by Margaret Kay
She pulled the covers back on the right side of the bed as he came into the cabin. He closed the door and locked it. He watched her drop onto the mattress. “You are leaving all your clothes on?”
Her glare at him was one of outrage. “This is nothing but sleep, you got that?”
Sherman laughed again. “Yes, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be comfortable. I know no woman wants to sleep in her bra.”
“Well this woman doesn’t want to invite your thoughts or your hands to go anywhere they shouldn’t.”
Sherman smiled wide and peeled his shirt off. He set his gun within the top drawer of the built-in bedside table and set his phone atop it. His eyes never left her as he pulled the covers back on his side.
“Put your shirt back on and don’t you even think about taking those shorts off,” she warned.
Sherman didn’t answer, he just crawled into bed. He received a text message from Caleb Smith with the digital unit, verifying the spelling of Brielle’s name. Sherman responded. Then Smith messaged back that he’d be on it all night and hoped to have some intel by morning. Sherman thanked him and then set his phone back down.
It vibrated again. Another text message. This time, it was a text from Sloan. He’d proposed to Kennedy, who now went by the name Kaylee. A smile drew up the corners of Sherman’s lips. Son-of-a-bitch! Sloan had really done it. He knew Sloan had bought the ring weeks earlier. Sloan had shown it to him and promised to tell him whenever he popped the question. Sherman knew he’d be best man at their wedding whenever that would be. Sloan had hinted at a long engagement.
“Congrats, I assume she said yes,” he texted back.
A picture of a very happy Kaylee, with the ring on her finger held up in front of her face to the camera, was the reply. The grin on Sherman’s face spread wider.
“That’s great. I’m happy for you both,” he replied.
Then he turned the light off, plunging the cabin into darkness. He pulled the covers over himself. He laid on his back, keenly aware of the still form that reclined just out of touch range beside him. He couldn’t remember the last time he was in bed with a woman who wasn’t snuggling up to him. He bet Sloan wasn’t lying on his back with Kaylee not touching him right now. He would bet his left nut that ‘we just got engaged’ sex, would be hot. There sure were perks to being in a relationship.
Charlie
When Sherman woke the next morning, the sun that streamed through the light-diffusing blinds on the cabin windows greeted his eyes. He held a butt cheek in each hand. Brielle was nearly atop him, her face nuzzled against his chest. He felt her soft breasts pressing into him, just below his pecs. Her bra was off. He wondered when that had happened, and if he had done it in his sleep. She’d really be pissed if that was the case.
Since his hands were there, he couldn’t help himself from kneading and massaging her cheeks. They were firm, muscular, the perfect size. He unconsciously moaned in pleasure from the sensation.
“Get your hands off my ass,” Brielle’s raspy voice warned.
“You’re the one on top of me,” he said. He noted she hadn’t moved yet.
“I’m just snuggling, that doesn’t mean I’ve invited your hands onto my ass.”
She still hadn’t moved. “Just snuggling with a man in the morning sure as hell invites it and a whole lot more.”
“Look, there’s snuggling and there’s inviting sex, two very different things. Can you honestly tell me you sometimes don’t want to just snuggle and feel another human being against you without thoughts of sex coming into your mind?”
“Yeah, I can honestly tell you I’ve never once thought I’d rather just cuddle than have sex.”
“I think you may have mistaken the feeling of wanting a connection to wanting sex.”
Sherman rolled her to her back and came atop her, pressing his morning wood between her legs. “I don’t think there’s mistaking this as wanting to snuggle. My cock sure as hell wants to snuggle inside of you, but momma, that’s called sex.”
Her big brown eyes, now open, gazed into his with amusement. It was not what he expected. “Bobby is not like you at all. He and I lie in the same bed often, and just snuggle with each other. Everyone needs a physical connection with another human being that they care about. It doesn’t mean it is anything sexual. It’s just a human need.”
“So, let me get this straight. You and my brother often lay in bed holding each other like this and nothing sexual ever happens?”
She smiled like she’d proven her point, and she nodded.
“Well, then that proves Bobby’s gay as fuck, because Brielle, there ain’t no way any straight man could lay in bed with you and not want to be inside you. I think you’ve been hanging out with too many gay men if you think that’s normal.”
She laughed. Then she angled her face up towards his and he was sure she was going to kiss him, but his phone vibrated a new text message, drawing his attention to it. He retrieved his phone. Madison. She and Cooper were on the dock, approaching his boat.
“Madison and Cooper are here,” he said.
He went to roll off her, but returned to where he’d been, making a point of settling in with meaning. He took her jaw, cupped in his hand. He raised it as his face approached. His lips very softly brushed against hers. He pressed a few light kisses slowly to her lips, his lips parting just enough that she’d feel the heat and moisture from the inside of his mouth, but he didn’t penetrate her lips. If he knew how to do anything, it was how to kiss a woman to make her want more. If any more was going to happen between them, it would be her initiating it.
“Good morning,” he whispered, and then he rolled off her.
She laid dazed from his kiss, gazing at the large tattoo across his upper back as he grabbed his gun out of the drawer. It was of an eagle with an anchor, a rifle, and a pitchfork clasped in its talons, with an American flag behind it. It was detailed and beautiful. She watched as he then left the room, leaving her lying there, wondering what had just happened. No one had ever kissed her like he just did, and his tongue didn’t even penetrate her lips. She hadn’t even really returned his kiss. She’d been too shocked to.
Sherman opened the back door as Cooper and Madison reached the boat. “Hi, glad you could come,” he greeted.
Madison came aboard first, embracing him and pressing a kiss to his lips. “Good morning, sweetheart,” she said with a smile.
Sherman had to chuckle. He figured they’d already reconned the parking lot and saw they were being observed. He stayed in part. “Did you have a good flight, baby?” He pressed another kiss to her lips before his grin met Cooper’s less than friendly stare. He shook Cooper’s hand. “Welcome aboard the Vulture. Come on down into the cabin, I’ll get some coffee on.”
He led them into the cabin. The door to the master bedroom area was closed. He figured Brielle was getting redressed. “It’s safe to come out,” he said, coming up alongside the door. “Were there eyes up in the parking lot?”
“Yeah, Barney Fife in his uniform,” Cooper said. “I thought of asking him if he’d like us to go get him a cup of coffee, you know, one LEO to another.” He chuckled.
Sherman grabbed the coffee pot and filled the carafe. Then he dumped the water into the reservoir and spooned grounds into the filter. He figured the supplies on the Vulture had to be Brielle’s doing. Bobby sure as hell was never that together to actually plan ahead to what his needs may be. He’d have to thank her later.
“Thanks for coming,” he said, gazing at Cooper and Madison. “I know something is dead wrong here, and I needed the backup.”
“No problem,” Cooper said. “Just don’t ever enjoy kissing my wife that much again.” A smile lit his face.
Sherman laughed as the bedroom door opened. Brielle stood there, looking uncharacteristically shy. She forced a small smile. “Hi.”
“Hi Brielle,” Madison said, reaching her right hand around Sherman, who stood between them. “I’m Madison. It’s nice to meet
you.” The women shook.
Brielle sized her up. She was five-eight, fit, and her blue eyes were even more vibrant in person. She didn’t wear much makeup, didn’t need to. She had flawless, radiant skin. And like she had guessed, she had the perfect body. “It’s nice to meet you too.”
When their hands separated, Cooper thrust his forward. “And I’m Cooper.”
After they shook hands, Brielle tucked a thick section of her long hair behind her ear. “Thank you for coming. The harassment the Sheriff’s office has been giving me is one thing, but I didn’t think they’d be all over Brian the way they have. I honestly think something bad could have happened to him last night had he not called you, Madison. The Sheriff was really pissed that he had you on Skype and you saw him.”
“That was good thinking, by the way,” Cooper congratulated Sherman.
“Yeah, thanks,” Sherman said. He motioned to the table seating area. He slid in beside Brielle. “A buddy of mine down at the Sheriff’s Office warned me right away that I didn’t want to declare my badge. Told me to save it for court today. The Sheriff wasn’t there when I went to see Bobby, so I didn’t have to, but he sure as hell was not happy to see it the first time he came onto this boat.” Sherman paused and shook his head. “He had no right to be on this boat and I know he would have broken in and searched the place had I not been here.”
“And he would have found me,” Brielle said. “I feel guilty, knowing Bobby is in jail because he helped me. Even after he’s out, I don’t know what to do, where I’ll go. I haven’t been in town, I’ve been here, hiding. The Sheriff isn’t going to leave me alone. I know he knows I’m the one who broke into BioDynamix.”
“Then maybe you need to come up north with Bobby and me,” Sherman said.
Brielle shook her head. “I’m not going to leave my home. I belong here. They don’t.”
“We need to build you an alibi,” Madison said. “I checked local happenings. There was an environmental protest in New Orleans on Thursday and Friday, and it wraps up today. We can hack into a hotel and backdate a reservation and proof of check-in. We could even doctor some social media posts to show you there. Do you think that would be a good enough alibi for the Sheriff?”
Brielle nodded. “Yes, and if I write a blog post about it, that could do it.” Her eyes went to the side of Brian’s head. “So, you’re really leaving and going back up north after you get Bobby out of jail?”
Sherman nodded. “I feel I have to get Bobby out of here, for his own protection.”
“What if they won’t let him out and into rehab?” Brielle asked.
“Then I have a federal warrant and will take him into FBI custody,” Madison replied before Sherman could even think about what his next move would be. “One way or the other, Bobby is getting out of jail today.”
Sherman smiled at her and nodded. “Thanks.”
“Thank Shepherd,” Cooper said.
Brielle sat back, feeling defeated. “So, you’re all going home today?”
“Tomorrow,” Madison said. “We’ll give the digital unit another twenty-four hours to dig up what they can on everyone involved and help lay down your cover story.” The digital unit and Garcia in New York were working on this, on the New York Partner Mission, and even working on leads from Sloan’s mission in Cleveland. They were spread thin.
Brielle nodded. At least she’d have them here for another twenty-four hours. She’d managed alone up till now, she’d be just fine without them, she told herself, not believing it. She had Bobby before, and he’d be gone too.
“Why did you break into that plant, Brielle?” Cooper asked. “What did you hope to find?”
“At the very least, exactly what they’re making.”
“Do they have camera surveillance? Were you caught on it?” Madison asked.
Brielle nodded. “They do. I wore a big black hoodie, black jeans and a face mask. They’d never be able to identify the intruder as me. Bobby had on similar clothing. I left the hoodie with him.”
“Did you do any damage within the facility that they will pin on Bobby?” Sherman asked.
“No, I just looked around the warehouse. It was empty, packing material but no boxes with anything in them.”
“That’s suspicious in itself,” Sherman noted.
“I’ve been watching that plant for two weeks. Nothing but supplies for the employees who live onsite has come in or been shipped out during that time period. And they supposedly only run a first shift, with Saturday overtime, at least with people from the Parish, but the employees who live onsite are on for twelve-hour shifts around the clock, seven days a week.”
That too was suspicious as far as Sherman was concerned. “Did anyone see you staked out, watching the place?”
“I wasn’t staked out. I planted a camera atop the plant water tower.”
Sherman sighed out loud and ran his hand over his forehead. “You have illegal surveillance going on that plant.”
Brielle shrugged. “It’s only illegal if someone finds it. No one knows I was up there. And even if they find it, no one can trace it to me.”
Now Madison moaned. She reached into the back pocket of her jeans and withdrew her phone. She placed a call to Caleb Smith. She wished her teammate Garcia, the best digital guy they had, had been at HQ, but he was with the team in New York on the DEA Partner Mission and chasing down info on their suspects. She certainly hoped Caleb Smith was up to the task.
“Smith,” he answered.
“I have a situation I need you to remedy.” She relayed the facts. She listened while Caleb Smith clicked away on his keyboard. After a few minutes, he gave her the news she didn’t want. He had easily traced the feed to Brielle’s home IP address. Her eyes met Brielle’s. “Our guy is going to divert the feed, so it doesn’t lead back to you. Right now, it’s clearly pointing to your IP address.” Her eyes swept over Sherman and Cooper. “HQ will monitor the feed for now.”
Brielle shrugged. “I guess I don’t know as much about that stuff as I thought I did.”
Anger rose inside of Sherman. What other risks had she exposed herself to? “Let me get this straight. Getting info on this isn’t your official job. You’re not employed as a reporter for the Gazette or any other news agency.”
Brielle’s defenses went up. It showed on her face. “That’s right, but there is freelance work I’ve gotten paid for. I’ve had articles and blogs picked up by official news outlets. Journalism isn’t like it used to be. Most of us work freelance these days, investigating things and then selling the stories to the markets.”
The coffee was done, Sherman got up to pour cups as a diversion. He wished his teammate Mother was here. Mother would know what to say to diffuse the tension and phrase his thoughts in a different way. All he could think of to say was, you have got to be fucking kidding me! She would risk her life and his brother’s for what? A chance to sell a story to a news outlet? He knew, of course, that he couldn’t say that to her. She’d clam right up.
He set cups in front of Madison and Brielle first.
Brielle pointed to the cabinet above the coffee maker. “There’s a bowl of sugar up there, can you get it down please?”
It really annoyed him that Brielle was more at home on his boat than he was. He wondered how much time she and his brother spent on this boat all curled up, snuggling in his bed, doing nothing sexual. He shook his head at that thought and swore under his breath. “Son-of-a-bitch!”
He handed her the sugar bowl and a spoon and then placed a cup in front of Cooper, before retaking his seat with his own cup. He took another second to calm his thoughts and his anger. “Brielle, no one doubts your sincere desire to figure out what is going on down there at that plant. I think we are all just worried about you, exposing yourself to risks.” Mother would have been proud of him. “I’ve got Bobby, so it’s not even about him. Do you have any idea how much trouble you could get yourself in, legally? And if there is something illegal going on in that plant, I’m s
ure they won’t hesitate to hurt you to keep you quiet.”
She gazed at him with outrage. “They’re not going to kill me and throw me to the gators in the bayou.”
Yes, that’s exactly what could happen. The gazes he exchanged with Cooper and Madison proved they thought it was a possibility too. Cooper rubbed his fingers over his forehead. Sherman knew Cooper well enough to know that he was considering their next move. He kept his eyes focused on Cooper.
“Okay,” Cooper said. “So, you’re going to go down to that plant this morning before court and talk with their execs or their head of security to get the criminal charges dropped.”
