Deek sighed in frustration and threw up his hands. “There’s no reasoning with you, Mel. How ‘bout you just avoid calling me at all.”
“Don’t blame me. I didn’t name you,” he said then diverted his attention back to Renee. She cringed. Bradford was like a school yard bully.
“I betcha me and you got more in common age-wise,” said Bradford with a crooked grin, “Not to say you look bad ‘cause you look damn good for any age. But you must be almost ready for your AARP card. Me, I’ve been a member for nine years so I can get discounts on things. Anyway, exactly how old are you, Doc?”
“Detective Bradford, let me educate you about something. There’re three questions a gentleman should never ask a lady. How much do you weigh? How old are you? Or when is your baby due, if he’s not absolutely certain she’s pregnant. Got it?”
“I got it, Miss Manners, but those rules don’t apply to me ‘cause I ain’t no gentleman. So what’s all the mystery for? Just tell me how old you are.”
“None of your damn business,” she said and clutched her coat tighter. She imagined her fingers gripped around his thick, pudgy neck.
Bradford just wouldn’t let up, thought Renee as he launched his next observation. “You look like you’re roasting in that hot ass fur coat,” said Mel, “Why don’t you take it off?”
Deek walked over to the couch and felt her forehead and cheeks. “You are perspiring and your face looks flushed. Let me hang it up for you and I’ll turn up the heat if you’re still cold. I don’t want you to catch pneumonia.”
“No, Deek. I’m fine. I should just call my driver back and leave,” said Renee, getting up from the couch, “You said you were tired and I’m sure you don’t need all this uninvited company.” Renee gave Bradford a piercing glare.
Deek grabbed her by the hand and pleaded with her not to leave while Bradford pulled back the recliner to get more comfortable.
“Your driver, eh? You use a driver?” asked Mel, “I’m going blind over here looking at those rocks on your ears. Must be nice. Hey, if you need a lift home I don’t mind dropping you off,” said Bradford, swallowing the last of his Vodka.
“No thanks. That’s kind of you to offer, Detective Bradford, but I can manage.”
Bradford handed Deek his empty glass. “Can you fill her up for me Partner? That first round was a bit short.”
“I’ll go with you,” said Renee and followed Deek out to the kitchen.
When she was certain Bradford could not hear or see them, she confessed to Deek that she felt embarrassed and ridiculous being there. She opened her coat slightly so he could see some of what she was wearing or not wearing under the coat. She told him that she had planned to be alone with him but now the mood was gone. Deek told her to wait in the kitchen while he got rid of Bradford. A few seconds later when Renee heard the front door open and close, she came out of the kitchen and met Deek in the hallway.
“How did you convince him to leave?” she asked.
“Mel doesn’t get subtle hints. Trust me, you don’t want to know the exact words I used, but it’s what he understands.”
“Do you have anything for a headache Deek?”
“Sure sweetie, there’s some aspirin in the powder room cabinet. I’ll get it for you.”
“That’s okay, I can find it. Will you get me a glass of water though?”
Renee disappeared into the powder room and closed the door. When she heard him return to the living room, she cracked open the bathroom door slightly.
“Deek, can you come in here please?” She called to him after a few minutes.
“Are you okay, baby?” he asked and rushed into the bathroom.
When Deek ran in, he found her standing in the middle of the floor—the fur coat dropped to her feet and heels kicked off in the corner. She wore only her see-through, black chemise and thongs. Her eyes expressed a seductive, come-hither look. Deek stood still in the doorway for a few seconds. He looked mesmerized by her outward display of sexuality. He unbelted his robe and let it fall to the floor. Then he slowly stepped closer. They embraced and began slow dancing in place to the mellow sounds of Miles Davis coming from the living room. When their bodies touched she felt his hardness press against her navel. Deek held the back of her head with one hand while the other caressed her back. He bent down to meet her waiting lips with a sweet kiss. She felt the tip of his warm tongue trace her mouth slowly as both their tongues and lips joined.
“How’s your headache?” he whispered and nibbled her ear.
“What headache?”
They kissed while in a close embrace as their feet dragged slowly to music.
“You make me feel like another woman, not myself”
“Is that good?”
“Oh yes. When I’m with you my body feels like it’s been electrified back to life. I’m not my usual repressed self.”
“Really? You’re just trying to flatter me, aren’t you?”
“No, it’s true.”
“Well, let’s see if I can do even better. Would you like to go upstairs?”
Stopping to get the bottle of champagne, he led her to his contemporary-styled bedroom, aglow from a luminescent blue light. It felt like walking into the space age. On one wall, incandescent lighting displayed a gallery of modern art. An ergonomically designed chair leaned against the wall under steel shelves that held a huge collection of CDs. Next to that stood a smoked glass and black metal armoire.
Deek placed the Moët champagne bottle and glasses on the nightstand by the bed and they both removed their underwear. He folded back the terra-cotta brown, plush velvet spread to reveal champagne-colored, cotton-silk sheets. She lay down on the bed first and he braced himself on both arms above her as they stared into each other’s eyes. Whatever cologne he was wearing, smelled tantalizing. It was something she had never smelled on him before. She would have to ask him what it was later because at that moment she couldn’t talk. Relaxing music played in the background from a continuous selection of CDs but the only sound they listened to was each other’s gentle breathing. He instinctively closed his eyes when she started caressing his face. She began at the well-arched brows, then moved down to the feathered lashes of his dark eyes—lashes that were long, yet still masculine and quite alluring. Next, Renee slid her index finger down the perfectly-shaped, curved nose and played with the fine hairs of his mustache, then followed the neatly trimmed growth around his chin and jaw line.
Deek leaned forward and kissed her neck, and behind her ears while she moaned from the sensation of his lips on her skin. Not wanting to rest his full 180-lb. weight on her body, he supported himself with one arm and linked her hand in his. His kisses felt lingering as they softly brushed against her knuckles and the open palm of her hand. He closed her hand and sealed it with another kiss. He kissed all the way up her arm, then slowly sliding downward, kissed around her hips, inner thighs, legs, and behind each knee. He gently grasped her foot, massaged and sucked her toes. Renee was so glad she had included the pedicure with her French manicure the other day and tried a more vibrant crimson polish. The stripe of red across each toe made her toes look like candy drops. He sucked each toe as if it was a sweet, sugarcoated treat. He kissed and caressed every inch of her, purposely avoiding her genital area until she felt herself throbbing from the tension and wanted to grab his fully erect penis and insert it herself. But Deek was a patient lover, and enjoyed caressing her body. He touched her so delicately as if he were stroking a luxurious fabric of silk, velvet, or satin. Prolonging the ecstasy and having a man take his time was not what she was used to, but she knew she could easily get used to it. She was in ecstasy!
In one swift motion, she slid from under him and changed positions so that she lay on top. Renee touched and kissed Deek’s bronzed-toned body with a light, feathery touch then applied more pressure to experiment and discover what he liked.
He was already aroused so she simply focused on enjoying how good the hardness of his muscles felt and the warm, moist perspiration of his skin. She glided her fingertips down his tapered torso and rubbed the tiny, erect nipples on his chest and felt his steady breathing intensify. With a light touch she stroked his tight abdomen, and circled his navel with her pinkie finger. When she glanced down below his waist, she saw that his body announced how badly he wanted her. But she wanted to enjoy touching him a little longer as much as he had relished kissing and fondling her.
“Do you have any lubricating gel, baby?” she whispered in his ear.
Deek reached over and retrieved a tube of lubricant from the top drawer of the nightstand and gave it to her. She squeezed a tiny amount in the palm of her hands then rubbed her hands together to warm them. She caressed his penis in long, slow delicate strokes at first then varied the pressure with faster, firmer motions. Suddenly, he pressed the base of his penis and allowed himself to relax.
“Did I hurt you, honey?” she said with concern.
“No, baby, I wanna be inside you when I come,” he said and pushed back the strands of sweat-soaked hair from her forehead so he could see her eyes. “Just wanted to slow things down a bit.”
“Does it work? I mean, does that actually stop you from coming.”
“Um hum. But don’t stop touching me, baby. It feels good.”
“Which do you like better, my hand or my tongue?”
“Both. Either. Hell, do whatever you want to me. I’m yours.” He lay on the champagne-tinted sheets that shimmered next to his medium-brown complexion with his eyes closed and a contented smile on his face.
For how long will you be mine, Deek, she thought? Just for tonight? Why would you want to spend your life with me when you could have just about any woman you wanted, women much younger, prettier, and that you have more in common with? Maybe Bradford was right, she was too close to AARP’s eligibility age. She was crossing over into the dangerous zone of a broken heart without heeding her internal warnings. And why the hell should she? Nothing was guaranteed to last forever; not love, not health or happiness. Tomorrow wasn’t promised to anyone.
Renee went to the bathroom and heated a small, terry clothed towel with warm water. She gently dabbed the warm, moist towel around his entire pelvic area. Then she bent down and tasted him, feeling his erection harden on her lips, tongue, and deep within her mouth. When his eyes looked down and pleaded with her, she slithered her body upwards and guided him inside. They made love with such intensity, she didn’t know which sensation to savor—the feel of his body blending with hers, his hardness against her softness, their racing hearts, or the sounds of their pleasure. The light spicy scent of his skin and firm, tightness of his body gave her all the pleasure she needed at that moment. She released her fears about finding everlasting love and happiness, and soared in the present joy she felt.
Chapter 37
On Saturday, the next morning, a ringing telephone next to Deek’s bedside woke Renee up. The ringing stopped after the first shrill-pitched noise. Still groggy from a restful night of sleep at his place, she turned over to snuggle next to him but found his side of the bed empty. A quiet stillness filled the room except for the constant strumming of sleet against the window. Slits of grey horizontal daylight radiated through the mini-blinds. Renee sprung from the bed and wrapped a thick, terry robe around her body that Deek had left across the bed. She bent down the blinds and looked out the window to see if his car was still parked outside. Powdery white snow mixed with sleet descended in a diagonal path and covered everything for as far as she could see.
She was glad she had paid attention to the weather forecast yesterday and packed her cowl neck black knit jersey dress and ankle boots. Renee liked how the dress swathed her curvy figure from breasts to mid-calf, and was fuss-free enough to ball-up and take anywhere. Finally, she pinpointed his black Mercedes convertible parked near the end of the block. She was relieved to find he hadn’t left.
“Did the phone wake you sweetheart?” said Deek, walking in with a tray laden with rich smelling coffee, lobster omelets, and a red rose set in a crystal bud vase.
He was already dressed and looked handsome in a blue-gray shirt, slate blue silk tie, and charcoal wool slacks.
“Yes, honey but it’s okay,” she smiled, “How long have you been up? I didn’t hear you make a sound this morning.” Renee curled back on top the bed.
“At least a couple of hours, I guess. I went to the gym, came back, showered, got dressed, and still had time to fix breakfast,” he said and set the tray down on the nightstand beside her.
“You should have wakened me,” she said, stretching, “I had no idea it was this late.”
“You were sleeping so soundly, I didn’t want to disturb you.”
Deek leaned over and kissed her as she wrapped her arms around his neck and returned the kiss.
“Where’s your breakfast darling?” she asked, eyeing the single serving of food and two cups of coffee.
“I already had my usual Pineapple-Carrot shake but I’ll have a little coffee with you.”
“This looks delicious. I had no idea you were a gourmet chef.”
“I’m not. Foodnetwork deserves all the credit, not me.”
“I doubt that sweetheart,” said Renee as she admired the tray’s presentation—a two-egg omelet with generous bits of lobster, sprinkled with pepper and chopped chives and thinly sliced fresh cantaloupe, garnished with mint leaf. He had placed a tiny gold box of Godiva chocolate truffles next to the bud vase. Renee took a bite of the omelet and felt like royalty. The lobster’s meaty texture blended with the herb and butter-flavored omelet sent immediate pleasure sensations to her taste buds. “Umm, this omelet tastes wonderful,” she said, pointing to the plate with her fork. “How did you make this?”
“Nothing to it,” he said and took a swallow of his coffee before explaining. “First, I baked the lobster in the oven for a few minutes. When that was done I cooked the eggs in cooking spray and allowed them to set in the frying pan. After the eggs set a bit, I sprinkled lobster on top. Now here’s the important part,” he gave her a between-you-and-me smile. “Once your eggs start to cook, you must roll the omelet instead of trying to flip it. Flipping is no good. The secret is to roll it.”
“Got it, Master Chef.” Renee nodded with an amused smile. “And, how many other hidden talents do you have besides your culinary talents in the kitchen, handsome?”
“Stay with me again tonight, beautiful, and I’ll show you a few more,” he winked and then leaned across the bed to kiss her.
“As tempting as that sounds, I can’t. I’m moving into my new house next Saturday, remember? I still have a lot of packing left to do at home.”
“Let me help with that. I have to go downtown to the precinct first but I should be able to break away for a couple of hours later this afternoon.”
The scenario flashed through her mind of what would happen if Bill dropped in while Deek was over there helping her pack. Bill had said he was going to stay away from the house to avoid implicating her in any of his business’s dealings until he had a chance to sever all ties with Shaw’s criminal element, but who could depend on anything Bill said? She agonized over whether or not to tell Deek about Clifton Shaw’s money laundering scheme with James Ian Mathias, the man FBI agents suspected of drug trafficking. She wasn’t sure if she would be able to convince Deek that Bill had not known anything about the company’s hidden agenda when he partnered with Shaw. Bill wanted her to stay out of it and let him handle it. Hopefully, he would do this soon because she knew it wouldn’t take Agent Santos very long to uncover Mathias’s business associations with Shaw, which would eventually point to Bill’s involvement.
“No, thank you, honey,” she said, “I hired professional movers to do all the heavy work.”
“So, that’s all
I’m good for, eh? Brawn and muscle,” he said, teasingly.
“Not hardly, Detective,” she smiled and kissed his lips, “You’ve proven yourself to be quite multi-talented.”
“By the way who was that calling so early this morning?” asked Renee, changing the subject.
“My partner. I mean Detective Bradford, not Agent Santos.”
“I should have guessed. What’s he up to now? Do you really suppose he’s serious about arresting Brenda and her mother on nothing but circumstantial evidence, rumors, and innuendo?”
“Serious as a heartache. He just now told me the US Attorney’s Office is going for a conviction in federal court instead of the D. C. Courts. That way they can seek the death penalty.”
Those last few words stung Renee’s ears. She couldn’t believe how quickly the case had evolved into a lynch mob against Brenda.
“Aren’t there any other suspects?”
“I checked out Leenae Lewis’s alibi. She was the victim’s old girlfriend if you recall. Well, Miss Lewis claims she was visiting her brother in Philly on the day of the fire and he backed up her story,” said Deek. “On the other hand, Brenda Johnson has no alibi and her motive appears stronger, at least to Bradford. I investigated the tip about her first baby’s death nine years ago and the subsequent $15,000 death benefit she collected. Unfortunately, it’s all true.” Deek opened the armoire, removed his packed gun holster and shield and fastened them to his waist. He placed one foot upon a chair and strapped another concealed pistol around his ankle under his pants leg.
“Where are you going?” she asked.
“To work, baby. As much as I’d love to stay here and make love to you all day,” he said and walked over to the bed to kiss her goodbye, “I’ve got too many unresolved cases on my plate. Besides, I need to be at the precinct when Bradford interrogates your secretary and her mother. My partner’s been known to misuse his authority to get a suspect to say what he wants,” said Deek. “You’re welcomed to stay here as long as you like, sweetie.”
Blind Delusion Page 39
