Pleasuring Anne (2 page)

“Have you talked to him?”

“Nope, he’s currently having a relationship with my answering machine. His first message was hilarious. He went on and on about how I forgot to give him my cell number and what an effort he’d exerted to find my home phone number. Apparently, using the white pages was a tough thing. Oh, he actually reprimanded me for not being on any of the social media he searched.”

“It is out of the ordinary for you not to be on at least one,” Garth commented.

“You checked for me on the internet?”

“Investigating people is a big part of what we detectives do, Anne.”

Anne loved properly placed sarcasm. She smiled at Garth, and the desire to play with him for a moment kicked in. “Oh, I’m on the web, Detective Slaiter, if you know where to look. I’ve worked really hard to stay in deep stealth mode.”

“Why don’t you explain that to me,” Garth ordered.

“As long as you assure me you’re not going to blow my cover.”

“I can’t do that until I understand what you’re talking about. If it’s pertinent to the case, or anything illegal…” He let his sentence trail off.

“Oh give me some credit. If I was involved in criminal activities that you hadn’t already discovered, do you really think I’d rat myself out?”

“You’d be surprised what people do or say in our presence. I’m told I can be somewhat intimidating.”

He flashed a wickedly sexy smile, and her pussy creamed in appreciation. She pictured Garth in complete control of her pleasure, mastering her, taking her to heights of sexual satisfaction she’d only written about. She pretended to have an itch on her side and shifted in the chair in an attempt to hide the fact she was trying to figure out how to sit so her nipples weren’t poking against her T-shirt.

“I bet you can be,” she said quietly while forcing herself to maintain eye contact. She needed to memorize everything about Garth. He would most definitely star in her fantasies and in her next book. Anne’s cheeks burned when Mark cleared his throat and Garth raised an eyebrow.

Damn, damn, damn, dial it back.
“I’m a multi-published, best-selling author. I write under a penname.”

“That’s an incredible accomplishment,” Mark commented with enthusiasm. “Why the secrecy?”

“Secrecy is too strong a description. I proudly share my authoring with friends and family, but I want it to be incredibly difficult for unknown internet users to connect me to my alter ego.”

Garth settled back into his chair, lifted his right ankle to lie on his left knee and crossed his arms across his massive chest. “What do you write?”

“Erotic romance.”

Mark’s eyes widened, a reaction she was quite familiar with, but Garth’s expression remained neutral.

“Kink or mainstream?”

“You’re familiar with the genre?” Anne asked, genuinely surprised by his question.

“I’m familiar with sex,” he stated.

She hesitated as a new set of decadent images flashed in her mind. “My work is considered mainstream,” Anne finally answered.

“How many books do you have?”

“My fifteenth will come out this fall, assuming I make my deadline.”

“Topic?”

“Of this one?” she asked.

“Is it different from your others?”

“Of course, I wouldn’t last long in the industry if I kept writing the same book.” Out of the corner of her eye, she caught Mark watching back and forth between her and Garth as if he were at a tennis match. “And a big part of the fun is going wherever my imagination takes me.” She fixed him with what she hoped was a sultry, come-hither look.

“I’d like you to call Charles and set up another date with him.”

Garth’s abrupt change of subject sucked the wind right out of her sails.
Note to self, work on sexy banter.
“Um okay, I’ll give it a shot.”

“Make it someplace public and as soon as possible.”

“So I get to be the bait?”

“Only by setting it up. You’re not going to be there; we will.”

“Damn, take all the fun out of it, why don’t ya.” She stood up. “I’m going to call him from my office.” Both men got up also. “Do you mind waiting out here? There’s no way I can do this in front of you two. I’d laugh or stutter or say something stupid.”

“Can we be sure you’re not looking for privacy in order to tip him off?” Garth’s slight grin made it clear he was now the one playing.

Anne’s heart skipped a beat. “I give you my word that the sleazy conman and I aren’t in cahoots, Detective Slaiter.”

Garth stared at her luscious ass as she left the room. Anne made sweatpants look damn fine.

“She is so not what I was expecting,” Mark said, moving to stand next to him.

“No shit.”

The other women they’d interviewed had been considerably older and had come across as being shy and somewhat desperate for male company. Charles was a giant moron to have even considered trying this particular con. Garth looked forward to locking up his sorry ass.

“That’s one interesting lady. I think it might be time for me to finally take your advice and pursue a woman who’s over twenty-five.”

“I don’t think so.” Garth scowled at his partner of more than ten years.

Mark laughed. “Give me some credit. The only time Ms. Anne Karmer realized I was in the room was when I was speaking directly to her. She’s only got eyes for you, lucky bastard.” He slapped him on the shoulder. “I’ll wait in the car.”

Garth slowly walked from the living room into the hall as he assessed the basic facts. Anne was intelligent, beautiful and nobody’s fool. She had a great deal of self-respect and guarded her privacy.
She’s intensely sexual
. The thought sent a jolt straight to his already rigid dick. He couldn’t remember a woman ever affecting him so intensely or so quickly.

If she’d been trying to hide her attraction to him, she failed, delightfully. Her fidgeting had done nothing to conceal her hardened nipples poking against her T-shirt, and he’d had no problem seeing the desire burning in her gorgeous eyes from across the room.

He stopped at the doorway to her office. Anne stood with her back to him in front of the window. A desk with her computer, an armchair and an aquarium on a wooden stand were the only furniture. The framed book covers decorating the wall above her desk were stunning and more than a bit provocative.

“Well, okay then, I’ll see you tomorrow, Chuck.”

He didn’t miss her little shiver as she pulled the phone away from her ear and hit the off button. “Are you all right?” he asked.

“I feel like I need to take another shower,” she answered, turning to face him. “And nice job waiting in the other room,” she remarked while setting the phone into the base on the desk. “He’s meeting me, I mean you, at Carl’s Coney for lunch tomorrow at twelve-thirty. Wanna know why I picked it?”

Her wide grin did funny things to his insides. “Absolutely.”

“At that time, it will be packed. The construction on Main has one of the two driveways blocked. If you don’t want to nab him in the parking lot, you’ll definitely be able to get him as he stands in the front of the restaurant trying to find where I am.”

“Impressive.” In three steps, he was standing inches away from her. “I appreciate you making my job easier.” Garth gazed into Anne’s eyes, briefly scanned the art on the wall again then returned his complete attention to her. “Victoria DeMallen, a strong, feminine name. I like it.”

“Thanks. Coming up with it was almost harder than writing my first book.”

“Which one would you like me to start with?”

“Pardon me?”

Her cheeks took on a most glorious shade of pink, sending him straight to horny heaven. “
Connie’s Cops
seems a natural choice, but I certainly defer to you, the author, to make a recommendation.”

“I don’t picture you as a ‘reading romance books’ type of guy.”

“What do you picture me doing instead, Anne?”

She ran the tip of her tongue across her lower lip and appeared to be seriously considering her answer. “May I exercise my right to remain silent?”

“Sure. Let me help you out with that.”

Garth cradled the back of her head and lowered his mouth to hers. He started out slowly, tasting and teasing until she lightly rested her palms on his hips and let out the cutest little sigh he’d ever heard. He tightened his fingers in her hair, and her lips parted. Their tongues met, and the kiss morphed from wonderful to mind-blowing in an instant. Anne wrapped her arms around his waist, pressing her incredible tits into his chest. Garth used his free hand to grasp her ass cheek. She whimpered and dug her fingernails into his back. They devoured each other until they were both gasping for air.

He shifted his stance to make certain she got a clear picture of how hot and hard he was for her. She dropped her head onto his shoulder and snuggled into him. Garth felt the frantic pounding of her heart.

“I’m on tonight and tomorrow until ten then off for three days. What’s your schedule this week looking like, sweetheart?”

She lifted her head and stared at him wide-eyed.

Garth gently brushed his fingers along her cheek. “When was the last time you made out with a perfect stranger?”

“Never.” Anne breathed the word at barely above a whisper.

“Me either.” He recognized relief in her eyes at his admission. “Seems as if the prudent thing for us to do would be to spend some quality time together, don’t you think?” He kissed her lightly on the chin.

“Well, I pretty much set my own hours. What do you have in mind?”

Her cautious response was at odds with her making no attempt to extricate herself from his embrace. “Hmm, waiting to commit until you see if my offer is worthy; very crafty of you.” He hesitated for a few seconds despite knowing instantly what he planned to suggest. “Going to the movies or to dinner are out, way too conventional. How do you feel about a little friendly competition in a casual and playful setting?”

“Go on,” she encouraged, interest obvious in her expression.

“Miniature golfing.”

“Seriously?” Her face lit up with a gorgeous smile. “What in the world made you think of that?”

“Earlier in the summer, Mark and I were staking out a building from the parking lot across the street from a driving range that also had a putt-putt course. I noticed there were quite a few couples without kids playing, and thought it would be a unique outing to share with a lady.”

“You’re right. It is. I’d love to go, Garth. You name the day, and I’m in.”

“Fantastic, I’ll pick you up Wednesday morning at eleven.” Garth hugged her tightly then took a step back. He draped his arm around her shoulder and held her close as they walked out of her office.

“Where’s Mark?” she asked, looking around the living room.

“Out in the car. He was feeling like the third wheel.” Her cheeks turned bright pink. “Damn, you’re priceless,” he said, staring into her hazel eyes. “Steamy romance author, kisser extraordinaire, blushes at that comment? I’m fascinated.”

“Oh great, being mildly entertaining and relatively interesting I can handle, but maintaining your fascination may be out of my league.”

“I highly doubt it, sweetheart.” Garth brushed his lips against hers, knowing if he kissed her the way he wanted to, Mark would be waiting longer than he’d bargained for. He reluctantly removed his arm from her shoulder and opened the front door.

“I’ll call you tomorrow, as soon as I can.”

“I really wish I could be there to see Chuck’s face when you slap the cuffs on him; what a dirt bag.”

“You are going nowhere near that restaurant,” Garth stated firmly.

“Yes, sir,” she replied with a salute and a grin.

“I love a woman who knows how to take orders.”

Chapter Two

“The entire drive over here was pure torture due to my pondering why I’ve been summoned at four o’clock on a Tuesday afternoon with no more explanation than, ‘Something has happened. I really need to talk. I bought ice cream’.”

“You live less than two miles away,” Anne noted as she led the way into her kitchen. She watched Ellen, her best buddy, survey the table.

“Oh dear God in heaven, you made chocolate sauce and coffee, too? Are the police involved?”

“As a matter of fact, they are.” Anne raised her eyebrows and smirked.

“Get out of town!” Ellen exclaimed, pulling out a chair and sitting down.

Anne joined her at the table. She removed the lid on the pint of cookie dough ice cream then handed Ellen the scoop. “So yesterday—”

“Whatever is going on started
yesterday,
and you’re just calling me now?” Ellen interrupted.

“Hold on, there’s a good reason.” Ann poured the coffee.

“I’ll be the judge of that,” Ellen replied, loading up their bowls then drizzling a generous amount of chocolate sauce on top of each serving. “Start talking, abridged version first please.”

Ellen had been good-naturedly making fun of Anne for twenty years regarding her penchant for drawing out the shortest of stories to epic proportion.

Anne inhaled a loud, dramatic breath. “Winery Chuck is a criminal. One of the detectives on the case, Garth Slaiter, could star in my books. I called Chuck and set him up. Garth kissed me senseless. We’re going miniature golfing tomorrow morning at eleven.”

Ellen gaped at her. “Swear you’re not making this up.”

“Cross my heart.” Anne ate a giant spoonful of ice cream.

“Then a thousand apologies; I want to hear every minute detail.”

An hour later, the ice cream carton was empty and Anne was just reaching the end of her tale. “So, wanting to be able to give you a complete accounting of events, I didn’t call you until I talked to Garth today. He said arresting Chuck went without incident, and that he cracked under their interrogation at the station in record time. I find that terribly anticlimactic, don’t you?”

“If they’d had to wrestle him to the ground after a tasering, it would have paled in comparison to the spectacular, lust-induced interlude you shared with the arresting officer.”

“I know, what the hell, right?” A wave of nervous excitement had butterflies dancing in her tummy. “When was the last time I whipped a studly man into a sexual frenzy at first sight? Wait, oh yeah, that would be never!”