She was supposed to get her period in the coming week. Maybe that was it.
“What am I gonna need energy for?”
“All kinds of activities,” he said licking his lips.
She cocked her head and really looked at him. He raised an eyebrow in question.
“You’re a very optimistic person, you know that?”
He laughed. “I hope that’s not your way of telling me I’m unrealistically optimistic about said activities for the evening.”
She smiled. “How does an NYPD detective stay so positive when he regularly sees all of the yuck in this world?”
He shrugged. “I told myself when I started this gig that if I ever got to the point where I forgot about the good that can be found in this world, it was time to hang up my gun, so to speak. People are generally good. The world is generally good and offers lots of opportunities. We just need to grab them. I’m not always thrilled with the job, but when I can solve a crime and put someone behind bars, and help a victim get closure, I feel good about what I’ve done.”
He continued eating, allowing her some time to process his answer. She wished she could be free like that, not allow herself to be so cynical about people’s motives.
“I try to balance out my work life with fun in my personal life. Read, play the guitar, spar with beautiful gorgeous counselors, that kind of thing.” He wiped his mouth and put his napkin down perusing her face with his eyes. “Delicious,” he murmured. “The food was good too,” he said wiggling his eyebrows.
She rolled her eyes and shook her head while a smile played on her lips.
“Holy shit. You didn’t call me a dork. We’re making progress here, Emily.”
“Where are we going for dancing?”
He named a well-known club.
“That’s a nice place. The girls and I went there a few weeks ago.”
“Yeah?”
She nodded then laughed as she said, “We were celebrating Ayanna’s successful completion of her 40 day fast.” She took another bite of food.
“Ah yes, the sex fast. Jonathan told me about it.”
“He did?” she asked in surprise.
“You’d be amazed what men share while bonding over a game of basketball.” He gave her a look that made her squirm in her chair.
“What else did you two share?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know?”
She would, but she’d never tell him that.
“Nope,” she shrugged, cool as a peppermint pattie.
He let his tongue flick out to touch his lower lip. “You mean you wouldn’t like to know that we talked about you?”
“You did not.”
He gave her a look that said oh well, and shrugged.
“Uh, huh. And what did you talk about?”
“Nope. You said you didn’t wanna know.” He was enjoying toying with her and put up his hand to get the waiter’s attention. “Do you want some dessert? Coffee? More wine?”
She shook her head, disgruntled. She would just get it out of Jonathan. She had her ways.
The bill was delivered, he paid it, and then he took her hand to lead her to the door. Once they were in a cab, he hauled her up next to him, warming her by running his hand up and down her arm while she was smashed to his side. As much as she wanted to be pissed at him, she wanted to be next to him even more. Hell, she wanted to be next to him, on top of him, underneath him, she’d take just being in the same vicinity with him.
Jerk.
They didn’t talk on the cab ride. He simply held her, played with her hair, lulled her into a sense of complacency. They pulled up outside the club where they were immediately let in and made their way to an unoccupied section of seating in the lounge area. They ordered their drinks and sat on one of the sofas in the dim lighting, watching the gyrating bodies on the dance floor.
“Are you gonna talk to me at all for the rest of the night?” he said once their drinks arrived.
She gave him a surprised look. “I didn’t realize I was ignoring you.”
“You’ve been quiet since dinner.” His leg was pressed next to hers and his arm was on the back of the sofa behind her.
“So have you,” she pointed out.
He smiled. “I was giving you time to cool down.”
“Oh? And why do I need to cool down?”
“Because you’re pissed,” he said, taking a sip of his drink. She did the same before replying.
“Being pissed would imply that I care about whatever it is you think I’m pissed about. And I don’t.”
“Ouch.”
You are such a bitch, Em.
“So, you’re not pissed that I talked to Jonathan about you?” A smile was on his lips and his eyes were twinkling.
She glared at him. “If you’re not going to tell me what you talked about then you shouldn’t bring it up.”
“Well, let’s put it this way. What he said was definitely true,” he chuckled.
She stood abruptly. “I’m going to the restroom.”
Before she could step around him, he put his arm around her waist and pulled her down onto his lap, tucking her neatly in his arms.
“Unless you wanna lose your balls, Detective –” she growled in a low voice.
He grabbed her hands and calmly spoke into her ear. “I most definitely do not want to lose my balls. I like them just where they are, attached to my body, thank you. Now,” he said as if he was gearing up for a conversation with a five year old, “let’s get some things out of the way.” He nuzzled her neck. “One. You are seriously the most cantankerous woman I’ve ever met. Two. I love the fact that you’re the most cantankerous woman I’ve ever met because I have a feeling you reserve that quality just for me. And I’m honored,” he chuckled. “Three,” he began then cupped her face, “I told Jonathan I was going after you, was gonna wear you down. He gave me his blessing and wished me luck. Then he said I would need it. So,” he whispered, rubbing his nose with hers, “wish me luck, Em.”
He kissed her lightly on the mouth, then leaned back and looked in her eyes, waiting for her to respond.
The stiffness in her body started to relax. She wanted him with every fiber of her being. It scared the ever loving shit out of her.
She licked her lips and said, “I wish I had you on the mat right now because all I wanna do at the moment is kick your ass.”
He smiled and nibbled on her lip. “That’s all? You don’t wanna get down and dirty with me, too?” He moved his mouth to her ear. “Because I wanna get down and dirty with you. We don’t have a mat but we have a dance floor. Whattaya say, Em?”
The arousal had been growing all night, but his words put her over the limit. She was ready to dance and a whole lot more. She moved off of his lap, took her third drink of the evening and knocked it back, then gave him an inviting look and held out her hand.
He got up and followed her onto the dance floor into the mix of bodies and strobe lights. They moved, touched, and rubbed into each other allowing the music to take over their bodies. He stood behind her, his hands on her hips while she pressed her ass back into him, lifting her arms and reaching for his neck behind her. His arms encircled her waist as he slipped his thigh between her legs.
He felt so good while they moved together to the music, pushing and pulling at each other, their hips bumping and grinding. He put his mouth to her neck and bit gently.
And so it went. He’d kiss and tease her, then twirl her about until he’d grab her into his arms and have her laughing so hard, her sides hurt. When C&C Music Factory’s Gonna Make You Sweat came on, they laughed some more trying to remember the lyrics all while caressing and dancing. Women and men kept trying to move in on their action pressing into them, but he would easily disengage them so it was only the two of them in their own little world.
Within the hour, she was turned on beyond anything that was normal and needed another drink to get her through the rest of the time so she wouldn’t attack him in public. He sensed it in
her and led her back to the bar where they got another round of drinks.
While he stepped away to order, she felt a presence close behind her and readied herself for a potentially unwanted proposition.
“Holy shit. I can’t believe it’s really you,” she heard in her ear. She turned around only to stare right into the eyes of Scott Matthews, her ex-boyfriend.
Chapter 12
She couldn’t believe her eyes. It really was him, the absolute dick of an asshole who told her she was no warmer than a cold glass of water in the sack. She felt like she could throw up.
“What are you doing in the City, and when did you turn into such a hot piece of ass?” he asked giving her an appreciative once over with his eyes, then caressed her hip with familiarity and leaned forward to kiss her on the cheek. She grabbed his fingers in a tight grip and backed away.
Scott cringed in pain, Emily said, “Don’t touch me,” and Mike returned with their drinks all at the same time. Emily looked up at Mike as he approached.
He looked like he was ready to kill.
“Hey, buddy,” he said in a soft voice. “If you don’t want your hand broken, I think maybe you need to back off. Now,” Mike said with a tight smile. “And I won’t be the first to break it, by the way,” he noted while looking down at her hand bending Scott’s fingers back. “Em, don’t hurt him too much, okay?” he said as he kissed her temple while standing behind her. “I’m off duty tonight and I don’t wanna have to fill out any paperwork.”
Scott glared at him then sneered at Emily as she let go of his fingers. He shook them out then mumbled sarcastically to her, “Well, I can see you haven’t changed after all. Who the fuck is this?” He nodded toward Mike.
Mike answered for her. “‘This’ is her boyfriend. Please don’t tell me that you usually come up to women and just start pawing them.”
Emily was still registering the ‘boyfriend’ label in her slightly inebriated state when Scott spoke.
“Relax,” he said smoothly, putting up his hands. “Emily and I go way back. Don’t we, Em?”
Mike didn’t move. He just kept smiling that tight smile. “It doesn’t look like she wants a reunion.”
Emily finally put her hand on Mike’s arm to calm him then turned to Scott, but her words were for Mike. “Unfortunately, Scott and I dated while we were in law school. Unbeknownst to me, he was apparently dating a whole lot of other women as well, so thankfully it gave me the golden opportunity to embrace single life again.” She took her new drink from Mike’s hand and practically downed it, almost emptying the glass. It had been her fourth of the night and she was feeling it.
Mike laughed and wrapped his arm around her waist pulling her back into him. “Well, in that case, here’s to Scott,” he said raising his glass. “Thanks for being the biggest fuckin’ idiot in the world. Your loss is my gain.” He clinked his glass to Emily’s and drank. “And it looks like things haven’t changed with you either,” he said, throwing Scott’s earlier words back at him, implying he was still a fucking idiot.
She couldn’t help herself and let out a giggle. He really was wonderful. She leaned back into him feeling his hardness against her ass and finished off the rest of her drink, letting the buzz hit her.
“You’re welcome to her.” Scott just couldn’t shut up. He’d never known when to let it be. “I hope for your sake her fucking has improved.”
Mike moved quickly and quietly and wrapped his fingers around Scott’s nuts. Pushing him against the bar, Mike said something to him that Emily couldn’t hear, but she walked around Mike to stop him from making a scene. Before she could speak, she heard the tail end of Mike’s comment, “…time for you to leave.”
Scott sputtered while Mike reached back into his pocket and pulled out his badge then pressed it into Scott’s forehead. People who were crushed around the bar took a step back but watched the drama unfold. Mike towered over Scott by several inches.
“You can make your apology to the lady first then be on your way.” Scott didn’t speak, his jaw clenched, so Mike tightened his grip on his balls, twisting his wrist and applying more pressure. “We’ll wait.”
“Sorry,” he squeaked out, looking at Mike.
“Not to me, dickless wonder. To her.”
“I’m gonna fuckin’ sue your ass,” he growled in pain.
Mike smiled and removed the badge from his forehead, flipping open the wallet then while holding one end of it with his teeth, he pulled out his NYPD business card that had his name and ID number on it and shoved it in Scott’s front pocket.
Once his wallet was flipped shut and put away, Mike continued, “Have at it, asswipe. My name and number are on the card. Any time you wanna call, I would love to pick up our conversation. Emily is still waiting for an apology.”
Mike stood there unmoving.
“Mike, it’s fine –” Emily said, feeling embarrassed.
“No, it most certainly is not fine. He’ll apologize then he can leave.”
“I’m sorry. Now fuckin’ call him off already, Em.”
“Mike.”
Mike finally let go then whispered something in Scott’s ear. Scott turned to look at Emily then walked around them and left the club.
Mike cracked his neck and turned his eyes on Emily. “Let’s have another drink, baby.” He ordered two more, handed one to her then pulled her across the crowded floor to the lounge area where there was a quiet uninhabited corner.
He had that look about him. The stubborn look that said he was going to ask some questions and he expected some answers. And after watching him be all protective and possessive, she might just answer them.
She was falling fast for Detective Michael Callahan.
He sat first then pulled her onto his lap. He gave her a look that said not to argue with the placement of their bodies then he took a swig of his drink. She could feel her hands shaking slightly and she took her own sip, which turned quickly into finishing the potent alcohol in three huge swallows. She was feeling tipsy if not a little drunk. It was the only way she would make it through this conversation.
Mike gently took the empty glass from her hand and leaned forward to put it, along with his own, on the table in front of them, then settled back into the sofa wrapping his arms around her. His hand made lazy strokes up and down her back, playing with her hair. They were both silent for a couple of minutes just holding each other, the bass of the music shaking the room. Mike finally spoke.
“I want you to tell me what he did to you.”
She sighed and murmured, all of the sudden sleepy. “There’s not much to tell. We dated for about a year and a half. I was the idiot for staying with him that long. When he ended it, he admitted he had been sleeping around. Threw it in my face.”
She leaned farther into him and yawned, resting the side of her face on his shoulder.
“There’s more,” he said.
She was feeling the buzz and couldn’t tell if she was just thinking thoughts or if she was saying them out loud.
“He said that fucking me was like sticking his dick into a glass of cold water,” she whispered. By this time her eyes were closed and she was snuggling close to him. He smelled so good and he was so warm. She nuzzled her nose into his neck and inhaled. “I knew he was a jerk. I should’ve ended it with him,” she said again.
His hands stilled on her back for a moment.
Don’t stop touching me. I love it when you touch me.
He went back to rubbing her back. “I’ll never stop touching you, Em. Why did you stay with him for so long?”
I just didn’t want to die a virgin. She yawned and felt him sigh beneath her.
“What’s his name?”
Who? She felt like she was falling asleep.
“The ex-boyfriend.”
Scott Matthews. She stretched sleepily into his touch. I wish you weren’t so nice.
“Why’s that?”
She wrapped her arms around his waist under his blazer. Because it’s gonn
a be so hard when I have to end it.
He was holding her close, stroking her hair. “Why would you go and do that?”
She could nap right here in his lap. Even with the loud music. It was lulling her to sleep. ’Cause I’m falling for you. Pay attention, Detective. She was overcome with a fit of giggles then the scene went black.
……
She had no idea how they made it back to her apartment, but she had images of Mike helping her into a cab and then sleeping on his lap. She vaguely remembered being walked into the elevator, then into her bedroom. That’s when she woke enough to wonder what was happening.
“How’d we get here?” she asked in a daze. She was seated on her bed and Mike was taking off her shoes.
“A cab. Do you remember anything?”
“I remember…did Scott? Was Scott at the club?” She was so confused then clarity hit her and she gasped. “Did you grab his balls?” Without waiting for a response, she barked out a laugh. “You grabbed his balls!” She fell back onto the bed in a fit of giggles, still drunk from the amount of alcohol she’d consumed.
“Trust me, I would’ve done a lot more than that had we not been in public,” he muttered.
She smiled then sighed. “He’s not worth it.” She reached out and pulled him down onto her body. “Let’s have sex.”
He smiled back. “You’re drunk, Emily.”
“Nah. I slept most of it off. Come on,” she slurred out in a whisper then began kissing him. “I need you inside me.”
He looked down at her, his eyes glittering. “Let’s get you ready for bed, you adorable thing.”
“Okay,” she yawned. “Then let’s have sex. I really really like having sex with you. Having sex with you is really nice.”
He chuckled and she thought she heard him say, “Remind me to get you drunk more often. It’s the only way I get an honest answer out of you.”
“I’m always honest,” she pouted. He wrangled her dress up and pulled it off over her head.
Revelation: A Contemporary Erotic Romance (Iris Series) Page 19