Page 39 of Protect My Heart

An invisible rope entwined them, bound and motionless. Both eyes open, fully engaged, they sat for what seemed to be hours. She blinked, and the rope pulled tighter.

He moved.

Finally, every coiled nerve of her body screamed for joy as Jim’s mouth met hers. She pulled him to her and his perspiration soaked her shirt. The combination of heat and friction set off a train of sensations through her body. Her ears rang, her fingers tingled as they roamed his bare flesh.

Jim broke the connection of their lips and moved to place soft kisses on her jaw and down the column of her neck. Falling back, their limbs intertwined and his mouth forged a trail down to the top of her tank top while his hands moved lower on her back, cradling her into the V of his hips. The feel of his tongue on her breast sent shivers down her spine. Then a cold nose brushed her cheek.

She froze.

Jim noticed the moment Doc’s body stiffened, but it was the squeal that pulled his gaze up to find man’s best friend licking Doc’s cheek. He pushed at the dog. “Hey, Tig, it’s not that kind of party.”

“He felt left out.” She giggled and reached up to caress the top of the dog’s head. He couldn’t blame the dog for wanting her attention––Jim had been dreaming about Doc all week.

“I wouldn’t have taken you for the kind of girl who’s into that sort of thing.” He quirked a brow at her.

“Don’t be gross.” Lightning fast, she reacted.

Jim didn’t see the jab to his solar plexus coming and dropped to the mat as the air rushed from his lungs.

“Oh my gosh, are you okay?” She reached towards him but stopped. Her hands hovered inches from his chest. “I didn’t mean to hurt you. It was a reflex.”

“Remind me not to piss you off.” He rubbed his stomach. “Do you hear that, or is that buzzing only in my ears?”

A quick glance to his phone dancing on the table answered his question.

“I got it.” Doc jumped up with the grace of a gazelle. She cleared her throat before answering. “Hey Cuz. Yeah, he’s right here.”

Jim’s head dropped to the mat, and he steadied his breathing before taking the phone from her. “What’s up?”

“Sounds like I interrupted something.”

“We were just working out.”

His partner’s grunt didn’t sound like CJ believed him. He shouldn’t. “We got Wilson. He’s in holding now.”

“I’ll be right there.” Jim ended the call as he grabbed his T-shirt. “I gotta go. They caught the shooter in the Delie case.”

“I can be changed and ready in five minutes.” She followed him out of the room.

He stopped. Her body bumped into his with a soft thud. His dick stirred again. “No. We will have him in questioning. It could take hours.”

She stepped in front of him, inches from his face. Her swollen lips, sparkling eyes, and her nipples called for him to taste them. Now, his dick jumped with excitement. He needed to have a stern talk with it. God knows it didn’t always listen where Doc was concerned. She poked a slender finger into his chest. “I don’t care. I’ll drive myself then. This case involves my client and I want to be there.”

They stood, gazes locked, breathing fast. He either had to let her win this one, or he would back her up against the wall and they’d both win but they wouldn’t get to the station anytime soon. “Five minutes, not one more.”

She whirled, and he watched with pleasure as her sweet ass flew up the stairs. Jim groaned. She was all wrong for him but he didn’t care anymore. The sexual attraction between them was moving like a 747 down the runway for take-off, and there was no stopping it. He was onboard whether he liked it or not. He just hoped it landed safely and didn’t crash and burn. He could count on one thing for sure... turbulence.

Chapter 13

“Come on, Jerome. We got a witness that puts you as the shooter. No way you’ll see the outside until you’re bald as Old Man Gaines at the tobacco shop.” The suspect might be a minor but the prosecutor’s office will try him as an adult. Murder one.

Jim watched the beads of sweat grow larger on Little J’s—as he liked to be called— upper lip. The boy’s mustache consisted of a dozen hairs that were combed and waxed within an inch of their existence. “They lie, I didn’t do nothin’.”

“I don’t think so, but you can take your chances with the jury on that one.” Jim watched Little J’s foot bounce like a Super Ball.

“I want a lawyer. You gotta provide me with an attorney.”

CJ and Jim pushed back from the table. CJ picked up his notebook and said, “Okay, we’re done. Enjoy your stay with the government corrections at Stillwater.”