Cut to the Chase (6 page)

Flustered and embarrassed, she was absolutely stunning.

Leave…now. Just reach out, turn the doorknob to her front door and walk away.

“I look forward to hearing from you, then. Do you have my cell number, Mia?” he asked.

“Um…no. I don't think we exchanged numbers.” Again, she appeared nervous, biting that pouty lip of hers.

He withdrew his phone from his pocket, careful not to brush by his cock. The slightest touch would awaken it and no doubt activate the launch sequence. After she gave him her digits, he called her phone so she would have his.

“Well, I'll leave you to your work. Good night, Mia.” Henry came trotting up to him, wagging vigorously. “Good night to you too, boy.” Paul gave Henry a pat on the head and then left Mia's home, a home he had not swept thoroughly. That thought left him unsettled. But what disturbed him more, what left him confused and wondering what the hell was wrong with him, was his unrelenting need to keep Mia safe.

E
rin couldn't imagine Heaven offering her anything better than this. She and Chase had spent over forty-eight hours in bed, leaving only to eat and shower. She nestled into him, wondering when the other shoe was going to drop. And it was most definitely going to fall; it always did.

“Tell me what you're thinking?” Chase asked from behind. He had been spooning her since their latest round of lovemaking.

“How did you know that I…that I was…”

“Your body went from relaxed to rigid in less than a second. What's on your mind, love?” he asked.

Erin loved how he could make her melt with just a single word. Who was she fooling? She loved everything about him, every side of him. He could be demanding and confident one moment and sweet and loving the next. And he was hers…despite everything. He still wanted her in his bed, in his life, even after learning her secrets.

“I'm scared for us,” she said. She wasn't going to lie. He was learning to read her well.

He gathered her snugly into his arms. “I won't let him hurt you again, never again. This will all be over soon.”

Erin had avoided asking the question that seemed to hover like some ominous cloud when she, Paul and Chase were together in the same room. It was time to dig her head out of the sand and just ask. “After Mia identifies the attacker, well, what then? Will we go to the police?”

Chase rolled her onto her back and she stared up at him…which was a mistake. With his mussed hair and sleepy, sexy blue eyes, Chase had the ability to distract her, even at a time like this. But she fought through her hormones and asked, “What's next?”

He brushed a golden lock of hair away from her face and then caressed her cheek with his fingers. “There will be no police. There's too much at stake. Paul, Andrew and I have decided to handle this in our own way.”

“How, Chase? I would rather leave, hide away forever, than you three risk your freedom, your lives, trying to protect me.”

His fingers stopped stroking her face. “I know you would. You were going to leave me that night if I hadn't come, weren't you?”

Erin nodded and looked away. “I wouldn't survive it…if anything happened to you. I thought if I left, well, he would come looking for me, leaving you here, safe in New York City. But I was foolish for thinking it could be that easy. You're already enmeshed in his plan. And I have no doubt that he'll follow through with his threat.” She couldn't hold back the tears any longer. “Look what happened to Gabrielle,” she whispered. “Maybe it was suicide, but what if it wasn't? What if he had gotten to her?”

“You need to trust me, trust that I will take care of you, Erin.”

Erin thought about her life without Chase in it. How empty it would be. “It's not a matter of trust. It's a matter of keeping you safe and ensuring that you are not implicated if the bastard suddenly disappears or turns up dead.” Erin wrapped her arms around his neck and drew him close. “Promise me that you won't put yourself in danger or do anything that would risk your freedom.”

“You amaze me, Erin. At any time you could have asked me to take care of this situation, to put an end to it all. Instead, your concern is focused on my well-being and involvement. You are truly the most selfless person I have ever met.”

Erin shook her head. Chase noticed the fresh tears that started to spill over and quickly wiped them away. “No, I'm not selfless. I need you to stay safe and out of jail so you can be with me…always. I can't think of a more selfish and more self-serving motive than that.”

Chase smiled. “What you describe is love, not selfishness,” he said.

“Love me, now, Chase,” she said, brushing her lips against his.

He groaned against her mouth. Erin felt his shaft grow rock solid against the inside of her thigh. She responded swiftly, not giving him the chance to take control. Chase was a generous lover, always concerned that her needs were met well before his own. He needed to become accustomed to the fact that his pleasure was also hers.

Erin scurried out from beneath him and pushed him onto his back. She wrapped her fingers around the base of his cock, lowered her head, and sucked him in deep. Out of the corner of her eye she watched as Chase gripped the bed sheets. The thought that she could make him lose himself, that she could elicit such a carnal response, only made her want to pleasure him more. She quickened the pace, licking the velvet underside as she ascended and descended.

“Erin, just like that. God, you take it so good!” he moaned, placing his hand at the back of her head. Erin loved when his fingers twisted in her hair as he pounded into her mouth with his cock. In this position she could submit, without losing control. Though if she was really honest with herself, she loved being submissive with him. Considering her past, she never thought she would ever let or want to let a man to dominate her in bed. But Chase was different. He had the ability to take her any way he wanted without making her feel helpless.

“Come in my mouth, I want to taste you,” she said, coming up for air.

“Ah…yes, baby,” he yelled, releasing the sheets and grabbing her head with both hands. With three slow thrusts of his hips, he found his climax.

Erin looked up, expecting to see a heavy-lidded and very satisfied man staring back at her, but all she saw was pure lust. He scooped her up and carried her to the bathroom, where he drew a bubble bath.

Chase stepped into the steamy water and then lowered her into the tub, positioning her so her back was pressed against his chest. Erin leaned her head back and sighed, enjoying the relaxing lavender scent and the gentle rhythmic jets against her skin. She would have been content to remain as they were, her body encased by his, but then she felt his hands gravitate from her belly to the inside of her thighs. He kneaded her flesh, massaging the soft skin, until she felt like she was going to erupt. He hadn't even touched her clit, and she was on the verge of a powerful orgasm. She felt his lips trail softly from the nape of her neck to her left shoulder, which temporarily distracted her. The sudden brush of his thumb against her throbbing clit made her jolt with pleasure and she shamelessly let out a moan requesting more.

“I love how your body responds to me,” he whispered, between kisses.

Erin lifted her body to increase the friction between his thumb and her taut nub. He chuckled mischievously. “Do you want more, Erin?”

“Y-yes,” she stammered.

Erin felt his palm against her core and she shuddered. “I want you to come into my hand, to feel your release with just the touch of my fingers.”

She didn't respond. She couldn't, actually. He was stroking her clit with one hand and cupping her breast with the other. He pinched her nipple at the same moment he entered her with two fingers. Erin gasped. She reached out and grasped the sides of the tub with both hands and watched as Chase ravaged her nipple. Erin wished she could see his fingers slide in and out of her, slick with her juices. Chase's fingers released her nipple and then dove beneath the suds. Seconds later, her back arched against him, as she took in the sensation of fingers sliding in and out of her in an intoxicating rhythm while his other hand circled her clit and caressed her folds.

“Are you going to come for me, baby? Like this?” he asked, his fingers grinding into her with expert precision.

“Oh…oh yes…Chase…yes!” she screamed, releasing into the palm of his hand.

Erin crashed back into him and it was then she discovered that he was ready for her…again. She slid to the other end of the tub and knelt. She looked over her shoulder and said, “I want you to fuck me right here, like this.” She bent over, grabbed both sides of the tub and offered herself to him. Erin heard a splash from behind before she felt two hands grab her around the waist. He lunged into her with one smooth motion and she cried out. Erin knew he enjoyed taking her from behind. His cock burrowed deep into her core this way and he was never ashamed to let her know just how good it felt…and more importantly, how much he loved her.

Chase had intentionally toned down his language when he and Erin were making love. After learning about Erin's past, Chase thought it was wise to not appear so aggressive or demanding in the bedroom. But the moment that word slipped past Erin's luscious lips, he couldn't help but let the animal inside take over and claim her from behind.

Early on in their relationship she had showed him she could be gentle one minute and rough the next. And right now, she was giving him the green light to take her hard and fast. He entered her swiftly and felt her hot channel clamp down on his cock. He fought back the urge to spill in her right then and there and continued his quest to take her in the most primal way possible. Chase shifted his hands from her waist to her ass and squeezed her cheeks as he gained momentum. White-knuckled from holding on to the sides of the tub, Erin screamed his name and begged for him to come with her.

“You want it hard, baby?” he asked.

She was panting and gloriously flushed. But she still managed to answer him. “Yes…give it to me!” Erin could be demanding and straight-up ravenous when she was in the throes of ecstasy.

God, he loved her. The fact that Erin could submit to him, ask him to dominate her, told him that they had reached yet another level in their relationship. It was proof that she trusted him completely. She had gifted him with her heart, body and soul…and he would cherish them until the end of time.

M
ia felt guilty calling out sick from work, but in her current condition, she decided she would be utterly useless in the classroom. The combination of hours studying the evidence and her vivid dreams of Paul had left her completely exhausted. The doorbell rang, jarring her from her thoughts.

Mia grabbed her pistol from the desk drawer and tucked it into her jeans. Henry trotted alongside her, wagging jovially. Mia peered out the front bay window and noticed that her visitor, who appeared barely out of his teens and was standing awkwardly on her stoop, was preparing himself to ring the bell for a second time. She quickly read the logo on his shirt and scanned the packages he was carrying. The logo on the grease-stained bag he was holding was familiar, as was the picture of the dog on the second bag. Though she relaxed somewhat, she kept her hand behind her back, firmly on her weapon.

Mia opened the screen door. “Miss Ryan?” he asked, his voice cracking. This kid was just a baby. She removed her hand from her gun and greeted the young man properly.

“I have a delivery for you, Miss Ryan,” he said, nervously.

“Oh, who are they from?” Mia asked.

“I'm not sure. There's a card attached to this bag, here. The one with the dog on it. I didn't read the card; I would be fired,” he said quickly. “And I don't want to be fired on my first day on the job.”

That explained the jitters. Poor kid. Mia took the packages and set them on the moon table next to her purse. She withdrew a ten-dollar bill and handed it to the delivery boy. He blushed and thanked her several times, before running off and getting into a smart car. Mia couldn't believe he was old enough to drive.

Mia locked the door behind her and carried the packages into the kitchen. She set them on the counter and then removed the card, which was taped to the bag with the words
The Doggie Den
. She and Henry knew the place well. They were frequent flyers, stopping off at the chic little bakery for dogs just around the corner at least three times a week. Henry was addicted to the peanut butter truffles and gingersnap-shaped bones. She read the card and smiled:

Mia peered into the doggie bag and was astonished over his choices. Henry's truffles and ginger bone cookies were mixed in with treats she was confident her puppy would not have a problem taste testing. She reached into the bag and pulled out a truffle and a treat that resembled a mini carrot cake. “Henry, look what Paul sent you.” Henry sat at her feet and raised a paw before she even asked. “Take it nice,” she said. Henry had a tendency to be over zealous and snatch food from her hand in a rather abrupt fashion. “Nice,” she said, lowering the treat to his level. Whimpering with excitement, he controlled himself long enough to take the treat gently between his front teeth. “Good boy, Henry!” she exclaimed. He scurried into the kitchen to savor his snack in private. Mia took out a sandwich from the white Monty's bag and instantly felt her mouth water. She consumed the pulled-pork sandwich and the extra side of dipping sauce in less than ten minutes, not feeling even slightly guilty for ingesting so many calories in such a short period of time.

With her belly full and feeling rejuvenated to get back to work, Mia knew she first needed to tell Paul thank-you. Text or phone call? Mia weighed her options and decided that texting would be better. If she heard his voice, Mia feared she would never be able to give Erin's case the full attention it deserved.

She found Paul's number in her contacts and sent him a text:
“Henry and I are most grateful for our treats. It was very thoughtful and just what I needed. And…no need to apologize again. Clean slate, remember?”

Paul's text came seconds later:
“Glad you two enjoyed them. And yes…I remembered. Just couldn't pass up the opportunity. Sleep well, Mia.”

Mia stared down at his text and was stunned by his choice of words. Paul had either found a way to invade her dreams at night or he was just incredibly lucky. She had hoped it was the latter. Because if he knew what her dreams consisted of the past two nights, she would be mortified beyond belief.

She had awakened from the most erotic dreams, ones which left her wet and wanting. In each dream, Paul started by holding her hand, like he had in her foyer. But in her dreams, no dogs barked, no ants interrupted or put a halt to what she wanted. In her dreams, he told her how beautiful she was, how he desired her, how he wanted to pleasure her until she begged. And then he would kiss her, slipping his tongue into her mouth and moaning with anticipation. In one heated dream sequence, he had taken her into her bedroom where he hastily removed her clothes, leaving her in just a bra and panties. He had commented on how much he loved her black lacy thong, though in reality she didn't even own a thong. She felt his fingers dip beneath her panties where he found the evidence of her desire.

The dreams were so real, she could feel her arousal in that unconscious state. On two occasions, she awoke to her own hand stroking her clit with untamed vigor. The need was so strong that she continued masturbating long after the dream was over, all the while picturing Paul's face, his hands touching her quivering body, his lips tasting her.

Thank God she didn't opt for the phone call. If a text could conjure up such naughty thoughts, making her replay those fantasies over and over as if on a loop, what state would she be in if he had actually spoken to her?

Time to get to work and be productive.

Mia worked well into the night, developing a timeline, formulating a list of questions to ask Erin when she saw her again, and establishing a preliminary profile of the rapist. She was thankful that her hormones could adjust so quickly. It was also helpful that Paul hadn't texted her again.