Flirting with Danger by Bev Hardy (digital e reader TXT) 📖

pleasure around her body; it almost didn't matter what he said. She found her hand hesitantly straying from his shoulder upwards to the back of his neck, where her fingers made light contact with his skin.

He inhaled deeply, closing his eyes for an instant before releasing his breath. She couldn't help the feeling she got from knowing that she could affect him in that way. Glancing sideways, without turning her head completely, she was aware of his face next to hers, his eyes contemplating her. She could sense his gaze lowering, fixing on her mouth. She turned slightly, intrigued. He was openly gazing upon what he wanted. She watched in fascination as he fought to hold back from turning his head just the last few inches that would bring their lips together.

She was no longer thinking about the people around her, her head was a haze. Her mind was only hovering on what it would feel like to have his lips on hers.

He exhaled suddenly, almost in pain, settling for resting his cheek against hers, his arm pulling her hips into his, ironically intensifying the torment even further. She was lost, all out of control with heat, and tingles and breathlessness. He was beyond lost, feeling her heat and knowing that, if he really wanted to, he could push her to surrender.

Then, from the corner of her mind, she realized that something had changed. It was quiet all of a sudden. The music had stopped.

Eddie stood behind the bar watching them with starry eyes. "Oh my, there's a lot more to them two than I thought," he said to Eric, who was more than slightly inebriated, slumped on a bar stool.

"Who?" Eric slurred.

"I've got it!" Eddie said in a eureka moment. "I never could quite work Charlie out... you know, why she could never commit to a relationship, but now it all makes sense."

Eric looked up in interest. "It does?"

"Yes, it's him," he said, pointing to Luke, "He's the missing link."

Chapter 20

The amused smile continued to play across his face but his eyes began to darken as he observed her. She had seen that look before and backed towards the counter top in response.

 

 

As the song drew to a close and Luke and Charlie stilled, he gave her a light kiss on the cheek and whispered softly, "Thanks for dancin' with me princess."

Her head was a mass of feeling rather than thoughts on the walk back, but halfway there, after having caught sight of Doug and Eddie, she suddenly realised that she had to focus and bring herself into reality again. Goodness knows what she looked like, but she could feel her cheeks glowing and her body still tingling. As she neared the bar, she searched for something...anything... that would occupy her enough to avoid people's scrutiny. On their table, which had at that point been deserted in favour of the bar, she found that distraction.

"Good grief, just look at all these glasses," she exclaimed, proceeding to collect a hand full of champagne flutes.

Luke took a seat at the bar a few stools away from Doug, and both of them watched, a little bewildered, as Charlie suddenly fell into a frenzy of collecting glasses and transporting them across to a similarly bemused Eddie. Somewhere amongst all this action, Charlie became aware of Luke and Doug falling into casual conversation just before the glasses ran out. Handing the last whiskey tumblers across, she finally took a seat at the bar herself. Eddie placed another glass of champagne in front of her with a rueful grin.

"Here, drink this and relax... before you spot anything else to clear away."

Charlie threw him a look, but picked up the glass for a sip shortly afterwards.

Right, she had to focus now on how they were going to exonerate Luke. Between all the tension of the evening, and the dance they had just shared, somehow the fact that there was a dead body to be accounted for had slipped to the back of her mind.

First of all, Luke needed to pay a bit more attention to Sue if he was going to get his hands on those discs... but then again, would that mean he would get his hands on Sue as well? And in any case, they didn't even know for certain that she had the discs. Maybe they could find out another way? Sue had disappeared somewhere now anyway... perhaps she had seen them dancing and been put off?

"Don't worry, they aint gonna know nothin' just 'cause we're dancin' together."

His words came back to her, along with a vivid recollection of feeling his lips by her ear and his hands roaming over her back.

She took another sip of champagne.

'There's nothing to know!' she had replied. But deep down, she knew there was... there was a whole lot to know, even if, at that stage, everything was all in their minds. There were those hours they had spent locked in Doug's office last night... the chess game... sleeping on the sofa together... then in her bedroom, him in only a towel, her in just that silky lingerie... and that dance, with both their hormones running badly out of control. Something had happened within the time he had returned to run roughshod all over their control; they were barely holding onto it during a simple dance!

"Charlie?"

Doug's voice cut through her thoughts and she looked up at him abruptly.

"Sorry?" she frowned.

What had he said?

He laughed. "You were in a world of your own then. I was just saying to Luke that I've been having a few issues lately with security in the Club."

Security? His office! Sue and Dennis... Herself and Luke! Charlie bit back her panic and answered,

"What sort of issues?"

"People wandering onto the premises, that kind of thing. Brian from across the road has updated his security since he's had similar problems. I was wondering, considering both of your expertise, if you two might put your heads together and come up with some kind of solution for the Club," he replied.

Charlie exhaled with a smile of relief. "We'll look into it."

"Great. It would take a weight off my mind. We never needed any kind of security when I first took over. I suppose times are changing," he sighed, "Even all the way out here."

"That's the way of the world," Luke commented.

"Yes, well, I appreciate your help, and now," Doug finished his drink and stood, "I have to go and sort out a few things for tomorrow. We'll talk later," he said, placing his hand briefly over Charlie's before turning to smile at Luke and walking away.

As soon as he was out of earshot, Charlie jumped up from her stool.

"We have to replace that drink from his office!" she said to Luke, leaning across the bar to call for Eddie.

"What can I do for you?" Eddie replied, bringing his head closer to add in a whisper behind one hand, "I'm finishing in two seconds sweetie. We have the booze stashed as usual inside; join us for a quick drink or two if you can get away. Oh, and I've vetted your undercover agent over there; he's one of us now. Bring him with you," he winked.

She glanced sideways at Luke to see him grinning.

"Okay, err, anyway, would you do me a favour without asking any questions?" she put to him.

Eddie's eyes widened slightly. "Of course, why?"

Charlie tutted.

Eddie chuckled. "Ooops, that's a question. Alright, what would you like me to do? But if it's illegal, I want in." He laughed again. "Probably shouldn't say that, what with you two having been secret government officials and everything. Anyway..." Eddie always got overly excited when he'd finished work and secret drinks were on the cards. Charlie was waiting for Eddie to stop rambling. "Fire away, how can I be of assistance?" he finished.

"When you leave for the kitchen, could you take a bottle of whiskey and a couple of bottles of wine over with you? Put them on my bill, and I'll meet you there afterwards."

Eddie's face lit up with interest. "Oooh, you do know that we already have a hidden stash, but if you two are in for a monstrous session then..."

"Eddie," she interjected, "It's not for us to drink. No questions, remember?" she pointed at him.

"Hmm," he folded his arms, "So secretive. Is it a top secret mission?"

Charlie held in her laughter. Eddie would love the thought of that. How ironic; he wasn't that far from the truth. "Yes, Eddie, top secret, so not a word," she said, placing her finger over her lips.

"Oh, okay," he mouthed, creeping off down the bar.

Luke halted him briefly by placing one hand on his arm as he passed.

"Put those on my bill," he said under his breath.

Oh, right," Eddie whispered back. "Top secret?"

"Yeah," Luke confirmed, "top secret."

Eddie floated away with a pleasant tingling feeling in his arm.

"What was that all about?" Charlie asked.

Luke shrugged, resting one elbow on the bar. "Nothin'."

Charlie moved a little closer to Luke to speak in a hushed voice.

"Perhaps it was one of those people who have been wandering on and off the grounds who 'caused the trouble'," she said, purposely avoiding the mention of any dead bodies.

"Maybe, but I don't see no motive," Luke replied vaguely.

"Hmm..." Charlie thought for a moment before sighing. "Right, I had better replace that alcohol," she finally said, standing and turning to leave.

Luke stood with her, causing her to pause and look back at him over her shoulder.

"Where are you going?"

He frowned. "Comin' with you to the office."

She turned around and placed one hand on the bar, blocking his way.

"No you're not," she replied. "If someone finds me in there, I'm not being discovered with you."

"Yeah, but I've been thinkin' 'bout somethin'," he said, avoiding her comment. "if Doug hasnt noticed the missing drink, then he hasn't been up to his office since he got back, right?"

"Right, and?" she replied.

"Then there's a good chance that those discs have been put back. It's worth checkin' that one out," he said, moving forward. She stood her ground.

"Okay, I'll check for the discs while I'm up there," she said, turning once more. Again he went to follow her. "Luke..." she began.

"What? I'm one of you now," he quoted Eddie, "I'm comin' for some illicit drinkin'," he grinned.

She tutted. "Don't you think you should be more focused on finding out who the..." she glanced around her, "...'you know who' is?"

"Sure, I'll come to the office then!" he replied with frustration.

"Hold on," she said, running a hand through her hair, "if the discs are there, we will need to look at them immediately, but not in Doug's office; I don't want to stay in there..."

"We could go back to your place," he suggested. Now there was a good idea! Hmm, and he could try a little more seduction on her.

She shook her head. "I don't think so. What on earth would I tell Richie? And besides, I don't have a DVD player."

"You ain't?" Luke replied.

"No, I don't have a television."

"No television?" he frowned, confused. How could she not have a TV?

"No, but Eddie has both... Right," she said decisively, "you come to the kitchen and keep the staff in there. They usually move to Eddie's room for more drinks afterwards. You need