Burnout (NYPD Blue & Gold) by Tee O'Fallon Page B

regarded her with about the same interest he’d give a piece of lint. Here she was a veritable ball of unchained, revved-up nerve endings and he stood there all cool and unaffected. It took every ounce of restraint not to burst into tears. She’d lowered her defenses and look where it had gotten her. Clearly her lust, or feelings, or whatever it was, was one-sided.
    Fine. If he can turn it off, so can I.
    Bastard.
    …
    “Just when I was beginning to think you were different, you go and reaffirm my belief you’re nothing but a pig-headed, badge-heavy, chauvinistic cop.” With a disgusted huff, Cassie crossed her arms over her chest.
    Shit. I really am a shit.
    Mike tilted his head back a moment and blew out a breath before meeting Cassie’s icy glare.
    “Cassie, I—” Am scared shitless of letting you in , he wanted to say, but didn’t. Couldn’t.
    The pained, angry look in her eyes tugged at his heart, making him feel every bit the asshole he was. He had nothing to blame but his own stupid, Neanderthal libido. And my own fears.
    Cassie clamped her jaws tight and turned her back to him.
    “C’mon, Raven. We’re outta here.”
    She pointed to the Trail Blazer and Raven shot into the back of the SUV. Cassie slammed the rear door shut and stormed to the driver’s side. After getting in, she slammed that door shut as well.
    The engine started, but before she put the truck in gear, Mike hustled to the open window and rested his forearms on the ledge. As she rammed a pair of dark sunglasses on, he glimpsed the hint of tears glistening in her eyes.
    You did that, you dumbass.
    “I’m sorry,” he said, trying like hell to put every ounce of the sincere regret he felt into his words. “I shouldn’t have done that, and I’m sorry. It was…unprofessional.”
    Cassie’s hands shook slightly where they gripped the steering wheel.
    “Forget it,” she said tightly. “I won’t tell your girlfriend.”
    He smiled. “Don’t have one of those.”
    Above the dark sunglasses, Cassie’s brow lifted. “Sure you don’t.”
    Sensing she was about to put the pedal to the metal, Mike lifted his arms from the window. Sure enough, the Trail Blazer shot off down the road toward town.
    Mike watched her, shaking his head, amazed at what a jerk he could still be.
    It must have been the feel of her soft skin that had gotten his blood boiling. Or her soft, full breasts fitting so perfectly in his hands. Kissing her had been his final mistake, turning his brain to mud. If that car horn hadn’t blasted some common sense into his muddy, drugged-out brain, he would have gone horizontal with her right there on a public road! Damn, he never should have touched her.
    But he couldn’t help himself.
    Mike headed back to his Explorer and started the engine, cranking the AC to the max. He was sweating like a pig, but he honestly didn’t know if it was due to the outside temperature or the way Cassie twisted him into knots.
    Yeah, he’d definitely hurt her, but he’d needed space or he would have given in to a woman he knew virtually nothing about. He still couldn’t go there, and he suspected it would take a miracle to get him to open up to a woman again. The thought of getting stomped into the mud again was enough to make his chest go tight.
    Major sexual attraction aside, Cassie struck him as a woman who could take care of herself, and he admired that. Even if she couldn’t admit she needed his help changing a flat.
    He’d pissed her off good, particularly his crack about breaking a nail. He could see it in the way her eyes blazed, hot enough to burn off his nuts. While she’d been struggling with the lug wrench it had been all he could do not to stare at her shapely toned body, especially that incredible ass beneath those skin-tight hot pink shorts.
    Mike ran his fingers over his stubbly chin.
    Stupid, Flannery. Real stupid.
    Despite his concerns, Mike unexpectedly found his gut tightening at the thought of Cassie getting hurt.