Sins of the Flesh

by J. Margot Critch

  “This is it,” Jessica said as he approached her house, and he pulled his SUV into her narrow driveway. The ride from the club had been quiet. The party had been a shit show on every level. He’d fought with Alex, a reporter had probably seen them there together. And now it had put distance between him and Jessica. He could feel the chasm widen between them with every second that passed.

  “I’m going to walk you in.”

  She sighed. “If you insist.”

  On their way to the front door, he put his hand on her back, and as she fumbled for her keys, he looked up and down the street, his senses heightened, trying to see if anyone was watching them. He didn’t think so. But they couldn’t be too careful. If Tanya had seen them together, there was no stopping her from looking at them more closely.

  She fit her key in the door, and Rafael feared that if he let her enter her house alone, he would never get her back. His fingertips spread over the bare skin. “I’m really sorry about how tonight turned out.”

  “Me, too.” She looked around, paranoid, surveying their surroundings as if she was also checking for reporters. “We shouldn’t stick around out here for too long.”

  “You going to invite me in?”

  She stepped back. “Come on in,” she said, without much emotion.

  He closed the door behind them, and he turned the lock. “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing.”

  “You aren’t a very good liar.”

  “I’m just tired, I guess.”

  “Do you want me to leave?”

  * * *

  Jessica sighed. Part of her did want Rafael to leave. But the part that wanted him to stay, the womanly part of her, won out. She reached for the lapels of his shirt, pulled him to her and kissed him. She might be conflicted about how she felt about him, but that didn’t mean she didn’t want him.

  Rafael cupped her hips and pulled her close. He kicked the door closed and flipped the dead bolt. Taking control, he pushed her to the wall, and kissed her roughly, before turning her so that she was facing away from him, and he pressed his crotch into her ass. He must have also felt the vibration because a low growl emitted from his throat—a lustful sound that turned her on even further.

  Rafael pulled her closer. “Are you mad at me?”

  “Generally, always.”

  His chuckle washed over her, as his hands ran down her back and palmed her ass. He squeezed and she pressed closer against him. She forgot about being suspicious of him, and she hated herself for how weak his touch, and the promise of more, made her. What sort of strong, independent woman did that make her? “Let’s go to bed.”

  Jessica could feel his heart pounding against her chest, as his hands grazed up her thighs, trailing up the hem of her dress.

  “Where’s your bedroom?”

  Jessica led Rafael up the staircase to her bedroom. She was relieved to see Ben’s open door, which told her that they were alone in the house. She opened the door to her own room and turned the lights on low, giving the room an intimate glow. He came up behind her and put his lips on the back of her neck, and she leaned against him as he kissed the sensitive skin there.

  “Damn,” he muttered against her electrified skin. “I don’t have a condom. Do you have any?”

  “Uh, yeah.” She reached into the nightstand. “Here.”

  “Perfect.” He lowered the straps on her gown. “I love this dress.” Her breasts kept her dress up and he pushed the material down to sit at her hips. She was braless underneath, and he reached around and cupped her, pinching her nipples, forcing a gasp from her. She leaned back against him and he kissed her neck. Gripping her hips and turning her to face him, he took her lips with his own. Where their kisses had always been frantic, frenzied, this one was different. He kissed her softly, reverently, as he lowered her to the mattress, not taking his lips from hers.

  He pushed her dress over her hips, and quickly shucked his own clothing. Soon they were both naked, washing their hands over each other. Jessica couldn’t get enough of his smooth skin, hard muscles, coarse dark hair. He settled between her legs, her thighs bracketing his waist, as if he was built to fit there. Rafael was perfect. Perfect for her.

  He reached for the condoms and, with sure hands, rolled the latex over himself and pushed inside of her, filling her. It was such a familiar feeling now. But she wanted more. She lifted her hips, meeting his thrusts. He lifted his face from his place in the crook of her neck, and his eyes found hers. Locking on her eyes, he continued his steady pace, stoking the fires within her into an inferno that threatened to consume her, when she realized that this time with Rafael was different. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer, kissing him deeply. Her heartbeat stuttered as she realized that it was different because it wasn’t just sex, rough, reckless, the scratching of an itch. Jessica realized that she had some kind of feelings for him. Could it be love?

  “Ah, mami,” he whispered, the tone sending a shiver up her spine. “You feel so good.” His moan rang through the room, and hers joined it. They were both close, but she knew that he was holding back until she finished.

  “Just let go, Raf,” she whispered, pushing back against him. It was all he needed, and something in him snapped, his pace increased, but he kept his arms around her, holding her close. His hand reached down to where they were joined and he circled his fingers around her clit, providing her with exactly what she needed. The slow burn of pleasure spread, and the heat radiated throughout her body. The inferno consumed her, and she cried out. Rafael’s yells mixed with her own, as they focused on nothing but each other, and chasing their mutual pleasure. He stilled over her, and his weight was pleasant, and she drew lazy circles on his back with her fingernails.

  Rafael moved away from her to dispose of the condom, and when he returned to her bed, he pulled the rumpled comforter over them both and held her close. He wrapped his arms around her while she sprawled over his chest. She could hear and feel his pounding heartbeat against her cheek, and she reveled in the feeling of being wrapped up in him. She didn’t want to admit it to herself. It made her life so much more complicated.

  “You’re incredible, Jess,” he whispered into her hair.

  She hummed in response. “You’re not so shabby yourself.” One thing rang through her mind, rousing her from the postcoital haze. “What happens if she releases a story about us?”

  She felt his arms tighten around her. He planted his lips on the side of her head, while his fingertips trailed down her spine. “She won’t. I’ll see to it.”

  “This is stupid, isn’t it?”

  “Yeah, it is, but I can’t help myself around you.”

  “Same,” she said, snuggling closer to him. When she pulled herself close to him, everything felt right. Her heart pounded, and her chest clenched as she struggled to breathe. She knew the signs. Whether she wanted to or not, she was falling in love with Rafael Martinez.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  “COUNCILMAN MARTINEZ, do you have time for a few words?”

  Rafael turned away from the Wednesday afternoon festivities to face the woman who’d spoken to him. He had only a couple of minutes before he had to be at the front of the crowd for the official opening of a new community center.

  The Brotherhood had anonymously been behind the revitalization of the state-of-the-art facility, which included a playground and swimming pools as well as after-school and arts programs. It would be a great addition to the community, and while Rafael wasn’t officially one of the benefactors on paper, he had been instrumental in getting the project through city council, as some councillors had tried to block it in favor of a parking lot. It was something that he and Jessica had agreed on. They’d fought it and won.

  “For you, Tanya, anything,” he said, and smiled at the reporter, then the cameraman setting up the shot behind them.

  Tan
ya smiled back, giving no indication that she’d seen them together at the past weekend’s masquerade party. Turning toward the camera, she said, “As someone who has spent a decade in municipal politics, how do you explain Jessica Morgan’s sudden popularity, after just two years on city council? It seems like she’s been giving you a run for your money.”

  He looked over Tanya’s shoulder and saw Jessica standing in the crowd, greeting onlookers. She was campaigning, but he knew that really she was connecting to the people, and she wasn’t just there as a politician. Jessica cared about them, and he admired that. Smiling and laughing with her constituents, she was stunning. Watching her made his chest clench with need. He just wanted to be with her.

  “I’m going to be honest, she’s definitely kept me on my toes.” He chuckled. “But being part of this mayoral race has been so rewarding—especially as it’s captured the interest and imagination of the public so intensely.” Rafael smiled at the reporters now gathered around him. Despite that his words were true, the pressure was on. He and Jessica had to be careful within the public eye, but being careful was becoming harder, as he found himself growing more and more desperate for her.

  Tanya leaned in. “Well, look at you guys,” she replied. “You’re both young, attractive. At a time when people are paying attention to politics, you’re both very interesting. You’re making the story sexy,” she said with a wink.

  “I guess you’ve got a point there,” he started, before turning back on the politician. “And I’m extremely grateful that the people of Las Vegas have taken such a great interest in municipal politics and what happens in their city.”

  “And what are your thoughts on Jessica Morgan?”

  Besides the fact that she’s sex on stilettos, with a sweet ass? “As for Ms. Morgan, I’m honestly very surprised by her popularity. She’s proven to be quite a fierce opponent. She has a passion, which I believe is resonating with many in the city. Although, she’s relatively unqualified and has so little experience in municipal politics, and while I believe that she is an excellent councillor at city hall, I just don’t believe her to be capable of taking the mayor’s seat.”

  “How do you think she’s going to react to you calling her unqualified?”

  He smiled. “Well, it’s a factual statement. Whether or not she’ll like it, that remains to be seen,” he finished smoothly before turning away. He knew that Jessica wouldn’t like it. But maybe she wouldn’t be too angry about it. He smirked again, thinking about her possible retaliation. Like hell she won’t.

  He tried to maintain his poker face, but it was difficult. He was finding it harder and harder to school his emotions and separate his feelings about Jessica. He’d woken up with his arms around her, and for several minutes that morning, he’d just watched her sleep, the delicate rise and fall of her chest, and when her eyelids fluttered open, he kissed her, without saying a word, and then made love to her again. Made love. Was that what he’d been doing? He already felt more strongly tied to Jessica than he’d ever felt with a woman. But was it love? He shook himself free of the memories when he realized that Tanya was still looking at him.

  He smiled and started to move away, but Tanya stopped him again. “Just one more question. A source tells me that you are a part-owner in Di Terrestres, a well-known, members-only, erotic club, and that you’re also heavily involved in the other business activities of its owners. What do you say about a potential conflict of interest seeing as how you want to be mayor?”

  That made Rafael pause. “A source told you?” He could imagine there being no source, and that Tanya had followed her own hunch. “Tanya, I assure you and the citizens of Las Vegas that there is no conflict of interest in my campaign. I did have interest in several businesses, but that is in a blind trust. I’m no longer in control of the management of them. My only connection to Di Terrestres is that I have office space in the same building.” He lied easily. “If I were you, I’d check my sources.”

  “That’s your official statement?”

  He nodded. “Absolutely.”

  Tanya didn’t look convinced, but she extended her hand and he shook it. “Okay, thank you, councilman. Good luck with the campaign.”

  “Anytime,” he told her, knowing that she hadn’t been placated, and that he would have to think quickly and do some damage control. He walked away from her and again saw Jessica working the crowd. Tanya had somehow gotten into the club the other night, but could it have been Jessica who’d tipped her off? He’d told her about his ownership in the club when few other people knew, and she had the most to gain from this getting leaked. Was it her?

  “Fuck,” he muttered, as he walked toward some business leaders who were waving to him. He had work to do. He took another look at Jessica over his shoulder. He should warn her about Tanya’s source. But he didn’t have time at the moment. He had work to do.

  * * *

  “Unqualified?” Jessica laughed, incredulously, at Tanya Roberts, who’d stopped her. “He said I was unqualified?”

  Tanya spoke into the mic. “He also said that you were ‘not capable of taking the mayor’s seat.’ What are your thoughts?”

  “I think this is another example of Councilman Martinez being unable to look past his own ego. He thinks that if one isn’t a successful, influential man, then they aren’t fit to lead. My commitment to the job and the people of Las Vegas is unmatched by Mr. Martinez.”

  “But how do you intend to lead the city with such little political experience.”

  “In my two years on council, I’ve been doing the work and paying attention. I’ve researched, studied. I’ve attended city hall council meetings, and I’ve worked closely with the current mayor, so I know what the job entails. But I believe that my lack of political experience will serve the city better, because I haven’t spent years cultivating relationships that require earning and doing favors. I’m not here to play a game. I don’t have any political allegiances to anyone besides the people of Las Vegas,” she finished. “Think you’ve got some good sound bites there?”

  “I believe I do,” Tanya said, offering her hand. Jessica shook it and turned back to the festivities. She watched the kids play, her mind wondering what Rafael’s response to her statements would be.

  When Tanya walked away, Jessica looked into the crowd and saw Rafael, talking with another councillor. She pulled out her phone and typed a message to him.

  Unqualified, huh?

  She watched as he reached into the breast pocket of his sports coat and pulled out his phone. He looked at the screen, and she smiled when he threw his head back in laughter. He shook the hand of the councillor and walked away, putting the phone to his ear. Her own phone rang in her hand and she answered.

  “I said relatively unqualified,” he said when she raised the phone to her ear.

  “Is that right?” She laughed. “How about being incapable of taking the mayor’s seat?” she challenged.

  “Okay, yeah, I might have said that.”

  “You’re so dead.”

  “Do you think we can get out of here anytime soon?”

  “What do you have in mind?”

  “Why don’t we go to Di Terrestres tonight? So we know we can have a little privacy. I want to be with you.”

  She had work to do that night, arranging some final interviews and appearances before the election. Her to-do list was pages long with the things she’d been neglecting because of Rafael. Not to mention the performance she’d agreed to give at the club. But an invitation from him made her forget all of that. He did something to her, made her forget absolutely everything of importance. It was frustrating, and for someone who tried so hard to keep her wits about her, to be independent and strong, an atomic bomb could have gone off outside the room, and she knew it would not part them. She closed her eyes and mustered all of her strength. “I can’t. I have work to do.”

  “So d
o I.”

  That sounded good to her. It felt like with the closeness of the election, the press’s increased presence in their lives was starting to seem intrusive. She didn’t know what would happen if their relationship—or whatever it was—was discovered. “What time should I show up?”

  “Why don’t you come by around eight?”

  “Okay,” she said again, with a smile. With just a couple of words, he’d made her completely change her mind. She seemed to be smiling more when she thought of Rafael, as crazy as he made her. “I’ll see you then.” She hung up the phone and so did he. Jessica looked around, and her smile fell when she and Tanya locked eyes, before the other woman’s also found Rafael, who, oblivious, was putting his phone in his pocket.

  Tanya’s smile left Jessica feeling cold. The reporter had always been so kind to Jessica, gave her the opportunity to speak on air, but now as she saw the kernels of an explosive story form behind her eyes, Jessica went into full-fledged panic. She wanted to get out of there, but first, she had to figure out what Tanya was thinking. She smiled and, holding her head high, walked over to Tanya.

  “This is going to be a great addition to the neighborhood,” Jessica said, when she approached the other woman. “It really will be a fantastic spot.”

  “Indeed,” Tanya said. “I’m just wondering, Jessica. We don’t know a lot about you, your personal life. Are you seeing anyone?”

  “Are we on the record?” Jessica asked.

  “I’m always on the record.”

  “Well, in that case, no. I’m not seeing anyone.”

  Jessica maintained eye contact, but she knew that Tanya wasn’t convinced. The other woman watched her carefully, until she nodded and shook Jessica’s hand. “Until next time,” Tanya said. “Keep in touch. If there’s anything you want to tell me, please call.”