Protecting What's His (9 page)

Chapter Eleven

Derek took Ginger’s shawl and handed it to the coat-check attendant, grimacing when the black dress revealed itself once more. It was going to be one bitch of a long night.

The black, silky material displayed every curve and nuance of her body to perfection, exposing just the right amount of cleavage to keep a man watching and begging for her to lean forward a little too far. Her skin glowed against the dark material of the dress, making his hands itch to touch.

How could he have been so close earlier and not tasted her?

An irritated sound drew his attention back to Ginger’s stunning face to reveal those plump lips pressed together in displeasure. “I don’t care if I’m wearing four-inch heels, I will walk home if you’re determined to frown at me all night, Derek.”

God, she’d just had to remind him of the damn shoes. Each of her legs looked a mile long in them. He wanted to rip off the dress and wrap those legs around his waist.

He needed to get a hold of himself. The fact that she’d still agreed to come with him tonight after his earlier behavior blew his mind. He’d spanked her
. Hard
. Something he’d wanted to do since that night on the roof, but never dreamed he’d act on. In every one of his fantasies about Ginger, permission was never required, but this hadn’t been a fantasy and he’d acted on impulse. Seeing her walk out in that dress nearly brought him to his knees, but her lack of panties had pushed him hurtling over the edge.

For as long as Derek lived, he would never forget the vision of Ginger bent over his kitchen counter to receive her spanking. She’d been the perfect combination of defiant and vulnerable. He could still hear the slap of his hand against her bare flesh ringing in his head.

Every day, the need within him grew greater, more painful. His actions tonight proved just how little restraint he had left. The fact that she didn’t reprimand him for his actions, and in fact
enjoyed
if not craved his ministrations, only made him want to push her further.

Even now, as the young coat-check attendant’s eyes roamed over Ginger, Derek had to resist the compulsion to haul her over his shoulder and take her home.

Which certainly wouldn’t earn him any points with the woman in question.

Get your shit together, Tyler.

He composed his features and offered Ginger his arm. “Come on. Let’s see if we can hunt you up some of that cheap red wine you’re so fond of.”

“Oh no, Lieutenant. Tonight I’m drinking the good stuff.”

Derek led Ginger through the gilded double doors leading into the banquet hall, and immediately spotted a group of homicide detectives from his station. Wanting to avoid that mess for as long as possible, he steered Ginger in the opposite direction, toward the bar, where he ordered her a glass of wine and a whiskey for himself. Since he’d be driving, he’d only allow himself the one drink. If he was spending the evening with Ginger, he’d damn well need it.

Soft music drifted through the room. Big band combined with the healthy dose of Sinatra required at all political events. One end of the room held a candlelit dining area with thirty-odd tables, a stage, and a podium located toward the front. A currently half-empty dance floor took up the other half of the room. Uniformed servers in black and white rushed through the packed cocktail and dining area offering champagne flutes and hors d’oeuvres to guests.

Derek spotted the mayor and several prominent councilmen rubbing elbows with local law enforcement and shook his head, wondering how many of them were on one another’s payroll. Since making lieutenant two years ago, he’d been approached several times and propositioned about dropping charges for a friend of a friend, or looking the other way when the governor’s son was present at the scene of a crime, but Derek refused to compromise himself to retain his position. Small favors often turned into full-time obligations, and he had no ambitions of being a political lackey.

He looked down at Ginger, who sipped her wine and observed the room through wide eyes. It felt wrong, bringing her to this place where criminals posed as saviors to the city. Although she’d undoubtedly come across her share of unsavory characters in her past, here they posed as something else entirely. Once again, Derek tamped down the need to whisk her home, away from this place. Where he could have her to himself.

“We don’t have to stay all night, you know. An hour should do it.”

Ginger looked surprised, her wineglass pausing halfway to her lips. “We just got here.”

Her expression turned unsure, as if worried she might be the reason he wanted to leave. He hurried to clarify. “These events are exhausting. Too much grinning and bullshitting.”

Her face spread into a slow smile. “Well, you’re in luck, sweetheart. I grin and bullshit for a living.”

Derek sipped his whiskey. “These aren’t the type of men who frequent Sensation.”

“Maybe not now, but they all were at one time or another.” Something over his shoulder caught her attention. “And I’m fairly certain this group of gentlemen headed our way came to see me in Sensation just this week.”

Inwardly wincing, Derek turned to see Barker, Alvarez, and two other detectives heading in their direction. Taking a step closer to Ginger, he nodded in acknowledgment.

“Lieutenant Tyler,” Alvarez greeted him, raising an approving eyebrow at Ginger. Alvarez had been a detective long before Derek joined the force and tended to get away with more than the other men due to seniority. There’d been a few months of tension when the higher-ups passed him over for the lieutenant position in favor of Derek, but it eventually passed and Derek considered him his best detective.

“Alvarez.”

He leaned past Derek to address Ginger. “I don’t think we’ve formally met, but I recall you make one hell of a vodka gimlet.”

She flashed him a blinding smile. “I’m Ginger. Next time, I’ll make you one of my famous mojitos if you promise not to scare off the rest of my customers.”

The other three men looked uncomfortably at Derek, but Alvarez just laughed. “Just following up on a hot tip that Sensation is where all the cool kids hang out. Besides, I can’t help how someone interprets my looks.”

“That sounds like typical cop logic.”

Alvarez tried to get around Derek to continue his conversation with Ginger, but stopped when he saw his lieutenant’s expression. “And I’m interpreting the boss’s look to say
back off
.”

If Derek didn’t know for a fact that Alvarez was happily married with two children, he would have passed on the message sooner. However, he didn’t know the marital status of the other three men, nor did he care. Ginger belonged to
him
.

She nudged him with her elbow, a subtle reminder of her earlier threat to walk home. “Mr. Alvarez, maybe you can tell me what this event is being held for. Derek hasn’t had time to tell me yet.”

Alvarez sent Derek a look of censure, which he ignored. Pulling Barker forward, Alvarez explained. “This gentleman who hasn’t said two words since we came over here, and I can’t
imagine
why, is Councilman Barker’s nephew. We’re all here on his uncle’s dime. Normally, Lieutenant Tyler is the only one required to play dress-up and kiss politician ass. Thanks to Barker, we all have to pucker up tonight.”

Ginger laughed, reaching forward to shake Barker’s hand. Derek gave a mental eye roll when Barker’s eyes practically glazed over at the contact. “And tonight’s cause, Mr. Barker?”

The rookie puffed up a little. “My uncle is leading a committee to organize after-school programs in the city’s worst neighborhoods. To help keep local kids from joining gangs and get into sports or academic pursuits instead.”

“Damn, Barker. Did you rehearse that in the mirror?” Alvarez joked, signaling the bartender.

Barker flushed. “Anyway, you’ll hear more about it at dinner, Ginger.”

She smiled broadly at him. “I look forward to it.”

Derek had seen quite enough of Ginger smiling at other men for one evening. He couldn’t recall her ever smiling at him like that. Sliding an arm around her bare shoulders, he excused them and led her toward their assigned seats. Already seated at the round, ten-person table was Patty, the dispatch operator responsible for his bringing Ginger in the first place. Also waiting for dinner to start was Kenny, his ex-partner, and Lisa, Derek’s ex-girlfriend, still an item apparently. Thankfully, they were across the table, blocked by an obscenely large centerpiece, saving him from having to make introductions.

Patty, however, stood to greet him with a kiss on the cheek. “Derek, you brought a date!”

Wanting to roll his eyes at Patty’s false shock, Derek placed a hand on Ginger’s back and guided her forward. “Ginger, this is Patty. She works dispatch and is
unfortunately
leaving us soon to terrorize her husband full-time.”

The older woman laughed in delight, and Derek couldn’t help but grin in response. Despite being her favorite target for practical jokes, he liked Patty quite a lot and would be sad to see her go.

“Oh, Lieutenant. You know you’re going to miss me like hell.”

“I think I might, Patty.”

Trying to hide her pleasure over his words, she turned to Ginger with a sly smile. “And how do you know this asshole, honey?”

Ginger nearly choked on her wine. “Oh, um, Derek and I are roommates.”

Her eyebrows shot up. “Roommates? Aren’t you a little old for a roommate, Derek?”

Ginger answered before he could. “It’s only temporary, actually. My apartment across the hall, where I live with my sister, flooded last night. Derek insisted we take his spare room. He was very heroic, actually.”

Patty snorted. “I’m sure it’s been a real hardship for him. But since you’re only roommates, maybe I can set Ginger up with my single nephew. He lives right here in Chicago.”

“I take it back, Patty,” Derek grumbled. “You can retire with my blessing.”

A man in a tuxedo approached the microphone and asked for the guests to take their seats. Derek held the chair next to Patty out for Ginger, then took the seat on the opposite side. Alvarez and a few other detectives joined them a minute later.

Dinner went smoothly, Ginger and Patty chatting happily while his and Alvarez’s discussion inevitably turned to work. His informant continued to balk about Modesto’s whereabouts, but Alvarez thought he’d found some leverage he could use.

His eyes continually met Ginger’s even though they didn’t speak during the meal. She’d quickly earned Patty’s admiration, and by the time dessert was brought out, Ginger had been inundated with pictures and stories about the woman’s grandson, which she smiled and cooed over dutifully. Derek marveled over how well she fit in among his peers. He usually found himself checking his watch obsessively during these functions, but watching Ginger giggle charmingly and sip wine made time move too quickly. He hadn’t expected tonight to feel so natural, even if he’d been forced to glare at a few passing suits ogling his date during the second course.

“Damn, Lieutenant. Do I have to put on a black dress and heels to keep your attention tonight?”

Derek dragged his eyes away from Ginger and turned back to Alvarez with a smirk. “I don’t think it comes in your size.”

“Ouch. I can’t help that I got a woman at home who can cook.”

“I hope you leave enough for the kids to eat.”

“Oh, he’s got jokes, does he? This girl is good for you, Lieutenant. I knew you had a sense of humor in there somewhere.”

The tuxedoed man approached the microphone once more, calling for the room’s attention. Conversation slowly came to a halt around them. “Ladies and gentlemen, I have the honor of bringing Councilman Barker to the stage. His charity, Chicago Takes the Lead, is the reason we are all here this evening. So without further ado, please welcome Councilman Leon Barker.”

As the audience clapped politely, the councilman, a distinguished-looking man in his early fifties, took the stage. A spotlight found him as he approached the podium, highlighting the silver streaks in his black hair. He surveyed the room winningly, like a man used to making speeches, and smiled his thanks for their applause. “Thank you for coming. I hope you’ll all remember how great that prime rib was come election time.”

The politicians laughed in response. “As you are aware, we began Chicago Takes the Lead thirteen years ago and have implemented several after-school programs throughout the inner city of Chicago, mainly in the district I’m honored to represent. What makes Chicago Takes the Lead unique is our boys in blue. In addition to teachers and social workers, Chicago’s finest have been kind enough to volunteer their time to become mentors to our youth. We couldn’t do it without them.”

When the applause died down once more, he went on to describe the inner workings of the charity and its day-to-day operations. He didn’t mention the fact that many of the youths they mentored went on to take the police department entrance exam, making the charity a glorified recruiting operation targeting inner-city children. Not only did it assist Chicago in strengthening police ranks year by year, but it also facilitated the early establishment of relationships between politicians and the police force—both facets of the system that didn’t sit well with Derek, and a sentiment he’d been sure to share with the councilman whenever he received an invitation to speak at a Takes the Lead event.

The lights dimmed and a slide show began, showing snapshots of youths playing soccer alongside local law enforcement or painting over graffiti in downtown Chicago. A series of shots depicted a Thanksgiving meal, catered by the councilman’s office no doubt, being served in a school gymnasium.

Glancing over to gauge Ginger’s reaction, he started in his seat at tears welling in her eyes. All at once the reason for her distress became apparent. Jesus. How could he have brought her here?

Chapter Twelve

Derek’s hand grasped her cold fingers under the table, startling her. Hand-holding didn’t seem like a typical Derek move and she reacted warily. But the warmth his much bigger hand offered felt good and right, so she slid her hand into his and squeezed. He squeezed back.

She shouldn’t be crying. If anyone saw her welling up over this puffed-up public service announcement, it would embarrass the hell out of her. And Derek, too.

Blinking furiously, Ginger tried to disengage herself from the images flashing across the screen. Hungry children thankfully receiving a turkey leg and some stuffing. A young girl smiling as someone handed her a shiny pink winter coat at a local coat drive. It brought back painful images of sending Willa out to school in thirty-degree weather wearing a threadbare sweatshirt. Or sharing a can of stolen pumpkin pie filling on Thanksgiving Day. These were things she tried not to think about anymore, but avoiding the past now proved impossible as images continued to play under a cheerful voiceover.

The evening had been going so well until now. Good wine, amazing food, friendly people. She’d truly been enjoying herself. Even Derek appeared to get over his initial annoyance over her attire and had started smiling at her. Derek in a tuxedo was a breathtaking sight. Throw in a smile on top of that and you had one dangerously irresistible man. His scent teased her, reminding her constantly how close he sat, how little she’d have to move to be touching him. Sitting in his lap.

Then the slideshow started and everything ceased to exist around her. The past blurred everything out, threatening to expose her as an imposter in this room full of rich people.

When the lights came on, Ginger let go of Derek’s hand and pretended to dig in her clutch so no one would notice her puffy eyes. He suddenly stood behind her, pulling her chair back.

“Come on. Dance with me.”

Grateful for the chance to escape their table, Ginger didn’t dwell on her surprise over Derek’s invitation. Standing, she took his hand once more and let him lead her out onto the floor where several other couples danced to a soft instrumental. Finding an open spot, he pulled her into his arms.

A sigh escaped Ginger before she could stop it. Her body fit perfectly against his in her heels, bringing her head just under his chin. The expensive aftershave scent emanating from his throat smelled near enough to taste. They’d never stood this close to each other before without something sexual transpiring between them, and the reality of that pulsed in the air like a living, breathing thing.

To distract herself from those memories, she counted his flaws. Stubble appeared on his jaw much too quickly after shaving. His dark hair was cut too short, giving a woman nothing to sink her fingers into if the mood struck her.

Aw hell, who was she kidding? The man kicked her libido into warp speed just by existing. As they swayed to the music, he held on to her tightly, one hand riding just above her ass, sending a message to every other man in the room that he’d be the only one seeing her naked tonight. It infuriated her. It turned her on so crazily, she could hardly focus on the dance.

“I’m sorry.”

She tipped her head back to meet his eyes. “What are you sorry about?”

His gaze penetrated hers. “You were upset during the slideshow. I’m sorry.”

Ginger attempted a smile to disguise the painful drumming of her heart, but didn’t think she succeeded. She wished Derek hadn’t reminded her. “You don’t have anything to apologize for. I guess I was just thinking about someone who could have used a program like this back in Nashville.” She paused. “Even if it is just a recruitment program in disguise.”

Derek’s face registered surprise. “Picked up on that, did you?”

She shrugged, casting a glance over at their table where several detectives were still seated. “You seem so young to be their lieutenant. How did that happen?”

Apart from his shoulders tensing underneath her hands, his demeanor stayed the same. “It’s not a very pleasant story.”

“Okay. You don’t have to tell me.”

The hand riding just below her waist pulled her even closer. “New Year’s Eve three years ago, there was a hostage situation involving a Lithuanian man who’d been fired as a messenger from some major company located downtown in the Old Colony Building. I’d just made detective, and my partner at the time, Kenny, spoke fluent Lithuanian. His parents are first-generation immigrants and he happens to be the only man in the department with that particular skill.”

His hand skimmed up her back, moving underneath her hair, where he began stroking her neck gently. Ginger struggled to focus on his soothingly deep voice as he continued the story.

“Kenny translated for the hostage negotiator and they seemed to be getting through to him, calming him down. Then one of the hostages tried to escape and was shot and killed for his efforts. The whole operation went to hell, the perp aware that his new status as murderer wouldn’t buy him any demands. They were getting ready to send in a SWAT team, but because of the building’s layout, he would probably have seen it coming and shot more people before they could stop him.”

She sensed him nearing the uncomfortable part of the story. “The Old Colony Building is a landmark and I’d studied it in college during an architecture course. I knew a different way into the building that would bring us onto the same floor without alerting him to our presence. They didn’t like putting their faith in a brand-new detective, but I led a team inside, through the back of the building, and took the perp down through a vent in the ceiling.”

“Sounds like you paid attention in class.” Ginger leaned back, studying his frown. “That’s a great story, save the one unfortunate death. It could have been a lot worse.”

“You asked me how I made lieutenant.” He glanced away. “One of the hostages turned out to be the mayor’s granddaughter. When he got wind of my role in the takedown, he demanded the department promote me. I didn’t earn it. They handed it to me.”

Ginger scoffed in disbelief, but his expression remained tight so she leaned in and spoke quietly against his shoulder. “Derek, people have gotten ahead in this world for much less. A lot of them are probably in this room right now.”

He leaned down to rest his mouth against her temple. “You’re right about that.”

She shivered. In order to kiss him, she needed only tip her head back and meet his lips. But they stood in the middle of a crowded dance floor filled with his peers, so she appeased herself by pressing closer to his warm chest. His arm tightened around her, the hand in her hair tugging lightly on the strands.

“So being a lieutenant isn’t all about fancy charity events like this one. There’s a lot of danger involved.”

He nodded against her head but didn’t respond.

Ginger could sense the direction of his thoughts. “I wish I’d known that day in the hallway you were headed to a funeral. I still feel a little guilty about telling you to go to hell.”

“If I recall correctly, I deserved it.”

She wrinkled her nose, then sighed. “Well, it certainly isn’t an easy life you’ve chosen for yourself. I’m sorry I added to it that particular day. Even if you
did
deserve it.”

The hand in her hair began massaging her neck. “It hasn’t been easy for you, either. Has it?”

Ginger didn’t show any reaction to his casually posed question, but her internal defenses shot to attention. “That’s a story for a different day.”

She sensed him wanting to press her for more, but he wisely refrained. A heavy silence descended between them as they danced, and Ginger searched her brain for a way to lighten the mood again.

“Patty mentioned something interesting during dinner.”

“Did she?”

“Hmm. She took some liberties in responding to your invitation tonight.”

His chest rumbled with laughter against her cheek. “So it
was
her. I had a feeling.”

Reluctantly, Ginger pulled away to look up into his face. Being held by him felt too natural, like she could crawl into his arms and fall asleep. But cuddling and neck massages were not a part of what they were doing here together, and she needed to remind herself of that fact. Derek was the same man who spanked her without warning, pleasured her in front of a mirror so he could watch. She shouldn’t feel safe with him, but she did. It forced her to question her judgment.

The first
Derek, the one who breathed sensuality, whose very words elicited a response from her body,
that
Derek she could accept. Warm, humble, apologetic Derek quite frankly terrified her.

Someone needed to redraw the battle lines, and it looked like it would be up to her.

She gazed up at him through her lashes. “Surely, Lieutenant, you keep a few women on reserve to bring to events like this, or maybe just the occasional late-night date. Why not call one of them? You and I want something from each other and it doesn’t include prime rib dinners and dancing.”

His eyes narrowed suspiciously and Ginger sensed he could see right through her. “You told me to try harder. I’m just following orders.”

“I didn’t think you were in any condition to pay attention that night.”

“I always pay attention where you’re concerned.”

The song ended and after a moment, Derek let his arms drop, shoving his hands into his pants pockets. People around them made their way to the bar or returned to their tables, but Derek and Ginger remained rooted in place.

“Since you appear to be the expert, what do we want from each other, Ginger?”

“I think you know.”

“Oh, I do. But I want to hear you say it.”

Painfully aware of the crowd milling around them, she stepped closer and reached up to adjust his bow tie, lowering her voice to a near-whisper. “I want to show you instead.”

Derek’s quick exhalation of breath stirred the hair on her head. His hand banded around her elbow, steering her off the dance floor. “We’re leaving. Now.”

Startled by his reaction, Ginger stopped him before they reached the table. “Wait. I need to use the ladies’ room. I’ll meet you at the coat check.”

He looked like he wanted to argue, so she turned and slipped through the crowd toward the restroom before he could grab her again. Thankfully she didn’t have to wait in line and the opulent bathroom was relatively empty, save the uniformed attendant handing out paper towels and breath mints.

Washing her hands and giving herself a quick glance in the mirror, Ginger turned to leave but stopped abruptly when a tall blonde entered the bathroom. She recognized the woman from their table, but hadn’t been introduced, nor were they given an opportunity to speak during dinner. Easily six inches taller than Ginger, she looked elegant in a pale gray cocktail dress, which highlighted the icy blue of her eyes.

“Well hello there,” the blonde slurred, leaning a little too close to her. Ginger smiled back indulgently, having spent the better part of her life associating with drunken people. It required walking a fine line between friendly and patronizing. She liked to think her technique had been perfected.

“Hi. I recognize you from my table. We didn’t get a chance to meet, though. I’m Ginger.” She held out her hand, but the woman simply looked at it and laughed hysterically.

“Oh, my God. Please say that accent isn’t real.”

“Real, I’m afraid.”
Unlike your breasts.
“Guess you don’t hear many Tennessee accents in Chicago.”

“Nope.” She pretended to look thoughtful. “I guess it must be kind of a novelty for someone like Derek. Although I’m surprised he’d bring you to such an important event sounding like…I don’t know, a cowgirl or something.” Apparently, she found that awfully funny and sunk against the wall in a fit of laughter.

Ginger somehow kept the smile glued to her face. “I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name.”

“I’m Lisa.”

She stepped around the other woman, intent on exiting the bathroom. “Well, Lisa, it’s been lovely. But I can’t just spend all night in the bathroom.”

“I know exactly what you’ll be spending the night doing, cowgirl.”

Ginger sighed and pushed away from the door. “Listen up, sweetheart. For all your outrageous subtlety, it’s obvious you have a problem with me. Care to share?”

“It’s not so much a problem. More of an explanation.”

The obvious agenda on the blonde’s face sent a warning shiver up Ginger’s spine, but she ignored it. “Don’t let me stop you.”

Lisa smirked. “You see, I’m here with Kenny, Derek’s ex-partner. We’ve been together about two years, but before that it was me and Derek.”

Ginger schooled her features, not wanting to give Lisa the reaction she desired, but ice formed in the pit of her stomach. “Is that all?”

“Honey, you must be wondering why Derek brought you here. At first, I was a little confused, too. You’re hardly his type.” She swayed a little in her laughter then refocused squarely on Ginger. “I left Derek for Kenny. He’s never gotten over it. You’re simply here to piss me off.”

Ginger tilted her head sadly. “Looks like it worked.”

“Oh, fuck you, Bessie.” In her drunken state, the woman tilted to the left and nearly sprawled on her ass, but Ginger caught her arm at the last moment. Lashing out with a growl of rage, she pushed Ginger away. “I just wanted him to see what he’d be missing,” she spat, red-faced. “I didn’t think he’d leave for good.”

Time to go.
Ginger beelined toward the door, but somehow Lisa moved quickly enough to stop her once more. “Have you fucked him yet? I know you have. I saw the way he looked at you. Enjoy it while it lasts, cowgirl. You’ll never get it that good again.”