One Tough Cop Page 7

  “You’ve been thinking about me and my feelings all this time?” Nicole asked softly.

  Max nodded. “I’m not overly proud to admit that I’ve been hard for too damn long. There’s not a lot to me, foster kid, I don’t know who my parents are, my first real memory is of being in a foster home. I was hustling pool at eighteen and luckily I got on the right side of the law. But when I met you I saw possibilities that I never thought I’d have. Karen talked with me and I knew that for us to move together as a couple we had to face your abuse together. You walked alone for so long, honey, I didn’t want you to face this step alone. I won’t talk if you don’t want me to, but I’m here to be your support. I’m going to catch you if you fall and we’re going to deal with this together. For our sakes and Jules.”

  He watched two tears slip down her cheeks and wondered if he made the right choice. Was it too soon to ask her to face the things that haunted her nightmares?

  “How does that make you feel, Nicole hearing him say this to you?” Justine asked gently. She reached forward and offered Nicole a tissue from a box close by.

  “I’ve never had anyone be there for me like this.” Nicole wiped her eyes. “He keeps saying he’s this street kid that is so rough and tumble. But I see the most amazing man I’ve ever met.” She linked her fingers with his, and Max’s heart ached with the intensity of his love for her. “He’s my tough cop.”

  “And she’s my tough lady.” Max kissed the back of her hand.

  “Then let’s begin,” Justine encouraged. “Tell me about everything.”

  Nicole closed her eyes as if to center herself. “The first time he hit me, he apologized and cried.”

  “Who is he, Nicole? Give him a face and a name so he’s not that unknown shadow that can haunt your dreams. Take that power away from him as well,” Justine encouraged.

  “Derek, he hit me, he abused me for almost two years,” Nicole said. “I figured he was stressed or the club didn’t make a lot of money but I forgave him. I continued to forgive him when each beating became worse until I couldn’t even make excuses to myself anymore.”

  Max listened to her story and at times he wanted to break things, preferably over Derek’s head. But he let her get it all out and held her as she cried. As a man who learned to read hostage takers and profile the criminal element, Max was the one who had to assess his own feelings and talk them over with someone who was there to listen, not to judge. By the end of the session, it felt as if he and Nicole were on another plateau of their relationship, this one built on a solid foundation. They picked up Jules from Jones and Jackie’s house before heading to his apartment.

  Later that night, Nicole was in the kitchen getting dessert for them while he was on the sofa with Jules. He had the baby on the changing mat and a cloth diaper off his boy bits. His shirt was a bit damp where Jules had expressed his disapproval of being unclothed. Who knew that air on little baby boy parts made him upset? He sprayed Max like a water hose as soon as his diaper was off. Max was still getting accustomed to changing diapers and wasn’t quick enough to avoid the stream. Now, like a hazmat crew, he was in the midst of clean up. Jules was smiling now, well kind of, Max didn’t know if it was a smile or, like Jones said, gas. Either way the kid was cute as hell and waved his chubby arms and legs in the air as Max tried to change him.

  “Okay big man, let’s get a diaper on you, no more peeing on me, your dad doesn’t swing like that.” Max stopped when he heard his own words.

  Hell, he was a dad to Jules and it felt great. Nicole walked out with two plates of pie. She’d figured out his secret weakness and fed it willingly. He would have to hit the gym more frequently because of her baking.

  “Why are you grinning?” she asked and sat on the other side of the sofa by Jules’s head. She laughed. “He got you again, didn’t he?”

  “At least it wasn’t in the face this time,” Max answered.

  “Need any help?” Nicole asked.

  “Nope, I got it.” He put the diaper on and dusted baby powder on Jules’s butt before closing up the Velcro clasps. He fastened the clips on the footie pajamas and whipped off his shirt before he lifted the little man.

  “Do you need me to grab you a shirt?” Nicole asked with a smile pulling at the corners of her lips.

  “Why, does my naked chest bother you?” he teased.

  “It makes me think of naughty things but I can deal with it,” she replied. “Now what were you grinning at?”

  “Gimme pie first,” Max demanded.

  Nicole shook her head in mock disapproval. “Don’t be greedy and say please.”

  “Please can I have my pie? You’ll have to feed it to me, I’m holding the baby,” Max said pitifully.

  Nicole rolled her eyes and cut a piece of the dessert with ice cream and popped it in his mouth. “Now tell me why you were grinning or I go downstairs and give it to your night doorman.”

  Max narrowed his eyes. “You wouldn’t dare give him my pie.”

  She imitated his voice. “Yes I would, the entire thing in the kitchen on the counter.”

  His free hand that wasn’t cradling Jules went over his chest. “My poor heart just broke.”

  “Your heart is on the left side,” she pointed out.

  “I was grinning because…. I … well I felt like Jules’s dad when I was changing him,” Max explained. “I always do when I feed him or hold him. Am I crazy?”

  Nicole leaned forward and kissed him. “I’m sure he feels like your son.”

  “Would you mind that, if he called me dad and I wanted him to be my son?” Max asked hesitantly.

  “I would be honored and there is no other man in the word I’d want to be a father to Jules,” she said gently. “We already feel like a family.”

  Max called her over with a finger on his free hand. When she leaned forward he kissed her gently. “That’s because we are, feed me more pie, and Jules stop eating your sleeve, buddy.”

  Nicole laughed and cut him another piece of his favorite dessert. Max knew that there was nothing better in the world than this. He always saw what Jones had with his family and now understood why his partner hurried home each night. To a family where there was laughter and tears, joy and sorrow, but it was all shared together. Much later, when Jules was in his bassinette in the guest bedroom, they looked down at him sleeping.

  “I think we should move in together,” Nicole said suddenly.

  “Really?” Max hid his smile and turned, pulling her into his arms and linking his hands loosely around her waist.

  She nodded. “Your job is in the city and I can’t see you joining the SIPD. Plus, you’ll be tired having to come to Staten Island. There’s also the fact that when people love each other and are raising a son they should live together.”

  “Well, I guess we can change the second bedroom into his room…. whoa, you said people who love each other?” Max said.

  Nicole smiled wide. “You caught that did you? Plus, we may want to get married in the future.”

  “I can get a license tomorrow,” Max interrupted her.

  “Hold on, let’s get accustomed to living together and parenting first, you may decide you hate it,” she answered.

  “Never,” he said firmly. “You never said it, say the words for me, honey.”

  “I love you Maxwell Kincaid,” she said seriously. “I’ll always love you.”

  Elation filled him and he lifted her off her feet. “Let’s go to bed and seal this.”

  Max kissed her with all the passion and love he felt inside him.

  “The baby monitor, turn it on,” she said urgently against his lips.

  He put her down and moved back to the bassinette and turned on the monitor in the lower corner. He had her in his arms again when he returned to where she was standing. Nicole laughed huskily as he nuzzled her neck on the way to his bedroom.

  “Say it again,” he demanded as he let her feet touch the carpeted floor by the foot of his bed.

  “Anytime.
I love you Maxwell,” she said.

  “Good,” he whispered.

  He was seared by her, mind, body and soul and every ounce of love inside him was for Nicole. Max took her lips once more and let passion consume them and pull them under.

  He had to be the luckiest man in the world. Max knew his life could have taken so many different turns. Instead he had the woman he loved, a son, and a job that fulfilled him. He would come home to a house filled with life, smells and happy sounds instead of silence. He’d go to sleep with a woman who loved him and he loved without reservation and completely, in his arms. He undressed her slowly, committing her curves and every inch of skin to his memory. When Nicole was completely nude he was still tongue-tied at her beauty…. simple, sweet beauty.

  He could never pretend not to be enamored by her, he loved everything about her. Their lips met and he lost himself in her taste and scent. Her nipples were already beaded hard and pleading to be touched. Max had every intention of tasting all of her over and over again. From the moment he’d met her, he’d dreamed of this outcome.

  “I love you,” she whispered.

  “And I love you,” he laughed huskily. “I never thought I could say that to anyone.”

  “And I never thought I’d have anyone like you in my life,” she said with emotion in every word.

  “I plan to kiss you everywhere,” he said.

  She laughed. “You’d better.”

  He lifted her full breasts in his palms and he kissed the hard nipples before sucking them gently. He tasted the light sweetness of her milk on his tongue and it never ceased to amaze him. He sucked again deeper, heard her breath increase and a low sound of pleasure escape her. He heard her inhale and hold her breath as his fingers moved lower between her legs while he continued to tease her breasts. She was already wet and slick as he moved his finger slowly over the bud of her clit. She gasped out his name and spread her legs farther apart in a silent plea. Her body trembled in anticipation and it pleased him to know that it was all for him.

  “Are you going to come for me?” he asked softly, his finger continuing to manipulate her clit. “I want to hear my name on your lips.”

  “Max, my love, make me come,” she whispered. “Just for you, only for you.”

  He wanted to roar when she said his name because Nicole was in his every thought and action. Together they weren’t facing the world alone, in a city where everyone could be out for himself or herself, they had each other. He slowly slipped his finger inside her wanting to savor everything about the night. He groaned when he felt her pussy contract around his digit, and when he added another Nicole gave a soft cry and her fingers tightened on his shoulders. She used him as an anchor and began undulating her hips as he pleasured her. He pushed deeper and she cried out, throwing her head back when desire inflamed her senses. Max pulled her nipple deep into his mouth and tortured them both while he fucked her with his fingers.

  “Oh, don’t stop please I’m going to come!”

  Her pleas sent the heat of desire shooting through him and his cock throbbed almost painfully between his legs.

  “Come for me, hard all over my fingers,” he groaned.

  Max absorbed each detail while her body trembled as she reached the height of pleasure. He found the spot that if he touched it she would buck and release almost instantly. He used his fingers to send her over the edge in exactly that way. Nicole gave a little scream and her essence flowed against his hand. Her little moans of pleasure were driving him crazy. He’d never wanted a woman as much as he wanted her, never loved anyone like he loved her. Max lay against the bed and took her with him. She came to him willingly and their kiss was fierce and hot while they strived to touch and feel every inch of each other’s bodies. His tongue dueled with hers for domination and when he won they twined sensuously together.

  “I want you,” she whispered against his mouth.

  Nicole straddled him, took his cock in her hand, and slid eagerly down on his shaft. He was thick and Max gritted his teeth as her pussy sheathed him like a velvet glove. She fit him to perfection and he cupped the smooth cheeks of her ass as she began to ride him hard. The rhythm of her body became his and he matched her thrust for thrust, then they were soon moving in unison.

  “Oh God, Nicole,” he panted. “I love you so much!”

  “I love you too,” she said. “Now it’s my turn to please you.”

  She set the pace to drive him mad with need. Nicole rode him faster, picking up the speed and then slowing down again so she was deliberately taking him in inch by agonizing inch.

  He grabbed her and brought her head down for a soul-shattering kiss as they moved together. Nicole increased the pace, driving him insane with pleasure. Max raised his head to take one of her nipples in his mouth and sucked it deep into his mouth, making Nicole cry out.

  “Enough teasing,” he muttered.

  He grabbed her hips and held her still while he pumped into her hard. He exulted in the low cry escaping her lips. Their harsh breathing filled the room. Max felt himself reaching the pinnacle of pure bliss and impaled his entire length into her repeatedly. Their cries intermingled until they both went over the edge into their orgasm and Nicole slumped against him. His orgasm had been so intense it left him reeling. She was pressing soft kisses against his neck and collarbone. The sweet affection made him smile and he wrapped his arms around her before rolling to his side and laying gently on the bed.

  “Well damn.” He heaved a long breath out.

  “Is that a good damn or a bad damn?” Nicole ran her hand over his naked back.

  “That’s a holy hell I think I saw stars kind of damn, aka a good one.” Max sighed.

  She leaned over him and said, “I’m going to get gold stars for every time we do this.”

  Max laughed. “That will be a lot of stars because I plan to do this a lot. I guess we can make a pattern on the walls. I’m your willing lover and soon to be husband, after we learn to live with each other and all that other stuff you said. I say another two weeks.”

  “You are incorrigible and you know what else?” Nicole asked.

  “What?”

  “You’re one tough cop,” she said with a smile.

  “Nope, you’re wrong there.” Max moved quickly and pinned Nicole beneath him. He kissed her and felt his desire stir again. “I’m your tough cop, forever.”

  Her hands were on his shoulder and around his neck. Max sank into her touch and committed everything about her to memory. His home wasn’t empty anymore, it was filled with something he would treasure. He was already planning to make his family bigger and give Jones a run for his money. There would be family barbeques, baseball games in the park, and so much more. He’d have to find baby Jets outfits for a girl because that was coming next. Nicole ran her fingers down his back and she spread her legs wider so he could slip inside her. Max groaned and accepted the invitation, letting the heat of their lovemaking push his thoughts aside, for now.

  The End