“That’s all me, baby,” he croons when my hands float past the panty-wetting section between his legs.
Desire shoots through my body, making the pulse in my sex as rampant as the vein working overtime in Isaac’s neck.
Once my search comes up empty-handed, I turn my gaze back to Ryan. “He’s clear.”
Ryan's lips twist as he huffs loudly. “Then I guess he's free to go… for now.”
Mortified, I make a beeline for the unmarked police car parked behind Isaac’s flashy ride. Halfway there, Isaac calls my name. When I pivot around to face him, my pulse quickens. He has the most seductive smirk etched on his ridiculously handsome face.
“Bring those handcuffs home tonight.” When his eyes drop to the cuffs holstered on my hip, it’s the fight of my life not to squeeze my knees together. “Catherine is collecting Callie this afternoon for a sleepover.” His voice is drenched with sexual undertones that has my pussy moistening in anticipation.
After a wink that reveals he knows he has me on edge, he slides into the back of his town car. I stand still, frozen in the middle of the street as his vehicle merges into the dense flow of traffic that always impedes Ravenshoe. Restless yearning rushes through my veins, overheating my body when my feverish imagination flashes up all the positions Isaac and I have discovered the past six months. Particularly, the ones in the sex swing.
I slide back into the passenger seat of Ryan’s unmarked police car before cranking the air conditioning full force with the hope of concealing my flushed cheeks that are shamefully displaying my arousal. When Ryan’s deep chuckle echoes around the interior of the car, my cheeks inflame even more.
My bottom lip lowers into a pout when he adjusts the level of the air-conditioning to a more suitable temperature. “Air conditioning privileges, choice of radio stations, and which donut stores we visit are off-limits for a rookie detective.”
He winks before pulling his car into the dense flow of traffic. I keep my eyes on the crowd, people watching, while also maintaining an observant eye on my surroundings. I’ve become more immersed in my love of people watching the past month. My eagerness spurred on by my desire to seek my brother, Enrique, in the dense crowd.
A week ago, when I was leaving Isaac’s club, I found a postcard slipped under the windshield wiper of my assigned town car. It was void of any postmark that would have alluded to its origin, but I know the card was from Enrique because it had the saying scribbled on the back that he quoted about Isaac in the hospital room when we first met.
On vash zashchitnik.
On khoroshiy chelovek.
After some research, I translated the second half of the first sentence. The note translates to:
He is your protector.
He is a good man.
Considering the postcard didn’t have any markings, I'm assuming the card was placed there by Enrique himself. Even though I can’t see him, I know he's out there somewhere, protecting both Callie and me from any threats that may arise if our real identities are unearthed.
My attention reverts to the present when the police radio crackling sounds through the air. Today is my very first shift as a detective for Ravenshoe PD. Surprisingly, Isaac was the one who suggested I put in an application. He said there was no reason why I shouldn’t have both my dreams and him. It was the ideal situation because by applying for a locally-based position, we wouldn’t run the possibility of being separated, and I also get to achieve my dreams of helping people the way my Uncle Tobias helped me. With glowing endorsements from Alex, Regina, and Ryan, I successfully gained a coveted position.
My plans were put on hold for the past six months so I could ease Callie into our lives. She’s a little darling with a heart of gold, and she has Isaac firmly wrapped around her pinkie finger. If I thought his protectiveness of me was extreme, it’s nothing compared to his protectiveness of Callie. I feel sorry for any boy who tries to come between them. No man will stand a chance in hell of dating Isaac Holt’s daughter, let alone breaking her heart.
We officially adopted Callie three months after she arrived in Ravenshoe, using the fake passport, social security number, and birth certificate Isaac organized through Henry Gottle, Sr.’s contact, Cooper. Even though Callie isn’t related to Isaac by blood, she's his family, and he treats her as exactly that.
My gaze shifts from the heavy foot traffic to Ryan, who’s wearing a similar blue suit to the one he wore on our date. When I discovered he was my superior officer, I assumed Isaac would request for me to be transferred to another section, so you can imagine my surprise when I discovered Isaac invoked a favor to ensure Ryan was my superior. Even though the kiss Ryan and I shared still irks Isaac, he said Ryan is the best detective he’s ever worked with, and the best should only work with the best.
That statement alone had me falling in love with him even more.
Feeling my heated gaze, Ryan glances at me. “You all right?”
“Yep.” My grin is as mischievous as the one he was wearing when he pulled over Isaac’s town car. “I was just wondering how you ended up in this crazy, mixed-up family?” I wave my hand to the residents of Ravenshoe milling on the sidewalks.
A broad grin curls Ryan’s plump lips, exposing his two dimples. “With me vomiting on my brand-new shoes.”
I remain quiet, waiting for him to elaborate.
He doesn’t keep me waiting for long. “It all started when I arrived at the scene of an accident that claimed the life of a little boy…”
The end!
