by Jenna Baker
As Reid and I strolled into the ballroom, I couldn’t help but feel a little bit sad. It had only been a week, but I had spent so much time with him and Foxy, I was going to miss them. Lenny didn’t want us to use the same teams for subsequent episodes and had lined up two new cops that I would be working with the next time around. Still, I wondered if Lenny would reconsider now that he’d seen Reid and Foxy in action. I wondered too if Reid and Foxy would consider taking this ride with me again. Truth be told, Reid was never happy about the arrangement and would probably be glad to have things back to normal without a TV crew following him.
“What are you thinking about?” Reid asked me.
I realized I was standing at the entrance of the ballroom not moving. I shook my head. “Oh, just about the case. It feels like years ago that we started this process, and now it’s almost over.”
“I know how you feel. I go through it almost every week. You kill yourself on a case and you get such a high when you solve it, then such a low when you realize it’s over. But there’s always another one to sink your teeth into – that’s what I love about the job.”
“I can’t believe Rose knew who did it this whole time. I mean, what a poker face she had.”
“I know. I bet when we go back and watch those tapes of yours it will seem so obvious to us, but hindsight is twenty-twenty.”
I looked in the ballroom. Everyone was dancing and having a great time. The room looked amazing and was decorated in olive and chocolate linens and candles and flowers everywhere.
“Is that Star Count?” Reid asked me.
I smiled and gave him a that’s Hollywood shrug. “Should we do this?” I asked.
“Now or never,” Reid said and put his hand in mine.
We walked inside and looked around. I noticed my mother out of the corner of my eye, and before I could turn and run, I was spotted. She smiled and charged towards me at full speed.
“If it isn’t my darling daughter. Where have you been, sweetheart?”
“Sorry, Ma, um, I just had something I had to take care of.”
My mother leaned in and whispered, “Is it your stomach again?”
I gave her a dirty look and she decided to drop it. Instead, she turned to Reid and placed a wandering hand on his shoulder. “Detective, very nice to see you again.” Her hand traveled south to his chest, but he pulled back and placed an arm around me.
“Mrs. Sharpe – nice to see you again. That’s a nice dress.”
My mother giggled like a school girl and did a spin. “Really, you like it?”
“Mom stop flirting with my date, okay?” I said.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry. Please mingle and enjoy.” My mother took Reid’s hand in hers. “We are very happy to see Victoria dating again.”
I rolled my eyes and wondered why, even at thirty, my mother could still embarrass me. I took Reid by the hand and led him away. “I’m sorry about that.”
I pointed towards table number two. “That’s our table over there. Don’t get freaked out but my mother had a place card made for you. It doesn’t mean anything, okay?”
“Okay,” Reid said and smiled at me.
I led him over to the table, and he pulled out my chair. “Thanks,” I said. I didn’t know whether he was putting on a show for my mother or genuinely acting like a gentleman.
“I’m gonna grab us some drinks – what would you like?” Reid asked me.
“Chardonnay, please. Thanks.”
“Okay,” Reid said and headed towards the bar.
A second later my sister was sitting beside me. She really did look beautiful in her gown, and it truly amazed me how on the biggest day of her life, both she and my mother still found time to be busybodies.
“Vicky, he is so hot. I can’t believe you scored a date with that cop.”
I smiled. “He is pretty cute, right?”
“The wedding planner told me you got yourself a room here at the hotel. I guess I don’t have to ask why.”
“How do you know that? Jeez, is nothing private anymore? Besides, that isn’t why I got the room, but we’ll talk about that later.”
“Do you have someone else on the side? Oh, I wish I could be sexually promiscuous, Vicky.”
I gave her a shove. “Go dance with your husband, would you?”
Reid came back carrying our drinks. “Oh, hi,” he said to Ginny. “Congratulations.”
Ginny stood up and looked at him. “Nice job catching the bouquet back there. Maybe our Vicky here will be the next to get married.”
“Goodbye, Ginny,” I said through gritted teeth.
“Right, I’ll just leave you two alone,” she said and scampered off.
Reid sat down and handed me my glass. I held it up. “To solving the case.”
“To solving the case,” he agreed, and we clinked glasses and sipped. “This is nice,” Reid said. “You look really pretty, by the way.”
“Thanks.” This whole situation was feeling a bit awkward and I knew I was to blame. Reid looked over at the band and bobbed his head to the music.
“You missed some ceremony,” I said. “Bob nearly came to blows with Guru Motgi – it was kind of intense.”
“Then he’ll fit in with your family well. You seem to be the aggressive types.”
“I’m not really like that – Rose just pushes my buttons.”
“That’s what I like about you, Sharpe – you’re fearless.”
“If you say so.”
The band decided to slow things down and play a ballad. Reid and I looked at each other, then looked down. Next we spent some time looking around the room and then at the band. Finally Reid stood up. “Will you dance with me?” he asked, holding out a hand.
“Oh…sure,” I said, taking his hand.
Reid led me out to the dance floor, put a hand on my waist, and locked his other hand with mine. I felt nervous, but his body felt nice against mine. We danced a few turns and then he pulled me in closer to him. I unclasped my fingers from his and locked both arms around his neck. His hands found my lower back and he pulled me into him even closer, wrapping his arms around me.
I tried to keep things light even though I was feeling just the opposite. “So do you get a day off after all this?”
“Yes, one. During Rose’s confession all I could think about was my bed and laying in it all day.”
I had some dirty thoughts, but I kept them to myself. “Me too. I’m going to ask for two days to recover and then Lenny can hook me up with my new partners.”
“Oh really? So me and Foxy can be replaced that easily?”
“Do you remember how tough you were on me the first few days? Now I get to deal with another you all over again.”
“Maybe not. Let me know who the cops are and I’ll place a call. I’ll tell them they’re lucky to have you.”
“Ha! You must be an excellent liar,” I said.
“I’ll admit I was a little resistant at first but you kind of grew on me, Sharpe.”
“Yeah, I didn’t exactly imagine that I would be dancing with you at my sister’s wedding after that first day.”
“I’m glad you are,” Reid said.
I smiled and leaned into him. His chest was broad and firm and I loved the way it felt against mine. Reid moved his hands up my back and between my shoulder blades. He pressed his hands together and eased me even closer towards him. Our heads were against each other now, and I could feel his breath on my neck. I decided to take a chance and touched the back of his head with my hand, testing the waters. I felt his lips touch my shoulder. He moved his mouth to my neck and I felt him kiss me.
I felt my breath catch and all at once, I knew he wasn’t acting. He was feeling everything that I was. I gripped the back of his hair and held on to him. His lips moved slowly up my neck and across my jawline. I smiled, enjoying the sensation. His lips found mine and we kissed. It was innocent at first, but then our lips parted and I felt his tongue against mine. He kissed me slowly and tenderly. I felt butterflies flu
ttering in my stomach and a warm sensation below. The tenderness quickly evaporated as the passion intensified. His hands were moving up and down my back and my hands were moving through his hair. I felt myself yearning for him, needing him, wanting to envelop him inside me.
“Bradley?” I heard a woman’s voice call from beside us.
Instantly the spell was broken as the two of us realized we had been making out in the dead center of the dance floor. Everyone was staring at us and the videographer was even recording the event.
We both turned to follow the voice calling Reid’s name. It was an older woman, looking very polished in a black sequin dress, and a man, whom I presumed to be her husband, standing by her side. I looked at Reid, who had turned white.
“Mom, Dad. Hi.”
I was so taken aback that I didn’t know what to do. “Wow,” I gasped. “These are your parents?” I shook my head and smiled speaking to myself. “Way to go, Sharpe, great first impression.”
Reid’s mother placed a hand on my shoulder and leaned in to me. “It’s okay, dear, we’re talent agents – we’ve seen it all.”
“I didn’t know you guys were going to be here,” Reid said, still not understanding how he had just gotten busted by his parents.
“Evelyn is one of your father’s favorite clients, honey. It’s only natural that we would be invited to their daughter’s wedding,” Reid’s mom explained.
“Right, yeah, I guess I didn’t think about that. This is Victoria – she’s their other daughter.”
“I’m Ann and this is Henry,” Ann said to me.
“Nice to meet you. I’m so embarrassed. Reid and I have just been working on a project really closely and…”
“No need to explain anything, sweetheart. We’re just so happy to see Reid with a lady friend. It’s been a while.”
Reid turned to me and smiled. “Don’t you just love mothers?”
Henry smiled at his son. “I was just saying to your mother – who the hell is going at it like that on the dance floor? Imagine my surprise when I saw it was our own son!”
My mother came flitting over to us and put an arm around Ann. “I see you’ve met my daughter. She isn’t normally this much of an exhibitionist. Honey, you have certainly given the crowd here a good show.”
I looked down at the floor. On the one hand, I was humiliated; on the other hand, I didn’t really care. It seemed to be par for the course with me.
“So you’ve met my son, then?” Ann asked my mother.
“This is your son? Huh! Detective Reid, I didn’t even put it together that you shared a last name. Wow, this is wonderful – maybe next year we can plan a wedding for these two!”
The two moms were getting very giddy. “Okay, Mom, slow down, we’re not getting married,” I said.
“Well, honey, he did catch the bouquet.”
I had to admit she was right.
“Um, it was really great to see you guys, but we’re just gonna go to the bar, okay?” Reid said, pulling on my arm.
“Oh, yes, we’ll just let you two get back to what you were doing,” Ann said, grinning.
Reid took my hand and pulled me away from the crowd and over to the bar. When we reached our destination, we both burst out laughing.
“That was really embarrassing. Oh my God.” I laughed.
“Shots! Now!” Reid ordered the bartender.
“And here I thought Mom was going to steal my thunder at this wedding,” Ginny said from behind me. “Little did I know my own sister would. That was some show.”
Reid and I were still laughing, and though I tried, I couldn’t manage to look apologetic. “Sorry, Ginny,” I giggled.
Ginny cracked a smile and then burst out laughing too. “Oh man, everyone is talking about that kiss.”
The bartender lined up two shots. Reid handed one to me and one to Ginny, then ordered one more. We all knocked them back.
“Whew – that felt good,” Ginny said. “Watching you two got me all hot and bothered! I’m gonna go find my husband.”
“You do that,” I said and watched Ginny walk away.
“Maybe we could go someplace a little more private,” Reid suggested.
I smiled. “That’s just what I was thinking.” I took Reid by the hand and discreetly led him out of the ballroom. Truth be told, as much as we may have tried to go unnoticed, all eyes were on us, and thanks to the wedding planner, everyone seemed to know I had a room at the Inn.
We stepped inside the elevator together. When the doors closed, Reid pulled me to him and kissed me. I leaned in, wrapping my arms around his waist then letting them drop down to his perfect butt. The elevator beeped and the doors opened. We pulled apart as a hotel guest stepped inside and pushed one of the buttons. Reid’s hair was a mess, and his lips were covered in my lipstick. We rode in silence for several floors, exchanging glances and giggles.
Finally, the doors parted and we stepped out onto my floor. I pulled the key out of my purse and turned to Reid. “Let me just make sure the crew has cleared out before we go in there, okay?” Reid nodded and I put the key in the door. The room was empty, and all the equipment had been broken down and taken out. “All clear,” I said.
Reid walked into the room behind me. The bed wasn’t far from the entryway, and when I looked at it, all I could picture was Rose lying naked in the sheets. “I’m just going to go freshen up,” I said.
“Okay. I’ll just wait here,” Reid said.
I stepped into the bathroom and closed the door. I was wearing Spanx underneath my dress, and I didn’t want Reid to see them. Thank goodness I was wearing nice underwear at least. I pulled off the Spanx, shoved them in the garbage can, and covered them up with a bunch of toilet paper. Next I rubbed my stomach, trying to smooth out the lines the Spanx had made on my skin. I looked in the mirror and realized I looked like a wreck. My lipstick was smeared everywhere and my hair, which had been styled so perfectly earlier, was a total disaster. I got a little nervous as I prepared to face Reid in the bedroom. I was realizing that Reid was not the guy I had pegged him to be. He wasn’t a womanizer or a player, he was just a hardworking cop. I had no idea how someone so sexy could be interested in me, but I knew I liked him a lot, and I didn’t want to screw this up.
I turned the knob and stepped into the bedroom. Reid was standing awkwardly in front of the bed, not sure whether he should sit or stand. He had taken off his suit jacket and hung it on the back of a chair. I walked over to him and looked up at his deep brown eyes.
“Look, I want you to know I don’t do this kind of thing that often.”
“You don’t?” Reid joked. “Oh man, I thought this was a sure thing.”
“Don’t believe the hype.”
I was standing only inches away from him, and my eyes were focused on his lips. He had really big lips, and when he kissed me they wrapped around my entire mouth. I had never been kissed like that before, and I wanted to experience it again.
“Sharpe, if you want to do this some other time, we can. I mean, this isn’t really something I do so often either.”
My eyes remained focused on his lips, and without realizing it my lips were moving closer and closer towards his. Reid got the hint and placed his hands around my face and pulled me in. His lips were soft and as his tongue entered my mouth I felt my body tingling all over. His big lips covered mine and he took my whole mouth in his. My hands moved down his back and over his firm buttocks. As I squeezed I could feel Reid’s mouth smiling.
“Guess you changed your mind,” Reid murmured.
We fell back onto the bed, Reid on top of me. I tried to spread my legs apart, but my dress was tight and didn’t have much give. I could feel Reid’s mouth at my chin, my neck, my collar bone. I arched my back as his lips moved down to my breasts. Reid stopped and looked up at me. “Maybe you should take this off. I don’t want to ruin your dress.”
“Right. Good idea,” I said and sat up. I turned my back to him so that he could help me with the zipper. He
kissed my shoulder, then my neck, and then the zipper came down. I felt the dress fall down off my shoulders and I knew I should probably be feeling self-conscious, but I was too turned on to care. I rolled over and pulled the dress down over my legs and threw it on a nearby chair.
I was lying under him in my bra and panties while Reid looked me up and down. “You’re beautiful,” he said and kissed me. I felt so comfortable with him that the fear I usually experienced at this point in the evening simply wasn’t there. I undid his tie and pulled it off over his head. Then I unbuttoned his shirt. Reid got to his knees and pulled his shirt off. He had a white undershirt underneath, which he pulled up over his head. I could see the muscles in his arms flexing as he pulled it off, and his chest beneath was firm and tight. His pecs looked like two firm pillows that I thought I could rest quite comfortably on when this was all over.
I reached up and ran my fingers over his chest, then pulled him down to meet my lips with his. I felt his hand run up my leg and I bent my knees and wrapped my legs around his back. His hand moved up to my buttocks and his lips moved to my breasts. I felt his hand pulling down my bra, and then I felt his warm lips kissing me. His tongue danced around until it found my nipple and made circular motions around it. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end, and I knew then that I had to have him.
My hands moved to Reid’s pants, and I could feel him hard and ready under his clothes. Reid kicked off his shoes and his pants while his lips traveled down my breasts to my stomach and then lower. I reached for his boxer shorts and tried to pull them down, but they were buttoned shut. My fingers worked to undo each button and find what was hiding beneath. I moved my hand down his body and reached for him when I heard the sound of the door unlocking. I froze and stared at the door. “What the hell?”
Reid jumped out of bed, pulling up his boxer shorts in the process. He ran over to his jacket which was hanging on the chair and pulled his gun out of the pocket. I pulled the blankets over me and held my breath as the door opened.
Reid was facing the door, legs spread, gun pointed. As the door opened, Reid cried out, “Freeze!” He hadn’t had a chance to button up his boxer shorts, and as the door swung towards him, his shorts came down.
Foxy was standing on the other side, hands up, with a huge smile on his face. His eyes traveled between Reid and myself. “Oh man – I totally called this! Hey Manny, check this out!”
Reid looked humiliated as he pulled his boxer shorts up. Manny appeared in the doorway. Foxy was roaring laughing. “Look, guys – a private dick!”
Manny came inside and joined in the laughter, then Mac, then Rose. Apparently this was a party. I didn’t know what to do, so I pulled the sheets over my head and hid.
Reid was holding his shorts up, and his face was turning red with anger. “Can’t you knock! Jesus, how the hell did you get in here, asshole?!”
Foxy could barely speak. He managed to point at me, and I remembered that I had given him the spare room key.
“What the hell are you doing here?” Reid looked at Rose. “And why the hell hasn’t she been booked yet?”
Foxy was still doubled over and was having trouble breathing. He made his way over to the bed and sat down next to me. He looked up and took a deep breath. “Ahh! I needed a laugh like that.” He turned to me. “Looking good, Sharpe.”
I peeked my head out of the covers and punched him in the gut.
“There had better be a good reason you’re back here,” Reid said.
“Well, not really. If I had known what was going on, dude, I would have told Rose to forget about her purse.”
Rose moved over to the desk and retrieved her purse. “Got it,” she said. She looked Reid up and down and rolled her tongue over her lips. She glanced over at me, then back at him. “When you’re ready for the big leagues you let me know.”
“Get out of here,” Reid said to Rose and everyone else who was gathered in the room.
Mac was staring at me, shaking his head. “You never learn, do you, Sharpe?”
“Just get out!” I said and threw a pillow at Mac. I didn’t need to be judged by him or anybody else.
The boys and Rose filed out of the room, stifling their giggles. The door slammed closed, and Reid put the chain in the door. He turned to me and gave me a half-smile. “I think this has been one of the most humiliating nights of my life.”
“Worse than the Reid Peed incident?” I asked.
“Big time.”
I smiled. “It’s business as usual for me. You sure you still want to hang around me?”
Reid sat down on the bed and kissed me. “Yeah.”
“Good,” I said. “Look, we’ve already been busted tonight by our parents, your partner, and my crew. I should probably get back to the wedding anyway.”
Reid nodded. “Yeah, maybe we should try this when we’re off duty.”
“In another state.”
“Another country,” Reid added. He leaned in and kissed my shoulder. “I still think you’re incredibly sexy.”
I felt another tingle rush through my body. “Don’t do that – that’s how we got into trouble before.”
Reid placed his hands around my face and pulled me in. He kissed me and I melted. I fell back on the bed with Reid on top of me. Then, all at once, he stopped and sat up. “We’d better get back to the party.”
I laughed and slapped him playfully. “Tease.”
