Lori Foster - Dash of Peril

She should have known he hadn’t made the visit just to drop off food. “No.”

“I could ask my contacts on the street.”

Margo came forward in a rush, her scowl fierce. “Do not involve yourself.” Not in that way. It was bad enough that Dash was now likely a target. She didn’t want Rowdy in danger, too. “I can handle it.”

Dash held out a chair. In contrast to her tone, he sounded like calmness personified when he said, “Come sit down. Drink some coffee.”

He said it more like a request than an order, and she needed that coffee, so she agreed. Her splint clunked on the tabletop, making her wince. She grabbed the coffee with greed. “Perfect. Thank you.”

Dash went to the refrigerator, got a premade bag of ice and a hand towel, and gently layered them on her arm.

Margo said nothing. She needed the ice, but she hated the weakness.

Rowdy waited until that was done, but he didn’t let it go. “I never said you couldn’t handle things, but you know I can’t resist lending a hand.”

“Try.” Flustered anew, she gulped more coffee. Dash, damn him, had fixed it exactly as she liked it.

Did he have to be so considerate, so annoyingly perfect, as well as a scorching sex partner?

“It was bad enough when we thought they’d moved on, that they were out of reach.” Folding his muscular arms on the tabletop, Rowdy gave her his most intimidating stare. “The fact that they made a grab for you proves the opposite, that if anything, they’re more brazen and more dangerous than ever.”

“We don’t know for sure that it was the same group. I’m a cop. I make enemies.” Inside the department and out. “That’s a fact.”

“They’re still here, still a threat, and I could—”

Imbuing as much command into her tone as she could muster, Margo rejected him. “Absolutely not. This is a matter for the police.”

He replied with a very rude snort.

“I mean it!” Losing her aplomb, Margo pointed at him. “This is no concern of yours.”

“Bullshit, Lieutenant.”

Dash started to protest but Margo silenced him with a touch to his wrist. The last thing this conversation needed was Dash acting territorial. To her relief, he didn’t press it. In fact, other than that familiar kiss, he’d been as respectful and gentlemanly as always in front of Rowdy and Avery.

“You told me months ago that you thought my bar was involved.” Rowdy paid no attention to Dash at all. “That makes it my concern.”

“Not involved precisely. Only that we’d found some of your cocktail napkins and a matchbook at one of the crime scenes.”

“There you go.” Rowdy sat back in his chair. “They’ve encroached on my territory.”

“But,” Margo said with emphasis, “you know I gave up on any probable link when no one from your bar approached me.”

“That doesn’t prove jack shit. Could be it went down right outside the bar. Maybe someone followed women home.” He scrutinized her. “Tell me what you have and maybe I’ll agree there’s no connection.”

Avery rolled her eyes. “Yeah, right. Like that’ll happen.”

He gave her a look of censure. “Avery...”

“She’s a capable professional, Rowdy. You heard what Dash said. She knows what she’s doing—and she knows if she needs your help. Respect her authority.”

“I do respect her. Like her, too, and that’s why I want to help.”

Now Margo felt guilty. She refused to look at Dash as she tried to explain. “It’s personal now, so I’ll handle it.”

“My brother-in-law is a freaking cop,” Rowdy said, as if she needed the reminder.

“So?”

“So thanks to that connection, I’m determined to walk the straight and narrow.”

Dash coughed a laugh.

A grin breaking, Rowdy admitted, “At least whenever possible.” He crossed his heart. “If I find out anything, you’ll be the first I tell. And then you can personally decide what to do with the info.”

Margo considered it. Short of locking him up, stopping Rowdy probably wasn’t possible, so maybe it made sense to have him working with her. “You won’t act without me?”

“Not if I can help it.”

For Rowdy Yates, that was an enormous promise. “You won’t put yourself in danger?”

He took longer to reply to that one—until Avery shoved his shoulder. He looked at his wife, his expression softened with obvious love, and he drew her out of her seat and into his lap. “I’m not allowed to endanger myself anymore. Avery forbids it.”

Dash grinned. “Good for you, Avery.”

Margo was willing to bet that Avery’s idea of danger varied greatly from Rowdy’s, but she kept that to herself. “What do you think you can do?”

“Running a bar comes with its own challenges, especially when the place used to be such a dive. So I’ve maintained my contacts on the streets. Nothing gets by them, and for a few bucks they’ll spill their guts on anyone and anything. I’ll ask around—discreetly—and see what I can come up with.”

“I have street contacts, too, you know.”

“Maybe.” While hugging Avery, he gave Margo an indulgent smile. “But these people will talk to me when they refuse to say shit to a cop.”

Avery slid a hand over his shoulder to the back of his neck. “Rowdy knows things about the city, but Cannon knows about the neighborhood. You should probably talk to him, too.”

Slowly, Rowdy nodded to acknowledge that. “True enough. And he’s trustworthy.”

Cannon Colter was Rowdy’s newest hire, as well as an MMA fighter. He was in his early twenties, unassuming, with a shredded body, a gorgeous face and quiet competence. Margo had seen him a few times, and if he weren’t so young, she might’ve been interested in him.

Then again, he worked at Rowdy’s bar, and that close association made him off-limits regardless of his age.

Suddenly, under the table, Dash’s hand slid over her thigh. She blinked at him, and his eyes narrowed.

Had he read her thoughts?

“Can I make a suggestion?” Dash asked of everyone at the table. “Maybe it’d make more sense for Rowdy to coordinate with Cannon and then share with Margo their collective info.”

“I can do that,” Rowdy said. “No problem. As long as the lieutenant agrees to my help.”

“Can I stop you?”

He grinned. “No.”

She waved her hand. “Fine. Then have at it. But understand me, Rowdy. You will not overstep. You will not break any laws on my behalf. And you will not, under any circumstances, get yourself into risky situations.”

After saluting her, he stood and picked up Avery in his arms. Still holding his new wife, he eyed Margo from her hairline to her injured arm. “You’ll be okay?”

“What? My elbow?” She detested being the source of concern. “Yes, it’ll be fine.”

His dark gaze moved over her. “And your head and the rest of those bruises?”

Backbone stiffening, she assured him, “I’ll be back to full speed in no time.”

“Don’t push things, okay?” He set Avery back on her feet but kept an arm around her. “And try letting Dash help out.”

Oh, the way Dash had helped...

“If you need anything,” Avery told her, “please let us know.”

It was another couple of minutes before she and Dash said their last goodbyes and they were finally alone again.

Dash closed the door, set Oliver down to the floor and gripped her shoulders. “Was I quiet enough?” His thumbs massaged her shoulder joints, easing her tension. “Did I stay properly in the background?”

“Is that what you were doing?” She wondered why he’d been so quiet.

“As much as I know you don’t need it, as impressed as I am by your capability and resilience, not pampering you was tough. Mostly because I enjoy it so much.” He bent to press the gentlest of kisses on her forehead. “I see these bruises on you and I’d like to hold you the same way Rowdy held Avery.”

The same way...with love? Or just being a protective male? “You were very restrained...except for that initial kiss.” Which had felt so incredibly intimate.

“Except for that,” he concurred. He traced a fingertip down her injured arm to the splint. “It’s so hard to see you like this and not be able to do anything.”

“You did something.” She’d slept like the dead after he’d left her so utterly replete.

His smile was slow and knowing. “Anytime I can be of service, let me know. But I’d also like to help you out with everything else if that won’t hurt your pride too much.”

So he understood it was her pride?

“This steel backbone of yours is admirable, honey.” His hand went down her back to her behind, then up again. “Leaning on me a little won’t change that.”

He could be so charming—and seductive. She knew she shouldn’t, but Margo rested against his strong chest, her forehead on his sternum. “Want to tell me why you did it?”

“That kiss?” When she nodded, he said, “Just making sure you didn’t forget me.”

As if she could after the incredible way he’d made her feel. “Well, other than that, thank you for behaving.”

He hugged her a little closer. “I would never do anything to embarrass you.”

“It’s not that you embarrass me exactly....”

“You want to keep your private life private. I get it.”

More like she wanted to keep her sexual preferences private, but she wouldn’t nitpick.

“As long as you don’t shut me out, I’m good with that.” His big hand moved over her head to her nape. “So what’s first on the agenda today?” And just to make it more difficult, he put his lips near her ear and whispered, “Want me to help you relax before we get started on everything else?”

Yes. Definitely yes. Right now, she could use another dose of his special brand of painkiller. But preferences aside, she had to take care of business. Still... “What exactly did you have in mind?”

“Ah, no. I’d rather surprise you.” His tongue touched her ear, his breath was warm, soft. “Just know that you won’t be disappointed. In fact, I’m thinking I’ll make you come until you’re too exhausted to do anything but rest—as the doctor ordered.”

She believed him. And she was so tempted; already her body felt sensitive in key places, tingling with awareness, with eagerness.

But it was because she believed him, because she already knew exactly how easily he could get to her, that she had to decline. “Sorry. We should put that off for later. I have too many arrangements to make, and I can’t make them if I’m numb.”

SHE HADN’T REFUSED him, and already Dash could feel her quivering, the breathiness in her voice. Amazing, but it seemed they both stay primed around each other. He’d never experienced anything like it before.

The near violent way he wanted her, to fuck her, to talk with her, just to be with her, was fast becoming familiar.

His hand went down her body to her flat belly. “I could give you just a prelude if you want.” Fingers spread, he spanned her from hip bone to hip bone. Visualizing it even as he said it, he rasped, “I wouldn’t mind going on my knees for you.”

“Dash...” She gave a sharp inhalation. “That would be—”

“Incredibly hot.”

“—so unfair to you.”

“Not true.” He looked into her beautiful blue eyes. Voice rough and filled with lust, he whispered, “I would enjoy eating you.”

Involuntarily, her hand fisted in his shirt. She drew two deep breaths, and shook her head. “If you did that I would want more. A lot more.”

“Like me inside you? Sliding deep. Riding you hard.” Jesus, he was turning himself on. “Tell me you want it.” Tell me you want me.

“Yes.” Her fist loosened, smoothed his shirt, over his pec muscle. “I’m dying to feel that.”

“Soon,” he promised her.

“But I need to focus on my life first.”

Putting his forehead to hers, Dash concentrated on breathing. “Got it.” He wouldn’t pressure her. More than anything he just wanted to alleviate some of her burden. The next few days—probably the next few weeks—would not be easy on her.

“If you offer again later...”

“I’ll insist.” He couldn’t wait to kiss her everywhere, to taste her all over. Stop, he told his overactive imagination. He couldn’t very well take her on her errands with a perpetual boner. “For now, do you want a pain pill?”

“Better not.” She stepped back to look at his body, her expression concentrated. “God, you are sexy. I always thought so, but now...”

“You always thought so?” She’d sure hidden it well.

“Don’t be coy. You know you’re hot.”