by Anny Cook
“But?” Even in the pitch blackness he could feel the shape of her face change when she smiled.
“Actually, I was going to seduce you in the middle of the night. Of course that was before I discovered this was not the best week in the month for that.” He tucked her head beneath his chin and gently rubbed her lower back.
“Oh.” Her body stiffened as comprehension flowed through her tired brain. “You’re getting awfully pushy, Seb.”
“Nah. Patience is my middle name.”
She snorted, huffing moist air across his warm skin. A rash of goose bumps stood up in protest. “Not even on your best day. You don’t even know how to spell it. If you look up insistent in the dictionary, your picture will be right there. We’ve been dating off and on for a year now. I’ve been busy. You’ve been busy. But you just keep on coming on.” Slyly, her tongue flicked out, lashing at his tight nipple.
“Uh, Zip? Darlin’, that’s just cruel.”
She sucked the little nub, letting him feel just the edges of her teeth. “Seb? Shut up,” she whispered before moving over him so she could reach the other one. “Let me touch you. I’ve wanted to touch you forever.”
“Well, then. I’m all yours.” He lay back and abandoned himself to her will.
Zip was overwhelmed by the hot, smooth bounty under her hands. She straddled his waist and leaned down to nibble at his plump lips. “So, big boy, what did you have in mind when you broke into my apartment? What if I shot you by mistake?”
“You have a gun?” he demanded, distracted by the way she was sucking on the skin beneath his ear.
“Sure I have a gun. Doesn’t everyone?” Zip moved up so that she could lick his shaved scalp. She skimmed her fingers over the soft little prickles where the hair was growing in. “Why do you shave your head?”
The bedding shifted when he shrugged. “I shaved it off for an undercover job. And I liked it so I kept it that way.”
“I wonder what I would look like if I shaved my head?” she teased as she smoothed her fingers over the bare skin in little circles.
“No.”
“No? Are you sure? Think how it would feel if I rubbed my head all over your flat belly.” His taut abdomen rippled between her legs, nudging at her swollen folds. “Hmmm. That feels like you might like the idea.”
“No. I love the scent and feel of your hair. If you want to do something with your hair, wrap it around my cock and stroke it while you suck me off.”
Zip chuckled. “You sound like you’re issuing a dare. Never dare a Jericho. It’s a dangerous undertaking.”
“Yeah? Why is it more dangerous than daring anyone else?” His breath hitched as she slid down his body, nibbling and sucking points that she found of particular interest.
“I just might take you up on it, you know. Show me your cock,” she dared. “Turn on the lamp.”
“Now?”
“Now. I want to see what you’ve been hiding in those sexy suit pants.” She tugged on his blue silky boxers in frustration.
“Wait a minute.” There was a faint click and then the small lamp threw out a dim circle of light. She moved between his legs, clutching at the waistband of his boxers. He lifted his hips as she pulled them down.
When his cock popped up in all its glory, she squeaked in shock. “Sebastian Spade! That will never fit!”
“Sure it will. Just not this week, so calm down. I thought you wanted to play with it.” He breathed a sigh of relief when she sat back on her heels, slipped the shorts over his ankles and finally tossed them in the direction of her dresser. He wasn’t used to sleeping in anything except his skin.
Seizing his rigid length in her hands, she leaned closer until she had an eye-to-eye view. Clear fluid welled up in response to her gaze. Her tongue lashed out and slurped over the dark broad head as she gave him a tongue bath. “Mmmm. You’re pretty tasty, Seb. Salty.” Slurp. “Beefy.” Slurp. She inhaled his scent, closing her eyes as she became engrossed in defining his flavor. “Man. You taste male.”
“I hope so,” he whispered as he buried his fingers in her dark hair. “Damn, Zip. Suck it.” His voice trailed off before he could descend into the humiliation of whimpering as she slid her lips down, taking the entire head of his cock in her hot wet mouth.
When she hummed deep in her throat, he broke out in a fine sweat. Where did she learn that trick? Ah, what did it matter if she knew what kind of power she had over him? He cradled her head in his hands, thrust gently in her mouth and groaned. Who was seducing whom, he wondered hazily.
Zip wasn’t averse to sucking Seb’s cock but she wanted to explore the entire landscape—not just the main attraction. She pulled back and inspected him inch by inch, noting the heavy vein running along the thick length. She stroked the soft skin, absorbed in the way it moved over the firm muscle beneath it.
“Zip?”
“I want to look at you first, Seb. Men are so different from women.”
“Well, I’ll admit that we’re more up front and center,” he admitted dryly.
“You’re not circumcised.”
“Nope. I was born out in the country, delivered by a midwife. Mama didn’t hold with cutting on baby boys.”
Her tongue flickered out and tickled the soft skin. “I like it.”
“Yeah? Show me.” His hips arched up from the mattress.
“Spread your legs so I can play with your balls.”
He moved at once, making room to proudly display his heavy, plump testicles. “Better?”
She immediately cuddled them in her hand, gently massaging while she took his cock back in her warm mouth, savoring the taste and feel of him. She sucked him in deeper, enjoying the way he filled her mouth. Her tongue lashed just below the fat crown, tickling the ridge.
Unable to remain still under her teasing, he rolled his hips, gently thrusting through the tight grip she had on his staff. Clutching the sheets in his fists, he groaned as she gently massaged the sensitive skin behind his balls. Her hair brushed across his groin as she shifted so that she could take his cock deeper. And when she hummed, her throat vibrated against the tip and he came with an uncontrollable rush of hot semen, groaning and whimpering.
Chapter Two
At precisely two o’clock the next afternoon Zip stood shivering on the porch as she rang the doorbell at Seb’s small bungalow. Earlier that morning when she reluctantly opened her eyes, she found herself alone in her bed. The apartment echoed with a cold emptiness. She staggered out to the kitchen where she discovered that Seb had made coffee and that almost redeemed his absence. A morning and early afternoon filled with packing, her manicure and errands hadn’t kept her mind off their interlude in the hours before dawn. She felt edgy and uncertain. It was one thing to bravely seize the moment in the dark but now it was the bright light of day. What would happen when she had to face him now? Would he still want her?
Seb flung the door open, reached out and tugged her into his arms and kissed her thoroughly, taking his time. By the time he lifted his head, she was breathing like a winded runner and he was harder than a rock. It was likely to be an ongoing situation, he suspected as he tilted his head back to study his woman in the bright afternoon sunlight. Actually, Zip looked pretty good considering all that had happened the day before. The extra sleep had smoothed out some of the edges. “How do you feel today?” he asked.
“Better.” Zip flushed deep pink across her cheeks as she recalled her daring the night before. “What time did you leave?”
“After you fell back asleep, I got up, made coffee and took off so I could get home in time to shower and dress for work. I don’t know why they call it rush hour. The bus I traveled on was crawling. I should have taken a taxi like I did last night, but I didn’t want to wait for it. I had an early morning appointment or we would still be in bed,” he assured her with stunning frankness. “Believe me, leaving this morning was the hardest thing I’ve ever done.”
“Oh.” She stood there on his front porch, unsure of
the next step. With a deep breath she backed away and started down the steps. “Well, hurry up and get whatever you’re bringing with you. We need to get on the road.”
“I’m not going to let you slip away, Zip,” he warned. “So don’t even think about it. Go get in the car. I’ll be there as soon as I lock up.” Seb disappeared inside for a moment before reappearing with a duffle bag, which he dumped on the porch so that he could slam the door and lock the dead bolt. With a last check on the door, he swept up his bag and trotted down the steps. Moments later he tossed it on the backseat before sliding in the front next to her. Briskly, he clipped and adjusted the seat belt. “Okay. Let’s hit the road.”
Her dark eyes skimmed over him in one long comprehensive sweep. Comfortable running shoes, snug, well-worn, neatly pressed jeans and a dazzling white t-shirt covered with a supple black leather jacket. With a small grin, she just shook her head. Trust Seb to do the unexpected. His colleagues might wear polo shirts. His peers might wear baggy shorts. But Seb was not one to follow any fashion drummer except his own.
“What?” He frowned as he looked down at his clothes. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, Seb. You just always surprise me. I don’t often see you dressed in something other than a suit. I like it.”
“I didn’t have on a suit last night.”
“Yeah.” She licked her dry lips as though the taste of him might linger. “I liked that even better.”
“So did I.” He shifted uncomfortably.
Her eyes flashed down to his lap, noting his cock pressed against his tight jeans. “That must be painful.”
“You offering to do something about it?”
Her face flushed hotly as she checked over her shoulder for traffic, pulling away from the curb when she saw the coast was clear. They were early enough that the traffic was still light. By the time people were heading home from work, they were well away from the city with little traffic except the heavy tractor-trailers screaming down the highway. Conversation was minimal but she didn’t find the silence uncomfortable like she had in the past. Something had definitely changed between them during the night. There was a breach in the wall that had kept them apart before. Zip was honest enough to acknowledge that it wasn’t just sex. Unexpectedly, she had found a safe haven from the dark terror of her dreams.
Two hours down the road Seb stirred as they came up to the next exit. “How about some coffee?”
“I could use something hot to drink,” she admitted. At the next exit, she left the highway and stopped at a donut shop. “This good enough?”
“Perfect. I didn’t have breakfast or lunch.”
She flashed him a disgusted look. “Why didn’t you say so? We could have stopped for a hamburger or something a long time ago.”
His shoulder jerked in that masculine equivalent of a shrug. “This is fine. I’ll get an egg sandwich instead.”
With a sigh, she turned off the car and fumbled behind the seat for her bag. “Come on. I hope they have a decent restroom.”
He gave the small building a hopeful once-over. “It looks pretty clean.”
They went in, pleasantly surprised to find a thriving store with a wonderful selection of baked goods and varied menu. Zipporah ordered a decadent chocolate-covered sweet roll with coffee and Seb ordered an egg and bacon sandwich on a flaky croissant and coffee. When their order was filled, they found a booth that was in the far corner away from the door.
Zip excused herself and went to the restroom. While she was gone, Seb studied the shop while he enjoyed his croissant and coffee. He noted the steady stream of customers who stopped to pick up a quick snack or coffee. The clerks weren’t inundated with customers but there seemed to be a constant flow, mostly ordering things to go.
When a rusty old truck backed into the parking spot directly in front of the door, Seb’s creep-o-meter sounded the alarm. Memorizing the license plate number as he scooted over against the wall, he ducked down below the high back of the booth as two scruffy young men came through the door. Something about the way they kept their hands jammed in the pockets of their greasy coveralls sent him into overdrive. The minute he heard holdup muttered he fished out his cell phone and hit Zip’s speed dial. Rapidly punching the keys, he texted, stay there 211 in progress. Then he fished out his pen and wrote the license number on his palm.
Zip snatched her vibrating phone from her side pocket and glanced at the ID. What on earth? For crying out loud. Couldn’t a girl go to the bathroom without him calling her? Her eyes widened as she read the message. Well, crap. Call 9-1-1?
The hand air dryer went off and she realized she could hear everything in the shop through the duct work—which meant that they would be able to hear her call. Even before she heard back from Seb, she added, No.
Almost immediately, he texted, Let 211 run course.
With an annoyed shake of her head, Zip reached out to her brother through their mental link. Quill? We’re going to be a little late.
What’s wrong?
We stopped for coffee. There’s an armed robbery in progress.
Anyone hurt? Over their link she could feel his instant anxiety.
Not so far. Seb said to let it run its course. We’ll call 9-1-1 after they take off. He’s out in the dining area so I figure he has a better handle on what’s happening.
Zip, where are you?
She snorted in irritation. I’m in the ladies room.
The last thing she heard before she broke the link was the sound of his laughter.
Seb slipped down under the table and watched the robbery unfold, storing up the details. With shaking hands the older female clerk emptied the money from the cash register into a paper bag while one of the men held a gun on the teenaged clerk. The minute the two young men rushed out the door and jumped into the truck, Seb crawled from under the table and punched in 9-1-1 on his phone as he roared, “Zip! Get out here!”
Keeping an eye on the women, he started streaming a report for the 9-1-1 operator. Zip appeared in the hallway leading to the restrooms, took in the scene in the restaurant and calmly herded the two bewildered clerks to a table near the door. “Sit down. Do you want some coffee?”
The older woman stuttered, “Wh-why did they do that?”
“Probably ’cause some people are just poison mean.” Zip went behind the counter and poured two coffees. She carried them back to the women. “What do y’all drink in your coffee?”
Seb turned so that the ladies wouldn’t see his grin. It always tickled him how quickly Zip’s Southernisms returned when she was dealing with Southern people. The first of the expected sirens lit up the afternoon. With a tired sigh, he wondered how long they would be tied up with the robbery.
The first officer through the door was a young Barney Fife. Seb wanted to bury his head in his arms and cry. When his eyes lit on Seb, Barney hitched his pants up and strutted over to Seb. “Hey, boy! Get yore ass over by the window and spread ’em. Yore buddies take off and leave ya behind?” he sneered.
No one moved as Zipporah ostentatiously studied his name tag for a moment, then drawled, “Officer Cannon, y’all might want to corral some of that enthusiasm. Agent Spade is with me.”
“Now ma’am—”
“I’ve always found it extremely insulting when men use that tone of voice,” she interrupted. “You’re barely wet behind the ears, young man. I suggest that you shut up before you make more of a fool of yourself than you already have.”
Just as it looked like the young officer would explode, a gray-haired officer pushed open the door, took in the scene in one sweeping glance and swore under his breath. “Delray, what the hell have you done now?”
“He was doing his level best to insult a federal agent,” Zip pointed out coolly.
The older man pointed to the parking lot and snarled, “Get out there and stay there until I come for you.”
His ears a fiery embarrassed red, Officer Delray Cannon wordlessly stomped outside, went to his car, hitched up
his pants and got behind the wheel. After a minute during which Seb had an idea that the older officer was determinedly counting to twenty or thirty, the man took a deep breath and said, “I’m Sheriff Kemp. May I please see some identification?”
Silently Zip and Seb offered their leather identification folders. Sheriff Kemp stared at them for a few minutes, returned them and muttered, “Excuse me.” Then he went out and stood on the narrow sidewalk that ran along the front of the building, planting his hands on his hips and taking several deep breaths. While he was practicing his deep breathing and creative cussing, several more police cars pulled into the lot. Zip and Seb noticed that not a single officer left their car until the sheriff finally jerked the door open and came back inside.
Several of the officers quietly followed the sheriff a few minutes later. In a very calm voice, the sheriff assigned officers to take their statements, making sure that the officers were aware of their exact identities. During that process, the sheriff interrupted just one time to inform them with steely politeness that the robbers had been taken into custody thanks to Seb’s passing on the license plate number. Gravely, Seb thanked him for his courtesy.
With their statements taken, the sheriff immediately released them after asking them to stop by sometime the next week to sign their properly typed statements. Seb and Zip offered their business cards and went out to Zip’s car. As they pulled away, she observed, “I don’t think I would want to be Delray Cannon.”
Seb stared out the window for a while in stony silence. Finally, he asked, “Why?”
“Because unless I miss my guess, he’s going to be scrubbing the prisoners’ toilets until he’s old and gray.”
They were both silent as she accelerated onto the interstate. Then Seb again asked, “You think so? I’m not so sure of that.”
Zipporah flashed a quick glance at him, noting the stubborn, angry expression on his face. “In these parts, the sheriff is responsible for the behavior of his men. Delray Cannon embarrassed and humiliated the sheriff by treating you that way. It was twice as humiliating because we’re feds and of course, because you’re black. That makes him beholden to you in a very uncomfortable situation. And before all of this is settled, he will have to apologize, probably publicly, for the behavior of one of his officers. But first, he’ll talk to those two women back there and find out exactly what he’s going to have to apologize for.”