Apprehension (11 page)
"Only you." He laughed. "When would I have time for anyone else? You're insatiable."
"I like to keep it that way." Yanking her sports bra back down over her breasts, she began looking around for her panties.
She'd hate to lose them on the perfectly manicured golfing green and have them turned in to the authorities and her cream get analyzed for DNA identification. In Claremont County, people weren't expected to have scandalous sex in public. It was in the unwritten rulebook. It was bad enough her squad car would already leave tire tracks.
"In a few hours this course is going to be crawling with men." Robert tucked his shirt into his slacks.
"Yeah, old retired men and social climbers." Spotting her underwear on the other side of the back seat, she turned and bent forward to reach for them. "So, what are your plans for the remainder—"
If the loud smack of hand on flesh wasn't enough to grab her attention, the stinging warmth radiating from her right ass cheek did. Her spine tightened instantly, and heat danced down from her bottom straight to her pussy and ignited in her clit. She 78
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dipped her back lower and offered her plump dark ass to the moon and Robert. "
Please
," she panted.
Obliging her, his hand made contact again, this time on the other cheek.
"
Morrre
," she planted her feet in a firmer stance and leaned back expectantly. Regardless of the two orgasms he'd just given her, her sex began to pulse again and become drenched with moist excitement. Until this moment, she hadn't missed their usual play before intercourse. Now she almost regretted her pleas for him to take her when he'd shown up at the twentieth hole.
Dragging her out of the car, he pushed her against the door, her hanging pants cushioning her back.
"You want more?" His body was flushed to hers and his glorious hands stroke her stinging bottom.
As if she were an alley cat in heat, she rubbed her body over his and her sensitive nipples beaded in response. "Robert, you know I do." He couldn't miss the trembling of her body, she wanted the erotic play that only Robert could give her.
"Then come home with me," he demanded.
She buried her face on his chest and mumbled, "You know I can't."
"Yes. If you really wanted to, you could."
The sadness in his voice was almost her undoing, but she knew she had to stand firm. "Like you said, Robert, it will be morning soon. If your neighbor's see—"
Stepping back, he lifted her chin, raising her gaze to his as his thumb stroked her bottom lip.
She was lost in his hazel eyes.
"I don't care about what my neighbors or Claremont County sees—"
Moving away, she kept her back to him as she put her panties on. "I know you don't, but I do." Facing him, she snatched her pants off the door. "I'd like to keep my job." Pulling on her forest green pants, she attacked the button of her tan shirt next as she slid her feet in her shoes.
"Danielle—" Moving toward her, he still towered over her.
She was five seven in her thick soled patent leather shoes, but she would never measure up to his six foot frame.
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"No, Robert, we're not going to debate this. As you said, in a couple hours this place is going to be packed. It's Saturday morning and you should be out here with them. You're trying to make partner at the law firm—"
He grabbed her hand, bringing it to his mouth. "Being in a relationship with you isn't going to jeopardize my chances at the firm."
Smiling at the brush of his lips on skin, she pleaded, "Can we talk about this some other time? I need to get some rest. I have to be back to work in a few hours."
His sigh was audible. "Fine." He wrapped his arms around her, and bowing his head, he kissed her.
His tongue mastered her mouth, sliding deep, consuming her. When he pulled away, she was breathless.
"This conversation is suspended, but it's not over." His hazel eyes were intense as they stared into hers.
She nodded, too relieved to let the subject of them be put on hold.
Taking her hand again, he led her around to the driver's side. "Now, it's time for you to go before the retirees show. My dad included."
That was all she needed to hear. The last person she wanted to find her and Robert together was Major General Wright, the man whose family had been one of the original founders of the town. She opened the door and slid behind the wheel. "I'll talk to you later."
"Maybe we can do dinner."
Starting the car, she rolled the window down and shut the door. "We'll see. I don't know how the night is going to pan out, especially after last night's events with the drug runners."
"Call me when you get off."
"Promise." She pulled away, noting the change of color taking place on the horizon. Morning would be here soon.
Driving toward the authorized vehicle exit at the end of the course, she glanced in her rearview mirror and saw Robert's silhouette become more obscure. There was no mistaking it, Robert knew she was making excuses. However, she would keep making them until he realized their relationship had to remain just how it had been for the last eight months. A secret.
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* * * *
He didn't know what he was going to do about his relationship with Danielle. A year ago, he'd moved back to his hometown after finally finishing law school at William and Mary and passing the bar. It had been seven years since he'd lived in Claremont County. He'd only come home for holidays and didn't stay long then. Now, he was back for good. This town was his roots, where he and his sister Liza had been raised. His great-grandparents had helped the other four founders build this town.
They bought a little bit of property at a time until Claremont was its present size. Which wasn't saying much with its two thousand four-hundred and three citizens.
Taking care of the legal issues in Claremont was easy, but handling Danielle was another issue.
He remember the moment he'd seen her again after eight years, when he'd stopped into Juice Sips, the only smoothie bar and Internet café in town. He'd just finished his lunchtime workout at the gym and was headed back to work after picking up a protein shake. The sexiest pair of brown legs were swinging underneath a corner table. When he'd followed the cinnamon length to a narrow waist, full breast and a face from his past, he'd almost dropped his drink.
Danielle Smith had sat there engrossed in a book as she sipped her drink. He didn't know if she felt his gaze or heard him whisper her name, but when she looked up it was as if time had stood still. They were back at her school's Memorial Day dance during his senior year. He and a few of his friends had traveled up for the festivities and stopped into the dance, cruising for girls. Meeting the Nubian beauty had sparked a romance. They met and every other weekend after that the two of them snuck away to be with each other. Driving her little beater, she'd meet him at a hotel on the outskirts of Lowndes County. She never let him pick her up. When the summer ended, he'd left for college.
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They'd called it a summer fling, but by Christmas he'd known it was more. His feelings were deep, but when he got home his freshmen year and made inquires about a Danielle Smith among his friends in Valdosta, no one knew her. He arrived at his car. Disregarding the first employees of the Claremont Wright Country Club who were starting to ready the green and prepare breakfast, he pondered his current relationship with Danielle.
A month after he'd met her in the smoothie café, they'd begun sleeping together again. Or having incredible sex was more like it. They'd always experimented as teenagers with their sexuality, but their bumbling ignorance didn't compare to what they did now. Sex with Danielle always made him feel like an ocean wave had knocked him flat. He loved to dominate in the bedroom and Danielle was his perfect equal, she loved to be dominated. He only wished that outside of lovemaking he could command her as easily. She called the shots.
Once again, they were hiding, but this time he refused to lose her or what they had.
Backing out of the parking lot, he headed home to shower and get some rest.
* * * *
Danielle hung up her hat, then dropped her purse in her desk drawer and faced Brantley. "Of course, Brantley, anything for a good cause and I'm there."
Brantley jotted her name down on the paper. "You know, Chief Dennison was also looking for someone to sell raffle tickets at the town center by the clothing stores." The sarcastic smile gave away his intent. "I told him you could do it easily while you were out shopping."
The male officers and the other female officers joined in on the laughter. Danielle was used to being harassed because she wore a little makeup and kept her nails manicured, but short.
There were three female officers on the police force and one in 82
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the sheriffs department and all the others were rougher in both appearance and mannerism. Her fellow cops always questioned her decision to be on the force. Sometimes she wasn't sure. She'd always wanted to make a difference, but being an officer wouldn't have been it.
Allowing her co-workers their moment of joviality, her mind drifted to her life eight years ago. By the end of her senior year in high school, she felt like a bird without a nest. Needing to get away from home and take care of herself, she grabbed the first opportunity that came her way. The Atlanta police department had collaborated with a community college to provide an associate's degree in criminal justice as long as the eligible candidates agreed to attend the academy and promise two years to any of the high crime rate departments. After three years working the inner city of Atlanta, she found out Claremont County had an opening and put in for a transfer.
She'd been content in this town for a year, until Robert returned.
Focusing once again on Brantley, she stepped toward his desk. "Ha! Your humor makes me laugh to the point I could vomit." She rubbed her stomach. "Is that your lunch box there?"
Leaning towards it she pretended to get sick.
Snatching his Spiderman container away from her reach, he growled, "Stop playing around people's food, Danielle."
Shimmying her shoulders, she said, "Oh, it's Danielle now.
Watch it, Mark. I might think you're sweet on me."
Danielle and the rest of the day team laughed as Mark's face started to match his hair color.
"Don't give her a hard time, Brantley," the chief barked, his words rough and gravelly from years of smoking. "She might keep herself model pretty, but she'll be the one to squeeze into a bathroom window to save your big ass. If someone ever found a way to hold you hostage." Chief Dennison walked up, causing the room to fall silent and the onlookers to begin fumbling around their desk to look busy.
Brantley grumbled, but kept his mouth shut.
Danielle hid her smile behind her hand.
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"Glad to see you're well rested, Smith." Chief Dennison moved in front of her, his massive shoulder, almost as wide as Brantley's, blocked her view of everyone else behind him.
"Thanks, Chief, for allowing me to come in a few hours late. It was just what I needed." She was glad he didn't know she'd spent her free hours having sex on the course instead of in her bed. For a moment, she wondered if he would've been pissed about how she used her time, but pushed it aside. Even if she had been caught, feeling Robert inside of her was always worth it.
"Is the moon still orbitin' earth?"
"What?" Danielle cleared her throat. "Sir? I'm sorry I didn't hear you."
"That was evident." His eyes squinted as he viewed her. "I said, the two men are bein' transported to Tallahassee tonight. I want you, Brantley and Willis to take'm down. You up to it?"
She was supposed to meet with Robert tonight, but for the first time Chief Dennison seemed to be recognizing her existence. Since the day she showed up for work, she'd known the department hadn't been expecting her. Danni Smith, as she'd been called at her last unit, a decorated officer in Atlanta must not have appeared to be a black woman on paper. "Yes, sir."
"Good. I'll let you all know what time. I'm waitin' on word from the other end." Turning, he started to head back to his office, then stopped. "By the way, Smith, you stepped up last night into a situation that could have turned deadly." He eyed her petite frame as if assessing her worth as a cop with new eyes.
"Good work."
"Thanks, sir." She watched him walk away. Sitting down in her rolling chair, she didn't attempt to hide the bold smile on her face. Someone whistle softly, and turning her head, Danielle glanced at Mandy Franklin, the other female cop.
Mandy licked her finger and made a mark in the air.
Nodding, Danielle let the other woman know she understood. By her heroic actions last night, she had not only brought recognition to herself but the other female officers on the force. The women were finally on the scoreboard. In a small town like Claremont, opportunities didn't come around often.
With hummingbirds of excitement buzzing in her stomach, Danielle pulled out her caseload and started working.
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Robert shuffled the documents on his desk. Tomorrow he needed to stop by the courthouse to drop off some papers. As a family and property lawyer in Claremont County, he didn't get many grand cases, but they were usually time-consuming.
Getting married was easy. However, once people added in money and children, things got complicated fast.