"I want you," she said. " I want you right now."
"I'm right here." His lips were only a millimeter from hers, and his warm breath fanned against her cheek tempting her to kiss him. This, she knew, was the point of no return. Whatever they'd done the night before it would be nothing compared to this. If he took her now, there was no turning back.
She'd be his.
But somehow at the moment that didn't scare her. It didn't matter. Nothing mattered but him. All she had to do was close the space between their lips.
But she didn't.
Instead, she sank to her knees in front of him, unzipped his pants, and pulled them down along with his underwear until his cock sprang out, hard and thick and ready for her.
He stumbled back, then whispered her name. Not as a warning or in surprise, though, but like a reverence.
Still on her knees, she guided him back into a chair and once he was settled against the cushions, she took him in her hand and worked up and down, watching the tick of his jaw as she pleasured him. She studied the way he jerked as she pleasured him with her hand, the way his eyes dilated as he took her in, waiting for more.
And he'd have it. In time.
"I want to see you. All of you," he said.
"You will, but first..." She didn't know how to finish, so she figured she'd let her actions do the talking.
Gripping the base of his shaft, she closed her lips over his sensitized head and swirled her tongue around the tip, catching the bead of precum already leaking from the top. A gentle moan, and she swallowed it, then took him deeper into her mouth until he hit the back of her throat.
"Jesus, Jade." He closed his eyes and she stared up at him wishing she taken his shirt off so she could see the rippling of his muscles as he moved lower into the chair.
With one lazy hand, he raised his fingers between the strands of her blond hair and tugged gently. She worked him up and down over and over again. Pulling away, she laved him with her tongue until he let out a tortured little groan and she sucked him again, harder and deeper.
"Let me see you." It was less a plea than a command, but she ignored it all the same until at last he leaned forward and jerked her shirt over her head.
"I need you," he rasped, and another thrill shot through her at the words.
"Let me-" She tried, but he was done indulging her. He pushed her back into the floor, then pulled her pants off with quick decisiveness before pulling off his own shirt.
For an instant, she simply stared up at him. His tense muscles, the hard plane of his stomach, the square ruggedness of his jaw. This wasn't the face of her best friend any longer.
This was the face of her lover, and as he sank onto the floor, bracing himself above her, she knew that she'd made the right decision.
Chapter 8
Jade breathed deep as she rolled over, her arm still tucked under Derrick's head. She wasn't sure where to look, what to say.
Good job?
Thanks for the good time?
Everything she could possibly think of sounded wrong or dumb or just...strange.
Still, she opened her mouth, hoping that whatever came out would help break down this invisible wall of anxiety she'd built between them.
And then her pager sang out from where she'd left it discarded in her puddle of clothes.
Seconds later, the trill of Derrick's beeper joined hers and they both rushed to them, reading the call quickly before throwing on their clothes as quickly as they could.
"A murder," he said. "Think it has anything to do with Scaglietti?"
"I can't imagine what else it could be. The coincidences..." She said, her voice shakier than she would have liked.
"I guess there's only one way to find out." He glanced at her over his shoulder and she put a hand to her cheek, trying to cool her still warm skin. Even now when he looked at her she felt herself heating up again. Felt the ghost of his kiss on her lips, on her neck, and lower.
"Right," she breathed. "I guess I'll meet you at the station?"
"Right," he said, and for an instant it seemed like he was about to say something else, but then, just as quickly, he turned on his heel and left.
When the door thumped closed behind him, she closed her eyes and leaned against her living room wall, trying to stop the spin of the room and the racing of her heart. What the hell had she done? Twice now?
And why was it that this time she didn't feel the least bit sorry?
Securing her badge in her pocket, she made for her car and raced toward the station, her mind humming with thought the whole way.
Or, more specifically, thoughts of Derrick.
She had to tell him she wanted him, that she didn't care about Zac. After all, who was Zac compared to Derrick Archer? He couldn't make her body yield to his the way that Derrick had. And he couldn't make her smile the way Derrick did. Didn't make her feel comfortable, like herself.
She pulled into her parking spot to find Derrick idling by his car.
"They want us to go to the scene." He nodded at her. "Want to come in my cruiser?"
She smiled, thinking of how she might have answered the question under different circumstances, then gave a stiff nod.
Business first. They'd handle business first.
Then they'd get back to pleasure.
He opened the door for her and she slid in and turned on the radio, expecting him to whinge about whatever 90's pop band was blaring from the speakers. Instead, he ignored it and started the ignition.
"So, listen," he said, almost too softly for her to hear.
"Yeah, I..." she started, but she didn't know how to finish and let the words hang in the air between them.
"It looks like I have to apologize again." He reached toward her and ran his thumb over the side of her neck.
She pulled a compact from where she'd left it in his glove box and stared at the tiny love bite on her neck, red and shaped perfectly like his mouth.
"Oh, right," she said.
"We'll make sure it gets covered before we get back."
"Right, good call." She nodded again and folded her hands in her lap. "Listen, Derrick, I think..."
I think what we did was the best thing that's ever happened to me.
I think you're perfect.
I think this could really be something.
"Maybe you should wait to tell me until you know everything. I think this case is going to upset you."
"Why? What happened?"
"The code...the victim was a twenty-six-year old female, blonde hair. She was a dancer. Patricia McGill was her real name, but on the stage she went by Crystal."
"No." All the blood drained from her face and she stared down at her interlocked hands. "You think..."
"I know. Someone found out she informed on them."
"But that's impossible. I was so careful..."
"I know. Listen, this isn't your fault."
"It is, though. She would still be alive if I didn't follow that lead. If I..." Her throat constricted and she choked in what little air she could. It wasn't as though she'd never lost a witness before-she had. But like this? To people like this? Who would have tortured her, maybe even raped her, for what she knew?
It was wrong. All so wrong.
"Jade-" Derrick started, but she held up a hand. "Let's just go to the scene. We'll figure it out from there."
Without another word, he pulled out of the parking lot and sped onto the street, siren blaring.
Something wasn't right.
The whole time they went through the apartment, he just couldn't shake it. Something here didn't add up.
After all, there was no record of who'd been held witness after the robbery. Even if the mob did have a guy hacking their files-hell, even if they had a man on the inside, they wouldn't have been able to tell who'd spoken and what they'd said. Jade hadn't even submitted the paperwork yet.
The forensic examiner nodded to him as he sauntered by with a cup of coffee, grim-faced as ever, and Jade stood by the chalk outline, staring fixedly at something he couldn't see.
Whoever had done this, Derrick wanted to make sure they saw justice-one way or the other. Not just because a young woman who'd done the right thing had lost her life, but because of what this was doing to Jade. Jade who was ashen-faced and mute since she'd found out about Crystal. Jade who would likely feel this was all her fault.
He knew that feeling too well to wish it on anyone else, least of all on someone he cared about as much as Jade.
Maybe if he told her...
He winced just thinking about saying the words aloud. He'd carried them for so long he couldn't imagine what they'd sound like when he finally let them out. And worse, what if she looked at him differently? What if she saw himself the way he did-like a monster?
He pursed his lips and pulled out a notebook, determined to set aside all thoughts save for those of this case. For now, he'd focus on getting justice for this girl. After? He'd make sure Jade had some of that justice, too.
When the investigation had closed for the day, Jade walked by his side silently all the way to the car. After she settled into her seat and closed the door, she looked down at her hands, that same ashen expression on her face. Pained. Like she'd just witnessed the greatest tragedy of her life.