Little Belle Gone (14 page)

“It’s delightful to see you again, miss Elizabeth. They will be most pleased that you have come to visit. Good afternoon, master Barrow.” After their hug was broken, he bowed to Matt and guided them into a magnificently appointed foyer. “They are relaxing in the library, ma’am. Dinner will be ready in thirty five minutes, shall I add two place settings?” Matt was too stunned to react. He had never imagined that she had grown up in such affluence. She carried herself well, to be sure, but she had none of the pompous arrogance that he had found usually accompanied this sort of childhood.

“That would be lovely, George.” He bowed and hurried away. Seeing Matt’s obvious confusion, she grasped his hand, snapping him out of his haze. “Matt, this is the home of my Aunt Agatha and Uncle Marcus, Aggie and Mark, the family that took me in after my parents...died.” Her smile warmed him up. It didn’t matter where she came from, she was here and she was his, at least he intended for her to be. “Okay, well, come on. This should be fun.” She heaved a deep sigh and tugged him through the house.

Twenty minutes later they were sitting in the library having a wonderfully pleasant conversation with Elizabeth’s Aunt Aggie and Uncle Mark. She had missed them, more than she had realized. Their love and support had helped save her from the horrible emptiness left by the attack on her family. They had hired self defense trainers to help her feel safer and, when she had decided to train to be a competition fighter, they had supported her. Elizabeth had always felt safe and loved in their home. Despite the fact that they did not have any children of their own, they had been excellent parents to her during the most painful and traumatic time in her life.

“Oh, yes, our little Liz was an amazing dancer before...before the tragedy. She won several competitions. When she took up martial arts, the grace and strength she already possessed made her an amazing fighter. She was the pride of every trainer we hired for her.” Her uncle was looking fondly at the curio cabinet filled with her trophies and ribbons.

“That’s enlightening, Mr. Targstead.” Matt grinned at her and she blushed as yet another piece of her past slipped into his hands.

“For the last time, Matthew, call me Mark. Aggie and I are just so pleased to meet a friend of Liz’s that’s, well, so manly.”

“Uncle Mark! Could we at least pretend that embarrassing me isn’t tonight’s entertainment?” Elizabeth was on the verge of catching fire from the depth of her blush.

“It’s just so good to see you Liz, it’s been too long since your last visit.” Aunt Aggie had been staring at her while she and Matt talked with Uncle Mark about work, the city, and her past accolades. She was almost on the verge of crying. Elizabeth smiled warmly at her, grabbing her hands and squeezing them.

“I’m fine, Aunt Aggie, really, life is good. I promise, as soon as this case is finished I’ll come home for a longer visit.” Aggie smiled wearily as she hugged her tightly. She hadn’t been comfortable with Elizabeth’s decision to become a police officer. In her opinion, it was far too dangerous and the last thing she wanted was to see Elizabeth hurt again. When Liz had defied them and enrolled in the academy on her own, Aggie had pouted for nearly a year, refusing to even speak to her. Elizabeth hoped that now maybe her fears would be assuaged.

“Well, we’ll hold you to that, Darling, and be sure you bring this young man with you.” Mark smiled and slapped Matthew on the back. She blushed a little as she nodded, not missing the small wink he gave her when aunt and uncle weren’t watching.

“Dinner will be served in ten minutes, ma’am.” George’s voice came from the intercom on the wall.

“Ah, well, we should go prepare for dinner. Liz why don’t you show Matthew around the house. We’ll see you in the dinning room.” With that, Mark extended his hand to his wife and, after helping her off the sofa, he escorted her from the library. Elizabeth smiled when Matt followed suit, offering her his hand in similar fashion. She took it greedily and pulled her self up close to him, drinking in his familiar scent.

“So, does this tour include your old room?” As he asked, his eyebrows rose and fell in an alluringly sly way. His arms, draping around her small frame, drew her slight body against the firm length of his tightly.

“Are you kidding, that’s the only stop!” As she pulled away from him, he smacked her on the behind. She laughed lightly as she pulled him up the stairs and down the hall to her old room. Opening the door and flicking on the light, she found that they had left it completely as it was. Breathing in deeply, and sighing contently, she stood motionless just inside the doorway. Brushing past her, Matt walked straight over to her bed and flopped backward onto its fluffy purple comforter, tucking his arms casually behind his head.

“I have to say, it’s a bit more...girly than I imagined.” He said laughing. She returned his laughter and for a split second, she stood appreciating how casual and comfortable their relationship had become. For the moment, they had managed to forget about their jobs, and the horrors of the case they were working on, and just enjoy themselves. The thought, though pleasant, was followed by the memory of the gruesome scene they had left only hours ago. The ugly images caused her face to contort and her stomach to turn. Apparently, Matt had been expecting her to respond to him and when she didn’t, he sat up to find out why. Her face, twisted by disgust, drew him off her bed and up beside her. “Elizabeth, what’s wrong?” She felt his hands rubbing her arms, but the gesture was not enough to force the eerie images out of her mind. Looking up at him she sighed.

“What are we doing here, Matt?”

Her question was serious and coated in fear and concern. He wasn’t sure what had happened. A moment ago she had been playful and flirtatious and now she was brooding and pessimistic. “We are visiting your family, having dinner with them before we head back to the city.” His answer didn’t seem to satisfy her and he began to grow very self conscious.

“Yes, back to the city, to share what we learned about the double murder we came here to investigate. Which is exactly zero. How could we have forgotten that? Let ourselves get caught up in this casual visit? How can we flirt with each other so easily knowing that there is a murderer out there who knows so much about me!?” He could see the tears welling up in her eyes, and the truth of her words dug into him like a knife. He had allowed himself to get caught up in the freedom of their trip as well, allowed himself to shut down his professional side and indulge in the wonderful chance to see a more personal side of her. Realizing just how serious the case was to her, and how the guilt of letting their personal feelings impede their work was tearing at her, he tried to provide some comfort. He pulled her softly into a consoling hug, but she broke away from him and moved across the room to the window.

“Matt, we should be ashamed of ourselves! We came here to do our jobs and look at us! Touching each other, stealing kisses! We didn’t even manage to find out who those poor people were before this mad man killed them!” The tears flowed down her face now. He wanted to yell, too. To return her accusations with some truths of his own. Truths like how they had gone to the scene and done their jobs. They had spoken the the first responder and the local detective. They had waited for their M.E. to take possession of the bodies and watched their C.S.I. team finish up processing the scene. They had even canvassed the town looking for anyone who might have seen something, or who might know who the victims were. They had done everything that their profession required of them, he was too good at his job to not. And just because they were taking a little time to visit with her family before heading back to their jobs didn’t make them bad people, or lousy detectives. That’s what he wanted to tell her, but seeing her so distraught killed the words in his throat. Instead, he approached her slowly, like one might ease toward an injured animal.

“Elizabeth, Liz, we aren’t doing anything wrong. We haven’t failed anyone.” When he reached for her, she recoiled slightly. It stung him to see it, but he was not deterred. Reaching again, she allowed him to wrap her in his arms. “There is nothing wrong with us having dinner with your family while we’re here. Trust me, I’ve been doing this job for few years now. You have nothing to feel guilty about.” Rocking her back and forth slightly he pressed his lips to the top of her head. “I, on the other hand, should feel absolutely lousy. I’ve been nothing but an insufferable cad.” He smiled into the sweet auburn mass of her hair and felt her arms weaving into his. He heard her sigh and knew that she was settling down. They stood together, staring out the window at the perfectly manicured gardens of her obscenely wealthy aunt and uncle.

Slowly, she turned her body in his arms, sliding her hands around his waist and resting her face against his chest. He stood perfectly still, allowing her to move over him. She stood that way for a minute and then shifted her weight nervously from foot to foot. Groaning, she pulled away from him and turned to walk to her closet. When he moved to follow her, she turned and gave him a look that said
stay put
, so he did. He watched as she kicked her wedge heeled shoes off while she pulled her closet open. Rummaging around inside, she pulled out a pair of some of the highest high-heeled shoes he had ever seen. Turning back toward him, she slipped them onto her small feet and swayed her way back to him, gracefully, no less that four inches taller than when she had left him. Wrapping her arms back around him again, she leaned in, pressing her forehead against his chin, instead of his chest. Sighing calmly she whispered into his neck, “That’s better.”

The feel of her breath on his neck sent heat through him, but for her sake, he struggled to control his impulsive desire to wrap her up and kiss her till their mouths ached. When he didn’t make a move on her, she made one on him. Cocking her head back, she ran the tip of her tongue lightly along the underside of his chin. His resolve disappeared instantly, as he fell upon her mouth like a greedy child upon candy. He moaned when she arched her body against him, rubbing her hip suggestively against the growing strength of his thighs. Some dark part of him slid his hand down her hip and squeezed her firmly against him. He was rewarded when she, like something out of a dirty movie, raised her thigh along his side, her knee drawing up even with her hip, and curving her calf around his leg.

He nearly lost his mind. He was panting now, rock hard and throbbing against her. Still devouring her mouth, his hand slid down her thigh to her knee and curved under, gripping the crook of her bend with his shaking fingers. The feel of her hose under his finger tips was infuriating, he wanted to feel skin, her soft ivory flesh in his palms. Giving in to his devious side, he started moving his hand up her thigh, toward its apex. She whimpered at the touch and his fingers grew tighter, continuing their trek. When he reached the upper portion of her thigh, his fingers slid over the unmistakable band marking the top of thigh-high stockings. “Oh dear god...” He whispered against her mouth before devouring it again. He pushed farther and was gratified with the warm, soft feeling of her flesh. Some wicked part of him wasn’t satisfied with just feeling her thigh. Unable to stop himself, his hand continued its journey.

When his finger tips collided with the silky fabric of her panties, he shuddered and she tensed. For a moment he was afraid he had gone too far, crossed a line. When she relaxed and nudged her apex against his finger tips, he frantically dug them into her, sliding under the thin layer to caress the most secret part of her. Her moan spurred him on as he slid his fingers through her silky folds. She was so wet, so warm.
Dear god...
He slid his fingers against her, reveling in the shivers that moved through her at his touch. Groaning, he slid one finger deep inside her, tugging forward slightly. She arched against him almost violently as she moaned into his mouth. When she whispered his name his grip on her grew tighter, lifting her off the ground and grinding her against him.

He was on the verge of flinging her onto the bed behind him and ravishing her right here and now, when the soft plod of footsteps in the hall jerked them from their reverie. Aggie’s voice wafted in to them, as her footsteps drew ever closer to the cracked door. Elizabeth had just managed to lower her leg and take a step back from him when she brushed through the door. Matt turned quickly to the window, hoping desperately that she hadn’t seen the massive bulge of his all too swollen manhood pressed firmly against the front of his trousers.

“Oh here you are, dears, we are headed down for dinner. Don’t be too much longer.” She smiled, oblivious to the scene she had just stumbled into, and nodded to Elizabeth before turning and disappearing back down the hallway. Elizabeth turned back to him, fear and passion spread across her face. As her lips spread into a guilty smile she held out a hand to him. Adjusting himself, he took it and let her lead him down to dinner.

The ride back to the city had been surprisingly awkward. The intimacy of that brief moment in her high school bedroom had seemed to have a sobering effect on them, especially on him. He felt like a cad—a monster, no better than those she had faced night after night in the park. It didn’t matter how badly he wanted her,
needed
her, she deserved nothing less than respect and adoration, and so far all he had given her was crude aggression and vulgarity. As they rode across the last bridge in deafening silence he decided that he was going to ask her out on a date, take her to dinner, maybe the movies. Woo her properly before he laid another lustful hand upon her. It would be difficult for him, but he needed to do right by her.

As he struggled with his behavior, she seemed a million miles away, staring out of the window with a expression he could not read spread across her face. Normally she was an open book, he need only look at her and he could almost hear her thoughts, but at the moment she might at well have been an instruction book written in another language. His only comfort was that she was willing to let him take her hand from time to time and returned the caressing touches he would give to her. He had not driven her away with his advances, not yet.