Teresa Southwick - An Officer and a Maverick

“Well, I wouldn’t blame you if you added sexual harassment to that false imprisonment complaint.”

“Why did you really stop?” She slid closer, until their thighs were touching, and her arm brushed his. The heat of just that small contact threatened to make her go up in flames.

“I’ve sworn to uphold the law. There are rules.” His voice was ragged, and he was breathing hard.

So was she. And right this moment she didn’t give a flying fig about rules.

“Maybe rules were made to be broken.” She searched his eyes for a moment and then leaned in and kissed him.

She felt his hesitation and heard him make a sound that was somewhere between a groan and a curse. Suddenly, he was kissing her back, touching her everywhere, and she was tugging the shirt from his waistband. All she could think about was getting closer. The sound of their ragged breathing filled the small space.

“Damn it. I don’t have protection.” Frustration snapped in his voice.

“It’s okay,” she whispered. “I’m on the pill.”

“Oh, thank God.”

He slid her dress up to her waist then yanked his shirt off and lowered his jeans. She couldn’t believe that he wanted her as much as she did him. Still, it seemed they’d been heading toward this since the moment he’d scooped her into his arms earlier. Never taking his mouth from hers, he gently lowered her to the mattress and slid her panties off. He ran his hand down her side, letting his fingers graze her breast. Everywhere he touched she caught fire, but it wasn’t nearly enough.

“Lani, I want you.” The words were hardly more than a breath against her lips.

All she could say was yes and that was all he needed to hear. When he tenderly and carefully entered her, she wrapped her legs around his waist. With every stroke he took her higher until pleasure exploded through her and she cried out from the sheer power of the feelings.

“Lani—” A groan cut off his words, and he went still then found his own release.

Their breathing slowed and returned to normal, the only sound in the small cell. Cuddled up to Russ, being held in his strong arms, made Lani decide that getting arrested wasn’t so bad, after all. She wasn’t sure what she’d been drinking at the wedding reception, but something had lowered her inhibitions and let her go for it.

And suddenly she was really sleepy and found her eyes sliding shut.

She wasn’t sure how long she dozed, but sometime later she felt him move.

“My arm is numb.”

Lani blinked her eyes open at the sound of the deep voice. It took her several moments to realize where she was. And what she’d done. What they’d done, right here in the cell. And he’d let her sleep, long enough for his arm to go numb. That was awfully sweet.

“We better get dressed.” Without waiting for a response, Russ rolled away from her and off the bunk. He picked up her panties and handed them to her. Then turned his back while she righted her clothes.

“Thanks.” Although he was correct that they should dress, she missed the warmth of his arms around her, his body pressed to hers. And he’d gone back to the good-looking guy who didn’t notice her.

A little while ago they’d been as intimate as a man and woman could be, but now he wouldn’t even look at her, and you could cut the awkwardness with a dull knife. She straightened her dress then stared at the bars. If they weren’t locked in, she could quietly slip away, but any walk of shame was limited to a six-by-eight-foot cell.

“I feel as if I should say that this isn’t something I normally do.” Russ met her gaze.

“Me, either.”

“Are you okay?” he asked. “You look kind of—I don’t know.” His mouth thinned to a straight line, clearly regretting what happened. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.” She shook her head. An apology implied what they’d done was wrong, and she refused to believe that. The responsibility for them being in this situation was hers, and she had to confess. “Look, I need to tell you something—”

He held up his hand to stop her. “I know what you’re going to say. I guess technically it’s morning and you hate yourself.”

“No, I—”

The outer door opened and slammed closed. “Russ? You in here?”

“Back here,” he called. There was a grim look on his face. Probably because he was about to face his boss and explain how he got locked in here.

Gage appeared in the doorway and did a double take when he saw them in the cell. “What the hell?”

“Boy, am I glad to see you.” Russ dragged his fingers through his hair.

“You want to explain to me what’s going on here?” the sheriff asked.

“Not really. But I guess you should know, since you’re the boss.” Russ took a deep breath. “I lost the key.”

A wry look settled on Gage’s face. “I’m not a detective like you, but I sort of figured that out. It’s the part where you’re in the cell with Lani Dalton that could use some kind of explanation.”

“I arrested her for creating a public disturbance.”

“It’s true,” said Lani, looking as apologetic as possible—and truthfully, she felt pretty bad at the moment. At least, about nearly getting caught doing the deed with Russ. She’d only meant to stop him from arresting her brother, not get him in trouble altogether! “I was dancing in the park fountain. And I pulled him in. I swear I didn’t have liquor. Not really. They’d said that punch was only sparkling wine, but punch was sure the right word for the wallop it gave me—”

“This is my responsibility—” Russ’s voice was clipped.

She felt the least she could do was come to his defense, since this was all her fault. But he gave her a don’t-do-me-any-favors glare that kept her silent.

“Be that as it may,” Gage said, “Russ, I’d like to know why you were on that side of the barred door when it automatically closed.”

“Lani—the prisoner—was anxious about being left alone. And argumentative.”

“You couldn’t have calmed her down and argued with her while standing over here?” Shaking his head, Gage put a hand on the barred door in question. “Rookie mistake.”

“How long before I live this down?” Russ asked.

“Hard to say. Could take on legend status,” the sheriff told him, grinning. He inserted the key, and the lock opened with a loud click. “Good thing I have another set of keys or you’d be stuck in there a whole lot longer.”

Lani was okay with that, but one look at Russ told her that one minute more than necessary in here with her was about as appealing as brain surgery with a chain saw. When the door slid wide, Russ walked out and Lani started to follow him. He stopped, and she ran into his broad back.

“Not so fast.” He turned and looked down at her. “In case it slipped your mind, I arrested you.”

It kind of had slipped her mind, what with having sex in the slammer. She may have locked them in, but he’d started that . All things considered, the park incident felt like years instead of hours ago, and her head was starting to pound.

“Let her go, Russ.” Gage rested his hands on his hips. “Given the way this night has gone, her behavior is small potatoes. Sometimes you can pick and choose which hill to die on, and this is one of those times. She’s not a hardened criminal, and it was nothing more than mischief. You and I have more important things to deal with right now.”

Russ looked at the sheriff for several moments then nodded. “Whatever you say.”

“Do you need a ride home, Lani?” Gage asked.

“No.” She was already feeling guilty for taking up law enforcement time on false pretenses.

“Okay, then. Don’t get into any more trouble and make me regret cutting you some slack.” Gage gave her the intimidating lawman look that was becoming familiar tonight.