Fast and Easy
Fast and Easy
When love arrives, it doesn't come quietly. Especially for Carmen Redstone and Donato Genonese, partners in a squad car, lovers at every opportunity. Nothing can cool the blaze of passion ignited between them, not even an accidental shooting that could have ended both their careers.
Fate brings them back together professionally, but Carmen isn't ready to commit to anything more. Held prisoner by past hurt and a nightmare memory in every corner, Carmen fears her deep love for Don will be thrown back in her face. But Don plans to make her his once and for all.
When Don seeks a lifetime commitment from Carmen, she'll have to decide if she's ready to go to him, heart in hand and with a love to last for all time.
Genre:
Contemporary
Length:
31,981 words
FAST AND EASY
Betty Womack
EROTIC ROMANCE
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK
IMPRINT: Erotic Romance
Copyright © 2009 by Betty Womack
E-book ISBN: 1-60601-631-8
First E-book Publication: October 2009
Cover design by Jinger Heaston
All cover art and logo copyright © 2009 by Siren Publishing, Inc.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED:
This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.
All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.
PUBLISHER
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
BETTY WOMACK
Copyright © 2009
Chapter One
The last time they worked together, Carmen Redstone shot him in the ass.
Denato Genonese never let her live it down. Of course it had been an accident, one he’d caused with hotshot one-upmanship.
She couldn’t believe the department had reassigned her to ride with the jerk again.
She never liked him, hated his swaggering ways and the way he took the lead all the time.
Visiting him in the hospital taught her how deep his asshole ways went. The wise guy had ordered her to check her weapon outside the door. He’d grinned, but his cop buddies had a good laugh at her expense.
After that, she’d gone out of her way to avoid him. She’d been roughed up in that drug bust too, but he never mentioned the broken arm she got out of it.
He barely glanced her way when he came into the conference room, his limp a gross exaggeration to remind her of her error in judgment.
She wished her hair would stay put. Tendrils crawled out of the tight bun she rolled it into. The room was hot, and the fine sheen of sweat on her face embarrassed her.
The August heat of Kansas City wasn’t the reason for the sweat. Seeing him again brought back inferno-hot memories of the one time they screwed like minks in a cage.
The arrogant bastard in battered jeans and a white polo still raised her temperature. Damn the luck. He came toward her.
“Carmen.” He flicked a glance over her. “Captain tell you?”
“Tell me what?” She wasn’t about to broach the subject of them working as a team. “I’m sure you’re busting to lay it on me.”
The habit of resting his hand on the butt of the Glock on his trim waist seemed more of a taunt now. “My partner transferred out to Denver. I’m stuck with you.”
This was so like him. He’d been blunt before, but this was pure dung coming from his mouth.
She covered the hurt with as little anger as possible. “Maybe they think you need someone to take over when the heat’s on.” The drone of the old fan in the corner seemed louder than usual. “I’ll see you in the parking lot.”
“You can ask for another man to ride with.” He reached in his back pocket to pull out his wallet. “I’ll buy your lunch, and we can figure out where you want to go.”
“Very sensitive of you, Don.” She stood and shoved him out of her way. “It takes a man to make me do anything.”
“You’re looking at him, babe.” He stuck the wallet back in his pocket.
He was only a couple inches taller than her five foot eight, but his body was prime muscle and able to back up any threat he made.
“Yeah, I’m looking at a loud-mouthed jerk who can’t understand the way this job works.”
He gazed at her, the accessing stare familiar. “You can’t be lecturing me on procedures?” He flicked a finger at her escaping hair. “You have no idea how to take a man down without killing everyone else.”
“Our shift has started.” His nasty comments stung. “Let’s go, or are you still on disability?”
“You plan to put me back on it?”
He wouldn’t let it go. She wasn’t going to weasel out and let him tongue lash her.
She remembered his way with that tongue. It had driven her wild. The gleam in his dark eyes assured her he was remembering that fuck. Staked out for two days, she’d gotten bored, and he’d gotten horny. She’d given him everything right there among the fast food boxes and soda cans.
He’d almost passed out with excitement.
“Don.” She avoided eye contact with him, picking up her sunglasses and notepad. “I’ll see if Captain Wesman will assign you another detective.”
That grabbed his attention, and he looked ready to explode. “Not on your life.” He lowered his voice as if to make sure she listened to him. “Wouldn’t that look great on my record? ‘Genoese couldn’t handle the stress of partnering with a female.’” He smiled sardonically. “Stay out of my business, Redstone. Unless you want to go on stakeout again.” He winked at her. “I’ll make an exception for that.”
“You couldn’t handle it, Genonese.” She wasn’t going to back off until he did. “Next time, I’ll shoot you in your brain pan. That would be your ass.”
He shot a dark glare in her direction. “Let’s go.” He walked ahead of her and ignored the door closing in her face.
Her quick stride got her to their assigned squad car first, and she opened the door to driver’s side.
She was hauled back against him as she tried to get in the patrol car. He’d hooked a finger in her belt loop. “Get out.” He pulled her back from the car and jerked on the loop several times. “I want to live through the night.”
He hadn’t touched her since the motel room, but his hands still sent lightning bolts zapping through her. “Get your hands off my ass.”
The group of officers a few yards away cut their lively conversation to observe what went on between her and Genonese. There were too many witnesses around to smash him in the face. This would be one long fucking night. She’d make sure it was the last night they spent together.
While he drove, she kept an eye out for the suspects who pulled off a home invasion in the area. For a short time, business replaced anger and they rode in silence.
The Eastside was already hopping with illegal activity. Hookers prowled the streets, and dealers waited for drug heads wanting a fix. They melted into the shadows as the dark blue sedan rolled past.
The computer on the console lit up. She tensed with expectation.
“Two of our suspects were seen in the east bottoms, camping out on a sand bar.”
“Give me a better location, Redstone.”
“You know Cat Bridge.” She’d taken in a couple of the throwaway cats and knew the treacherous footing under the bridge. “
.”
He glanced her way. “You’re not dressed to go mudding.” He looked at the dash clock and gestured to her white slacks. “I’ll take you to your apartment and you can change into jeans.”
He was right, but that would give their home invaders time to be tipped off the law was on to them.
“Forget my clothes. Let’s go.” She grimaced at the thought of chasing a couple of fleet-footed jack-offs through mud and weeds.
“Don’t say I didn’t ask.” Don made a fast u-turn and grinned at the scowl she threw in his direction. “You’re really cute when you’re pissed.”
“You’ll think I’m downright gorgeous if you turn this thing over.”
He laughed, speeding toward the downtown district. She sensed his adrenalin rush and had to admit, she liked taking freaks off the street.
She checked her seatbelt and called in their location to the midtown precinct. Hearing these guys’ rap sheets from dispatch, she knew taking them down wouldn’t be easy. Hell, nothing about this job was easy.
Don glanced at her again, wheeling around slower traffic. “You got running shoes on?”
“Of course.” She pulled her feet back against the set. “Keep your eyes on the road.”
Why the hell had she dressed like an undercover vice cop? White slacks and kidskin heels?
“Aw, shit.” He groaned and hit the steering wheel. “See, that’s what I get for hooking up with you. Four inch heels on this job.”
“What’s wrong? Is that more than you’re packing?” She was tempted to hit him in the gut, but that could wait.
He looked straight ahead and drove around the groups of young people that frequented the trendy bars downtown. His mood became cold calculation, and his voice matched that mood when, as always, he took the lead.
“We get out at the bridge and hike down the riverbank.” He parked the car at the end of the footbridge that led to the overgrown shoreline. He got out of the car and dropped the keys in his pocket. “Be quiet. If you have anything to say, do it now.”
“I will if you will.” She got out and stood beside him, checking the clip in her weapon. “I won’t be chit-chatting with you anytime soon.” She jammed the Glock back into the holster on her belt.
He grabbed her hand, taking the flashlight she’d brought. “I’ll man the lights.” He walked ahead of her.
“Are you sure you can handle it?”
He looked back at her and stopped. He put his arm around her shoulders. “Don’t make me show you here on this muddy riverbank.” He groaned softly. “Pipe down and follow me.”
* * * *
Carmen Redstone drove him crazy. Don listened to her grumbling comments, his gut telling him this was a big mistake. She was too busy hating him to keep her mind on the job at hand.
No, that wasn’t true. He knew she was all cop when the chips were down. He couldn’t let his feelings for her get in the way. Carmen wouldn’t leave his mind since their night of ball busting sex in that sleazy motel. It seemed like a wall of fire had exploded around them, and no matter what happened, they were going to have hot, crazy sex.
After she put a bullet in his ass during a kiddy porn bust, he convinced himself he was too pissed to ever think of her in a favorable way again.
Hell, he knew that was just a way to ease his growing desire to have her under him again. She’d been doing her job, and he’d tried to shield her from gunfire and got in the way.
He almost reached the point she didn’t haunt him, and now they were together again. And she was grinding her way back into his groin.
A sound from down river caught his attention, bottles being broken against the snags and rocks. He stopped, and Carmen bumped up against his back. He instinctively took a deep breath and reached back to steady her. “That may be our men.”
“Too close.” She listened intently, patting his back. “Probably fishermen or kids smoking pot.”
“Could be.” He moved ahead and turned the flashlight on, lighting the path. “Why don’t you stay here in case they run back this way?”
Her silence didn’t fool him. She was seething.
“Why don’t you stay here and let me handle this?” He could almost hear her teeth gritting over her comment.
“Okay, we can talk about this at my place.” He hooked his arm around her slender waist. “We can have one hell of a fight.”
“That’s not necessary. You already know what a sweetheart you are.” She pushed his arm away. “Let’s get this done.”
He shrugged off her comments, hearing the same crap from every dealer and molester he arrested. But coming from her, it carried some weight.
She stuck close, her perfume wafting around him to take his mind off the stink of the river and decaying weeds. His lusty thoughts burst after she stumbled and sent a ton of loose rocks rumbling down the riverbank.
“Can you make any more noise, Redstone?” He forced his voice to a low hiss.
She jabbed a finger against his back. “That could just as well be something more lethal in your back.” Her sweet personality vaporized, instantly morphing her into a hardnosed cop. From the corner of his eye, he saw her touch the weapon on her belt. “There they are, on that sandbar.”
He looked up, grateful for the moonlight. “I’ll go first. You stop them if they get past me.”
“Oh, sure. I’m going for that.” She snorted in that cute way she did if she was really disgusted. “In your wet dreams, partner.”
“Don’t argue, Redstone.” He turned to look at her. “I need you for backup. Shut up and take cover.”
“Which is it?” Her whisper was like a dagger in his gut. “Hide or cover your sorry ass?”
“Let me write this down. You’re an obstinate little mule.”
She stood toe to toe with him, hands on her hips, and her chin lifted in a stubborn angle.
“Oh hell, come on.” The light wasn’t good, but he saw the grin of victory. He became distracted, remembering how her lips tasted and felt.
He was a fool for considering sleeping with her again, but the memory of her sweet body was getting to him, and he couldn’t do a damn thing about it.
Not right now, anyway. But, the night was young.
Chapter Two
Carmen picked her way down the rocky slope, losing the heel of her right shoe. She stopped long enough to break off the other heel and hurried to catch up with Don.
“What were you doing back there?” He snorted with derision. “Not tired are you? Afraid, maybe?”
She jumped when a black cat ran across the weedy path. “The only thing I’m afraid of is your lousy attitude getting me killed.”
He apparently didn’t mind being called on his personality. It suited him so well. “Ouch.”
“Be still.” He clamped his hand over her mouth and whispered in her ear. “I see the headlights of a car downstream on that old boat loading ramp.”
“So let’s check it out.”
Roughly he her pushed aside and left her standing in ankle deep water as he headed downstream.
“Damn you, Don. You’re not leaving me here.” Following him at a dead run had to be a nightmare. Stumbling over rocks and stepping into sucking mud, she caught up with him a few yards from the ramp.
He motioned for her to get down, his way of saying he’d handle the situation. She grudgingly complied, knowing he’d seen someone in the car.
“That’s not a man in the car.” He chuckled. “It’s a couple of babes.”
“What?” Carmen stood, and pressed close to him. “What are they doing?”
“Getting head.”
“Did you see the John in there?”
Don pressed his finger to her lips. “It’s just two Johnettes.” He took her hand and led Carmen away from the car. “I could never mess up a man’s, err, a chick’s come. That would be cruel and unusual.”
“Cruel, my ass.” She took a step back toward the car. “They’re breaking the law. What if some guy walks by here with his kids?”
“Fat chance of that happening.” Don slapped at his neck. “Who’s going to bring kids out here? These mosquitoes are a lot more dangerous than two chicks getting it on.”
She wanted to rip him a new one, but instead lost her footing and slid down into the muddy water. Buffeted by branches and trash coming downriver, she grabbed for anything that would keep her near the bank.
“Don!” She choked on a mouthful of the disgusting bilge and spit it out. “Don!”
She heard splashing close by before she saw him. He was there, running out to where she fought to keep her head up. He grabbed her around the waist and hauled her to shore.