Protecting What's Theirs (Line of Duty novella) by Tessa Bailey

Author:Tessa Bailey
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Contemporary romance, erotic, bdsm, kristen ashley, laura kaye, cop, military
Publisher: Entangled Publishing, LLC (Brazen)
Published: 2014-03-05T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Five

Letting the cool October breeze wash over her through the open taxi window, Ginger watched the familiar residential neighborhood pass by in a blur. Costumed children raced up and down the sidewalks, their exasperated parents attempting to keep up, reminding them to say please and thank you. Bare trees and dead leaves decorating the ground called to mind her first month in Chicago late last fall. She remembered the fear of striking out on her own. Wondering if she was doing the right thing. Somehow, she’d circled back to the beginning, but couldn’t remember taking a wrong turn.

A memory rose unbidden to her mind, blindsiding Ginger in her current state. Derek surprising her on a Friday afternoon last spring, showing up at Sneaky Peet’s to take her to lunch. They’d driven to the Lincoln Park Lagoon, sat in the grass, and watched students paddle by in kayaks. Talked about their mornings. She’d laid her head in his lap and drifted off to sleep in her newfound happiness while Derek stroked her hair. Not knowing how long she’d been asleep, she’d woken with a start to find Derek watching her. His expression had stolen her breath. Derek didn’t express himself the way most men did. He didn’t use flowery language or buy the typical gifts men bought women. That day by the lagoon, however, she’d caught him off guard. His expression had been such a stunning mix of tenderness and awe, she’d been unable to do anything but stare back.

He’d brushed his thumb over her bottom lip, throat working with emotion. “Sometimes I look at you…and I can’t breathe around these feelings.” She’d started to speak, but he put his hand over her mouth. A move that, coming from Derek, wasn’t meant to be offensive. It only meant he wasn’t finished. “If you ever want anything in this world, promise me right now you’ll tell me what it is. I want the honor of killing myself to make it happen. Promise.”

She’d nodded vigorously and the second he removed his hand, she’d thrown herself into his arms. Neither one of them had returned to work that day. They simply couldn’t bring themselves to separate.

Valiantly, Ginger tried to stop thinking about Derek, about the sweet memory and the ugly scene outside her shop moments ago. Instead, she focused on regaining the attitude she’d had in her office. She wouldn’t allow herself to feel anything. Her other option was to curl up in a ball of self-doubt and anxiety over what the future held. She refused to be that person. So, for tonight, she’d be the girl who hid everything behind her smile. Again.

The cab pulled to a stop in front of Patti’s home, a three-story clapboard house painted bright robin’s-egg blue. Judging from the crowd spilling out onto the front lawn, the party was in full swing. Immediately, Ginger spotted a few of Derek’s detectives on the porch. Noticing they weren’t wearing costumes, but their uniforms instead, she frowned. They looked tense. None of them were holding drinks.

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