happening. He knew Jaqui. She finds a way to get
what she wants, always has. She came back from LA and she was so excited, she'd
let things slip in front of him."
"How'd he find
out about the cheating?" Nathan asked.
Vanessa gave him a
confused look.
She didn't even
know.
Nathan told her, "Rock
confronted Jaqui over her cheating while in Hollywood."
That bitch! She couldn't
wait until she'd actually left him? But who was she sleeping with? "Was it
with the director?"
Nathan figured he was
well past keeping confidence. And Vanessa's insistence was difficult to resist.
"She considered it a cost of doing business. But she didn't confess to
Rock. Then he got killed—"
"And now you're
wondering if I killed him ?"
"You met with him
that day, didn't you?" Nathan pressed.
Vanessa nodded, but
she couldn't answer as the tears crested and the sobbing stole her voice…
They'd arranged to
meet at the studio, following his recording session. In the mixing suite they
made love on the sofa. He was so strong. He owned her with his touch. His
rough hands were everywhere, but she loved the feeling of contrast against her
supple flesh.
And his weight,
pressing against her, anchoring her in place. How she loved it, being held
still as he took his pleasure. The slow, wet grind, honing their flesh. And
then he hammered away, using her as an anvil. And she met his ardor with her
own. Then she forgot herself and cried in ecstasy.
That's what Rock did
to her. She was both lost and found in his arms. Finally, so safe. She
let it all go. And it was the best.
She was so happy. But
terrified, too. Rock hadn't given up on Jaqui, not completely. But she couldn't
just wait around for Jaqui to leave Rock. Their circumstances had changed and
she needed him to make a decision sooner rather than later. Wasn't it what he'd
always talked about with Jaqui?
So she just told him.
And he said nothing at first, which worried her so, but then he smiled and held
her tight. And that was that. It wasn't a decision any more. It was just Rock
and Vanessa. And the baby.
"Oh boy,"
Nathan sighed.
Vanessa took some time
to compose herself, which was good for Nathan, who was also on the verge of
bawling. He released her hand so she could tend her tears and the pressure of
her emotions relented significantly. Nathan took some deep breaths and tapped
on his acupressure points, then he refined his read on Vanessa as she'd calmed
herself.
He already knew the
answer, but he had to ask to be certain, "You didn't kill Rock, did you?"
She hadn't and she
shook her head, "He was alive when I left. Alive and so very happy."
"Any idea as to
who did it?" Nathan continued.
"I thought that Jaqui did it," Vanessa shrugged.
Nathan shook his head,
"Yeah, well. They only give me the tough ones."
"I'm scared,
Detective," Vanessa added. "Who can I trust?
Nathan shrugged, "Trust yourself , Vanessa."
He meant that she
should keep her mouth shut—
"Just let us sort
this thing out first, alright?" Nathan told her.
She was relieved, but
also disappointed. She'd have to keep her secret for now. But how could she
begin to tell them? How could she tell Jaqui? She'd already lost Rock. She
couldn't bear to lose her little sister…
Nathan let the read
fade. He felt like he needed a stiff cocktail but he'd have to settle for a
soft drink and a really big sandwich— Maybe a Reuben? And a couple of dill
spears… Too many people in his head and it seemed like they were all hungry.
Nathan replaced the
tall wooden chair at the desk and crossed to the door. "Let's get some
food, huh?" he mentioned to his companions.
Archer and Laurel
queued up next to him. " What's up with Miss Scott?" Archer
whispered.
"Oh, she's
pregnant," Nathan said.
"What?"
Archer and Laurel exclaimed, both glancing back at Vanessa, still seated in the
bay window.
Archer shook her head,
but she was grinning.
Laurel swiftly crossed
the room and said to Vanessa, "Congratulations, sweetie." Then she
re-crossed
what she wants, always has. She came back from LA and she was so excited, she'd
let things slip in front of him."
"How'd he find
out about the cheating?" Nathan asked.
Vanessa gave him a
confused look.
She didn't even
know.
Nathan told her, "Rock
confronted Jaqui over her cheating while in Hollywood."
That bitch! She couldn't
wait until she'd actually left him? But who was she sleeping with? "Was it
with the director?"
Nathan figured he was
well past keeping confidence. And Vanessa's insistence was difficult to resist.
"She considered it a cost of doing business. But she didn't confess to
Rock. Then he got killed—"
"And now you're
wondering if I killed him ?"
"You met with him
that day, didn't you?" Nathan pressed.
Vanessa nodded, but
she couldn't answer as the tears crested and the sobbing stole her voice…
They'd arranged to
meet at the studio, following his recording session. In the mixing suite they
made love on the sofa. He was so strong. He owned her with his touch. His
rough hands were everywhere, but she loved the feeling of contrast against her
supple flesh.
And his weight,
pressing against her, anchoring her in place. How she loved it, being held
still as he took his pleasure. The slow, wet grind, honing their flesh. And
then he hammered away, using her as an anvil. And she met his ardor with her
own. Then she forgot herself and cried in ecstasy.
That's what Rock did
to her. She was both lost and found in his arms. Finally, so safe. She
let it all go. And it was the best.
She was so happy. But
terrified, too. Rock hadn't given up on Jaqui, not completely. But she couldn't
just wait around for Jaqui to leave Rock. Their circumstances had changed and
she needed him to make a decision sooner rather than later. Wasn't it what he'd
always talked about with Jaqui?
So she just told him.
And he said nothing at first, which worried her so, but then he smiled and held
her tight. And that was that. It wasn't a decision any more. It was just Rock
and Vanessa. And the baby.
"Oh boy,"
Nathan sighed.
Vanessa took some time
to compose herself, which was good for Nathan, who was also on the verge of
bawling. He released her hand so she could tend her tears and the pressure of
her emotions relented significantly. Nathan took some deep breaths and tapped
on his acupressure points, then he refined his read on Vanessa as she'd calmed
herself.
He already knew the
answer, but he had to ask to be certain, "You didn't kill Rock, did you?"
She hadn't and she
shook her head, "He was alive when I left. Alive and so very happy."
"Any idea as to
who did it?" Nathan continued.
"I thought that Jaqui did it," Vanessa shrugged.
Nathan shook his head,
"Yeah, well. They only give me the tough ones."
"I'm scared,
Detective," Vanessa added. "Who can I trust?
Nathan shrugged, "Trust yourself , Vanessa."
He meant that she
should keep her mouth shut—
"Just let us sort
this thing out first, alright?" Nathan told her.
She was relieved, but
also disappointed. She'd have to keep her secret for now. But how could she
begin to tell them? How could she tell Jaqui? She'd already lost Rock. She
couldn't bear to lose her little sister…
Nathan let the read
fade. He felt like he needed a stiff cocktail but he'd have to settle for a
soft drink and a really big sandwich— Maybe a Reuben? And a couple of dill
spears… Too many people in his head and it seemed like they were all hungry.
Nathan replaced the
tall wooden chair at the desk and crossed to the door. "Let's get some
food, huh?" he mentioned to his companions.
Archer and Laurel
queued up next to him. " What's up with Miss Scott?" Archer
whispered.
"Oh, she's
pregnant," Nathan said.
"What?"
Archer and Laurel exclaimed, both glancing back at Vanessa, still seated in the
bay window.
Archer shook her head,
but she was grinning.
Laurel swiftly crossed
the room and said to Vanessa, "Congratulations, sweetie." Then she
re-crossed
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