Escape in Passion Read online

  “Condensed, for now.”

  Worked for him. He tapped out his cigarette and began. “I was sleeping with another man’s wife, and he didn’t like it.”

  “Oh, Vic.”

  “Don’t start on me, okay. I was in love with her,” he said, thrusting himself up from his chair. “I was fucking in love with her, and I was this close,” Vic held his fingers up a pinch apart, “to convincing her into leaving her corrupt husband.”

  “How corrupt?”

  “Drugs. Big game drugs.”

  “Was he arrested?”

  “Couldn’t prove it. The bastard is cunning.”

  “How long did you know her?”

  “Only a few months,” Vic began. “I met her at the ER when I brought in a punk involved in a bar brawl that ended up getting him stuck in the gut with a knife. After that, we seemed to keep running into each other, and before you know it, I’m asking her out on a date.”

  “Did you know she was married?”

  “Not at first,” Vic replied, looking out his office window. “She didn’t tell me that until we’d already slept together. It was too late for me to break it off. Love does a number on a guy.” He thumped his chest with his fist. “But you know that.”

  “Yeah.” Tom nodded. “I’m sorry, Vic.”

  “Me, too. She was a great gal, funny, smart, and a terrific bedside manner.” He winked, his heart still aching for her.

  “She was a doctor?”

  “Intern. She wanted to go into Neonatal. You would have liked her,” Vic sighed, wishing he’d had a chance to introduce the two. “Okay, now you know. Can we get past it?”

  “Is that why you came out here last summer?”

  Obviously not, Vic thought and lit another cigarette. “Yeah. I needed to get away.”

  “Is your life still in danger?”

  “Oh, I’m sure if Marshall Kent—that was her husband—ever found out where I was, he’d try to take me out. But I feel pretty safe here. I doubt he’ll look this far away.”

  “That’s why you took this job?”

  Vic nodded, blowing out a stream of smoke. “And the department heads thought it was a good idea if I left. This just came at the right time, so they transferred me.”

  Tom stood and walked around the desk and though it surprised Vic a little when Tom hugged him, he wasn’t thrown by it. They hugged often enough.

  “What was that for?” he asked after the embrace.

  “Just being a friend.” Then Tom slugged Vic’s arm good and hard.

  “Shit, what was that for?”

  “Just being a friend.” Tom waved a hand while leaving the office.

  “Friends like that I don’t need. I could arrest you, you know.” But Vic smiled when he said it.

  Chapter 9

  Because he’d been distant with his sister, Vic had a guilty conscience and decided to send her something to show how sorry he was. He just didn’t know what to send her, but there was one person he did know that might be able to help him decide.

  He entered Cassie’s Collectables, hoping his friend would be able to help him out.

  “Well, if it isn’t my favorite cop.”

  “Well, if it isn’t my big ass pregnant neighbor,” Vic retorted taking hold of Cassie’s hand and leaned in to kiss her cheek. He let out a yelp when she dug her nails into his hand. “Those are lethal.”

  “Don’t be an ass,” she warned him, releasing his hand. “What are you doing here?”

  “I came to ask a favor.” Then he spotted Julia. What was she doing here? “Hi, Julia.” Just being near her made him uneasy. He couldn’t explain it, but she did something to him. Maybe it was those big green eyes, or maybe it was her youth and innocent looking face, but something about her pulled at him.

  “Hi, Vic. Cassie’s given me a job. She needed someone to help out when she has the baby and the weeks after while she recuperates, and I decided to stick around and take the job. Cool, huh?”

  “Very.” His eyes met Cassie’s with question.

  “She happened in at the right time. We discussed it a bit last night at dinner, and I told her to come in today and we’d discuss it more. Saves me the time interviewing other girls. She’s got cash experience, and she picks things up quickly. So, what’s this favor?”

  “I need to send my sister an apology present. What would you recommend?” It was best, he decided, if he didn’t look at Julia. The way she was smiling at him only made her face light up even more and made her all the more tempting.

  “What sort of an apology?” Cassie inquired.

  “Oh, for being me. She’s miffed because I haven’t been in touch on a regular basis. There’s more, but I don’t want to get into it all right now.”

  “Understood.” Cassie nodded. “Well, are we thinking expensive apology or cheap?”

  “In the middle.”

  “What does she like?” Cassie moved to the many shelves of ornaments and knickknacks.

  “She’s not into fancy expensive things. She’s a simple kind of girl.” He followed her, glancing at the shelves.

  “She’s a lawyer, right?” Julia asked.

  Vic nodded. “Yeah.”

  “I assume she has her own office and desk?”

  “You assume correctly.” It surprised him that Julia remembered.

  “What about this glass double penholder? You could get a silver plate sealed onto the front and have something engraved on it, like, ‘Best Darn Sister’.”

  Vic walked over to Julia and took the penholder she held, and his fingers brushed hers lightly, rattling his pulse ever so slightly. “Might work.”

  “But instead of the ‘Best Darn Sister’, you could put, ‘Sorry, I’m an ass, sis’,” Cassie piped in with a wide grin.

  “You’re a funny lady. I’ll take it, and I’ll figure out what to have engraved on it later. Good call, Julia.”

  “My sister was a practical person, too,” Julia added somberly, carrying Vic’s purchase to the cash register.

  “Was?” he followed her.

  “She died.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry, Julia.”

  “Thank you. Will that be cash or charge?”

  “Cash,” Vic said, pulling out his wallet.

  ***

  Coming to a stop at the curb, Julia stepped out of her car, grabbing her purse and the bag from the seat beside her. The evenings were still so damn cold, but she could forgive the freezing temperatures only because the way the moon glittered off the ice crystals in the snow, making them sparkle, was so damn pretty. Winter was pretty in a small town.

  With her breath giving off white clouds, she hurried to Vic’s front door. She had to get more information from him. The more she was around him, the more she doubted what Marshall said to be true. But still…

  She rang his bell and waited anxiously for Vic to answer. When the door flew open and she saw him standing in only a pair of black sweatpants, riding low on his hips, and nothing more, her breath caught His body was thin with only a tiny hint of muscle The tan he might have gotten during the summer was fading. His hair was damp, which led her to believe he’d just stepped out of the shower.

  Her only thought was to jump him here and now, but instead, she held up the bag. “I brought dessert.”

  “I haven’t even eaten dinner yet?”

  “Oh, well, I could whip you up something before we eat this pie. You’re cold,” she announced, stepping into the doorway, noticing how his nipples had hardened and found it incredibly stimulating.

  “I just got out of the shower. Let me grab a shirt.”

  Oh please, don’t. Julia let out a long breath when he rushed up the stairs. It was wrong to want him; she knew that, yet she couldn’t seem to help herself. Carrying the pie to the kitchen, she set it on the cupboard and saw the empty beer bottles by the sink. Opening the fridge, she saw Vic had nothing much to work with, then went for the freezer. That, too, was bare. “I think you need to get groceries,” she called out and, shift
ing, jumped at seeing him standing behind her. “Sorry, I thought you were still upstairs. You don’t have much in the fridge.”

  “I don’t usually, no. I’m good. What kind of pie did you bring over?”

  He smelt like cologne; though she couldn’t place what the scent was, she liked it. “Chocolate cream.”

  “Perfect.” He reached around her to grab some plates, and she was a breath away from him.

  Julia wanted to taste his mouth so badly, she ached. She could see why her sister had been willing to give it all up for him.

  “Bring it to the living room.”

  She blinked, coming out of her thoughts, and took a deep breath. Taking the pie, she followed him to the living room. Setting the pie on the coffee table, she sat down beside him on the sofa while he cut them each a huge slice.

  “You want something to drink with this?”

  “I’m good, for now. Thank you.” She took the piece he held out to her, cutting into the thick chocolaty dessert with her fork. She slipped it into her mouth and sighed. “Oh, God, that’s good.”

  “What’s the real reason you decided to stick around, Julia?” Vic slipped the forkful of pie in his mouth.

  “I like the town.”

  “Won’t your family be worried about you?”

  She shook her head, licking her fork clean before she spoke. “I called them and let them know I was going to stick around for a while.”

  “How long is a while?”

  Julia shrugged, shoving more pie in her mouth and swallowed before she spoke. “I don’t know. Did you figure out what you want engraved on your sister’s penholder?”

  “Not yet. What are you doing, Julia?”

  “Eating pie.” She licked chocolate from her lips.

  “You know what I mean.” He set his empty plate down.

  “I don’t think I do,” Julia replied innocently.

  “Coming here, bringing me pie, staying in town to work for Cassie. What’s this really about?”

  Her nerves prickled and sent a sinking feeling into her gut. “I like this town. I didn’t know what I wanted to do before and maybe this will give me time to figure it out.” She set her plate beside his, stopping short when he touched her arm.

  “If I didn’t know better, I’d say you’re running from something. Are you in trouble, Julia?”

  She shifted, his hand on her arm making her pulse jumpy. “I’m not in trouble, Vic, but thanks for worrying about me.” And she just couldn’t resist it any longer. Leaning forward, she attempted to kiss him.

  “Not a good idea.” Holding his hand up, he pulled back from her.

  “Why not? I want you, you want me, and I know you do, so why can’t we indulge ourselves?” Julia leaned towards him again, this time pinning him to the back of the sofa. “We’re both adults, Vic.”

  “Well, one of us is, at least.”

  She hated that he kept thinking of her as a baby. Sitting up, she lifted her t-shirt over her head and tossed it on the floor. “I’m an adult, Vic. All woman, and every inch of me wants you.” Knowing the only way would be to force herself on him, she pushed him back and climbed on top, taking his mouth before he could protest. She felt him resist, but when she slid her hands between them to feel him already hard, his resistance faltered.

  God, he was making her hot.

  She wanted, and she took. Her mouth eager, she kissed him with a maddening desire while her hand massaged his hard on. As his hands came up to unhook the back of her bra, she felt a tiny bit nervous. There was no backing out now.

  Sitting up, Julia let him slip the bra away and undid the drawstring on his sweats. When his hands cupped her breasts, she felt her head swimming with delight. Lifting up just enough, she slipped his sweats down and actually gasped at seeing the length of him.

  Before she knew it, he flipped her onto her back and was unfastening her jeans.

  She was nervous; she was scared, and she was as horny as a teenager in heat. Then his mouth dipped down to suckle on her breasts, her breath caught in her throat. His hands were quick, sliding her jeans down.

  “I don’t have a condom on me. They’re upstairs—”

  “My purse,” she interrupted, panting, pointing to her purse on the floor.

  Vic grabbed it for her and set it on her belly. “This is wrong. We should stop.”

  Julia pulled the condom from her purse and thrust it out at him. “The hell with what’s right and wrong. I want. Now, you either put it on or I will, but I’m not leaving here until this is finished.”

  Taking the condom, Vic slid it over his penis, drawing in a deep breath.

  When his eyes met hers, she felt her heart thump wildly. He had such gorgeous blue eyes, so deep, so…sincere.

  Julia spread her legs for him, and when he pressed himself into her, she bowed her back and gave in to her needs.

  It was slow; he was slow, sliding in and out of her with perfect rhythm. Her hands clamped around his arms, and her hips lifted up and down with every stroke. His eyes never left hers.

  She felt the pressure building, rising, cresting as he stroked her ever so slowly. It built gradually, engulfing her entirely, and as she felt it take her over, he quickened his rhythm.

  “God, yes, yes,” Julia cried out as the orgasm filled her. She thought it would never end and hoped it never did. He twitched inside of her and grunted out his own release, and with one final thrust, he fell down on top of her, spent.

  Julia smiled, feeling utterly glorious.

  “I must be heavy,” Vic muttered, stripping the condom off and tossing it in the trash beside the sofa, then shifted her so that she lay on top of him. “Better?”

  “Mmm hmm,” she sighed, resting her head on his chest. The scar on his forearm caught her attention. “What happened?” She touched it gently.

  “Bullet.” He glanced down at his arm. “You had this planned when you showed up with the pie, didn’t you?” he said, looking back up at her.

  Julia smiled though he couldn’t see it. “Maybe I was hoping this would happen, but I didn’t plan for it.” She lifted her head and showed him the grin on her face. “You’re good, Vic.”

  “So I’ve been told. You should be with someone your own age.”

  “Enough of the age gap. You make yourself sound so old, and you’re not. It’s just sex, Vic, and I’m not a baby.” She sat up, grabbed another condom and slipped it on for him. She looked him in the eyes as she slid down over him, taking his entire penis in one stroke. “And I know what I want.”

  She rocked over him, feeling aroused all over again and ready for more. And then the phone rang.

  “Damn it!” Vic swore.

  “Let it go,” Julia panted, running her short nails along his chest.

  “I can’t. I’m always on call. Damn it to hell. Remember where we were.” He sat up, and swore again. “God damn it!” He stood up and Julia wrapped her legs around his waist. “You’re killing me. I have to get this.”

  Though she didn’t want to, she dropped her legs and he pulled free. She laid down on the sofa while he ran for the phone.

  Damn, he has a mighty fine ass. She was still so wet, and still so horny that she feared if he didn’t come back soon, she would explode. When he rushed back into the room moments later, she was more than ready for him.

  “Cassie’s in labor.”

  “Wow!”

  “I know. That was Tom. Her water just broke, and he’s rushing her to the hospital.” Vic explained, running a hand through his hair.

  “You’re gorgeous.” Her eyes drank in the wonderful physique before her. He was tall, lean and completely naked and making her mouth water.

  “Did you just hear what I said, Julia?

  “Nope, I was too busy ogling your bod. Come here and give it to me, baby.”

  “Cassie’s in labor.”

  “Good for her. Come on.” She spread her legs, sliding her hand down her belly to her very wet pussy.

  “Jesus, Julia,” Vic pante
d, his eyes focused on her hand that was busy stroking over slicked flesh.

  “What are you waiting for?”

  He walked to her, slid in between her legs, and gave her exactly what she asked for.

  Chapter 10

  Vic had regrets. He was thirty years old and screwing a twenty year old when he vowed he wouldn’t. But damn was she hot. The woman—and she had proven she was completely a woman—was a firecracker in the sack. She had stamina that put his to shame, and he prided himself on his stamina. But he regretted having given in to her simply because now that he’d had her, he only wanted more.

  He was an upstanding citizen, a member of the community that was looked up to. He was an authority figure, and here he was having sex with someone who was barely out of her teens.

  And God help him, he couldn’t be happier.

  But that didn’t mean he was about to let the town know what he was doing behind closed doors. So at two in the morning, after another round of vigorous sex, he reluctantly told Julia she had to leave. She’d left him with a smoldering kiss and a promise to pick up where they’d left off after a few hours of rest.

  He dropped belly down onto his bed, and for the first time in nearly nine months, he slept soundly.

  Rising at six, he checked his messages and was disappointed that there wasn’t a message from Tom. He couldn’t help but wonder how he and Cassie were doing, and if Cassie had had the baby yet.

  Grabbing a quick shower, Vic dressed for work and headed out. For the first time in a very long time, he was smiling.

  It was still on his face when he entered the depot a short time later. “Good morning, Millie. You’re looking fine today.”

  “Well aren’t you in a good mood this morning.” Millie gave him the once over, smirking.

  “It must be due to that winning smile of yours. Any messages?”

  “None so far.”

  “Tom took Cassie in last night. Her water broke. If he calls and I’m not in, radio me. Okay?”

  Millie’s face lit up. “You bet, Vic. What do you think she’s having?”