Claiming Mia Read online

  Slamming the door in frustration, she greeted him with cool politeness. “If you want them planted, it’ll be Thursday before I can get the guys over here. They’re needed at the nursery today.”

  “I’ll plant them. Let me help you unload.” He walked to the pickup bed and lowered the gate, his all-business attitude throwing her for a loop.

  That is not disappointment I’m feeling, she insisted as she helped cart the shrubs to set in front of the porch. “They’ll look good along here.”

  “That’s what I thought.”

  Nolan turned then and shocked the hell out of Mia when he yanked her against him and held her the same as he had on the dance floor last night. With a tight grip on her nape and an arm looped around her lower back, he held her immobile as he kissed her with as much possessive aggression as before. Helpless to fight her body’s instant betrayal, she kissed him back, dimly aware they were standing on his front lawn where neighbors or anyone driving by could see them. Peter would be aghast at such a public spectacle. Funny how that thought drew a giddy response and worked to spur her on.

  Mia was so lost in the taste of him and the thrill of his tight hold tripping up her senses, she didn’t notice his lower arm shifting down until he filled his hand with her right butt cheek and squeezed. The startling discomfort followed by a burst of heat between her thighs drew a startled gasp. It took the sound of a car driving by to pull her head out of the clouds and she wrenched her mouth from his.

  “You… let me go. People are watching.” Her blood heated and a shudder racked her body, but she denied the quick flare of excitement was due to the exhibitionism.

  “You worry too much, and care too much about what others think. It only matters what you think, what you want. And I can give you that, but I’m not a patient man, Mia. Decide, and do it soon,” he stated in a low tone.

  He dropped his arms and she turned her back on his knowing smirk. Striding to her truck, she tossed over her shoulder, “I’ll think about it.” Ignoring his low laugh response of “You do that” as she slid behind the wheel, she slammed the door and drove off without looking back.

  Chapter 3

  “Are you going to the Raging Bull tonight?” Mia asked Trish Friday afternoon. Last week they’d had to browbeat her into going out, but she was desperate to put one arrogant police chief out of her mind. She blamed her limited experience with men in general for her reaction to Nolan’s two kisses, and the dreams they’d evoked that woke her with perspiration slick skin and a damp pussy. Not even sex with Peter had brought her to such an aroused state, and she couldn’t understand how a man who was the complete opposite of her type could affect her with such a strong pull.

  “I can’t. I’m spending the weekend in Taos with my sister.” Trish looked up with a teasing grin from where she sat behind the computer. “Dee and I told you that you would have a good time. Are you hoping to hook up with our police chief again?”

  “No,” Mia returned so fast even she heard the instant denial in her defensive tone. “In fact, just the opposite. I want to meet someone who is more my type.”

  “I hate to break it to you, but that man is every girl’s type. There are rumors he frequents a club in Albuquerque.” At her puzzled look, Trish explained, “You know, a kink club.”

  A small shiver rippled under her skin as Mia pictured Nolan in such a sex-charged atmosphere, maybe tormenting some poor woman draped over a bench or strung up for his pleasure. She’d heard of such things, and places, but never in her wildest imaginings had she found such kinky behavior arousing. Not until now.

  “That doesn’t surprise me,” she returned in a tart voice laced with disapproval. She was ready to move on, get into a new relationship, and that was all her uncharacteristic musings amounted to. All she needed to do was find a man who had enough in common with her to spark her interest. If she could do that, she knew she wouldn’t give Nolan another thought. “I’d rather be with a less intense person, someone who doesn’t irritate me every time he opens his mouth.”

  “Good luck with that. Go ahead and go by yourself if Dee can’t make it. The bouncers in the ones I’ve been to keep a close eye on everyone. I’ve always felt safe, even when I went alone.”

  Three hours later, Mia slid out of her truck and ran her clammy hands down the sides of her denim skirt, praying Trish was right. Much like The Raging Bull, The County Line was located between Whitetail and Albuquerque, only a few miles closer to Whitetail than The Raging Bull and off the main highway by a mile. She’d made the snap decision to stop here when nervousness tempted her to turn around and return home before she made an idiot of herself.

  “One drink,” she muttered as she strode toward the bright red door. If no one caught her interest enough to linger longer, she would leave. With the annual Whitetail summer celebration coming up, she could fall back on those activities to get into the swing of socializing again. The only reason she didn’t wait until then was the high risk of seeing Peter and Tami among the town folk enjoying games, competitions and food that brought everyone together. So far, she’d been lucky enough to avoid coming face to face with the young woman responsible for ending her marriage.

  The door opened as she reached for the handle and to her surprise, Barry, one of her part-time employees, stepped out with an older, sleazy-looking man she immediately recognized as her butt-grabbing dance partner from last week. She didn’t like to judge people by appearances, but something about the other man’s cold black eyes and face that revealed ravages of hard living disturbed her.

  “Ms. Reynolds! This is the last place I’d expect to see you,” Barry exclaimed with an uneasy shift of his eyes toward the other man. “We were just leaving. Uh, the crowd’s a bit rowdy tonight, you may not want to stay either.”

  “Thanks, Barry. I don’t plan on staying long. Be careful,” she replied with a glance at the other man whose silent staring didn’t reveal whether he remembered her or not.

  “Always. See you tomorrow.”

  She nodded and entered the club, intending to give him some motherly advice in the morning. Much the same as last week, loud music and raucous laughter greeted her entry into the club. Unlike last week, she spotted Chief MacGregor seated at the bar right off, the sudden leap of her pulse when she looked that way her first warning of his presence. Not again, she groaned. Why couldn’t she get away from the man? Her first inclination was to dart right back out the door, but she refused to let him get to her or to put a damper on her fun.

  Squaring her shoulders with determination, Mia veered in the opposite direction, sidling along the wall to avoid the rough jostling taking place in the center of the room, and found an empty corner table. She sat in the chair facing the room, feeling more secure in the darkened nook. The snug tank top she’d let Dee talk her into wearing suddenly felt too risqué even though the round neckline only revealed a half inch of cleavage. She breathed a sigh of relief when a waitress stopped and took her order with a promise to be right back with her beer. A fortifying buzz right about now would go a long way, especially since her quick scan of the room made her uneasy. The disreputable-looking crowd of mostly men left her tempted to get up again and leave, but she hardened her resolve to turn over a new leaf by getting out more and trying new things. What could it hurt to stick around long enough for one drink?

  Her eyes wandered toward the bar again, but the jam-packed dance floor separated her from a direct visual of Nolan. When he didn’t make an appearance at her table by the time she’d turned down two dance requests and was halfway through the cold brew, she let herself relax and order one more. If nothing else, she could entertain herself with people-watching.

  Mia finished her second beer and had just decided to leave when angry shouts erupted on the dance floor and all hell broke loose. Within seconds, as if on cue, a melee of flying fists, heavy grunts and grappling bodies that landed on tabletops and upended chairs ensued. Getting to her feet, she tried to make her shaking legs move toward the door, but
only managed two steps before a hard arm wrapped around her waist from behind and an angry voice shouted in her ear, “Come with me!”

  Recognizing Nolan’s deep baritone eased her initial panic, but as he tightened the arm around her waist and lifted her off her feet to haul her out the door pressed up against his body, an unexpected low hum of arousal set up rhythm between her legs. Irritated more by who ignited the unwelcome response than by the inappropriate time and place, Mia wiggled out of his hold as soon as they stumbled out the door along with several others. Mortification over her body’s betrayal compelled her to quell the sudden flare of lust with a burst of indignation as soon as he released her.

  Hands on hips, Mia glared up into his stern face, barely able to see the blue slits of his eyes under the Stetson. “I’m not a sack of potting soil you can just haul around. That exit was uncalled for.”

  “I beg to differ,” he bit out, grabbing her arm and marching her toward her truck as if she were a recalcitrant child. “I don’t know what you’re trying to prove by frequenting these dives but stop it. They aren’t safe as you just witnessed. Shit, there’s no telling what would have happened to you had I not been here.” Nolan released her arm and opened the truck door. “Go home, and for God’s sake, stay there.”

  “You’re not my keeper, Chief,” Mia snapped, incensed by his dictate. She wouldn’t let the hint of concern in his voice sway her from her indignation, or the lingering warmth deep inside her core from the feel of all those thick muscles rippling against her much softer frame.

  Nolan moved into her, pinning her against the truck with his larger body. Bracing his arms against the hood, he lowered his head until his mouth brushed hers as he spoke in a low growl, “I’ve decided I am, and the sooner you accept that, the sooner I can give you what you’re pining for. Now, behave, and go home.”

  He moved back so fast, Mia almost reached out to draw him back, the urge to experience another one of his hard, possessive kisses nearly overwhelming her. I. Do. Not. Like. Him. Once again, she found herself repeating that mantra over and over as she settled behind the wheel and left the parking lot with a spray of gravel from her spinning tires. She refused, absolutely refused, to glance in the rearview mirror for a last glimpse of the irritating, panty-dampening man.

  Mia was halfway back to Whitetail, immersed in her stewing irritation and not paying attention to her speed when the warning wail of sirens snagged her attention off one infuriating, disconcerting police chief. “Crap!” As she slowed and pulled off onto a dirt turnoff, she remembered the parking tickets she’d never paid and swore under her breath. She couldn’t afford another ticket on her insurance, or her record.

  * * *

  Nolan shook his head as Mia peeled out of the lot. The barroom brawl spilled outside in a tangled heap of flying fists and heavy grunts. Unless he wanted to whip out his badge, thus blowing off his chances of spotting any drug deals going down at this place, he’d better take some of his own advice and high-tail it out of here as well.

  He didn’t know what it was about his little landscaper that drew him with such strong pulls, only that the urge to delve into the interest and need reflected in her expressive green eyes had hit him like a sucker punch that afternoon on the street in Whitetail all those years ago and hadn’t abated since. He may have been six years ahead of her in high school and spent over twenty years away from his hometown afterward, but he’d heard about golden boy Peter Reynolds’s success on the football field and as a financial whiz, and about his hasty marriage to good-girl Mia Williams. Over the years, he’d caught glimpses of them together, and separately, during his visits back home, and always thought Peter’s overblown ego and condescending attitude made him a class-A prick and thought Mia too good for him all along.

  It didn’t take long after turning onto the highway for Nolan’s radar to pick up a speeder up ahead, and instinctively he knew who it was. With a surge of blood-pumping adrenaline, he reached out the window, placed the portable flasher/siren on the roof of his unmarked car and gave chase, not above taking advantage of pulling Mia over to give her a taste of what she’d been pining for without even realizing it. When he came up behind her and she pulled off onto a short turnaround, he thought perfect as he slid out of his cruiser.

  Turning off the truck, she rolled down her window and there was no mistaking her low groan of feigned sufferance when she recognized him.

  “Out of the car, Mia.” She obeyed without comment, but even though her vehicle blocked the glow from his headlights, there was still enough illumination around the secluded turnoff for him to detect the rigid set to her stubborn jaw.

  When dealing with Mia, he needed every advantage he could get so he didn’t hesitate to use her current situation to further his pursuit. Bracing his hands on the truck, he again caged her in and looked down into her wary, defiant face. “Another ticket, tsk, tsk. The fines for speeding are a lot steeper than the parking violations you’ve yet to pay, sweetheart.”

  “It’s your fault,” she huffed, crossing her arms as she shifted from foot to foot.

  Amused, he drawled, “How so?”

  “Never mind. Can’t you give me a warning? I can’t afford anything else on my record.”

  Her willingness to negotiate fell right into Nolan’s plans, and he allowed a slow grin to inch up the corners of his mouth. Perfect. “How about if I give you a choice between another ticket or a reprimand delivered the old-fashioned way?”

  It took a moment for his meaning to sink in, and when it did, her eyes widened in shock and, if he wasn’t mistaken, which he rarely was, a hint of curious arousal. His cock twitched at the look on her face and reflected in her eyes, the same one she couldn’t hide when she’d watched him kissing another woman all those years ago, the one he’d been obsessed with and couldn’t forget.

  * * *

  “You want to spank me instead of giving me a ticket?” Mia didn’t know if her stunned disbelief stemmed from outrage at his audacity or the instant pickup of her heart rate that caused her blood to heat in a volcanic rush through her veins at the thought of his large hand connecting with her butt.

  “In the worst way,” he admitted with candor, not bothering to hide the truth. Then again, when had he ever held back from letting her know where his interests lay, she bemoaned.

  They both heard Mia’s convulsive swallow as she contemplated her choices. It came down to she couldn’t afford an increase in her premiums. A shiver rippled down her spine as he pressed closer and his warm breath tickled her neck when he nipped the tender skin. Okay, maybe the strain on her finances wasn’t the only reason she was giving his suggestion serious consideration. If she could sate her curiosity about the way her body was always so quick to react to his sexual innuendos about putting her over his knee, remarks she never imagined would titillate her before the divorce, maybe she could put him out of her mind once and for all.

  Taking a deep, nerve-bracing breath, she muttered in a whisper, “Fine,” as if there might be someone around who could hear her. “I’ll meet you… what?” she gasped, incredulous as he spun her to face the truck and hiked up her skirt. “Here?”

  “No time like the present. Don’t worry, Mia, my body is blocking yours, but even if I wasn’t, no one driving by can see back in this far.” With a hard yank, he drew another outraged gasp from her when he tore off her panties.

  Warm summer air wafted over her exposed buttocks for the first time in her life, shocking her when the sudden outdoor exposure elicited a thrill of excitement. Before she could grasp the significance of that, he palmed her right cheek and squeezed, the instant pleasure from his touch taking her breath away.

  “Just as I thought,” Nolan rasped, bending his head to nip her earlobe. “Soft and malleable. And so very… spankable.” He drew back and slapped the same cheek, a light smack that tingled more than hurt.

  Mia shut her eyes against the warm dampness filling her long-neglected pussy, mortified by her response to what should have b
een an abasing experience. The next swat covered her other cheek and was just as potent as the first. Her tense muscles relaxed, and she was just thinking this wasn’t so bad when he delivered a harder smack that jiggled her flesh. A small cry slid past her compressed lips, but he didn’t give her time to balk or complain as he set about peppering her butt with a volley of spanks, alternating between light and hard enough to sting while moving back and forth between her buttocks. A slow warmth enveloped her entire backside, along with small prickles of pain as the slaps grew sharper. Unable to help herself, she lowered her head to rest on her hands braced on the truck and tried to ward off the escalating pulses spreading down to her sheath. A part of her couldn’t believe she was letting him do this and an even more insane part couldn’t fathom the escalating arousal the embarrassment and discomfort added to.

  Nolan stopped and caressed her buttocks, the now soothing strokes calming her riotous senses. “I knew you had a submissive streak worth exploring,” he said in a rough tone.

  “I… no, I don’t,” Mia denied with an emphatic headshake. “I’m only letting… ow!” She shook from the blistering swat that seared her backside.

  “We can get on with your education a lot quicker if you quit denying what you want, and need,” he admonished, his cold voice sending goosebumps racing over her arms.

  She refused to go there with him right now, not with her bare butt on display and her pussy quivering from that painful smack. “Are we done?” she asked, already knowing the answer.

  “Not hardly.”