Detective's Orders (Curvy Girls Club Book 4) Read online

  In his place is the muscled detective from yesterday.

  Nate

  My obsession with the black-haired Goddess has fully developed into… Fuck, only God knows what.

  Is it lust?

  Surely not, because I have never felt this way about anyone else before; surely, it has to be more?

  Since I left Emily’s place yesterday, she is all I think about. I even stored an image of her sweet face in the back of my mind to calm me down whenever I feel like I’m getting riled up.

  As she walks towards me, swaying her every curve, all the feelings of excitement I felt last night, when I first laid eyes on the curvy beauty, come rushing back.

  “Are you lost?” She asks. A look of concern spread across her face.

  “Not anymore,” I tell her and drop my head to smile at Dax. “Hello, young man.” He cowers behind his mother but holds the shy smile on his face.

  Emily opens the door to her apartment, and I allow myself in.

  “What are… I’m sorry, detective, but why are you here? Are you giving me an update on my case?”

  “Unfortunately, I don’t have any updates as yet. But, I told you I’d make sure you’re safe? I hope the guard didn’t give you any hassles?” Technically, Heinrich, the large, six-foot-three German man that stood guard outside Emily’s apartment does not work for me. I hired him to make sure no harm falls on my queen. I also gave him strict instructions not to make any eye contact or strike up a conversation with her unless necessary. Emily is mine, and I hate the idea of another man even coming close to her, let alone speak with her.

  She adjusts her spectacles and glares at me curiously. “What’s your full name?” Emily asks, ignoring my question. I wonder if she asks because she wants to report me to the authorities or if she’s keen to know what her last name’s going to be.

  “Nate, Nate Warden.”

  She hasn’t stopped staring into my eyes, and after a few moments of scanning my face with great interest, she asks if I’d like anything to drink and why there aren’t any updates on the case.

  She hands me a glass of cranberry juice. “So, Mr. Nate Warden, you just walk into my apartment—uninvited, might I add. Is that not… illegal?”

  My lips curl into a devilish grin. “Yes, Emily, I suppose it is.”

  “It’s a criminal offense that might result in you being locked up, right?”

  “Ahaaa… Yes, it is.”

  “Then why the hell would you be waiting for me outside my apartment, without my permission, or me requesting for you to do so?”

  Because, baby girl, now that I’ve found you, I won’t ever be ready to let you go.

  She stares at me for the longest moment, anticipating my response, but I can’t stop gazing into her dreamy Hazel eyes. Even behind her large-framed, smarty-pants glasses, I can see her innocence.

  Emily swallows hard with every step I draw closer into her.

  “Because,” I say, with an unexpected husky undertone in my voice, “someone close to me had their home broken into. Two burglars, drug addicts, broke into our home. When she tried stopping them, they turned around and slapped her. I have blamed myself since. If I were around, she would have been safe. Since then, I promised myself to make sure that never happens to anyone. And…” I pause and take in a sharp breath, astounded at myself for confiding in someone I’ve known for all but a day. “And I will be damned if I let that happen again, especially to someone as breathtaking as the woman standing in front of me.”

  I can see her breasts bouncing delicately with every breath she takes, and I take a step forward, further closing the distance between us.

  Emily stares back at me with parted lips. Her delicate lips scream for my attention.

  Fuck, the things I would do for just a moment on her lips—only to feel the warmth of her breath inside my mouth.

  And now I know for sure this is not lust. I don’t just have strong sexual urges to bend her over and claim what’s mine, but every part of me craves her. I want to hold her, to protect her, to love her. I want to love her like no man ever will.

  “Emily?”

  “Yeah?” She breathes.

  “Valentine’s day is next week Saturday. If you’re free, I’d like—”

  “Stop!” She cuts me off sharply and brushes past me. She struggles to hold her eye contact as she walks past me. “Nate, I’m sorry for what you went through, but I don’t need to be saved. Also, Dax’s birthday is on that Saturday…”

  “That’s perfect,” I insist. “You two can come over to my place, and we’ll celebrate both his birthday and Valentine’s day.”

  Emily lets out a disgruntled moan, but I place my finger on her lips before she can cut me off again, tracing my thumb against her plump, soft flesh. “Shhh… I don’t need an answer right now. I’ll give you a day or two to think about it.”

  I hand Emily my business card, which she stares at curiously.

  “That’s in case you need any updates on the case, and if you change your mind about Valentine’s day.”

  Chapter Three

  Nate

  I love my job, most of the time.

  I wake up at 5:00 every morning, go for a jog, and get ready so that I’m the first person in the office to get through as much as I can. But these last three days have been horrible.

  I hate the idea of sitting behind my comfortable office desk when Emily’s ex is still out there.

  “Put me through to Jeremy,” I say into my telephone receiver.

  “Just a moment, please,” a lady on the other end responds.

  A few moments pass before I hear his timid voice. “Good morning, detective?”

  “Hi, Jeremy, any updates on the fingerprint analysis for burglary case?”

  “Um, detective, we’re still working through a long list of things to get through. We won’t be able to look at that for at least another day or two.” His voice croaks through the telephone, as though he already knows what my response will be.

  “Unacceptable. I told you I need this case prioritized! Please have the results by close of business today.”

  There’s a brief pause on the other end of the line. “I’ll try my best, Detective.”

  I hang up the phone, and my thoughts drift back to Emily and her son.

  Her ex is a drug addict, which has me even more on edge, with thoughts of the lengths he’d go through to get his next fix.

  Two years back, Samantha, my ex, phoned me and told me she suspected people were breaking into our apartment. For the first time, I didn’t take her seriously. Samantha hated the fact that I had to come to work every day, so she would often call me and tell me something was wrong. I’d rush back home only to find out; it was all just to get me out of the office.

  But that day, I refused to fall for her tricks and ignored her cries for help.

  When I got home, I walked in on her packing up her stuff. She had a dark bruise against her head from when she tried stopping the burglars.

  The one time she did not cry wolf, and I was not around to help her, to protect her.

  Through her angered screams, I could tell our apartment was broken into by drug addicts, who just wanted to steal a few items of value for their next quick fix.

  The funny thing is that year I was named Patrol Officer of the Year, yet I couldn’t save the woman closest to me.

  Since then, I have worked to become a detective, vowing to put as many criminals as I can behind bars.

  For Samantha, me ignoring her cries for help was the final straw, and I’ve been single since then.

  Except, that was not the only reason she left me. The real reason is far more embarrassing than I’d like to admit, and probably the reason I’ve remained single since…

  But with Emily now in the picture, I’m ready to put my pride aside. Even if she wants nothing to do with me after she finds out the real reason Samantha left me, it’s a chance I’m willing to take.

  Emily’s thick curves tease me with every sultry s
tep she takes. Just the thought of her without the layers of clothes she wears makes me want to push her up against a wall and do dirty things to her. When I finally claim her as my own, I won’t stop until her legs shake and her neighbors know my name.

  I pack up my stuff, excited at the thought that I can finally leave this office to be with Emily and Dax when my telephone rings.

  “Nate speaking.”

  “Hello, detective.” It’s Jeremy.

  “Jeremy. I hope you have good news for me?”

  “Yes, I have the results for the fingerprint analysis.”

  I drive over to Emily’s apartment, and flip through radio stations, until Let’s get it on by Marvin Gaye blasts through the speakers. I hum along, even though it’s not a song I would ordinarily listen to. But right now; it’s so fucking appropriate.

  “Thanks, Heinrich, I’ll take over from here,” I tell the guard. I pay him for the full day, even though I take over in the afternoons. In case I’m stuck out investigating a scene, I need to make sure Emily and Dax are protected at all times.

  Moments later, Emily walks down the passage with Daxton in hand. As she approaches me, she catches sight of her neighbors making out. She rolls her eyes at them, and I almost burst out laughing. Soon, her neighbors will be rolling their eyes at us when I kiss her sweet lips.

  I notice how her lips curl into a smile at the sight of me—as much as she tries denying it, I know she feels it too. I wonder if her nipples stiffen at the thought of me the same way my cock stiffens when I think of her.

  “I’m beginning to think you enjoy stalking me,” she says, brushing past me to open her front door.

  “I have an update. I’ve received feedback on the fingerprint analysis.” I tell her.

  “Really?” Her face beams excitedly. “In that case, Detective, I’d be a fool to not invite you in.”

  Emily

  I hand the handsome detective a glass of fruit juice and grab a seat on the kitchen stool next to him. “Unfortunately, I don’t keep alcohol, if that’s what you’re hoping for?”

  I started buying extra fruit juice on my way back from work for my daily visitor. As much as I hate admitting it, and I will not confess this to him; I think I’m beginning to like having the company every day.

  “Fruit juice is perfect. I don’t drink,” Nate says, taking a sip of the cranberry juice.

  I feel a sense of relief at his confession. Alcohol makes me feel uncomfortable. I suppose it could be because I dated an alcoholic; a man that would always choose alcohol over me.

  “So, what’s the verdict? It’s Daniel, isn’t it?”

  His face sinks, and I can tell he’s about to give me the bad news. “No, unfortunately, the only prints we identified belong to you and Dax. Which means he must have been wearing gloves.”

  You’ve got to be fucking kidding me. This is fucking bullshit. “So, now what?”

  Nate shifts his stool closer to mine. “Now,” he purrs. He drops his voice to a seductive growl, and I wonder if that’s intentional. “Now, I do my job, and you trust me when I say I will keep you safe and I won’t allow anything to happen to either you or Dax.”

  With my heart thumping inside my chest, I stare intensely into Nate’s eyes. For the first time, I meet his gaze and silently vow not to look away first.

  Nate Warden is a huge man. He towers over me and is ripped to perfection. His standard outfit seems to be a pair of blue jeans, a white shirt and a pair of aviator shades that brings out his chiseled jawline. With tattoos covering his right arm, I know this man is a bit of a bad boy, his tattoos and his oozing confidence give it away.

  I can look after myself. I’ve pretty much been by myself for most my life, but I’ll admit it feels good having a man look out for me the way he does.

  Heat floods over me, rushing through every inch of my body. If I do not walk away now, I might do something I regret—like lean over and grab a taste of his alluring lips.

  As I stand, my knees give in, and I fall forward, but the muscled detective catches me in his arms. I see a cocky comment brimming on the edges of his lips, but he remains silent. Not only does he drive my knees weak, but he’s smart too. Perhaps that’s what makes him so fucking sexy.

  My pussy throbs as he holds me in his arms. I need to focus and control these fucking urges, but it’s so hard when I can feel the heat of the man’s breath on my lips.

  “Excuse me,” I say in the most lady-like manner I can mutter.

  He lifts me to my feet, and I’m still marveling at how he managed to hold my weight. Nate made it look like I weigh no more than a feather.

  “I… err… I need to get dressed, excuse me,” I mumble and shift past him with lightning speed. The man oozes power and authority, something my delicate little heart is not prepared for.

  I slip into my room and wipe the make-up from my face. Even though I don’t usually change after work, I search for a large, comfy sweater and baggy pants. Hopefully, the sight of me, without the extra layer of Estee Lauder and formal work clothing, would convince the man to back off.

  I’m not sure what it is about him, but when I’m around Nate, I find myself saying the silliest things. The man has me stuttering and muttering incomplete sentences every time he pulls closer into me.

  I turn to walk out of my room but pause at the sound of Dax’s voice. Nate and Dax don’t notice me approaching, and I fix my gaze curiously on this grown man speaking to my three-year-old son like they’re best pals.

  Nate sits flat on the carpet, with his legs stretched out straight to meet Dax’s height.

  “Beep, beep!” Nate is pushing on a toy car. “Oh no, oh no, we’re going to crash! EEEEEEEK… BOOM.” Slowly, he lifts his head, giving Dax a look of concern. “Why… why would you crash into me, buddy?”

  “He he he,” my boy giggles, “because you were in my way, silly.”

  Nate pulls his hand to his mouth playfully, pretending to be devastated by my son’s confession. I haven’t seen Dax laugh this much since I last took him for ice cream three months back. I find myself wondering how Nate does it.

  “Look at this train set,” Nate says, pulling Dax’s attention to the train track spread out on the carpet, “I wish I had one like this.”

  “My mommy buyed it for me,” says Dax, beaming with pride.

  “Well, you,” Nate says and presses his finger against my son’s nose, “are a fortunate young man. I hope you tell your mother every day how much you love her?”

  Dax sinks his head. “Yes. Every day. But, sometimes, I forget.”

  I walk into the lounge, and can’t help but feel guilty at ruining the closest moment my son has ever had to spending time with a fatherly figure.

  “You have any kids of your own, detective?”

  For the first time, I see Nate without the cocky grin he usually carries with him—the real Nate. His head drops, and he looks down at Dax. “I wish I had kids of my own, but I don’t.”

  I find a seat on the sofa. “Dax, would you mind giving Nate and me a few moments to talk, please?”

  “Okay, Mommy,” Dax says and runs off.

  I take a deep breath, praying I’m making the right decision, before gazing into Nate’s fierce blue eyes. “You can pick us up at 09:00 next week Saturday.”

  The words barely escape my lips when Nate darts up to the sofa and finds a seat beside me. “So, that’s a yes?”

  “It’s a yes… on condition that we celebrate Dax’s birthday. I’m not too worried about Valentine’s day.”

  “You’ve got yourself a date, beautiful.”

  He takes my chin in his large hand. Goosebumps ripple through me as I watch him closing in on me.

  I should pull back. I should tell him this is going too far, but instead, I close my eyes and hold my breath in eager anticipation of his lips.

  Chapter Four

  Emily

  I had no intention of caving in to Nate’s date request, but after seeing him with Daxton, there’s no way I could
say ‘no’ to him.

  The way he played with Dax and the way he spoke to him made me believe that perhaps this man is looking for more than just a one-night-stand. That maybe, just maybe, he is one of the ‘good-ones’ I often hear people talking about.

  Daxton’s playing with his train set as I flip through the pages of Mom, Stop—a guide to stop helicopter parenting, my latest book on parenting.

  Being a single mom is not impossible; something my mother taught me. I never got the chance to meet my dad. He went AWOL on my mother and me after she told him she was pregnant with me. I guess disappearing fathers run in my blood.

  You can’t miss something you’ve never had. That’s what I told myself all these years. I think a part of me even believed it, but the thought of Daxton growing up without a father kills me.

  There’s only so much I can teach him, but I’d never be able to teach him how to fix a car, how to fly a kite, or how to throw a ball.

  An unexpected knock on my door breaks my train of thought. It’s not often that I get visitors, even on a Saturday, other than the older woman that lives in the corner apartment that occasionally stops by to ask for salt or tomatoes.

  I open the door and see Nate standing outside my apartment. I don’t see the guard today and wonder if he plans on taking over the guard’s shift over the weekend.

  “Detective… I wasn’t expecting to see you today?” I say and allow him in.

  “Please, call me Nate. And we have a date today.”

  I agreed to Valentine’s day and Dax’s birthday next weekend, but I cannot recall us setting another date this Saturday. “I’m going to need you to refresh my memory?”

  “We have a date. It’s on your fridge.”

  I walk over to my fridge and see that Nate has amended my ‘List of things to look forward to.’