The Object of His Protection - Brenda Jackson [53]
At Drey’s bemused look, Connor said, “It’s the key to my beach house in Malibu. It’s free for you to use this weekend. One of my pilots will be at your disposal to fly you there.”
Drey reached out and took the key with a huge grin on his face. “Thanks. I’d love to take you up on your offer.”
Drey let himself in the house later that day and immediately heard the sound of the vacuum cleaner. Finding Charlene in the hallway, he walked up to her and lightly tapped her on the shoulder. He hadn’t wanted to scare her but could tell when she nearly jumped out of her skin that he had done so anyway.
“Why are you vacuuming?” he asked, pulling a Houston Texans cap off her head to see how her hair tumbled to her shoulders. “I have a housekeeper.”
She smiled up at him. “I know but I wanted to stay busy. I’m not a television person.”
He pulled her into his arms thinking it had to be hard for her to spend her days with nothing to do. They had both agreed that the less she went out, the better. “Well, I have a surprise for you.”
Her eyes lit up. “What?”
“As you know I met with Connor Stewart today, and he was gracious enough to offer me the use of his beach house in California for the weekend.”
She eyed him skeptically before asking, “I know how busy you are with the investigation. Will you have time to get away?”
He smiled. “I’ll make time as long as you come with me, and as long as we’re back by Monday. I have another meeting with the Braddocks then.” She clapped her hands, and her excitement, he thought, was infectious.
“Okay, I can guarantee those two things,” she said happily.
He chuckled as he wrapped his arms around her. “Then let’s start packing.”
Chapter 17
Monday morning Drey eased out of bed and glanced over his shoulder at Charlene, who was sound asleep. They had returned to Houston late last night after having spent a wonderful weekend in Malibu. It had been a lazy weekend where they talked, made love, ate, made love and then repeated the process all over again.
He would be the first to say it was a weekend they both needed. During their talks they found out a lot about each other, and their walks on the beach had been extra, extra special. He stepped into the shower thinking of the meeting he was scheduled to have that day with the Braddocks. He really hadn’t discovered anything new since their last meeting. The only good thing he would report was that his former partner with the police department had returned from vacation and was to report in today. He had left a message on his cell phone asking that they meet later today for a private conversation. If any of the cops on the force were dirty, he knew without a doubt that his former partner, Lavender Sessions, was clean.
Drey turned the water on full blast. He would surprise Charlene and prepare her breakfast in bed. She deserved it. He wasn’t aware of just how vigorous a sexual appetite he had until he’d met her. The more he made love to her, the more he wanted her. All it took was a look, a touch and he was ready. She brought that out in him, a need he couldn’t deny even if he tried. Because of her, he looked forward to his days and especially his nights. What he didn’t look forward to was the day she would pack to leave, once he had solved the case and brought Harmon’s and Dennis’s killer to justice.
Charlene had gotten up to use the bathroom and through the shower glass door saw Drey amidst the steam. She could only stare at the body that had given her so much pleasure over the past week.
Every time she saw his nakedness, a buzz of desire would run through her. And whenever he looked at her through his slanted eyes, it was always in a way that no man had looked at her before. It was as if she were the only woman on this earth. The only woman he wanted.
She suddenly felt a throbbing sensation between her legs and could not understand, especially after their weekend and last night, how she could want him again so soon and with such intensity. She inhaled