Stolen Hearts (Thoroughbred Men Book 2) (5 page)

              Jacob wasn't feeling much of a buzz and stopping midway, changing to water definitely helped. He was perfectly fine; Millie was not so much. She wasn't falling down drunk but she was absolutely tipsy. She was laughing or blushing at everything he said. It was adorable.

7

              They finished their dinner, exchanging quips and laughing. Maria brought the check and was pleasantly surprised that the young lady with Jacob was laughing and smiling. Jacob could do that to a person, he was a very likable fellow she thought.

              Maria didn't charge for dinner, but Jacob wouldn't hear of it. “Mama, you know I don't freeload. Where is my bill?” he asked frustrated. Millie watched the exchange and was pleased to see he would not budge on the charity that was being tossed his way. Mama walked off from the table and refused to give him the bill, telling him that dinner was on her. “Jacob, I will take care of dinner tonight for you and your lady. It’s worth it to see you both smiling, maybe you come back?” she said. Jacob asked for the bill again, assuring her that they would most definitely be back if Millie agreed. Maria walked away again, no bill left on the table. Jacob cursed and grabbed his wallet regardless. He pulled out several bills and took them over to the bar, muttering and pointing at the table. The barkeep started to hand them back and Jacob refused to take it.

              Jacob walked back over to the table and helped Millie up by the arm. “C’mon Millie, let’s get out of here before they come track me down. I do not like charity and they work too hard to give it away all the time,” he said frustrated.

              Millie sympathized with him and patted him on the arm. “We’ll just come back,” she said jovially. Jacob looked at her, kissed her quickly on the cheek and helped her out of the restaurant.

              Millie stumbled once or twice in the parking lot, the rocky parking lot getting the better of her in the high heels. Jacob caught her, helped her along and took her over to the passenger side of the car. “Keys?” he said softly looking at her in the dim light as she sat in the car, completely at ease. Jacob watched Millie dig around in her purse and came up with her key ring, handing it over to Jacob. He raised his brow at the large green, glittering frog hanging from the key ring. “You like frogs?” she heard him ask as she fished a rock out of her shoe in the parking lot. “No, that is my prince charming according to Danielle,” she laughed. “Not you,” she teased, leaning against the car.

              Jacob grew serious. He didn't like that she had said that and didn't want to identify as to why. He just wanted to change her mind. “Oh, really? Ever make mistakes, Millie?” and leaned in the car towards her. He saw her eyes grow wide as he leaned in towards her. He hesitated for a moment, watching her swallow hard as she whispered, “Nope.”

              Jacob smirked and said softly, “Well there is a first for everything,” and kissed her. He intended it to be a gentle kiss, but her lips were incredibly soft and when she gave a soft little moan, he wanted more. Jacob teased at her tongue and gently nipped at her lip before breaking the kiss.

              “Oh my,” Millie breathed. She watched him buckle her into the passenger seat, gently shut the car door. She stared as he circled around the vehicle, entering the driver seat. Millie sat stunned. He had the most amazing lips and certainly knew how to use them. He was breaking through her defenses and it was a bit scary. She had not had this much fun in quite some time and when he kissed her, she wanted more. She did not mix work with personal life ever… and considering she had no personal life? This had been easy to maintain so far. This was a new twist she was not ready for.

            
 
“Want me to drive you home or do you think you will be okay in a bit?” Jacob asked softly. She seemed to be lost in thought as he watched her profile.

              “No, I am not sure if I am okay,” Millie said, meaning every word. She was shaken by the revelation and wasn't quite sure how to handle it yet. She was stumped. How could they have kissed? And when he tugged at her lips, how could she not think of kissing him again?

              “Fair enough, I will drop you off at home and get someone to pick me up,” Jacob said amicably. Millie nodded. “Where to?” Jacob asked.

              “My apartment please,” she said quietly, deep in thought. She kept imagining him deepening the kiss or wondering how it would be to take things a bit further? He was an attractive man that made her insides melt.

              Apartment? She had an apartment? Jacob was stunned. She was a realtor and assumed she had a really nice place somewhere. If she lived in an apartment, that meant she must live in the same complex as he did.  There was only one apartment complex in town. “You live at the apartments in town? The Royal Gardens?”  Millie nodded again.

              He had lived there for a few years now; it was a nice enough location. Pretty quiet and on the outskirts of town, it was a fairly large complex with a few playgrounds surrounded in landscaping, hence the ‘gardens’ title, he assumed. Jacob had never seen Millie there ever, or her vehicle. Well, this could work out nicely, he thought. Maybe he wouldn't have to ask one of his patrol buddies for a ride, he could just walk home to his own place. They drove in shared silence, both lost in thought.

              Jacob pulled into the complex, “Which way, Millie? What number are you in?” Millie directed him to the very back of the complex and parked her car. “I am in the far upper corner unit,” he heard her reply quietly. Jacob nodded, this explained why he hadn't seen her vehicle at all. He was at the front of the complex overlooking the entrance area. Jacob opened the door for Millie, who stumbled against him. Jacob held her against him for a moment and breathed her scent. She fit perfectly against him and her perfume was driving him nuts. He watched Millie walk over to the stairs and she used the railing to walk up without assistance. Jacob followed behind her, admiring the view and struggling to keep from touching her lovely derriere. Jacob took her to the door, unlocked it and opened the door for Millie. “I had a fantastic time tonight, Millie. Thank you,” he said and kissed her softly. 

              Millie leaned in to him as he kissed her, winding her arms around his neck. “I did too,” she replied, kissing him again. She felt so carefree and light headed. She had enjoyed her night and could definitely see Jacob in a different light tonight. He had charm as well as being gorgeous from afar. She sighed contentedly as she thought of his smile earlier.

              Jacob didn't want the night to end, but broke the kiss and resisted the urge to carry her inside and see where things went. She was so much easier to talk to if she let her guard down. “Let’s do this again,” he said with a smile and kissed the tip of her nose. Millie nodded and went inside her apartment. “What time do you head in to your office?” he asked casually.

              Millie stood for a moment holding the door handle and frowned. Why was he asking her silly questions like that? Usually, according to Danielle, there is more pleasant ways to end a date-like exchanging phone numbers or setting up a second date. But this wasn't a date, was it? “Usually there by 8:00 AM - why do you ask?” she responded, rubbing her temple, confused.

              Jacob watched her, amused that she had already forgotten his car was still downtown. “I need a ride to my car and thought I would tag along with you if you didn't mind?” he said with a smirk.

              Millie felt so stupid and so very out of sorts. She had drank way too much of the margaritas and vowed to have water next time. “Oh! Of course! I am sorry!” Millie exclaimed.

              Jacob grinned. She was not going to be happy tomorrow if the alcohol was affecting her that much. One margarita, and she was drunk. He wondered how she would act if she ended up truly ‘trashed’ like he had seen some people in the past. “Don’t be, I’m not. See you in the morning at seven thirty?”

              Millie agreed and shut the door. He waited to leave until he heard the lock turn and click, wanting her to be safe. Jacob started to walk off and realized he had her keys still. He laughed, stuck them in his pocket and decided she would not be leaving without him in the morning, just in case she changed her mind and decided to ditch him.

              Millie took two ibuprofen, drank a massive amount of water and climbed into her bed. She thought of him kissing her as she lay there in the dark. She could smell his cologne in her head, she thought about how his lips felt and how much she enjoyed his company. She had always been attracted to Jacob, but getting to know him tonight and spending some time with him? Millie really liked Officer Jacob Hunter a lot, more than
she cared to admit to herself.

8

              The next morning, Millie flew out of bed to get ready for the day. She took extra time to make sure her makeup was perfect and outlined her lips with her favorite pencil, filling it in with a bold red color she adored but rarely wore. Millie dressed in a white pencil skirt, white high heels and a black blouse that was a favorite of hers with smart pearl buttons. She completed the look with a small pearl choker around her neck and pulled back her hair in a sleek ponytail. She wanted to knock his socks off when he showed up for his ride. Millie was ready and had just begun to switch purses to one that matched her outfit when she heard a knock at the door.

            
 
“Just a moment,” she yelled indelicately and came from the back of the apartment to the door. She peeked through the peephole and opened the door. Damn that man looked good in a uniform, she thought.

              “Hello, sunshine, how are you feeling?” he said jovially and admired how she looked. “My goodness, mornings must agree with you cause you look fantastic,” he murmured. Millie thanked him and invited him in.

              “We’ll go in just a second. I am switching purses and need to find my keys,” she said walking off. Jacob walked in and looked around. Millie did not have a lot of furniture or decor in her place. Honestly, it was quite Spartan and didn't have a lot to it. Another preconceived notion that she shot down. He expected a very plush, but sophisticated apartment. Maybe a contemporary decor? Her apartment barely looked lived in. Jacob fished out her keys and dangled them from his finger. “Your prince charming has arrived,” he teased.

              Millie peered around the doorframe of her bedroom to where he was standing in the living room. “Oh!” she said surprised. He had her keys! She grabbed her purse, pulled the keys off his outstretched finger and leaned in towards his ear. “It's a toad this morning,” she whispered teasingly. 

              Jacob laughed and followed Millie out the door stating, “Good morning to you, too.” in a mocking tone. Jacob followed her down the steps to the car thinking to himself, the chase is on Millicent Clark, you just waved the start flag, he thought with a smile.

              Millie drove this morning, careful of her driving and the speed. Jacob made small talk most of the drive but he was watching Millie from the passenger side and admiring how the skirt she wore fitted her like a glove. He could see the gentle curve of her thigh and hip, following it down to her long legs.

              Millie was staring at the road, fully conscious of how good he looked in the black uniform next to her. She could smell a faint whiff of his cologne and it was playing havoc on her senses. She needed to get to her destination and fast so she could pull herself together. Instead, all she could think about was kissing those lips and breathing in his scent.

              Millie pulled in front of the office she kept, asking where his car was parked. Jacob told her it was just down the block. Jacob got out, walked around and opened Millie’s door. Jacob watched as Millie extended one stockinged leg from the vehicle and turned bodily to exit the car with as much grace as possible. He loved watching her legs and the idea that he might see a glimpse of “more” as she carefully stepped out in her skirt keep him immobile. He took her hand, and asked as she shut the car door “Care to join me for coffee across the way?” he asked softly.

              Oh Millie wanted to! She really wanted to! Breathing his cologne, her mind was clamoring to honestly spend the day way him again laughing and talking. “I can’t today. Can I take a rain check? I have a client I really need to get started working on,” she said with a small smile.

              Jacob accepted the offer of the rain check. “Maybe later then?” he said softly, watching her lovely lips smile again. Jacob leaned in and kissed her against the car door in the middle of town. She pressed a hand softly against his face and kissed him back, enjoying the feel of her against him. Jacob kissed her softly, tasting her, nibbling on her lips as she pulled his head even closer to her, her hand mussing his hair.

              Millie heard a loud horn honk and catcalls, broke away quickly and started to walk away. Jacob grabbed her hand. Millie turned to him, embarrassed and flushed. Her red lipstick smudged and had never looked so sexy. “Have a great day, baby. Email me later,” Jacob said as he gave her hand a small kiss on the knuckles. Millie nodded, not trusting herself to speak rationally yet. He watched as she ran up to the office door, unlocking it and stepping inside. Jacob grinned from ear to ear and walked to his car, smiling the entire drive in to the station.

              Millie was mortified. Jacob had stood there kissing her and when they broke the kiss, her red lipstick was all over his lips. He looked so sensual and so happy. She hated to break away but she was so embarrassed they had been kissing in the middle of town and she had no idea who was doing the catcalls or honking.

              Jacob, however, was far from embarrassed. He was loving every second of it and felt like the king of the world. Millie was one classy lady down to her little pearl earrings, but you get her excited and she showed a completely different side. She looked like a bedroom vixen, complete with the sultry eyes that screamed sex. He wanted to see more and determined to make sure it happened.

              Jacob walked into the precinct, still smiling from ear to ear, and walked straight to his desk. “Whoa there, Romeo, where have you been?” Graham and Richard teased, both clapping him on the back. “You got a little something on ya, lover boy,” Marcus chimed in, pretending to wipe his own lip.

              Jacob snatched a tissue and wiped at his mouth. Millie’s lipstick was all over him and he wore it like a billboard into the office apparently. “Jealous, Marcus?” he said lightheartedly. “I don't kiss and tell boys,” he crowed, stepping away from his desk to the restroom to remove the rest of the red lipstick.

              Jacob walked in the men’s room and laughed at his reflection. Oh, yes, billboard indeed. His hair was disheveled, he had red lipstick all over his mouth and it did not look nearly as good on him as it did on his lovely Millie.

              He gratefully washed his mouth with soap and water, thinking that he hated to wash it off, but looked forward to putting it there again or in other locations. Jacob let out a groan and tried to change his thoughts quickly so he could walk back out of the restroom and return to his desk for his assignment of the day.

              Jacob stepped out of the restroom and took the ribbing he received from his coworkers along the aisle back to his designated workstation. Several guys clapped him on the back; others demanded to know who the lady was, asking specifically if it was Millicent Clark. Several men denied that there was ‘no way he was that smooth with the ladies for it to be her.’  Jacob said not a word. He went straight in for his assignment, grabbed the squad car keys and headed out, still smiling the entire time.