Читать книгу The Naughty List Bundle with The Night Before Christmas & Yule Be Mine - Fern Michaels - Страница 24

He was in trouble. Jonas stared at the small green box in his hand and wondered how the hell something as simple as no-strings sex could become so complicated.

Ah, but then, the answer was simple. Christie was involved—and the woman tended to complicate everything.

“Hey, man, you shouldn’t have!” A pale hand snatched the present out of Jonas’s grasp. He shot to attention—too late—and saw his partner, Scotty McKenzie, clutching the present. “I didn’t get nothin’ for you!” Scotty declared, his voice too loud.

Jonas shook his head. “Trust me, man, that’s not your size.”

Scotty blinked, then laughed, a deep, rumbling laugh that sounded like a train engine. “Then I’m guessing it belongs to the lady you were so hot to see last night. The one who had you smelling like a damn strawberry patch when you came to the crime scene.”

Yeah, her smell had been on him, and he’d liked it. It had helped to combat the stench of death all over the place.

“Didn’t even know you had a lady.” Scotty threw his body in the wobbly desk chair. “I mean, not one that you stayed with longer than a weekend.” He tossed the box back to Jonas.

Jonas caught it in one hand. He’d already stayed the weekend with Christie. And, at first, he’d done just what he promised. One hell of a good time.

The last thing he’d expected was to get a call about a scene like that, with her there.

He put the box on the desk top and ran a hand over his eyes. When he’d gone back to her place, his control had been shot. Rage had ridden him, the fury that he’d held close for so many years.

He’d been desperate to get back to Christie. He’d known she’d help him banish the past and forget the blood. He’d also known he was walking a real thin line, but he’d gone back anyway.

Call him a damn moth to the flame.

He’d been on her too fast, too hard. The sex had been rough and wild. But she’d opened her body to him. Held tight. Changed the fury to passion.

Good time? No, that didn’t even come close to describing last night.

Then she’d blown his world apart with her little confession. All these years she’d known.

“Hey, man!” Scotty rolled his chair forward. “You with me?”

Jonas blinked.

“What?” Scotty’s lips lifted in his usual crooked grin. “You realizing you already spent too much time with this one? Gotta be careful, she’ll think you’re attached.”

His gaze darted to the box.

“Tell you what”—the chair wheels squeaked as Scotty rolled closer—“I’ll do you a favor since it’s the holidays. You don’t want to leave some poor woman on her own during the holidays.” He threw his arms out wide. “Since I’m a generous, bighearted kind of guy, I’ll take her off your hands.”

“The hell you will.” The words came out bullet fast.

Scotty blinked. His smile kicked up even more and he said, “Ah, like that, huh?”

Shit, no. “She and I have a deal.” Not just a weekend. “The holidays are mine.” After that, reality could come back.

In reality, he and Christie weren’t—

Scotty whistled. “Oh, you’ve got it bad.”

Maybe.

“Jonas?”

He whirled at the sound of that husky voice. A voice he’d never in a million freaking years expected to hear in the bullpen.

But, there she was. Christie stood just inside the doorway, right under the gold garland Scotty had stapled up yesterday. Her black hair hung loose around her face, her eyes were on him, wide, blue, and welcoming, and her lips were lifted in a warm smile.

“Oh, man,” Scotty whispered, “I could so make her holiday.”

“Mine,” Jonas snapped. “Don’t even think it.” He strode across the bullpen, aware that the other detectives had noticed her, too.

Christie wasn’t wearing a Christmas sweater today. She was in all black—black turtleneck, black pants, and long, sleek leather coat. The woman looked so sexy he was suddenly hungry for a bite…of her.

She hurried forward. “Oh, good, I was hoping I’d catch you!”

He caught her. Jonas snagged her hand and pulled her close. He leaned in and kissed her, fast and hard. Back off, Scotty. And all the other hungry jerks who were close by should get the message, too.

A wolf whistle split the air.

He expected Christie to break away at the sound, but her hands just lifted and wrapped around his shoulders, and she pulled him closer.

He let the kiss linger, enjoying her taste. After a few moments, when he finally pulled back, her eyes seemed to shine even more.

“I was…um…”—her gaze darted around them—“this is the first time I’ve been in a police station.”

He could believe it. Not like the Tates were hauled in a lot for questioning.

Her eyes narrowed and she nodded. “I like the garland.”

She would. If it was a Christmas decoration, she’d love it. He noticed the necklace then. A thin gold chain circled her neck, a chain attached to a tiny Christmas tree.

He dropped his hands and stepped back. “Um, Christie?”

Her eyes were still on the garland. Scotty had wound it all the way across the room.

Jonas’s breath eased out as he stared at her.

“Hey, man!” Scotty’s hand slapped down on his shoulder. “Introduce me!”

Christie’s gaze flew back. She smiled a sweet, shy smile, directed at Scotty.

Jonas growled, then cleared his throat and managed to say, “Scott McKenzie, this is Christie Tate.”

“I’m his partner.” Scotty offered his hand. A hand Christie foolishly took. The guy brought her palm up for a lip-smacking kiss.

She laughed, a quick but lush sound. “Nice to meet you.”

She probably meant it, but only because she didn’t know Scotty well yet.

Scotty frowned at her. “Tate…where do I know that name?”

“You’ve probably met my brother. Jonas and Daniel are old—”

Scotty snapped his fingers. “Tate Toys!”

She nodded. “Yes, I work—”

“My nephew loves the Ricky Rocketshooter Robot!”

Christie beamed.

“The first time I saw that thing fly across the room”—he shook his head, laughing—“I wanted one, too.”

“I can get you one,” she offered.

“Nah…those things sold out weeks ago.”

“I’ve got connections.” She bit her lip. “Actually, I made Ricky, and right now, I’m working on Rover, his sidekick. It’ll be a dog who can fly. He’ll be remote controlled, too, and he’ll interface with Ricky—”

“You’re bullshitting me,” Scotty said, inching closer to Christie. “How the hell would you even go about making something like that?”

“Well, I studied engineering and robotics so—”

Jonas stepped in front of his partner before the guy could swallow Christie because Scotty was all but salivating over her. “Back off, partner. The lady and I need to talk.”

Scotty’s eyes squinted. “Lucky SOB.” He stretched and peered at Christie over Jonas’s shoulder. “Nice to meet you, ma’am. If you get bored with old Jonas here, you can—”

Jonas put his hand on Scotty’s chest and shoved. “Why don’t you get started on the Harris paperwork?”

With a smirk, Scotty sauntered away. Jonas turned back to Christie. “Sorry about that.”

She blinked. “About what?”

About the dick who was drooling on you.

He caught her hand and pulled her into the nearest empty interrogation room. At least they’d have some privacy there. He shut the door with a soft click. “About last night,” he began. Oh, shit, there was no easy way to do this. Come to think of it, he’d never had to do this with his other lovers. “I’m sorry.”

A little furrow appeared between her brows. “For what?”

“For jumping on you like I was damn well starving.”

Her smile flashed again, and he saw her dimple wink. “But I liked that.”

The thudding of his heartbeat filled his ears. They were alone. The door was closed. He could put her up on the table…

“I liked everything we’ve done”—she lifted her hand and trailed her fingertips down his chest—“and everything we’re going to do.”

This was the shy girl who’d barely looked his way over the years?

Then he noticed the pulse pounding too quickly at the base of her throat. He caught the slight tremble in her fingertips. From lust? Oh, yeah, sure, one very swollen part of his anatomy hoped so…

But her eyes had already fallen away from his, and she was easing away, a little too fast.

Fear? Christie should know she had nothing to fear from him, and she didn’t need to prove a damn thing to him.

But he had a lot to prove to her.

“You were right,” he told her, “the case last night got to me. Made me remember..” Mom! Her body. The blood. The scream that had burst from his throat. He sucked in a deep breath. “I wasn’t in a good place when I came to you.”

“I wanted you to come back to me.” Her eyes met his and held. “I’m glad you did.”

A man could really only take so much. He caught her chin, tilted her head back, and let his lips whisper over hers. If those cops weren’t out there, each one of them no doubt straining to hear what was being said, he’d devour her.

Tonight. The holidays weren’t over. Not yet. He still had time with her. Time to make her want and need just as badly as he did.

“I’ll come to your place after my shift tonight,” he said against her lips. He loved that fireplace she had. Loved the feel of the flames behind him and her soft body beneath his.

Her hand pushed against his chest. “I…ah, that’s why I’m here.”

He couldn’t help the tension that tightened his shoulders.

“Actually”—she took a deep breath, one that made her breasts rise nicely—“I’m here because I was Christmas shopping in the area, and I realized I wanted to see you.”

No lies. The tension slipped away.

“I could have called.” She gave a little shrug. “But I—I just came to see you. I hope…I hope that was okay.”

The uncertainty was plain, not hidden behind a too-bright smile, but obvious in the small, sexy stutter that had slipped free. He liked the confidence, but he liked the vulnerability more. When it came to her, was there a damn thing he didn’t like?

Trouble.

“I’m having dinner at my parents’ tonight. A family Christmas get-together.” The words came out in a rush. “You’re welcome to come with me.”

To the Tate house? He’d been there with Daniel before, but never for the big holiday party. He’d avoided the annual family party like it was the plague. To him, it was.

Christie’s gaze searched his. “Not part of the agreement, is it?”

Just sex.

Not families. Not dates to celebrate.

“Forget it.” She gave a laugh. One far too strained and fake for Christie. “It was just an idea. You don’t have to come.” She raised onto her toes and kissed his jaw. “We can meet tomorrow. We still have plenty of time.”

But time could pass too quickly. Life could. “I’ll be there.”

Her breath blew against his neck as she looked up at him. “You will?”

He managed a jerky nod. What am I doing? “We’ll probably give your dad and brother a heart attack, but what the hell?”

Her laugh was real this time. “Right, what the hell?”

“I’ll meet you there,” he offered, thinking fast. “My shift ends at eight. I’ll come by then.” I’ll drink enough to make it through the glares Daniel will give me. Glares and maybe a punch. Or two. Because he knew how his buddy would react.

“Then we can go back to my place.” Her voice became huskier. “Or yours.”

He thought about his place for two seconds. “Yours.” He smiled. “I like the way your skin looks when the tree lights shine on you.” On her breasts, on the curve of her stomach. On that pink flesh between her thighs. Oh, yeah, he liked that.

A rap shook the door. “Captain wants us!” Scotty called, his voice way too happy for that announcement. No one was ever happy to talk to the captain.

Jonas pressed a quick kiss to her lips. “I’ll see you tonight.” He opened the door and found Scotty standing too close.

Scotty grinned. “See you soon, Christie.”

Christie murmured something nice and polite back to him. Jonas turned his head and caught sight of his desk, and the package still on top of it.

He hurried forward and scooped it up. When he turned back around, Christie was already under the garland, heading for the exit. “Christie!”

She glanced back. Same welcoming smile. Same bright eyes.

And the same punch hit him in the gut. Dammit. He hurried forward and offered her the gift.

As soon as she saw the package, her skin flushed. “Jonas?”

“I was gonna give it to you tonight.”

“Ain’t that sweet!” a detective’s voice rang out. Bronte, a guy he would pound later.

Her hands tightened around the box. “Thank you.” She lifted the box to her ear and give it a quick little shake.

He kissed her, fast but deep. “You can thank me after the party.” She could do anything she wanted tonight.

He sure planned to do just that.

Christie waited until she was back in her car and then she ripped open the package. When the green silk panties tumbled out—thong underwear—she wasn’t surprised.

She was turned on.

She knew just what she’d be wearing tonight for her cop.

Maybe she’d let him rip this pair off, too.

“So you’re going to meet the family, huh?” Scotty asked as they grabbed their coats at eight and got ready to head out the door.

Another day from hell. Holidays could bring out the best in people, but they could bring out the worst, too. He and Scotty had spent hours at another crime scene. A robbery gone bad. The shop owner hadn’t been the one to wind up in the body bag, though. The robber must not have expected the guy in his eighties to fight back.

He had.

Jonas yanked on his gloves. “I already know the family.” Too well, so he knew what kind of welcome he’d get when he showed up with Christie.

Because they also know me too well. Well enough to understand that he shouldn’t be with Christie. He’d always known it, too.

“Take my advice with this one,” Scotty said, his grin sliding away. “Don’t screw up.”

Jonas raised a brow.

“Seriously. This one isn’t like the others.”

Christie wasn’t like anyone else.

“We’re both gettin’ too old to spend our holidays alone.” Scotty looked out the front doors of the station. “There’s got to be more than crime scenes waiting on us. If you’re smart, you’ll take that ‘more’ that’s standing so close to you.” He inclined his head. “’Night, partner.”

A cold blast of air swept inside when Scotty left.

Jonas lifted his collar and got ready to follow his partner.

“Yo, Kirk!”

His hand hesitated in front of the doors. He glanced to the left and saw the desk sergeant waving him over. He and Carl had known each other for years.

“Hey, aren’t you friends with Daniel Tate?”

A fast nod.

“My boy Jamie is working as a security guard there.”

“I saw him the other night.” Jonas turned away from the door. There was something in Carl’s voice. “There a problem?”

“I know it’s not your beat, but, since you know the family and all”—Carl leaned over the desk—“Jamie called about an hour ago. Said there was some trouble in one of the offices.”

“What kind of trouble?” Jonas’s phone vibrated in his pocket. “Hold on, Carl.” He stepped to the side as he put the phone to his ear. “Kirk.”

“Jonas! Shit, man, I need you.” Daniel’s voice was way more tense than normal—and normal usually was tense for Daniel. “Can you come down to the company? Someone…someone broke into Christie’s office and trashed the place.”

What? Fuck. “I’m on my way.” He spun around.

“Wait!” Carl called out. “Don’t you want to know—”

“On it, Carl, thanks.” The cold air hit him in the face as he raced for his vehicle. Christie’s office. What the hell? As far as he knew, there had never been any trouble at Tate Toys.

So why was it starting now? And why was some asshole targeting Christie?

Uniforms were on the scene when Jonas arrived at Tate Toys. A cop he recognized, Officer Larry Piner, stood just outside Christie’s office doorway, questioning Daniel and jotting down fast notes.

Daniel caught sight of him. “Jonas! Man, thanks for coming so fast.” Daniel ran a hand through his hair and gestured to Christie’s office. “Can you believe this shit?”

Jonas’s gaze raked the room. Piner’s partner was inside, carefully navigating through the wreckage. Papers and files littered the floor. The computer screen was busted into about a hundred pieces. The desk was overturned. The lamp smashed.

“You sure there was no one working here today?” Officer Piner asked.

“I’m sure.” Daniel’s hand dropped. “Everyone on this floor is off the rest of the week for the holidays. Hell, everyone but the folks in distribution are off, and they’re all down at the warehouse. We’ve only got a skeletal security staff in this building. No one else should be here.”

Just Christie’s office. Someone was sending her a message. One Jonas damn well didn’t like. “What about cameras?” he asked as anger built in his gut. “You got ’em turned on, right?”

Daniel nodded his head in agreement. “We’ve got them downstairs at the entrance, but that’s where a guard is posted. If anyone came in, he would have seen ’em.”

Not if he’d been in the john. “Get the tapes,” Jonas ordered, walking slowly into the room. “Have you called Christie?”

Silence.

He tossed a glance back over his shoulder. “You’ve called her, right?”

“No.” Daniel’s lips pressed together. “It’s so close to Christmas, and I mean, look at this place. I don’t want her coming in here and seeing this crap!” His hair stood up, probably from running his fingers through it too many times. “Christie can’t handle this stress right now, not on top of that whole mess with Charles. Hell, I just want you to find out who did this, and I want that asshole arrested!”

Jonas glanced toward the filing cabinet. Every folder had been yanked free and the contents scattered. The drawers hung open, deep and empty. He pulled out his phone.

“Are you calling in a crime scene team?” Daniel asked, and there was excitement in his voice. “Good plan, man, let’s CSI this asshole.”

Jonas just shook his head. A ring filled his ears. One. Two.

“Hello.” Her voice was soft and husky.

He took a breath. “Christie, it’s Jonas.”

“What are you doing?” Her brother’s desperate yell grated in his ears.

Jonas ignored him. “I’m not gonna be able to make that dinner tonight.” No, he’d be working this case until he figured out what the hell was going on. “There’s been a break-in.”

“But”—hesitation, confusion—“you work homicide.”

This case was different. Personal. “The break-in was at Tate Toys. It’s your office, Christie.”

“What?”

“I’m down here now with the investigating cops. I want you to come by. You’ll know if anything is missing.” He exhaled. “You can come in tomorrow and make a listing then, if you want. You don’t need to cut out on your parents—”

There was a rumble of voices in the background. Christie, spoke to someone else, then she told him, “No, I’m on my way. Mom and Dad will hold dinner a bit. Don’t worry, they’ve got plenty of guests here to keep things going.”

“Be careful, baby.” He ended the call and held the phone a moment, his gaze sweeping the office once more.

Someone tapped him on the shoulder. He turned around. Daniel glared at him. “You called her—”

“She had a right to know. She’s not some fragile doll that’s gonna break with a little stress.” He’d been wrong about her, and Daniel was too. All those years…she’d known. Hell, no, Christie wasn’t going to break. She’d been right when she told him she didn’t live in a castle.

Sure, she’d been sheltered. The family had cosseted her in college. He’d helped by digging into old Benjamin’s background. But Christie didn’t need them to run interference anymore. She was a grown woman. Strong, smart, sexy.

“No.” Daniel’s eyes narrowed and his gaze seemed to shoot blue fire as he snarled, “You called my sister ‘baby.’”

Oh, shit.

“You’re sleeping with Christie?” A man’s voice shouldn’t get that high.

Jonas got ready for the punch he knew was coming. Daniel had a real killer right hook.