Tangled Passions (Task Force Hawaii Book 4) Read online

  “Do you need any more wine?” he asked. She shook her head. “I’ll go get the rice and we can eat.”

  She sat down at the table, and he watched her a second or two before heading back into the kitchen for the rice. When he returned, she was watching the boats out on the water.

  “I love this view. I wish I could afford something closer to the water.”

  “Really?” he asked, sitting down in the opposite chair. “I like your house.”

  She made a face. “It was all I could afford for rent. Auntie Koko made me a good deal though. Normally, I would be lucky to afford a one-room apartment.”

  He knew that she was good with her money, but she helped her mother with bills. That would eat away at an officer’s paycheck.

  “I like that it’s real Hawaii. Old plantation house, and you have a lot of land around you. If you owned the house, you could easily expand.”

  “Ugh, it’s been hard enough doing the minor updates I’m doing there right now.”

  “But you don’t own it. Shouldn’t that be Auntie Koko’s job?”

  Cat shrugged as she spooned some rice, then the shrimp and asparagus onto her plate. “She’s elderly, and she’s on her own. Plus, she gave me a good deal on the house, like I said.”

  And that was most important to her. Cat had always been the one that helped, the one who took care of the hard stuff. But at the end of the day, who helped Cat? She always seemed to be running on empty, handling a job and an interfering mother. Her sisters weren’t much better, always wanting her to protect them from their mother’s wrath. Still, he couldn’t say anything. Cat was fiercely loyal to her family, and he couldn’t really complain about that. It was one of the things he loved about her.

  “Still, I like your house better.”

  She looked out over the water again, then back at him. “You’re crazy.”

  He chuckled. “Undoubtedly, but that won’t change my mind. There is a sense of community on your street. You might find it annoying, but you know that if there was something wrong, your neighbors would notice. Not sure I’ve seen more than one or two residents here.”

  “Well, there was a reason Emma liked this apartment.”

  “Yeah, but for me, it’s hard. I like the view and I like that I can walk to work, but when I really find a place of my own, it’ll be like yours. Real Hawaii. It reminds me of my parents’ street. You know your neighbors.”

  She shook her head as she forked a bite of the rice and shrimp into her mouth. Then she moaned. “Lord Jesus, this is delicious. Why do you work in a morgue cutting people up when you can cook like this?”

  He shrugged. “I was in the kitchen by the time I was five, and worked all of my teenage years in one or another of our restaurants. I love to cook, but if I had to do it for paying customers, I might have to kill someone once a week. My family agrees.”

  “I doubt that.”

  “No. I have an issue with people who want perfection, or who think they know what tastes better. Add in the fact that my parents think that the customer is always right. I do not.”

  She laughed and took a sip of wine. “I have to agree with that.”

  He watched her then, the smile and the sound of her laughter made him regret the next subject they had to cover.

  With a sigh of regret, he said, “So, about that date tomorrow.”

  Her smile faded, and he almost regretted bringing it up. “Yeah?”

  “Do you think it’s a good idea to have you listening in?”

  “What?”

  He had to come up with the right way to say it, but it was difficult. He didn’t want to step on her toes. “I mean, we’re involved now. I thought it might be weird for you.”

  She blinked, her expression unreadable. “It’s my job.”

  “Yeah, but—”

  “No. If I can’t handle you on a fake date, I have no business running this investigation.”

  He wanted to argue, but he knew that tone. She did not suffer fools. Plus, in the end, he would end up losing the argument. So why borrow trouble?

  “Did you talk to your mom again today?” he asked

  She shook her head. “I got a couple texts from her, and one voicemail from my sister warning me that my mom was on her way to the house. Of course, I didn’t see it early enough.”

  “What difference does it make that she would know about us?”

  “First of all, it isn’t just you. Any man at my house in the morning better have a damned good reason for being there. Secondly, she would get the idea that we were in a serious relationship.”

  “And? Is there something wrong with that?”

  “Drew.”

  “No, I want to have an answer to my question. It isn’t that I’m proposing anything other than dating.” At least right now, he thought. But he could see it clearly. A beach wedding at sunset, both their families there and their work ohana…it would rock.

  “Earth to Drew?”

  He blinked. “Sorry. So, what were we talking about? Oh, yeah, about having a serious relationship. Would that be a bad thing?”

  “You don’t understand.”

  He took her hand, and brushed his mouth over her knuckles. “Explain it to me then.”

  “I told you. I’m not good at relationships.”

  “Yeah. But I don’t think that means much right now. Why are you bad at relationships?”

  “I’m self-centered and a workaholic.”

  He would agree with the second one, but not the first. She was anything but self-centered in his opinion. She just thought she wasn’t worthy, and he didn’t understand what that really meant until this moment.

  “You aren’t self-centered.”

  “But I am a workaholic.”

  He shrugged. “Doesn’t mean you can’t have good relationships.”

  “Stop.”

  “Stop what?”

  “Wishing things were different isn’t going to change anything. It will just hurt even more when it falls apart.”

  “What makes you think it will all fall apart?”

  She sighed and looked out the window. “It did last time.”

  She wanted a chance at happiness. He could hear it in her voice. She just had to believe in it or it would never happen.

  “That’s because you fucked it up. You won’t this time.”

  Her mouth opened, then snapped shut.

  “Nothing to say to that?”

  She tried to wrestle her hand away from him, but he refused to let go.

  “Drew.”

  “Cat.” He gave her hand one last kiss, then released it. “I won’t let you screw us up this time, but I promise, I’m not going to be pushy, okay?”

  She crossed her arms beneath her breasts and glared at him. Drew smiled. With her hair up like that, and wearing the little sundress, she looked like a very angry fairy. A lethal fairy, but still a fairy.

  “Eat your food. It’s going to get cold.”

  “You’re not going to listen to me, are you?”

  He shrugged. “I guess I could, but what’s going to happen is going to happen.”

  He started eating again and acting like nothing had happened. She was silent for a moment or two, then she sighed and started eating.

  “So, this date tomorrow?” she asked.

  “Yeah, I thought maybe a movie? I suggested we meet at Ward and maybe have dinner. But in a theater, it would be easy to have someone in there.”

  She blinked. “That’s a good idea. Movies can be tricky, since it is dark, but she doesn’t know our people, which would make it easy to have someone sitting right behind you.”

  “Good. Not you.”

  “No. I can handle listening, but I don’t want to be there for the whole thing.”

  He smiled as he forked a bite of asparagus into his mouth. It wasn’t an admission of undying love, but he would take it for now.

  In the darkened picnic area below, a woman watched and waited. She could not see much without her binoculars, a
nd she had to be careful that no one saw her. She was even taking a risk here, watching, but she had avoided the traffic cams, as usual.

  With a glance to make sure no one was watching, she raised the binoculars to see what was happening. She knew he was a liar, knew that he was going to be her next. And soon. With pain in her heart, she watched as he took the other woman by the hand and lead her back into the apartment. There was no doubt what he had planned along with the romantic dinner, the intimate conversation…rage burned hot in her belly. Her throat ached from the need to scream, but she could not do it here. She needed some place private to vent her anger.

  Then, she would be safe to plot his death.

  18

  The next morning, Cat snuggled deeper in bed. She truly didn’t want to wake up, which was odd for her. She had always been known as an early riser, and she loved that. In a house full of women, she had enjoyed the quiet morning times she could have all to herself. She also took pride in the fact that she could work on very little sleep. Today, though, she needed a little extra sleep. Since the start of the case, though, she had been getting very little rest. First, she had been so damned swamped playing catch up on the murders. Then, there was Drew.

  The man was wearing her out emotionally and physically. She knew he was one of those still waters kinds of guys. He seemed easygoing on the surface, but there was a lot going on beneath the surface. She knew something had been bothering him last night, but he held back from sharing with her. If she laid there and thought about it, she would never get back to sleep.

  She pushed her worries out of her mind and rolled over. Bright light hit her face and she frowned. Before she could contemplate why the blinds weren’t drawn, she felt a hand skim up her leg, then between both legs, easing them apart.

  A rush of heat rolled through her as Drew’s tongue took the same path, sliding over her sensitive inner thighs. He didn’t rush. Instead, he meandered, taking his time as he teased and tasted her. She lifted her head and looked down at him. He finally made his way to her sex, and he caught her gaze with his own. As he leaned down to give her slit one long lick, he kept eye contact. It was like their first night together. He wasn’t overtly controlling her, but at this moment, she could not look away. The way he held her gaze, it was as if he were daring her to look away. He knew her so well.

  He gave her one last lick before dipping his tongue inside of her sex. It was only then that she let her eyes close. Again and again, he slid between her pussy lips as he built her need. At first, he seemed to be taking it easy, slowly, but soon, it apparently wasn’t enough. He slipped his hands beneath her rear end and lifted her off the bed as he rose to his knees. Then, he feasted on her. Over and over, he dove into her core, only stopping to pull her clit between his teeth with a gentle tug, then back again to inside of her. He repeated the gesture, taking her to the very edge, but not enough to push her over. Frustration had her growling because he had complete control. With her legs over his shoulders and her ass off the mattress, she had no way of changing anything. She was left to the mercy of his ministrations.

  Delicious heat spiraled through her entire body, dancing over her nerve endings. When he took her clit into his mouth and sucked, Cat hurtled over into pleasure. She convulsed and screamed his name so loudly, she was damned sure the entire building had heard her. As she continued to shake, he slipped his tongue inside her again as her orgasm seemed to go on and on.

  Moments later, shivers still racked her body when he laid her back down on the mattress. But he obviously wasn’t done with her. He grabbed a condom and rolled it on. He lifted her by the hips, and without hesitation, he entered her, hard and deep, almost pushing her into another orgasm. She was still sensitive from her last release, but that only added another level of painful ecstasy.

  Like before, he took his time, thrusting into her long and slow, building her back up. When he leaned down to kiss her, she tasted herself on his lips, on his tongue. She sucked on his tongue, pulling a groan from him, but still, he moved with measured thrusts. He was doing it on purpose, trying to control the situation. At times it was exhilarating, but at the moment, it was driving her insane.

  With determination, she wrapped her arms around his neck as she deepened the kiss. Then she planted her feet on the bed and attempted to control the rhythm. He allowed it for a second or two, but then, he tore his mouth away.

  “You are very naughty, Cat.”

  Before she knew what he was doing, he pulled back, flipped her over onto her stomach. With fast, and controlled moves, he pulled her up to her knees and entered her from behind. He had effectively taken control of the situation again. She wanted to fight it, to win the battle of control, then he started to move within her. Harder, faster, deeper. Hunger built her need beyond anything she had ever experienced before. The sound of flesh on flesh filled the room and, just when she was ready to scream in frustration, her orgasm slammed into her.

  This time it had shaken her to her core.

  “Again,” Drew said, just as the last of her release was fading away. He did not stop, not until he made her come twice more, each one more intense than the last one.

  As she lost herself in her last orgasm, he groaned her name. His fingers dug into her hips as he plunged into her once more and came. He held himself still as he gave himself over to the pleasure they had created.

  He collapsed a moment later, his heart beating hard against her back. He rolled over, taking her with him. She snuggled against him. Cat didn’t say anything at first. She wasn’t sure she could even come up with a word or phrase to describe what they had just experienced. It had left her unable to even think for a moment or two.

  Then, she closed her eyes and kissed his neck. They both were damp from their exertion and, in that moment, it all felt right. The two of them, waking up to mind-altering sex, and now, in the quiet time together. Perfect.

  “Well, good morning to you, Drew.”

  There was silence, then he started to chuckle. “Good morning.”

  They lay like that for a few minutes before he said, “I guess we need to get ready for work.”

  “Yeah,” she said with a sigh. For the first time in a long time, she just wanted to lounge in bed. She lifted herself off the bed and smiled at him.

  “Anytime you want to wake me up like that, you are definitely welcomed to.”

  “Promise?”

  “Uh, yeah. I mean, I might be dead by the end of it, but at least I’ll have died a decent death.”

  He shook his head, and tugged her down for a kiss. It was long and wet, and unbelievably sweet. When she pulled back, she felt the sting of tears in her eyes. She tried to blink them away, to make sure he didn’t see them; but, as usual, he was too fast for her.

  “Don’t.”

  “Don’t want to be with you in the morning?” she asked trying to joke, but this morning, he wasn’t in that kind of mood apparently.

  “I’m talking about the tears. You don’t ever have to pretend with me, Cat. I think you’re the most amazing woman.”

  “Drew.”

  “What? I know you better than you think I do.”

  That was what she was worried about.

  “And there is one thing you are not and that is weak.”

  “How do you know that is what I was thinking?”

  “I just do. You are strong and brilliant, and don’t let anyone ever tell you any different.”

  It was probably the sweetest thing that anyone had ever told her. The damned burning was back, and when she blinked, a tear escaped. He leaned up and licked it from her cheek.

  “You know, you can be fragile with me, right?”

  “I’m not fragile.”

  “Oh, Cat, you are one of the most fragile people I know. It is something that makes you amazing. People don’t see it, but I do. All that strength on the outside, but I know, inside, you hurt just like the rest of us. It doesn’t make you weak. It makes you fucking strong. As soon as you can accept that, you�
�ll understand how I see you.”

  “I don’t think I ever will understand that.”

  “I know,” he said. “I love you, Cat.”

  “No.”

  He chuckled. “Yes, I do. I mean, I’ve had a crush on you for years, but I never thought it through. I think the time apart taught me something about myself, about you. We needed it, we needed to make sure that we could stand on our own. But now, I’m ready to stand with you. I want to be by your side, I want to protect you from all evil, and I am always going to stand behind you to back you up. You can count on me.”

  “Drew,” she said as her vision wavered.

  “I didn’t mean to make you cry. I just wanted you to know how I felt about you. About us.”

  “I’m not sure what to say.”

  He shrugged. “You don’t have to say anything at all. Just accept that I love you, and one day, we’ll figure out how to go from here.”

  “I…”

  “You do not have to tell me anything at all. I wasn’t looking for an answering declaration, and I didn’t want to make you think that I expect anything in return. I just needed you to know.”

  She opened her mouth, but he put his fingers on her lips. “Don’t answer. Don’t worry. When you’re ready, we’ll talk it through.”

  She sighed. “Okay. How did you get so smart?”

  “My mom says it’s because of her. Dad agrees when she’s in earshot. How about we take a quick shower and get ready to go in?”

  “Sounds like a plan,” she said.

  He leaned up and kissed her again. Then, he rolled off the bed, picked her up and walked around the bed to the bathroom.

  “No fooling around, either. We’re already running late.”

  “Of course not,” he said, but she heard the laughter in his voice, and she knew he was lying.

  But for once, she wasn’t going to worry about schedules, or what was expected of her. She was going to take a shower with a man who loved her and she was going to enjoy it.

  Drew wasn’t even feeling guilty for making them a little late for work. It was worth it to see Cat so happy. It wasn’t until that moment in bed when he saw her fight the tears that he knew what to say to her. She needed to know exactly how much she meant to him. Now that she did, he felt even more powerful. The connection that had seemed so tenuous just a few days ago, now felt solid. He hoped she remembered what he had told her. If not, he would simply remind her.