SIX DAYS

by Williams, Mary J.

  “Light of my life,” Mazak beamed as he handed Dee a pen. “Sign on the dotted line, and we’re done.”

  “I owe you one.”

  Ignoring her outstretched hand, Ron pulled her in for a hug.

  “Can’t say who owes who. Stopped keeping track a long time ago.”

  Dee retrieved her gun from the front desk, exited the building, and almost ran smack-dab into Destry Benedict. Dressed for the weather in a leather bomber jacket, she’d tucked her long, dark hair under a bright yellow knit cap. Her cheeks and the end of her nose were a rosy pink, the exact color of her smiling lips.

  “You’re free.”

  “What made you think I wasn’t?” Dee asked as they moved out of the way so two uniformed officers could pass.

  “Linc phoned in an S.O.S.,” Destry explained. “He tried, but he couldn’t keep an edge of panic from his voice.”

  Destry wasn’t prone to hyperbole. Still…

  “Panic? Really?”

  “Worried might be a better description,” Destry said with a shrug. “Figured you could hold your own, but what the heck. I didn’t have anything better to do.”

  “Gee, thanks.” The Benedict sisters were each one of a kind. But Destry and her deadpan sense of humor held a special place in Dee’s heart.

  “Want to fill me in?”

  “Another time.” Dee looked at her watch. “I want to make a quick stop at my place before I head over to Linc’s.”

  “I’ll go with you.”

  “A bit out of your way.”

  “As I said, my day is wide open. Does your trip to cop central have to do with the Amelia Moore emails?”

  Dee nodded. She should have known Destry’s sisters would have filled her in. She was glad. Meant she didn’t need to waste time rehashing the basic details.

  Looking around, she expected to find a hired car and driver.

  “How’d you get here?”

  Knowing Dee’s preferred mode of transportation, Destry grinned.

  “Subway. How else?”

  Heads together, the two women, so different, yet so alike, crossed the street, talking as they walked, and disappeared down the subway entrance steps.

  ~~~~

  DEE WAS BUZZED into Linc’s building without delay. Unlike her first visit, she wasn’t required to show proof of identification, or wait while the concierge allowed her to pass, or had security unceremoniously toss her out into the snowy New York City dusk.

  The woman behind the desk gave Dee a bright, welcoming smile.

  “Go right up, Ms. Wakefield.”

  “Thank you.”

  Dee was all for a classless society. But now and then, sitting at the top with the rest of the cream felt good.

  Alone on the ride up, Dee felt the anticipation build. Linc waited for her—only her.

  Earlier, they faced Amelia Moore together. Separately, they did their parts to clean up the mess. On the subway ride to her place, Dee touched base with Linc to let him know her police report was filed. He revealed his lawyer expedited the restraining order with impressive skill.

  Tomorrow, they would deal with whatever, if any, obstacles Amelia might throw at them. Tonight, all they had to think about was each other.

  The doors opened. With two long strides, Linc wrapped his arms around her waist, lifting her off her feet.

  “About time,” he sighed as he buried his face in her neck.

  Dee closed her eyes and ran her fingers through Linc’s hair. He smelled fresh and clean and wonderfully warm to the touch, and the soft tresses clung to her skin like slightly damp silk.

  “You feel good.”

  ‘You— You have on a dress.” Linc’s hand swept from her knee up her thigh. “Stockings? I’m in heaven.”

  A deep humming sound of approval vibrated through his chest. Dee laughed, then moaned as he delved beneath the scrap of underwear she wore more for effect than coverage.

  As much as she liked where Linc was headed, he was a little out in front. She needed a moment to catch up.

  “Mind if I take my coat off before we go any further?”

  Linc nuzzled her neck, his lips curving into a smile.

  “Sounds like a plan.”

  He set her down in the living room, but he wasn’t about to let her go. Holding the collar of her jacket, his thumb caressed her jaw as he slowly lowered the zipper.

  “First you’re in a hurry, now, I could time you with a sundial.”

  Briefly, he lifted his gaze from his task, humor dancing with desire in his mesmerizing blue eyes. Finally, he tossed the jacket onto a chair.

  “Not slow, thorough.”

  Dee nipped at his wandering thumb.

  “I could help.”

  “No. Ohhh, no. Undressing you is my pleasure.” He started on the convenient row of buttons lining the front of her dress. “Besides, if I let you go, you might disappear.”

  Half-standing, half-sitting, half-melting, Dee leaned on the arm of the sofa in deference to her not-quite-steady legs.

  “I’m not a witch.”

  Linc placed a kiss on her cheek, then the tip of her chin, and finally, a quick brush of her lips.

  “Could swear you put a spell on me.”

  Caught up in the moment, Linc’s words didn’t sound silly. Still, Dee didn’t want them to get lost in fantasy. Reality, the here and now, was so much better.

  “Physical attraction, not magic.”

  “Maybe they’re the same thing.”

  Folding back the edges of the dress, Linc’s brows rose when he found a tattoo of a black and white spotted predatory cat above her right breast. Almost reverently, he traced the shape of the head.

  “Why white instead of gold?”

  “At the time, I felt the snow leopard was a kindred spirit.”

  “Because they’re beautiful?” Linc pressed a kiss to her skin.

  Because they’re endangered. Dee almost let the confession slip past her lips. But she didn’t want to talk about the past. She was ready to make new memories, now, with Linc. More than ready.

  Dee grabbed a handful of soft cotton and ripped Linc’s t-shirt over his head.

  “Ready to shift into a higher gear?” Linc chuckled.

  “Unless you aren’t up to the challenge.”

  Silly question. Though loose-fitting, his linen pants rode low on his hips and left little doubt of just how ready he was.

  “Careful,” Linc warned when Dee tugged at the string holding the pants in place. “All you’ll find under there is me.”

  “Commando?”

  Linc nodded. He cupped Dee’s chin, raising her head until her gaze met his. Sparks of heated desire seemed to dance in the blue of his eyes, desire for her.

  “Think you’re up to the challenge,” he taunted.

  Dee nodded, licked her lips, and pulled the string. With a little help, the material slid past his hips, landing in a pool at his bare feet. She let out an appreciative whistle. Linc wasn’t a big boy, he was a full-grown man.

  “Mother Nature was very good to you.”

  “Technique matters more than size.”

  With a straight face, he slipped the dress from Dee’s shoulders.

  “How is your technique?” she asked, clearing her throat as he expertly flipped the front catch on her bra.

  “Not to brag—”

  “Go on,” Dee urged. “You know you want to.”

  Dee wished she could go back and bite her tongue. In her experience, men didn’t like her brand of sexual banter. They wanted sweet, or dirty, she gave them acid. One partner went so far as to call her words an erection killer.

  To her relief, to her joy, Linc’s grin told what she already suspected. He was not like any man she’d ever known.

  “I’ve been told…” Linc brushed his lips over hers. “My technique is…” The next kiss was longer as his tongue entreated her to let him in. Dee was happy to comply. “Bigger a
nd better than the rest of me.”

  “Oh, my.”

  “Brace yourself.”

  Now? Dee blinked. Really? She still had her boots on.

  Two steps ahead of her, Linc lowered himself to one knee. One boot hit the floor, then the other. The rest of her clothing quickly followed. He gave her a gentle push and Dee fell, bouncing slightly as her back hit the sofa cushions.

  “Beautiful.”

  Linc waited a beat, his eyes caressing her body before his hands took over. His breath washed over the tender skin of her neck, her chest, the slope of her breast. Dee’s fingers clutched his arms, her nails leaving small, crescent-shaped marks. Linc didn’t complain, he retaliated. He took the tip of her breast between his teeth. The sting shot through her body in a bolt of sexually charged energy.

  “You like when I take a taste?”

  Dee nodded. How could she describe something she’d never felt before? How could she tell Linc his touch, his kisses, everything about him, brought her more pleasure than she dreamed possible?

  She quickly discovered words didn’t matter. Linc was a man of action.

  Rolling to his side, he took Dee with him until she was sandwiched between him and the sofa back. She ran her foot over his leg, the hair on his calf tickling the bottom of her foot.

  They kissed, passionate heat mixing with a languid sweetness. They could hurry, but why rush when slow felt so good, so right?

  “What else do you like,” Linc asked. Twining their fingers together, he raised the back of her hand to his lips. “Tell me. Anything. Just ask.”

  Dee’s mind went blank. What could she say when everything with Linc felt like the first time? Suddenly, she had her answer.

  “You. I want you.”

  “Oh, Dee.” Linc rested his forehead against hers. “Didn’t you know? The second I saw you, I was yours for the taking.”

  Winding her arms around his neck, Dee pressed her body to his. Hard against soft, smooth against rough.

  “Then what are you waiting for?”

  “Only you.”

  Linc reached over her shoulder, returning with a foil packet. After he sheathed his length, Dee gave him a long, thank you kiss, and they were ready.

  Hooking her leg over his hip, he watched closely, gauging Dee’s reaction. Inch by inch, he gave her body time to adjust. He could have rushed, could have caused her pain.

  Instead, Dee felt nothing but pleasure as her need for him escalated. She tried to urge Linc on, show him she was ready for more. Yet, even as his jaw clenched, the strain showing in his eyes, he was relentlessly gentle. Her heart soared when she realized how determined he was to put her pleasure above his own.

  “Do that again.”

  Dee was willing—if she could figure out what he meant.

  “Do what again?”

  Linc’s hips thrust forward. Dee, without thinking, clenched her inner muscles.

  “That,” he panted. “Feels so good.”

  What do you know? Dee grinned as a happy little tingle raced across her heart. Hidden until now, she had the ability to make a man’s eyes roll back in his head. And not just any man. Linc James, certified sex god.

  “I see the smug little smirk on your face.”

  “No idea what you mean.”

  With a growl, Linc shifted, trapping her body under his. Except Dee didn’t feel trapped, she felt gloriously free.

  “Time to get serious,” he told her between heated kisses. “Ready?”

  “I’m with you,” Dee whispered. “All the way.”

  The ride was fast and wild. Dee held onto Linc as he took her higher and higher. Her breathing became labored as the air around them crackled and thinned. She’d entered new territory, bright and exciting. Scary. Yet, she wasn’t worried. She knew she wasn’t alone.

  Linc shouted her name, sending her over the top. A million lights popped and shattered, showering down around her, leaving her all at once drained and energized. She could move, but why? She was happy right where she was.

  “No,” she sighed when Linc tried to leave.

  “I’m not going anywhere.” Linc kissed her forehead. “Not without you.”

  True to his word, when Linc stood, he took Dee with him, held close, tight in his arms. Dee wasn’t sure how she felt, letting someone else do the walking for her.

  Since she couldn’t summon enough genuine outrage to resist, Dee decided, eyes closed, her head on his shoulder, not to complain. Just this once.

  “Where are we going?”

  “For a long soak in a hot bath.”

  “Takes too long to fill a tub.” Dee snuggled closer. “A shower will do.”

  “I set the timer before you arrived.”

  A computerized bathtub? Impressive.

  Dee noticed a change in Linc’s gait. Stairs? Crap. How could she forget? Linc’s apartment had more than one floor.

  “Boris will kill me if you throw out your back.”

  “Boris can suck my— Scratch that,” Linc chuckled. “I’d rather you took on the job. Later. If you’re so inclined.”

  “Depends. You plan to return the favor?”

  “With relish.”

  Saddled with the extra weight, Linc climbed the staircase with impressive ease, not a wheeze or grunt to be heard. Dee didn’t bother to open her eyes as they entered the bedroom, but the bathroom, their final destination, interested her. What she saw made her mouth drop open.

  “Holy crap,” she gasped. “My whole apartment would fit in here—twice.

  “A bit of an exaggeration,” Linc chided as he lowered her into the churning whirlpool made for a party of four.

  “Wait.” Grasping Linc around the neck, Dee pulled her legs to her chest. “I don’t want to turn your water purple.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “Relax.” Dee tugged on her hair. “The color washes out.”

  “Thank God,” Linc snorted, settling them both into the tub. “A little dye won’t hurt anything. Want some champagne?”

  The mini-fridge was attached to the bathtub, proof, if Dee had any doubts, the rich really were different.

  “Bubbles upon bubbles?” Dee shook her head. “Besides, aren’t you in training?”

  “I’ve been known to break training.”

  “Bull,” she scoffed.

  “Now and then.” Linc’s smile turned predatory. “For instance, you are not on my nutritionist’s menu.”

  Linc took her by the waist and sat on the edge of the tub. Slowly, he parted her legs as his hands ran along the insides of her thigh. The first swipe of his tongue was a bullseye. Dee’s head fell back with a gasp. For balance, and because she wanted to, she grasped his head, sliding her fingers through his hair.

  “I could be bad for you. Maybe you should check, just in case.”

  Blue eyes sparkling, Linc shook his head.

  “I’m good so much of the time. I deserve a treat.” He tasted her again. “Watch me, Dee. Watch me be bad.”

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  ~~~~

  DEE KNEW THE statistics. The ones that claimed a woman didn’t reach her sexual peak until her early forties. Since her love life had never been anything special, she saw no reason to believe the hype.

  Sex in her twenties was humdrum. She saw a small uptick in her early thirties, only to experience an abrupt and almost fatal flatline. After a while, Dee eased back in, but, as she turned the calendar from her third decade to her fourth, nothing special occurred to give her hope.

  Then again, Dee hadn’t met Lincoln James. Once in her life, every woman should be so lucky. The man was an absolute game changer.

  The idea she could spend a whole night in bed with a man for any reason was hard to fathom. For amazing, otherworldly sex? Impossible. Yet, here she was, naked and sated—for now—as the clock inched toward quarter after eight.

  Dee hadn’t planned to stay. After multiple orgasms—five, to be exact—she tried to
go home. All she needed to change her mind was one of Linc’s very persuasive kisses. The addition of his talented hands had her falling back onto the bed, into his waiting arms.

  “From today forward, I refuse to sleep on anything but cream-colored sheets.”

  Eyes closed, Dee made a happy humming. She arched her neck, giving Linc and his lips a clear path.

  “What’s wrong with blue sheets? Or green. Perhaps a nice floral pattern?” she asked, rolling from her side, onto her back.

  “Your skin is like cream.” Linc took a taste, just below her ear. “My bed, the sheet, is like a canvas. You and the images covering your body, each chosen by you, become a piece of art.”

  “Sold to the highest bidder,” she teased.

  “Priceless.” Linc trailed his fingers down her arm, pausing on one tattoo, then another. “Which was the first?”

  Dee swallowed. If she answered, Linc was bound to ask another question, then another. After a special night, she didn’t want to cloud the day with shadows from the past. She might confide in him if the moment ever felt right. But not today.

  So, to preserve their morning-after bubble, Dee lied.

  “Here.” She pointed to the interlinking shamrocks circling her lift bicep.

  “Are you Irish?”

  “On my paternal grandmother’s side.” Absolutely the truth.

  “And on your mother’s side?”

  Before Dee could answer, three sharp knocks interrupted her.

  “Breakfast.”

  “What kind of restaurant delivers to your bedroom?” Dee chuckled as she watched an unabashedly naked Linc saunter toward the door.

  “Don’t need delivery. I have Alton.”

  Dee dove under the covers. How could she forget Linc’s butler/assistant? She burrowed toward the side of the bed.

  “Wait!” She lifted the top sheet enough to peek out. “Did you forget something?”

  Brow raised, Linc placed his hands on his hips.

  “For instance?”

  “All your bits and pieces are hanging out.”

  “Alton doesn’t mind.”

  Linc slipped into the linen pants he’d casually dumped on the floor the night before. They hung loosely at his waist, but covered enough for modesty’s sake, not that he seemed to care.