There Goes the Groom (12 page)

“Stop it,” he said, his heart hammering.  He couldn’t stand the hurt in her eyes any longer. “We did not install cameras in your apartment and I didn’t watch you in the bathroom, much less the shower.”

Although he’d like to see her in the shower. Hell, he’d like to get in the shower with her.

But she was a suspect.

“But you think I’m just some dumb idiot, that I helped Paul  -- ”

“No.” He pressed a finger to her lip to silence her. “Listen to me, Marci, I’m sorry for the things Georgia said, that she was rough on you. I’m sorry I was tough on you, too.” His damn voice cracked, his gaze latching onto her lips.

That trembling chin. She was trying hard not to cry now.

Her show of bravado twisted his insides like nothing had.

“I really do want to help you,” he said, lowering his voice. 

A small sob caught in her throat.

God help him. She looked so sweet, so desperate for him to believe her, that he did.

And he couldn’t resist her any longer.

He pulled her up against him, then closed his mouth over hers and kissed her.

*~*~*~*

He studied the camera with a smirk. Well, well, well, that cop Muller
was
busy working this case.  He’d almost taken a bullet for the prissy little Marci Turner but now he was about to get in her pants.

His phone jangled and he chewed the inside of his  cheek. His boss wouldn’t be happy Pendergrass had escaped again.

But he had to answer him sometime, so he punched connect.

“God dammit, that shooting at the Varsity is all over the news. You moron, you almost shot Marci Turner.”

He frowned. “So, you asked me to watch her to get to Pendergrass, and the broad had a bag of cash in her hands.”

“I don’t care,” he barked.  “I want Pendergrass, but I don’t want murder charges on my head.”

“I wasn’t going to kill her,” he said, “I was just trying to scare her into dropping the bag. Then I was going to go after Pendergrass when he snatched it.”

“Listen to me. I do want Pendergrass, but I do not want Marci hurt. Understand?”

He shifted, irritation making him grind his teeth.  “Yes, sir.”

A tense pause. “Now where are you?”

“Watching her apartment now?”

“She’s safe?”

He chuckled. “Safe in the arms of that cop.”

Another tense silence.  “What?”

He made a harrumph sound. “They’re tongue dancing right now.”

A curse rumbled over the line.  

 “You want me to take care of the cop?” he asked.

“No,” his boss said.  “I will. Find Pendergrass first. Then I’ll deal with Marci and Detective Muller.”

C
HAPTER
T
EN

Marci’s pulse fluttered as she parted her lips for Cade’s invasion.

And invade her he did.

His tongue traced her lower lip, then he deepened the kiss, so deep her legs buckled at the intense desire rushing to her head. He threaded one hand into the hair at the nape of her neck and trailed the other one down to pull her body closer to his.

“Detective – ”

“It’s Cade,” he whispered against her ear. “Call me Cade.”

“Cade, what are we doing?”

“Kissing,” he said then cupped her breast in his hand.

Hot need flared inside her at his husky voice, and she clung to his arms, tasting him just as he tasted her.  His breath brushed her cheek as he left her mouth to trace kisses along her ear and jaw, then down her neckline. She curled into him, her hands finding a sensual journey over his chorded muscled back, one dropping to cup his butt.

He was all hard planes and muscles, all masculine heat and fire in one big man. She wanted more.

She wanted all of him.

She had never felt this raging rush of passion when Paul had kissed her.

The realization both frightened her and made her claw at Cade’s shirt. She wanted to see his bare chest, feel those muscles bunch as she raked her tongue over his skin.

Then lower…

He moaned and suckled at her neck, then ripped her sweatshirt over her head.

She had on too many clothes and so did he.

She shoved at his jacket and it hit the floor, but his gun bulged between them.

So did his thick sex which was wedged between her thighs.

She wanted the pleasure he could give her. Wanted him lying naked with her between the sheets, kissing her and stroking her and making her come alive.

She wanted him inside her.

He seemed to want the same thing, because his frenzied movements continued and he tore at her blouse, then ripped the buttons off. Cool air brushed her breasts and her nipples puckered as his mouth raked her skin.

She was burning up, on fire, and he was the only one with the power to extinguish the flame.

Except he was stoking the flames now, the need growing stronger as he licked her neck, then pushed her bra aside and sucked one nipple into her mouth.

She groaned and tugged at his shirt, but his gun nudged her belly, and he tensed. Then her phone jangled, the sound like a bomb ticking in the room as it trilled.

Slowly he pulled back, but he didn’t release her. Instead his stormy gaze met hers. The passion and hunger she saw sent a shiver of feminine want through her.

But the phone trilled again, and he pulled her shirt together. Regret warred with need as his husky breathing echoed in the tension between them.  “You should answer that.”

Disappointment flooded her. He was back to being the cop, not Cade the man who’d turned her inside out with his kisses.

*~*~*~*

Battling frustration, Cade stood ramrod still as Marci hugged her arms around herself. 

Cade glanced at the number on the caller ID screen, then her, and mouthed for her to answer it.

Knowing she was half dressed and he had almost had her naked and in bed with him sent a dozen emotions pummeling him.

He wanted her with every fiber of his being.

But he had to do his job.

Nail Pendergrass.

Marci picked up the phone, her shoulders rolling back with tension.

At least this time she knew he was listening.

He squeezed her arm to offer support, but she twisted away, so he began buttoning his shirt, disappointment suffusing him.

Jesus. He had to start thinking with his head not his hormones.

Although that was hard to do when Marci was pure sin in a decadently wrapped package.

“Marci?” he whispered.

She sighed and punched connect, putting them on speakerphone.

“Why did you bring the cops?” Pendergrass screeched. “I trusted you, babe, but you brought them right to me.”

“I did no such thing,” Marci said, injecting a calm to her voice that belied the fury flaring in her eyes. “I had no idea they were following me.”

Which was true and seemed to infuriate her all over as she remembered it.

A tense pause.  “I want to believe you  --“

“I should be the angry one,” Marci said, cutting him off. “You’re the one who left me literally holding the bag twice. For heaven’s sake, someone was shooting at me!”

“Listen, Marci, I’m real sorry about that – ”

“I don’t want you flimsy apology,” Marci cried. “I want to know what in heck is going on. Who tried to kill me?”

“I…don’t know,” Pendergrass mumbled in a puppy dog voice.

Marci made a disgusted sound. “I’m not buying that, Paul.” She dried her cheek where a tear fell. “I think you know exactly who’s after you.  You don’t care about me. You wanted me to bring you this money so you could disappear.”

“That’s not true,” Paul said in a whiny voice. “I want you with me, babe.”

Marci shoved hair from her eyes, avoiding Cade’s gaze.

He balled his hands into fists. The lovemaking part of the night was definitely over.

“You really expect me to leave my sister and go on the run for the rest of my life?”

Another pause, Paul’s breathing rattling between them. “I just want us to be together.”

“Then come back and clear yourself,” Marci said firmly.

A second passed, the air teeming with unanswered questions. “I can’t do that, babe,” Paul said. “The police have too much evidence against me.”

“Because you’re guilty?”

“No, because some cop I crossed a while back has it in for me. He’s been chasing me for years, trying to set me up. I even had to take a fake name to shake him.”

Cade shook his head in disgust. What a crock! Surely Marci wouldn’t believe him…

Marci slumped down on the sofa and held her head in her hands. Cade bit back a curse and rubbed her shoulder again. This time she leaned into him for just a moment.

“What do you want me to do?” Marci asked in a haunted whisper.

Paul exhaled a sound of relief.  “Thanks, babe. Listen though, we have to be more careful this time. Do you know if the cops are watching you now?”

Marci closed her eyes, her expression tormented.   “I don’t think so. That detective who arrested me dropped me off after the shoot out.”

Paul seemed unaffected by her comment. “What about outside? Look and see if you spot any cars that have been there for a while.”

“It’s a freaking parking lot,” Marci said irritably.   “It’s full of cars.”

“Just look for someone suspicious lurking around. Someone sitting in their car, maybe a van that could have surveillance equipment.”

Pendergrass had definitely done this before.

Marci rose, went to the window and looked out. “I don’t see anyone,” she said, then shot Cade a mutinous look.

“Good. Still, wait till midnight anyway. Then sneak outside and drive down to the river. You know along the Chattahoochee where we used to make out.”

Make out? The guy sounded like a horny teenager.

“Yes, how could I forget?” Marci said.

“Meet me there. And uh… don’t forget the money.”

“Don’t worry, Paul,” Marci said. “I know what you want.”

“Thanks, babe, you are the best.  I knew you wouldn’t let me down.”

Marci disconnected, her face filled with hurt and defeat.

“You did the right thing, Marci,” Cade said softly.

She lifted her eyes to him. They looked haunted. “The right thing? I just lied to someone I was supposed to care about. And I’m setting him up to go to jail.”

Cade had zilch sympathy for the con man. “Because that’s where he deserves to go for cheating all those innocent people.” He reached for her, but she jerked away and paced across the room.

“Maybe you’re used to lying to people, Cade, it’s part of your job. Heck maybe it’s part of who you are.” Her voice broke as she pressed her fist over her chest. “But it’s not part of who I am. I may be naïve and that’s a crime because I let Paul use me to cheat and steal from others, but I’ve never intentionally hurt anyone before.”

“Marci – ”

“No, don’t say anything,” she said, wiping at a tear. “You knew I was vulnerable and scared, and you kissed me and made me think you wanted me so I’d do what you asked. But I’m not foolish enough to think that you actually care so don’t bother pretending.”

“Please, Marci,” he said, battling his own emotions. “I – ”

“You got what you wanted.” She folded her arms and backed away from him. “Now I’ll help you catch Paul, then we can be done with each other.”

Her voice hitched as she ran into her bedroom and shut the door.

Cade pinched the bridge of his nose. He couldn’t blame her for what she’d said. He
had
used women before. Had lied.

But that kiss hadn’t been a lie. And the last thing that had been on his mind when he’d held her in his arms was the investigation.

*~*~*~*

Marci wanted to throw herself on the bed and cry, but she refused to do that. She would not shed another tear over Paul Pendergrass.

And she certainly wouldn’t cry over Cade Muller.

Detective Muller, she corrected herself.

She had gotten herself into this mess and now she’d get herself out.

Then she was done with men.

Forever.

She flipped on the television in search of some light-hearted movie to take her mind off of her problems, but a special news broadcast was airing.

“Protestors are rallying outside the local police station demanding to know what’s being done to find Paul Pendergrass,” the reporter said.

At least a hundred seniors wagged signs up and down as they marched and yelled at the cameras. 

“Find Paul Pendergrass!” they chanted.

“Get our money back!” more protestors yelled.

Marci’s phone trilled again, and she grimaced and checked the number. Kim.

She flipped the TV off, unable to bear watching any more of the protest rally. Although she couldn’t blame anyone for being mad and wanting answers, she’d had to put her phone on vibrate just to avoid their personal calls and rants against her. Some of them had gotten plain nasty.

Desperately needing to hear her sister’s voice, she punched connect. Too late she remembered though that her arrest was threatening Kim’s children’s center.

“Marci, it’s Kim. I’ve been calling you half the day. I just saw the news footage of the scene at the Varsity. Are you all right?”

Marci rolled to her back and stared at the ceiling. “Yes, I’m fine.”

“You don’t sound fine,” Kim said.  “I’m coming over there – “

“No, please don’t,” Marci said. “I’m tired. I just want to go to bed.” And pull the covers over her head and stay there until this whole mess died down.

But there would still be hundreds of people out there who’d lost their money, thanks to her love fest with Paul Pendergrass.

The fucker.

“I know you’re upset, Marci, but I’m worried.  I saw that detective with you –“

“Yes, he’s been watching me,” she said. And kissing me and making me fall for him.

“What do you mean, watching you?”

“He bugged my phone, so when Paul called and asked me to bring him the money he left behind, he followed me.”

“Paul called you and asked you to bring him stolen money and you did it?” Kim asked in an incredulous tone. “What were you thinking, sis?”

“I must be crazy,” Marci cried. “I thought if I took it to him, he might tell me that this was all a mistake and we could fix everything and be happy again.”