Protector Daddy by Taryn Quinn

NINE

I hadto cancel our date. I absolutely did not want to, but I had no choice.

Gina was in labor, so the Chief was out for the night. Mav was still on his honeymoon—and now out of state, since he and Van had gone down to the Jersey shore for the weekend. Plus, the new guy needed training.

But I stopped by the bakery to break the news in person since I was working on not giving a shit who said what. It was better they say it to my face instead of behind my back.

Honey met me at the door, already pulling on her suede jacket. “Hi,” she said breathlessly, casting a look over her shoulder as she tugged her hair out from under the collar of her pink coat.

Instead of responding in kind, I slipped my hand around the back of her neck, palmed her head in my hand and kissed her as if we were all alone. I tilted her mouth to mine and simply devoured her as if I hadn’t touched her in weeks instead of just a few interminably long days.

My tongue tangled with hers as I swallowed her sound of acquiescence, then I tugged her up against me so that she had no choice but to link her arms around my neck. She rose in her soft-soled shoes onto her tiptoes, pressing her breasts against my chest while my cock shot to brutal awareness and unerringly sought the heat already blossoming between her thighs.

If I’d wanted to quiet down the chatter, that was not the way to go.

When I finally drew back from her, she didn’t move, just kept her eyes closed and her lips curved as if she’d frozen in place. She was so fucking beautiful with that flush in her cheeks.

Arousal I’d put on her face.

“Honey,” I murmured.

“Yes, darling?”

I nudged her with my leg and she giggled, reminding me all over again that she was so young.

Seventeen years ago I was in second grade.

Dear God.

“Do you not like darling?” She licked her lips, her eyelashes fluttering as her eyes opened. “Or do you prefer sir?”

I cupped my hand over her mouth and turned her in my arms, making her laugh again as she looked back at me. Giving me the perfect opportunity to see just how many of the customers in line and at the little round tables were watching us avidly.

Answer: a damn lot of them.

Did I pull away? No.

Did she resist the opportunity to bite my hand again as she’d done on Monday? No.

So I nuzzled my face between her neck and shoulder and murmured, “Come with me.”

She did without hesitation, slipping her hand in mine as I led her out of the bakery. Almost as soon as the door swung closed, I imagined I heard voices exploding behind us, but it didn’t stop me from dragging her around the side of the building. I opened my mouth to speak, my words disappearing in a rush as she molded her lips to mine and sucked my tongue into her mouth as if she was dying for more.

I caged her in with my arms and let her take the lead, happy to go wherever she was headed. I didn’t expect her to grab for my belt buckle.

“You’re at work,” I reminded her between desperate, drugging kisses.

“Yeah and I’m working on a public lewdness charge. Should I turn myself in?” She released my buckle and held up her wrists while she batted her eyes. “Want to bend me over your cruiser to frisk me, Officer?”

“Where have you been all my life?”

She snagged my belt again, running her thumb over the buckle while she nibbled on my lower lip. And she started to drop to her knees, right there in the alley.

Mere feet from her job and not that much farther away from mine.

“Honey.” A voice snapped out. A very familiar voice.

I dropped my head back and decided next time I had to cancel, I’d just call. It was better for both of our reputations.

She straightened and tossed back her hair as she aimed a glacial glance toward the mouth of the alley. “Hi, Brady. How’s it going?”

“I don’t know what you’re trying to prove, but I have to think this has something to do with Mav.”

Her laughter bordered on hysterical. “You think I’m making out with Christian because of our brother? Newsflash: I made out with him before I knew anything about Mav marrying Van.”

“Even so, this behavior isn’t like you.” He didn’t spare me a glance.

I didn’t mind. I wished I could dematerialize altogether and just reappear at my desk back at the station. It wasn’t safe for me to be around this woman.

At least not in public.

Tabitha shot out of the front door of the bakery and hustled around the side of the building, stopping short at the sight of her husband. “Brady? What’s going on?” She covered her eyes with her hand then spread out her fingers to peek between them. “Please tell me they aren’t naked. I don’t want to see things I can’t ever get out of my brain.”

“If they were naked, would I be standing here talking to them?” Brady asked.

Tabitha dropped her hand. “No, good point.” She ran into her husband’s arms and hugged him as if she hadn’t seen him in days instead of hours. “I missed you.”

Honey let out a heavy sigh. “Can we just go?” she asked me in an undertone. “They’re nauseating.”

“Look who’s talking,” Brady tossed back without releasing his wife. “And no, you can’t just go. Christian is chained to his desk because I have to take the newbie out on his first ride-along. I was coming to find out what the holdup was when I saw you mauling my sister.” He pointed at me. “You’re damn lucky it was me who saw that and not Mav because he’s not nearly as non-violent as I am.”

“I’m an adult and Mav doesn’t even give a crap about me enough to make sure I see his wedding. Forget see, he didn’t even tell me about it. Instead, he had you stand up for him and you two barely even spoke while you were in the FBI. I know, I know.” She flapped her hands. “You two have that cutesy twin thing happening with Tab and Van so now you’re besties and I’m left out in the cold. Well, whatever. I can fuck whoever the hell I want to. Maybe I’ll do it right in the police station next time.”

“Honey,” I said in a low voice. “I don’t know who you think you’ll be having sex with in the police station, but it’s not me.”

She looked as if I’d slapped her.

For once, the age difference between us didn’t just seem sexy. It was as if I’d suddenly realized she hadn’t seen or experienced as much life as I had. Maybe that was part of why I’d fallen for her so quickly—sexually. Because it was far too soon for more.

It had to be.

I started to turn away, but she gripped my forearm. “I’m sorry.” Her voice was hushed, contrite. “I got ahead of myself. This is your job, and it’s not a joke. Not just a temporary gig like me at the bakery. It’s your profession.”

“Yes, it is.” My arm relaxed in her hold, and I reached up to cup her cheek. She immediately turned her face into my hand. “Is it going to be your job too?”

She pursed her lips. “I want it to be. I want to work there. But I don’t know if it’s right for me. I just know I want to give it a go. Maybe that’s not smart considering my brothers are there and considering…” She lowered her head. “You. Us. I don’t want to have to choose.”

“Then don’t. I have to work tonight. You heard Brady.”

She narrowed her eyes. “Yeah, I heard the putz.”

“But you can work with me, get used to the rhythm of the police station.”

“As long as that’s the only rhythm she gets used to,” Brady muttered.

“Too late there, sailor.” Honey flashed a peace sign at her brother before her expression sobered as she met my gaze. “You mean like shadowing you? Do you know what the Dispatcher does?”

“I have a good idea. And it’s informal. The Chief wants to bring in Gina’s mom to start training you, once you’re committed to coming on board.”

“And once her daughter finishes giving birth,” Brady chimed in.

Honey and Tabitha let out a synchronized squeal.

“She’s in labor?” Honey asked.

“Yeah. Why I ended up needing to work. The Chief obviously can’t be on shift tonight.” I lowered my voice. “If you want the job, take it. Don’t worry about your brothers or me or anything else. Think of yourself first.”

“I want the job.” She drew in a deep breath. “I can be professional about all of this. I will be professional.” She threw back her shoulders and I commanded my gaze to remain level on hers. “I won’t disrespect the faith that the Chief is putting in me by giving me a chance to do this right.” Her lashes fluttered. “And you.”

Brady coughed. I had a feeling he had plenty to say about that, but I just cupped her chin and nodded. “I know you won’t, Honey.”

Unspoken messages passed between us. Subtly so only I could see, her lips moved against my thumb as she murmured the word “Sir”.

My cock stirred in my tight uniform pants as I hissed out a breath. “Good girl,” I returned just as softly.

I wasn’t entirely sure the full meaning behind the energy transferring between us, but whatever it was, we were both fully on board.

“Hey, Officer McNeill, wondered where you ran off to.” Jimmy Greer, the new officer, called over from the sidewalk, and reluctantly, I let my hand drop from Honey’s face. “Already see where you went to, Officer Masterson, and gotta say I fully approve.”

Instinctively, I moved closer to Honey and damn near growled like a rabid dog over a juicy piece of steak.

Jimmy immediately stepped back and lifted his hands palms out, flashing an easygoing grin. “Just saying, man. No harm, no foul.” He inclined his chin toward Honey. “I’m Jimmy. You are?”

“My sister.” Brady shot him a serious side-eye.

“Oh, gotcha.” Jimmy tacked on another smile. “Nice to meet you, Officer McNeill’s sister and Officer Masterson’s not sister.”

Honey cocked a brow at me and sidestepped me to stick out a hand toward Jimmy, which he took with obvious trepidation. “I’m Honey, the new Dispatcher.” She bit her lip. “Maybe, depending how things go.”

“Oh, you work with us?” The interest on Jimmy’s face made my fingers curl into fists.

I had no claim on her. Not really. Added to the fact that she was closer to Jimmy’s age than mine and he was like an eager, probably excessively horny puppy who most likely still crushed beer cans against his head and did other things that young, excitable men did to woo super hot women.

Whatever that might be.

I was entirely too old for her, too serious, too…everything. Too commanding. I didn’t understand what the words ‘casual fun’ meant. If I was a decent dude in any way, I’d cut her loose to find someone else more her speed.

“I’m having dinner with my family Sunday night. Do you want to join me?”

Oh, yeah, that offer clearly fell under “letting her go.” Absolutely. Because meeting the parents always fell into the category of first date for sure.

“We eat early so we can take a hayride after. They run this weekend too, one time only. I already checked.”

I was so busy staring at Honey’s face to see her reaction that I heard a gasp and didn’t have a clue what direction it came from.

Her forehead creased as if she was thinking it over. “Really?” She lowered her voice. “Or is this some kind of male pissing on my tree nonsense because a cute guy looked at me?”

“You think he’s cute?”

She shrugged.

“He’s not cute.” And he was very obviously listening to us and not even hiding it. As were Brady and Tabitha.

“Why didn’t you ask for her name?” I said to Jimmy, nodding to Tabitha. “She’s just as cute as Honey.”

“Thank you!” Tabitha said with a giggle.

“She’s also very married in case you forgot, dick.” Brady shifted Tabitha into his arms as if he could hide her from Jimmy’s view.

He shrugged. “Y’all are weird.”

“No kidding,” Honey agreed. “Saying hi to a woman doesn’t indicate you want to pin her down and do things to her. Also, a man looking at us doesn’t immediately make our legs fly open.”

“Shame, that.”

I narrowed my eyes at Jimmy. “Don’t you have a ride-along to do?”

“If Officer McNeill can spare the time,” he said pointedly.

“Yeah, yeah. See you later, babe. Kiss Pres for me.” He kissed Tabitha’s forehead and backed up. “Let’s go, Greer. Time’s wasting.”

“Now he realizes.”

The two men jogged off toward the parking lot together, already talking and laughing as if they were old friends.

That was the nature of police work. There was always a fair bit of posturing and ribbing between colleagues, but trusting someone to have your back made every interaction more weighted. Even if Greer was new and unproven, we would give him more leeway than we might someone else as long as he had the credentials. And he’d worked the beat before, just not here.

“I’d still kick his ass,” I mumbled.

The corner of Honey’s mouth lifted. “I shouldn’t be turned on right now, should I?”

“No,” Tabitha said for me. “But from the looks of things, that’s a constant state with you two lately.” It was her turn to hold up both hands when we both swiveled to stare at her. “Just saying. I’m going back in the bakery now. Be good, Honey. Or if you’re bad, try not to get caught.”

I followed Honey inside the police station, grabbing my phone as a personal call came in from the Chief.

“How’s Gina?” I asked in lieu of hello.

“Holding steady. Too steady.” He blew out a breath. “Yet again the contractions seem to have slowed. Bonnie’s going stir-crazy. Says she can’t sit around and not do something if we aren’t sure Caden is coming yet.”

“What happened to the C-section?”

“Last minute change of plans.” His smile came through in his voice, along with his exhaustion. “Since there’s a good chance this might be Gina’s only chance at childbirth, she’s kind of adamant that it be a vaginal birth if a C-section isn’t medically necessary. And at this point, it isn’t. So we wait.”

Inside, Honey was flittering around my desk in the bullpen, poking through my pen and pencil tray, dusting off my keyboard, picking up and setting down the scatter of family photographs. Instead of feeling as if she was being intrusive, her curiosity made me smile. As if for the first time in a long time, I had someone who actually cared.

Not to the point of having a woman to come home to—I’d never had that—but more than I’d had in a very long time.

And I wanted to make sure I didn’t lose her. Especially not before we had a chance to see what we could be.

Clearly, good sex—excellent sex—had addled my brain. We barely knew each other. I had no business getting possessive of her in any shape or form.

The Chief cleared his throat and I realized I’d wandered off into dreamland over Honey. Nothing new there. Well, it was still very new, though the amount of hours I’d spent focused on her this week was unreal.

“I get why she wants to do the full thing, Chief. Though if it was my call, I think I’d do anything to skip the actual birthing process, thanks.”

“You and me both, son.” He let out a laugh. “Anyway, Bonnie wanted to know if Honey had accepted the job, and when I told her not yet, I mentioned Miranda was another promising candidate I’d offered the other part-time position to. Bonnie’s chomping at the bit to come in and train her if Honey’s not on board yet. You know, idle hands, devil’s playground whole bit.”

“Yeah, and fretting about her baby girl.”

“Oh, yeah, big time.” He hissed out a breath. “She ain’t the only one, though my Bee is a rock as always.”

“Gina’s tough as nails. We could use her on the force.”

“We could, but over my cold, dead body.” He chuckled. “So you good with Miranda and Bonnie coming in for a couple hours? I know you had a date planned,” he coughed, “which you delayed due to the staff shortage, so maybe having Bonnie standing by while she trained Miranda would help. It shouldn’t be busy tonight, but you know how that goes.”

“I do. Actually, Honey is here. She hasn’t officially come on board, but I’m going to give her a crash course in what I know about her new role, which admittedly isn’t that much. If Bonnie wants to come in, I’m sure Honey would be up for it.”

“Okay, I’ll let her know. She just loves Honey, so she’ll be thrilled. Honey’s been slipping her a free eclair with the dozen she buys every other Friday.”

I grinned as Honey raised her brows at me from inside and made a c’mon gesture. I held up two fingers and she tapped her wrist impatiently.

“Honey has a way about her,” I said noncommittally.

“Uh-huh. Thanks for manning the ship tonight. I owe you.”

“You owe me nothing. But thanks anyway.” He clicked off and I blew out air between my teeth before I headed in to begin teaching Honey how to run herd on all of us.

As a vision of Honey in snug black leather filled my brain, I shook my head and strode inside.

Work only tonight. Nothing but work.

God help me.