by Margaret Kay
Brielle floated in the after bliss of their coupling, trying to catch her breath and force her eyes open. She felt him deep inside of her, throbbing. She was in no hurry to break the connection. It felt right. It felt wonderful. She felt him shift and his weight was lifted from her chest. She opened her eyes to gaze into his beautiful brown irises that were focused on her with affection.
He kissed her just as passionately as he had when their clothes were on, with hopes of getting them off. “Thank you for trusting me,” he said in a soft voice. “I’ll never hurt you, Brielle.”
And she believed him. She wrapped her hand around his neck and pulled him in for another kiss. “You were right. I like naked snuggling even more than snuggling with you with our clothes on.”
“Told you,” Sherman said. He kissed her again and circled his hips, driving his still hard cock deeper within her. “I might just have to do that again. You got another of those orgasms in you?”
Brielle smiled wide. “Women always do, the question is, do you?”
“Wrap your legs around my waist,” he said with a sexy grin.
She immediately did.
“Oh, yeah, that feels good,” he murmured.
He knew it could go either way. His cock could calm down, but if he thrust it in and out of her enough, he could come again and satisfy both of them. He face-planted in the mattress beside her head and grabbed both of her ass cheeks in his hands. He lifted them from the mattress and kneaded them like he’d never get to touch them again. He immediately felt the anticipation of another orgasm build. He turned himself loose and drove into her with such a fury that he feared he would scare her, but he couldn’t stop. It felt too good, painfully good. He knew the sounds that forced their way from his strangled throat sounded inhuman.
This time, the explosion in his brain was dizzying, flipped his whole world upside-down. He clung to her to bring himself back to consciousness. Wow. That had been the most powerful orgasm he’d ever experienced. He had no perception though if Brielle had orgasmed too or not. He was sure had she yelled for him to stop, he would have heard her, so she must not have.
He wrestled to pull himself onto his forearms. Brielle’s eyes were still closed. He kissed the tip of her nose. A smile pulled at her lips. He kissed her cheek and then brought his lips to her ear. “That was so good, I think I passed out,” he whispered. He watched her smile spread wider.
“I know I did,” she said softly.
He noticed her chest heaved with every word.
“So, you’d maybe want to do that again sometime?”
She giggled. “Oh yeah, I would.”
A warmth spread through Sherman. An image of her in his bed in his condo flashed through his mind. He wanted to make love to her in his bed just like that until neither one of them had any strength left, and then he wanted to hold her and fall asleep with her in his arms. He wanted to sit her butt-naked onto his kitchen counter and orally pleasure her until she couldn’t take any more. He wanted her there with him is what became apparent to him.
“Let’s shift onto this bed and let me just hold you for a little bit,” Sherman said.
She pulled herself onto the bed as he withdrew from inside of her. She watched his penis come out, his unsheathed penis. “The condom? Where’s the condom?”
“I didn’t use one,” Brian admitted. “Didn’t want anything between us.”
“What?” She demanded.
“I’m clean, I promise.” He reclined beside her, but she sat straight up.
“Brian, you didn’t pull out. You came inside me twice.” She was horrified.
“If anything happens, I’ll be right here with you,” he offered.
“If anything happens? Like you mean if I get pregnant?” She glared at him. “Shit, I can’t believe you’d do that.”
“It wouldn’t have felt anywhere near that good to either one of us if I’d put the condom on,” Sherman said. “Besides, you said your cycle is pretty regular.”
She stared at him in a panic. “I’m Catholic, Brian. If I get pregnant, I’m having a kid and I’m not ready for that yet. I just turned thirty and have only a few years to try to get my journalism career off the ground. A kid doesn’t fit into that plan right now. You had no right,” she said, but her words halted when Brian sat up and pinned her to the mattress in one fluid movement.
“I’m here, whatever happens. I’ve slept with women who mean nothing to me and always have worn a condom. I didn’t want that with you because you mean something to me. You mean a lot to me. I made love to you. I didn’t have sex with you.”
“And if I get pregnant?”
“I’ll marry you and be the best damn daddy any kid has ever had. I wouldn’t be like Tina’s baby daddy and not be a part of my kids’ life. Hell, if you want me to, I’ll marry you right now. Lambchop is our team pastor. He’s married all the guys. I’ll call him in here right now to officiate a ceremony.”
“Right now, with us both lying here naked as the day we were born?”
A smile spread on Sherman’s face. “That’s right. I’m sure it would be a first for him though.”
“I want a career in journalism, Brian. This story could propel me into the big leagues. I want to travel the world and write about real news stories, stories that matter. I’ve dreamed about it for so long.”
“Then I want that for you too. Move up north with me when this is over. Chicago is a major news outlet. If this story breaks like we think it will, you can get a job with any of the networks in Chicago, I’m sure. I want you with me, Brielle.”
“Leave the bayou? I always thought this would be my home base, where I’d come back to in between stories.”
“I’m going to convince Bobby to stay up north with me. Come stay with us.”
“I have to think about it, Brian. I can’t just give you an answer to something this big without thinking about it.”
“Tell me one thing. Do you want to be with me? Do you want to see where a relationship between us can go?”
A smile pulled at her lips. “Of course, I do.”
“Then that’s all that matters. The rest will work itself out.” He pressed a kiss to her lips.
November
Sherman pulled himself from the bed. Brielle dozed. Sloan was waiting for him in the bathroom when he pulled himself out from beneath the hot downpour of the shower. “Use it now if you need to. Brielle’s going to take a shower when I’m done in here. She’s not quite on board with the unisex bathroom while showering.”
“I imagine she needs to,” Sloan said.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Sherman replied.
“FYI, the cold air return vent in your room is connected to Lambchop and Mother’s room.”
“Is it now?” Sherman asked, knowing they’d been heard.
“Yep, and Lambchop just got up from a nap, or rather was woken up during it.”
A boyish grin pulled at Sherman’s lips. “I can explain.”
“You’re going to have to take that up with Lambchop. He’s not happy with you,” Sloan said.
“Where is he?” Sherman asked. He was never one to dodge the consequences of his actions, and he didn’t like the idea that he had disappointed Lambchop.
“The galley.”
Sherman clasped Sloan on the shoulder. “Thanks.” He dressed quickly and then he walked down the hall, heading for the door that led into the galley. Within, Lambchop stood, sipping coffee and staring out the window. “Any of that horrible coffee left?”
Lambchop turned to face him, and he could see the disapproval in Lambchop’s eyes. It bothered Sherman, knowing he’d let Lambchop down. He respected his team lead immensely, both as an Operator and as a moral human being. He often wondered how Lambchop, a devout man of God, reconciled the job they did with his deep religious beliefs.
“You know where the coffee is. Go ahead and take what you want. You know how to do that well.”
“It’s not what you think. I’m going to ma
rry that girl,” Sherman said. “So, you better get your bible ready, maybe Sloan and I will have a double ceremony.”
Lambchop’s lips tugged into a grin. He never thought he’d see the day that Brian Sherman declared he was going to marry someone. “You were out of line, sleeping with her here.”
Sherman’s lips twisted into a frown. “Probably, but she wanted the connection as much as I did, needed it. She’s tough, but not used to any of this. Seeing that guy out the window really rocked her.”
Lambchop drew in a gulp of his coffee. “You find a different way to comfort her going forward. You’re celibate the remainder of this mission. You got that?”
Sherman beamed a smile at Lambchop. “Yes, sir.” He knew that things were okay between him and his boss.
Just before Lambchop, Mother, and Handsome headed out to surveil the Sheriff, Lambchop called Sherman out of the lounge where everyone was gathered. Cooper had just gotten up. Sloan and Madison were primary with Cooper on surveillance for the next few hours.
“You can use my tablet,” Lambchop said as Sherman’s was in use in the lounge. “You have a video chat with Lassiter in ten minutes.”
“I do?” Sherman asked, shaking his head. “I thought we were okay.”
Lambchop laid his hand on Sherman’s shoulder. “We are. Just talk with Lassiter.”
Brielle came into the hallway. “I’m heading to bed. Are you coming, Brian?”
Sherman’s eyes flickered to Lambchop. “Not yet. Give me about a half hour then I’ll be in.” He’d make his video call from Sloan’s room.
Brielle glanced at them both, not sure what was going on. “Okay. I’ll probably be awake still.”
“Remember, you’re celibate going forward,” Lambchop whispered.
“Yeah, I got it.”
Once inside Sloan’s room, Sherman activated the link to enable the video chat with Lassiter. He wasn’t clear on why he had to talk with the good doctor, but Lambchop said he had to, and he had the rank to order it.
“Hi Joe,” Sherman greeted him when Lassiter’s scarred face appeared.
Joe nodded and smiled. “Sherman, creating a few issues for Lambchop, are you?”
Sherman shrugged. “Not intentionally.” He beamed a smile at Lassiter. “I can’t help that this woman got to me like she did.”
“You’re going to marry her, huh?”
“Trust me, I’m more surprised than anyone,” Sherman replied. “But I’m not about to make the same mistake Sloan almost did. I like this girl and am not going to let her get away without exploring what a relationship with her would be like. I’ve already asked her to move in with me when this is over.”
“And is she going to?”
“She said she had to think about it, but I think she will. She’s on the same page as me.”
“You also have your brother to consider.”
“As far as Brielle is concerned, as long as I’m good to her, he’s fine with me pursuing her.”
“That’s not what I meant,” Lassiter said. “You’ve also taken his recovery on as your responsibility, emotionally and financially.”
“The way I see it, I have no other choice. He’s family, Joe, and where I come from family is everything. It doesn’t matter what it costs. I have plenty put away and earn a good paycheck doing this job.”
“And if Brielle moves in with you, you’re taking on getting her established in a new town, too. That’s a lot for a man who’s had no responsibilities to anyone besides his team.”
Sherman laughed. “I don’t see it that way, as a responsibility. I see it more as a gift I am able to give, a hand up for Bobby. He’s a smart kid, capable of doing a lot more than he has so far in life. I think getting him out of the bayou is the best thing for him. He can get a job up there far easier than he can in the Parish with his reputation and history down here.”
“And Brielle?”
“If this story gives her the big break she’s looking for in journalism, Chicago is a better market to pursue it in. I just want the opportunity with her to see if we can work out. I don’t understand why any of this bothers Lambchop or Cooper.”
“They care about you, Sherman, just want to be sure you’re not getting buried beneath responsibilities and demands on you that could cripple you.”
Sherman laughed. “Then neither of them knows me well at all, if they’d think that. And I thought this was because Lambchop was pissed that I slept with Brielle here, during the mission.”
“Not pissed, concerned. I don’t need to tell you that you have a reputation with the ladies, but you’ve never let that side show itself during a mission. The fact you went there with this woman caused Lambchop to be very concerned about you.”
“Is he doubting my professionalism, doing the job?”
“He’s worried you’re emotionally involved and will lose your edge.”
Sherman laughed aloud. “Yes, you better believe I’m emotionally involved, but if anything, that will keep me sharp. This bastard Sheriff has been harassing Brielle for months. He or his deputy laid hands on my brother while he was in custody, and I was harassed from the second the Sheriff met me. This guy is as dirty as they come, and he’s going down. And I’ll make sure of it.”
Lassiter nodded. “Okay, it doesn’t get any more personal or emotional than that.”
“Lassiter, you have to understand. This asshole came into the bayou, my home. He’s not from down here. He doesn’t get to do what he’s been doing. Not him, not the mayor of Galliano, not the fuckers out at that BioDynamix facility, especially not them, using cancer research as a cover. None of those people are from the bayou. They are outsiders who came down here to take advantage, to commit a crime, or do whatever the hell it is they are up to.”
Lassiter considered Brian Sherman’s words and the emotion that was evident as he said them. He knew Sherman’s mother died from cancer. He had a very personal reason for being so incensed that cancer research was being used as the cover for something that they were all sure was illegal. “Fair enough. Keep your emotions in check and be cognizant of what you’re feeling. It can be a help to keep your edge or a hinderance that will interfere with your effectiveness in doing the job. That’s all up to you.”
“I understand, Joe. You’ll sanction me to continue?”
Lassiter’s lips twisted into a grin. “I see no reason to stop you. And I look forward to meeting your lady when this is over.”
Sherman smiled wide. “I will gladly introduce you to her. She’s something special.”
Lassiter nodded. “She must be.”
When Sherman entered his and Brielle’s room, she was already asleep. He slid in beside her and reveled in the sensation of holding her. She was his girl, and that realization was powerful. He hadn’t been lying when he told Lambchop and Lassiter that he was going to marry her. He’d never thought that about any other woman, ever.
The next two days, the team monitored their surveillance equipment on rotating shifts. A trip was made up the bayou to change the batteries in their cameras across from the BioDynamix building. Sherman along with Mother and Handsome made that happen without incident.
They continued to watch the Sheriff as well. His meeting had been at the Galliano Airport. Photos of the man he met with were sent to HQ. That man flew out on a Cessna immediately after the meeting. Photos of the plane were also sent to HQ, but so far, there was no info on either the man or the plane. The number on the plane wasn’t registered to that model plane. It had been altered.
The digital team at HQ were busy and made some real progress. As Garcia always said, follow the money. They did and found the origin of the money that biweekly deposited into a New Jersey account that paid the workers. It funneled through several accounts, but Garcia was, with a little less than legal hacking, able to trace it back to the corporation that Dwayne Stuart’s Gentlemen’s clubs were under. It wouldn’t stand up in court, but it answered a lot of questions and helped to connect the dots.
; They had not managed to hack into the BioDynamix network. There was robust firewalling. They still had no idea what was going on at the BioDynamix plant. They suspected drug manufacturing, but without shipments of anything going out and what appeared to only be food coming in twice a week, they couldn’t prove it or even confirm it.
Besides the less than enthusiastic employees coming and going from work each day, two other suspicious things were identified. One was Sheriff Henderson’s police cruiser pulling right into the warehouse of the plant every day. Even on the footage captured by Brielle’s camera for the past two weeks, Sheriff Henderson made a visit and drove right in through the large garage door beside the dock that opened as he approached. He came at different times. There were no phone calls made to or from him arranging the visits on his phone they had tapped into.
