces with her sudden need for payback. Both were itching to cut loose.

“I’ll get him his chili, all right.” She grabbed a large bowl from the shelf overhead, then picked up a ladle and dished the bowl high.

“Thanks, hon.” Sue held out her free hand for the bowl.

“Wait.” Cassie twisted her mouth into an impish smile. “I’m not done yet.” She set the bowl down and emptied the entire bottle of chipotle hot sauce into the chili she’d dished up for Mike. Sue gasped, but Cassie ignored her and proceeded to delicately mix the hot sauce into the chili. “If that man wants to flaunt what a hunk-a-burnin’ love he is, then let him burn.”

“Uh, Cass?” Chuck stared at her.

She looked up to see that Chuck and Leo had also seen her spike the chili.

Leo raised his brows. “Isn’t that a tad strong?”

“I will
not
bring that to him.” Sue sent her a reprimanding glare. “No matter what he’s done, he doesn’t deserve that.”

“Fine. I’ll bring it to him myself.” Cassie wiped the rim of the bowl with a towel and sprinkled a hefty handful of grated cheese over the top.

“Why?” Sue asked as Cassie took the crock of stew from her.

“For lying to me and for making me—” What, jealous?

Please, not the green-eyed monster.

Turning back to Sue, she insisted, “It’s a joke. It won’t hurt him. I only want to send him a message.”

“What message?” Sue grimaced. “That you want to burn out his esophagus?”

Cassie considered not going through with her prank, but the image of Mike hugging that woman tightly in front of half the town was permanently branded into her brain.

She walked out to serve Mike, sporting the sweetest smile she could dummy up. “Hello, Mike.” She nodded to Jimmy as she served him his stew. “Hello, Jimmy.”

“Cass.” Jimmy smiled, then swept his gaze alternately from her face to Mike’s, as if sensing the dark undercurrent brewing between them.

Cassie set the bowl of chili onto the counter in front of Mike. Dark blue eyes bored into her. Dark, suspicious eyes.

Nothing I say or do gets past this guy. He’s already at Def Con One.

“Here’s your chili. This one’s free, gentlemen. My treat.” She smiled again and batted her eyelashes. “Too bad your
girlfriend
couldn’t stay for lunch.”

He cracked a smile as he picked up a spoon. “Already told you, don’t have one of those.”

Not wanting to be in close proximity for the first bite, Cassie ignored Mike’s answer and scurried back to the kitchen to position herself and enjoy the show. Chuck, Leo, and Danny quickly lowered their heads and got back to work. Sue hustled out to the dining room.

Cassie kept one eye on Mike through the kitchen opening, pretending to chop vegetables. When he scooped up a heaping mouthful of chili, she held her breath, waiting for him to swallow.

Mike paused with the spoonful of chili halfway to his mouth. His gaze lifted and caught hers. She froze, unable to look away. His eyes narrowed suspiciously. Slowly, he set the spoon back into the bowl and crossed his arms over his broad chest, his eyes never leaving hers.

Uh-oh. He knows.

How the man knew what she’d done, Cassie hadn’t a clue. It was as if he could read her mind, anticipate her every move.

No sooner had she finished the thought when Mike stood abruptly and grabbed the bowl of chili. He rounded the counter and bore down on her in the kitchen. He plunked the bowl onto the stainless-steel prep table in front of her.

Cassie cocked her head, feigning confusion. “Something wrong with your lunch, Chief?”

“You tell me.” He pushed the bowl closer to her side of the table.

Around them, all activity in the kitchen ceased. Chuck, Leo, and Danny paused to witness the confrontation.

Mike came around to her side of the table and scooped up a spoonful of chili. He held the spoon a few inches from her mouth. “You first.”

“Me first, what?” Cassie responded, holding her ground and sporting the most innocent look she could muster.

“The first bite.” Mike moved the spoon until it was practically right under her nose.

Cassie resisted the urge to back away, but another few seconds and she’d have no choice. Peppery steam spiraled from the chili to her nose, then to her eyes, which instantly began tearing from all the hot sauce. Her nostrils flared, and she could barely keep from sneezing. She blinked rapidly, unable to stem the tears from rolling down her cheeks. Another second and she couldn’t take it, turning away to grab a paper towel and sneeze four times in rapid succession.

“Yeah.” Mike snorted. “That’s what I thought.” He smirked and dropped the spoon into the bowl.

From behind her, Cassie heard Chuck, Leo, and Danny snickering.

Well, damn
. She didn’t know why it bothered her so much that Mike had won this battle of wills. Then the image of him kissing that beautiful woman right in front of her and everyone else at the Nest reminded her why.

After she let out another sneeze, Mike leaned in close until she could feel his warm breath on her neck. An involuntary shiver ran through Cassie’s body, partly from the effect he always had on her and partly out of the slightest fear he’d arrest her for attempted assault on a police officer.