Vowing to protect her had nothing to do with feelings.
Detective Pete Crane catches a new shooting case and considers it business-as-usual. But when the lead witness is the Chief of Police’s fiery assistant, he never anticipated she’d challenge him—personally and professionally. Especially while under his protection.
Little do they know, the shooting she and her grandmother witnessed was anything but random.
Thrown together, their attraction sizzles, even though she’s squarely in the no-fly zone. She makes him break every rule in his little black book.
Nikki Harper has been attracted to Pete since they met two years ago. Witnessing a brutal shooting throws her into a stigma that’s always been her greatest fear—a victim. She has no choice but to accept his protective custody and let him help save her and her beloved grandmother.
Can Pete protect his witness and solve the case, while fighting the intense heat with Nikki?
General Release Date: 31st January 2014
The paper aeroplane sailed down the long hallway, heading towards Chief’s office. Pete cringed as the click of high heels registered at the same time as the feminine yelp.
Ethan dashed around the corner, and Pete hurried to follow.
“Hey, squirt, slow down,” Pete called, but his partner’s son was already out of sight.
Nikki, his boss’s administrative assistant, bent down towards the little boy. Ethan’s copper curls were several shades lighter than the young woman’s, but Nikki’s hair was as natural as the kid’s. Usually neatly coiffed at the back of her neck, today her locks were loose and flowing. Appealing.
“What do you have there?” she was asking Ethan when he reached them.
“I’m sorry,” Pete said. As she straightened, Nikki had a smile on her face. Thank God. “Didn’t realise I’d get that kinda air.”
Ethan retrieved the paper creation and slid a small hand into one of Pete’s, looking up at both of them.
“It’s no problem, just startled me. Not like a paper plane collision can do much damage.” She smiled at the little boy, then met Pete’s eyes.
“Yeah, except for maybe a paper cut?” Pete shrugged.
Nikki’s smile slid into a grin and he got swept into the deep pools of her big brown eyes. She shoved her hair over a shoulder and Pete swallowed hard. The soft, wavy sea of red begged for a touch. A light floral scent tickled his nose with her pleasant perfume. It made her more intriguing.
Gorgeous. How had he never noticed before?
“Somehow I think I’ll live.” She laughed. The sound was sweet and he found himself grinning back. Like a besotted idiot.
“Unca’ Pete. Did you see? It went faaaaaaar,” Ethan piped up, tugging on his hand and jumping up and down. He veered the plane back and forth with his free hand.
“I did, squirt.”
Ethan grinned, his blue eyes wide and bright. “What’s your name?” the four-year-old asked Nikki.
Her white billowy skirt moved as she bent down and offered her hand. The fabric stopped at her knees. Damn, she had killer legs.
Pete averted his gaze from her asset-hugging lilac top and the cleavage peeking out as she moved to the child’s level.
“I’m Nikki. Ethan, you’re getting big! I know your mommy. Andi’s my friend.”
“And my daddy is Cole!” Ethan tugged his hand out of Pete’s and shook Nikki’s outstretched one.
A smile played at Pete’s lips as he watched them.
“I know him, too. We all work together.”
Ethan eyed her up and down. “Where’s your gun?”
“Oh. I work for Chief Martin. I don’t have a gun. I’m not a detective like your parents and Detective Crane,” Nikki explained.
“C’mere, squirt,” Pete said, hauling his partner’s son onto a hip. “Hungry?” His shoulder didn’t even twitch. Good. Never could tell when his year-old bullet wound would bother him. How much of that was in his head?
“Yeah,” Ethan said, nodding.
“How’d you get little guy duty?” Nikki asked, brown eyes dancing. As she squared her shoulders, her lilac top hugged her breasts more.
Pete’s stomach fluttered. He must be hungrier than he thought. He was too old for her, even if he didn’t consider her off limits. Unlike his partner, he didn’t date—or marry—at work. “Andi went into labour this morning.”
“Ah, I hadn’t heard.”
Shifting his feet, he met her gaze. “Yeah, and Cole’s with her, of course. Bella, his normal babysitter, is a camp counsellor for the rest of this summer down south in Livingston, and Andi’s mom is on her way. She moved to Ohio a few years ago when she remarried. Cole’s sister’s even coming in from Seattle later today. But for now, I’m it. I don’t mind, really. Me and Ethan are cool.”
Nikki’s eyes widened as she took in all the info he’d thrown at her.
Babbling? Really?
Come to think of it, that soliloquy was probably the most he’d ever said to her. He cleared his throat.
“My cousins are coming,” Ethan announced.
“That’s nice,” Nikki said, an easy smile back in place.
Pete had never noticed the dimple in her chin before. He tried not to stare.
“My mama’s having a baby,” his partner’s son continued.
Nikki ruffled Ethan’s hair. “You’re gonna be a big brother?”
Pete chuckled as the little boy nodded. He looked at Nikki’s slender hands. She’d been close enough to touch his face. What would that feel like? Her skin against his—
Jesus, what is wrong with you? Lusting after a kid. What was she, twenty-five?
“I’m gonna be the bestest big broder ever!”
Her laugh jolted him. It was as tempting as she was.
“I bet you are,” Nikki told Ethan, holding out her hand. The little boy slapped a loud high-five.
The buzz of Pete’s phone offered him the excuse he needed to tear his attention away from the Chief’s lovely administrative assistant. He offered a wave and turned away. He admonished Ethan to hush while he brought the phone to his ear.
“Crane,” he said.
“How’s Ethan?” Cole asked.
“Howdy to you, too, bud,” Pete answered, hiking the little boy up higher on his hip. Kid was getting heavy.
Cole’s sigh was all the answer he got.
“Everything okay?” he asked his partner’s husband.
“Yeah, I guess.”
“Isn’t your wife, I don’t know, having a baby or something?”
“Not yet. I just wanted to call and check in,” Cole said.
Pete’s bullshit meter lit up like a Christmas tree. He set Ethan down on his desk in the Criminal Investigations Division room—where all the detectives officed—as they reached it, handing his partner’s son the foam apple he kept around to squeeze when he was stressed.
Ethan made motor sounds as he steered the paper aeroplane around, then rammed the apple into it, making explosion noises.
USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR
Bestselling, award winning author of romantic suspense and epic fantasy romance, C.A. loves to dabble in different genres. If it's a good story, she'll write it, no matter where it seems to fit!
She's a hopeless romantic and always will be. Risking it all for Happily Ever After is what she lives by!
C.A. is originally from Ohio, but got to Texas as soon as she could. She's happily married and has a bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice.
She works with kids when she's not writing.
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