Where the Lies Hide

by Renee Roman

  Sarah leaned in and nipped the exposed flesh of Cam’s chest.

  Cam groaned. “Wait.”

  “Too fast?”

  “No, I want a turn.” Cam’s hot mouth move to her ear. “I really need to feel your skin, like now.”

  She swayed against Cam and would have told her yes if she’d been able to find the words. After taking a step back, she held her arms up, suggesting Cam make the next move. Cam’s eyes burned with desire and made her pulse soar. Sarah was in deep. It had been a very long time since she’d slept with anyone she was more than mildly attracted to. Sarah had a feeling Cam was going to rock her world, and she had every intention of returning the favor.

  Cam grasped the hem of her shirt and slowly lifted the silky material to below her breasts, revealing her heaving stomach. Cam went to one knee, loosely holding the folds in place, and skimmed her tongue along the outer edge of Sarah’s belly button before dipping inside. Her muscles tightened in response. She hoped Cam wouldn’t make her wait for more, but Cam seemed in no hurry, and she became enthralled by the gentleness, but it wasn’t long before it was replaced by frustration.

  “Enough.” She grasped Cam’s biceps and helped her stand. “Finish what you started.”

  “I’m pretty anxious myself.” Cam grinned, her eyes hooded in desire.

  Sarah poked her playfully. “What are you waiting for?”

  Cam pulled the material over Sarah’s arms, stopping at her hands, and wrapping it around her wrists in a move that surprised her with its suddenness, but she recovered quickly, and Cam backed Sarah across the short distance. “Is this what you want?” She lifted Sarah, placing her on the bed, and crawled up beside her.

  “Yes.”

  Cam held Sarah’s hands over her head and kissed the tender flesh below her ear. Nipped at her chin. Licked the hollow of her throat. Moisture pooled between her thighs. She was beyond turned on and fought the conflicting emotions of being both tender and rough, driven by her body’s longing to take Sarah over the edge. Cam no longer believed Sarah had spent time with her only for updates. Maybe there’d been some innuendo that should have clued her in, but she’d been off her game ever since they’d met.

  This…pleasing a woman…this she knew how to do, and she relied on her instincts to guide her. She lost herself in Sarah’s captivating eyes. The interplay between them brought out a level of excitement so intense it left her breathless. She stared at the stiff nipples poking through the smooth material of Sarah’s black silk bra. She traced the waistband of her matching panties with her fingertips, then moved to the covered slit at the center. The dampness beneath them was hot, and Cam wondered how long she could go on without removing the last barriers between them. Sarah appeared more than ready. So was she.

  “You’re so hot.” She let go of Sarah’s hands and straddled her, sitting high on her thighs. “So beautiful.” Cam slid her hands over Sarah’s hips and up to the edge of her bra, her thumbs tracing the underside of Sarah’s breasts. “I thought so the day we met.”

  A short laugh escaped. “I was rather…demanding.” She’d freed her hands and reached inside Cam’s shirt, running her hands over her hard nipples, eliciting a moan.

  “Mmm.”

  Sarah had thought Cam would be more comfortable if she were the one in control, but Cam brought out the tiger in her, and she wanted to make Cam want her as much as she wanted Cam. She sat up and pulled Cam closer until their lips met. Slow and seductive morphed into steamy in seconds. God, we aren’t even naked. The rapid beat of her heart matched the thrumming of her clit.

  “Can I see all of you?” Sarah bit her lip. She hadn’t known anyone who had been through what Cam had, and she wanted to tread lightly.

  “You don’t have to worry about me having a flashback.” Cam pecked at her lips, then moved off the bed and slid the pants from her hips, then the shirt from her shoulders.

  Her body reminded Sarah of a swimmer’s. Lean and long with muscles in all the right places. She stopped herself from reaching to touch the ridges along her abdomen, almost giggling at the random thought of Cam doing push-ups on top of the women she bedded.

  “More, please.”

  Cam slid the boi shorts down her firm looking thighs, displaying tight dark curls that had been neatly trimmed back from her glistening lips. Sarah’s resolve melted and she reached for her, sliding her fingers along the track of wetness. Cam’s head dropped back, and those same thighs trembled.

  “Sarah,” Cam whispered.

  “Come here.”

  Relief showed on Cam’s beautiful face as she climbed beside her. She brushed the back of her hand along Sarah’s panty line, then down the outside of her leg. She held her breath. The last time it had taken this long to get her clothes off for sex she’d been so drunk neither Sarah nor her lover could figure out the buttons and zippers. She and Cam weren’t drunk on alcohol, but she was definitely drunk with the craving to be satisfied. She pushed Cam onto her back.

  “You still have your bra on.”

  “So do you.” The corners of Cam’s mouth slowly formed into a sultry smile. “I could fix that.”

  Sarah leaned over, kissing her way over Cam’s chest to her jaw before pressing her mouth to Cam’s. She ran the tip of her tongue over her lips in a barely-there brush. When Cam’s mouth opened, she slipped inside, exploring, tasting.

  Cam’s world tumbled into a thousand-piece puzzle. So much had happened in the last few hours her head spun. One minute she was spilling her guts, and the next she was standing in her bedroom with Sarah. Her heart galloped like a runaway stallion—which is how she felt when Sarah’s voice commanded her and all she could do was obey.

  Sarah’s hot breath wafted over her nipple and it tightened painfully, but not in a bad way. “I’m going to come so fast when you touch me.”

  Christ. Cam hadn’t even managed to get her naked yet, but her body tingled from head to toe with the excitement of their “first time.” She’d been fantasizing about a moment like this for weeks. Her schoolgirl crush had turned into a full-time distraction, and if it weren’t for Sarah being her client…this wasn’t the time to think about that little detail…she would have already made a move. Sarah was playing seek and find in her mouth. She stifled a groan.

  “This has to go.” Cam slid a finger in her underwear, careful not to touch Sarah’s center.

  Sarah sat back and licked her swollen lips, smiling. She stood on the bed and hooked her thumbs in her panties, drawing them down before stepping out. She gathered the garment in her hand and tauntingly ran it along the inside of Cam’s thighs. They were soaked and left a trail of moisture on her skin. Sarah blew a hot breath over her exposed center. A moan tore from her throat.

  “Can you take your bra off now?” Sarah asked.

  And like that, it was gone. Thrown over the side of the bed. She trembled under Sarah’s heated stare. The color of her irises deepened to an azure sky.

  “You take my breath away.” Sarah removed her bra, guiding the straps slowly down her creamy shoulders.

  Cam became lost in the confidence Sarah showed in her eyes. The trust she saw in them gave her the courage to find her voice. To share her body, mind, and spirit with Sarah.

  “Lie on top of me, baby.”

  Sarah pressed her length against Cam, and she held Sarah close as she rolled them over. “You’re so wet.” Sarah’s blond curls were soaked with liquid essence. She nuzzled Sarah’s neck before turning her attention to the nearest breast, licking circles along the peak before filling her mouth. Sarah lightly raked her nails along Cam’s sides.

  “Please touch me.”

  Sarah’s breathy plea broke the spell of losing herself in all things Sarah and the growing ache in her lower belly. She shifted her weight and smoothed her hand down Sarah’s hip before moving to her heated center. She spread her folds, slid over Sarah’s swollen clit, then entered her. Sarah gasped in pleasure. Cam coated her fingers and pressed another inside. Sarah was hot and tig
ht. Cam loved how she filled her with strong strokes. Sarah wrapped her hand around the back of Cam’s neck and pulled her down in a demanding kiss. The inner muscles tightened around her fingers and Cam pressed deeper, shortening her strokes until Sarah stilled beneath her.

  “Come for me.”

  Sarah arched into her and cried out, her legs shaking with the intensity of her orgasm. It took all Cam’s concentration to not climax. She didn’t want to take the moment’s pleasure away from Sarah. It was for her and her alone.

  Sarah’s muscles stopped contracting and she gathered Cam to her. The dampness on her shoulder jolted her out of her blissful state.

  “Cam.” She rubbed her back. “What’s wrong?”

  Cam kept her face hidden as she shook her head, but she didn’t move.

  “Baby, please?” Sarah lifted Cam’s chin from her shoulder. Her eyes were red. Her cheeks were tear-stained.

  “I’m scared.”

  Sarah was confused. She didn’t think she’d implied she expected a commitment from Cam. She didn’t picture Cam as the commitment type when they’d met, and she could understand if she reverted to keeping emotionally distant.

  “You don’t have to be. I’m not asking you to make any promises…”

  “No. It’s not that. I’m afraid if he finds you, he’ll hurt you.”

  Sarah studied the worry wrinkling Cam’s forehead and the terror in her eyes. “Honey, I’m sure that’s how it seemed, but I don’t think you have to be concerned.”

  Cam abruptly sat up. “You didn’t see the look on his face, Sarah. I did. He looked like he wanted to kill. I know his type. And I think he’s convinced he’d get away with it because he’s a cop. He’s not the kind of guy you want to get close to.”

  She’d never seen Cam lose her cool before, and the idea that maybe she wasn’t exaggerating about Brace made her uneasy. Maybe she should listen to Cam and forget about Brace before she regretted it. No. That was crazy. Cam’s paranoia was rubbing off on her.

  “This isn’t quite the way I thought our evening would go.” She pulled the covers over her. The feeling of being exposed and vulnerable was new. It gave her a better understanding of why Cam kept her distance.

  Cam sat on the edge of the bed, naked and clearly frustrated. She grazed her hand along Sarah’s jaw and she couldn’t help leaning into the tender touch. Cam smiled. “That makes two of us.” Cam took her hands and pressed her lips to the palm of each, then held them. “I know you think I’m overreacting. Trust me, I’m not.”

  “I do trust you. I would have never asked to share your bed if I didn’t.” She looked at their joined hands. “I hired you because I don’t like the thought of not having any family. I couldn’t do it myself, and I still want…need…the information you’ve found so far. You of all people have to understand what it feels like to be without ties.” The moment the words left her mouth she regretted them. The last thing she wanted to do was hurt Cam’s feelings.

  Cam picked up her shirt and yanked it on, her back to Sarah. She rummaged on the floor until she found her pants. “You’re right. You hired me to do a job and I willingly took your money.” Her voice was devoid of emotion. She ran her hands through her hair and turned around. “Just give me a few days. If I find evidence that proves he’s a danger to people who get too close, I hope you’ll reconsider.”

  “And if you’re wrong?”

  Cam huffed out a sigh. “I’ll give you everything you need. You’re the client here.” She moved to the doorway and stopped, giving Sarah a lingering look that was sad. “Thank you for listening tonight.”

  * * *

  Sarah pulled into her driveway and touched her swollen lips, the taste of Cam still on them. Her eyes closed as she pictured the near perfect body that had hovered over her a short time ago. She hadn’t gotten to touch Cam the way she’d wanted to and regretted the lost opportunity. Maybe there would be another time. Cam’s fear of her brother hurting her had surprised Sarah, but not as much as Cam’s tears had. She’d been startled when she’d broken down in front of her, something she didn’t think many people ever got to see. That has to mean something.

  Sighing, Sarah dropped her keys in the dish on the stand in the hallway. Why did life have to be so complicated? Hadn’t she dealt with enough over the last few years to last a lifetime? Then she thought of the things Cam had told her about her childhood. The trials she’d been through were trivial compared to the horrors Cam had experienced. Tears blurred her vision. How could she be so self-centered? Yes, she’d sacrificed her social and personal life for her parents the last few years, but they hadn’t expected it and it had been her decision. Cam hadn’t had a choice. No wonder she’d been less than enthusiastic to take her case. It probably brought back memories she’d just as soon forget.

  At least now she knew why there was no early information on Camdyn Stark. She hadn’t existed until she was twenty. The woman named Liv had been instrumental in guiding Cam to a happy, meaningful future. But was Cam really happy? Or was it a facade she presented, like the first day Sarah had met her? Cam was complicated and far deeper than Sarah had given her credit for.

  She hung her head. What had she been thinking when she’d asked Cam to take her to bed? The answer was simple. She’d wanted to show Cam she was all the things she feared she wasn’t, but then she’d provided an emotional slap in the face with the crude comment about hiring her, and about her not having ties.

  “Great. Just fucking great.” Sarah shook her head. Left with the task of making sure Cam didn’t think she was disposable, she needed a game plan. A way to show Cam she was interested in more than sex. Not like her fosters or the women she’d tricked with in her youth. God. I hope Cam doesn’t think I’ve taken advantage of her because she was in a vulnerable state. That would be horrible. Could she have handled the situation any more awkwardly than she had?

  She couldn’t deny how good it had been to feel sexy and wanted. To see Cam’s blatant desire in her eyes. She’d gone without those emotions for so long she’d almost forgotten how powerful an aphrodisiac the chemistry between two people could be, and she and Cam definitely had chemistry. She’d be damned if she’d let guilt override the physical and emotional pleasure she’d enjoyed. All she had to do was convince Cam she hadn’t been opportunistic. That what they shared went beyond the physical. But she had no idea where they stood.

  Chapter Twenty-one

  Cam sipped her beer, not really tasting it. Her stomach had been in a knot since last week when Sarah had stood beside her and they’d tumbled into bed.

  “I need more. I need concrete proof.” She said it out loud, but didn’t really expect Jimmy Barnes to respond.

  Sarah wanted answers, and she’d prayed what she’d shared was enough to convince Sarah, but it hadn’t. She had no remorse about baring her soul, even if doing so kept Sarah safe for only a few more days. But her time was running out. She hadn’t been very successful in finding solid versus circumstantial proof. She’d used her usual means to get information. Database searches, social media, tracking down friends—which aside from fellow officers, she hadn’t been able to locate any, and that alone was odd. Why wasn’t a rich kid from the suburbs surrounded by friends, even if they were the kind who hung out with him only because of the money? She’d messaged a few of the people on Brace’s “friends” list, pretending to be doing a survey, but when she’d asked innocuous questions, their responses were similar. I don’t really know him. We’ve never actually hung out. His mood is unpredictable, so I keep my distance.

  Her street informants hadn’t been any better. The only one who admitted he knew of a cop who was “heavy into selling” hadn’t been willing to say more. All he said was, “That cop, he’s not right. Crazier than the homeless guy who barks whenever anyone gets close.” Cam knew the barker. He was harmless, but she had the distinct impression harmless wasn’t a characteristic that would ever describe Brace.

  She should have questioned more of his colleagues,
but she’d been leery of tipping Brace off that she was digging deeper. She also didn’t want to put Jimmy in a position any more awkward than he was already in. That didn’t stop her from pushing him for a face-to-face meeting. He’d balked, of course. She’d had to rely on charm and a little coercion to convince him otherwise. After all, a fellow officer who knew of a dirty one on the force and didn’t report it was just as guilty in her eyes, and she was sure the upper ranks of the department would agree. Jimmy must have felt guilty about that part, which was why he was sitting across from her.

  “I don’t know.” He swirled the bottle in his hand and then threw the contents back in one long swallow. “Not only could it be my job, but if Archer finds out he’ll go ballistic.”

  “So you’d rather keep turning a blind eye than get a bad seed off the force?” Cam would, at some point, file a formal complaint with the mayor. She rarely trusted internal chains of command, especially when the stakes were as high as this. Whatever she did, she’d make damn sure Sarah was safe from the long arm of the law—in this case, that meant Archer.

  “He’s not the only seed, you know. He’s recruited some of the less successful officers to join him, and I sure as hell don’t want him to have any reason to point a finger at me.”

  “I must be losing my touch. I would have sworn you weren’t that easily intimidated. Clearly, I was mistaken.” She stood and threw a twenty on the table.

  “Jesus, Stark. I didn’t say I wouldn’t.” Barnes gestured for her to sit back down.

  “Then give me something I can use against this bastard.”

  “If I bring you proof how deep Archer’s in, I need to know you won’t say where you got your information.” Barnes glanced around the dark bar. They’d driven forty minutes to the dingy dive to be sure no one would recognize them. At least the beer was cold.