Forbidden Fantasies (6 page)

Alex sighed, and she pictured him tugging his fingers through his hair, as he always did when he was frustrated. “Yeah,” he said finally.

She didn’t hear the rest of his answer, because Ben started making panicked noises like he was about to vomit again. She hurried him into the bathroom and then, when he was done, helped him into his pajamas and into bed.

A little while later, Alex came in and checked on Ben, who was dozing fitfully.

“Your mom gone?” she asked softly from her spot on the end of the bed, trying not to wake Ben. And, surreptitiously, trying to gauge her husband’s mood.

“She just left,” he murmured, his face neutral. “We talked for a while.”

“Oh.” What else was there to say?

“She took a change of clothes for Kara, and her book bag for school tomorrow. I’m going to grab a shower. Then I’ll trade places with you so you can get one too.” He hesitated, so slightly she might have missed it if she hadn’t been watching him, then leaned over and kissed her forehead. “Okay?”

“Thanks.” She dropped her chin to her knees. The closeness they’d shared earlier this morning was gone, and things felt nearly as stilted as they had before their blowup. Her eyes burned, and she forced the tears away with nothing but sheer willpower. Was it just the fact they’d been interrupted? Or was it more than that?

She didn’t get much chance to think, because moments later, Ben woke up and got sick, completely missing the bucket. With an ease born of years of practice, she helped him to the bathroom, then changed his sheets and got him settled back in bed. Exhausted, he drifted back to sleep almost immediately.

She left his bedroom door open and carried the sodden, stinky mess downstairs to the laundry room. The phone rang once, but it stopped before she could get it. Shrugging, she tossed the pile into the wash and headed back upstairs.

Alex stood in Ben’s doorway, watching his son sleep. He turned his head as she came up the steps. “What happened?”

“Missed the bucket.”

Alex winced. “Sorry. You ready to grab your shower?” he asked as they walked to their bedroom, where she realized Alex wasn’t in his usual weekend attire of jeans and sneakers. He had on a button-down shirt and khakis, and held a tie in his hand. Work clothes.

She frowned and leaned against the door as he picked up his badge and unlocked his gun from the cabinet in their closet. “I thought you didn’t have to go in until six.”

“The whole squad just got called in.” His brow creased with barely suppressed fury. “Details are sketchy, but there was a multiple homicide that includes children. There’s some question of whether it’s murder-suicide, or if the killer is still out there somewhere.”

Jess’s heart clenched, as it always did when he caught cases like this. The ones with kids were the hardest on him. “Go. We’re fine here.” She took his tie and looped it around his neck, tucking it under the collar of his shirt. When it was tight enough, she used it to tug him toward her as if it were a leash. She pressed a soft kiss to his lips, then rested her forehead against his. “Be careful. I love you, Alex. Always and forever.”

He cupped the back of her head and deepened the kiss until her knees went weak, then broke away with a jerk and a sharp indrawn breath. “I love you too, Jess. No matter what, don’t ever doubt that. Call me if Ben gets worse.” His voice was low, sexy, but she could tell he was already thinking ahead to the case.

With one last glance over his shoulder, he was gone.

Alex stepped into his bedroom as quietly as possible, trying not to wake Jessica. He locked his weapon away and stripped down to his boxer-briefs. His wife lay curled up in their bed on her side, one rosy-tipped breast peeking out from the edge of her nightgown. His body stirred, and he wished he had the energy to wake her and make love, but damn, he was bone tired. And he felt like a shit of a husband and father, anyway.

Kara had caught Ben’s stomach bug, so it had been a long week for Jess too. She’d had to handle the kids herself. Even if they’d wanted to continue their mind-blowing conversation from last Sunday, there hadn’t been a moment alone they could. All week he’d seen the wounded, worried look in Jess’s eyes when she didn’t think he was watching, but after dealing with two dead kids under the age of ten, the last thing on his mind had been talking about their sex life.

But finally, with long hours and some pretty damned fine police work from their squad, they’d captured the son of a bitch who’d done the deed. Now he could put those children and their mother to rest, and focus on his own family.

His kids were healthy again, he had four days off, and tomorrow, he and his wife were going on a grownup sleepover. He couldn’t wait to tell her about it. He all but fell into bed, pulling Jessica into his arms. She never moved, and minutes later, he was out cold.

* * *

“A date?” Jess stared at Alex, who looked like he was holding a secret and was dying to tell about it. After the week they’d had, one where she’d been second—and third, and fourth—guessing herself, it was kind of hard to wrap her head around his words. “A real, honest-to-goodness date? Where?”

He shook his head as he practically bounced in his chair at the table. “Nope. Not telling. It’s a surprise.”

“But the kids…”

“Are both feeling better, but just in case, Mom and Dad are coming over here to spend the night.” He got a serious look on his face, but the amusement in his eyes didn’t fade. “All you need to do is pack.”

She blinked. “I don’t understand. Pack what? Why?”

“Okay, I’ll tell you this much. We’re staying at a bed and breakfast in Lovettsville. You’ll need clothes for tomorrow.”

“Just you and me?” A smile escaped. “Really?”

He came around the table and backed her up against the kitchen counter. “Really,” he murmured, whispering in her ear. “Just us. You game?”

Her heart sped up as he pressed his hard body against hers and nipped at her neck. “Oh, yeah,” she said, but it came out as a sigh.

Alex just laughed.

* * *

“Welcome, Mr. and Mrs. Meyers.” The inn’s owner, an attractive man Jess guessed was in his late forties, handed Alex an old-fashioned key. “This is for your room. I’ll take your bags up, if you’d like.”

“Thank you. Have you made the arrangements I asked about when I made the reservation?” Alex asked.

Jess slid a look at Alex.
Arrangements
?

The man nodded and smiled broadly. “Yes, sir. I hope everything is to your satisfaction.”

“I’m sure it will be.” Alex pocketed the key and handed over their bags. “Come on, sweetheart. I’m starving.”

She wanted to know more about the mysterious arrangements, but her stomach rumbled, and they laughed. “I guess I am too.”

Dinner was at a quaint Italian restaurant connected to the bed and breakfast by a vine-covered pergola over a brick walkway. Inside, it smelled heavenly, the aromas of fresh bread, tomatoes and basil wafting through the air. The lighting was soft and muted, the tables intimate. Jessica fell in love with it even before tasting the food.

“This way,
signore e signora.
” They were led to a table in a dim, quiet corner near the stone fireplace, by an older gentleman who bowed after he placed their napkins in their laps. “Enjoy your meal.”

After a waiter brought over a basket of bread and a plate of olive oil, Alex slid his chair closer to hers and looped an arm around her shoulders. He dipped a piece of bread in the oil and brought it to her lips. “Open,” he said, his voice husky.

Her eyes widened at the roughly uttered command, but she opened her mouth and took a bite. And proceeded to moan at the taste of warm bread and rich, tangy oil. “Oh, that’s good.”

“Let me taste.” Instead of picking up a slice of bread for himself, Alex leaned forward and kissed her. “Delicious.” He smiled and sat back in his chair, picking up his menu.

It took Jess a minute to recover from that innocent yet devastating kiss. Her pulse fluttered wildly, and every coherent thought but one flew out of her head. She wanted her husband, and she wanted him now. But, she thought wryly as her stomach rumbled again, she needed food first.

Every bite of the dinner tasted as good as the one before it. They lingered over their meal, talking about everything under the sun—everything except Alex’s job and last weekend’s emotional rollercoaster. When she said she couldn’t eat another bite, Alex put down his fork and held out his hand.

“Dance with me.”

Once again, he wasn’t asking, but she wasn’t arguing. It wasn’t often Alex liked to dance, and she wasn’t passing up this opportunity. Several couples were dancing to romantic Italian music, but there was plenty of room left for the two of them. She took his hand and let him pull her close.

“You smell good.” She tucked her head close to his. “And you look sexy as sin in this suit.”

His laugh rumbled in his chest. “That’s what I was going to say. Well, except the part about the suit. Where the hell did you get that dress? I’m not even sure it’s legal.”

He danced her to a dark corner, then slid his hands over her ass, playing with the hem of the short silky black dress. Jessica shivered as the material slid against her skin. The heat from his hands made her inch closer to him, practically begging him to touch. Her fantasies took over, making her wish he’d slip his hand underneath the edge of her dress. She wanted him to find her surprise.

Which he did. “Jesus, Jess. Are those garters?”

“Mmm-hmm. You like?” she murmured, nuzzling his neck.

“I love.” Fiddling with the edge of her thigh-high stockings, his hands dipped lower, and he stopped dead as his fingers came into contact with her core, barely covered by a lacy pair of crotchless panties.

He pulled his head back to look her in the face, and this put his groin flush up against her. There was not a shred of doubt in her mind that he was heavily aroused. But he was also stunned, if the comical look on his face was anything to go by.

“Someone’s been shopping.”

“Yup.”

Alex laughed then, wicked and low. “God, I love you.” He pulled her close, and they danced together for several songs, moving around the small wooden floor until they were back near their table.

Alex held her chair out for her. “Ready for dessert?”

“Not sure I can eat another bite, but I’ll have some coffee.”

After the waiter brought his chocolate mousse and her coffee, they sat close together, watching the dancing and listening to the music. Alex seemed content, calmer and happier than she’d seen him in a long time. She relaxed against him, and he held her tightly, an indulgent smile on his face as they watched a couple in their eighties dancing close together.

A movement at the table across from them caught her attention, and she turned her head. She blinked twice to clear her vision, but the scene stayed the same. The table was isolated, tucked into an alcove where the occupants wouldn’t be disturbed, and lit only by candlelight. She watched for a few minutes, her heart speeding up and her breath beginning to hitch.

“Oh,” she sighed, but it was enough to catch Alex’s notice.

He bent his head toward her. “You okay, babe?”

“Look,” she said softly, inclining her head just slightly.

Alex’s eyes followed her direction, and she felt him jerk in surprise. “Christ.”

She’d never been a voyeur to anyone’s sexual encounter before, and she was shocked at how arousing it was. It wasn’t just any encounter, though. It seemed brought to life by her fantasies. Most of it was out of her view, hidden by the long white tablecloth that covered the round table, but there wasn’t a damn thing wrong with her imagination. Or her eyesight, even in the dim candlelight.

There were three occupants of the table, two men and a woman. She sat between them, and each of them had his mouth on her in some way. The man on her left was kissing her mouth, and the one on the right had his lips at her bare shoulder.

A flood of moisture pooled between Jess’s thighs when the men pulled back, switching tasks. Now the man on her right was kissing her mouth, and the man on the left was—
Oh, my.
He slid the thin strap of her dress low, baring the top of one creamy breast.

“Jesus.” Alex shifted in his chair. “I don’t know if we should keep watching or if I should arrest them.” But instead of turning his gaze away, he slipped the fingers of one hand off her shoulder onto her back, and then inside the straps of her dress, letting his fingers graze the side of her breast.

Damn
, that felt good. When she didn’t stop him, he moved his hand again and ran his fingers over her already aroused nipple. Jess nearly choked. With the way they were seated, no one could see what Alex was doing. No one, except for the table they were watching.

The men at the other table lifted their heads and Alex hesitated, his fingers squeezing Jess’s breast reflexively. The guy on the left raised his wineglass as if in toast. The guy on the right whispered in the woman’s ear, and her eyes widened in panic as she looked over at their table.

Alex was torn. Part of him wanted to intervene on her behalf, but he didn’t. Instead, in a move he’d never have imagined himself making, he raised his wineglass back.

One guy slid his hand around the woman’s shoulders from behind, slipping his fingers under the wide band of silver she wore around her neck, holding her possessively. The other played with the charm that dangled from the necklace and nestled against her throat. The woman’s eyes fluttered shut, a bright pink suffusing her cheeks. Like his wife, Alex was sucked in by the exhibitionism in front of him. He wished like hell he knew what the one guy had said to put that dazed look on the woman’s face. One thing was obvious, though. She was a more-than-willing participant. He’d stake his badge on it.

Alex glanced at Jessica, whose color was nearly as high as the woman across from them. Her breathing was ragged, and her eyes stayed glued to the scene she was witnessing. He slid a finger across her nipple, and she gasped. Damn, but he wished he could bury himself inside her, right here, right now. But there was a limit to what he’d do in public, and he was already standing right at that line. Maybe even over it.

“I wish I knew what they were doing,” Jess whispered, finally turning her head to look at Alex. “Is that wrong?” Worry shaded her eyes, and Alex moved to reassure her.

“So do I,” he admitted softly, stroking her nipple again. He leaned his head close and murmured in her ear. “But I can imagine, and I’ll bet you can too. Put your hand on my cock, Jess.”

She pulled back, and her wide eyes flew to his. “What?”

“Do you see her hands? I don’t. I bet she has her hands on their dicks right now. No one can see behind that tablecloth. No one can see behind ours. Give me your hand, Jess.” He made it an order, loving the thrill that came from telling her what to do.

She did, slowly, and when he took her hand and pressed it against his aching erection, her breath caught. So did his, when she closed her fingers over his length. Through his trousers, sure, because the last thing he wanted to be was a cop caught with his pants down—
literally
—in public. But it still felt damn good. He didn’t think it could get any better, but then Jess opened her mouth.

Her voice was soft, her breath whispering against his ear as they both continued to watch the threesome. “Maybe you don’t see her hands because they’re bound in her lap, or behind her back. Maybe that silver necklace is a collar, and she’s their submissive.”

Alex heard the wistfulness in Jess’s voice, and decided he’d made the right choice for this weekend. He slid his hand from her breast and set it on her thigh. He couldn’t believe he was doing this in public, but he had to touch her again. Making sure she was covered by the tablecloth, he inched his hand back under the bottom of her dress, fingering the lacy garters and the edge of those fuck-me panties.

They were drenched, and Alex’s dick throbbed in response. He slid his fingers through her slick curls, his eyes still on the trio at the other table. Jess’s hand clamped down on his erection when he slid a finger over her clit, but she didn’t take her eyes from their own private show either. Alex had to grit his teeth to keep from groaning out loud.

The men sat back, straightening the woman’s clothes just before the waiter came to take their orders. After the waiter left the table, the man on the left murmured in the woman’s ear. Her eyes flew open, and Alex saw the tablecloth rustle. When it settled, he could just see the woman’s feet spread wide, intertwined with each man’s closest foot. Her palms lay flat on the table.

He nudged Jess’s clit again and leaned closer so he could whisper in her ear. “See her shoes? They’re holding her legs apart. Do you think one of them, or both of them, are doing this to her?” With those words, he slid two fingers inside Jess’s warmth. Before she could cry out, he captured her lips in a kiss. It backfired on him, though, because her taste was as heady as the wine she’d had with dinner.

Jess’s thighs clamped over his hand as he stroked in and out, teasing her. Her hands dropped to her side, grabbing the chair as if it were a lifeline. A small noise from the other table made them break their kiss and look over. The woman was trembling, her lip caught between her teeth as she teetered on the edge of completion.

Jess was close, too, but Alex made a rash decision that was echoed by the men across the floor. He withdrew his fingers before she could come, and her eyes flew to his.

Blushing furiously, Jess grabbed his tie and pulled him close. “Why did you stop?” she growled, her voice trembling with pure need. “I was almost there.”