All Messed Up: Windy City Kink, Book 2 (16 page)

She went silent to think about that. “Is this the law enforcement officer side of you? Investigating?”

He laughed softly. “Maybe. That’s not the kind of job I have, but yeah, I’m trained in investigation. I just thought the more information you have, the more of an informed decision you can make about what to do.”

“That’s a very good idea. But…” She hesitated to have him come to her parents’ place. Oh why not? He wasn’t an axe murderer. “Okay. It’ll probably take you about an hour to get here.”

“On my way.”

This time they did end the call and she dropped her cell phone back on the table and stared across the pool. She was still a little turned on from that conversation, had almost been ready for some phone sex in the back yard. She bit her lip. What was happening to her?

She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Shit. She had no makeup on and her hair was held off her face in a narrow headband. There was no way she could tame it into her usual smooth style now, unless she wanted to shower and shampoo, and that was just crazy. She did swing her legs over the lounge chair and head into the house though, to add a little mascara and concealer, and touch up the hair. She looked twelve years old with it pulled back off her face like that. She grimaced at herself in the mirror.

Joe’d seen her all wet and makeup free in the shower, also smudgy-eyed in bed, so this probably wasn’t going to shock him. Whatever.

As she walked through the kitchen, she opened the fridge door to see what she could offer him to drink when he arrived. Her eyes narrowed at the meager selection. Mom had a few bottles of wine in there, but that was about it. She yanked open the freezer and found a can of frozen lemonade. That would work.

She made lemonade, checked the cupboard for snacks, then stopped and rolled her eyes at herself. What was she all worked up about?

The fluttery sensation down low inside her she recognized as…excitement. She was excited to see Joe again. Craziness. They were going to do research.

Oh yeah. Computer. She returned to her bedroom to get it and the cable. Hmmm. Would they sit outside? It was nice there by the pool, but the laptop screen was hard to see in the sun. Shade would work. Or they could sit at the kitchen table.

Good God, she was like a teenager expecting her crush over to do homework with. She’d play it by ear when he got there.

She returned outside to try and read more of her book while she waited his arrival. It was less than an hour until she heard the doorbell. With a little leap of her heart, she set down her book and headed through the house to the front door.

He stood on the front step, and he looked so good, hair ruffled, face more tanned than the last time she’d seen him, sunglasses hiding his eyes but only emphasizing the strength of his jaw and the beauty of his mouth. He wore a black golf shirt that hugged thick biceps and stretched across his wide chest, and a pair of loose gray cargo shorts.

Pleasure rushed through her at seeing him right there and she smiled.

Chapter Sixteen

Since Mallory had left him in bed yesterday morning, Joe’d felt…abandoned.

Nah. Not abandoned. Just…at loose ends. But he’d found stuff to do to keep himself busy. The weather was great, the sun was out, a couple of hot chicks had tried to pick him up at the beach. It was all good.

He’d found himself thinking about her problem and strangely enough it helped him forget the stupid reason he’d come to California. He didn’t like thinking about Mallory being upset and he wanted to do something about it. That wasn’t unusual—that was just him. Rescuer.

He smiled at her now, standing in the doorway. Her hair was held back off her face with a headband, which gave her a completely different look than the polished professional he’d met in the airport. The rumpled cotton shorts and ribbed tank top were also different. His gaze dipped down to take in long, smooth legs and pretty bare feet.

“Hey, gorgeous,” he said.

She returned his smile and he liked the way her eyes lit up. “Come in.”

He stepped into the house, nothing fancy but very nice. Cool and quiet greeted him.

“So this is where you grew up.”

“Yes. My parents are at work.” She paused. “Do you want to go sit by the pool? Or should we stay inside to look at the computer?”

“Hell yeah, let’s sit by the pool. It’s California.”

She scooped her laptop off the kitchen table as they passed through that room and out a set of double French doors onto a patio.

“Nice,” he said.

“I hope we can see the screen. We’ll have to move the table and chairs back into the shade.”

“No problem.”

They arranged themselves and the computer and then Joe went to sit. “Wait,” he said as Mallory reached for a chair. And he hauled her into his arms and kissed her.

“Mmm.” She kissed him back, hands on his shoulders, and Christ, she tasted good.

“Fuck, you know how to kiss,” he murmured long moments later, breathing a bit hard and feeling a lot hotter.

“Oh God, so do you.” She sounded as out of breath as he was.

He set his hands on her waist. Tempting as she was, he hadn’t come there for sex by the pool. Although that did sound hot. He smiled down at her. “What time do your parents get home from work?”

Her expression shifted to knowing. “Mom gets home around six. Dad, you never know.”

He nodded. “Good to know. Let’s get started with our research.”

“Heh. You know what kind of research I’d like to do.”

He grinned. “Me too, babe. But I have a feeling you’re probably not up for sex in your parents’ pool.”

Her eyes shadowed. “Yeah, probably not.” She broke away from him and he felt the shift in her mood. Damn.

They spent a few hours looking at articles about similar cases and what had happened to the companies involved. None of it was good, but…

“I can see that the one thing you don’t want to do is go public with this to the media,” Joe said. “Once you do that, the gloves are off. They know it’s you and they would likely feel threatened. What happened to that woman who worked for the big investment company…”

“Martha Haynes.”

“Yeah. She went public and the company immediately counter-attacked in the media. They pretty much came right and said she was mentally unstable. There were hints that the only reason she was doing that was because she had some kind of grudge against the company.”

“It’s possible she did.”

“Sure it is. But I read enough to convince me it wasn’t likely. And they made it bad for her. Really bad. They have all the credibility of a big successful company, and she’s one person who might be trying to retaliate for a bad performance review, in the eyes of the world anyway. At that point, she had to rely on the media and holy crap, you don’t want to be in that position. They’re only out for their story, not to try to help anyone on either side.”

“I see your point.” She didn’t look happy. “Plus, people would see the act of giving information to the media as unprofessional.”

“Or illegal. The company could take legal action against the whistleblower for doing that.”

“Shit.”

“From what we’ve read, this takes a huge toll on a whistleblower. Financially, emotionally. The whole legal process, court appearances… Anyone who doesn’t have a union or a professional association to help them is screwed.”

“I’m out of scope; I’m management,” she murmured. “No union, no professional association.”

“Well, I don’t think you were seriously considering going to the media anyway, were you?”

She gave him a look, lips pursed. “I’ve thought about doing it anonymously.”

“Risky. But less so.”

“I know eventually it would come out. Eventually I’d lose my job.”

“You already said you don’t know if you want to keep working for a company that could do that.” He paused. “The advantage of doing it anonymously is that you could stay working there for a while, anyway, while you gather more information. The more you have, the better.”

“You mean…feed the media? From inside the company?” She sat back in her wicker patio chair. “That really makes me feel uncomfortable.”

“I know. It was just one option. I guess it depends on what kind of outcome you want. Do you want this to be publicly known? Do you want the company to be punished? Do you want them to stop doing what they’re doing?”

She chewed on her bottom lip for a moment. “All I’ve thought about is that I want them to stop.” She thought more. “I don’t necessarily want them out of business. Like I said before, all those jobs…the good drugs they make that help people…that would be a disaster. I don’t feel vindictive enough yet that I want them to pay. You mean, like a fine, right?”

“Yes. Or a legal settlement.”

“Well, I’m not going to sue. Unless the family of the girl who died decides to do that…” Her eyes went round. “Oh. What if they did that?”

He narrowed his eyes at her. “Are you thinking of talking to them?”

She swallowed. “I don’t know. No. I couldn’t do that.”

“Very possibly they don’t have the resources to sue a big company. If there were more of them, maybe a class action suit…”

“I don’t want more people to die!”

“Of course not,” he said gently. “But what if there were others? Others you don’t know about.”

She closed her eyes and color seeped out of her cheeks. “Jesus Christ. I hope not.”

Joe nodded. The picture was bleak. He’d seen the way Mallory’s face had changed when they’d read some of the stories, outcomes where even whistleblowers who seemed to have been successful in their mission ended up losing. They might be called to testify in court, they might save their reputation or even be recognized for the good they did, but not many of them ever got their jobs back, and many never found any kind of employment. In fact, many never led any kind of normal life again, some plagued with anxiety and depression. Some even ended up committing suicide.

“That’s so scary,” she whispered, then bit her lip and met his eyes.

“You know, Mallory,” he said slowly, sliding his chair closer to her over the stone patio. “Nobody would blame you for walking away from this. The personal consequences are…huge.”

She met his eyes and he fucking hated the wetness he saw there. Her lower lip quivered. “My parents would blame me.”

He frowned. “Really?”

“I’m pretty sure my dad wants me to blow the whistle. Do the right thing. You have no idea how much I just want to run and hide.”

“I can imagine. C’mere.” He pulled her out of her chair and onto his lap. He slid a hand into her hair and the other over her hip. He pressed her face against his shoulder. “This is so fucking shitty.”

“Oh Joe. You don’t need to get upset about it. It’s not your problem.”

True. It wasn’t. And he barely knew her. But goddammit, he did care. “I know it isn’t,” he said. “But I want to help. I wish there was something I could do.”

She moved her head against him in a negative motion. “You are helping me.”

“Shit. I just want to make it go away.”

“You can run away with me. We could move to…Fiji and start a new life.”

He laughed softly, fingers moving in her hair. So silky. So sweet. “Yeah. We could do that. We could start some kind of business…maybe a little bed-and-breakfast place. Can you cook?”

Her body shook against his and he hoped it was laughter. “I hate cooking.”

“Well. There goes that plan. Maybe we could open a brothel. Or a sex shop.”

She shook with laughter again and lifted her head to look at him. “There’s a good idea.”

“Aw, babe.” Emotion rose in him, hot and unfamiliar. “You know I’d run away to Fiji with you if I could.”

“Thanks.”

They shared a smile and a long, warm look that made something ache in his chest. He leaned in to kiss her pretty mouth. She opened for him immediately and the kiss zoomed straight to scorching. He slid a hand around her neck, his thumb rubbing along her jaw as their mouths clung and tongues slid together.

“Let’s move to that lounger,” he murmured against her lips.

“Mmm.”

It took seconds for them to get up out of their chairs and stretch out on the lounge chair, the back lowered to almost flat. They fit together perfectly, her bare legs twining with his, one of his hands in her hair, the other on her back. He pushed her down into the thick cushion and kissed her again and again, until they were both panting and hot and she was practically riding his thigh.

“Jesus,” he muttered. “Hot little thing, aren’t you?”

She groaned. “God, Joe.”

He popped the button of her shorts, dragged down the zipper then slid his hand inside to cup her pussy.

“Oh yeah,” she whispered. And her hand found his erection through his jeans. When she rubbed him, sensation shot right to the top of his head.

“Wanna do this,” he murmured, kissing her cheek, her temple. His fingers slicked through soft, wet flesh between her legs. “Right here.”

“We can’t,” she gasped as he found her clit, and her hips jerked.

“You want it. So do I.”

“I do.” She sighed, her head falling back as he dragged his tongue up the side of her neck. “I do…so much…”

He shifted, grasped her shorts in both hands and gave a yank. They easily slid down her thighs and he tugged a tiny black thong along with them. Then she was naked from the waist down, lying on the bright colored cushion, and he unbuttoned and unzipped his own fly as he moved between her thighs.

“Joe.” Her heavy lidded eyes met his then dropped as he pulled his throbbing dick out and fisted it. He gave a few strokes and her lips parted as she watched him. Her tongue came out to swipe across her plump bottom lip and his dick swelled even more.

He shifted closer on his knees and she automatically raised her own knees higher, giving him access, and reached for him. He took himself in hand and slicked the head of his dick up and down through her wet channel, then found her entrance and pushed inside.

They both groaned together as he drew back a little, thrust in deeper again, and again, until he was balls-deep inside her.

“What time is it?” she asked, her voice throaty.

Fuck! Who the hell cared? “Dunno,” he managed to say, reaching for her thighs and pushing them back as he slid in and out of her slick heat. “Why?”

“My…mom…home soon…”

Again, fuck! “Lots of time,” he muttered, although he had no fucking clue what time it was. She’d said her mom got home around six… Shit, it had to be close to that.

But this felt so fucking good, amazing, and he did another long, slow pull out then slid back in.

“Oh,” she panted. “Oh my God.” Her fingers slipped down over her belly, over the dark curls, and found her clit.

“That’s hot.” He watched her fingers move, brushing the base of his cock as she rubbed her clit.

Hot little whimpers came from her throat. Her eyes closed and he let his gaze rove over her body, then reached for her tits. She still wore her bra and tank top but he wanted to feel them anyway. He’d strip her out of them if they had more time, but he had a feeling they were cutting it close and…

She gripped his wrist. “What time is it?”

And then they both heard it and went very still…a car pulling into the driveway.

Their eyes met, hers going wide even though she was a little dazed.

“Omigod!” she squeaked. She started swatting at him. “Stop, stop! It’s my mom!”

“Fuck no,” he groaned, too close to stop. There it was… “Do it, gorgeous. Make yourself come too…”

She gave a low cry, bit her lip, her fingers moving furiously on her clit as he pumped hard into her sweet pussy. “God,” she whispered. “Oh my God.”

Then her chin lifted and her pussy rippled around him as she came, and he came too, his orgasm roaring through him like a flash bang, hot and hard and fast. He gritted his teeth to keep from shouting.

They heard a car door close, then moments later the faint sound of the door into the kitchen opening and closing.

“Get off, get off,” she whispered, once again pushing at him with her small hands.

He’d barely finished, but he withdrew and yanked up his shorts. Mallory was struggling into her panties and shorts, shifting her weight from foot to foot, wriggling her hips. That would be really sexy if he wasn’t freaking out that her mother was going to walk out that door onto the patio any moment.

Zipped and buttoned, he ran his hands over his hair, smiling as Mallory did the same, then adjusted her bra and tugged her tank top down. Their eyes met. She bit her lip, and then they both grinned.

“Mallory?” a voice called from inside. “Oh you’re out here—” Mallory’s mom appeared in the door just as Joe sat in the chair at the small table in front of Mallory’s computer. He tapped a button to bring the screen to life. “Oh. Hello.”

“Hi, Mom.” Mallory sounded nearly normal. “Um, this is Joe. Joe Mason, my mom, Donna Hurst.”

Joe rose and took the few steps toward Mrs. Hurst to shake her hand, giving her his best smile. “Nice to meet you, Mrs. Hurst.”

“You too,” she murmured, shaking his hand, giving him an assessing look, one he’d seen before on mothers’ faces. Moms always liked him though. He had nothing to worry about. Although he was pretty sure he’d never been introduced to a mom seconds after he’d banged her daughter.