Too Close (4 page)

Never before had a man picked up on the fact that what she really wanted was to just be seen as a woman. As an equal, or a partner.
 

Shit, shit, shit.
 

Suddenly, the game with him was no longer a game, and Vanessa realized that maybe, just maybe, this guy might figure things out.
 

Her pulse raced and she swallowed the panic that started to creep up into her throat. It didn’t matter. None of it mattered because she wouldn’t let Kane see any deeper, or get any closer. She’d just do what she was best at... using sex as a weapon.

Things got busy and time flew. Vanessa worked the room, talking to everyone. Making sure all was well with security and that everyone was behaving within the club’s guidelines. Nudity was allowed everywhere, and scenes could be played out in the open cubicles that lined the back wall, but sexual penetration was prohibited. Even so, there were always some subtle things going on in dark corners. By and large, the Member Nights were more social than sexual for these folks. They were a chance for people of like minds, or libidos to meet in a safe environment.
 

She kept an eye on Kane as she did her rounds, and noticed that he stayed at the bar, chatting occasionally with Rob the bartender, and anyone else who approached him. He was sticking to their deal. And it was a good thing so many women approached him.
 

Really, it was.
 

It didn’t matter that every time she saw one of them lean in too close, or touch him, she wanted to bare her teeth and growl. What mattered was that with so many women approaching him, he was sure to find a suspect that wasn’t her.
 

Throughout the night she made it back to Kane’s side a few times. The first couple of times he was in conversation with regulars, and Nessa was happy to hear that his questions were normal. He wasn’t interrogating the guests.
 

Just before one in the morning she stepped up behind him in time to catch the words “No thank you” come from his lips in an almost tired sounding refrain. The music was throbbing, the crowd was relaxed, and the sexual vibe was heavy in the air. It gave her a thrill to trail her hand across his back and shoulders in a possessive way while she watched the pretty bare-breasted blonde with the red velvet collar lower her eyes and back away.

Kane turned to her, and before she could say anything his hand cupped the back of her head and his mouth was on hers. A large strong hand settled on the small of her back and pulled her body flush against his as his tongue parted her lips and her surroundings disappeared.
 

He tasted like butterscotch. Smooth and sweet and tempting. Hard muscles flexed under her hands and she pressed against the hot body in front of her. Their tongues rubbed against each other, performing an ancient dance that her body ached to follow, and a small moan rose in her throat.
 

He pulled back slightly and rested his forehead against hers. She was pleased to see that his eyes were bright with passion and his breathing was just as rough as hers.
 

“I had to do that before we got interrupted again,” he said softly, then pressed his lips to hers again.
 

When he pulled back again she nodded and nibbled at her bottom lip, savoring the flavor he left behind.
 

He tasted like
more
.
 

Kane sat on a bar stool and watched as Vanessa said goodnight to the last of the clubs patrons. It had been an interesting night to say the least. He’d seen some things he never thought he’d see, and learned more than he ever really wanted to know about one of the city’s top businessmen. He also really hadn’t needed to know that one of his favorite hockey players liked to be lead around on a leash and made to kneel so that his Mistress could sit on him like a chair all night.
 

He shook his head and picked at the label on his beer bottle. He just didn’t get where the pleasure came from with that, but to each his own.

“C’mon, boy. Spin that bottle, and don’t spill!”
 

Kane glanced down the bar at Rose, one of the waitresses, as she taunted Rob. He watched as the shirtless bartender flipped a bottle in the air, only to catch it upside down over the ice filled glass on the bar.
 

J.J., the only other waitress still left there, hopped up on a barstool directly in front of Rob and joined in the jeering. “The only way I want you getting’ me wet is with your tongue, baby. Don’t waste the alcohol!”

Laughter erupted inside him and Kane swallowed quickly so he didn’t spit out his drink.
 

With a grand gesture Rob spun the bottle over his wrist set it on the counter, and pushed two full glasses forward for the girls. Amid the waitresses’ clapping and whistling he removed his straw cowboy hat, revealing thick wavy light brown hair that just brushed his shirt collar, and gave a deep bow. “Ladies. It was my pleasure to serve you.”

“You want to serve me, baby, get on your knees.”
 

“Enough, J.J.” From beside him Vanessa’s voice held laughter, but there was a clear warning there too. “Finish up your staff drinks and head home guys. We can stock up before we open tomorrow.”

Kane felt the touch of her hand on his shoulder and met her laughing gaze.
   

“Give me fifteen minutes to finish locking up, then I’m yours.”

Jesus. Did she deliberately say things like that to keep him hard? He knew she meant all his to answer questions. Didn’t she?

Kane watched her walk through the swinging doors and into the back of the club with gritted teeth. She’d been teasing and taunting him all night. The overt sexuality and blatant come-ons from the over the top crowd in the bar hadn’t tempted him at all. But every time his hard on disappeared, she’d show up at his side again. She’d rub against him, or whisper something naughty in his ear, and his dick would salute her.
 

He felt the staff’s eyes on him but he didn’t look up. The urge to question them about their clientele was strong. Hell, he wanted to question J.J. just to see how she reacted. With her sass and slight bitterness towards men, she was a good candidate for RR herself. But he had agreed to hold all his questions for Vanessa.

“So, who are you? Exactly.” A cold beer appeared in front of Kane and he looked up to see all three staff members scrutinizing him.
 

“Thanks,” he reached for the fresh beer and took a long pull from the bottle before answering them. “Just a friend of Vanessa’s.”

“Nessa doesn’t have friends.” J.J. said.

Interesting.
 

“She does now,” was his reply.

“Jane said you’re a cop.”
 

He nodded at Rose. “I am.”

“So what do you want with Nessa?”

He gave J.J. a droll look and she smirked. “Oh. Well, if you hurt her, cop or not, I’ll hurt you.”

Kane normally didn’t take well to being threatened, and the look in J.J.’s eyes
was
a threat, but in this place, and this circumstance, he let it go. He was even strangely pleased to see that Vanessa did have friends, no matter what they said.

They went back to doing their cash-outs, and he sat silently, waiting for Vanessa to finish her paperwork. After about ten minutes, Rose gathered the cash from the other two and disappeared behind the swinging door. To the office he supposed.

She came back out, they all put their jackets on and said a casual goodnight as they walked out the door. Kane walked around the bar, checked to make sure the doors were secure, and still, Vanessa didn’t emerge from her office.
 

So he went looking.

He pushed through the swinging doors and entered a short hallway. There was on open door near the end so he strolled down it, and leaned his shoulder against the door jam of
 
her office.
   

Her head was bent over some papers on her desk, and although she didn’t look up, he knew she felt him there. The awareness that arched between them was too strong to only be one-sided.

He should leave. He should save his questions for the next day, after he’d had time to process what he’d seen, and his own impressions of the people he’d met. But he didn’t. None of it mattered right then because all he wanted to do was touch her.

Without waiting for an invitation he stepped into her office and closed the door behind him. Vanessa lifted her head and glanced at him but kept working, silent.
 

He shifted behind her at the desk and placed his hands on her shoulders. They were delicate in his hands, but tight. Adding a bit of pressure, he dug his thumbs in to her back. The soft groan she released went straight to his groin and his dick stiffened,
again.
 

Her shoulders loosened up and he let his hands wander. The thin silk of her shirt only enhanced the softness of her curves as he cupped her shoulders, trailed his hands down her arms to press her hands into the desk and nuzzle her hair aside with his chin.

“You smell so good. Feel so soft and smooth under my hands too.” He pressed his lips to the soft shell of her ear.

“You’re just horny after having all those half naked women propositioning you all night.”
   

Kane was glad to hear the hint of laughter in her voice. It was obvious this woman enjoyed teasing. “Ahh, but the woman I wanted to proposition me, didn’t.”

She still didn’t look at him, so he lifted a hand and pressed two fingers under her chin, leading her to look into his eyes. “That would be you I’m talking about,” he whispered before kissing her.
 

He nipped, and licked at her full lips until they parted and gave him entrance. She leaned back in her chair, her head cradled in his palms as he loved her mouth. His tongue darted in and out, dancing sensually against hers. Tasting her, teasing her the way she’d been teasing him all night.
 

His heartbeat picked up and his fingers sank into the thick waves of her hair. The air was warm and the yearning for slow sultry loving was strong. After watching so many people be so blatant and crass, all he wanted was to feel the soft skin and warm comfort of a true woman who desired him. And there was no doubt in his mind that Vanessa desired him.

With one sure movement he pulled her out of her chair and into his arms.
 

He leaned back against the desk, cradling her against him. They fit perfectly. Chest to chest, groin to groin and thigh to thigh. Her softness giving way to his hardness.

Arousal curled low in Vanessa’s belly and started to spread outward. It felt so good to be held, to be kissed and cuddled, and to know that this man wanted her.
 

Yeah … he wanted her in more ways than even he knew.
 

Vanessa tore her mouth away from his. Closing her eyes and tilting her head back she reminded herself how she met him. Who he was, and
what
she was.
 

Kane wanted her all right. He also wanted to arrest her.
 

She couldn’t let herself forget that. And she couldn’t let herself forget that this man already had a good idea what she wanted. But at that moment, she wasn’t too sure she cared about any of that.
 

The feel of his hardness cradling her, his arms around her, his hands in her hair, his lips on her neck, it was all making it very difficult to think.
 

Who needs to think, when you can take control?
 

Vanessa reached up and ran her fingers through the short pelt that covered his head. She gripped his head and pulled him back, so she could nuzzle her head under his chin. She licked up the side of his neck, felt the rasp of stubble against her tongue, and tasted the slightly salty flavor of man.

When his rumbling groan echoed through the quiet, it hit her right between the thighs. She rubbed her body against him, feeling the rigid length of his cock burn into her belly through their clothes.
 

Kane’s hand ran down her back and cupped her ass, pulling her even tighter against him as their lip met again in an open mouthed hungry kiss.
 

Vanessa struggled to breath, to think. Her breasts ached, bolts of pleasure zinging through her every time she rubbed against his chest. But it wasn’t enough. The feel of him, the taste of him, that taste of
more.
 

She reached up and tugged at his shirt buttons. Thank God he hadn’t worn a tie. When his shirt was unbuttoned she pulled it open, yanking it from the waistband of his trousers, and started nibbling her way over his almost hairless chest.
   

“Nessa,” he groaned, his hands pulling her own shirt out of her skirt. “You’re driving me nuts here.”

“Good,” she said, lowering herself to her knees. She undid his belt buckle and ignored his mumbled protests, ignored the hands that tried to get her back on her feet.

She needed to keep control of this. She needed to show him that he didn’t see her as clearly as he’d thought. That she wasn’t looking for some romantic, soft sensual loving.