*"In your dreams, Hobson," Brigatti snapped before she slammed the bathroom door.
Gary shook his head, wondering what had gotten into him. Brigatti was a man eater. He chuckled softly and let his mind drift just a bit before he was interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Who is it?" he called out.

"Room Service."

"Room service?" Gary muttered as he walked to the door.

"Good evening, Mr. Thurston."

"Evening. I...uh don't think we ordered this," Gary said.

"It's compliments of Mr. Kettner," the waiter said as he pushed the cart into the room.

"Really? What is it?"

The room service waiter blushed. "It's the makings for a sundae," he said, clearing his throat.

"A sundae? Why would he send us stuff to make a ... oh boy. You should get this outta here. I don't think Briga...ah, Toni will be very happy with this."

"What won't I be happy with, darling?" Toni cooed as she entered the room. She cinched up the sash on the white terry cloth robe she was wearing, and Gary couldn't help be a bit disappointed. He’d barely caught a glimpse of pink satin--enough of a glimpse to make his mouth go dry.

"Ahem...Paul Kettner thought he was being funny, by sending us this... uh, stuff. I'm sending it back," Gary explained as he pulled money from his billfold. "Sorry for your trouble."

"What is it?" Toni asked, curiosity getting the better of her. She pulled off the domed lid and looked down at the fudge sauce, whipped cream, ice cream, cherries and bananas.

"It's stuff to make ice cream sundaes!" She looked up at Gary. "Why would he send...ooooh." She cleared her throat and grabbed the money from Gary and handed it to the waiter. "Thank you so much for your trouble. I’m sure we'll put this to good use."

"How's that?" Gary asked as he scratched his head.

Brigatti closed the door and locked it. "We can't go blowing our cover by refusing this stuff. Paul might get suspicious."

"It's better for him to think we'd use this?"

"What's the matter, Hobson? You never made a body sundae?"

"No!" he said adamantly. He lowered his voice. "Have you?"

"Hmph! Wouldn't you like to know?" she said with a toss of her hair as she turned.

"I'm going to bed." She looked back over her shoulder before adding, "Alone."

"What about this stuff?" he asked as he waved his hand in the direction of the cart.

"Well, fix yourself a sundae. In a bowl! And don't look at me like that," she said as she turned back toward the bed.

Gary mumbled under his breath, something about good food going to waste, as he picked up the domed lid.

~*~*~

"You're not gonna eat that all by yourself, are you?" Brigatti asked as she slid off the bed and made her way to the cart, which Gary had pushed near the bed.

She pulled one of the halves of the banana out of the dish and held it over her mouth. She let the melting ice cream drip down onto her tongue before taking a bite.

Gary swallowed hard. "I...I...uh, thought you didn't want one."

"What? I can't change my mind?"

"You...you...uh, want me to make you one?"

She raised an eyebrow. "You don't want to share?"

"Oh boy!" he thought.

"Uh, huh. Sure. Sharing is good." He was having a hard time forming complete sentences as he watched her mouth close around the banana and suck the cream from it.

"What are you waiting on, Hobson?" she snapped as he just stood there. "You need help finishing that thing?"

"No. I can do it on my own."

She gave him a look that said, "We'll see."

He peeled another banana, placed it in the dish, and finished scooping ice cream on top of it.

"Three scoops. You use three scoops. Not two." She moved closer to him, her arm brushing against his.

"I always use two," he said defensively.

"You're sharing tonight." Brigatti grabbed the scoop from him.

He grabbed it back. "I can do it," he insisted. "You can pour the fudge."

She looked up at him briefly before taking the dish of fudge and pouring it slowly over the ice cream. When she stopped, she ran her finger over the lip of the bowl, raking off the excess fudge then licking her finger.

Gary topped it off with a cloud of whipped cream and Brigatti added the cherries. He handed her a spoon and they both dug into their creation.

Gary walked around the cart to the bed, and leaned his hip against it. Brigatti stood next to him.

"Not bad," she said, her mouth full of ice cream.

"We make a pretty good team," he replied.

She blushed and dropped her head.

"What?" Gary asked, not sure what had made the hard as nails cop blush.

She laughed then composed herself. "You think I'm telling you?"

He sat the dish down on the cart and pulled her close to him, trapping her in his arms.

"Hobson, if you know what's good for you, you'll let me go," she barked as she tried to break free.

"Maybe I don't wanna let you go," he whispered as he realized letting her go was the last thing he wanted to do. He liked the feel of her in his arms.

She flexed her jaw as he stared intently at her.

"This isn't about what you want, Hobson. Let me go!"

"Or what?"

He jerked as her hand smashed a combination of ice cream, fudge and whipped cream across his mouth.

"That's what," she said, her voice full of laughter.

"Now you've done it," he said as he grabbed a handful of the treat and tightened his arm around her to stop her from getting away.

"Don't you dare, Hobson. I'm serious!"

He laughed. "So am I. You did it to me. I do it to you."

"Wait!" she said as she put her hand on his arm. "What if I clean it off?" she suggested as she lowered her voice.

"Okay," he said as he dropped the ice cream back into the dish. "Clean it off," he ordered as he held his hand in front of her mouth.

"You're joking?" she asked.

"Do I look like I'm joking?" he said seriously.

She took a deep breath and gently brushed her hair behind her ear. She looked up at him nervously. His only reply was a smile and a raised eyebrow.

She looked at his hand dripping with the sweet liquid.

He'd issued a challenge, and he knew Brigatti well enough that she wouldn't refuse it.

She jerked when Gary's mouth was pressed against her face, transferring some of the ice cream she'd mashed on his face to hers.

She gasped and looked into his eyes. "It's easy. See," he whispered as he ran his tongue across her skin.

"Just like that," he said as he pulled away and grinned at her.

Her expression changed from amusement to determination as she leaned forward and placed one hand on his chest. Gary began to worry about what she'd do to him.

"You think I need lessons? I could teach you a thing or two." She dragged her tongue across his cheek, stopping to nip slightly at his bottom lip. "Mmm. Tastes good," she sighed.

Gary's heart slammed against his chest as she took his hand and began to lick the ice cream from his fingers by gently inserting each one into her mouth and sucking on it slowly.

"Breathe, Hobson. I don't want you passing out on me."

He gulped air, embarrassed by his reaction to what she was doing. This wasn't his first time, by any means. He should be in more control than this.

Realizing one of her hands was covered in ice cream and whipped cream, he took her hand in his and repeated her actions. She paused briefly, then continued with her task in a more sensual nature.

When she was done with his hand, she began to clean the ice cream from his mouth, moving her tongue slowly across his lips before pulling the lower half into her mouth and sucking gently.

Breathe. Breathe, he ordered himself as he placed his arms around her and pulled her closer to him.

She looked up at him. "I'm dripping, Hobson." She turned her head to expose her neck and the stream of ice cream and fudge that was trailing a pathway down to her collar bone.

His hands moved gently on her back as he licked her neck. He felt her soften in his arms, and the knowledge of that one tiny movement set him on fire. He nibbled at her neck, taking his time. He smiled against her skin as she shivered.

She moved her hands to his shoulders and her fingers dug into the skin. He noticed her breathing was becoming labored. He moved away and she looked up at him with wide, startled eyes.

Gary smiled as she sighed, his fingertips tracing the edge of the neckline of her satin pajama top.

He smiled wickedly as he grabbed the dish of fudge sauce.

"Oh, no you don't, Hobson. My turn."

She quickly began to unbutton his shirt. She seemed to be in more of a hurry than Gary had been, and she had his shirt off in half the time. She pulled his t-shirt over his head and tossed it across the room before grabbing the chocolate sauce and placing her finger in it. She then placed her finger in his mouth, allowing him to lick the chocolate while she began undoing his pants with her other hand.

Slowly pulling her finger from his mouth, she brought it down to his waist band, using both hands to undo his pants. The zipper fought with her as he swelled against her eager fingers. He moaned softly and leaned forward, tugging her pajama top until she paused and pulled it over her head, tossing it to the floor. Then, as she continued to work, he anointed her with chocolate sauce, his finger trailing it across one shoulder and down between her breasts. He bent forward and tasted it, his lips and tongue following the trail he'd just made with the chocolate. With an answering gasp of pleasure, she arched her back and gave him free access to her breasts, which he promptly christened with more chocolate, savoring each taste and each moan he elicited from her. She pulled away and began tugging at his pants with more urgency, so he paused for a moment and allowed her to strip them from his body. They were both lost now, consumed by the fires of their mutual passion. She ran her hands down his chest, lower and lower, caressing him gently, then her mouth followed the same path. She was in control now, clearly enjoying the power she had over him. Gasping her name after a moment, he pulled her up and moved his own hands down her body and under the smooth, cool fabric of her pajamas, pushing at them impatiently. Her need was just as urgent as his own, so she stepped back and quickly shed that last bit of her clothing, then allowed him to draw her close, her breasts pressing against his chest.

"Toni." Her name came out in a breathy whisper, and Gary could feel her shiver with pleasure in response. She pushed him back against the room service cart, not letting any distance separate them.

Gary reached backward to steady their descent, but their momentum had pushed the cart too far.

THUD!

Gary hit the floor and was momentarily stunned. The room was dark and he was wearing his boxers and t-shirt. It was all just a dream, he realized. "One helluva dream," he murmured softly.


Bright lamplight flooded the room and then he heard, "Hobson! What the hell are you doing? Am I gonna have to tie you to the bed?"

At the sound of Brigatti's voice, Gary grabbed the pillow from the bench he'd been sleeping on and did his best to cover the evidence of his dream. But her wicked smile told him she hadn't missed a thing.

"When I said, *in your dreams*, Hobson, I didn't mean it literally," she barked. "Try to stay on the bench this time." And with that command, she clicked off the lamp and rolled to her side, where she buried a pleased smile into the pillow.

~~~The following afternoon...

Gary ended his phone conversation with Marissa, silently cursing her for her bad timing.

Last night's dream was still fresh on his mind. And that kiss this morning had left him wanting so much more. Brigatti had exhibited a rare vulnerability just now and had come close to kissing him. Voluntarily. And then that damn phone call. But maybe they could pick up where they left off. He rubbed his hands together in anticipation.

He looked up to see Brigatti walk out of the bathroom. She stopped and stared at him. Gary dropped his hands, knowing by the expression on her face that their moment had passed.

Her guard came back up. *"You're not takin' me to the ball lookin' like that, are you, Hobson?"

He squinted his eyes as he looked at her. "The ball? It's not for a few hours. It doesn't take me that long to get ready."

She shrugged her shoulders. "Suit yourself," she said with a flip of her hair as she turned toward the closet.

"Brigatti! Uh, Toni. We just...something almost happened here. Are we just gonna pretend it didn't happen?"

She took a deep breath and turned around. "I'm sorry if I led you to believe that there was anything--was ever going to be anything--between us. I almost died, Hobson. Makes you put things in a different perspective. I was shaky. You were hurt. It was just a bad judgement call."

"Bad judgement? You wanted to kiss me, Brigatti. You know you did."

"Did you not hear what I just said? I was in an emotional state. I wasn't thinking clearly."

He shrugged his shoulders. "So, the kiss this morning. You didn't feel anything?"

She laughed nervously. "Hobson, please. It was all an act. I mean, you didn't feel anything either. Did you?" she added, tilting her head.

"I don't know. Maybe... Maybe not."

She put her hands on her hips and glared at him. "What do you mean, maybe? Either you did or you didn't!"

"Well, maybe we should try again, just to see." He shrugged his shoulders. "Kind of an experiment," he added as he placed his hands on his hips and nodded his head.

"Do you think I'm gonna fall for that? Do you think I'm stupid or something?"

"I think you're scared."

"Hmph. I'm not scared," she said defensively, even though her eyes couldn't make contact with his.

"Prove it. Kiss me. If you don't feel anything, I'll be able to tell by your kiss, and vice versa. Then we'll know and we won't have to wonder."

"Believe me, I wouldn't be wondering," she said haughtily.

"You're a chicken," he teased as he moved closer to her.

"I am not!"

"Then kiss me."

"Are you that desperate that you have to dare women to ki...umph."

Her last word was muffled by his lips caressing hers. He moved his hand behind her head and tilted it to the side, allowing his mouth easier access to hers. He smiled against her lips as she sighed softly. Knowing she was feeling something, he deepened the kiss. His tongue tentatively entered her mouth. He was pleased when her tongue touched his. He pulled away just enough to take her bottom lip between his and suck gently before claiming her mouth again.

He pulled away and looked down at her. Her breath came in gasps. He loosened his arms, allowing her the opportunity to step away from him. She didn't.

Instead she looked up at him and said, "Hmm. Not bad."

Gary smirked. "Not bad, huh?"

He pulled her close again and continued kissing her. She moved her arms around his neck and began running her fingers through his hair. His mouth left hers and traveled across her cheek to her earlobe, and then down her neck.

He moved his hand to undo the button on her jacket, then moved the collar of it out of the way and began nibbling across her shoulder.

"Oh God!" she uttered breathlessly.

He moved his mouth to her ear, and whispered, "Still just okay?"

Toni's hands moved to either side of his head and brought his face up to hers. "Shut up, Hobson!" she said before pulling his mouth to hers. She kissed him hungrily and he returned the kiss with equal urgency.

Her teeth nipped along his jaw line to his shoulder then back again. Breathing was labored, hands began clutching, knees became weak.

"Make love to me," Toni whispered against his skin.

He thought he'd imagined the words. He stopped and looked down at her; her eyes were bright with desire. "You heard me, Hobson."

He took one step back. "Is that an order?" he asked, a hurt look on his face.

Her voice caught in her throat as she spoke. "No. It's... it's a request."

Gary closed the distance between them and placed his hand on her neck. "It would be my pleasure," he whispered. He slid her jacket off her shoulders, then pulled her red tank over her head. Toni shivered as he looked down at her bared skin. He placed his hand under her chin and lifted her face up to him. "You're so beautiful."

She smiled slightly as a blush crept down her face to her shoulders.

Slowly he moved his hand from her neck to lightly cup her breast. Toni's eyes closed and a small gasp escaped her lips. He trailed kisses from her mouth down to her lacy bra. There he teased her nipple with his teeth; her hands grasped his shoulders for support as his mouth moved lower. He stopped at her waistline and knelt down to undo her pants. They slid easily off her hips, and she stepped out of them. She stood there in nothing but black lacy underwear and heels, the picture-perfect model of his ideal fantasy.

"No fair, Hobson. I wanna see you," she said with a wicked raise of her eyebrow. She began to unbutton his shirt and, being careful not to touch his wound, slid it off his shoulders.

"Maybe we should bandage that," she said.

"It's fine. Really," he said, his voice strangled.

The t-shirt came off next and was tossed in the air. She began on the buttons of his jeans next. Her hands were shaking and the feeling of her fingertips brushing against him was distracting her.

"Is this what you were dreaming about last night?" she asked, her voice husky with desire, and she moved her mouth down his chest, trailing soft, wet kisses all along the way. Her fingers began fumbling with the buttons of his jeans.

He closed his eyes in response. "Yes," he answered, groaning with ecstacy, hardening against her movements. Pure desire was consuming him now.

"Damn!" she muttered under her breath.

"Need some help?"

As she looked up at him, she tossed her hair out of her eyes. "I'm sorry."

He took her by the shoulders. "Don't apologize. I'm nervous, too."

She sighed. "You are?"

"Mmm hmm."

He pulled her close and began kissing her again as he undid his jeans with the other hand. When he was done, he grabbed her hand and drew it inside his jeans. Her body jerked at the heat she felt there. His tongue danced inside her mouth and her hand matched its rhythm.

He stopped kissing her and rested his face in her neck, his breathing labored. "Toni. You're...Oh, God...oh." He swallowed hard then pulled her hand away and bent and picked her up. He carried her to the bed and gently laid her down. He ran his hands down her legs to her ankles, where he undid the straps of her shoes and tossed them on the floor.

Spying the vase of roses next to the bed, he grabbed one and slowly slid the rosebud up her leg, over her stomach to her chest and neck, then down her nose and lips, then back down between her legs.

Lowering his head to her feet, he trailed kisses from her ankle to her knee while his hand gently caressed her other leg. His fingertips toyed with edge of her panties as his mouth nipped at the lacy fabric.

Toni's body arched up and she grabbed the covers of the bed with her hands. His sweet torture continued up her stomach to her breasts, where he teased them mercilessly as she sighed and moaned. Gary placed his hand behind her back and undid the clasp of the bra, freeing her from the confines of the lace. He ran the rose bud across her chest. Her nipples grew hard at the touch. He dropped the rose and used both hands to gently kneed the soft mounds of flesh; he moaned pleasurably at the sensation. His tongue flicked at her nipples causing her to cry out. "Hobson!"

Gary stopped and looked down at her. Her eyes were hooded with desire. "Don't stop," she said huskily; her breathing labored.

"Call me Gary."

"Huh?" she asked, confused.

"I wanna hear you call me Gary."

She sat up in bed, placed one leg over his lap, and straddled him. "Gary, don't stop," she whispered as she pressed her body close and began to rub her hips against his.

He kissed her passionately as he kicked his shoes off. He stood up, and she wrapped her legs around his waist. He reached around her to shove his jeans and boxers off his hips, then kicked them out of the way before he crawled into the bed, placing her body beneath his.

"Gary," she whispered.

"What?"

She placed her hand on his and moved it down to her hip where he felt her panties.
"I think these need to go," she said as she smiled up at him teasingly.

She pushed his shoulders and rolled over so she straddled him. He placed his hands on her hips, and it took all the restraint he had not to rip the delicate material off of her body. Instead, she slid off him and slowly removed the garment.

She paused as she gazed at the sight of him, nude and aroused. He held out his hand and she grasped it before resuming her place on top of him. He could feel her warmth and he began to ache.

"Toni, I..."

She placed a finger on his mouth. "Shh," she whispered. "Be patient."

She then kissed him gently as her hands caressed his shoulders. Her kisses moved down his neck, to his chest, and down further till she had taken him in her mouth. Gary gasped, all the breath leaving his body as her teeth nipped at the tip of him.

"Toni... please," he begged.

She stroked him softly before raising up and guiding him into her.

They both groaned in unison and Gary sat up and pulled her close to him. They trembled in each other's arms, neither one of them moving, each savoring the feel of the other's body. After a while, Toni began to rock back and forth slowly, and Gary lay back down, allowing her to move freely. Soon her pace quickened, as did their breathing. Gary's hands clutched at her waist as her nails dug into his shoulder.

"Oh, Gary!" Toni cried out.

Quickly Gary rolled them over and began thrusting deeply into her as she buried her moans in his shoulder. With one final thrust, they both cried out in unison and Gary collapsed, sated, on top of her. Carefully he slid off of her, then pulled her to his chest. She wrapped her arm around him and reveled in the sound of his heart beating rapidly in time with hers.

~***~

A short time later, Toni stirred. "I guess we'd better start getting ready for the ball. I'll uh, I'll just get in the shower." She spoke nervously, rolled out of his arms, and threw her bathrobe on, all but running to the bathroom as if the devil himself was after her.

Gary sat up and scratched his head thoughtfully. He knew her well enough to see that she was quickly rebuilding that brick wall that always stood around her heart. And it made him determined--determined to rip it right back down again. He'd give her a few minutes to compose herself, but that was it.

"Toni? You all right?" he called through the half-open door. She was in the shower, her curvy silhouette visible through the frosted shower door. Damn but she was gorgeous. A part of him whispered that he should close the door now and let her have her privacy. But his body was on auto-pilot, moving further into the room.

"Toni? I, uh, I just wanted to make sure you were okay," he blurted stupidly. She would see right through his guise, he knew that too, but his brain had all but shut down. Memories of her taste, her touch, were too fresh to push aside.

"Hobson!" Brigatti cracked open the shower door and stuck her head out. She appeared to have more to say until she saw the look on his face. Instead her gaze drifted slowly down his still naked body and then back up to meet his eyes. "Was there..." she swallowed hard, "something you wanted?"

There was no disguising the gleam in his eyes as he stepped into the shower with her. There was indeed something he wanted. "I thought you might need some help," his voice was raspy with desire. Grabbing the body wash, he poured some in his hand and then began massaging it into her skin, working it into a lather over her breasts, then watching the water stream down and wash it away. He pulled her slick body close and kissed her hungrily, one hand continuing its ministrations.

"Oh God," she murmured. "What are you doing to me?" And then she was kissing him with equal fire, moving her lips down to taste of his jawline, his neck, then his chest. Gary felt her heart racing, pounding nearly out of her chest as his head moved down to suck at her nipples again.

Filling her own hands with soap, she ran them down his back and over his backside, then worked them around to the front of him, looking pleased when he breathed her name as she grasped him. Stroking him gently at first, with her soap slickened hand, she then increased the pressure until he could take no more and pulled her hand away.

He backed her to the narrow tile bench, where she sat and raised one leg to encircle him. His mouth was moving lower now, trailing wet kisses down her naval and then finding its way between her legs. Entering her with his tongue, he teased and tantalized, pleased with the way she gasped his name and arched against him. One hand went around her, grasping her from behind and pulling her closer, while the other hand slid up and down her thigh.

"Gary," she moaned, and pulled him up. "I need..." She didn't finish the thought as he lifted her, her legs wrapping around him and moved her against the wall where he entered her, while his mouth and tongue played with her earlobe and neck.

Their slick wet bodies began to move together slowly at first, then faster and faster as their breathing became more labored, their need more urgent. Finally, they came together with groans of agony and ecstacy, clinging to each other as their heartbeats slowly began to ease their paces.

His breathing still slightly labored, he whispered in her ear as he held her against him. "Don't run off this time." Then he smiled into her eyes and pushed her wet hair away from her face.

"Who says I'm gonna run off," she answered and smiled back.

They finished their shower, each bathing the other tenderly and teasingly. Clearly they were both enjoying playing at being newlyweds, getting lost in the game. When they were through, they dressed for the ball--Gary in his tux, Toni in her black lace cocktail dress, and each wearing a smile of satisfaction.

~***~

Gary sat at the bar, his left thumb toying with the wedding band on his finger, wondering what he should do next. Should he call her, go see her, or wait? He hated the uncertainty. He hated feeling so vulnerable.

Everything had been going so well until the ball, where she'd thrown her walls back up before he could even blink an eye. They were right back to Hobson and Brigatti, as if nothing had changed. Admittedly, he'd reacted to her with a few insults of his own that night, but wasn't that part of the fun--part of this game they played? Thrust and parry; that's what made it exciting, made her so exciting. So why had she said, *"We're finished" with such finality in her voice? If he could only know that she hadn't meant it--not that way-- then he could work up the courage to start tearing down those walls again.

Patrick clicked off the news, exclaiming, *"Wow! Some story."

*"Doesn't have an ending yet," Gary muttered in response, pulling the ring from his finger and shoving it into his pocket.

*"You don't sound very happy." Marissa's words held a note of sympathy.

*"I'm happy," he answered, sounding anything but happy.

*"Right. I'm here when you want to talk about it," she responded and headed for the office.

*"What's it take to get a little service around here?"

Gary turned slowly, knowing it was her.

*"Brigatti." He studied her face, which was inscrutable, as usual. *"Any leads on Amber?"

*"I didn't come here to talk about her."

*"Oh?"

*"You know why I'm here, Hobson."

*"I could guess." He continued to study her, searching for a sign of hope. She was being so damn vague.

*"Well?"

*"Well what?"

*"The wedding ring, Hobson"

*"What?"

*"The ring I gave you, it's police property. Let's have it." She paused and searched his face. *"Whadja think I was talkin' about?"

*"Oh nothin." If she wanted vague, he could play that game too. Thrust and parry. He dug into his pocket and retrieved the ring, passing it to her with some resignation and a deep sense of loss.

*"Well, see ya." She turned to leave, but then turned back to face him briefly. *"Oh and Hobson..." A brief smile, full of meaning, lit her eyes. *"Thanks."

*"You're welcome," he responded and watched her leave, knowing there was hope yet. And he was okay with that. They would start their game again another day. Thrust and parry.

Email the author: catandmouse1099@yahoo.com
 

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