I Know You Love Me Read online

  "Drew was playing cards next door at Jimmy's, making things difficult for me to get around. He likes doing that to me."

  "Drew, I want that woman gone! Do you hear me? I want her gone!” Sam intoned through gritted teeth.

  Drew had never seen her so flustered before. “I like having her around, Sam. It's not every day a man finds the sweetest, most loving, kindest, most affectionate, perfect woman he's ever met. I like her just where she is."

  Sam stomped her foot and screeched. “People will start thinking she's your fiancee when they see her wearing that."

  Drew enjoyed Sam's reaction more than he should have; it felt good to know she wasn't happy. He admitted it to himself without guilt.

  "That's exactly what I want them to think, because that's who she is. The faster people come to realize that, the better. Personally I think the fact that I knocked Michael unconscious earlier for making lewd suggestions to my girl will cause more of a commotion. What do you think, Love?"

  Rolling her eyes at him, Allison laughed. “I agree. Now, I'm going home. Jimmy will drive me, so you can wipe that frown off your face this moment. Our plane leaves at ten am sharp, and the wedding is in three weeks. Don't be late."

  The way she worded his reminder made him want to laugh. “You play dirty, Ms. McKay."

  "Only when provoked, Mr. Perry. Now do me a favor and kiss me like you'll miss me and you don't want me to leave,” she whispered back.

  He knew Allison was trying to make Sam jealous, and that just made kissing her all the more enjoyable. Sam deserved a taste of her own medicine, as long as it didn't end up hurting his Allison in the end.

  "That reminds me, Mr. Perry, after four days of flirting with me and chasing me just to find out you have a wife...I should kick your ass!"

  Drew loved hearing her vent at him; it meant she cared and was afraid to lose him to Sam. “I love the way your eyes go all lusty when you're angry at me. You can relax, Love; I'm not going anywhere. I know you love me. You will marry me, and you'll never lose me. Now kiss me like a good girl, and make it memorable. It's the only thing that will keep Sam safe from my wrath while I deal with her jealousy and greed."

  * * * *

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  Chapter Seven

  Sam paced back and forth across the squad room, annoyance radiating off her in waves. “What the hell could they be whispering to each other about? You never should have dragged me out of there, Jimmy!"

  "Endearments?” Jimmy had never liked Sam; he thought she was spoiled and rotten to the core. So this was enjoyable for him, and the dirty look Sam was giving him made him feel like smiling. “Their private conversation was none of your business. It was the right thing to do."

  "How long has he been seeing her Jim?"

  "What time is it now?"

  "I'm serious."

  "So am I; Allison got here five days ago. She drove him completely crazy while auditing the station by telling him what he could and couldn't do, and then when she started dating me, that was the final straw. Then, about four hours ago, things changed.” A look toward Drew and Allison showed them looking cozier and more relaxed then he'd ever thought to see either of them. He realized that he should have felt jealous that she'd chosen Drew over him, but how could he when he saw them like this?

  "Five days!"

  The screech in her voice pulled him out of his own thoughts. “Some women just have what it takes."

  "Five days? But it took him over two years to ask me to marry him, and he never let me wear his jersey in public."

  He'd forgotten about that. Sam had been furious back then when she'd been denied her wish. “What can I say, Sam? He loves her. He had a fit when I told him about her going to meet with McHenry. You should have seen it; Drew went all caveman on her and forbade her from going. That's about when she climbed out of Jeremy's bedroom window.” He was seriously enjoying the look on Sam face. It was high time the woman got what she had coming to her, and if he could be the one to give it to her, all the better, in his opinion.

  * * * *

  * * * *

  "Drew, your eyes are all glassy."

  "That is entirely your fault; I have never in my entire life been kissed like that. I'll be home in two hours, maximum. I promise."

  The idea of leaving him here alone with that blonde Amazonian bombshell left her off-center. She'd definitely lost her mind if she thought he'd chose her five-foot-six-inch frame over the six-foot beauty.

  "What if Michael's still there?"

  She loved the way his eyes narrowed protectively; it made her feel safe, secure and wanted—three feelings she planned on hanging onto for as long as possible. Allison knew that when he left her, she'd be alone for the rest of her life, and she'd lose her best friend in the bargain. Jimmy would never choose her over Drew; they'd been friends way too long.

  "Jimmy, don't let anyone hurt her in any way. If Michael's still on my front porch, call a patrol car to pick him up and bring him here. I asked Frederick to go and get him, but he may have gotten side-tracked. Hopefully when he learns my dear wife is in town, he'll decide to pursue her."

  Sam scowled in her direction. “I think not. Let him have the home breaker."

  "Why do you think he's lying unconscious on my front porch, Sam? Allison is off-limits to everyone."

  Taking a deep breath, Allison pulled out of his arms and started toward the door. It was time to go and trust that Drew wouldn't break her heart. “Bye, honey. I'll see you in a few hours."

  Drew's arm snaked around her waist, pulling her back into his arms. “I changed my mind. I can't do it,” he whispered into her ear. “Sam, I'll meet you back here at seven am. This...Whatever this is can wait until the morning.” Pulling Allison closer, he brushed his lips against hers suggestively. “Come on, Sweetheart, let's go home."

  "Drew? What...?” Drew's actions made absolutely no sense to Allison.

  "Sorry. I just don't want to let you out of my sight. Those few moments gave me anxiety pains."

  Closing her eyes, she pushed him away. He was being silly and illogical. “Suck it up, Sheriff. It's time you act like an adult. You need to resolve this before I'll ever let you crawl into my bed.” The frown on his face told her he didn't like her words, but then, neither did she. So they were even.

  "Promise you'll be there waiting for me when I get back?"

  Damn the man, how could a girl put her foot down when he looked at her with those big, brown, puppy-dog eyes? This man could easily make her forget what she wanted out of life.

  "I'll be there until nine am. After that...well I'll be back Thursday for Jeremy's class."

  "I can resolve this in the morning, Love. Sam waited six years to come back here. Making her wait another couple of hours won't kill her."

  Allison laughed at his whiny tone. Everything Drew said was true, but immaterial to the point she was trying to make. “Then you'll be sleeping in the spare room...alone."

  "That's not fair. You promised."

  She bit her bottom lip to stop her grin from breaking free. Drew's whining was actually making him sound even more adorable than normal to her ears. “That was before I learnt that you were a married man. The rules are different now."

  "I'm not still married by choice."

  She watched Jimmy excuse himself and drag Samantha with him.

  "Jimmy, let me go. I want to watch this. Drew is acting like a kid who's about to lose his favorite toy. I want to know how it turns out. The last time he pouted like this was when I took Mickey to the prom instead of him."

  "Shut up, Sam. They need privacy for this, not an audience."

  The look on Sam's face when Jimmy pulled her back out of the office was one she knew she'd never forget and never wanted to see again.

  "I'm not sleeping alone tonight, Allison,” Drew announced firmly.

  Drew's angry statement pulled her attention right back to him. Sam was right; he was acting like a spoiled child. If she gave in now, she'd be d
ealing with his temper tantrums every time he didn't get his way. She needed to put a stop to it now.

  "Then you'll be sharing your bed with your wife tonight."

  "If that's what it takes!"

  Pain flared in her chest. It had taken less time than she expected for him to run back to the goddess. “That's your right and prerogative, Sheriff, but don't expect me to hang around while you reacquaint yourself with her."

  Drew pouted down at her. “Allison, baby, she won't agree to resolve anything. Sam has never in her entire life wanted me to have anything that makes me happy."

  "Yet you still married her, which tells me you still have to deal with her. You never know, she might surprise you.” The words were empty but they needed to be said, if only for her peace of mind.

  Drew sat back against his desk. “This means a lot to you, doesn't it?"

  "I couldn't bear to be with someone who belonged to another. I won't be the other woman, Drew; I didn't like how it felt to be the one betrayed."

  "This isn't fair..."

  "I know—she abandoned you...that's why if you give resolving this a real try...by being nice to her, find out why she's really here and what she wants..."

  "Yes?"

  The eagerness in his voice made her smile. “You can name your reward."

  "With what as exceptions?” He asked suspiciously.

  The man was more suspicious than she was. “No exceptions, and don't give me that look. If you can spend an hour alone with the most beautiful woman I've ever seen and still want me in the end, then I'm yours...completely."

  "Mine!"

  The possessiveness in his eyes made her stomach knot in yearning. She'd never felt this way before. So free, desirous and...hell. Okay, she was horny.

  "I do have a few rules."

  "I knew it; you're too smart not to have some exceptions."

  He actually sounded like he was proud of the fact that she had rules to live by. “You may not kiss her, touch her, hold her in any way, or..."

  "I promise."

  "No Sex! I meant it, Drew. Hands off!"

  Laughing, he moved back toward the office windows. “With you or her?” He teased, pulling the string on the blinds and letting them fall shut. “What if she tries to touch me?"

  "You'll have to use your own judgment. If you want it or like it, don't come back until after I leave. I'll get the message and know you decided to give your marriage another try. In all fairness, you probably should."

  Drew kissed her and ran his hands under her shirt and down the back of her jeans. “I'll be home in an hour. Keep the bed warm."

  "I'm sure you will."

  "You doubt me? That hurts. I'd clutch at my chest if my hands weren't occupied."

  Allison laughed and backed out of his arms. It wasn't easy, considering the hold he had on her, but she managed. “I don't know you that well, Sheriff. My heart tells me you're trustworthy, but my head...Let's just say my heart has been wrong before, and she's...she's exquisite where I'm not."

  Cupping her cheek, he pulled her back into his arms. “Sam is definitely beautiful, but she's also arrogant, temperamental, mean, and spiteful. Sam couldn't stay faithful if you tied her knees together and locked a chastity belt around her. You, on the other hand, are beautiful, witty, charming, strong, intelligent, adorable, loving, kind..."

  "I get it, I get it. You like me because I'm a wimp.” She watched Drew lock the door, then flash Jimmy and Sam an evil grin before closing the blinds on the door. “Sheriff, why did you do that?"

  "Fun, privacy, a few more kisses before you leave."

  Allison didn't trust the look in his eyes; he was up to more then trying to steal a few more kisses. “Sheriff, you need to behave yourself and keep your distance."

  "Now, why would I do that?"

  "Because I'm asking you to.” Allison started backing away from him. For every step he took toward her, she took one away from him. If he touched her again, she knew she wouldn't be able to resist him.

  "There—the final reason you're more precious to me than Sam. You ask, but she demands, and you are so cute when you're asking. I can't help but say yes."

  "Not to be contrary and confuse things further, but...” She took his head between her hands, pulled his face down to hers and kissed him. “You can be damned irresistible, you know that?"

  "I seem to need to work harder at being irresistible with you."

  "I'm worth it,” she announced teasingly. Giving into her desires, she snuggled further into his arms. If this was what happy felt like, then she liked it.

  "You most certainly are. Now kiss me and get your gorgeous ass out of here before I change my mind."

  * * * *

  * * * *

  "Why that two timing..."

  "Careful, Sam; you left him. You can't get mad at him for finding happiness with Allison. He honestly thought he was divorced when he met her."

  Sam ignored him, and he wasn't surprised by her attitude. The woman hadn't changed one bit in the last six years. “I'm a hundred times more beautiful than her. So what if I'm a little older. With age comes experience."

  Jimmy grinned, Sam could be so damned arrogant at times. It was going to be loads of fun to burst her superiority bubble. “Actually, Sam, Allison is older than you by a year, and beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Personally, I prefer Allison's looks to yours. Always have."

  "Yeah, Yeah...considering the fact the you've been in love with her since forever. Why aren't you the one cooing at her in there?"

  "Simply put, no spark. I wish there were, but I know when I'm beat. With them, electrical fields appear when they're in the same room. I'm not a fool. I know better than to force what doesn't exist. Besides, once he's happily hitched, I'll no longer have any competition in town.” It annoyed him that Sam had stopped listening to him again.

  "How long will they...he'd better not be having sex with that home-wrecker while I wait!"

  "Sam, shut up and sit...” The office door opened, stopping him mid order.

  "It's about time you..."

  They looked so good together, it brought home the point that Allison was meant for Drew, and he never stood a chance. He'd never seen his friend so happy, and Allison almost glowed from the blissful blush that covered her cheeks. Sam, as usual, ruined his peaceful moment of insight with her screech. Jimmy never had understood what Drew saw in her. He was just glad it was over.

  "How dare you...while I'm standing right here. Have you no shame?"

  "Nope, none whatsoever. I'm ready to go now. Jimmy, can you give me a lift? The Sheriff confiscated my car keys so I wouldn't leave town."

  Jimmy laughed and stood to go. “I figured he had something up his sleeve. Does he know about your extra..."

  Allison elbowed him in the stomach. “Omph...guess not."

  "Shall we?” She asked with a smile.

  "My place or his?” He asked, keeping more than an elbow-length distance between them. Drew was being reasonable at the moment, but it wasn't a good idea to push him.

  "Mine. You are to take her to my house, Jimmy. I don't want to find her in your bed again."

  Amused, Jimmy looked from Drew to Sam and back, wondering why he was trying to antagonize the woman so much. “So you left your doors unlocked, then?"

  Drew slapped himself in the forehead and started patting down his pockets, while walking toward them. “Actually, I locked the doors. I didn't want another naked woman breaking in; one per lifetime is more than enough. Here..."

  Watching Drew pat his pockets in the search for his keys was more entertaining than the time they hid his car in college. Since Allison had shown up, he'd been more entertained than in the past ten years.

  "Already got them. Thanks,” She announced with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes.

  Drew chuckled and wrapped his arms around her. “You are a woman of many talents, Allison McKay."

  "And all of them illegal,” she threw back.

  "I'll keep you in line, Swe
etheart. Consider it repayment for the way you make sure I do the right thing."

  Jimmy hid his face so they couldn't see his grin. This relationship was going to be loads of fun to watch grow and develop. “Ready to go Allison?"

  "Yeah, I'm ready. Drew, you'd better play nice."

  "I love you, too, Ms. McKay."

  * * * *

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  Chapter Eight

  Drew's eyes never left the door once she walked out of it. He couldn't shake the sick feeling in the pit of his stomach that she'd take off and he'd never see her again. Damn. What had happened to him?

  Sam walked over and ran a soft hand across his shoulder to get his attention. “Drew, I want us to try again. I was a fool to leave you like that."

  That was the last thing he expected to hear out of Sam, not that it made a difference now. Allison was ten times the woman Sam could ever hope to be.

  "No."

  "I forgive you for that horrid little girl."

  Laughing, he walked back into his office and sat in his chair, putting as much distance as possible between them. “I don't want your forgiveness; what I do want is for you to go back to whatever hole you crawled out of and grant me my divorce."

  "She's older than me."

  Sam's audacity amazed him. She must really be desperate if she'd try pulling that card out of her pocket. “Really? She doesn't look it. What does that say about how you've lived your life?"

  Sam snarled angrily. That was the woman he remembered from their last few days together. “Damn it Drew, I missed you."

  "I didn't miss you, and I've moved on. You're six years too late, Sam."

  "You've known her for four days, Drew, and she's been with Jimmy. That's always been the line neither of you would cross in the past. Hell, that's why I never hit on Jimmy back in college. You never would have proposed to me if I had."

  Looking out his office windows around the precinct, Drew was surprised to find everyone standing around his office listening to their conversation. He'd opened all the blinds so that Sam couldn't try to tell Allison that they'd been alone together and he'd made a move on her.

  "Everyone had better get back to work this instant, or I'll start taking names, and it will affect your paychecks. Show's over, so move!” he barked. Turning back to Sam, he narrowed his eyes at her angrily. “You will keep your voice down in my precinct. You won't win me over by busting my ear drums."