Free Sheriff (The Police Trilogy, #3) by Alexis Shore Page A

firm against her, and his mouth found hers, kissing her deeply. She kissed him back, revelling in the sensations of relief and desire, feeling his tongue explore her with wanton wonder, his arms holding her so tight she felt she could never fall again.
    And when the kiss was done, he pressed his forehead into hers, gazing deep into her eyes, his breath tickling her face.
    “That was stupid,” he sighed.
    She didn’t disagree, but she didn’t speak either.
    And then he let go of her and was gone, his absence immediately palpable, a physical void that she yearned for within seconds. She watched him sprint back down the block and slide into the alley.
    Eve knew he would have some explaining to do, but she trusted that he would be able to pull it off.
    Suddenly, her knees felt weak and wobbly, and she had to lean against the wall to support herself. She took a series of deep breaths, blinking and shaking her head, a futile effort to clear the adrenaline from her body. And in that moment, she was overcome with the urge to have sex.
    Had Brandon stuck around, she would have jumped into his arms and fucked him there and then, out in the open with everyone watching.
    Instead, she let the adrenaline coarse and rage through her body, expanding and teasing her nerve endings, until it eventually dropped a little and she could focus on her surroundings once more.
    Cop cars had pulled up, siren lights still flashing, and civilians were scattered about the place, some sitting in shock, others holding one another for comfort.
    She knew Brandon and the Strike Team would be long gone, whatever was in the bag would dictate that. They’d dump it, and come back to give their reports, never once to be questioned over their sudden absence.
    And now she thought about it, that was for the best.
    Eve knew she had to stop those questions being asked if their sting operation was to have any chance of success.
    She looked down at the gathered uniformed cops, all milling about with notebooks open and pens at the ready. They were taking dozens of statements, but one cop was standing at the end of the alley, staring at it, a single thought clearly brewing in his head.
    Eve trotted down to him, using all her effort to stop her legs collapsing under her. She flashed her badge at the cop, and immediately recognised him, though she couldn’t place from where.
    His paunch looked familiar, as did his jowls, and it was only when he spoke that she put her finger on it. This was the cop that had pulled her over when she was late for her undercover op.
    “Wondered when IA would get here,” he said, idly looking back down the alley, an expression of perplexion on his face.
    Eve knew where his thoughts were gathered.
    “Let’s just say we have a finger in this pie,” she said, trying not to sound enigmatic, rather matter of fact.
    “Where’d they go?” he suddenly asked, like the thought had finally coalesced into something tangible.
    Eve had to think quick, because the more he pushed it, the more others would be intrigued too. There was no way she could reveal that IA was in the middle of an op, not with Conrad’s links in the department; news would reach him about it even before she finished explaining it to this beat cop.
    “They gave chase to a perp,” she blurted.
    “What? All of ‘em?”
    “Yup,” she nodded, swallowing back the lie, pleased he was looking down the alley and not at her deceit-ridden face. “They’ll be back any moment.”
    “Gee,” he said at length. “I dunno.”
    Eve grabbed his arm lightly, and lead him away from the alley, hoping the fact it was out of sight might put it out of mind.
    “You’re a good cop,” she said. “You know what it’s like when one of your own is put in the line.”
    “Sure.”
    “Call it retribution.”
    “That’s okay with IA is it?”
    “I’m not officially here.”
    “Responded to the call?”
    “Sure did.”
    “See much?”
    Eve didn’t know what to tell him. She didn’t want