Come and Get Me

by Julie Cannon

  “Actually Elliott, I’d rather fuck her.” He used his glass to point to Lauren, who was returning.

  Elliott reined in the overwhelming desire to deck the man beside her. She loved her sister and would do anything for her, but putting up with Mark’s boorish behavior was always a challenge. She suspected he cheated on Stephanie and wouldn’t think twice about doing exactly what he had just described. Stephanie had always refused to listen to her and remained steadfastly dedicated to him, but it was obvious that Mark only believed in the for richer part of his marriage vows.

  Elliott quickly finished her drink and stepped out of the sludge of her brother-in-law, walking forward to meet Lauren. Her empty glass was the perfect excuse to extract them both from Mark’s company.

  “Would you like another drink?” she asked.

  Lauren detected a strained look on Elliott’s face an instant before she masked it. She suspected the man staring at her was the cause of Elliott’s discomfort and soon realized why. Before she could accept the offer of a drink, he invaded her space, looking her up and down as if he thought she would be flattered by this appraisal.

  “Well, hello there.” His voice dripped with sleaze. “I’m Mark, Elliott’s favorite brother-in-law.”

  Elliott cringed when she realized they would not make their escape. What did I ever do to deserve this? “Mark, you’re my only brother-in-law,” she corrected, holding her breath in trepidation of what he would say next. He did not disappoint her.

  “I’m the best looking brother-in-law she has too.” His eyes never left the cleavage exposed by Lauren’s dress.

  Lauren had plenty of experience deflecting the unwanted attentions of men like Mark. “Nice to meet you,” she replied politely but did not reach for the hand that was extended to her, taking Elliott’s arm instead. “I can certainly see why your wife grabbed you right up.” She hesitated for a moment, then asked, “Tell me, Mark, is your wife as beautiful as her sister?”

  Elliott stifled a laugh at the expression on Mark’s face. Lauren had not broken stride or hesitated in the slightest as she cut the legs right out from under him. Ouch. Elliott had rarely seen Mark at a loss for words, and this moment was priceless.

  Lauren wrapped both hands around Elliott’s arm and moved closer until their bodies were in full contact. “Because if she is, you are one lucky man.” Her position next to Elliott clearly indicated that they were together, and the subtle intimacy left no doubt as to that fact.

  Elliott seized the opportunity to escape from her lecherous relative, quickly heading for the bar. When they were out of earshot she squeezed Lauren’s hand warm on her arm. “You’re ruthless.”

  Lauren looked as though she had no more than swatted away an annoying gnat. “Lots of practice. They’re all the same.” Instinctively she knew that Elliott would not be insulted at her response to her brother-in-law’s actions. “Shall we go back in and enjoy the rest of the performance?”

  Elliott looked down into the sparkling blue eyes of the woman beside her. “Let’s,” she said, and the subject was closed.

  *

  Elliott had made reservations at the exclusive Barrett’s restaurant, within walking distance of the theater. As they left the auditorium, Lauren saw a man hurrying toward her, waving to get her attention.

  “It’s my neighbor,” she explained, and they stopped to wait for him.

  “I hate to bother you,” he said after the introductions were made and he’d shaken Elliott’s hand. “But I was wondering if you could drop me home. My wife was called to the hospital halfway through the performance. You know how that goes.”

  “You’re stranded?” Lauren could have kissed him on both cheeks. She handed him her car keys and said, “Elliott can take me home. We’re about to have dinner.” She turned slightly to Elliott. “If that’s okay?”

  There was no mistaking the look Elliott gave her. “It would be my pleasure.”

  Lauren gave her neighbor a bright smile and they exchanged brief farewell pleasantries, then she and Elliott resumed their stroll.

  Their strides were sedate as the sounds of the city surrounded them. Streetlights overhead cast a soft glow on the sparsely populated brick and mortar sidewalk. Store windows proudly displayed trendy fashions, sparkling diamonds, and the latest bestsellers. The sounds of music floated in the air when patrons exited restaurants and bars along the street. A horn honked farther down the street and a siren wailed a few blocks over. Street vendors hawked everything from red roses to cheap perfume.

  A mild breeze blew strands of reddish hair around Lauren’s face, and she tucked them back into the clasp at her nape as she walked. The tall woman beside her did not speak; Lauren sensed she was enjoying their companionable silence, a fact that pleased her. She was also pleasantly surprised that Elliott appeared not to notice the admiring looks she garnered from other women. Lauren would have expected anyone with her reputation to return the occasional warm stare, but she didn’t and Lauren loved how that made her feel—somehow Elliott was communicating that Lauren had her full attention, no matter what.

  This continued throughout their meal. Conversation flowed easily as they dined, and Lauren was aware that Elliott’s eyes kept drifting to the barest hint of cleavage at the top of her dress. Elliott finally gave up trying not to look and simply let it be known, with a warm, intimate smile, that she was enjoying the view.

  When they finally stepped out of the restaurant, Lauren grasped her arm in almost the exact spot she had earlier in the evening. It felt good. Her hand remained in the crook of Elliott’s arm as they strolled in the warm night air.

  Elliott often had a beautiful woman on her arm, and tonight was no exception. She was comfortable with the quiet as they walked, their steps in sync. It was rare to find a woman who did not insist on cramming chatter into any gap in conversation, so Elliott made the most of it and only broke the silence when they approached the valet parking. “Are you tired or would you like to walk some more?”

  “No and yes, but my feet are killing me,” Lauren admitted a little sadly. She felt warm and safe and desirable on Elliott’s arm and wanted it to go on forever. But the pain in her right foot was excruciating and she knew she couldn’t last much longer.

  On principle Lauren refused to wear shoes that did not feel good. She didn’t buy into that notion that fashion overruled comfort. However, the Prada pair went so perfectly with her new dress, she chucked practicality and went for it. She had not been disappointed—she looked fabulous—but it was time to set her feet free.

  Elliott took an exaggerated look at her shoes. “Ouch, I see what you mean. Those would cripple me.” She handed the parking ticket to the attendant. “We’ll have to continue this another time. I know a great place with sand so soft you don’t even need shoes. It’s like a Shiatsu massage for your feet.”

  The car arrived and Elliott held the door as Lauren slid into the passenger seat. Her crotch lurched and her mouth went dry at the expanse of long legs that appeared from the slit in the dress. She wasn’t the only one to notice, and she winked at the open-mouthed valet as if to say, “Yep, she’s mine,” and gave him a larger than usual tip.

  *

  Lauren’s hands refused to stop shaking throughout the drive to her house, and when Elliott pulled into her driveway she knew she did not want their evening to end. “I’d like to use my rain check.” She raised her eyes from the hands clenched tightly in her lap to stop at a pair of blistering black eyes. “Would you like to come in?”

  “Yes,” Elliott said softly.

  Wordlessly Lauren unlocked the front door, fully aware of the close proximity of the woman who had set her body on fire. Once inside, she dropped her keys on the sideboard and turned to Elliott. The smoldering desire in her eyes made Lauren’s knees weak. “Can I get you anything?”

  “Just you.” Elliott bent her head and kissed her.

  Lauren’s lips were softer than she had imagined, and she savored every sensation. She gently nibbl
ed, smiling when Lauren wound her fingers tightly in her hair and pulled her closer. Wanting much more, Elliott reluctantly dragged her lips away and kissed the fine bones of Lauren’s cheeks and along her jawline before returning to the enticing mouth. Lauren quickly invited her in for more. With practiced ease, she let her hands roam over Lauren’s back, then she slowly reached forward to cup Lauren’s breasts. She kissed her way down Lauren’s neck, stopping to tease the racing pulse just above her collarbone, then continuing her journey to taste the bare shoulders that had tormented her all evening. Elliott wasn’t sure who moaned but took it as encouragement.

  Lauren lost all track of time as Elliott lavished her lips and skin with the kisses she’d craved all evening. She momentarily felt a draft on her chest and just as quickly a warm mouth covered her breast. She gasped at the sensation and pulled Elliott to her. Just as Elliott’s mouth was about to encircle the erect nipple, the phone rang.

  “Don’t answer that.”

  “I wasn’t going to.”

  Elliott took the full nipple in her mouth and was rewarded when Lauren grasped her shoulders for support. She had kissed many breasts, but none had tasted as sweet as the one she was exploring now.

  “Lauren, are you there? Lauren, it’s Charles Comstock.” Lauren stiffened when she heard her boss’s voice on the answering machine. “I’m afraid we need your help. Merison’s daughter has been arrested. Please call me as soon as possible.”

  “Shit!” She stepped slowly out of Elliott’s embrace. Shit, shit, shit! Leaning against the back of the couch, she struggled to catch her breath. “God, I am so sorry.”

  “It’s okay.” Elliott attempted to regain control over her raging hormones. For a few seconds, she watched Lauren fumble to button the front of her dress, then said, “Here, let me help you with that.” She closed the gap between them that up until a few moments ago was almost nonexistent. As she worked on the buttons, her hands were as unsteady as her legs.

  “I am so sorry.” Sorry didn’t even begin to describe Lauren’s embarrassment at the interruption. “That was my CEO.”

  Elliott’s smile was soft; she could only imagine how a call from the boss could immediately dampen amorous intentions.

  Lauren made a gesture of frustration. “I’m a corporate attorney, not criminal. What does he expect me to do? They never call me at home and when they do, it has to be now!”

  “Lauren, it’s okay, really.” Elliott closed the final button on Lauren’s dress. She put her finger under Lauren’s chin and lifted it so that their eyes met. “Better now than fifteen minutes from now, when you wouldn’t have been capable of answering the phone.”

  The note of mischief in her voice helped Lauren relax. “You sound pretty sure of yourself.”

  Elliott was drawn to the gleam in the bright eyes regarding her, and against her better judgment she leaned in and kissed Lauren again. The kiss was as sweet as the one before and Lauren’s response was instant, but before things could progress, Elliott pulled her lips away a fraction of an inch. “I just go where the lady leads me,” she said huskily.

  Lauren blushed. “I guess the path was pretty clearly marked, wasn’t it?” How can I be bantering with this woman when all I want is for her to ravish me right this minute?

  “Even though the destination may be known, the fun is definitely in the journey. And I was looking forward to identifying your landmarks along the way.” Okay, that was corny. Elliott felt slightly foolish at her last comment.

  “Is that a promise?” Lauren asked in anticipation. She had thought of nothing other than Elliott’s hands on her all evening, and the call from her employer had squelched any hope of a satisfying encounter.

  Their lips were millimeters apart, their breath mingling. Elliott was tempted to taste them again—her body was primed and ready to go at the slightest invitation—but Lauren had business to attend to. She quickly, almost chastely kissed the soft red lips. “Yes, it is.” A long sigh escaped from her as she disengaged Lauren’s arms from around her neck. “I’ll go so you can get focused and deal with this crisis.”

  Lauren could sense Elliott’s arousal, but she was taking the frustrating interruption in stride. Thankful that she was not being given a hard time, she walked Elliott to the door. “Call me in a few days?”

  “Count on it.” Elliott clenched her jaw so she could resist the desire to kiss her again, and walked out the door.

  Chapter Seven

  Summer Merison, the seventeen-year-old daughter of Bradley & Taylor’s chief financial officer, had been arrested for drunk driving. She was supposed to be tucked safely in her bed at a Mt. Holy Catholic School retreat but instead was eight miles away when she smashed her Mercedes into a telephone pole. Three of her camp mates were in the car and had suffered cuts and bruises necessitating an ambulance ride to the hospital.

  When the police searched her car, they added possession of cocaine to the list of charges against her and recited her Miranda rights. It was at that point that Summer mistakenly thought her beauty and money could get her out of trouble and she propositioned the arresting officer, offering sex, money, or both. She had used the two to bail herself out of jams in the past, as far as Lauren could tell, and had fully believed the cute young police officer would be a pushover. In spite of the handcuffs that were immediately slapped around her wrists, her teenage wisdom told her she just needed to raise the ante. She became belligerent and struggled with the officer as he led her to the patrol car. She was so drunk that she stumbled to the ground and gashed her knee, which only made her angrier.

  By the time she arrived at the hospital, the charges against her had grown to include resisting arrest, assaulting a peace officer, and bribery. According to the medical record, Summer continued to rant while she was being examined for any additional injuries. She had refused to take a breathalyzer at the accident scene and was outraged when the nurse pulled the curtains and handed her a clear plastic cup. Because she was a minor and charged with a felony, a drug test was required by law. Her indignation was complete when she was restrained and introduced to a catheter. Only the results of her urinalysis finally silenced her. She was pregnant.

  Lauren spent what should have been a night of passion dealing with this arrogant, drunk teenager and her equally pompous father. She could not convince Thomas Merison that criminal law was not her specialty. He kept insisting that she get his “little girl” out of this “situation,” as he phrased it. Not only did he refuse to deal with the fact that his daughter had a serious problem, he was desperate to keep the episode quiet. Neither he nor the company wanted this all over the papers. Lauren didn’t like being used and thought Summer should face the consequences of her actions. She finally agreed to speak to the district attorney about reducing the charges if Summer checked into rehab and stayed clean and sober for two years.

  Lauren felt soiled when she stood beside the disheveled girl in the early morning arraignment. Under threat of financial sanctions from her family, Summer was quiet but had not lost her swagger of entitlement. She was released into the custody of her father and a court date set.

  Lauren was still disgusted when Elliott called. “I still can’t believe I was a party to that.”

  Elliott’s laughter flooded from the phone into her hair, making her weak. “At least something good came out of it.”

  “Please tell me what, because I certainly can’t see it.” All she felt was embarrassment and frustration.

  “An appetizer.” Elliott’s tone was suggestive.

  “An appetizer?”

  “Yes, an appetizer.” Her voice grew soft and husky. “You gave me a preview of what I hope is to come. That little sampler makes me want you more now than I did then.”

  It took a moment for Lauren to comprehend the words. She didn’t have much experience flirting over the phone while she was at work, and it was unsettling. Unsettling in a very positive way. Surprised that she was able to respond calmly to such a provocative comment, she replied,
“Is that so?”

  “Yes, Counselor, it is,” Elliott said firmly, leaving no doubt as to her intentions.

  Lauren felt the flush of desire start in her gut and spread rapidly throughout her body. Butterflies returned to her stomach and the images that raced through her mind made her legs weak. “Well, Elliott, you certainly do know how to make a girl feel wanted.”

  “There’s absolutely no doubt in my mind.” Elliott was enjoying herself immensely and wondered just how far they would take this telephone foreplay.

  Lauren felt dizzy at the smooth, melodious voice on the other end of the line. She sat down in her chair, and the flashing red light on her telephone pulled her back to reality. Somehow she gathered herself together and replied. “I don’t really know what to say to that other than thank you.” The red light blinked at her almost loudly. “Much as I’d like to continue this line of conversation, I have to get back.” Get back, hell. I need a cold shower!

  “Okay,” Elliott conceded, more than a little disappointed. But Lauren was in the middle of a meeting and Elliott respected that.

  “Can I call you tonight?” Lauren asked hopefully.

  A rush of heat sliced through Elliott’s body and landed between her legs, betraying just how much she wanted this woman, and how soon. “I have a board meeting. I probably won’t be home until quite late.” Damn. “Are you free for lunch tomorrow?”

  “No, I’m on the 8:00 a.m. flight to Chicago.”

  “When are you back?” Elliott studied the calendar at the top of her desk.

  “Thursday afternoon.”

  Why does that seem like a hundred years away? “Dinner, Thursday night?” Elliott made a mental note to have Teresa cancel her meeting with the president of the local Rotary chapter. He wants something from me, and he can just wait.