Dangerous Grounds (12 page)

“Yeah, well that’s why I’ve got you, stud.” She tried to regain the light atmosphere from earlier. “You’re my own sexy bodyguard. Just like the movie. Except I can’t sing and you’re not Kevin Costner.”

She watched the tension in his body ease again, as he cracked a smile. “Thank God for that.”

The ferry started slowing as they approached the dock on Whidbey Island.

“We’d better head down to the car.” Gabe straightened and took her hand. “Ready?”

“Yeah. Ready as I’ll ever be,” she replied and followed him back inside the ferry.

After driving for a half hour, Gabe pulled off onto a dirt road in the woods. The road went on for a few minutes, twisting through the trees before ending at a small, secluded log cabin.

Madison looked at the view beyond it. The cabin rested on a cliff that overlooked Puget Sound and the view was something out of a travel guide. Well, if the picture in the travel guide had been taken at night. Thinking of this time as a vacation wasn’t going to be so hard after all.

“Wow.” She climbed out of the car and walked to the edge of the property, stopping short at the edge of the cliff. It was dark and she couldn’t see much but the twinkling of lights across the water, and the shadow of the Olympic mountain range.

“I can tell you have no fear of heights,” Gabe drawled from behind her.

“Not at all.” She pointed to the lights. “Where’s that over there?”

“Port Townsend.” His hands closed over her shoulders and he pulled her back a few steps. “You’re making me nervous standing that close to the edge, Maddie.”

Her toes were only about an inch away from the cliff’s edge, but she allowed him to guide her back. Her thoughts were already turning to the idea of getting into bed with Gabe again. Not just for the sex, though it was a big draw, but more so for the being held afterwards. She needed a bit of cuddling after today.

Madison tucked her hand into his as they headed toward the cabin. “It’s beautiful here, Gabe.”

He squeezed her hand. “The inside is pretty great, too.”

Madison gave him a suspicious look. “Is this the part where you tell me that this really isn’t a friend’s cabin, but yours?”

“What?” He looked down at her. “No, Maddie, this is not my cabin. Jesus, do you have any idea how much property like this costs?”

Madison flushed. Oh, God she was an idiot. She kept saying stupid stuff like that. In her world, where her parents owned a summer home in Europe, it wasn’t improbable. But Gabe wasn’t in her world; he’d made that clear before.

“I’m sorry. I guess I’m just used to that kind of
surprise it’s really mine
thing because it always happens in the movies and books.”

Gabe led them up the two steps to the porch. “The cabin belongs to a friend I went to college with.”

Madison turned to him with a thoughtful glance.

“A lot of cops don’t even have a college education, Gabe. You have a degree in criminal justice, right?”

“Right.” He unlocked the door and stepped inside.

“You don’t have to settle for being a cop.” She followed him into the house.

“Settle?” He gave her a hard glance.

Eek, that had come out wrong.
She touched his hand. “No, wait. I’m just saying that with your degree and ability to speak Spanish, you could try for the FBI if you wanted.”

“If I wanted,” he agreed, flicking on the light switch. The room flooded with a soft light. “But I don’t. I belong in local law enforcement. It’s what I’ve always wanted to do. It’s what I will continue to do.”

“Why?” Madison asked, genuinely curious. She wanted to understand him more. To figure out what had driven him to join the local law enforcement, and what still drove him.

“Look, Maddie, I’m tired. I don’t want to talk about it, okay?” His voice was rough. “Just make yourself comfortable while I go get our stuff from the car.”

Madison blinked, surprise and hurt raging through her. He stepped outside the door of the cabin and left her alone.

What had just happened? He’d seemed angry at her questions. Had they really been that bad? Or maybe she had provoked it.
You just don’t think, Maddie. You say things and then think about the consequences.

And apparently she’d said the wrong thing more than once tonight. She wrapped her arms around her waist and glanced around the room.

It was just how she’d imagined a cabin would look. A lot of wood furniture with plenty of soft cushions. Simple, comfortable, and beautiful. A place to relax with someone you loved. A different kind of luxury. An absolutely wonderful cabin.

She just wasn’t in the mood to appreciate it right now. Madison sat on the couch and waited for him to return.

Gabe grabbed their bags from the trunk of his car. His rush of anger had already dissipated and guilt gnawed at his stomach for snapping at Maddie. He shouldn’t have been surprised that she expected him to do more with his life. The Phillips came from a different social class. They were nice people. Hell, more than nice, they’d been his second family.

But they had money and lived the lifestyle. It was what they were used to. So why was he so surprised that Maddie thought he should move up in the field? That he should want to scoot up to that higher class?

He was nothing like the Phillips. He’d grown up in poverty. When his aunt had taken him in, finances had still been tight. They’d never had fancy spaghetti dinners delivered. There were some weeks when they’d had Top Ramen five nights in a row for dinner. Hell, eggs had been a luxury.

But Martha had provided him with a good life until the day she’d died from cancer. Even after. She’d left him the only thing she’d ever owned. Her home.

He’d gone to college on a scholarship and had worked his ass off to graduate with a 4.0. He was proud of where he stood today, how far he’d come.

He might not be able to afford a cabin like this, but he wasn’t on the bottom rung anymore. He’d been investing and saving, and his nest egg was looking pretty good. Of course Maddie didn’t know that, seeing as it wasn’t exactly something he advertised.

Be honest with yourself, Gabe. That’s not the only reason you’re pissed.
Her encouraging him to seek a more prestigious career than being a local cop wasn’t the whole reason he was annoyed. It was her delving into his reasons for becoming one. It was personal. It was painful. And he wasn’t quite ready to share that with her just yet.

The only person he’d ever shared it with was Eric. And Eric was his best friend. Almost like a brother. His thoughts grew grim again. But he didn’t have a brother. Not anymore.

The startled expression he’d seen on Maddie’s face flashed through his head and he winced.
You dumb shit, get your ass back inside and apologize. You don’t treat a woman like that. Aunt Martha would have ripped you a new one.

When he got back to the house, Maddie sat on the couch staring at the turned-off television.

He shut the door, set the bags down, and went to sit beside her.

“I shouldn’t have snapped at you.”

“No, I deserved it. I’m sorry, Gabe. I spoke without thinking.” She turned toward him. “I think being a police officer is a wonderful career, and I hope I didn’t make it sound like I thought otherwise.”

Gabe searched her eyes and saw her sincerity reflected there. “It’s all right.”

“I think it’s a very demanding, honorable job.” She paused and then waggled her eyebrows at him. “And, hey, even kind of a turn-on.”

“Kind of a turn-on, huh?” Gabe smiled and took her hand.

“Mm-hmm.” Madison gave a slow nod. “So here’s an idea. Let’s stop saying stupid things that hurt one another and do some making up.”

He sucked in a hard breath as her hand slipped from his and down to the crotch of his pants.

“And I’d like to show you how much of a turn-on I think cops are, Officer Martinez.”

He heard the zipper of his jeans being pulled down, and his blood pounded at the little bit of role-play Maddie had decided to slip into.

“Please do, Miss Phillips,” he managed to say as she slid off the couch and onto her knees in front of him.

She freed him from his jeans and boxers and wrapped her soft hand around his flesh. “I’ve been waiting all day to see this guy again.”

“Really now? Take off your shirt,” he commanded in a low voice and her gaze flitted up to his. “And your bra. I want to see your breasts.”

“Anything you say, Office Martinez.” Madison pulled her T-shirt over her head. His breath hitched as she opened the front clasp of her bra and pulled it off.

“Very nice.” He reached forward to lift one heavy breast into his palm and drew his thumb across her nipple. “I love your breasts, Maddie.”

“And I love your penis, Gabe,” she answered with an impish grin, then gasped when he brought her nipple between his thumb and forefinger, and gave a light pinch.

“Show me how much you love it, Maddie.”

“With pleasure, Officer.” And her hand that grasped him started moving up and down his length. “I think we need lubrication.”

Her tongue found the base of his cock, sliding over his length and up to the sensitive dent on the head. She took a moment to swirl her tongue around his throbbing head, before drawing her tongue back to the base and repeating the path again.

Soon her mouth closed over the tip of his head, and then almost too slowly, she sucked the rest of his length into her mouth. Gabe arched his hips to push him deeper into her mouth, and she took him with ease, sucking harder and faster.

He reached out to fondle her breasts again, pinching both nipples and evoking a soft cry from Maddie. He pushed her breasts together, squeezing and kneading their plump softness.

She sucked him even deeper, until his cock stroked the back of her throat. He knew he wasn’t going to last and pulled out of her mouth.

“Maddie.” He groaned.

“Yes, Gabe…whatever you want.”

Her invitation proved too much to resist. With her breasts still pushed together, he slipped his cock into her cleavage, moving in small thrusts against her soft flesh. She groaned and covered his hands with her own.

Pulling on her nipples, he came in quick spurts on her breasts.

“God, Maddie.” He gasped, his hands massaging the milky white semen into her skin.

Madison leaned forward and kissed him while he pinched her nipples, moving his palms over the slippery flesh of her breasts. Her tongue stroked against his, and he kissed her back.

“I’m sorry. I went too far—”

“No,” she interrupted and covered his hands with her own. “I liked it. A lot. Please don’t apologize.”

“You’re amazing, Maddie.” Gabe closed his eyes. And she was. How the hell had he gotten this lucky?

Madison stood and offered a delicate shrug. “Besides, I owed you an orgasm, remember?”

“Ah, how could I have forgotten?” He laughed and shook his head.

She yawned. “I think I’m going to shower and get ready for bed.”

“There’s only one bedroom. If it’s a problem, I can take the couch.”

“A problem?” Madison gave him a chiding look. “A benefit is more like it. Will you join me soon?”

“Of course.”

“All right.” She yawned again and leaned down, pressing her lush lips against his. “Thank you again for everything, Gabe.”

“Thank you.” He tucked a wayward strand of hair back behind her ear and murmured, “And anytime,
mi vida
.”

Chapter Eleven

Madison put the cap back on the toothpaste and looked up, staring at herself in the mirror. The memory of the erotic moment they’d just experienced ran rampant in her head. That and the fact that he’d just called her
mi vida
. Didn’t that mean
my heart
in Spanish or something?
Whatever, Madison, it doesn’t mean anything.
He was just being sensitive and a good friend.
Right.
Good friends call each other
mi vida
all the time
.

And why did it evoke images of old television reruns, shows in black and white that her parents had grown up on, where couples were in love, and the men called their women sweetheart. Or maybe it was darling, but in either case…it was the same idea.

Madison groaned.
Why am I doing this to myself? Why am I trying to make this romantic and sweet? It’s sex. It’s nothing more than sex.
She brushed vigorously, taking out her frustration on her teeth.

She finished and set her toothbrush on the counter, then looked back in the mirror and raised a finger to the image.

“You will not make this into something it’s not,” she whispered with a fierce scowl to herself. “It’s sex. Damn good sex. But nothing but sex. So get over it, sister.”

Satisfied with her self-administered pep talk, she pulled off the rest of her clothes and climbed into the shower.

Gabe finished typing the email to Eric and hit send. He’d informed Maddie’s brother of what had happened this afternoon and the change in plans. He didn’t specify where they were, but guaranteed her safety. Her parents were more than likely beyond freaking out by now.

With that out of the way, he took care of some other needed online business and signed off, then went to prepare for bed. He couldn’t stop thinking about what Maddie had let him do to her a few minutes ago. Maybe it wasn’t so shocking on the grand sex scale, but this was Maddie. She always seemed so conservative and proper.

Gabe shook his head. She revealed different layers of herself to him every day. And this was the same woman who’d just handcuffed and performed a striptease for him the night before. He shouldn’t be surprised by anything she did.

The more he thought about their intimate moment in the living room, the more eager he became to climb into bed with her.

When he opened the door to the bedroom, the light from the hall shone a beam onto Maddie’s sleeping form. She lay on her stomach, with her cheek turned on the pillow toward his side of the bed. She was fast asleep.

His gut tightened at the image she made. So vulnerable and beautiful. His desire subsided. The desperation and urgency hit him then. He would do anything to keep her. A vow to protect her resonated again in his mind, pounding a silent mantra while he took off his clothes and climbed naked into bed beside her.