by Molly Harper, Stephanie Haefner, Liora Blake, Gabra Zackman, Andrea Laurence, Colette Auclair
She barely had enough breath to speak. “Gee, Chas, somehow I don’t think that’s gonna work. But I’m up for trying.”
Holding eye contact with her, he slowly removed the towel, revealing what she had already felt: the full hard swollen length of him. Well, she was ready for him all right, but oh, how she loved to tease first. He moved toward the tub, and stepped inside, the only sounds that of the dripping of water, and of his sleek body settling deeper into the depths. Then he looked up at her. The candlelight was on both of them, and was reflected in the many mirrored surfaces. And the tub was sensual and inviting in its changing colors. He sank into the water and held out a hand. “Your turn.”
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JACKSON QUIETLY ENTERED the penthouse suite with a tray of champagne and hors d’oeuvres, compliments of the house. He wasn’t supposed to come into the suite without calling up, of course, but it was really just his cover in case he was caught. Besides which, he now had the whole of the Paris police force watching his every move, so he figured he had better move quick. While they knew some of FTP’s plan, they didn’t know everything, and the Boss wanted to keep it that way. He could hear the sounds of the bath running and figured Susannah was doing her job, occupying the mark, so he grabbed the hot dog from her purse. Noting the green light that indicated an upload, he shoved it into his pocket. Without leaving the tray of hors d’oeuvres, he let the doors close behind him, whispering into his headset, “Dog in the cage.”
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SUSANNAH WATCHED CHAS as he settled himself in the water and turned his eyes to her. Now it was her turn to tease, to tantalize, to make him so hot that he couldn’t control himself. She loved lingerie, and the seduction of beautiful things, and there was nothing sexier than the temptation of fine lace surrounded by water. She began by running her hands through her hair as he had done, and down her whole body, emphasizing her curves and all she had hidden underneath. He breathed with pleasure. Then she turned around and bent over, exposing a good bit of herself to him. He let out a low laugh as she said, “Oops. I dropped the soap.” Then, knowing he’d like it, she rubbed a hand on her ass and slapped it. In truth, she kind of liked it too. It made her feel powerful. She could hear him curse under his breath in response.
She turned to him, and she could feel the temperature began to rise. It was all fun and games at first, but then, when their eyes met, it suddenly felt serious. She felt more in control when she was joking, and she tried to make another jokey sexy move, acting like a Southern belle, batting her lashes. But she felt his reprimand before he spoke. “No, Susannah,” he said. “No playing. I want to see you, really you, and all of you.”
She swallowed. Revealing her self, her true self, to anyone was not in her wheelhouse. She preferred to hide her vulnerability with strength and humor, or to play a role that was strong or funny. But now he was asking to see her. Just her. And she could feel how anxious it was making her. This had been what she’d been wrestling with all her life: figuring out how to reveal herself, her true self, without the fear of what happened next. Her whole life had been leading up to the moment when she could allow herself to be free, truly free, with a man. Could it be now? She had been dovetailing around her boundaries with men for every single year of her adult life, and something had to give, or she’d never find what she was looking for. So she may as well start here. After all, they only had a couple of hours together. “All right, Chas. But before you get me, you get a treat.”
“Ooooh,” he breathed, “do tell.”
She reached over to the countertop and opened the chocolates. “Salted caramel, with a bourbon center?”
“Mmmm . . . sounds just like you, Legs. Salty on the outside, sweet and gooey on the inside.”
“And here I thought I was hard to read.” This earned her a deep bass laugh in return.
She extended her arm to him, chocolate in her fingers, and he pulled her arm closer. Then he slowly nibbled the candy, making sure to catch every drop of liquid. When he was done, still gazing into her eyes, he took her finger into his mouth and gently sucked on it. “All done. Now for you. Let’s see what you’ve got, sweetheart.”
He was looking at her with such passion that she felt guilty for a moment. She had just drugged him, and had downloaded the contents of his hard drive, and was about to have her way with him before she took off. But at least she was about to give him something in return. And judging by how turned on they both were, she was about to give him the best night of his life.
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CHAS LEANED BACK INTO the tub and watched Susannah move. She was so gorgeous, and her beauty was only heightened by her newfound vulnerability. The shyness that emerged when he asked to truly see her was amazing, and only turned him on more. He settled into the water to watch, and wait.
Susannah stood for a moment, staring at him, getting lost in his powerful and confident gaze. A silent communication passed between them, and Chas knew that something had moved deeper. She began to run her hands down her body, but he knew she was imagining his hands, his touch, his need to feel every millimeter of her skin. The lingerie she wore was made of filmy brown silk, with lace over the breasts so fine that he could see her nipples, hard and waiting; and the silky bodice revealed a nearly invisible thong beneath it. She played with the bottom of the babydoll, gently pulling it up, then down, running her fingers over her thighs, keeping her gaze locked on his. The only sounds were their breathing, and the move of silk on skin, and the crystalline splash of water.
There was a ceramic pitcher on the side of the tub. Susannah lifted it up, filled it with water, then poured it over her head Flashdance-style, recklessly letting the water pour all over her and the smooth marble floor. Chas let out a throaty chuckle, then sharply inhaled as he realized he could now see all of her . . . the shape of her breasts, line of her stomach, and the places where the wet fabric clung between her legs. There she stood, dripping wet, brown silk clinging to her every curve, and locked eyes with him again, as the drops of water made a musical pitter-patter on the floor, and the water ran in sensual rivulets down her wet skin. God, she was gorgeous! All women are not created equal, he thought, looking over every succulent inch of her, whetting his appetite with thoughts of tasting her again.
She entered the tub, pitcher still in hand, and scooped up more water only to pour it this time over him, slowly, as she stood in the tub above him, legs straddling his. He looked up as the water ran down and felt as if he were looking upon a goddess in one of the old Greek myths. Today, Paris. Tomorrow, Athens. Suddenly he could envision a whole life of looking at one woman, and he knew he had never felt anything even remotely like this before.
Susannah crouched down, the fabric of her lingerie gently skimming the surface of the full swollen length of him. He let out a breath, but didn’t move. He chose to stay put, loving the fact that she was taking charge. She was in control, and he was there to be taken in every way imaginable. She picked up a washcloth from the side of the tub and put it in the water; gently, she began to run it over every surface of Chas’s body. She began with his face, letting the water run down his head, over his stubbled cheeks, and kissing each one in turn. Then his neck, which she followed by nibbling and kissing the very areas he had targeted on her earlier. His breath hitched in response. She lifted each arm and smoothed the washcloth down, trailing her movements with kisses, sucking tenderly on each one of his fingers. Chas was so turned on he was afraid to move for fear of not being able to control himself. This was the most erotic experience he had ever had, and he was so hard he was almost in pain from wanting her so badly.
Susannah turned around so that she could work on Chas’s legs, and in so doing, lowered herself onto his lap, making him moan and shudder. She began to stroke and massage his legs, rubbing herself gently back and forth on top of him. Chas gathered a fistful of her hair and twisted it in his hands, trying desperately to keep himself together. All that separated them was a thin piece of fabric, nearly invisible t
o the naked eye. Chas knew he could tear it with one hand, that in mere seconds he could have what he craved.
Just as he was reaching for it, Susannah lifted off him, making him suck in a harsh breath. She turned to him with a gleam in her eye. Then she lowered her body beneath the surface of the water and began rubbing her breasts against him, fanning kisses along the lines of his abs. Her cleavage grazed his cock as the material of the lingerie dragged along his thighs, and she surfaced to connect to his gaze. She was like a mermaid, or one of the Furies, her red hair fanned out in the water like silk, her hands touching every part of his being. She dove beneath the surface of the water, and this time her lips found the tip of him, her tongue teasing. He cursed and bucked, startled by the contact. She came up for air and dove down again, this time taking the full length of him in her mouth in one slick move. He moaned and held the sides of the tub, praying for control. She slid him in and out of her mouth ravenously, her hunger driving him to desperation.
After several moments of the greatest bliss he had ever known, she stopped abruptly, causing him to cry out in frustration. She emerged from beneath the water with a smile on her face and wriggled out of her panties, tossing them aside. Then she removed her soaking-wet lingerie and he had a second of startled rapture before she wrapped it around his eyes, using it as a makeshift blindfold. He laughed with pleasure. Now that his eyes were covered, he used his hands indiscriminately, touching every single piece of her warm wet flesh and pulling her down to sit on top of him again.
She guided him inside her in one rapid and unexpected thrust and they both gasped in pleasure and in relief. She was so wet, and it felt so natural for him to be inside her, that he forgot for several long moments that he was unprotected. Clearly so had she, as she was riding him and moaning like it was her job, her long wet hair slapping his face and shoulders. He could tell she was about to come, and he wanted her to, but he was barely holding on. So he did what he always did. Took his mind away. Not to baseball, not to nuns, those awful clichés . . . no, he thought about the Italian, and how good it would feel to stab a knife deep inside his archenemy, and be able to live a normal, happy life forever after.
Susannah continued to ride him, and he continued to thrust deeply inside her until she came, screaming and shuddering with her climax. Then she removed the makeshift blindfold and looked into his eyes. “Sorry. I couldn’t control myself.” Her pupils were dilated and her lashes were wet. Before he could say anything she kissed him, and it felt as though she were completely giving herself over to him. Chas thought he might explode into a million pieces if he didn’t get to have his way with her. Using all his strength of will, he gently slid out of her, and using all his strength of body he lifted her up out of the water. Still kissing, and emotionally engaging more and more deeply by the minute, he got them out of the tub and into the bedroom, where he laid her gently on the bed. He smoothed her hair out of her eyes, and ran his hand down her cheek.
“Susannah,” he breathed, “you are the most stunning woman I have ever known. The day you came after me was one of the luckiest days of my life.” Then he reached next to the bed for a condom, tore the packet open, and rolled it on. He entered her again, slowly this time, never disconnecting from her gaze, holding her in his arms. He pulled all the way out and entered her again, as slowly as he was able, until her breathing shifted, and she began to moan again.
“Oh, Chas, yes,” she murmured as he gently rocked in and out of her. When she closed her eyes, he said, “Stay with me, sweetheart. I want to see exactly what I’m doing to you.”
“You’re completely killing me,” she gasped as he pulled out again.
“Well,” he replied, barely able to get the words out, “that makes two of us.”
Then he picked up speed, and finding a rhythm, he rocked her to a second climax as he growled in pleasure and joined with a final sweet release of his own.
They lay panting, arms and legs around each other for a time. Then Susannah spoke. “Not bad, Tex. Not disappointing. Not at all.”
“Oh, sweetheart,” he said with a smile, rolling off her, “and I’m only getting started. Like something to eat?”
“Love it,” she responded, not realizing how hungry she was. “Should we order room service?”
“Oh, no, I’ve taken care of it,” he said. “What say we jump back in the tub for a moment, and then dine on the balcony?”
Susannah smiled an assent and looked at his flushed and excited face. This was a night to remember, indeed. She only wished it could last a little bit longer. But that was not to be. Swallowing past the lump in her throat, she kissed him on the lips and said, “Race you, cowboy. First one in gets to be fucked like crazy.”
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JACKSON WALKED BACK INTO Le Bar and over to Lisa Bee’s table. They were now bordered on both sides by parties of gendarmes, French policemen who were trying to be undercover in a way that was incredibly unslick. The gendarmes all wore jeans and blue T-shirts, which made them look like they were still in uniform, or like they were guys from a local sports league out for a nightcap who just happened to drop in to the most exclusive hotel in Paris. Lisa looked up at Jackson, who was scowling at the gendarmes, and waited for his update. Again their eyes caught, and the burning look he gave her made her need to defuse the tension with a joke. It was probably just the mission that was fraying their nerves anyway. Right? She glanced down at his pocket. “Well?” she chirped, a bit buzzed by now. “Is that a hot dog in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?”
“Both,” he replied with a smile. “I believe it’s called a double-decker.”
Lisa Bee broke out in a full-fledged laugh. “Got what we needed? How’s our girl?”
“Sounds like she’s having another Christmas bonus. I’m sure the Boss’ll be pleased.”
“Oh, indeed he is,” said the Boss loudly, striding across the room. “He’s had a fantastic afternoon in the hands of the Police Nationale and is just thrilled to be able to do his job.”
“Wow,” said Jackson, “you don’t look so hot.”
The Boss was in a rumpled, untucked button-down and jeans and his hair looked matted. But more than that, he seemed to have lost his customary cool. A thin sheen of sweat coated his face, and he wore an unmoving grimace. “It has been a peach of a time, Team FTP. I was interrogated by some idiots all afternoon, and they kept me, yes, handcuffed to a chair for all of it. It wasn’t until Fritz called that I was let go. But you know how that makes me feel. Like a fucking douche bag.”
Fritz was their contact at the FBI, the one who consistently gave them the cases that couldn’t be cracked. He was their biggest and best source for leads, and the Boss considered him their main employer because of it. If Fritz became concerned about their abilities, it could seriously jeopardize all of their jobs. The Boss hated when Fritz was alerted. It always made him feel like a little kid being called into the principal’s office. And it was the one thing that made him fear the loss of all he had built.
“So?” Lisa Bee asked. “What happened?”
“I told Fritz everything we had up to now,” the Boss said, wiping the sweat from his brow. “He told me to keep on it. But he also told me that if we come up empty-handed . . .”
“We’re done?” asked Jackson.
“Righto. Now pour me a shot before the Bee drinks the whole damn bottle. And let’s see what we’ve got.”
“Okay,” Jackson said, getting down to business and connecting the two pieces. “Dog is in the bun, baby. Let’s get these fuckers.”
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SUSANNAH AND CHAS had made love on every balcony of the penthouse suite and were just settling down to dinner. They were in robes, courtesy of the Hotel George V, and were both sporting huge smiles on their faces. Susannah had never met anyone who could keep up with her in the bedroom. Neither had Chas.
They were sitting on the main balcony, the one that overlooked the Eiffel Tower. Chas had arranged a beautiful five-course meal a
nd they were currently on course number two, a delectable chilled vichyssoise, that followed a mouthwatering appetizer of oysters on the half shell. Susannah had been told that oysters were an aphrodisiac. Lord knew neither of them needed one. But the oysters were still delicious and were paired perfectly with a crisp champagne.
“Mmmm,” Susannah murmured, “this whole night has been so delicious.”
“Yes,” Chas agreed. “I just can’t seem to get enough.”
They paused for a minute, taking in the twinkling lights of the Paris skyline, the freshness of the air, and the sizzling sparkle between them. “You know,” Chas said, “I set this up so that we could have an intermission, so to speak, in the middle of the evening. Want to have a bit of a lie-down? We could take a nap, and finish eating later, if you like.”
“Sounds perfect,” she said. “I was hoping for at least a bit of pillow talk.”
“Well,” he said, “just wait till you see what I have planned for you tomorrow morning.”
Susannah forced a smile and got up to go to the bedroom. She was feeling really guilty now and was itching with anticipation. How did this thing work, anyway? Would he just keel over in the midst of course three? Was there any kind of warning? She smoothly slid her robe off on the balcony, letting it drop behind her as she walked. Then she found her way to the bed and slipped into the sumptuous sheets. Chas was right behind her and slipped in as well, wrapping her body in his as though it were the most natural thing in the world.