Collared (Going to the Dogs) (29 page)

Harper wrapped her arms around him, knowing without a doubt he was the one and only man for her. She loved him with all her heart. Everything she had. Her heart was captured, all her barriers down. She was all his.

#

Caleb had been roped into another freaking event. This time a Gala for some fundraiser. He had to put on another damn monkey suit to attend, but he’d put on a million monkey suits for his princess. When he got to the Plaza Hotel, he lined up with the other people waiting to get inside.

A week had passed since Harper had been kidnapped for the second time. The two bastards had been arrested and were currently cooling their heels in lockup, awaiting their arraignment. Defense lawyers and the DA would duke it out, but he was sure they were going away for a long time.

He dismissed them now that the threat to Harper was done. He just wanted to get her back to her penthouse, get naked and assure himself one more time that she was fine.

When he walked into the ballroom, he saw that Harper hadn’t arrived yet. He went over to the bar and ordered a Scotch, discovering that all they had was Glenlivet. He didn’t complain, it went down smooth and easy.

Tripp came up to the bar and he gave Caleb a disgusted look. “What are you doing here?”

“My private time is my business.”

“You’ll never fit in here, Shaw. No matter how you try. You and Harper won’t last. What the hell do you have to offer her?” He eyed the Scotch in Caleb’s hand. “She has expensive tastes. How are you going to handle that?”

Tripp walked away with a smug look on his face and Caleb tried not to let it affect him, but Tripp’s words hit at a part of him that he’d ignored the whole time he’d been with Harper. What did he have to offer her?

As he drained the glass, he looked toward the door. He couldn’t speak for a full minute. He couldn’t seem to draw breath. He backed up into the shadows so that he wouldn’t be caught staring, so that no one could see him lose it, no one could see him falling…falling…falling… under her spell. He panicked a little. Something he hadn’t done in a long time, unless there was a gun pointed in his face.

Oh fuck! He was in love with her. Deeply, completely, and hopelessly.

She was dressed in the most specular dress he’d ever seen, and it blew his mind. All see-through lace except for strategically placed appliques that covered up her beautiful female parts. His princess had the moxie to pull it off and look elegant while she did it. He stared and thought that he was a fool to ever think this woman could be his. Flashes went off over and over again. Harper took it in stride as she stopped, posed for the camera as cool and collected as an heiress…his princess.

A female voice drifted to him. “Is that Harper Sinclair? God she looks good, but did you hear that she’s dating a cop? Really how low do you have to go to get laid in this town? I did hear he’s gorgeous, so I’m sure she’s getting her money’s worth.”

A deeper voice replied. “A cop? Really, maybe she’s losing her pull. There’s no accounting for taste. Without her reputation, she’s pretty much going have a difficult time raising money. Maybe we should start shopping for another powerhouse schmoozer. It’s too bad. She’s been responsible for saving a lot of sick kids.”

Anger burned through him and he backed out of the ballroom while she was occupied with talking to the press. He wouldn’t be responsible for her losing her status. Which in essence was Harper’s job. He’d been so blind in thinking that she was just a wealthy woman. She was so much more than that. More than maybe he could handle. He was a robbery detective from the freaking Bronx.

It didn’t matter that he wanted her. It didn’t matter that she was the woman for him. It didn’t matter that he’d just discovered that he loved her, like an arrow to the heart. Deeply. More than he had ever loved a woman in his life. His heart shattered.

Reality intruded with a jolt.

What did he really have to offer her?

Nothing.

#

As soon as Brooke opened the door, Harper burst into tears. Brooke shouted for Drew as she dragged her sobbing into the apartment.

“What happened? What’s wrong?!” Drew asked.

“Drew, I think this would be a good time for you to take Boxer for a walk,” Brooke suggested calmly as she wrapped her arm around Harper.

“Right. Good idea.” He squeezed Harper’s arm. “If you need someone sued, I’m your man.”

Harper felt her heart expand and she nodded and cried harder. She’d been crying like this for two days. Two days straight.

Brooke brought her into the living room and sat her down on the couch, then she disappeared into the kitchen, calling out, “I’m making tea and I just finished a batch of my cinnamon muffins.” Bringing everything in to the living room on a silver tray, she set it down on the coffee table.

She took Harper’s hands. “I called the girls. They’re on their way.”

“Oh, Brooke…” She had to break off, her throat was so tight.

“Is this about Caleb?”

Harper nodded.

“What happened?”

“I don’t kn-know.”

“Okay, you’ve got to calm down. Take a deep breath. I’ve never seen you like this.”

She took a long hitching breath. “I’ve never been like this. I feel like he’s blasted open my heart and I’ll never be the same because of it.”

First Poe rushed through the door and into the room. When she saw Harper’s face she sat down on the couch and hugged her.

Then Callie arrived and, after hugging Harper, sat down in a chair across from her.

“What happened?” Callie said.

“Did you have a fight?” Poe asked.

“No, nothing like that. He was supposed be at the Hospital Gala four days ago, but he never showed. When I called him, he was curt and said something came up at work. I haven’t seen him for three days, and that’s not like him.”

“I heard he was leaving the force.”

“Poe! That’s not exactly something you should be blurting out right about now,” Brooke said, frowning.

“How do you know that?” Harper said.

“Jared told me. Everything’s kind of uncomfortable for him there. Tripp McDonald is pissed about losing you, Harper.”

“He never had me.”

“There was a picture in the Post of when you kissed Caleb in the dog park and he saw it. He’s making Caleb’s life a living hell. He’s also giving him a hard time about not finishing the job with you and finding Blue’s collar.”

“I don’t give a damn about that collar. How does Jared know all this?”

“They’ve become friends. Jared thinks that Caleb is hurting bad about you, Harper, but he refuses to talk about it.”

“Oh God.” She dropped her head into her hands. “I’ve
fucking
ruined this man’s life.”

“Oh no, the emphasized f-bomb. She’s never said the eff word.”

“I’ve got to make this right. I’ve got to talk to him. Fix this.”

Brooke held up her hand. “It seems to me that you fixing things is what gets you into trouble. Why don’t you just go talk to him?”

Harper kissed Poe full on the mouth and hugged her hard. “Give that to Jared for me.” She heard her friends cheering her on as she raced out of Brooke’s apartment. Her tears dried up and her determination kicked in. She was Harper Sinclair. She’d been in a bar fight, gone one-on-one with Caleb in the ring,
mud wrestled
, gone to the
Bronx,
and stood up to kidnappers!

She would get him back because failure was simply not an option. She couldn’t live without him—all of him, with his irritability, his ruggedness, his rough-around-the-edges personality. She loved him so much.

#

“Shane. Where is Caleb?”

“Harper? Umm….he’s…um.”

“Shane, I know you’ve got his back, but I want all of him, so tell me where he is.” Her voice was hard and tough, just like the man she was looking for.

“Well, he kinda has an office now.”

“What?”

“He’s the new Lieutenant.”

“When did this happen?”

“He’s known about it since Gloves. That’s what the Lieutenant wanted to talk to him about. He retired and he wanted Caleb to take his place. Tripp put up some roadblocks, but Lieutenant Samson called in some markers.”

“Where’s his office?”

“Right over there, but he’s not there. He had to go down to Property, but he’ll be back in a minute.”

“Thank you.”

“Harper?”

“Yes.”

“Are you here to talk some sense into him?”

“I intend to, but he can be a stubborn son of a bitch.”

Shane barked out a laugh. “Thank God. He’s been more irritable than usual.”

Harper felt giddy. “Good. That’s just the way I like him.”

She went into his office, slid onto his desk, crossed her legs and waited. It wasn’t long before he returned. The way the desk was situated he couldn’t help but see her long, shapely legs when he approached the door.

Once inside he took her in like she was the very oxygen around them.

“You got a complaint, lady?” he growled, and she simply loved his tone.

“Yes, as a matter of fact, I do. You are a jerk.”

He threw down the file in his hands. “Harper…”

“No. You’re a jerk. What is this I hear that you’re quitting the force?”

He looked away and took a breath. “Can you find a chair…you’re very distracting.”

“No, you can suffer. I have on the undies I wore to the Yankee game. Remember what happened the last time I wore those.”

He groaned and closed his eyes. “Don’t tempt me, lady. I’m the boss now and I can damn well close that door and…”

“And what?”

“Do what I’ve wanted to for four straight fucking days. Take you any way I can get you.” He looked away, his hands clenching and his face tortured. “Harper, I can explain.” He took a step towards her.

She held up her hand. “Before you do that. What is this nonsense about you leaving the force?”

“Jared offered me a job. I thought it would be more prestigious for me to take it. I don’t want your reputation ruined because of me. I overheard some people talking about…us. They thought you were losing your pull. I don’t want to cause you to lose what makes you happy and now I see that this is what you were born to do.”

“Is that what you’re worried about?” Her heart softened. “I will do what I do without thought to what anyone says. They can kiss my beautiful, rich, schmooze perfect ass!” She smiled. “Tell me the truth. Do you want to leave the force?”

He looked away obviously struggling with his decision. “Truthfully, no. I feel I have a lot to give the squad. With my expertise and ass-chewing abilities, I’m tailor-made for the job.”

She laughed. “Then you stay on the force. Please don’t give up anything as important as this is for me.”

“Are you sure? I’d rather have you than this job. If I had to choose.”

“You don’t have to choose.”

He nodded. “Okay.”

“Now, jerk. Why did you leave me hanging?”

“I was working out some things. In my head. I was at the Gala and people were talking about you and me—that dress you were wearing, the press, your wealth and my lack of it—and it all got to me. I felt like I didn’t have anything to offer you.”

Her heart bloomed with hope and her eyes burned. “You are so
stupid
, so wrong. You have everything to offer me. It’s the only thing I want, everything else is just icing.”

“You’re right. This has been pure torture. I love you. I love you. I love you.” He just stood there letting his guard down, giving her what she so wanted to hear. “So put me out of my misery. Forgive me for my lapse in judgment.”

He moved towards her and placed his hands on either side of her, flat on the desk, his face close to hers. “Just say it, my princess. I been waiting for you to come to me. Just say it.”

“I love you, Caleb Shaw. I would be lost without you in my life. I don’t
care
how it’s going to work out. We
will
work it out.” She knew then exactly what she’d been more than willing to gamble by letting him into her life, all the way in. It wasn’t money, or success, or anything with an absolute value she’d risked. It was priceless. It was her heart. And it already belonged to him.

He smiled. “So, you gonna kiss me, lady?”

She threw herself at him and wrapped her arms around his neck and fused her mouth with his. And she clung as he crushed her to him. When she pulled away, he slid his fingers beneath her chin, nudging it up, and she met his eyes. She felt unmasked, naked, and vulnerable in a way that also, surprisingly, made her feel fearless and powerful. Caleb wouldn’t ever let her down.

Her heart squeezed and shuddered at the look in his eyes. Eyes that weren’t just filled with desire. In those dark brown depths, she saw an easy, honest affection, so direct, so open, so…naked. Exposed. As exposed as she felt. He looked so far into her, with such blatant need, she felt touched in a place she hadn’t known existed within her.

He smoothed his hand over cheek, kept her face tucked next to his, their gazes locked. “I always thought that a relationship was built on knowledge of each other over time. The kind of knowledge you’re supposed to have about someone in order to know for certain what your feelings are for them.”

She stilled then, even as her heart began racing.

“It’s supposed to be something built upon, slowly, so you know, for sure, what it is, what it can be, and what it isn’t or will never be.”

Her heart lifted into her throat at the stark vulnerability she saw there, the certainty. “Oh, Caleb.”

“So explain this to me,” he said, his voice almost gone now, the rasp was so deep. “Explain how I know it’s you. How it’s always been you.” He paused, looking almost helpless. “How it will always be you.”

Tears pressed at the back of her eyes, and all her fear of losing him washed away in the flood.

“Awww, shit, Harper, don’t cry.”

“I always do exactly what I want to do, Caleb.”

“Don’t I know it. But I might start blubbering like a fool in front of all these knuckleheads. And, if you tell anyone…”

“I know. My limo will get tickets for a month.”

He chuckled. “Exactly, gotta maintain my tough guy reputation.” He rubbed at his temple. His face got serious again. “I could tell you that I can’t sleep without your beautiful body near me, or I can’t eat without seeing your gorgeous face first thing in the morning, or that my life has been completely empty without you. But I think I’ll sum all that up into…I love you, Harper, and your freaking poodle, too!”