“We are but our business hasn’t exactly taken off and not bein’ independently wealthy… I’ll be home before you know it.” He reaches over to tuck a lock of hair behind my ear.
Turning my head into his palm, I kiss it. “When do you go?”
“Next weekend.” He leans over to kiss me but the moment is ruined because Townsend’s on the move.
His front door slams as he exits and I point. “That’s him. Go.”
Suds starts up the car and we shadow our suspect at a distance until he descends into the subway.
“I’ll follow, you stay put.” Suds reaches for the door handle.
“No. Text me. I’ll meet you there.” I grab his arm holding my breath, expecting him to argue.
Instead, he meets my gaze and nods. “Copy that.”
The next forty minutes seems like forever as I slowly make my way north. Finally, Sebastian sends me an address.
I race up Eighth Avenue until the Google-lady announces, “You have arrived.
Pulling to the curb, I twist in my seat, and wait for an eternity.
Am I too late? Did the Manhattan killer strike? What if the geek spies me and decides I’m a target? I grab the gun from the glove compartment and nearly have a heart attack when a hand knocks on the passenger side window.
When the door handle rattles, I slide off the pistol’s safety, and point.
“Sam, it’s me, open up.” Suds’ face appears in the window and I lower my weapon.
“Oh my God. Don’t scare me like that.” Heaving out a sigh, I click the locks and he jumps in the passenger seat.
“Jeremy scored.” My partner points to where our suspect waits on the sidewalk.
The geek has an arm wrapped around a very young blonde. She’s wearing a short parka, tiny skirt and over-the-thigh boots. When a light blue Fiat pulls to the curb, they get in, and I follow at a distance.
“Townsend is real slick, too much so for my comfort.” Suds’ neck ticks which worries me more than anything he’s said.
“How so?”
“Well, I kept my distance and followed him into the pub. In less than five minutes, he was chatting up that girl and buying her a drink. For a while, he allowed one chair between them but eventually, moved in. I was afraid they’d leave before you got here.”
The small car drops them off in SoHo and as they rush to an apartment building, sweat rolls down my side.
“What if he’s planning on killing her? Maybe we should get out and break this up?”
“And say what? We got a bad feeling?” Suds shakes his head. “No. That would show our hand, and honestly? He hasn’t done anything wrong unless the girl is younger than she looks.”
The couple walks to the door and when she struggles to get the key in the lock, Townsend chuckles as he helps her out. They disappear and a moment later, yellow light glows on the third floor.
“I called my dad but he said there’s nothing he can do. Dammit.”
Suds takes both my hands in his. “It’s not his fault. A gut feeling is not evidence.”
“But what if Townsend murders the girl?”
I roll down the SUV’s window, straining to hear any sound of a struggle while Suds sighs. “Sugar, he’s just a geek with a girl. Did you research his cubemate?”
Distracting me with logic isn’t going to work this time. My prickly feeling knows what it knows and doesn’t let up.
“Sam?” Suds pokes me in the arm until I remember he asked me a question.
“Investigate. Right. The weird thing is, what Townsend told us in Vermont was true. He does have a coworker with a timesheet showing absences after each murder. You have to admit, it’s a little more than coincidental.”
Suddenly, the upstairs light goes off. “I’m going.”
While reaching for the door handle, Suds touches my hand. “We can’t. Give it a few minutes.”
Sixty excruciatingly long minutes tic by while I squirm in my seat, picturing Townsend slicing the girl’s throat.
Finally, the light upstairs returns and I clutch Suds’ hand. “Can you see anything?”
“That’s her.” He points out the shadow of a girl behind the shade and I whistle out the breath I was holding.
Shortly thereafter, a smug Jeremy Townsend exits the building, tucking in his shirt.
Leaning forward, I squint into the dark. “Do you see any blood on him?”
“Get down.” Suds and I sink low until Jeremy turns at the next block. “All I see is a guy who got lucky.”
“What if he strangled her?”
“Then he wouldn’t be the Manhattan Slasher and we can go home.”
“Not funny.” Jumping out of the car, I climb the blonde’s front steps and punch every buzzer until a sleepy woman answers.
“Yeah?”
“Were you just with a man called Townsend?”
“What’s it to you?”
“This is his wife. You stay away from him or I’ll rearrange your face.” Done, I hop down the stairs, across the icy sidewalk, and jump up into the running SUV.
Suds, now sitting behind the wheel, nods his approval. “Clever. At least she won’t go off with him again.”
“I hope not. I really don’t want to have to make good on my promise. Frankly, I’m out of practice. Let’s go home and get some sleep.”
Chapter 23
Suds
If anyone told me I’d be jealous of a nerdy geek, I would’ve laughed my ass off. However, Jeremy Townsend got laid tonight and I’m the one with blue balls. Not only that, I leave for London in a few days and I’m still not sure if Sam’s taking the job in DC.
We can make our business venture work. I just need to remind her how good we are together.
Without asking permission to stay the night, I circle the block. The third time around, a suited guy takes off and I maneuver back and forth until I’ve parallel parked into a spot inches larger than my vehicle. After turning off the engine, I run to her side, pull her out of the car, and into my arms.
A pale yellow jet stream reminds me dawn is about to break and I only have a few hours to make crazy love to her. Hell, I want her so bad, my stomach aches all the way to my groin. So, with my hand at her lower back, I walk her to the door.
“Shshs.” Giggling, she points to our boots and like a couple of guilty teenagers, we remove them in order to sneak past Joey’s door.
I follow the path she makes, avoiding certain steps until we reach her kitchen. From there, we pad across the living room and stop at the glowing green eyes. Chloe blinks, yawns, and goes back to sleep.
The coast clear, my hand lower on Sam’s behind and I silently close her bedroom door. Her soft hands slide into my hair, I consider throwing her onto the bed and sinking my cock into her tight pussy until she forgets everything and everyone but me.
Small fingers clasp behind my neck, she pulls my head to her mouth, and we crush lips. When she opens her mouth, I push in my tongue, and slide my hands down her form until I reach the globes of her butt cheeks.
Tugging her into my need, she grinds her pelvis, and my painful cock hardens more. “Damn girl.”
She steps on the top of my feet, I walk forward and she falls back onto the mattress. On hands and knees, I crawl up her body and slide her ass up the bed until her head hits the pillow. Then, I devour her in kisses while my palms explore every inch of her body.
Stopping at her breasts, I lower my mouth and nip at her cotton t-shirt.
She moans and I put a fingertip to her lips. “Shush.”
Our gazes connect and hell if I don’t lose my fucking mind. With those brown eyes black with passion and her legs spread, she’s a feast for this starving man.
I yank her shirt off so fast, seams rip. Then, I unclasp her white bra and toss it on the floor while her busy hands tug my pants to my thighs and one of her knee raises to my balls. Catching a toe in the waistband, my sweats slip to my feet where I kick them off.
“Damn, girl, slow down.” With my mout
h at her chest, I suck until she moans and pulls my hair.
Only then, do I release her and blow on the lovely point, and circle the pink flesh with my tongue. For the briefest of moments, I stop to admire my work and Sam uses my hesitation to her advantage. She grabs the hem of my shirt, pulls it over my head, and rubs her chest against mine.
With the erotic feel of her hardened nipples against my skin, my balls tighten. I glide up her body, find her mouth, and frantic little kisses send more blood south.
I scamper back while pulling down her jeans, but leaving the black lacy panties. Butt on my heels, I grab her calves, throw her legs over my shoulders, and lift her ass off the mattress. Grabbing the tiny piece of fabric with my teeth, I rub it across her clit while her head tosses and turns on the pillow.
“Shit, Seb… Suds.” Her breath hitches when I place the pad of my fingertip on her swollen nub.
It does again when my tongue slides over her want, the bud blossoming even more.
Sweating and panting, I bring her higher but don’t let her come, not yet. I want her crazy with desire. I want her to know that nothing else fucking matters but this.
Her whole clit swells, I clasp the center between my teeth, and apply pressure.
“Ah, ah, ah…” With a sexy sigh, her whole body shakes as she orgasms.
I place myself at her opening and plunge into her pulses. Our pelvises pound, the headboard bangs, and we drive each other to the brink of madness. Unable to hold back, my inner springs coil, and I release into this fucking incredible bliss.
She clutches me and screams as her second high follows in the wake of mine.
After, we both sleep and I have no idea what time it is when her alarm bleeps. Then, staring into gorgeous, brown orbs, studded with gold flecks, my cock wakes raring to go. We need to fuck.
“How about tonight, we give sleuthing a break?” I slide my fingertips between her breasts, up her neck, and stop at her lips. I want this forever.
Smiling, Sam yawns and cups my cheek.
“No way. I think we’re onto something.” Her eyes burn too brightly for me to say no but then, this foolishness has to stop.
“One more night and that’s it.”
“Perfect.” Jumping out of bed, she grabs her computer, powers it on and places it on my lap.
I stare at the spreadsheet of dates and times. “What’s this?”
“The Slasher is due to strike either today or tomorrow. His kills line up with the phase of the moon.”
“The serial killer is on a menstrual cycle?”
She scrolls down and points to a column with today’s date. “Yeah, weird. Right?”
Disturbing is more what comes to my mind. “We can only do one more night. After, I need to catch a plane to London.”
“For how long?” Sitting on the edge of the bed, her face turns down.
I scooch my ass up, put my arms around her, and whisper in her ear. “Only two weeks, sunshine. This has been fun but I need to go back to real work.”
She swivels with her brows raised to the ceiling as her mouth drops open. “Excuse me?”
I’m not all that fond of her tone. “C’mon now. You don’t actually believe this Townsend is the serial killer?”
“Yeah, Suds, I do. I told you. I got this feeling it’s him.” She snaps her computer shut, barely missing my cock.
I stand, and hell, maybe I raise my voice as well, but only because she did. “I thought you made that up to spend time with me.”
“I did… I mean I do want to be with you but it’s not why I asked to suss this guy out… Is that what you really thought?” Her voice goes up an octave, the way it does when I’ve fucked up royally.
Narrowing her gaze, she tugs on her clothes with a whole lot of attitude. “Know what? You don’t have to come with me tonight. You don’t have to come, ever. Really. I’m good. If anything happens, I’ll call nine-one-one.”
“Oh hell no. You don’t get to stakeout on your own.” I pull up my sweats and find my shirt.
“I don’t think you take me seriously.”
At this point, anything I say is going to dig me a deeper grave but my mouth doesn’t get the memo to shut the fuck up. “How can I, when you keep doin’ stupid shit?”
Looking at myself in the mirror, I don’t recognize the idiot who blurted those words out loud. Mount Vesuvius is about to explode and I got no place to run.
She sticks her finger in my chest. “Stupid? Is that what you think?”
“No, no, baby. It came out wrong. I didn’t mean nothing by it.” I rub the back of my neck. This is what comes from staying up every night. Maybe I’m the one not cut out for detective work.
I could easily go back to being a bodyguard, she could do research for the FBI, and we could still get married. I don’t want our jobs to ruin the good thing between us.
“C’mon now. Don’t be mad. We’ll go follow this geek one more night. But then, you have to promise to stay put. The real killer is out there and I don’t want him finding you all alone in your car in the middle of the night.”
She purses her lips and glares. “Really? The real killer? I had no idea you were such a sexist.”
“No way. I love sex.”
“That’s not what I mean and you know it.”
“Let’s fuck, sugar. Tonight, I promise, we can go out and do some sleuthing.” I try to kiss her but she turns her head and steps back with her arms crossed.
“Uh-uh. First, we need to talk.”
Oh shit. No scarier four words were ever uttered to a man in love.
Chapter 24
Sam
“Tough guy…” I reach up to touch his rough cheeks.
He’s so handsome and so forlorn, I almost forget what I was going to say but then it comes to me. “If we’re going to be partners, you need to stop being so bossy.”
He sits on the bed and holds me captive at the waist. “I’m not, darlin’, I’m protective. See here. Bein’ bossy is a man tellin’ a woman what she can and cannot do. He might tie her to a bedpost, spank her behind, and hold her captive. Now, while role play may be fun, it’s not us. And sweetheart, if anyone’s overbearing, it’s you.”
“Hey-” My valid objection is stopped by his hand over my mouth.
“Who refused to go to Vegas when I wanted to get hitched? Who said no when I wanted to buy you an engagement ring? Hell, did I say anything? No, I did not because I care for you and respect your wishes. But when I say one little comment about keeping you safe, you get up my ass about it.”
His eyes narrow, sparks flying. “Now, as much as I like bantering, I love fucking you a lot more. I suggest you get your pretty little behind back on this bed and we discuss this amicably.”
I haven’t forgiven him, not by a longshot. I was employed by the FBI, for heaven’s sake. I’m not some kid right out of high school. Still, he’s an alpha and needs to think he’s in charge. I can work with that.
Shaking my head, I point out the digits on my clock radio. “I need to get going. I’ll be late for the salon.”
He grins, pushes me onto the bed and pulls off the pants I just donned. “Well darlin’, the way I reckon, we got a whole fifteen minutes.”
He lays beside me, tugs me close, and our mouths collide. Hands on either side of my head, he holds me in place and thrusts his tongue in and out. Then, finding the hem of my shirt, he pulls it over my head, unclasps my bra and frees my breasts.
Pinching and kneading, he brings up the temperature in the room and as I squirm, his hand slides between my thighs.
“You are so damn fuckable. What the hell am I to do?” He gets naked below the waist, grabs his cock, and slides the smooth tip over my nub.
“Now.” Craving more, I arch but he holds my hips, keeping me on the mattress.
Teasing me, he enters an inch, exits, and returns. “Sometimes, sugar, the man needs to be in control.”
Each time he presses in, he sinks a little deeper and by the time we’re core to core,
I’m bucking like some kind of sex deprived nymphomaniac. With my legs spread wide and my heels digging into the mattress, I slam my pelvis up as he crashes down.
Groaning, he ups his pace, and I meet him. Not missing a beat, he reaches between us, and rubs my swollen desire. Then, with his thick cock buried deep inside me, I burst apart and shudder.
He dives in so far, I scream as he shouts and comes.
Returning to planet earth, he kisses me and rolls me on top. “Darlin’? You’re the best damn thing that ever happened to me. Don’t you forget it, y’hear?”
“I won’t.” Legs still wobbly, I look at the time and moan.
Mia and Rose aren’t up yet, although I’m sure they’re awake. Still, it’s nice they let me shower first. When I come back to my bedroom for my clothes, Suds is fast asleep. It’s easy to imagine him as a young boy, and smile. Maybe, someday we’ll have a son and he’ll have dark hair, beautiful eyes, and melt some woman’s heart just like his daddy.
At breakfast, I’m all smiles while my cousins scowl, roll their eyes and click their tongues. No matter what face they make, they can’t bring me down. My bodyguard didn’t mess around and I don’t have to prove it to anyone… except maybe Uncle Vinny and my dad.
I make a mental note to text him as Chloe purrs and wraps around my legs. She’s letting me know it’s time for breakfast so I reach down to pat her head.
What the hell? The small gray toy in her mouth moves and I squeak at the same moment it does. “Ah shit! The fucking cat has a mouse.”
Screaming, Mia jumps to squat on her chair while Rose drops her cereal. The plastic bowl bounces and hot oatmeal flies everywhere.
“Get it!” My older cousin must have me confused with some superhero.
“Hell no. I’m not touching it. God knows where it’s been.” I back away toward the staircase with my arms raised and when the mouse squeaks again, all three of us follow suit.
“Eww. It’s still alive.” Mia bats at it with her spoon.
“What da fuck is going on up there?” Behind me, Joey rushes up the stairs while Suds, wrapped in a sheet, exits my bedroom with gun in hand.
Suds and Sam For Hire Page 9