Page 19 of Cop Daddy Next Door

I was about to tuck tail and turn around to leave when I glimpsed Mav through the window, sitting in a chair as a busty blond Amazon-like woman tended some scrape on his upper arm. He was smiling at her and she was giggling as she dabbed, so he clearly was in no distress.

Threat over. Guess I didn’t need to be a superhero tonight either.

Yet I did not leave. No, that would’ve been too sensible.

I darted around Austin before he could grab me and rushed inside, the bell over the door dinging like one going off before a fight. Even before I opened my mouth, I knew I was about to make an ass out of myself.

Did that shut me up? Au contraire.

“I should’ve known I’d find you like this.” I came to a halt in front of the nursing action—maybe this was a common theme in books for a reason—and propped my hands on my hips. “You asked me to come over to take care of your charges so you could do…this?” I gestured wildly at the Amazon who was staring at me, aghast.

She also had massive breasts. Somehow that seemed like one more insult.

Very slowly, Mav drew his arm away from his nurse and flexed his hand, drawing my gaze to the many muscles currently rippling and stretching with his movement. I hadn’t realized what all he had under his uniform. Probably a good thing.

“Vanessa, this is a crime scene.”

I crossed my arms. “Your point?”

To his credit, he didn’t swear at me. I could tell it was a close thing. “You’re going to need to leave.”

I gestured to his new friend and decided I might as well dig a hole and just cover myself entirely with dirt.

“She’s not a cop. How come she gets to stay?”

His lips thinned, most likely his way of not using a clever string of swear words. “She’s an EMT.” He leaned forward and braced his hands on his equally muscled thighs, highlighting the scrap of fabric dangling from his biceps. “Are you okay? Are the dogs okay?”

“Don’t I look okay? And yes, the dogs are fine.”

At least I hoped Daisy wasn’t sick. She was very well taken care of under normal circumstances. Mav and I hadn’t been in charge for more than a couple of hours.

“You should be fine,” his nurse commented with another dismissive glance in my direction before she smacked a Band-Aid on his arm. “If you need anything else…”

“He’s just fine. I’m sure he has Neosporin at home.”

Neither of them paid me any mind.

After she walked away, Mav slowly rose in a menacing manner that did disturbing things to my nipples. Luckily, they were currently hidden by my crossed arms.

“Go home,” he said in an undertone as Chief Brooks’ voice grew louder from the back of the store. “I’ll talk to you later.”

He made that sound like a threat. My nipples tingled inappropriately once again.

“You mean back to your brother’s place, where you left me alone?”

“I have to deal with a crime scene.”

“Did I call this or what?” Officer Masterson strolled up the closest aisle, smirking. “Where’s your traveling eyesore today?”

“Parked at your mama’s house.”

His smirk remained in place. “You’re pushing dangerously close to a trespassing charge. About time I get to cuff you.”

Mav stepped between us and got in Christian’s face—well, as much as he could when his fellow cop was the size of a giant, as all of the Masterson men were. Still, Mav knew how to glower with the best of them.

“Back off. If anyone’s going to cuff her, it’s me.”

FIVE

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