Strip Tease (11 page)

Only with him.

* * * *

If Nate came like that again, surely he’d
black out. Even in their rush to explore and sample each other, it
had been nothing like he’d ever experienced before.

Hell, he couldn’t deny he’d had good sex in
his life. He’d had some pretty great sex.

But nothing like what had happened between
him and Janelle.

She rolled off him and snuggled her lush
body close to his side, slipping her arm around him, slim hand
resting on his stomach. A faint tremor rippled through him at her
gentle touch and he swore his deflated cock gave a little nudge of
interest.

Unbelievable. He’d been wrung out until he
thought he couldn’t come anymore and from one brief touch of her
fingers, he was preparing for the next round.

Disposing of the condom quickly, he settled
back against the pillows, his arm circling around her slim
shoulders and hauling her to him. She rested her cheek against his
chest, her fingers sliding across his stomach in the most
provocative way. He willed his cock to stay down, at least for a
few minutes.

He needed to rest before they went at it
again, because they were most definitely going to go at it again
and soon.

“Hmm, that was nice,” she murmured, her hand
moving up to rest against his chest, fingers threading through the
hairs that grew there.

Closing his eyes, he chuckled. “Nice? That’s
all you can say?”

“What would you call it?”

“How about freaking amazing?”

She stiffened against him and he cursed
inwardly at his blunder. This woman was about as gun shy as any
sketchy criminal he’d ever met. The last thing she probably wanted
to hear was him gushing on about his post-coital glow.

Grimacing, he contained the moan of
frustration that wanted to spill. Shit, he didn’t think he’d ever
had a post-coital glow before. This woman was getting inside his
head in more ways than one.

And that wasn’t good. At all. He probably
shouldn’t have done this. It was unethical for one, and if she
expected anything, they were doomed.

He felt as if he had no more to give.

“It was good,” she finally said, her fingers
still stroking him.

“Okay, I’ll agree with you, it was good.” He
settled deeper into the mattress, lulled by her continued stroking,
enjoying her touch. Her fingers were soft and tentative, her warm
breath fanning against his neck, her fragrant hair tickling his
nose.

All of it felt so good, so…right. A thought
that made his eyes fly wide open and he stared up at the ceiling in
full on panic mode.

Yeah this wasn’t good. He didn’t need to
have thoughts like this, serious thoughts about a woman who was the
farthest thing from serious. He should be pissed for compromising
his investigation after months of hard work and long hours. All
because he was turned on by this woman so badly, he couldn’t see
straight. She smiled and kissed him and crooked her little finger
and he went chasing after her.

“Maybe I should go home.” She spoke after
too many uncomfortable minutes ticked by and slowly drew her hand
away. “Maybe this wasn’t a good idea.”

It hadn’t been but at the time, he hadn’t
given a damn. He should still feel that way. He shouldn’t let her
leave uncomfortable and full of regret. They should enjoy this
night for what it was and put it beside them when they woke
tomorrow.

If it was only as easy to do as it
sounded.

“Hey.” He stopped her retreating hand,
wrapping his fingers around her slim wrist. She lifted her head,
her big blue eyes meeting his and he saw all of the uncertainty and
worry in her gaze. Immediately he wanted to reassure her, tell her
everything was going to be all right. Soothe her with tender
touches and soft kisses.

A wave of possessiveness he’d never
experienced before washed over him. He wanted to take care of
her.

“This wasn’t a mistake,” he finally said.
“Don’t feel bad this happened.”

“But—”

“No buts.” He released her wrist and pressed
his index finger against the center of her plump lips, then traced
them slowly. “No regrets. I’m tired. You’re tired, so stay the
night. I’ll take you back to your place in the morning.”

“I have to go to work in the morning.” She
worried her lower lip with her teeth, a little habit he noticed she
had, and he wanted to soothe that poor area on her lip with his
tongue.

“I’ll wake up extra early and take you back
to your place so you can get ready for work. Don’t worry.” He
smoothed his other hand down her back, her silky, supple skin kick
starting the fire in his gut. Moving his hand lower, he explored
the lush curve of her ass with his fingers and she sighed.

“Your skin is so soft,” he whispered. It
was. He’d never felt skin so smooth.

“Nate,” she whispered and he liked hearing
her sweet voice say his name.

“What?” Up and down, he stroked her ass,
thankful she wasn’t too skinny. He liked a woman with real
curves.

Another sigh escaped her and her legs parted
a bit. An invitation allowing him further access maybe?

“Okay, I’ll stay.” She settled her head
against his shoulder, her legs spreading even more. Definitely an
invitation.

He took it, dipping his fingers into the
damp heated silk between her legs. She was on fire for him already
and his cock surged at the realization. Moving against him, Janelle
scooted her body higher so that she faced him, her mouth close to
his.

“I’m glad you’re staying.” As he spoke he
felt her lips, and he snuck his tongue out, licking each corner of
her mouth.

Her lips fell open with ease, her tongue
darting out to meet his and they moved against each other in a
sensual open mouthed kiss. Pushing his finger deeper into her heat,
he stroked her inner walls and she shifted with him, a little groan
emanating from her throat.

“You like that?” He sounded like a cocky
bastard, but he didn’t care. The woman was putty in his arms.

Much like he’d be if she was stroking
him.

“Yes,” she hissed, her eyes fluttering
closed, her lower body moving against his.

“Want me to stop?”

“Don’t stop.” Her answer came quickly,
making him smile and he kissed her, savoring her mouth, the sweet
little gasps that escaped her with his every touch.

Her hand slithered down between their bodies
to grasp his growing erection and he moaned when she clasped his
cock with firm fingers. Up and down she stroked, her movements
matching his and their ragged breaths filled the room.

“I want to come with you inside me,” she
whispered against his mouth, her fingers squeezing him.

Releasing his hold on her, he went for the
bedside table drawer, yanking out another condom with hurried
movements. He wanted to be inside her too, was desperate to feel
her tight hot center clamped around his cock. Licking her lips she
watched, grabbing his hand as soon as he was covered and dragging
him toward her.

“Hurry.”

He smiled at her impatience, wanting nothing
more than to please her. He nudged his cock against her belly and
shifted into position, thrusting within her easily, filling her
completely.

Her eyes squeezed shut, she clasped him to
her, sliding her hands up and down his back as he began to move
within her. He watched her face, awed by her beauty, by her
responsiveness, remembering her confident behavior at the club.

Never before had he met a woman like
Janelle. He wanted to get to know her better, find out what more,
what made her seem so tough yet vulnerable at the same time.

They didn’t have a chance in hell. But he
couldn’t worry about that now. Reality sucked. He much preferred
the cozy cocoon of fantasy they’d created for themselves
tonight.

“Harder, Nate,” she urged, her hands
kneading his buttocks and causing him to slip even deeper inside
her. “Please.”

Her wish was his command. He increased his
thrusts, the sound of their bodies connecting filling the room, the
musky scent of their arousal clinging in the air. Harder and harder
he filled her, until she was crying out with his every thrust, his
name dropping from her lips at the exact moment of her sweet
surrender.

He tumbled into ecstasy right after her, the
sensation of her sex gripping his cock with her every orgasmic
tremor making him come so hard, his eyes nearly crossed.

If they continued like this, she would
surely be the death of him.

But they couldn’t. After tonight, it was no
more. It had to be.

Regret filled him and he slumped against
her, exhausted both physically and mentally. Janelle wrapped her
arms around his neck, stroking the back of his head with gentle
fingers and he closed his eyes, worried over what he would do
next.

Nate had no idea. He wished it could involve
the two of them and no one else. No Billy Diaz, no investigation,
no Ginger. But it couldn’t. A relationship with his suspect’s
sister would never work.

Moving away from her, he rolled to his side,
still facing her and closed his eyes. He should go to sleep and
leave Janelle alone. It was hard, though, when she pressed her lush
body against him, nestling her head beneath his. He slipped his arm
around her shoulders, holding her, savoring the feeling of her in
his arms.

“So why are you so intent on catching Billy
Diaz?”

Her quiet question threw him off guard,
startling him. Could he trust her with the truth? He didn’t like to
talk about it with anyone. “He’s a complete scumbag.”

“Well, of course he is. But that doesn’t
seem to be enough of a reason. Is it something personal?”

Shifting uncomfortably, Nate cleared his
throat. “Kinda. It’s something I don’t really want to get
into.”

“I understand.” She was quiet again, her
breathing slowly evening out and he thought she was falling
asleep.

What harm would there be in telling her what
Billy Diaz did to his partner? How much Diaz’s rash decisions had
affected his life on a permanent basis?

“He killed my partner a couple of years
ago,” he finally admitted, his voice low. “Shot A.J. in the back.
Then ran like a coward and denied doing it.”

“Who did? You mean Billy?” She lifted her
head and rested her hands on his chest so she could peer up at him.
“He murdered your partner?”

Nate nodded, fighting off the sadness that
wanted to wash over him. “It was late, past two in the morning and
the bars had closed. We’d been keeping watch on Diaz’s old club for
a while, knowing it was a front for drug running. A snitch worked
on the inside who would give us information and A.J. had been
anxious that night, ready to bust him. I told him to wait, but that
went against his personality. A.J. had always been about the here
and now.”

“So what happened next?”

“A.J. went inside to confront Billy. I was
supposed to follow him in a few minutes later but I got stopped by
one of Billy’s creeps who gave me a bunch of shit. I heard the shot
just as I walked through the front door. Billy pulled the gun on
A.J. when he turned around, shooting him in the back. He couldn’t
even face him like a man.” Nate shook his head, all of the old
memories tumbling back into his mind. “Billy got off on a
technicality.”

“So he was tried and not convicted?”

“No, there wasn’t enough evidence. He’d
hired a real slime ball for a lawyer, the guy was a snake. He found
some sort of loophole in the system and got Diaz off. Besides the
fact that Diaz had a witness who said he was with him the entire
night.” Nate paused, remembering the smug look Billy shot the TV
cameras when the case was dismissed. He’d been at home, watching
the news and the rage that had filled him had been overwhelming.
Even though he’d already known what happened, had been there to
witness the travesty to justice. “I promised then I would get him
someday. For A.J.’s sake.”

“Oh, Nate, that’s awful. I’m so sorry.”

“It’s all right. It was a long time ago.” He
still had nightmares. Waking up in the middle of the night,
screaming A.J.’s name. He’d relived that moment over and over
again. How he found his partner and close friend lying in a pool of
his own blood. How he had to go to the house and tell A.J.’s
pregnant wife her husband was dead.

One of the hardest moments in his entire
life.

He still went and visited Leslie as often as
he could, which wasn’t often enough. He enjoyed playing with his
now three year old godson. Little A.J. was the light of his mama’s
life.

“No wonder you want to get him so bad. He’s
affected your life in one of the worst ways possible.”

He lay there silently, trailing his fingers
up and down her arm. He’d been pursuing Diaz with a burning anger
ever since. The anger had consumed him and turned him into a not so
pleasant person to be around sometimes.

Hell, most of the time.

Funny how his attitude had changed, softened
a little bit since he met Janelle. He was still intent on capturing
Billy and bringing A.J. the justice he deserved, but he didn’t feel
as consumed with it. He thought about other things.

Like how soft and sweet Janelle was in his
arms. How good she tasted. How unbelievable it felt to be buried
deep inside her.

He squeezed her tight, settling her firmly
against him. She snaked her leg out, wrapped it around his thighs
and his cock went on high alert, hardening immediately.

“You’re insatiable,” she murmured, humor
lacing her voice.

“Only because you’re a tease.”

“I am not.” She tugged on his chest hair,
making him yelp.

“Ouch.” He rubbed his chest.

“You deserved it.”

He liked the way they could lighten the
moment after such a heavy discussion. He liked everything about
this woman—except for the fact that she was connected to
Ginger.