past boyfriends complained about her inability to finish work on time, Will accepted it with calm understanding. She knocked back her wine, her eyes drawn to the defined chest muscles under his sweater. Her day had been stressful to say the least, with no real leads. It was heading towards a murder inquiry at breakneck speed. All they needed was a body . . .
A myriad of thoughts demanded her attention, and she silenced them without guilt. She needed this. She craved intimacy with Will, absorbing his affection instead of the anger, frustration and fear which had encompassed her over the last few days. Just a little while, she promised herself, then she would think about work.
But peace did not come quickly. Will’s phone constantly buzzed with texts from Zoe. There was a rumour that more people would be joining the team, and Jennifer was beginning to feel more like an outsider with each day that passed. Will turned off his phone and settled back into the sofa.
‘Sorry,’ he said, with an apologetic grin. ‘I think she’s a bit lonely. She was asking if we could go out for a drink tonight.’
Jennifer stifled a yawn. ‘I’m too tired. How’s it been, working with her?’
‘I couldn’t possibly say. We’re frontline detectives on Op Moonlight, you know, and seeing as how you’re just a lowly FLO . . .’
Jennifer moved in close and blew in his ear as she snaked her hand against the ridge of his trousers. His stomach tightened as her fingers found his skin, and she teased him by running her nail inside the waistband of his boxer shorts. ‘Oh, but I have ways of making you talk,’ she said huskily.
Will groaned, wrapping his hands around her waist as she sat astride him. ‘In that case, I’m ready for my interrogation.’
----
I ntimacy followed by a hot bath was all she needed to feel human again. Satiated, she lay back in Will’s arms, allowing thoughts of work to return.
‘So how are you getting on with the case?’ he said, kissing the side of her head as she lay back on his chest. Her hair was damp as from the water, and he tucked a strand behind her ear. Steam rose around them, and the gentle flicker of candlelight reflected against the bathroom window.
‘We don’t have to talk work,’ Jennifer whispered as she dipped her chin into the water, trying to push back the nagging questions demanding an audience.
‘I’m interested. A different perspective might help.’
Jennifer sighed. There was no getting away from it. She was doubtful other boyfriends would be as accommodating, although she would never have been able to speak to them about cases anyway. Keeping it to herself had made it all the harder. Not that they had understood any of that. She filled Will in on the case to date, bringing him up to Olivia’s behaviour around her father.
‘I took the opportunity to question Olivia again,’ Jennifer said. ‘I heard her whisper something to her dad, about keeping a secret. But she’s been mute ever since, and somewhat spooked. I didn’t want to push things too far.’
‘You don’t think he’s abusing her, do you?’
Jennifer shivered as their bathwater began to lose its heat. The words sounded ugly as they hung in the air.
‘I asked if her mummy or daddy had hurt her, or made her do anything she didn’t want to do,’ she said.
‘And?’
‘No. Well, at least she shook her head, which implied no. I watched her face closely for a reaction. I couldn’t see anything which would suggest that they were abusing her.’
‘Best you document it just the same,’ Will said, handing her his bathrobe as he stepped out of the water. ‘Here. I’ll make you a coffee, get you warmed up.’
Will wrapped a thick white towel around his waist and rough-dried his hair. Jennifer admired the contours of his body, and looked forward to the rest of their night together. A night in his arms was long overdue.
‘Want to know what I think?’ Will said, as Jennifer joined him in the living room.
A myriad of thoughts demanded her attention, and she silenced them without guilt. She needed this. She craved intimacy with Will, absorbing his affection instead of the anger, frustration and fear which had encompassed her over the last few days. Just a little while, she promised herself, then she would think about work.
But peace did not come quickly. Will’s phone constantly buzzed with texts from Zoe. There was a rumour that more people would be joining the team, and Jennifer was beginning to feel more like an outsider with each day that passed. Will turned off his phone and settled back into the sofa.
‘Sorry,’ he said, with an apologetic grin. ‘I think she’s a bit lonely. She was asking if we could go out for a drink tonight.’
Jennifer stifled a yawn. ‘I’m too tired. How’s it been, working with her?’
‘I couldn’t possibly say. We’re frontline detectives on Op Moonlight, you know, and seeing as how you’re just a lowly FLO . . .’
Jennifer moved in close and blew in his ear as she snaked her hand against the ridge of his trousers. His stomach tightened as her fingers found his skin, and she teased him by running her nail inside the waistband of his boxer shorts. ‘Oh, but I have ways of making you talk,’ she said huskily.
Will groaned, wrapping his hands around her waist as she sat astride him. ‘In that case, I’m ready for my interrogation.’
----
I ntimacy followed by a hot bath was all she needed to feel human again. Satiated, she lay back in Will’s arms, allowing thoughts of work to return.
‘So how are you getting on with the case?’ he said, kissing the side of her head as she lay back on his chest. Her hair was damp as from the water, and he tucked a strand behind her ear. Steam rose around them, and the gentle flicker of candlelight reflected against the bathroom window.
‘We don’t have to talk work,’ Jennifer whispered as she dipped her chin into the water, trying to push back the nagging questions demanding an audience.
‘I’m interested. A different perspective might help.’
Jennifer sighed. There was no getting away from it. She was doubtful other boyfriends would be as accommodating, although she would never have been able to speak to them about cases anyway. Keeping it to herself had made it all the harder. Not that they had understood any of that. She filled Will in on the case to date, bringing him up to Olivia’s behaviour around her father.
‘I took the opportunity to question Olivia again,’ Jennifer said. ‘I heard her whisper something to her dad, about keeping a secret. But she’s been mute ever since, and somewhat spooked. I didn’t want to push things too far.’
‘You don’t think he’s abusing her, do you?’
Jennifer shivered as their bathwater began to lose its heat. The words sounded ugly as they hung in the air.
‘I asked if her mummy or daddy had hurt her, or made her do anything she didn’t want to do,’ she said.
‘And?’
‘No. Well, at least she shook her head, which implied no. I watched her face closely for a reaction. I couldn’t see anything which would suggest that they were abusing her.’
‘Best you document it just the same,’ Will said, handing her his bathrobe as he stepped out of the water. ‘Here. I’ll make you a coffee, get you warmed up.’
Will wrapped a thick white towel around his waist and rough-dried his hair. Jennifer admired the contours of his body, and looked forward to the rest of their night together. A night in his arms was long overdue.
‘Want to know what I think?’ Will said, as Jennifer joined him in the living room.
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