by ANDREA SMITH
I started to say something; it was if he could read my reaction before I had a chance to know how I would react.
His mouth covered mine, silencing me for the moment. No, this was not going to work, Slate. I refused to melt to his kiss as his lips were on mine, working them with his expertise; his tongue invaded my mouth, exploring and tantalizing me, slowly and methodically wearing my resolve down to nothing.
I laced my arms around his neck, pulling him in closer to me, meeting his kisses with no reservation now, wanting him now more than ever. His kiss grew rougher; I felt his teeth tug at my bottom lip as he broke the moment. He pulled back, placing his hands on my shoulders so that he could study my face.
“So Samantha was everything you ever told me a lie?”
His eyes were boring into mine with something akin to anger and irritation; neither of which I understood.
“I could ask you the same thing, Eric.”
He rose to a sitting position, pulling me up with him. He switched on the small lamp on my nightstand so that he could look at me in the light.
“I know why I wasn’t upfront with you; what is your excuse, Mrs. Dennison?”
“Why don’t you go first, Slate? You still have me in the dark, clearly that is to your advantage at the moment, but you are on my turf now and I need some answers.”
He gazed at me with an intensity that gave me chills; I sensed he wanted to provide me with the answers I needed, but there was reluctance to do so.
“I’m not a biker,” he said, with a slow smile.
“That much I figured out on my own, Slate. What is your involvement with my daughter? Were you trying to get back at me for something?”
He immediately pulled me against him; he was pissed.
“I didn’t even fucking know that she was your daughter. The Intel I was provided said she was the daughter of Jack and Samantha Dennison. Besides that, what reason would I have for wanting revenge?”
“Then you must be working with the authorities,” I said, trying to put the scant information he had already provided into some semblance of order. “Are you like an undercover cop or something?”
“Something like that,” he replied softly, brushing my hair back from my face. “I swear that in no way would I do anything to hurt Lindsey. In fact, I won’t be working at Banion any longer; my participation in this investigation will be changing soon. I told Lindsey this evening when she walked me out that I was returning early to West Lafayette to take a late summer class.”
“Then you must be investigating whatever it is that Jack is involved with; you must think it involves Banion Pharmaceuticals; but how are the Outlaws tied into all of this?”
“Babe - I can’t tell you anything that could compromise this investigation. I just need to ask you right here and right now as to whether you are involved in any way. If you tell me now, I can probably offer you some protection from prosecution. You have to be upfront with me; this is a one-time get out of jail free pass, babe. It’s now or never.”
Now it was my turn to be pissed. How could he possibly think that I would participate in whatever it was Jack was doing?
“Slate,” I said, “I am the one that took the financial records to a forensic accountant as soon as I knew something was wrong. I even talked to an investigator named Donovan and gave him access to everything. Jack has kept me in the dark most of our marriage, but I don’t think whatever he is involved in has been going on for more than a year - two years tops. I guess if ignorance makes me an active participant in whatever his crimes turn out to be, then I’m guilty.”
“No babe; ignorance in these circumstances, makes you innocent. I just had to ask. I thought maybe the reason you broke things off with me was because I had blown my cover,” he said chuckling, “Now I guess I have to face the cold truth that you simply broke things off.”
“I didn’t Slate; Jack sent the text message. He was waiting for me when I got home from your place that last day we were . . . together.”
“Are you saying that he came home unexpectedly?”
I nodded.
“Did he hurt you?”
“No, nothing like that,” I lied. “He had someone keeping an eye on me; his administrative assistant at Banion. Her name is Susanne Reynard. She saw me dancing at Sharkey’s; took a video for him. He threatened to show the video to my parents - and to Lindsey. He found my phone in the night stand. Somehow though he was under the impression that I was involved with Slash,” I said. “I didn’t tell him any different.”
I saw a look of recognition cross his face when I told him that; he graced me with a half-smile.
“What?”
“Garnet said there was a chick in the club asking questions about you named Susanne. She is the one that threw Slash’s name out there.”
At the mention of Garnet’s name, I immediately froze up. I recalled the day seeing Garnet on the staircase leading from his apartment; then him following her down the steps and pulling her around to face him. He had hugged her against him; it had been a very intimate scene.
Slate noticed the change in my demeanor.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing is wrong, Slate. It just seems to me that it didn’t take you long to find a new ‘fuck buddy,’ did it?”
“What the hell are you talking about, Diamond?”
He hadn’t called me that for a long time.
“I’m talking about seeing her leave your apartment one day a couple of months ago; of seeing you go after her and pull her close to you in a hug. That is what I am talking about. I was parked across the street.”
He looked at me and saw that I was pissed; I was hurt by the thought that he had so easily replaced me.
“It’s not what you think, babe. She is nothing to me; she provided some inside information now and then, but that’s over now, too.”
“What do you mean ‘too’? So you were fucking her, right?”
I twisted away from him, scooting across the bed so that my back was to him.
“Hey,” he said, circling around the bed and coming to stand in front of me. He pulled me up so that I was now standing within inches of him. “Garnet was nothing to me; she was an informant without knowing who I was; I played the part, Diamond. That is part of the job.”
“Was I part of the job too, Slate?”
“Actually no; you are what they call an ‘impediment’ to the job. You distracted me, Diamond. I fucked up a bit. I put myself at risk, along with the investigation momentarily. I don’t usually do that; in fact, it was a first. Now I’m tired of talking about it. That’s not why I am here.”
“Why are you here?”
“What do you think?”
“I think you are freaking crazy if you think I’m going to fuck you not knowing who you’ve been with since me. Forget it.”
“I haven’t been with anyone since you, baby. I wouldn’t put you at risk that way; I wouldn’t put my baby at risk that way either.”
“I see,” I said, pushing away from him. “How are you so certain that this is your baby?”
I saw the spark ignite in his incredibly blue eyes; he cocked an eyebrow as he moved towards me with the grace and litheness of a panther. His arms pulled me into him; his fingers lifted my chin so that I was now focused on his beautiful, perfect face.
“Because baby, Jack Dennison’s medical records show that he had a vasectomy in 1999. I know damn well you haven’t been with anyone since me. That’s not your style.”
“Hah,” I laughed, “You thought I was trailer trash, Slate. How is it you are suddenly an expert on my style?”
“Fine,” he said with a shrug, “Tell me I’m wrong about it then.”
I stared at him with his cocky look going on; his slight slouch with his thumbs hooked in his jean pockets; his lean, muscular body right there in front of me. I ached for him but he had not convinced me what his involvement had been with Garnet.
“You’re not wrong about it; the baby is yours. But I am s
till waiting for an answer as to what went on between you and Garnet.”
He rolled his eyes and looked away from me for a moment. That meant there was something. He raised his hand to his forehead, his thumb rubbing against an eyebrow.
“I never fucked Garnet. I haven’t fucked anyone since you. Garnet sucked me off a few times; that was the extent of it.”
“Oh my God,” I hissed, turning from him. His arm reached out and gently hauled me back around.
“Does it make it less repulsive to know that I always thought about you when she did?”
I didn’t have a chance to respond because Slate’s lips came down on mine, kissing me with a passion that I had missed these last couple of months.
I couldn’t resist him; I didn’t want to resist him. I laced my arms back around his neck, pulling his face down even closer to me. He lifted me up and placed me gently on my bed.
He pulled his shirt up over his head and unfastened his jeans, pushing them down and stepping out of them. Somehow his boots were off and he was totally naked in seconds.
He straddled me, tugging my shorts down past my hips, maneuvering them off. He leaned down and helped me pull my camisole top off. His lips found mine again as he thoroughly kissed and explored my mouth with his tongue.
His hands fondled my breasts gently, bringing my nipples to erection. He lowered his face southward, kissing my neck, my shoulders and then finding his way to my breasts. He ravaged them with his mouth and tongue, his fingers massaged them roughly, his teeth capturing my nipples; inflicting just a hint of pain that turned to pleasure once he began suckling them.
His hand had moved to my baby bump; he was so gentle, lingering there to allow his fingers to trace the roundness. His mouth moved there; he tenderly kissed my stomach, his tongue rolling across it sending shivers up my spine.
“When is our baby due, Diamond?”
“December 7th,” I whispered huskily.
“And do we know yet whether we are having a son or a daughter?” he continued, as his mouth was now sliding down to my very wet sex.
“A boy,” I said, my voice now bordering a whimper as I waited for his tongue to arrive.
“Umm, excellent,” he whispered against me as his tongue rolled around my clitoris. I was squirming in pleasure, whimpering in delight.
“You need to keep quiet when you come, baby. Can you do that?” he asked, continuing to administer exquisite pleasure to me down there.
“I’ll try,” I replied, now reaching the moaning phase of my response to him.
I felt his smile against the lips of my vagina; his fingers were inside of me, pressing all of the sensitive spots he knew so well.
“We can’t wake Lindsey or the rat bastard, baby. You are going to have to be quiet when you come. I know how difficult that is for you. You like to scream things out; dirty things when you climax.”
I felt myself getting close, but he wasn’t inside of me yet and I know that’s how we would reach our peak together.
“I know, baby. I know what you need,” he whispered hoarsely, “But I need to know that you will be a good girl and not scream. Do you promise?”
“I promise,” I said gritting my teeth, arching my back. I heard him laugh quietly as he moved his face back to mine. His mouth was on mine; I could taste the salty sweetness of myself on his lips.
He drew himself up onto his knees, straddling me. I could see his impressive erection. The thought of Garnet sucking on it came to my mind. It was as if Slate could freaking read my mind.
“Stop it,” he said, “You need to quit thinking about what Garnet did to my cock. It was a release for me, baby. It had nothing to do with you. Do you understand?”
I nodded, my body aching for the fullness of him. I watched as he put his hand around his shaft and hovered over me, ready to guide his member into me.
“So we won’t have any further discussions on the matter? You understand that I did what I had to do, right?”
I nodded again, tracing my lips with my tongue. He was watching me with his smoldering eyes; challenging me to make an issue of it knowing full well he would withhold pleasuring me if I did not agree.
“Yes, Slate.”
“That’s my girl,” he whispered, guiding his cock into me with one quick thrust.
I moaned and his lips captured mine to silence me. My legs wrapped tightly around his hips; my toes dug into his firm, muscular ass. I kissed him fervently; my tongue exploring his mouth, whimpering softly against him. His thrusts were deep; his penetration fulfilled my need for him. We rocked back and forth together, totally entwined within each other. He rotated his hips in a circular motion, making sure he hit my special spot that brought even louder whimpers from me.
“Quiet baby,” he breathed into my ear, his warm breath sending shivers through me once again. His thrusts increased in rhythm; I could feel beads of perspiration on his smooth back; he was totally into this every bit as much as me. I felt the silver cross on the chain he wore around his neck brush back and forth against my breasts as his momentum picked up.
“Come on, baby,” he urged, his voice thick with lust, “Let’s do this together.”
That was all he needed to say. My climax unraveled around me as I met him thrust for thrust, trying my best not to cry out. His mouth once again covered mine to silence me; he was having difficulty keeping silent as well. I heard several low moans escape from him as he pumped his seed into me. I contracted around him which drove him to groaning deeply as he finished emptying himself into me.
We lay intertwined together for several minutes afterwards. He lightly traced my damp skin with his long, lean fingers. He planted soft kisses all over my face and neck, whispering how sweet and perfect I felt to him.
All too soon he raised himself up and out of me leaving the bed.
“Where are you going?” I whispered loudly to him. He was gathering his clothing from the floor, getting dressed.
“I’ve got to go, babe. I shouldn’t even be here.”
“But we still have to talk,” I continued, “I need to know more about what is going on with Jack.”
“Donovan is your contact for that,” he replied, pulling his boots on. “Remember Diamond, I wasn’t here. This didn’t happen.”
“Okay, okay,” I whispered back, rolling my eyes at him. “Can you at least tell me when ‘this’ is not going to happen again?”
He came over and sat down next to me on the bed. I got a dimpled smile from him on that one. He pulled me to him; I was still naked.
He tilted my face up and kissed my lips softly several times.
“I don’t know; keep your door unlocked each night though. I’ll visit when I can; got it?”
I nodded; a feeling of sadness was creeping back in.
“Hey,” he said softly, “Take care of my son, Diamond.”
With that, he disappeared quietly into the darkness of the July night. I might have thought it had been an extremely lovely sex dream if I hadn’t spotted the nice, big hickey he had left on my right boob.
Damn! At least it wouldn’t be noticeable to anyone else.
CHAPTER 39
I didn’t see Slate for several days, even though I had left the doors leading from my room to the terrace unlocked each night. I fretted about how he was; I had no clue as to what part he was playing in this investigation. I was betting Donovan was his boss. I knew there was no way I could mention Slate to Donovan. He had been extremely adamant that whatever contact we had was to remain just between us. There was no way in hell I would put Slate in danger from the Outlaws or his boss. Still, I missed him constantly.
Lindsey had been moping around a bit the days that followed our July 4th cookout; I asked her if anything was wrong. She shrugged it off as simple boredom at her job with Banion.
“How’s Eric?” I asked, cautiously.
“Who?”
“Lindsey,” I said, shaking my head and feeling totally like a shit, “Did you two have a disagreement or som
ething?”
“Nothing like that Mom; he went back to Purdue. He said he was taking a late summer course; I think he was simply bored with Banion Pharmaceuticals or maybe just bored with me.”
My heart went out to her; such a beautiful and talented girl she was. She would naturally think it had something to do with her; for whatever reason, Lindsey needed a ‘wake-up’ call for her own self-esteem. What the hell? She was just like me in that respect. I could blame Jack for that but the truth was, Jack only did what I ‘allowed’ him to do. Guess it was time to blame ‘Mom’. I certainly didn’t want Lindsey blaming me. I needed to give her the best advice that I could.
“Lindsey,” I said in my admonishing tone, “You need to give yourself some credit. If Eric said he needed to go back to school for a summer course, then why would you doubt his honesty? Besides, you yourself said it was a friendship.”
“I know you’re right, Mom. It isn’t really about Eric at all. It’s more about the fact that I can’t seem to maintain a relationship with guys - at all. Is there something wrong with me?”
“No, not at all sweetheart; you’re only nineteen honey - not even officially nineteen yet; what’s your hurry?”
She looked at me with a hang dog look, so unlike Lindsey.
“I know that I am in no hurry to marry, but it’s just sort of like when I am ready, I’d like to know that a good and decent man will be interested. So far, even my high school and freshman college relationships have been a failure. Mom, can I tell you something and you won’t judge me?”
(Oh God! Was I prepared to hear this? Was she going to tell me she had let some jock screw her because she felt she owed it to him? Worse yet, was she going to tell me that Lance had gotten her ‘in trouble’ and she had taken care of it?)
“Of course sweetheart; I’m your mother, you can tell me anything. I love you unconditionally.”
“I’m still a . . . virgin!” she choked, tears filling her eyes as if it was a confession of shame.
(Oh, thank God my sweet baby girl!)
“Oh honey,” I said, giving her a hug. “There is absolutely nothing wrong with that. It simply means that you have used good judgment and are saving yourself for the right man.”