by Unknown
chapter fourteen
Zach sat in the chair with his arms folded behind his head hoping to catch a few winks. Carla’s face appeared. He opened his eyes and saw Rodney staring at him. “What?”
“Talk to me, Zach. What’s going on between you and Ms. Parker?”
“Not a damn thing.”
“Are you sure?” Rodney asked with a raised brow. “She didn’t have a lot of nice things to say about you when we talked in the kitchen.”
Stretching his long legs, Zach sat up in the chair. “Who does, Rodney? My job isn’t to make people like me.”
“She’s not your enemy but a person in your protective custody. You didn’t have to treat her like shit.”
He frowned. “Did she say that?”
Rodney paused and leaned back on the sofa. “Not in so many words. Look, I told you how black women are. They can be combative if you push them the wrong way.”
Lack of sleep and stress was causing Zach to develop one of those behind-the-eyeball headaches. Rodney was fishing for information, and he wasn’t going to volunteer to tell him anything. He massaged his temples. “You’ve spewed a lot of bullshit about black women that ain’t true, Rodney.”
“Oh, like what? You’ve been with her for three days, Zach that doesn’t make you an expert in that area. Man, I’ve been here a few hours and the tension between you two is off the chain. What happened? She is pissed at you about something.”
Zach raised his voice to loud but not shouting. “Hell yeah, she’s pissed! She’s been shot at, snatched away from her family and stuck in the damn woods with me for three fucking days. She has a right to be pissed at anyone that comes near her wearing a badge.”
Rodney’s chuckle was haughty. “That’s a load of crap and you know it. I know how you operate, Zach. Did you sleep with her hoping to pry information from her?”
Zach’s frown deepened. “Stop with the fucking questions before this ends badly, Rodney.”
“You don’t get it. That girl is scared, and you’re making it worse.”
Zach kept his stare cold. Just like Rodney knew him, he knew all of Rodney’s techniques too. He grasped the edge of the chair and leaned forward. “Yeah, I did make it worse. See they sent an uncaring motherfucker to hold a frightened woman’s hand. I don’t have that cheesy smile or alluring charm like you do to make women feel at ease. I’m a coldhearted bastard that people love to fucking hate.”
Rodney shook his head returning a cold stare of his own. “That’s why you’re good. You’re lying to my face, and I’m tempted to believe it.”
“What you believe doesn’t matter to me. I haven’t done anything I need to regret. I got her this far alive; the rest is up to you now,” Zach said closing his eyes to relax.
“It is up to me to keep her alive and I will offer her comfort if she needs it. She’s alone with no one to depend on but me. I’ll be her protector and her shoulder to lean on,” Rodney retorted.
A sharp shudder ripped down Zach’s spine. The thought of Rodney touching Carla in a romantic way, irked him. When it came to women, Rodney was the worse. He loved to wine and dine them, impressing his style upon them. Once he got them in bed, it was over after that. His bitterness toward all women affected his ability to see good women still existed. He used women to ease the pain of his ex-wife leaving him, unlike Zach who used them just for sex.
“Then this conversation is getting us nowhere. I will say this, do not use Carla. She isn’t your enemy either.”
Rodney chuckled. “Man, your skin is not as thick as you want people to believe. You got feelings for the young sistah don’t you?”
Zach shook his head. “Man, please. I’m saying she’s inexperienced when it comes to smooth older men like you.”
Crossing a leg over his knee, Rodney asked? “How do you know that?”
“Simple, she talked, and I listened,” he said with a smirk on his face.
Flipping his hand, Rodney turned on the television. “She’s the same age as my sister. I don’t mess with women under the age of thirty-five. The young ones get clingy and needy.”
Zach chuckled. “Yeah you go after the type that will beat your ass after they realize you’ve just used them. I can’t wait for the day to come when you’re calling me for help.”
“Why the hell would I do that?”
“Because one day you’re going to fuck up and mess with a woman that is friends or related to another woman you’ve slept with. They’ll want revenge and get together to form a mob and come after your ass.”
“I’m too slick for that,” Rodney laughed. “We move around a lot so the chances of me hooking up with the same woman twice, is slim. And I don’t leave any breadcrumbs for any female to come looking for me. In a way, I’m just like you only I don’t limit my choices; I’ll do any woman, I don’t care what skin color she is.”
“Damn, your ex-wife turned you into a dog,” Zach said fighting off the fatigue setting in.
No longer kidding, Rodney frowned. “What are you, Zach? You ain’t celibate. You have no emotional attachment to the women you’re screwing. I don’t recall you calling them the next day to ask how they’re doing. Hell, do you even provide any romance leading up to the act or any afterward? Don’t judge me if you can’t answer any of those questions honestly.”
Zach felt his blood heating. He and Rodney ribbed each other, but now it was getting personal. He saw the fan sitting in the corner of the room. He got out of the chair and picked it up. “It’s hot in here; I’m gonna take the fan to Carla to use; unless, you have something to say about that?”
Rodney shrugged his shoulders. “Take it to her. I don’t have anything negative to say.”
Zach reached for the doorknob and pulled back his hand. Using the knuckle of his index finger he knocked. “Carla, are you asleep?”
“What do you want, Zach?”
He opened the door, and the moonlight drifting through the window outlined her body on the bed. The way she was positioned on the bed reminded him of the many gory crime scenes he’d see in his ten-year career. Almost all the cases he worked involved crimes committed against women. When they weren’t found by everyday citizens on walks in parks or desolate areas of the woods, they were found in their homes in bed.
The curtain above her bed danced with the hot breeze filtering into the room. “Why is the window open?”
“I’m hot,” she said sarcastically.
“Here’s your fan. Where is the plug?”
“Behind the bed. I’m not about to move now that I’m not sweating anymore.”
He knelt on the floor looking under the bed for the electrical outlet. Plugging it in the blades of the fan whirled. Carla released a sigh of relief. “You should be able to sleep now.”
She sat up on the bed tugging the nightshirt down. “You have me so confused. Are you actually being nice to me?”
He grinned. “Well, I like to keep ‘em guessing.”
Carla scooted to the edge of the bed. He could barely see her in the darkness even though he was standing inches away from her. He felt her hand take hold of his squeezing it gently.
“Sit down, please.”
He did as commanded, and his upper lip moistened a bit with sweat. Zach swung his gaze to her; a smile in her sexy brown eyes was visible thanks to the bright moonlight.
She leaned her body against his arm and nuzzled at his neck, just below his ear. “You’re pretty amazing you know that? I could never do what you do for a living.”
“My job isn’t for everyone. But, I have to admit you’ve impressed me, Carla. Other than your bitching and calling me names, you’ve shown me how courageous you are. I applaud you.”
She giggled lowly and traced a finger up his arm. “You like me don’t you?”
“What are you doing?” he asked suspiciously yet not moving away from her as she got closer to him.
Her lips gently worked the sensitive flesh of his neck, leaving behind a warm trail when they moved on. He c
losed his eyes and relaxed completely. Her lips worked their way up to his ear. His lower body started to respond to her delicate temptation.
Carla laughed as Zach responded with a low moan as she nipped gently at his ear lobe.
Zach took a deep breath; he had to put a stop to this. He was becoming addicted to this pain in the ass. They stared at each other and then her kiss, that started soft and sweet but quickly grew in intensity as she poured every emotion she harbored over the last several stress-filled days into it. Carla moaned against his mouth, and her hand came up to slip through his hair.
Zach reached around her and grabbed the curve of her hip, pulling her across his lap with a hungry moan. He deepened the kiss until he was breathing heavily from the intensity. Zach’s lips left hers and traveled down her chin, her neck, and above the low neckline of her shirt. His tongue came out to taste the skin between her breasts and then slipped upward, leaving a hot, wet trail from her breasts to her ear, where he nibbled gently on a tiny earlobe.
Carla gasped as his hand slid up her bare leg and rested between her soft thighs. He could feel her heat through the thin fabric of the silk panties. The crotch of his jeans had become uncomfortably tight, and Zach had to bite back a moan as her hand roamed under his t-shirt tweaking the nipple ring. He slipped an investigating finger under the rim of her underwear, feeling her moistness. Carla unhooked his belt and lowered the zipper of his jeans reaching inside to fold her fingers around him.
Zach drew in a breath as beads of sweat formed above his brows. Carla’s moan elevated when his finger found the entrance to her womanhood. He inserted a second finger, stretching as he moved in deeper. Her breathing became erratic as she squirmed on his lap.
“I want you,” she whispered with her head against his. She turned around and straddled his lap and maneuvered his manhood from the confines of his briefs. Lifting her hips, she eased over him.
“Damn woman, why are you doing this to me? Why are you making me want you?” Zach growled when her tightness stopped him from sinking inside of her at once. Her arms were around his neck, her hair caressing the side of his face. He let himself slip further into her canal as she grinded her hips, her moisture lubricating his entry.
He lifted her off his body and turned her over on the bed, pulling her up until she rested on her knees. Undressing he came behind her rubbing his erection along her exposed and swollen genitals.
“Please…” She whimpered against the pillow tightly tucked under her head.
Zach guided himself halfway into her, leaned down and pressed his mouth to the back of her neck. He had to slow his heartbeat and pace. The sight of her on all fours pricked every nerve ending in his body.
“Zach, Zach, Zach—” She was ready before he’d fully penetrated her.
“Shhh, baby.” Zach’s hand closed over her mouth to quiet her moans.
His hips plunged. Her muscles squeezed. She arched against his thrusts. She was driving him crazy. “Carla, you feel so good. I crave you.” He drove into her, pulling her hips to meet his fingers digging into her flesh.
She lifted on her knees and hooked an arm around his neck. His pelvis hammered her on every drive, his penis so deep he felt the orgasm in her build until she tightened with the thrill of it.
Sweat covered his body as energy surged through him. He stopped, pulling out of her. Drawing her up, he gathered her in his arms, twisting her head to kiss her mouth. His tongue darting to dance with hers.
He started to move his hips against hers. The squeaking of the bed was covered up by the noisy box fan. He was losing control. With one motion he pulled the nightshirt up and over her body roughly tossing it on the floor. Laying her on her back he mauled at her nipples, kissing down the flat plane of her stomach until his mouth reached her other lips.
He circled her swollen nub, and then dipped a finger into her wet womanhood coating his finger with her juices before working it on her nub again.
“Mmm,” she mumbled.
Her hips lurched forward in a steady rhythm, urging him to finger her and lick her harder, faster, deeper. “You taste so good,” he said, his words vibrating against her folds. That's when she lost it. He felt her fiery hot orgasm shower his tongue. It was fierce “Yeah, that’s it, baby. Come for me. Let me taste all of you.” Carla grabbed at his shoulders, her nails digging into his skin as she cried out in ecstasy.
Her body shuddered and showered his mouth with her sweet release. He was in heaven.
Zach gave her a minute to recover before he parted her slender brown. His penetration was deep, bordering on what he knew was painful for her, but the thrill of his penis hitting her G-spot was fantastically glorious.
“Yes. Zach.” Her moans reverberated off the walls, her legs curled around his waist.
The temperature in the bedroom soared depriving him of air. He did want her but that wasn’t the point. She was an emotional wreck and having sex with her wasn’t the cure. He didn’t want her attraction or the distraction she was causing him. As he thrust harder, he ignored his own warnings; she was too addictive.
Her womanhood closed down on him like a fist, squeezing and convulsing, breaking Zach’s control. Carla’s cries of pleasure filled his head. His body jerked and before he could stop himself, he was spilling his seed deep inside of her. “Ohhh, yeah,” he said drawing out the words as he let go and pure bliss burst in his balls, blasting through his penis and radiating down his legs, up his chest. His brain shut down. No thought passed only sensation. Waves of deep, staggering sensations he never wanted to stop.
Carla hit her peak, pumping him with a wet, tight womanhood, jerking what he could swear was another mini-orgasm out of him. He used his arms to balance his weight and keep from crushing her. He’d never been able to attain a multiple orgasm. Had always believed it was a myth for men until now.
Weak and drained Zach lowered his body onto her, and his manhood slid out of her slick heaven. He kept his forehead on her shoulder as they both drew quick, jagged breaths.
“Oh my God,” she murmured. “You’re so… intense. I’ll never in life have had this feeling of satisfaction. Thank you for teaching me what sex is really about, Zach. Until you came along, I hated it.”
“Seriously? What about nature boy—wasn’t he any good?”
“Ugh, I won’t ever go there,” she said removing sweat from his forehead with her hand.
He kissed her chin, lips and eyes. All he wanted to do was float in this sweet euphoria longer, and wished he wasn’t leaving in a few hours.
“I’m glad I got a chance to experience what it is like before I die.”
He rolled over on his back and this time he pulled her in his arms to cuddle her and said, “You’re fast-falling into a depression and making yourself believe death is your destiny. I’m not gonna let that happen.”
“You’re leaving. You won’t have any control over that.”
“I have control over everything, Carla. Well, except your seduction. I can’t seem to control that.”
Her voice held a tone of embarrassment. “How pathetic am I? I seduced you knowing your partner is in the other room. He’s going to know what’s going on.”
“Shell is pretty sharp when it comes to certain things. But I don’t care what he thinks. Look, I shouldn’t do this, but I’m gonna give you my personal phone. I’ll call you in a day or two to see how things are going. Will that ease your fears any?”
She snuggled against his damp chest. “I guess it will have to do since I won’t have you here physically.” She inched a finger up his chest. “Zach, will you stay with me tonight? I’m paranoid and freaking out and I don’t want to be alone.”
Dammit! She’d gotten under his skin, into his blood and melted his cold heart. “Yeah, I’ll stay until you fall asleep.”
“Thank you.” Her voice trailed off.
It didn’t take long for Carla to fall asleep. Zach sat up searching for his clothes. He found his pants and pulled them on. Looking over at a sle
eping Carla, he shook his head realizing acting in the heat of the moment had caused him to make a fatal mistake.
chapter fifteen
Three days had passed since Special Agent Zachary Murphy left. Carla hadn’t heard a word from him and she found herself missing him more than she expected to. In the meantime, Agent Shell allowed her to return to work. However, she was never out of his sight. Rodney’s watchful eye over her was so different from Zach’s.
Rodney didn’t object to going to see a movie or to Tino’s with Tonya and her. Of course Tonya made her move on him, and Carla saw the attraction in Rodney’s eyes growing when he questioned her about Tonya. However, he couldn’t act on his attraction since he was married. Tonight the three of them were having dinner together.
Rodney waited by the car as usual when she got off work. He parked outside the Hearts home in plain view of traffic rolling down the street and people walking their dogs. He didn’t attempt to keep her or himself hidden.
It made Carla nervous every time she stepped foot outside her client’s home. Anything that distracted Rodney for a split-second meant she’d be gone forever. When they drove past the bus shelter, she couldn’t bring herself to look. Going in that area caused her to have panic attacks. The day couldn’t come soon enough when she’d trade in her scrubs for a uniform worn by an EMT.
Rodney opened the door, and Carla slid inside; they were headed to the grocery store to shop for dinner. She was pleasantly surprised by Rodney’s shopping skills. He chose the right wine and cheeses and made suggestions on how to improve a simple spaghetti meal.
As they worked their way through Costco looking for a quick snack, Carla suggested a hot soft pretzel. They decided to eat in the food court. Rodney reached for the mustard and squeezed a generous amount on the edge of the napkin and dipped the pretzel before taking a bite. “You’re a little quiet. Did you have a bad day?”