A Little Harmless Submission 6 (7 page)

Embarrassment had her cheeks turning red again. The longer she knew them, the worse they seemed to get. It had only been a couple of hours. What would they be like after she had known them for a whole week? Did all women talk like this? She wasn’t really sure. Her mother died when she was twelve, and she had very few female friends. Men didn’t talk this way about clothes. And they definitely couldn’t make as many comments about her boobs as May Chambers had or the agent would be slapped with a sexual harassment filing.

Dee sighed. “May, you’re being a little…well, May.”

May looked at Dee then back at Maria. “Oh, sorry. I didn’t mean to overwhelm you.”

Dee laughed. “May does that a lot. But I have to say, that dress is exactly what you need.”

Maria frowned and glanced at the image of her backside. “Are you sure? I’ve never been someone who wore such loud colors.”

“Red isn’t loud, it’s colorful,” May said as if what she said made sense.

“Don’t most people wear black?” she asked. “The two clubs I went to in DC seemed to be filled with black leather.”

Dee nodded. “This will help you stand out a little more, which is exactly what you’re wanting to do. Besides, that color makes your skin look like porcelain.”

“If you two say so, I’ll go with it.”

“Now, we need to do something with all that hair of yours,” Dee said.

She was eyeing Maria’s bun as if it was offensive. Maria really didn’t want to do anything with her hair, so she decided to change the subject.

“Don’t I need jewelry?”

“No, with a dress like that, you don’t want them to look at anything but you,” May said. “I think we need a
mallassada
break. And we can talk about hair.”

The thought of girl talk usually sent her running in the other direction, but this, she knew, would help her. She needed to attract the killer, and she needed their help. She’d have to trust them and Rome to get this bastard. And, if it meant decking herself out like a sex toy waiting to be played with, she would do it.

· · · · ·

Rome got to the club about ten that night. After his embarrassment with the guys, he’d called Maria, and they had set up their sting. Not that he had much to say about the plans. He’d talked to Maria a few times that day, but he had yet to see her. He couldn’t explain the churning in his gut. It wasn’t the usual adrenaline rush he got from police work. There had been a time that he loved to do undercover. And there was a part of him that still did. But this was different. This involved a women who tangled him up like none other.

He noticed a few of the regulars, talked to a few people as he walked through the crowd. It had to look casual, as if he were here for a typical night at Rough ‘n Ready. When he reached the bar, Dee was smiling at him. “Good evening, Detective Carino.”

He couldn’t help but return the smile. Dee Ross was a tough woman, but she had a softer side to her that always appealed to him. Not sexually, but more like a little sister. She actually reminded him of his younger sister, so that was probably why. All hardass, but that soft core made her a heck of a woman.

“Busy for a Tuesday,” he commented.

She nodded as she fixed his drink. Non-alcoholic, not because of work, but because of the policy of the club. Micah had always had control on the drinking, but after a few problems, he and Evan had decided to cut out any alcohol for anyone who was going into the rooms in the back. Playing at Rough ‘n Ready was done alcohol free. Without a black wristband, you couldn’t get into the rooms. Rome’s wristband felt like a lead weight as he glanced around the area looking for Callahan.

“Yeah. I’m a little surprised. I figured we would lose a few people to the club we opened on the North Shore, but it seemed to increase our membership here.”

He nodded, really not listening.
Where was Callahan?
She said she would be there by ten. Callahan could be counted on, he knew that. He could tell from the way she methodically planned this that she was ready to go after the guy. He looked over the crowd, seeing a few more familiar faces...and a lot of new ones. Dee was right. There were a lot of new people which was a problem for the investigation. He noted a cluster of people just on the other side of the dance floor. There seemed to be a few people watching, a few people conversing, and in the center, there was a woman. He didn’t know how he knew, but there was a woman. Someone shifted, and he saw her then. Her back was to him. Most of the back of the dress was gone, not there. It showed off all her perfect ivory skin. Dark curls dripped over her shoulders. He dropped his gaze down to her ass. Lord have mercy. Full, curved…he could just imagine the way it would feel beneath his fingers.

He took a step in the woman’s direction and stopped. What the hell was he doing? He was here to hunt a serial killer with Callahan. Who he needed to find. Just as he turned away, the woman laughed and turned toward one of the men fawning on her. He couldn’t see her face fully, but he recognized the curve of her jaw and those sculpted cheekbones. A jolt of recognition went through him.

And on the crest of the wave of that came a possessiveness that he could barely contain. He felt a rumble in his chest, and he realized he actually growled.

He stepped in her direction but stopped when a massive hand clamped down on his shoulder. Rome turned to tell whoever it was to piss off when he found himself staring at a very amused Micah.

“Might want to play a little harder to get there, Carino.”

“Fuck off.”

Micah just laughed and patted him on the back. “Happy hunting…and be careful.”

He nodded, knowing that Micah was just as worried about the operation as Rome was. The partners had agreed, but both of them were worried about Callahan’s safety.

Rome started off in her direction, again determined to make sure she understood that her behavior wasn’t even close to acceptable. And if she didn’t understand that, he would take her some place private and make sure she did.

Chapter Five

Maria could feel something invisible brush the back of her neck. It tingled as if someone had slid their fingers over the fine hairs, but she knew no one was touching her. Which meant people were watching her. Someone in particular. Fighting the shiver it caused, she took a sip of her virgin Lava Flow and looked around the room as casually as possible. She didn’t recognize anyone other than the few people she’d talked to. Something had her looking over her shoulder.

Rome.

He was bearing down on her little group of men. She couldn’t fight the heat that flared low in the belly, or the way her heart turned over at the sight of him striding through the club. In a place where there were Doms aplenty, people stepped out of his way. He didn’t push or shove. He just walked, and something in their subconscious told them to move. The closer he got, the faster her pulse raced.

She turned her attention back to the group surrounding her. Getting her bearings straight to do the investigation was important. She’d worked undercover, so she could hide her discomfort with the gathering, but it was hard. Never before had she attracted this much attention. May had introduced her to two men and then left her alone as soon as the other men descended.

“So, Maria, you’re not from the islands?” a man asked.

She focused on him, or tried to. He was tall and lean, with a hint of public school British accent. From her training, she picked up on the fact that it was fake, as were his capped teeth and sun-tipped hair. He probably had paid a fortune to a stylist to get it to look that natural. Dammit, she couldn’t remember his name. She needed to because it was part of her job. But knowing Rome was on his way to her had her brain scrambled.

“No. I’m just here for a week or two visiting. I heard about Rough ‘n Ready from a friend in DC.”

Her father had taught her how to lie.
Make sure you wrapped it in truth so you don’t screw up and reveal something more about yourself
.

“I thought I hadn’t seen you before,” he said as he inched closer, not noticeably, but enough to make her uncomfortable. He was good looking, but there was something very calculating in his brown eyes. Something that told her that he had more interest in her than was healthy. Dammit, she needed to remember his name.

“Of course you haven’t, Ashton,” Rome rumbled from behind her. “You only show interest in the new subs.”

There was an acute silence and then Ashton snarled before he could hide it from her. In the next instant, he smoothed his features.
Hiding a temper, are you?

“Excuse the ruffian behind you, my dear. He’s one of our public servants.”

The way he said it told her he thought less of people who worked to keep him safe. Jackass. She wanted so badly to knee the idiot in his groin, but she kept herself from performing the task. Somehow Rome insinuated himself into the space beside her.

“I was wondering if the lady would like to dance?”

She turned toward him, and the impact was even more powerful than before. A blast of heat surged through her entire body. Her lips started to tingle as she remembered the way he had kissed her the night before.

“Sure,” she said without looking away from him. She shoved her glass at Ashton as Rome took her hand and led her out onto the dance floor.

Even though it was cool in the club, she felt her body start to warm being so close to him. Rome let off so much heat. He stopped and pulled her closer as a slow song started. Damn, she wasn’t prepared for the impact of having his entire body against hers.

He leaned down, his lips against her temple. “Got yourself quite a little harem there.”

She tried to adjust to the fact that she was this close to him again. The rumble of his chest as he spoke had her shivering. Maria knew he could probably feel her hardened nipples.

It took a second for the irritation in his voice to reach her. She pulled her head from his shoulder and looked up at him. He wasn’t looking at her. He was looking out over the crowd.

“That was the plan, wasn’t it?”

He grumbled something, and his chest rumbled against her again. With the music so loud, she couldn’t make out what he said.

Before she could ask, he said, “Ashton isn’t the killer.”

She blinked at the change in topic. “Shouldn’t we wait to talk about that? Maybe you should ask me my name? Or act like you want to be dancing with me? You’ve barely looked at me.”

He glanced down at her then back out at the crowd again. The hand on the small of her back pressed her closer. She could feel his erection then. Every thought in her brain seemed to fizzle away.

“If I look down at you, I might not be able to control myself.”

She scoffed at that. “Oh, yeah, Carino, why don’t you pull my other leg? I know your type, and you are all about control. Hell, you practice BDSM, so don’t think I don’t know a Dom like you is into control.”

His jaw flexed slightly. If she hadn’t been watching him, she would have missed it. It was definitely his one big tell.

“I can’t.”

For a second, she wasn’t sure she heard him correctly. “What?”

He sighed, aggravation filling the sound. Why was that sexy to her? She knew she was pushing him, pressing buttons. That thought made her wiggle her hips ever so slightly, causing her stomach to move against his erection more. He growled, and she smiled.

He slipped his hands down to her hips and tried to hold her still. “Stop that.”

“Whatcha gonna do?”

She was surprised by the teasing sound in her voice, but she couldn’t help it. He brought it out in her. He looked down at her, his hazel eyes dark with lust.

“Stop. Or maybe I can take you into one of the rooms and show you just how it feels to publically submit.”

Heat rushed through her at the image he brought up. She shifted slightly and felt the dampness of her panties. Lord, she was soaking wet. Need throbbed in her veins. The desire that threaded his voice had her body yearning to do just what he suggested. Maria knew she would never be able to do it, and that would go above and beyond the call of duty, but dammit, it sounded utterly delicious. She licked her lower lip.

“Jesus,” he muttered. He slipped his hand up her back to her head then he pressed it closer, forcing her to settle it against his shoulder. “We can’t leave right now. So stop looking at me like that.”

“Like what?”

He sighed. This time his whole chest moved. She had the feeling he was trying to control his temper.

“You know exactly what I’m talking about.”

She didn’t, but she figured that most women would. Okay, so she knew she was pushing some buttons, but just how did she look at him? Before she could figure out the answer to her question, the song ended.

Instead of leading her back to where she was, he led her over to the bar. Micah was there and smiled at her as they approached. In the exotic environment of his club, the Native American Dom looked even more beautiful.

“Evening, Maria,” Micah said, then he winked. “I do believe that is the first time I’ve seen Romeo out on the floor.”

“Fuck off, Micah,” Rome said as he sat down on a stool and pulled her against him. He did it with such force that she stumbled back. But soon her back was pressed against his chest. She glanced around and found everyone avidly watching them. She leaned back.

“You’re making a spectacle out of me.”

“You don’t like it? You seemed to like it earlier.” He was silent for a second or two. “And if you didn’t like people looking at you, you might have spent a little more money to get more material added to that excuse of a dress you’re wearing.”

She didn’t have a clue what he was talking about, but from his surly tone, she wasn’t about to find out. Besides, she could barely think straight. His hand kept rubbing against her stomach. With each brush, he moved closer to her breasts. She wasn’t used to public displays, and she hoped people didn’t see her blush. It wouldn’t bode well for their investigation.

“You’re coming on a little strong.”

“There’s nothing little about it,” he said, amusement filling his voice. “Admit it. You like the idea that people are watching me touch you.”