“Mm, and I have something I would love to talk to you about, but here isn’t the place for my conversation.” She couldn’t help but run her tongue lightly over the curve of his thumb just to hear him whimpered. She knew she was being wicked, but she didn’t much care.
“Elizabeth, behave yourself, at least for a little while longer, we haven’t even gotten our food yet.” She smiled at him, then slowly sat up straight. “Good, now, what I wanted to talk to you about is your apartment.” She sighed a little, she had been hoping to avoid work tonight.
Chapter 37
Matt could see the disappointment wash over her face. She looked so beautiful tonight, it crushed his heart to see that look. He knew what she was thinking, so he tried to put her mind at ease. “It’s not about the case, not exactly, I was just wondering what you planned to do about it? I mean, I can’t imagine you will want to stay there any longer. Besides which, as your lover,” His mouth curled over the word with such rich pleasure, he shivered slightly, “I will have to insist that you don’t. What do you want to do?” He was trying to stay calm, but he wanted so desperately to just blurt it out. He watched her face as she thought for a moment about his question, burying the fear swirling in his belly.
“Honestly I don’t know. You’re right, I can’t stay there anymore, but the idea of looking for a new apartment scares me. I don’t know if I will ever feel safe again.” Her voice trailed off in sadness. He watched as she took a sip of wine, hoping she would be open to what he was about to say, because if she wasn’t, he might just be lost.
“Do you feel safe with me? In my place?” She seemed a little caught off guard by the question. Smiling sweetly, she touched his hand, setting his nerves on edge and his heart racing.
“Matt, the only place I feel safe anymore is with you.” Now was his moment. His pulse was pounding in his ears and his palms were sweating. Clearing the tightness in his throat, he stared at her, but the clear emerald of her eyes and the plump curve of her lips, found the lump returning.
“Then maybe, you don’t need another apartment. Maybe…you could…I mean, would you move in with me?” The lump grew as her face went blank for a moment and he felt his heart beginning to slip into his stomach. He was falling, lost to hopelessness, until he saw the smile spread suddenly across her face. As it flourished, full and bright, he moved from hopeless to ecstatic. She didn’t need to answer for him to know. He nearly leapt from his chair in excitement. He reached for her, snagging her hands and dragging her closer to him than the public setting should have afforded.
She bent into him, drawing her lips just shy of his, so that they brushed over each other with each breath. “Are you sure this is what you want, Matt? I mean we have only known each other a couple of weeks.” Her question seemed ridiculous to him. If he had the nerve just yet, he would have asked her to marry him, living together felt like such a small thing compared to what he really wanted. He nodded, brushing his lips across hers gently, desire burning him up waiting for her answer. “In that case, yes, Matt. Of course, my answer is yes.” He could barely breath as she kissed him. In that moment he was done, ready to rush from the restaurant, back to their apartment and celebrate, several times over. As if she knew what he was thinking, she broke their kiss slowly, but he didn’t want to let her go. His grip on her tightened, pulling her coaxingly back against him. “I intend to eat dinner here Matthew, now you behave. We’ll go home soon enough.” He whined a little against her cheek, nuzzling her until the sound of the waiter returning forced him to release her.
The air around them buzzed with electricity, but they did their best to reign in their desire. As they sat eating and talking, his left hand found its way to her thigh, and lingered there, possessively. Their conversation hovered around the necessities of Elizabeth’s move, the rest of her things from the old apartment, a desk for her next to his, a makeover for the living room to make it as comfortable as his bedroom, and what needed to be done to ensure that Bucky could stay, like a pet deposit. Matt was simply too happy to breath as she made suggestions for wall colors and leather tones. He couldn’t care less what she did to their apartment, so long as it stayed theirs. When the waiter returned yet again to clear away the plates, it was Elizabeth who ordered coffee and dessert. She smiled at him wantonly, urging the hand on her thigh a bit higher and he had to look away to hide the heat that it brought to his face. She wanted the fairy tale date and he was hell bent to give it to her, but he was dying inside to hold her. Feeling the call of nature, and desperately needing to adjust himself, yet again, he made his excuse and reluctantly got up from the table, heading for the restrooms.
Elizabeth watched Matt disappear through the crowd of tables, several curious faces following his journey and then turning to her, knowing smiles and shy grins hovering across them. She was simply too blissfully content to care what they thought of her. As she sat waiting for Matt to return, she saw someone stand on the far side of the restaurant that she did not expect to see, and it turned her blood cold. There, rising to leave, along with several very important people, was Captain Moreano.
She felt exposed, like a raw nerve, cringing with the vile anticipation of being plucked. Matt had told her about the little talk, and his lie, in front of the elevator and she had agreed that Moreano would not understand their relationship. Now, trapped in the far corner, she wanted nothing more than to be invisible, to shrink under the table until he was gone. As if he could hear her thoughts, Moreano and his dinner companions turned in her direction from their table to leave. Before she could manage to hide her face, the Captain looked over, his eyes finding and locking onto her with unshaken tightness. Elizabeth’s mind raced with the thought of the lies she would need to tell in order to get out of this situation without revealing the truth, not just yet. She only prayed, as she watched the large man maneuver his way to her through the tables, that Matt would see him before he was noticed and stay out of sight.
“Detective Cord, Elizabeth, what are you doing here?” She could feel his eyes moving over her as she sat across the table. “You look lovely, by the way.” The compliment felt wrong, bitter in her ears. His words were cold and cruel, and everything about his posture put her on edge.
Trying as hard as she could to stay light and friendly, though she didn’t feel that way at all, she replied, “Captain! Thank you. I’m just out with a friend. I thought perhaps a night out would help relieve the stress of the past few days.” She was trying to put as much truth into her response as she could manage without out right lying, or telling him the sweet truth about Matt. For a moment it looked as if he might just nod and leave, but he didn’t. Instead, he spoke again.
“Yes, finding out someone has been watching you sleep can make you rather desperate for comfort. I know it would leave me devastated.” Again, the strange cruelty in his voice surfaced and she fought the scowl that sprang up in her heart. She wanted him to leave, to bid her goodnight, and the sooner the better. He was about to speak again when the waiter returned with their dessert and coffee. He did not even acknowledge Moreano as he set the plates and cups down on the table with impeccable precision. Moreano, obviously put out by the waiter’s snub, turned as if he was going to leave, nodding to Elizabeth, and running head long into Matthew.
Elizabeth’s heart ached for him as his skin went pale, all his color transferring to help deepen the red of rage growing on the Captain’s face. Matt looked to her and then back to Moreano, trying to find words for the situation, as if they were two teens found by their parents after curfew. “Captain, what a surprise. We didn’t expect to see you here. I was just having dinner with Elizabeth, to help ease her mind about what’s happened to her.” She smiled at him, nodding slightly to hint that his story lined up with hers, but it didn’t seem to matter.
“Is that so? Or, more likely, I have found my lead detective taking advantage of the wounded senses, and naive notions, of my protege and lying to me about it.” His eyes were flames and she could swear he wa
s shaking with the restraint necessary to avoid striking out at Matthew. His voice was gravel and razor blades and several decibels louder than the ambient volume of the room. Everyone turned now, not just the few closest tables, openly staring at the scene on the verge of violence unfolding in front of the romantic corner table. As if Moreano realized just how public this confrontation was, he turned and stormed away, leaving Elizabeth and Matt flabbergasted in his wake.
Elizabeth suddenly realized the confrontation had left her shaking with fear. Moreano had shown so much rage that she was afraid of him, terrified, actually. Matt slid into his seat next to her and held her, whispering comfort into her hair. She needed his words, but his warmth did far more for her. She could feel his heart racing, just as hers was. After a few minutes she calmed enough to suggest that they finish their desserts and head home. Before she finished her slice of pie, her heart had settled and aside from apprehension about what tomorrow might bring, she was happy again. When Matt slid his hand back onto her thigh and asked huskily in her ear if she was ready to go home, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him, her answer understood.
Chapter 38
Elizabeth sighed lightly into the warm strength of Matt’s bare chest. She wasn’t sure what time it was, but she was sure from the deep darkness that surrounded them that it was still well in the wee hours of the morning. Her hand rubbed lazily over his chest hair. Even with her eyes closed, she could see the strong lines and taunt muscles of his flesh under her fingers. Blinking slowly, she allowed her eyes to adjust to the dark of his, no, their bedroom. The memory of his request made her blush and smile, turning her face into the wonderfully rich smelling slab of his flesh. She pressed her lips to his warmth and kissed his chest, purring, satisfied and content to her core. The firm arm wrapped about her shoulders pulled taunt and she felt the tendons in his shoulder stretch and bunch as his head curved over her, pressing his lips into her hair.
“Hey,” her voice was raspy and thick. Their fevered activities only a few short hours earlier had left her blissfully sore, but she still felt the wonderfully urgent flutter in her abdomen at the thought of him pulling her closer. He rumbled in his chest as his arms curled even tighter, shifting her body closer to his core. She lifted her thigh, allowing it to run over his, caressing his manhood lightly with the soft flesh just above her knee. His groan made her apex ache gently with the need of him. Last night he had carried her into their room and taken his time. Making love to her so slowly and passionately that she feared that she would lose her mind. Only after he shattered her for the third time did his stamina give way, and she had cried out with him when he filled her. They had fallen into a languid tangle, panting and exhausted, kissing and caressing each other. She had teased him, tickling his sides and coaxing him to play with her. His laugh, his smile, had become essential for her, and the act had aroused her need once more. When he took her again, he was playful and teasing, laughing and joking as he pleased her beyond measure.
Curling her onto her side, he had curved his body around her back, pulling her so close to him that she could feel his breath on her cheek. They laid, spooning, for nearly an hour discussing their plans for the future. As he spoke lazily against her hair, his warm thoughts mingled with the heat of his body and strength of his thighs to stir her again. Only this time her thoughts had run deep and dark. Her need for him had grown fierce, listening to his tender declarations of love. She pressed her hips against him and was gratified to feel the length of his manhood grow rigid. When he rocked against her in return, she thrust her hips aggressively and he had growled against her throat. His hand had squeezed her breast tightly and he rasped a most wicked question against her ear. The sheer thrill of it had brought an answer to her lips and he had taken her fiercely and fast, in the sinful way she so desperately wanted, flipping her over and plowing into her until they shattered together.
His hand rubbed over her neck, sending ripples through her. She stretched against him, long and lanky, searching for his mouth. She closed her eyes as she pressed her lips against his…but something was wrong. His mouth was wrong, rough. Fabric pressed against her. Fear wrenched her heart as she pulled back sharply. The body beside her wasn’t his, not anymore. The lean, firm muscles of his torso had been replaced with the burly, pale and hair covered flesh of a massive older man. Terror turned her stomach and she forced her eyes higher, dread causing her to shake desperately. Swallowing hard, she pinched her eyes tight and lifted her face to his. She took a deep, tremulous breath as she forced her eyes open. A scream choked in her throat as the shiny, black-masked face of the killer stood across from her own in the darkness. She wanted to flee, but he held her, pulling her closer. She couldn’t escape his grasp as he hauled her ever nearer. His smell, old cigars and dried blood, filled the room in hot waves, causing bile to rise up her throat as the blank, black mask drew to within inches of her terror filled face. She wanted to scream, wanted to strike him, but her body, her voice failed her. When only a hair’s breadth separated them, his dark, fierce, violent voice echoed in her ears.
“There you are my little Belle doll. I’ve been looking for you everywhere.” She flung her arms and found her voice. Screaming frantically, she began to kick and thrash against him. His arms bracketed her, pinning her to the bed as his body pressed down on her. NO!!!
Matt tried desperately to hold her still as she writhed and screamed next to him. She was still trapped in sleep, unable to free herself from what was obviously a terrible nightmare. He braced her to prevent her from hurting herself, or him, as he called her name. Not sure what else to do, he pulled her close to him and whispered love into her ears, caressing her hair and neck with his lips. Slowly she began to calm in his arms. A cold sweat broke out over her flesh and she started to shake violently. All he could do was hold her, kiss her cheek and wait for her to wake. He knew that the murderer had a hold on her, had scared her beyond measure, but she had never mentioned nightmares. He wanted to make it go away. Sooth her fears. Fix her past.
“Matt…” Her voice was weak and strained against his chest.
“Liz, are you okay? You were having a nightmare.” He kissed her temples as she wrapped her arms tightly around his waist, burrowing her face into his dusting of dark chest hair.
“Matt, it was terrible. I dreamed I woke up in your arms and you were holding me tight. I moved to kiss you and it wasn’t you anymore, it was him. His body next to me. His arms around me. His face covered in that mask, dragging me closer. I couldn’t get away, couldn’t scream. It was horrible.” His heart ached for her. He sighed deeply as he cradled her head in his fingers, massaging her temples, attempting to wipe the memories away. After a few seconds she moaned lightly and the tension in her body eased.
“Is that better?”He whispered in her ear. Her purring nuzzle answered him as her body began to move against his. In spite of her terrifying dream, she curled her lithe body around him and he caved to her need, indulging in his own overpowering desire. Rolling over to bracket her beneath him, he stopped to meet her eyes. “Mara, darling, are you sure…”She pulled his mouth to hers before he could finish his question. He kissed her fiercely, deeply, as he slid inside her waiting folds. She had become home, the only place he wanted to be, the only place he belonged. He tried to be gentle, thinking of her nightmare and her fear, but it was impossible when she pressed against him as she did, forcing him deeper that he thought possible. She was insatiable and it thrilled him to imagine a lifetime of feeling that craving, devious little body milking him the way she always did.
Chapter 39
Elizabeth stood before the coffee maker in the kitchen, allowing the scoop of grinds to pour slowly into the filter. The light of morning was filling the living room, but she was in no hurry. It was their day off and she planned to enjoy every minute of it. Late in the night Matt had spoken of retrieving the last of her belongings from her apartment and maybe going by a few furniture stores to look at more comfortable couches. She revel
ed in the thought of their innocent, domestic plans, something she had never once imagined she would do. As she stood, clad only in his button down shirt from last night, listening to the coffee machine bubble and sputter, she heard the soft plod of his feet behind her. Seconds before he wrapped his impressive bare arms around her she had closed her eyes in anticipation, breathing in deep to catch the wonderful earthy scent of his flesh on the air between them.
“Good morning, Mara darling.” His sultry, deep voice curled against her neck and sent a ripple of pleasure through her. He was so close to her, pressed firmly against her that he couldn’t have missed it. “Mm-hm. Do I affect you that much?” She could feel that wicked, teasing smile in her hair.
“Do I have to answer such a ridiculous question? Or can I simply enjoy the moment?” She could tease him too, lest he forget. She swayed her hips lightly against his thighs and laughed softly as his breath hitched a little. No matter how many times he came to her, she still wanted more. “When do you want to get started?”
“Right now…” He gave a wicked little laugh as his hands slid under the loosely buttoned shirt and found her breasts, his tongue snaking out to flick at her neck.
Sighing, she leaned her head back into the touch and laughed lightly again. “Not that, the shopping and stuff we talked about last night, you animal.” But even as she chided his single minded seeking, she bent into his touch, causing it to deepen even further into passion. For a few moments she stood, pinned between the counter and his firm body, reveling in the feel of his seeking hands and questing mouth, perfectly content to be ravished right here in the kitchen, before Bucky’s small fervent bark snapped them back to reality. The small dog was running circles around their legs, desperately trying to gain their attention. His food bowl was empty and he was absolutely incapable of patience.
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