Friction (Red Hot Private Eye, Novella, Vol. 2) (7 page)

Mateo rubbed his eyes and then stretched his arms over his head as he yawned. He leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. As soon as he did, flashes of Raiza popped into his head. This was the reason he hadn’t had sleep the night before. He couldn’t get her out of his head. Visions of her were playing like a broken record in his mind’s eye.

Her skin.
Her lips. Her eyes.

“Sleeping on the job I see.”

Her voice?

Mateo opened his eyes to find Raiza sitting down at her desk turning on her computer, “G...” something or other. From the looks of
her she had not suffered the same restless night of sleep that he had endured. She looked fresh, well-rested, and gorgeous.

“Good morning,” he could hear the deep timbre in his voice and felt his pants getting tight.

She looked up and her eyes flickered with heat before her brows knitted together.

“Who did that?” she asked looking at his desk.

Mateo looked back to see what she was talking about. He had no idea what she was referring to. “Did what?”

“Cleaned your desk,” she said in disbelief.

He had to look back at her to confirm that she was actually serious. Yep, she looked serious.

“I did,” he said, trying not to
be offended by her shock.

“Why?” she asked with genuine surprise.

He turned in his chair to fully face her, tilting his head before asking, “I was moving in yesterday. That’s why my desk was a mess. Did you think I would even consider sharing an office with you if I had an issue keeping my work environment clean? Did you think I had a death wish?”

She narrowed her eyes. Nodding her head down to his duffel sitting beside his filing cabinet she asked, “What about your bag?”

He raised an eyebrow before picking it up. He opened it to reveal all of the cords rolled and wrapped in perfect order.

Raiza’s mouth opened, then shut, then opened again. “Then why didn’t you take the zip ties when I offered them?”

“Now, what fun would that have been?” He smiled as he winked at her.

Her lips pursed together and he knew that she was fighting a smile. Damn, that mouth. He
wasn’t sure if he could pick his favorite body part on Raiza but her mouth
had
to be in the top ten.

She stared at him for several seconds. He
wasn’t sure if she was going to laugh or throw something at him. Her body relaxed and a small smile spread across her face as she turned back to her computer, “Well played.”

Pride welled up in him.
Which was ridiculous. That had barely qualified as a compliment.

“How’s your aunt?” he asked as he also turned back to work.

He heard her let out a small sigh. “She had another episode; I’m flying out to see her tomorrow.”

Mateo
couldn’t believe that she had offered up this personal information. Sure she might just be telling him because she knew he would find out when she didn’t show up to the office but the admission felt more personal than that. Of course, that could very well just be wishful thinking on his part.

“Well, I’m sorry to hear that, but heading home might be nice.”

She looked like she was weighing whether she wanted to say something then she blurted out, “I hate flying.”

It took Mateo a minute to reconcile what Raiza had just admitted to, with who he thought she was. Raiza had always seemed fearless. He would have never guessed that she would have had a fear of flying.

“I’ll go with you.” The words were out of his mouth and into the universe before he had even had a chance to think about what he was offering. Immediately he wished that he could hit rewind on the last thirty seconds.

A look of…something crossed her beautiful features but before she had a chance to respond to his offer their office door opened.

The young blond headed girl that had just started walked in. “Hey guys,” she raised her hand in greeting, “I’m Alyssa. I’m here to train.”

“Morning,” Mateo said before returning to his files.

“You can sit here,” Raiza’s voice sounded very business-like. “I’m Raiza, this is Mateo.”

Mateo lifted his hand.

Raiza began going through some of the more basic aspects of her job. The girl seemed bright and was catching on quickly.

After several hours, Ethan who was now the head of the Private Security Division stuck his head in the room. “Can I grab you to go over the Kristie Parks detail?”

“Sure,” Mateo said as he stood.

Ethan glanced over to Raiza’s desk and Mateo saw the moment Ethan’s eyes landed on their new employee, he lit up like a Christmas tree. Mateo looked at Raiza to see if she noticed it too. She did. A knowing half-smile crept up her face.

“Can we help you with something Ethan?” Raiza asked pointedly.

Ethan cleared his throat, shaking his head a little. Poor
guy. Mateo hoped that he didn’t act like that around Raiza. Sadly, he knew he probably did.

“Hi, Ethan,” Alyssa said as a blush filled her fair cheeks.

“Alyssa,” Ethan said nodding his head to both girls, “Raiza.”

Mateo moved to the doorway and Ethan backed out. When they reached the
hall Ethan pretended to bang his head against the wall.

Mateo laughed and patted his friend on the back. “Don’t worry, man. It happens to all of us. Believe me.”

Ethan looked up at him, “Not me. Nothing like this has
ever
happened to me.”

“I know man, but it gets better. I promise,” Mateo encouraged him.

He knew exactly what Ethan was experiencing. It was exactly what he had gone through with Raiza. He hadn’t even been able to talk around her for the first few months he had known her.

But
, look how far they had come. And it had only taken four years.

Probably best to keep that part to
himself.

---~---

Raiza was trying to keep herself calm. She knew that this was a standard interview and that Detective Pearson—aka-Tall-Dark-and-Handsome—was just doing his job. That he had to ask her the same questions over and over again in slightly different ways. That was how these types of interviews went. Rationally, she knew that.

It was the irrational side of her brain that was giving her the trouble.
The side that said that she had already wasted two days of work by being in the field, then having to train Alyssa—who, luckily, had turned out to be surprisingly intelligent and pleasant...but still...that didn’t mean Raiza hadn’t been forced to ignore work that needed to be done.

Then, tomorrow she would only be working a half day before getting on a plane to head back East. She hated flying so much. She needed to have some time to prepare for her flight.
Not just packing, but mental preparation as well.

She also might just go and get her Xanax refilled. Yes, that was definitely going to go on her
to-do list. Unless...Mateo actually
did
fly back with her...then would she really even need it?

Wait! Stop! What was she thinking? She was sure he
wasn’t really offering to go, and even if he was, there was no way she would let him.

Right?

“Miss Diaz?” Detective Pearson interrupted her inner musings.

She shook her head to attempt to clear it, “I’m sorry. What?”

“I think we are done here,” he smiled, “I think I’ve gotten what I needed.”

“Oh, okay. Well, let me know if I can help you with anything else,” Raiza said as she stood to exit.

“I’ll do that,” the detective held the door open for her.

She noticed as she passed him that his eyes skimmed down her body, and, if she
wasn’t mistaken, he liked what he saw. He was a good-looking guy. She appreciated the attention, but it didn’t do anything for her.

Not like Mateo. The way her body responded when he looked at her, touched her, even spoke to her was unlike anything she had ever experienced. He excited her and made her feel secure and safe at the same time. It was hot.

She had a feeling if she didn’t keep her guard up around him, she could easily become addicted to the way she felt whenever he was around. She needed to keep her distance.

Turning the corner to
their
office she knew that obviously the only distance she could realistically keep would be mental and emotional. She would see him every day. All day.

Crap.

Unless he was in the field, which would probably be often. Suddenly, the thought of him not being in their office felt lonely.

Okay, she was like Dr. Jekyll and Mrs. Hyde with this thing. She reminded herself that she
couldn’t have it both ways.

So the question was—which way did she want it?

Raiza had just gotten off the phone with her Tia Leti when she heard a familiar pounding on the door. Her heart skipped a beat and her breath caught in her throat. Her palms grew moist as she zipped up her suitcase.

She walked down the hallway trying to keep her physical reaction in check. What she wanted to do was smile from ear to ear and do a happy dance down the hall. But she refrained. Barely.

Reaching for the doorknob her hand was shaking. She swallowed and told herself to get a grip. Taking a deep
breath she opened it.

A feeling of déjà vu rushed through her. Mateo stood on her porch, his large frame dominating the space. He had a scowl on his face that most people would be intimidated by, but she
wasn’t most people.

Tilting her head to the side she asked, “Can I help you?”

“Are you going out with that detective?” he growled.

Raiza’s eyebrows raised, “Excuse me?”

Mateo raked his fingers through his thick hair causing his t-shirt to pull tautly against his chest and his biceps. Oh my. She had to check her mouth for drool.

Instead of answering her Mateo stepped inside. She shut the door as she said, “Come on in.”

He moved close to her and she felt surrounded by his presence. She liked it. A lot.

His eyes darkened as he lowered his head closer to her. “I heard that detective on the phone saying he asked you out.”

“Oh,” Raiza waved her hand dismissively, “that.”

“Yes,” Mateo placed his hands on the wall resting them on either side of her, “that.”

She looked up at him, not really comprehending where he was going with this. He looked jealous, possessive, primal. A flutter began building in her belly and she licked her lips.

“Did he ask you out?” his deep voice vibrated through the air and caused the fluttering to begin pulsing with need.

“Yes,” she confirmed, her breathing becoming labored.

Heat flared through his eyes,
either from her answer or her body’s reaction to his closeness.

“What did you say?”

“I said I would see what my schedule looked like when I got back in town.” She had no idea why she was answering him. She didn’t owe him any explanation.

“Are you going to go out with him?” Mateo moved even closer to her.

“No,” she said barely above a whisper.

“Good,” Mateo moaned before covering her mouth with his.

Raiza felt an explosion of sensation bursting forth in her body. She didn't realize, until the moment that Mateo touched her again, how desperately she had been wanting to feel his skin against her, his hands on her body. Now that she was feeling desire exploding so powerfully through her, it became apparent how dangerously close to the surface it had been lurking the entire time, how easily it sprang forth in the first instant of their kiss.

She felt herself become instantly wet at his touch—not the low-level, achy, moistness that plagued her the majority of the time Mateo was in the same room with her (and which was the reason she had started to mentally re-arrange her purse contents so that she could carry a fresh
supply of panties with her at work now that they were sharing an office!). No, this was something entirely different.

This was an instant flood, a heat exploding from her core that was so intense that she would be shocked if Mateo
couldn't feel it, even through both of their clothes.

Oh, yes, their clothes!
That was another thing. Those needed to go.

She immediately began tugging at his clothing, wanting him naked as quickly as possible.

He pulled back and grinned at her. “Uh, uh, uh,” he said, echoing her words from their first encounter.

She stepped back, puzzled.

He took a step forward, closing the space between them that she had created.

He leaned his head down seductively, his lips brushing her ear, his breath hot when he whispered, “I promised you something the last time we made love. In fact, it was the very last thing I said to you. Do remember that promise?”

The memory of his words flooded through her. Suddenly, her throat was too tight, unable to eke out even a syllable, let alone a word. She nodded, her head shaky.

“I promised that I was going to make you come. I intend to make good on that promise. In fact, I don't plan on doing anything else until that has happened.”

He paused. Maybe he was waiting for her to argue with him, she thought. Well, he'd be waiting a long time. Even if she had the strength to mount an argument at this moment, she lacked the will.

Or
, you know...the ability to speak. But that was beside the point.

“Is that alright with you?” he
asked, his voice husky.

She did the only
thing which she seemed capable of doing. She nodded.

“Good,” he finished, and she could hear the smile in his voice.

With that, he whisked her up off of her feet and began carrying her back to the bedroom.

God.
If what Raiza had wished for was to be cared for, taken
care
of, she was certainly getting her wish. She was surprising herself, too. Between her background, and personality, she would have expected herself to react much differently. She would've predicted that, although she had been harboring a secret wish – especially in these last few days – to have someone take care of her, when it actually came true, it would make her so uncomfortable that she would have to back out of the situation. That it would be so untenable to her that she would not be able to stand it.

However, now that it was actually happening, the opposite was true. Not only did it
not
make her
un
comfortable, she was actually supremely comfortable with it. She loved it, in fact.

Being safe and secure in Mateo's arms as he carried her, her arms threaded around his neck, her head resting on his shoulder – she was happier in this moment than she could ever remember being.
Ever. In her life.

When they reached her bedroom, Mateo laid her gently down on the bed, pausing to kiss her before continuing. After the kiss, the sweetest and most gentle one that Raiza could ever remember experiencing, he drew back and began to undress her. His movements were tender but firm and decisive, and Raiza could feel each small movement stoking the fire of her arousal.

By the time Mateo had finished and she was completely naked, her body was thrumming with desire. She felt like she was walking a tightrope, struggling between the desire to keep control and the desire to let go entirely, and even a small nudge in either direction could cause her to tumble down that way.

That small nudge came when Mateo sank to his knees beside her and began to press gentle kisses down her neck, nuzzling her, and then started using his tongue as well.

It was simply too delicious to handle! She closed her eyes and reveled in the sensation. She could trust Mateo. She didn't have to maintain iron control around him. She understood this logically, and her instincts were telling her the same thing – trust this man. Let go. Just feel.

She closed her eyes and lost herself in the feelings that were exploding through her body.

By the time Mateo's mouth found her nipples, she was writhing and crying out in pleasure. She understood, on some basic level, that she was exploring new territory here, that she was about to climb to greater heights of pleasure than she had ever experienced, and that Mateo was the only person in the world who would ever be capable of bringing her there – not only because of his erotic skills, which were beyond
impressive
, but because he was the only person that she would ever trust enough to drop her guard and let herself go with –
really
let herself go.

She was gasping and moaning by the time he began to move his mouth further down her belly, and she grasped the hair on the back of his head desperately, entwining her fingers, urging his hot mouth to explore further downward.

Whether because he could sense her desperation or because he was experiencing a wave of desperation himself, Mateo quickened the pace and intensity with which he was moving down her body. She opened her eyes so she could watch the erotic journey. His tongue became more insistent as he traced little circles and curlicues across her belly in his circuitous trip downward.

Finally, mercifully, he reached the slick and pulsing center of her desire. He gently, but firmly, pushed her legs further apart and gazed at her wet sex for a moment, breathing hard, before finally dipping his head and running his tongue all the way along the length of her wet slit. She moaned and arched her back.

This was apparently all of the encouragement that he needed, and he moaned and engulfed her entirely with his mouth. He plunged two fingers into her as his tongue worked her pleasure button in small circles.

Oh, God!

It was so good, all so good – so much to take in, to experience, to let flow through her – she didn't know how much more she could take without slipping over the edge...which was what he wanted.

But
did she?

She still
didn't know.

On the one hand, it would be so sweet, so wonderful, to slip off the bonds of control entirely, safe there with Mateo, and let him give
her the ultimate pleasure – to come, knowing that he was the one who caused her to feel that sweet sensation.

On the other hand – well,
she'd just never done that in front of anyone before! It was something that she reserved for private moments, when there was no one there to witness her spiraling outside of consciousness, no one present while she was completely, entirely vulnerable.

God.

Vulnerability.

Was that something she was capable of with Mateo?

Oh, God!

As his tongue continued to move against her sensitive nub, was she even going to have a choice?

Raiza shook her head. An epiphany washed over her, and she came to an instant decision. She realized that, as much as her rules served to maintain her sanity, and as much as her rigid control served to help her feel safe in an out-of-control world, in some ways she was just as much of a prisoner to her need to control as she was served by it.

If she
couldn't decide when control was appropriate and when it was better to let it go, then she wasn't
truly
in control at all!

She decided that, right here and right now, she was going to break the hold that her need to control everything had over her, and she was going to let go with Mateo. This was safe. He was safe. He had her best interests at heart; of
this she had no doubt.

She was going to relax. She was going to let him make her come.

As it turned out, it was nowhere near as difficult as she imagined it might have been. In fact, it was the absolute easiest thing in the world. She simply leaned her head back on the pillow, took a deep breath, and began to concentrate on the delicious sensations that Mateo's tongue was causing to rocket through her core, and out to her entire body.

After less than a minute of enjoying the movement of his tongue against her sex, she felt the orgasm start to build and take hold of her.

“Oh, God, oh, yes...” she moaned.

The orgasm began to rocket through her torso, beginning deep in her belly and blossoming out through her extremities, making bright white fireworks explode behind her eyes.

“Oh, Mateo, yes!” she cried, gathering his hair involuntarily into the fists that she made with her hands, still at the back of his head.

Her arms and legs shook, her body writhed, her brain lost all consciousness of anything but the amazing physical and emotional experience she was having.

It lasted for a blissfully long time. Although Raiza was not clear-headed enough to actually track how long the intensity went on for, she knew that it was unprecedented in her experience. Damn! Everything was different with Mateo. More intense. More passionate. More tender.

Just better.
Everything, in every way, was better when it was with Mateo.

As she became conscious of her surroundings again, she saw Mateo standing next to the bed, having already stripped off his clothing and rolled on a condom.

“I kept my promise,” he smiled.

She stretched her arms above her head. “Well, if that's what it's like every time you keep a promise, I think you need to make me some more promises,” she joked, her head still spinning.

He smiled, seductively, intensely. “That can be arranged,” he all but growled.

Raiza's eyes widened. Just like that, she was back in the moment – back in the intense exchange. Her breathing quickened again, and she felt her cheeks flush.

She knew immediately what she wanted, what she
needed
. She wanted, needed, him inside of her. She told him that, and he smiled, apparently eager to comply.

Mateo climbed on top of her, spreading her legs with his knees, and positioned himself at her entrance. He looked up, pinning her eyes in his laser-focused gaze, and asked, “Are you ready?”