Double Take (15 page)

A task force? Jesus. The woman watched too many episodes of
Law & Order
. Shaking his head and rubbing his eyes, he explained—again, “Ma’am, there’s no pornographer.”

“Oh, yes, there is. Someone intentionally left that book on the ground for a child to find it.”

Uh-oh, things had gone a step further. Now it wasn’t just some sicko who was careless with his things, it was a plot to destroy little minds.

“No, she didn’t.”

The woman’s eyes flared. Her nostrils did, too, as if she’d smelled something juicy. “You said ‘she.’”

Calling himself ten kinds of idiot, he snapped, “He
or
she. Mrs. Franklin, as far as I’m concerned, this matter is closed.”

“You’ve discovered who did it, haven’t you?”

Making a decision, and hoping he didn’t regret it, he said, “Yes, I have. The owner dropped it completely by accident and was horribly embarrassed. I returned the property, and that’s the end of the matter.”

“Who was it?”

Suddenly appearing more titillated than bossy, Mike had to wonder just how much this twenty-years-a-widow had looked at that book. “That’s absolutely none of your business.”

She gasped as if he’d slapped her. On the other side of the café, Angie snorted loudly, covering it by coughing into her fist. He’d just done the equivalent of flipping off his boss, but right now, he truly didn’t care.

“You can’t speak to me like that.”

“Ma’am, I’m a police officer. You are a citizen. Even if a crime had been committed—which it hasn’t—I wouldn’t be at liberty to discuss it with you. Nor would I want to.”

“Ollie would have...”

“You didn’t hire Ollie, remember?” he asked, suddenly half wishing the council had.

Then he remembered Lindsey, and the fact that he might never have met her if not for this job, and quashed that thought. Even if he didn’t stay in this job, the months he’d spent here, under watchful eyes of judgmental people like Mrs. Franklin, would have been worth it, because of Lindsey.

“Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m off duty and I’m going home.”

“We’re not finished here.”

“Yes, Mrs. Franklin, we are. If you have anything else to say to me, you can come by the station tomorrow, because I’m off until late tonight.”

And with that, and a nod to Angie, he strode out of the coffee shop, wondering if he’d just effectively ruined his chances of holding on to this job at the end of his probation.

Funny. Somehow, right at this moment, knowing for certain that Lindsey would not be staying here after this school year, he just didn’t give a damn.

* * *

A
S
SHE
FINISHED
packing a picnic basket she’d found in the pantry with bread and cheese, grapes and wine, Lindsey asked, “Are you sure this is a good idea?”

Mike cupped her face and brushed his mouth across hers. “It’s a beautiful day... We’re completely alone. It will be fine.”

She hoped so. Because he was right—it was beautiful out. Spring had definitely sprung, and the May days were gorgeously sunny and warm. Even the gardens around her cottage had erupted with daffodils and tulips, the flowers bursting through the weeds and erupting in yellows and reds. The island was truly coming to life. The town was also sprucing up for the tourist season, with more and more shops open on Main Street.

“Come on, this’ll probably be our last chance. The tourists will start coming over for weekends in the next week or two. With you working every weekday, we might not have another opportunity.”

Oh, he was tempting. As discreet as they tried to be, she did long to just be with him, in the sunshine, holding hands, doing whatever. Well, considering they were bringing along a blanket and heading to an extremely private beach, the “whatever” might be pretty naughty.

“It’ll be worth it,” he promised. “And it’s not like we’re going twenty miles away. We’re walking through your backyard.”

That was true. The small beach on the southernmost tip of the island was accessible through the woods behind her place. According to the locals, only summer people who rented the vacant cottages all around hers went to the beach, so they’d have complete privacy, which made it just about perfect for them.

Seeing Mike naked in the sunlight had become one of her lifelong goals.

Still, she kept an eye peeled as they approached the shoreline and walked down to the small, secluded beach. The sand between the trees and the water was probably only about twenty feet wide, the shoreline curving away into a rocky cliff on one side and into the woods on another. The beach was every bit as private as she’d been led to believe, a little alcove that was probably overcrowded and noisy during the summer, but was as idyllic as a Caribbean lagoon right now.

“It’s beautiful. You’re
sure
nobody comes down here?” she asked, thinking that if she lived on this island, she’d visit this place as often as she could. It offered such a beautiful contrast—beach and forest—and was tucked away so perfectly by the curves in the landscape, she just couldn’t imagine a prettier place on Wild Boar.

He lowered the picnic basket she’d prepared. “I’m sure. I’ve heard the locals only use the north beach. Besides, it’s too cold for swimming still. You won’t catch anybody diving into one of the Great Lakes in the middle of May.”

“I can’t believe it’s the middle of May already,” she said. “I’d lost track of the days—they’re going by so quickly. It really took me by surprise yesterday when one of the kids mentioned Memorial Day coming up. I’m more than halfway through my teaching gig. Less than a month to go.”

Time definitely flew when you were having great sex. And she and Mike had been doing a lot of that over the past couple of weeks.

They weren’t just having sex, though. Quite often, he’d show up with a bag of groceries and would cook her dinner. Or they’d go for walks in the woods near her cottage. He brought over some tools and fixed the front porch, saying he was afraid she’d step out onto it and crash through the floor.

They even took the ferry across to the mainland one Sunday, pretending not to be together since some other island residents were on board. But once on the other side of the lake, they’d done all the normal things a dating couple did, from going to a movie to having dinner in a pricey restaurant. Seeing Mike in a tailored navy suit had been the highlight of her day, even if they did have to leave early to get the last ferry back so he could be at work by eleven.

She’d spent a lot of time thinking about that day after it ended. She’d found it surprisingly difficult to go back to their sneaking-around type of affair after their day of freedom. But since Mike seemed fine with the status quo, she hadn’t said anything about it.

And it seemed especially important after he’d told her about nosy old Mrs. Franklin, who still hadn’t given up trying to find out who’d dropped the book in the town parking lot. Realizing that the woman was on the warpath—and that Mike was in her way—Lindsey knew she couldn’t put him at any more risk of losing his job. He was on probation; the last thing he needed was for anybody to find out he was dating the “purveyor of pornography.”

God, it was so ridiculous. While she was not happy that a teenage boy had found it, no harm had been done. She was familiar with the Morgan kid—he was eighteen years old, and a senior. He was also the jock of the school, the big man on campus. The girls in her advanced class spoke frankly about how many girls he’d “hooked up” with. If he was still an innocent virgin, then so was Lindsey.

“Hungry?” he asked, interrupting the thoughts she really didn’t want to be thinking anyway.

“Starving.”

He helped her spread the blanket then they sat together on it. She opened the picnic basket and handed him the bottle of wine and an opener. Removing the crackers and cheese, she said, “Well, it’s cheddar and not imported Camembert, but it’ll have to do.”

“I suppose the grocery store was all out of caviar, too,” he said with a grin.

“Afraid so.”

“Rats.”

“They didn’t have those, either,” she quipped.

“Ha, ha.”

He popped the wine bottle open, pouring them each a glass while she pulled out a container of juicy grapes. She popped one into her mouth, its tartness surprising and refreshing, especially when she chased it with a bit of the white wine.

They sipped silently, both eyeing the gentle waves lapping at the shoreline. If it were even ten degrees warmer, she’d be tempted to dive in, as the water looked so crystalline and beautiful. But the lake had to be frigid; the temperatures still got very cold at night.

“Considering skinny-dipping?” he asked her.

“Not on your life.”

“Good. That water’s gotta be sixty-five degrees at the most. I doubt my ego could take the shrinkage.”

She sipped, eyeing him flirtatiously over the glass. “I
really
don’t think you have anything to worry about.”

“No?”

“Stop fishing for compliments.”

“Yes, teacher.”

Popping another grape into her mouth, she bit into it. Mike caught her by surprise when he leaned over and covered her lips with his. He immediately slid his tongue against hers, stealing the grape right out of her mouth.

“Hey, that was mine.”

“I’ll get you another one.”

It was his turn to bite into a firm grape, and Lindsey’s turn to steal some of it right out of his mouth. They’d played so many sexy games, but never yet with food. She liked the way the stolen grape tasted, loved the unique flavor Mike brought to something already so sweet and juicy.

Lifting her hand and cupping his jaw, she angled her head and deepened the kiss. Their tongues tangled and danced, pushing and pulling. He explored her entire mouth, like he couldn’t get enough of her, and she was soon breathless. Kissing Mike had become as essential as breathing.

“I’ve dreamed about making love to you out in the open,” he said.

“That’s probably because we’ve been keeping this whole thing secret.”

“Is that your professional opinion, Dr. Smith?”

“No. It’s just that I feel the same way.”

She was falling for Mike, in a big way. His body had become the most important place on earth, his kisses a daily requirement. If a day went by when she didn’t see him, she felt empty and miserable. And if she went more than two without making love with him, she became restless and needy, attacking him the next time they were alone. Lindsey didn’t know if it was love, never having been in love before. She only knew her whole world came alive when she was with him.

His warm hands slid down her body, pulling her top free of the waistband of her jeans. She quivered when those strong fingers brushed against her skin as he pulled the shirt up and off. He looked down at her breasts, covered in a lacy pink bra, his expression both admiring and hungry.

She had grown addicted to being looked at like that. As if, in his eyes, she was the most beautiful, desirable woman alive.

“I can’t get enough of you,” he admitted, bending to press a hot, openmouthed kiss to her nape.

“You’re welcome to keep trying,” she said, already growing limp and boneless as he kissed his way down her throat.

He licked the hollow then scraped his teeth over her collarbone. When he reached her bra strap, he nudged it off, reaching around behind her to unfasten it. Lindsey helped, letting the thing fall off her body.

The moment her breasts were uncovered, Mike bent to lick one, kissing the tip, sucking her nipple delicately. She sighed, loving the tenderness of it. He was almost worshipful, and acted as though he had all the time in the world to give them both all sorts of pleasure.

“Let me see all of you,” he said. “Please.”

She nodded, unfastening her jeans and letting him help her pull them down. Kicking off her sandals, she caught her panties with the tip of her finger and began tugging them down, as well.

He stopped her. “Let me.”

She smiled, enjoying this slow, deliberate side of him. She’d seen him in so many moods; they’d made love in all sorts of ways. But this was something new. She felt like a sun goddess being worshipped.

Lying back on the blanket, she lifted a little so he could slide her panties off. He took his time, scraping his hands along the length of her legs. Once she was completely naked, he knelt beside her and gazed down at her, his expression the picture of desire.

“Haven’t you looked at me enough?”

“Not in the daylight. I’m imprinting this on my memory.”

His attention was flattering, and arousing. Savoring the heat of the warmth on her bare skin, Lindsey stretched and purred like a cat, lying lazily in a sunbeam. She felt almost elemental, protected in this cove. A light wind blew through the woods, sending dry leaves tumbling. The lap of the waves created a slow, steady melody. She was aware of every sensation, from the softness of the blanket beneath her skin to the smell of the wine they’d sipped.

Mike said nothing; he simply began to strip out of his clothes. Slowly. She watched his every move, her breath catching as that amazing body was revealed in all its glory.

He was so incredibly defined—arms rippling with muscle, shoulders so broad, chest so powerful. Unable to resist, she reached up and brushed her fingertips through the wiry hair between his nipples, following the trail down his stomach. She scraped her nails over his amazing abs, delighting in the flexing of muscle beneath that perfect golden skin.

He stood up to finish undressing. She stayed there beneath him, looking up at him as if she’d been laid out as a banquet. His eyes never left her, and she stretched and curved, basking in the sunlight, getting hotter by the second. When his pants dropped, she swallowed hard. When his shorts followed, she hissed, shocked, as always, by the potent beauty of his sex. It was huge, intimidating and powerful. And she wanted it desperately.

“I’ve grown quite fond of that,” she admitted.

He knelt beside her. “What, this?” he asked, taking her hand and putting it on his cock.

Moisture raced to her sex and she bit her lip. Encircling him as much as she could, she slid her hand up and down... Slow, easy strokes. Mike watched her intently for a few long moments, then, when it got too much, he closed his eyes and dropped his head back, savoring her attention.