Justice(12)
“He’s had three years, who knows what the hell…”
“Hey,” I whisper. I trace his thin lips with my thumb. “He made his first mistake tonight. He pissed me off. We’ll catch him.” I close my eyes, feeling at peace for the first time today. “There isn’t a doubt in my mind.”
CHAPTER THREE
HARRY
Like most mornings, I wake before the alarm. Harry snores lightly beside me, looking peaceful and content. A familiar tingle of lust charges through me and on any other day I’d wake him up with a little nookie, but not today. Evil genius with the ability to shoot acid out of his wrists on the loose. City in peril. No sex for Joanna today.
After a quick shower and blow-dry, I creep out of the bathroom and get dressed. The press will be swarming, so I put on my best suit. Tailored black pant suit with matching vest and sky blue dress shirt that makes my eyes pop. I’m buttoning the vest when I notice Harry watching me with a huge grin on his face.
I smile back. “Morning.”
“Do you have any idea how beautiful you are?” he asks.
A yummy, gooey feeling like caramel fills me. “You don’t have your glasses on,” I say.
He slides them on and the smile widens. “I stand by what I said.”
I never intended to sleep with my boss. I didn’t take one look at him and say to myself, “I can’t wait to see him naked.” And I’m not doing it for the usual reasons. I’m ambitious, but not to the point of whoring myself. Hell, I don’t know why I’m taking the risk except…he’s the best.
Before I started working under him I’d heard of him, the Eliot Ness of the GFPD who led the investigation of the Borelli family that resulted in a hundred arrests and convictions. The few times we actually met I acted like a star-struck idiot, babbling away. He was always very cordial but nothing beyond that. When I heard there was an opening on his squad, the elite Priority Homicide, I tirelessly pursued it. Called in favors, had Justin put in a good word for me, all so I could work for one of my heroes.
For the first year there was nothing but mutual respect, at least on my part. I’d always had a little crush on him, but pushed it down when I started working with him. I never got a sexual vibe from him, but in hindsight I should have. When I’d invite him out alone for drinks after work, he’d decline. He never met my eyes. He never touched me, not even a pat on the back. The few times we’d accidently touch or brush against each other, he’d freeze and mutter an apology. I just thought it was because I was a woman and he didn’t want a hint of impropriety.
Until the night of Justin’s big news.
I sobbed the whole way to Neptune’s and didn’t leave for three hours. I’m pretty sure I had an entire bottle of Jack Daniel’s with a vodka bottle chaser. Harry was working late, and Mick the bartender called him. When Harry came, I was in the middle of a heated argument with poor Mick, where things got a little…animated. My mom would be proud. Harry pulled me off the bar by the waist and dragged me back to the squad room, plying me with an entire pot of coffee until I rushed to the bathroom to puke my brains, intestines, and toenails out. After showering, brushing my teeth, and changing into my spare sweats, I felt almost human. He was waiting for me with more coffee and aspirin, not once asking me what had happened. I loved him for that.
Harry drove me home. I was sober enough to know how awkward the whole thing was. The ride was quiet except for the police band. I just watched as the buildings went by, so emotionally and physically wrecked it took strength for me to blink. He opened my car door and helped me out, following me to my door.
“Thanks, Lieutenant,” I said in a small voice. There was just enough booze in me that hugging him seemed like a good idea. His body tensed as if he had turned into concrete. I didn’t care, I just inhaled the hint of Old Spice and felt a little better. A moment later his arms enfolded me too, and the tension lifted. That’s when I felt it. One good thing about being a woman, we can hide our sexual attraction. If we like a guy our boobs don’t pop out involuntarily. Guys aren’t that lucky.
I should have been offended. Pulled away. After all, he was my boss and all. But I was actually a little giddy. Be it the booze, the ever present crush, or crazed emotions, I felt good. He released me, the stone body returning. “I…” he muttered.
I wouldn’t let him go. Before he could utter another word, I mashed my mouth against his, kissing him with all I had. No hesitation this time, he kissed me back. Boy did he kiss me back. All the sadness, all the rage evaporated, replaced with red hot lust. We ground into each other like teenagers. If we hadn’t been standing on the street, I’m sure we would have gotten horizontal right there. But some catcalling idiot drove by, and we were brought back to reality. Harry all but jumped away from me, shocked and embarrassed at himself. He mumbled something and walked back to his car, not looking at me. I just watched silently as his car sped away.