Daniel grinned with anticipation as he took the wooden stairs two at a time.
Knocking on the surprisingly brightly colored door, he waited, his hand moving over his pressed shirt. He remembered Sierra telling him to look nice for the ladies so he’d dug out his iron and pressed a shirt.
He heard scrambling inside her apartment and wondered if maybe he was interrupting a date. He hoped so. He wasn’t so altruistic. If some guy was in there…
The door opened and he looked down into the surprised eyes of Ella, startled again by how beautiful she looked. She was still wearing the fluffy sweater and the jeans, but her shoes were off and her pink-tipped toes poked out, tempting him even further.
“Officer Daniel?” she gasped and looked behind her nervously.
Daniel was instantly alert. “What are you doing Ella?” he demanded. He pushed his way into her apartment, dumping the bag of Chinese food on a table as he moved deeper into her apartment. All the furniture was pushed to the walls and she had her laptop on the floor. Immediately, he knew what she was doing.
Turning around, he glared down at her, furious that she was ignoring his warnings. “Ella…”
He’d been about to give her a lecture on charging into dangerous situations, but his eyes caught on a white and black ball of fluff. “What’s that?” he asked, distracted.
Ella closed the door and moved towards him but keeping enough room so that he couldn’t grab her. Smart woman, he thought.
“Those are my cats,” she told him, crossing her arms and looking up at him as if she were daring him to comment further.
All he saw was what looked like a lump of black and white. “There are two of them?” he asked, amazed and not sure he believed her.
“Yes. Rocket and Tummy.”
“Tommy?”
She shook her head, causing those wisps of hair to float around her cheeks. “No, Tummy.”
He looked from her enticing pink lips to the fluff again. “Are you pulling my leg?” he asked, thinking she was teasing him in some way.
She huffed a bit. “Are you making fun of my cats?” she asked, shifting her weight to one leg.
He glanced back at her and remembered why he was here. But the cats…he looked at the cats again. “Yeah. I think I am.”
Ella stared up at the man who had been occupying her thoughts all day. When he smiled like that, something strange happened inside of her. She wanted to walk over to him and press her body against his, to feel those muscles she remembered from the morning.
Instead, she jerked her chin higher, trying to ignore the way she was feeling. It was inappropriate to feel that towards this particular man. And she didn’t like him. So she’d just…ignore those feelings.
“They are sweet, gentle creatures.”
Daniel laughed, unaware of how that sound sent more strange tingles throughout her body. “First, it looks as if there is only one cat. A big cat, maybe, but if you say there are two, then…” he shrugged. “But Rocket? And Tummy?”
Ella looked at the animals that were twisted up together. Releasing her resentment at his teasing, she sighed. “You have to…well, they are appropriately named. Trust me,” she told him. “Why are you here?”
He looked down at her and had to think fast. He couldn’t remember why he’d come by. Those pink toes were distracting him. He knew exactly what he wanted, but…
“Dinner,” he told her, finally remembering why he’d come by. “I brought dinner. Have you eaten?”
She looked surprised for a half second, even pleased, but then she hid her reaction and shook her head. Defiance back in place. “I’m not hungry.”
He shrugged off his jacket. “That’s fine. I’ll eat by myself and I’ll watch you try and teach yourself self-defense.” He ignored the widening of her pretty, blue eyes, almost laughing at how transparent she was.
A moment later, he retrieved the bag of delicious smelling food and started opening and closing drawers in her kitchen.
“Hey!” she called out to him, irritated that he was invading her home. But he found the forks and grabbed one, then walked over to the sofa, sat down and opened the first box of food. “Proceed,” he said, gesturing with his fork.
Ella stood there nervously, watching as he stabbed a piece of chicken drenched in savory sauce onto the fork.
“You’re supposed to use chopsticks,” she told him.
He shrugged. “I didn’t know there were rules about eating Chinese food.”
She stared at him as if he’d lost his mind. “Of course there are.”
He smiled up at her. “And of course, you’re such a rule follower,” he teased.
She huffed a bit, her hands on her narrow hips. “When the rules make sense, of course I follow them.”
“Eating Chinese food with chopsticks is a rule you think makes sense, but allowing a trained, armed police detective to handle investigating a dangerous crime ring doesn’t?”
She shrugged her shoulders slightly. “The police aren’t doing anything about the issues in our neighborhood. Someone had to step in and do something.”
Daniel resisted the urge to roll his eyes. It was easy enough to do when she walked over to inspect the bag of food. Her sweater gaped open slightly but he was denied a view. Only a dark shadow greeted him. Darn!
“Try the next box,” he suggested, moving his eyes to her denim clad bottom. Nice enough view, he told himself.
A moment later, she straightened up and he had to pull his eyes away quickly. She had a box in her hands and a pair of chopsticks. Instead of joining him on the sofa, she simply sat down on the coffee table, curling her legs underneath her. “So what is the police force doing to help the shop owners?” she asked.
He wasn’t going to reveal anything to her. He suspected she would take that information and run her own investigation, possibly put herself in worse danger. “We’re handling it,” he told her. “What move are you trying to learn,” he asked, referring to the laptop on the floor, the screen frozen with some idiot-looking dude in a karate uniform. He doubted that the guy was a black belt, especially since the guy’s belt wasn’t even tied correctly. There was a very specific way to tie one’s belt in martial arts. He knew. He studied several of the martial arts himself, practiced them to hone both his skills and his mind.
“I didn’t do the flipping correctly earlier today. I’m going to get it right.”
Daniel smiled but covered it up by popping a juicy piece of chicken in his mouth. She was cute and sexy. And determined. “Okay, I’ll show you how once we’re done.”
Ella looked over at the enormous man taking up so much space on her sofa. “You’re going to what?”
“I’ll teach you,” he announced and put the box down, selecting another. This one had shrimp.
Ella immediately shook her head, unaware of how her blond hair touched her neck and cheeks. “No. I’m fine learning online.” She’d experienced his touch earlier today. She didn’t dare touch him again. Danger, danger!
“Eat up,” he encouraged. “If you’re going to learn this stuff, it’s going to take more than what you’re eating to keep you going.”
Ella stared at him, then down at her food. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Then promise me you won’t even try to pull the move, Ella.”
Her lips compressed and he sighed. Leaning forward, he looked her right in the eye. “Okay, first of all, unless you know what you’re doing, you don’t want to get that close to someone who can turn your move around and hurt you first.” He waited for her to recognize the truth to his statement but when he only saw stubbornness in her eyes, he continued. “For someone with your size, you want to do a bit of incapacitating first. Try to kick a guy in the gut first so that he’s bent over, then move in to flip him onto his back.”
That got her! He loved the interest in her blue eyes. So did his body and he instantly hardened with her excitement. He was in trouble, he thought.
“That makes sense. I just need to kick someone?”
He almost groaned. It wasn’t just her body that turned him on. Her enthusiasm was hot! “No, Ella. You don’t just need to kick someone. You have to kick them hard and fast. And because you’re so short…”
“I’m not short!” she argued, straightening her shoulders. “You’re just abnormally big.”
He shook his head. “I’m taller than average, but you’re short, honey. You can deny it all you want, but you’re a tiny thing.” He watched her cheeks flare with color and almost laughed. “Anyway, you don’t just need to know how to kick someone, you need to know where to kick someone. You’re too small to kick someone in the gut, Ella. And I’m guessing you wouldn’t try to kick them in the…” he hesitated, watching her cheeks turn a darker shade of pink when she realized he was referring to her kicking a guy in the testicles.
“I understand,” she said and looked down at her food, twisting the noodles around on her chopsticks like an expert. “So….”
“So, you kick him hard and fast, fast enough so he can’t grab your ankle and flip you over. If you’re threatened, Ella, don’t hesitate.”
She shifted slightly. “And if one of my friends is threatened?”
He rubbed a hand over his face. “Then you call me. Fast. And I’ll take care of the threat. Don’t go there, Ella!”
She smiled at his stern command. “You’d come running in to save the day?”
“Yes. Damn straight. But promise me....”
“No. I’m not going to stand by while someone I care about gets hurt.”
He leaned back and sighed. “Fine. Then you’re going to have to take lessons from me about how to protect yourself.”
She thought about that for a moment, looking over at his broad shoulders and long, muscular legs. Shaking her head, she knew she couldn’t get close to this man. No way!
“I’ll sign up for the self-defense classes over at the women’s shelter downtown.”
Daniel’s satisfied smile grew wider. “Fine. But I teach that class as well.”
She almost tossed her Chinese food into the trash. “I’m not going to learn from you!”
He laughed. “Yes. You are. Starting right now.” He plucked the box from her fingers and lifted her up off of the coffee table and set her down. “Okay, pretend like I’m a threat. What are you going to do?”
She lifted her hands up in the air, fists tight. “I’m going to punch you.”
He immediately shook his head. “Wrong. First of all, you’re going to call for help. Then you’re going to call me. And then…” he moved closer to her, his fingers moving her fingers slightly. “Leaving your thumb sticking out like that is just asking for your thumb to be broken on impact. Protect it like this,” he said and showed her where to put her fingers so they weren’t going to be destroyed on the first punch. “Secondly, don’t flex your wrist. Always keep it straight.”
She followed his instructions as best she could. But the man’s touch was distracting. If only he would explain and not demonstrate!
“Here, come at me now,” he said and stepped back.
Ella narrowed her eyes and looked up at him. “What do you mean?”
He smiled slightly. “Come at me. Punch me Ella. Take your best shot.”
Ella could see the smirk in his eyes and knew that he was taunting her. She didn’t care. She really wanted to prove that she could handle him.
Unfortunately, the man was too big, too muscular and…
Now how did she end up cradled against his massive chest with his arms around her like this?
Looking at him over her shoulder, her breath caught in her lungs. “What happened?” she asked slowly, still not sure what had happened.
“You came at me from the right,” he told her, pulling her closer, gently moving her against him. Ah damn, she felt good. Too good. With her in this position, he couldn’t hide his body’s reaction to her sweet derriere right there against his erection.
“I think I always attack from my right,” she replied, her voice a breathy whisper. His lips were close. So close!
“I know you do.” His eyes dropped to her lips. “Always from the right. Which is why you’re here, in my arms.”
Ella wanted to nod her head, to accept that she needed to attack from the left, if that was even possible.
Unfortunately, with his arms around her like this, she couldn’t really thing about anything. Except for the way his arms were around her. Tight, but not painful. Secure. Really nice.
Too nice!
“What are you doing?”
He smiled as his lips touched her hair. “Holding a beautiful woman in my arms. Was there confusion?”
She couldn’t help but laugh. “Okay, but are you going to let me go?” she held her breath as she waited for his response.
As she waited, she felt his lips on her hair, kissing, nuzzling her ear. An involuntary shiver raced through her body.
“You feel it too, don’t you?” he asked, his voice a husky sound now.
Yes. She could feel it. She could feel the electricity, the delicious tension. But she shook her head. “I don’t.”
He laughed. “You do. But you’re cute when you’re being stubborn.” He kissed her neck. “I think I like it.”
She shook her head. “No. You won’t like it for long.”
“I like it at the moment.”
She sighed and moved to shift in his arms. But he only allowed her to turn around. When he was looking down at her, his arms still wrapped around her waist, he saw the worry in her blue eyes.
“I want you, Ella,” he said, his hands sliding up and down her back.
Ella stared back, not sure how to handle a man like him. “You scare me,” she replied honestly.
His only response to that was to bend lower, kissing her gently. “Don’t be scared,” he urged. “I’ll take care of you.”
Ella sighed, feeling his kiss rush through her body, sending currents of electricity everywhere. “Promise?” she asked, closing her eyes as he nibbled on her lower lip.
“I promise,” and he deepened the kiss. Not hard, light enough to give her the chance to pull away if she didn’t want this, but enough to show her that she did. That it could be great between them.
A moment later, he had his answer as her arms reached up and pulled his head down, her own head tilting upwards so she could deepen the kiss herself.
The fire that had been simmering exploded out of control. Her hands tightened in his hair and his arms pulled her roughly against him. He continued to kiss her, moving her backwards until her bottom pressed against the back of the chair.
Daniel couldn’t stop, couldn’t slow down. He’d been thinking about her all day long, wondering what she would taste like and how perfectly she would feel in his arms. Now he had her, he could taste her and she tasted better than he’d thought possible.
Ravenously, he kissed her as his hands lifted her higher, placing her on the back of the chair and moving his hips between her legs. Pressing his erection against the seam of her jeans, he pressed and shifted, hearing her gasp of surprise, but then her hips flexed towards his own, needing that same pressure.
“Don’t stop,” she gasped and held onto his shoulders while he pressed her back further. Ella felt like she was on a precipice, about to fall and it had nothing to do with the fact that she was literally hanging off of the chair. The only thing keeping her in place was his hands on her hips, encouraging her to shift against that hardness.
She didn’t need any additional enticement. She was mindless now, desperate and in pain because she needed something. And she knew that Daniel was the only man who could give it to her.
“Like that!” she cried out and shifted her hips once more. “Again!” she commanded, her nails digging into his shoulders.
One more shift and that was all it took! Her body climaxed in his arms and she whimpered as the waves of pleasure washed over her. Slower now, she could still feel him moving against her but it was gentler, as if he knew…
Reality was slow to return. As she looked around, she noticed him, smelled his heat and the spicy scent that was all him. And then it hit her! “No!” she gasped as she opened her eyes. Looking up into his face, she shook her head. “No! We did not just have sex with all of our clothes on! Tell me that didn’t happen!”
Daniel wanted to laugh, but he was still fully aroused and in pain to continue. “No. We did not have sex fully clothed, Ella. Not by a long shot,” he groaned out. He was holding her hips still, not allowing her to move in any way. Just one more shift and he would lose himself in the pleasure of her body, but he wanted to be buried deep inside of her when that happened. “We have not had sex.” He watched her blue eyes. “Yet.”
He waited, watching. He didn’t want to pressure her into anything, but….
“Yet?” she whispered, her fingers tightening on his shoulders.
That was all the encouragement he needed. Lifting her into his arms, he looked around. “Where’s your bedroom?” he demanded, already heading towards the only hallway in her small apartment. “Never mind,” he snapped. “I’ll find it.”
And his innate sense of direction led him directly to her bedroom. Moments later, she was on her back, looking up at him as he pulled her sweater up over her head, tossing it onto the floor.
It was dark in her bedroom and he glanced around quickly, needing light. The bedside table was there with a small lamp and he flipped the switch, then turned back to look down at her.
Small, perfect breasts encased in delicate lace, her pale nipples already peaked and showing through the material.
“You’re beautiful, Ella,” he groaned and bent down, taking one of her nipples and teasing it through the lace material. When she made that sexy whimpering sound again, he might have smiled, or he might have growled again. He wasn’t sure. But his fingers deftly pulled the material out of the way. When the lace was no longer obstructing his view, he stared at the beautiful nipple for a long moment before finally tasting it again. Better this time. And those sounds! Damn, if she didn’t stop making those sounds…
He moved to the other nipple, giving it equal attention with his lips, tongue and teeth before moving lower, tasting the sweetness of her stomach while his fingers unsnapped her jeans, slid the zipper down and, with quick movements, discarded the jeans behind him.
Looking at her now, her hips shifting, her body writhing for him, he thought he might have died and gone to heaven. Stripping off all of his own clothes, he came back to her, leaning down so that his arms were bracing him above her. “Are you sure about this, Ella?” he asked softly, wanting her, but also wanting her to be sure.
Ella laughed softly, her fingers reaching up and touching his chest, smoothing over the ridges of muscles and the light dusting of hair. “I’m sure. I want this,” she told him. “I’ve never wanted this before, but with you, I do.”
Daniel wasn’t sure what she meant by that, but he’d heard the words he needed to hear. His head bent once more and captured her nipple while his hands slid against her skin. He felt her delicate touches and wanted to beg her to be firmer, but he couldn’t stop tasting her, touching her with his mouth and hands.
When his mouth moved lower, he smiled when she gasped. “You smell incredible,” he said softly even as one finger moved inside of her heat. He closed his eyes when he felt her inner muscles tighten around him. “Do you taste as good as you smell?” he asked.
Before she could stop him, he did exactly what he wanted. And damn, but she tasted even better! All woman, all delicious desire. His finger moved inside of her while his mouth moved against her. Spreading her legs wider, he moved in and teased her with kisses and nips until she instinctively lifted her hips to his mouth. Only then did he cover her heat, giving her what she wanted.
And when she screamed out, her body convulsing around his finger and he could taste her climax with his mouth, he almost laughed out loud with victory.
When her body calmed, he moved up higher, kissing his way across her stomach, her breasts, her neck. Grabbing protection, he rolled it down his length and grabbed her hands, lifting them over her head. “Thank you,” he growled a moment before he slid into her heat. She was so tight, he had to slow down. Inch by inch, he moved inside her, filling her up and watching her eyes. He felt the barrier but he was too far gone to realize what was happening. A moment later, he was buried inside of her and her eyes softened, her swollen lips smiled up at him and he groaned in response.
“Ella,” he sighed and started moving inside of her. He saw the surprise, felt her hips start moving with his and increased his pace.
She was so hot, so wet and so damn beautiful, he could barely hold back. Releasing one of her hands, he reached down to help her, knowing by the look in her eyes that she was struggling to reach that goal. “Not without you,” he grumbled and pressed his thumb against that nub.
When those muscles tightened once again and he heard her scream as she arched against him, he released his own control and pounded into her tight sheath. Moments later, he climaxed himself but couldn’t stop. It felt too good, too perfect. And it lasted forever!
Ella was his, he thought as he tumbled over into the best orgasm of his life.