LEATHER AND LACE Chapter 3 Excerpt on Eat Sleep Write

*This originally posted here.

Leather and Lace - Chapter 3 by Erica Sutherhome
December 7, 2013
posted by Adam Scull


Patrick and Nathan closed up their case the next day, which was really record time for any case. They explored Danny’s bank accounts and found some pretty lofty deposits. They traced the checks back to a Darren Williams, who admitted Danny had been blackmailing him.  
They had known each other for years, had been business “associates”.  But, in their dealings, some money had been stolen from their boss.  Darren was the culprit and Danny knew it.  He had politely informed Darren that he would keep it quiet if he was paid every month.  So, every month around the same time, Darren scraped the cash together to pay Danny.  Unfortunately, Darren was running out of money and he couldn’t steal from his boss any longer for fear the man would discover the truth.  His only option was to get rid of the man in the way.  Danny. 
Darren Williams was going to prison, and they had taken down a money laundering outfit in the process.
Just before the Captain went to assign them the next case, Patrick declined, told him he needed some time off.  He had a freelance assignment to do.  If you could consider a freelance assignment a leggy brunette who could make any man moan with desire.  He really did consider a part of her a mystery he wanted to solve.  The trouble she hadn’t mentioned yet was another. 
He suspected she was into something bad and he could only figure it out if he focused on her alone. 
Nathan riled him about doing private investigation work for a buddy, but he didn’t know the truth. Patrick clapped his friend on the back, did his final paperwork and left the precinct.
While at home, he did more homework on Miss Evangeline Lewis.  He still had access to the department’s records on his laptop and he used it well.  The problem was there was nothing suspicious about her.  The notion that she was involved in something shady did not dissipate, however.  It only intensified.  A lot of people got away with stuff because they were smart enough, had the right connections or the right amount of money. Judging from what he knew so far, he thought that if she really was in trouble, it wasn’t intentional on her part. It was simply a kind of trouble she couldn’t get out of. He trusted that about her.
But, she was sly. He would have to watch her closely.  Those sexy, mysterious smiles she gave sure were something, enough to stun a man. And he wasn’t a stupid man.  He was a cop, and he knew how to stay on his guard.
The doorbell rang at eight o’clock. He had showered for the second time, dressed as he always did, shaved and applied cologne. If it seemed as if he was getting dolled up for a girl, that couldn’t be further from the truth.  Impressions were everything in this business.  And if she saw someone professional, she was more likely to be relaxed, which would also make her more willing to trust him. 
He went to answer the door.  When he opened it, he smiled.  Her hair was wild and tousled in a sexy way, and she wore a fitted black dress with simple black heels.  Her full lips were pouty and smeared with a fine sheen of plum-colored gloss.  A strange flutter started in his chest as he took her in. If the circumstances of their meeting weren’t so clandestine, he might be able to convince himself it was a date. 
“Please come in,” he said with a gesture.
“Thank you.” 
She swept past him and that fruity fragrance of hers began to drive him crazy.
“Are you hungry?  I have some pasta carbonara left if you want some.”
“No. Thank you.  That is very kind of you to offer.”
He blinked. Her voice was soft tonight with none of the defensive edges it had had the night before. She seemed almost shy and very polite.  Who was this woman?
Patrick cleared his throat. “It’s good to see you again, Angie.”
“Thank you.” She glanced away and a blush came over her cheekbones.
He instantly found her charming, and he couldn’t help but wonder if it was an act.  He imagined there were men who liked their women shy or submissive. For himself, he just wanted a woman to act like herself, not play a part. 
“Shall we?” he asked, secretly hoping she would decide not to dance for him tonight.  Instead, he wanted to dance with her, hold her close while some jazz song played softly in the background. The odd, romantic thought unnerved him. 
“Yes, of course.”
“Would you like some wine?  Would that help relax you?”
Angie shook her head.  “I don’t drink on the job.”
So she had standards. He had known that since she’d refused his first two advances. It relieved him, but that relief worried him as well.  He was getting attached to her, and there was no stopping it. “Then, how about something harmless?  Water?”
“Yes, please.  That would be fine.”
Patrick went to fetch it, grateful to give his hands something to do. He was afraid if he’d stood there any longer looking at how lovely she was tonight, he’d make her his in an instant and shock them both.
He came back and handed over the glass of water.  She drank steadily and he watched her throat move. He had an insane urge to press his lips there. Her neck was very graceful.  And so off limits, he reminded himself.
“Thank you,” she said as she handed the glass back to him.
“You’re welcome,” he said softly and set the glass aside.
“How do you want to do this?”
Patrick had planned it out. Neutral territory. Make her comfortable.  He repeated the litany in his head, then took her hand and led her to the living room.  He started a fire, poured a glass of wine for himself and sipped a little, swirling the rich flavor over his tongue.  Her brown eyes on him nearly made him sacrifice his vow.  He went to fetch a hard-backed dining chair and brought it into the center of the room.  Then he sat down.  “Is this okay?” he asked with feigned hesitance.
“Yes, it’s fine.  It’s your money,” she said.
“That’s right,” he replied with a chuckle.
“I’m going to change.  I’ll be right back.”
“All right.” He sipped at the wine at little more, then set it on a nearby table. He grew somewhat relaxed before the warmth of the fire. He leaned his head back a little and let his eyes drift closed for a moment.
He heard a scant movement.  If he was in any other setting, he would have drawn his gun.  But, he knew it was her. He opened his eyes and glanced over. His gaze widened. Angie wore a lacy black bra, matching panties and a loose black dress shirt.  She was also wearing a top hat of sorts and held a cane, the kind used in the old movies. A laugh bubbled up inside of him, but he repressed it.  He also saw she wasn’t wearing heels this time. 
“Do you have music?” she asked. 
He grabbed a remote, pressed a button and Olivia Newton John’s “Suddenly” came on. 
She laughed.  “Not that.”
Patrick switched the channel and grinned when she nodded. Rhianna’s “Disturbia” blared out through the speakers. Angie began to move. He tracked her quick movements like a panther on the prowl. She used the furniture nearby as an anchor to rock on or nearly grind against.  Her body was the most seductive thing he’d ever seen.  He grew in record time.  His mouth went dry and he knew he was going to lose not only his patience, but his careful control. To hell with professionalism, he thought. He was having this woman.

****
Angie closed her eyes at times, moving naturally to the music.  Even though she’d felt uncertain and shy when she’d first come through the door, she now felt empowered.  She was someone else, a woman who could handle anything. She felt seductive and she always used that feeling to make men beg.
Recklessly, she rocked her hips and thrust her breasts forward, shaking them slightly.  The groan from the other side of the room made her smile. She knew her breasts were one of her best assets.  And she was natural, not bought like some of the other girls.
She opened her eyes and the blatant desire in his eyes made her falter a little, and she stumbled.
“Careful,” he murmured.
She laughed it off, but she turned away. She couldn’t let him see how much she was affected by that.  Desire was one thing, but there was a danger with this man.  He was powerful. And she knew he would just take if he was pushed too far.  She had to be careful and still do her job.
Her throat was dry.  For God’s sake, where was her emergency pepper spray? And then she remembered she’d left it in her purse in the bathroom.  Of course.
“Come here,” he beckoned with a hand once she faced him again.
A dance naturally led to a lap dance. Be professional, she told herself. This is nothing you haven’t faced. It was true. She had dealt with all kinds of men.  And not one had made her regret her profession. Well, okay, maybe a few had.  But, she had escaped unscathed.  Besides, it wasn’t like she had a choice in this.  He was paying a lot.  God knew the extra 150 per night would help her.
She walked over to him and sank down onto his lap.  She shook her head when he grasped her hips. 
He smiled, dropped his hands.
Relieved, she returned his smile, then began to move against him to the beat of the music. When he reached for the remote nearby and the exciting music died suddenly, she frowned.
“It was too distracting.”
“Oh.”
He leaned forward and pressed his mouth to hers.  She protested, pushing on his chest. “Come on now, honey. You want to get what you’ve been paid for, don’t you?”
She gasped, and he took instant advantage by slipping his tongue into her mouth. His taste was like nothing she’d ever had before. Her heart began to pound erratically. She heard it beat in her head like her favorite playlist. She felt weak with desire, but she fought it with every last piece of strength she had.  She moved her face away, breaking the kiss. She huffed out a few breaths, then tried to get up.

He clamped his hands on her. “Come on, Angie,” he whispered.
“You infuriating bastard!  You think I do this to get off?”
Patrick shook his head.  “I think you do it because you need the money.  But, why not enjoy it in the process?  And for once, let me give you something in return.”
“You’re delusional if you think I’ll sleep with you.”
“Who said anything about sleeping?” he quipped with a wink.
She shook her head. “I’m not sticking around for this.”  He grabbed her arm as she managed to get off of him.
“Come on, Angie. I like you. You like me. And I feel the need to protect you.  So why complicate it further?”
Angie shook off his grasp. “You don’t like me.  You like what you see.”
“It’s the same.  And I’m not blind.  I know there’s a hell of a lot more to you than what you show people.  I’ll be damned if you’re going to block me from the truth.  I’ll get in there and find out who you really are, Sweetheart.  Then you won’t be able to run away from me.”
The threat hung in the air. She bristled. There was no way she was letting him in. He’d crossed the line.  “Well, you should at least get your money’s worth.”  She smiled a slow, cat-like smile.  He would so pay for this.   
She climbed onto his lap, facing him.  She wrapped her legs around his waist and grinded into him. When he groaned, she smiled again. She pulled one of her more limber moves, leaning back, nearly doing a head stand while her legs still encircled him. Then she pulled herself up, grinding into him again, and lifted one leg at a time until they were nearly straight up near her face.  She rested her legs over his shoulders.
He groaned again, grasping her hips, and thrusted against her rhythmically.
Breathless from her moves and trying to catch her breath from the sensations he caused, she gritted her teeth, her eyes flashing, “Damn you…”
“Enjoy it, Angie. Come on, Sweetheart. I’m not going to hurt you.  I won’t let anyone hurt you ever again.”
She felt her heart go soft, her limbs weaken. Her control slipped...

(This section has been cut for only the excerpt.)



Trembling with the effects of their lovemaking, she turned and reached for him, unable to express what she was feeling.  She just needed to be close to him.  He held her close, then became concerned by her shaking. “Angie, what’s wrong?”  He pulled away to look at her.
Tears sprang to her eyes.
“Sweetheart, did I hurt you?  I didn’t mean to.”
She shook her head. “I’ve never felt anything like that before. And no one has ever wanted me for more than this.”
“Angie, that’s not what I meant. I want to know you.  I want to see you outside of the bedroom.”
She nodded.  “I think I just realized that.”
“And you’re afraid?  Why?”
She shook her head.  “It’s better if you don’t know.”
He frowned.  “Honey, what kind of trouble are you mixed up in?  How can I help you?”
“I don’t think you can.”
He stared at her for a long time before he replied, “I’m going to find out if it kills me, Angie. I won’t let anyone hurt you.”
She shivered, then embraced him again, tightening her arms around him.  “That’s what I’m afraid of.”
Patrick eased her down on the mattress beside him and she lay on her side, draped over his body while he was on his back. He kissed her temple, then smoothed his hands over her reassuring.  He didn’t know what terrified Angie so much, but he would find out.  He kept his promises.

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