Talk Me Down (13 page)

Molly licked her lips and laughed.

“Not to mention it’s time to take care of you.”

“Oh, I’m taken care of,” she answered, giving a little wave of her hand. He grabbed it and lifted her up to her feet.

“Why you sneaky little hussy. That’s cheating. Not to mention incredibly hot.”

“And to think I was doing it all for myself.”

He tugged her toward the bed, where he collapsed on his back and proceeded to toe off his boots. “I think you’ve cured any lingering issues I might’ve had about blow jobs.”

Still greedy for the sight of him, Molly tugged off his jeans and underwear and socks, then unfastened her heels and climbed on top of his big body. His eyes were already closed.

“Just give me a half hour,” he said. “A half hour to pull my soul back from the brink of death and then we’ll get down to business.”

Molly blinked, leaning forward until he opened his eyes and met her gaze. “Did you really just say ‘get down to business’?”

His eyes were clouded with confusion for a brief moment before they closed again. “Fuck, I think I just did.”

“Wow. I mean…Jeez.”

“I’m half dead!”

“Get down to business, huh?”

His chest began to shake with suppressed laughter.

“We could do that, I suppose, but I was really hoping we might ‘do the nasty.’ Or maybe ‘hit a home run.’ Or even…do you think we could play ‘hide the sausage?’ It’s my favorite.”

He was laughing so hard now that Molly was in danger of bouncing right off him, but she held on and grinned down at him until he wiped tears from his eyes.

“I’m supposed to feel manly and self-satisfied right now, Moll. You’re kind of ruining it.”

“Poor baby.” Her fake sympathy evaporated when Ben flipped her onto her back and leaned over her.

“I really, really like this underwear.”

“Thanks.”

“But I’d rather see you naked. May I?”

The question was a little late considering he’d already unsnapped her bra and exposed her breasts, but she wasn’t complaining.

He slid the panties down, all the way off, then rolled down each stocking and dropped them to the floor.

“That’s better.” His hand rubbed the marks the stockings had left on her thighs. “Poor baby,” he murmured, echoing her, then he dipped his head to press kisses to the faint marks while Molly melted into the mattress.

When he paused, she waited, holding her breath.

“Is that apple pie still in the fridge?”

“What?” Molly popped her head up and looked down at his mouth poised so close to her sex. “What are you going to do with the pie?”

“Eat it. I’m starving. I never had dinner.”

“Oh. Shoot, I thought we were going to have sex.”

“Just a half hour! That’s all I ask for.”

“Need time to put on a suit and tie?” Her giggles turned to a yelp when he pushed her over and slapped her ass.

“Get me some pie, woman!”

“It’s gone!” she squealed.

His hand rubbed her ass. “Gone where?”

“I ate it.”

“You just made it yesterday! You ate a whole pie in one day?”

“Hey, you had a piece, too,” she tossed over her shoulder. “And I live by myself. If I don’t eat it fast, it goes to waste.”

“What kind of girl eats a whole pie in twenty-four hours?”

“This booty you like doesn’t make itself, you know.”

He kissed the body part in question. “You got anything else to eat down there?”

“Mmm. Down
where?
”

“In the
kitchen,
Molly.”

“Oh. Are you sure?”

He chuckled against her hip, his breath sending goose bumps chasing over her skin. “I’ll get to that, too, I promise. Wouldn’t miss it for the world.” His growling stomach took the sexy edge off his words and made her snort.

“There’s food in the fridge. Eat whatever you like.”

He stood and pulled on his jeans. “Can I get you anything?”

Turning over, she stretched just to make him look at her again. He obliged and the long look set her skin tingling. “Maybe a cup of wine would be good.”

“A
cup?
”

“I haven’t found my wineglasses yet. Plus I’m just fancy like that.”

“Speaking of fancy…” he muttered as he left. She wondered what he’d think when he saw that her wine came in a box. Sophisticated city girl indeed.

Molly waited until she heard him reach the bottom of the stairs before she turned onto her stomach, buried her face in a pillow and screamed, “Oh. My.
God!
”

She’d died and gone to heaven. Even when she’d known she was moving back to town, even when she hoped she might have a fling with Ben, she’d never really believed he’d be anything like her fantasies. She’d assumed he’d be out of shape or inconsiderate or terrible at oral sex. Hell, he could have had bad breath or a hairy ass.

But no. He smelled and tasted and moved just like she’d hoped he would. Those childhood years of being up close and personal had informed her well. He was sweet, strong and dedicated in bed, just like he was in every part of his life. The lover she’d always wanted.

Her poor heart was going to take a beating.

She was busy imagining him walking around in her kitchen in just his jeans when the floor creaked not too far from her bed. Ben was back, but he wasn’t holding a cup of wine.

“What the hell is this?” he asked, tossing a sheet of paper onto the bed.

Molly watched it float down, baffled as to what it could be. When it landed, she read the bold words and felt her heart drop.
Will you wear this for me?
it said. The curse of Cameron. Again.

“Where did you find that?”

“Tell me,” he ground out. “Tell me this has nothing to do with tonight.”

She shook her head, confused. “What do you mean?”

“Sexy underwear, stockings. Did you wear that for me or because someone else asked you to?”

“Who?”

“How the hell should I know? Who asks you to wear sexy clothes, Molly? Sergeant Kasten? One of your customers?”

Sergeant
Kasten. “You looked him up, didn’t you! After I asked you not to?”

“Just answer the question.”

“No! I’m not a suspect in one of your cases! I haven’t done anything wrong. I’m not even your girlfriend, so stop acting like you have a right to
anything.
”

The frustration on his face blinked to pain for a moment, before he steeled his expression to ice. “I see. Thanks for reminding me that I’m nothing to you. I needed that.”

Ben stalked past the bed and snatched his shirt off the floor.

Her stomach twisted with panicked regret as she yanked the sheets up over her breasts. “You can’t honestly expect me to deal with these constant accusations. I’ve told you what I can, why can’t you just leave it alone?”

“Because I can’t.”

“Just trust me.”

“You have got to be kidding. What if I had some mystery job I refused to even hint at? What if I brushed off every personal question with a stupid joke? You think that wouldn’t eat at you?”

“If you can’t handle it, then just leave me the hell alone, Mr. Perfect.”

“Fine.” He shoved his feet into his boots and grabbed his coat. “And I’m hardly perfect, Molly, I’m just not living in the goddamn Witness Protection Program. I’m
normal,
which is apparently a state you lost touch with a long time ago.”

“Screw you!” she shouted at his retreating back, as the panic continued scratching inside her.
Shit, shit, shit.
Why had she said those things? And how the hell had she missed that note in the front hall when she’d thrown everything else away?

She wanted to reach across the miles and punch Cameron in his perfectly moisturized face. And she wanted to hop on Ben’s back and beg him to stay. She’d never forget that flash of pain when she’d thrown his affection back in his face.

“Shit.” He’d stepped over the line, but he hadn’t deserved that.

Molly jumped from the bed and raced naked for the stairs. “Ben! Wait!”

A rush of cold air wound around her from the front door, but when he looked up and saw her careening down the stairs in the nude, he shut the door with a snap.

“Go back to bed, Moll.”

“Wait. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.”

“No need to apologize. The truth hurts sometimes.”

“No, listen, just…”

When he finally looked her straight in the eyes, Molly wished she had some clothes on. There wasn’t a drop of melted chocolate in that gaze. She was looking at a solid wall of espresso marble. He was the Chief of Police and she was a naked woman wreaking havoc on his world.

“Ben, I’m sorry. I know this is all hard to accept.”

“It’s impossible to accept. If we were
dating,
I’d say goodbye, explain why this is over. But since we’re not…I guess I just leave.”

“That note was nothing.”

“Good to know.” He reached for the doorknob.

“Wait! Ben, I’m sorry. You don’t understand—”

“No shit. You wanna step away so I can open the door, or do you plan to flash the whole street?”

Molly looked from him to the door and back. Then she crossed her arms under her chest, pushing her breasts into more prominence. “I’m not going anywhere until you listen to me.”

He seemed alarmingly unmoved by the mammary display. Her sex powers were useless in the face of his righteous anger. Her legs grew weak as the seconds passed and his gaze remained impassive.

“Do you actually have anything to say?” he finally asked, “Or are you just hoping to distract me again?”

Crap. “That…that note meant nothing and I’ve never worn those underwear for anyone. Except you.”

“Great. Is that all?”

He was done with this game, that was clear. She could either let him go or concede something. But it was only Wednesday; she’d planned to have him until Saturday, at least. Time for a strategic surrender.

“Okay, you were right about Cameron. He’s my ex-boyfriend. We broke up six months ago. It’s completely over.”

“Except that he sent you something special to wear. For him.”

“He’s deluded. And I threw his gift in the trash. It had nothing to do with tonight.”

“So why all the secrecy? Why the lies?”

“I didn’t—”

“You specifically told me he wasn’t an ex-boyfriend.”

“Right. Okay, that was a lie. But you and I hadn’t even kissed then. I’m not obliged to give out my personal history to every person who asks.”

Ben crossed his arms, too, though he didn’t have any naked to distract from the anger of the pose. “And now?”

“Now? Now I told you.”

“You haven’t told me shit.” He turned and reached for the door. “You’d better move.”

The knob turned.

The door cracked and wind whooshed inside. He didn’t even look to see if she’d hidden herself.

“All right! Stop! I dated Cameron for less than a year. He’s a police officer, but you already know that. A hostage negotiator for the Denver PD. I broke it off with him six months ago because…because he was very manipulative. And I haven’t dated much since.”

Ben pushed the door shut very slowly, but he didn’t turn around. His voice sounded as cold as before. “What does he have to do with your work?”

“Nothing. I never told him anything about it.”

At last he looked at her, shooting her an incredulous glare. “Come on.”

“It’s true. Frankly, he never asked much about it, if that gives you any insight into the relationship.”

“And you stayed with him for a
year?
”

“Not quite, but I was…confused.”

“So if you broke up so long ago, why is he still sending you gifts?”

“A misunderstanding. He thought I was coming to visit. I’m not!” she added when his face flushed.

Ben ran a rough hand through his hair and leaned against the door. “Is that it? Are you gonna tell me anything more?”

The critical question. She had nothing more to tell him, so there was really no beating around the bush. He could either live with that or he couldn’t. Or she could really be a bitch and just make something up.

Molly shrugged and rubbed her cold arms. “I’ve made it quite clear from the beginning, Ben. My work is private. I’ve been honest about that, don’t pretend I haven’t. You’re the one who’s been dishonest.”

“Me?”

“You’ve been sneaky and underhanded. You’ve done background checks, you’ve called my brother, chased down leads like I’ve done something wrong. For all I know, you called Cameron.”

“I did not.”

“No? Okay, how many ways have you used Google to search my name in the past week?”

“That’s…that’s perfectly acceptable. Everyone does that.”