by Axl Goode
“Okay. I will see if I can pull up any new dirt on him. He has plenty of other bank accounts so I’m sure we’ll find a connection. I think we should also study his extracurricular activities closely. He comes across very clean to the public but he obviously has some dirty secrets. I think we need to dig those up. It’s not going to be easy but we’re going to have to study the policies that he has helped push the city toward and see if there is any obvious benefit to him. We’re going to have to work on this together so I’m going to put you on brainstorming any ways we could nail him for something other than his financials. In the meantime I’ll have to find his accountant and hack into his records so we at least know all the bank accounts he has.”
“That sounds like a solid plan to me. I guess it’s the best we can do with the resources we have,” she said, sounding a little defeated.
“We have plenty of resources, don’t worry. We’re going to figure out as much as possible on the computer but if we have to do actual reconnaissance then I can get us everything we need to be effective.”
“Okay. I’m going to need some clean clothes at some point though.”
“I’m already on it, sweetheart.”
Did he just call me sweetheart? And how is he already on it? We just sat down for breakfast…
Finishing their breakfast, they cleaned the kitchen together before setting to work. Going back into the computer room, Brenley waited as Zane went into his bedroom to grab his MacBook Pro for her to use. She sat down at a side desk with the computer in front of her. Zane logged into his supercomputer and went to work.
She watched him for a few minutes as he went from screen to screen. She couldn’t keep up with how fast he was processing the information. He was jumping from subject to subject so fast she had no idea how he even knew what he was doing.
Turning to the laptop, she noticed it was his personal computer. It must have all sorts of personal information on it. She made a mental note to try not to snoop around on it, even though she was curious what was on there.
She opened a blank word processing document and began to brainstorm. How could they get dirt on the mayor, other than financial records? How could they clear their names, showing that they were both set up from the start?
The best way she thought of was to find the connection between the mayor and the men that broke into her apartment yesterday. What was that cop’s name? Jarod Cormack. That was it. He was a police officer for the Dallas police department. They were both government officials. This couldn’t be a coincidence.
They already had evidence of the break-in because of Zane’s video recording, but the men would no doubt lie about it and say they had arrived to the scene early. This also wasn’t sufficient to completely clear her and Zane of the other accusations. She had the feeling that to clear their names, they were going to have to find the financial problem but also show that Frederickson set them up. The real key was getting the dirt they needed on the mayor, in order to get him to admit to framing them.
She sat staring blankly at the computer wondering what her entire family was thinking. She wasn’t terribly close with any of them but knew they would still be worried if they saw the news. What was everyone at the bank thinking of her right now? There was really no way back unless her and Zane succeeded.
“Okay, I hacked into Frederickson’s accountant’s computer and it looks as though everything we need is right there. I just downloaded all his financial records for the last eight years, so if there is anything in there we should be able to find it. Check your desktop. I dropped a folder there with all the records in it.”
“Already? How did you do that?” she asked stunned.
“Magic,” Zane replied with a wink.
Sure enough, on the screen there was a folder with every financial record Frederickson had for the last eight years. She noticed there were several other bank accounts, as well as multiple investment funds. That could take a really long time. Auditing a person’s financials like that was no joke. She definitely had her work cut out for her.
“This is great. We don’t really have very much to go on other than financials. The only other avenue I see for us to explore right now is to find the connection between Frederickson and Cormack.”
“I agree. I’ll see what I can find in relation to both of them.”
They worked steadily through the morning and into the afternoon, only taking breaks to refill their cups with coffee. They stopped and made sandwiches for lunch and ate outside at a picnic table. The weather was beautiful and even though they were searching for information to redeem themselves, Brenley couldn’t help but feel like she was on a small vacation.
It was so peaceful outside, with a soft breeze and the sound of running water close to the lodge. If the circumstances weren’t so dire, she thought she would really be enjoying herself here.
They got back to work shortly afterward, with Brenley still working on auditing the financials and Zane researching Frederickson and Cormack. They kept working until around 8 o’clock when they agreed to stop for the night. As they headed to the kitchen she decided to try to save their meal for the night. “Would you like me to show you how to cook?”
Zane looked at her sheepishly before responding, “It was that bad, huh? I’ve never been good at it. I’m not sure you can help someone like me.”
“Sure I can. What would you like tonight? We’ll make up something delicious.”
“How about we do something simple like chicken, mashed potatoes with gravy, and corn?”
“Sounds great to me.”
Going to the kitchen they set to work.
It was nice she thought, cooking dinner with someone.
They worked well together. She walked him through how to prep and do everything in an orderly manner. Making light conversation, they had fun with it. It didn’t take long before they were sitting down for dinner. The table wasn’t overly large and was made out of a cedar frame with marble overlaid on the top. Zane pulled out another bottle of red wine, this one featuring a spicy aftertaste. She had to admit, she was thankful his choice of wine was better than his cooking. Although he had done well tonight…with her instruction.
“You know, when I imagined getting to know you better, I had pictured different circumstances,” Zane said with a laugh.
“Tell me about it. I hope we are doing the right thing, trying to solve this ourselves.”
“We are. I’ve contacted a few friends of mine who are private detectives to ask for their advice and help. They said to stay the course. They’re working on digging up any leads as well. Let’s drop our predicament for the night though, what do you say?”
“I guess so. It’s just hard not to think about it,” Brenley said in a soft tone.
“Yeah, I know. Why don’t you tell me a little bit more about yourself?”
“What do you want to know?”
“I don’t know. Everything. I’ve had this really strong attraction to you since the moment I saw you and I don’t think something that strong could be wrong. Are you from Dallas originally? Do you have any brothers or sisters?”
There he went again, being totally open about his feelings. She couldn’t tell if he was naturally aggressive or simply open. She wondered if he was this way with every girl or just her. She hadn’t ever met anyone that was so blatantly honest about their attraction to her. She wanted to pretend like she didn’t like it but she couldn’t help being flattered by it. It made her feel important and wanted, even though he barely knew her.
“I grew up in McKinney. I moved to Dallas when I started going to the University of Texas at Dallas. I also have a younger sister Peighton. What about you?”
“I’m from Arkansas originally. I went to university there, before deciding to move down here and pursue an acting career. I have an older brother named Julian. He lives in Miami and works for a marketing company.”
“Really? You’re from Arkansas?” Brenley asked incredulously.
“Yeah, why the tone of surprise?�
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“Oh, I don’t know. You just don’t seem the redneck type.”
“Well I assure you I can pull out a Southern accent any time I need to,” he said in a very Southern gentleman dialect.
“Ha ha, wow that was impressive!” She could feel her mood lightening with the wine but the conversation was also relaxing her.
“One of my many talents. So, I’m curious why you always thought so negatively of me without even knowing me?”
“Well, I had seen you plenty of times before in the news and movies. You just had ‘spoiled’ written all over you. You always date these supermodels that most likely couldn’t hold a conversation if they tried--”
“Hey! I’ll have you know they could hold great conversations. Just not about anything I cared to talk about,” he said with heavy sarcasm and a lopsided grin that made her laugh.
“I don’t know. Everyone loves you and you don’t even have to try. I think it’s that everything comes so easily to you. People naturally just gravitate toward you and you get whatever you want. I’ve had to work very hard to get where I am and I’ve seen others get promotions over me or better grades because they flirted with their professors in college. It didn’t seem as though you worked a day in your life or had anything of substance about you. I couldn’t respect that. You play the part of the celebrity very well.”
“Why, thank you. I do try to live up to the reputation. What do you think of me now, after spending a little time with me?”
“Well clearly you’re cockier than I first imagined. And I’m still not sure you have anything going on upstairs but you’re easy on the eyes,” she said, trying to sound serious but failing. A deep rumbling laugh escaped his throat.
“Wow! So you do have a sense of humor after all?”
“Who says I’m joking?” She held a straight face for all of three seconds before bursting out laughing. It felt good to laugh. Finally she answered his original question.
“To be honest, I’m not sure what to think of you yet. There’s clearly more to you than meets the eye. I think I’m still making up my mind but most of all I think you’re unsafe. I’ve had my heart broken before. I don’t want to ever go through that sort of pain again.”
“I’m sorry. Relationships suck sometimes, huh?”
“Yeah they do.”
“I’m not asking for anything serious, you know? All I want is for you to be open to who I am. If we really connect, then great. If not, then no harm done.”
“I know. It’s just never that simple.”
They spent the rest of the meal getting to know each other better, not really probing too deep into each other’s past but getting a better sense of who the other person was. Zane kept surprising Brenley by how much he had done in his life. She learned he had grown up on a farm, obtained two bachelor degrees, traveled to numerous different countries, and spoke German fluently. She hadn’t imagined him being so well-rounded.
They talked about places they wanted to travel. Different things that were on each other’s bucket lists. It was really nice, having a solid conversation with someone but keeping it light too. Once they finished dinner they moved into the living room and kept talking.
Zane lit his gas fireplace and opened the windows again. They lay on the rug, drinking wine and talking. The more they talked the more she could feel herself wanting it to not stop. Looking over at Zane he was propped up on his elbow, with his hair hanging down past his face. His shirt fit tightly over his fit frame. Just lying there, he looked like he stepped out of a magazine. He was sporting several-day-old facial hair that gave him a more rugged look, which she thought suited him very well.
She started thinking about how long it had been since she’d slept with someone. What has it been, half a year? She could feel her desire mounting the more they talked and the more her eyes roamed over his body. They let the conversation die off, enjoying the fire in front of them. She could feel the tension rising between them, or was it just her?
After a few minutes of lying there, he propped himself up again then reached over with his left hand, brushing it softly across her face. He left it on her neck with his thumb rubbing slowly across her skin. Her entire insides lit on fire. She wanted him to keep going so badly.
Scooting closer, he brought his body up against hers. His lips hovered in front of hers. Looking into his eyes she saw his need there. She saw how much he wanted her. She gulped, trying to wet her throat. No one had ever looked at her that way before. Inside she felt her resistance melting steadily away.
Thump, thump.
Her heart was pounding. She didn’t realize she was holding her breath until she let it out. He brought his face closer, right up against her neck where she could feel his hot breath cascading over her. With him that close his manly scent assaulted her senses. He smelled so delicious she nearly brought her lips to his neck to taste him. His lips caressed her ear softly. A warm tingling sensation shot through her body. Goose bumps sprang up in response to his touch. With her state of arousal everything was becoming hyper-sensitive. A sweet heat formed in her belly and pulsed between her thighs.
“I want you,” he whispered in her ear before pulling back to look into her eyes again. His voice sounded gravelly and passionate at the same time. Even though it was a whisper she could feel the primal desire behind it. She could feel it in the way his hand lay on her neck. She could tell he was holding back his desire as much as possible but his eyes told her everything. She was his.
He leaned in slowly, brushing his lips across hers with a soft kiss. Shivers ran down her spine. Her nipples hardened into tight nubs. Her clit began to throb, sending pulses of energy through her. He leaned back in, kissing her again, this time more fully. His lips enveloped her top lip while he ran his tongue along the inside of her lip. Then he moved to her lower lip, doing the same thing. His body moved closer to hers, pressing up against her with a powerful need. A throaty “mmmm” escaped him. She could feel her body warming up as she laid her hand across his muscular thigh.
After a few moments he pulled away from her. The throbbing between her legs grew more powerful. She wanted more of him. As he smiled down at her, she realized he was halfway on top of her now. One of his legs split hers and his hair hung down around his face. He was smiling like she hadn’t ever seen him do. She was smiling too and they both started laughing.
“I’ve wanted to do that for a very long time,” he said in an intimate tone.
Before she could respond, his lips were pressed back up to hers. This time his tongue slid in her mouth, twirling around with her own. He tasted sweet. Reaching around him, she let her hands explore his powerful back. It rippled with hard muscle. Her nipples hardened till she thought they might burst. With his cock pressing between her thighs, the ball of heat in her belly pulsed with need.
He kept kissing her, slowly moving down to her neck, kissing softly all across it. “Mmmm,” she purred as his lips floated sensually across her skin. He moved his left hand underneath her lower back and his right hand came softly on the left side of her neck. She arched her back as waves of pleasure washed through her. She enjoyed the way his lips worked their way across her neck and ear. She had never had anyone kiss her with such passion before. Despite how large he was, he was precise in what he did and how he kissed her.
She ran her hands over his thighs, feeling how hard his muscles were before slipping her hands under his shirt. She resisted the urge to pull his shirt off right there. Having her hands between it would have to be enough. His breathing was heavy. She could tell how much he wanted her and could feel him pressing through their clothes on top of her throbbing clit. After a few more minutes he moved back up to her lips, kissing her more passionately before slowly pulling away.
Brenley’s entire body flushed with heat. Her clit was swollen and throbbing from having him pressed up against it. She could tell her thong was soaking wet. She loved the way he kissed her. Slowly and passionately. It was rare for someone to take their time
like that.
“You taste delicious,” he said in a husky voice.
“You do too. I want to taste more of you,” she said, trying to mask the need in her voice.
“Oh gosh. Don’t tempt me.” He bit his lip.
“I’m not tempting.” With her hands still inside his shirt, she started to lift it off him. Reaching down, he stopped her. Grinding his jaw, a groan escaped his throat.
“We should probably go to bed. It’s getting late.”
What? Seriously? That is so unfair. She tried to hide her disappointment but was sure it was evident on her face.
“Yeah. You’re probably right,” she said begrudgingly.
Turning the fire off and closing the windows, they finished off their wine before he walked her to the guest bedroom. Outside her room he shoved her up against the wall, like he had in the elevator. This time, he let his hand rest around her neck and held her in place with his body by pressing it up against hers. Leaning down, he gave her a long passionate kiss before pulling away.
“I had to stop earlier because I want to make sure you want me like I want you. If I had kept going I wouldn’t have been able to control myself,” Zane said with a look in his eyes that said he was telling the truth. He had unbridled desire written all over him. Before she could respond, he kissed her good night then walked down the hall to his room.
Stunned, Brenley walked into her room, closing the door behind her. Her entire body was still filled with desire. She wanted nothing more than for Zane to come into her room, rip her clothes off and take her. She sat on her bed, thinking about going into his room but decided against it. As much as she wanted him, she knew it must have been even harder for him to stop.
He was in control here and she knew it. She brushed her teeth and got ready for bed before climbing into the warm blankets. She was sleeping naked since her thong had gotten soaked earlier. Lying in bed she let her hand slip down over her clit and started to work in a circular motion. Spreading her legs, she imagined having Zane there on top of her, pressing into her and kissing all over her body.
