To Murph – For everything! For being my sounding board, editor, and confidante. For keeping me sane! The best thing that has come out of this story for me is your friendship!

Chapter 14 – Sex Club

Traffic heading toward the Colorado Convention Center was already insane by the time Alex's cab turned onto 14th Street.

Her cab driver was undeniably skillful, weaving in and out between idling vehicles, but even he couldn't avoid having to come to a screeching halt behind a large pickup that suddenly slammed on its brakes and flicked on its four ways. All around them, a steady stream of well-dressed men and women slipped out of their cars and floated toward the sidewalk like a colorful river. The classical music issuing from the taxi's radio provided a soundtrack for the mass exodus.

"I feel absolutely ridiculous." Cradling her cell phone between her ear and her shoulder, Alex rummaged through her purse in search of an elusive lip gloss as she absently observed the scene around her.

Miles away, her sister's voice was distant but clear as a bell. "Maybe, but you look fantastic. Come on, Al, admit it."

"Fantastic? I feel naked," Alex hissed quietly, conscious of the cab driver's proximity. She tugged automatically at the hem of her dress with her free hand, struggling to cover the healthy dose of leg that currently protruded.

"That's because you practically are," Liz replied cheerfully. In the background, her nephew began banging on pots and pans. Her sister had to raise her voice to be heard over the racket. "Isn't that the point?"

"I can't believe you talked me into this," Alex moaned, discomfort growing the closer they inched to the drop off zone. "I never should have taken you shopping with me. You always convince me to buy the most age-inappropriate things."

Liz scoffed as the sound of the musical pots and pans faded slightly. "It's totally appropriate for your age. Okay, I'll admit it's a little more . . . daring than you normally wear, but I've seen you wear less."

'Daring' felt like a gross understatement. Her recently purchased slinky black dress was short, resting at mid-thigh, and clingy. The cowl neck dipped low and displayed ample cleavage, but it was the back of the garment that had her feeling truly exposed. It plunged audaciously into a low V that ended at the small of her back. It was so open that she couldn't wear a bra, and in that moment she felt uncharacteristically grateful for being small-chested.

"Yeah, I have worn less. When I worked Vice and was trying to pick up johns! This is a formal work event." Finally locating her lip gloss, Alex used her compact and the beams from headlights behind her to apply a thin layer.

"Oh, come on. It's not that slutty. You've got the body for it. It's not like you work with these people regularly. You see them what? Once a year? Except for Bobby of course, and I know he's going to love this dress."

"I hope so. I bought it for the sole purpose of making him drool." Alex tossed the gloss into her purse and leaned back against the seat. The thin straps of her high heel shoes wound up her calves and bit into her skin like irritating insects. "Not that we're going to have any time alone. There will be over five hundred people attending this benefit, many of them cops, and most of them are staying at our hotel. The last thing we need is to get rumors swirling when someone sees me sneaking in or out of his room."

The mischievous smile on her sister's face was audible as the taxi cruised into the drop off area between a black SUV and a Lincoln Town Car. "Who are you kidding? The possibility of getting caught will just add to the excitement. I'm so jealous of the sex you're going to be having tonight."

"If you say so, sis." Pulling a twenty out of her wallet, Alex handed it across the seat to the driver. "I'm here. I've got to go."

The stone stairs leading into the Conference Center were alive with chatter as friends and colleagues reunited, their breath rising in white plumes in the cold Colorado air. A banner promoting the Annual Federal Law Enforcement Officers' Association Benefit dangled above the entrance as Alex squeezed through the revolving door that opened onto a brilliant foyer of red and gold woven carpet and glass chandeliers. After a quick stop at the coat check to shed her long dress jacket, she slipped into the skillfully decorated conference room, with its black linen tablecloths, bright purple napkins, gleaming silverware and sparkling crystal glasses.

Officers, politicians, celebrities and the affluent general public mingled companionably in the open space, drinking champagne and munching hors d'oeuvres. More than one cast an appreciative eye in her direction as she crossed the room to scope out her assigned table, waving at a few people she recognized and smiling politely at those she didn't. At the front of the room behind a rectangular dais, a PowerPoint presentation played in a loop on a large screen, promoting the association, its accomplishments, and its future goals.

A gray suit jacket draped over the back of one of the chairs told her that Bobby had already arrived. She scanned the room and caught sight of him quickly, even in a space that would soon be described as overflowing. He was engaged in conversation with Paul Snyder, a homicide detective they had met at a seminar on progressive forensic techniques the day before. He looked dapper in profile, his white dress shirt and dark tie striking against the gray suit. Freshly shaven and showered, his hair curled softly against his collar. Several elegantly dressed women were eying him hungrily from their station by the punch bowl.

Back off, ladies. Mine.

Snyder caught sight of her first as she shouldered her way politely through the crowd. He wasn't subtle about checking her out, his eyes sliding over her body before he smiled in her direction. Nudging Bobby with an elbow, he said something and her partner turned toward her.

When he caught sight of her and his jaw dropped, all her misgivings about the dress vanished.

By the time dinner was over and the first of the speakers had taken to the podium, Bobby was extremely agitated, not to mention uncomfortably aroused.

Thank God for linen napkins.

Alex, on the other hand, appeared supremely comfortable. She was tilted away from him, shoulders relaxed as she listened to the President of the Association speak about the challenges facing law enforcement today. He didn't register a word, enraptured by the line of her back in the dress. Her toned muscles bunched and rippled beneath her soft skin as she shifted in her seat, crossing and uncrossing her legs under the table. He tried not to stare at her cleavage, but that was a near impossibility. Occasionally she would turn and smile at him, and the twinkle in her eye told him she knew exactly the effect she was having.

Her dress was killing him.

No, no. It's not the dress; it's her body in the dress. It's the thought of her body outside of that dress.

He wasn't the only man in the room who was salivating over her, a fact that made him exceedingly irritable. He had damned the forbidden nature of their relationship when he had to stand there and watch Snyder and a slew of other men find an excuse to flirt with her. The urge to put his arm around her, to touch her possessively, had nearly smothered him but he had managed to resist, martyring himself by seething on the sidelines.

Patience is a virtue, Goren. Later, you'll have her all to yourself.

After the final speaker, they both stood and, by unspoken mutual decision, made the rounds in different directions. Separating was easier said than done, and even with a crowded room between them he still found his eyes drawn to her, and hers to him. He tracked her every move as she put on a show, her hips swaying suggestively whenever she knew he was watching. When she disappeared from the conference room half an hour later, he followed.

He found her standing in a hallway off the main foyer in front of a large saltwater aquarium. Colorful tropical fish zipped through the water, scales glinting in the light. Her back was to him, but at the sound of his footsteps she turned her head slightly to glance at him over her shoulder. They were alone, the only sounds the gurgle of water through the aquarium filter and the buzz of conversation drifting down the hall from the conference room.

He didn't speak and she didn't greet him as he came to stand behind her. A light sheen of sweat glittered on her back. His fingertips were feather light as he touched her neck just below the knot of the halter, and then slowly slid a finger down her spine, reveling in the quiver that travelled under her skin. He let the finger waver at the small of her back for a moment before sliding it back up, taking care to trace the shape of each vertebrae admiringly.

"This dress should be illegal." His voice was low and hoarse but he was too distracted by her to correct it. "You look absolutely incredible."

The smile she graced him with over her shoulder was coy and playful. Silently, she stepped away and wandered down an adjoining corridor, with him following like an obedient puppy. She led him into an alcove where a steel double door was marked 'Laundry'. Leaning back against the wall, she lifted one of her legs, placed the heel of her sexy shoe against the wall, and smiled.

"Maybe you should frisk me."

Hot damn.

Grabbing her hips, he pulled her against him and let her feel exactly how much that idea appealed to him. Then he kissed her, hard, pressing her back against the wall, pinning her with his body. Her warm, insistent mouth demanded attention that he was only too happy to provide. Her hands caressed his chest and he dug his fingers into the hard muscles of her naked back. When his tongue worked its way into her mouth, she welcomed it with her own.

Cupping her backside, Bobby lifted her with ease. Her legs wrapped around his waist and the point of her heel dug pleasantly into the back of his thigh. Using his weight to hold her against the wall, he ran first one hand and then the other up her smooth legs starting at the knee and pushed her skirt up until it was bunched around her waist. Alex broke the kiss and her head bumped lightly against the wall as she arched her back and pressed her pelvis against him. He groaned when his hands felt lace and a quick glance told him that her panties matched her dress remarkably well.

This woman is going to drive you completely insane.

Her breathing was uneven, her eyes full of lust as she observed him enjoying her outfit. "We'd better stop. I don't want to start something we can't finish. I might combust."

"Who says we can't finish it?" he argued, but reluctantly lowered her to the ground.

She looked dazed as she wiggled her dress back down. "If someone decides to head down this way, we're busted."

Bobby chuckled lightly. "Not right here. I mean in a hotel room."

"Bad idea." Alex shook her head. "Knowing my luck, I'll walk out of your room in the morning and straight into someone who recognizes us and knows Deakins."

"Not at the hotel the NYPD is paying for. I've got a backup plan." Reaching into the pocket of his dress pants, Bobby withdrew a white rectangular hotel passkey and pressed it into her hand. "Some place no one is expecting us to be."

Surprise flitted across Alex's features and she glanced at the key before looking back up at him in astonishment. "The Four Seasons? That's ridiculously expensive, Bobby."

He shrugged. "I've been saving up. It's a really nice suite. King bed, twenty-four hour room service. No one is expecting us back in the city until tomorrow evening, thought it would be nice to spend some time alone before we go back. If you're interested, that is."

Alex looked back down at the room key, eyes twinkling. "Oh yes. Very interested."

The elevator ride to the fourteenth floor took forever and a day.

The steel machine coasted upward steadily but far too slowly for Alex's liking. Leaning back against the wall, she distracted herself by fiddling with her hair in the reflective paneling. A nervous tremor shook her fingers as she tugged an errant strand back behind her ears. Beside her, her suitcase waited patiently, vibrating slightly in time with the elevator.

He had left the benefit ahead of her close to an hour ago. She had stalled for a while to avoid looking conspicuous before ducking out and slipping back to her original hotel to grab her things and leave her keys. Feeling ridiculous and more than a little like a guilty perp, she had pulled down the covers of the bed and disturbed some of the items on the desk to make the room looked slept in before skipping out the back of the building and hailing a cab.

Just in case. You never know.

When the steel doors of the elevator finally slid open, she gripped the handle of her suitcase with sweaty palms and rolled it out into the deserted hallway. Behind the door of Room Fourteen-Fourteen, the muted sound of a TV was audible and she hesitated for just a moment outside, glancing up and down the hall quickly one more time before pulling out the key card and letting herself in.

The suite was elegant as advertised, the color scheme earthy and warm, with richly grained wood and stone accents. The windows were huge and provided a stunning view that stole her breath. A massive king bed was the centerpiece of the room, heaped with a thick white duvet and piles of pillows. To the right, a built-in bar showcased a bottle of wine and two glasses.

Bobby had been sitting on the bed, watching the mounted flat screen TV, but he stood when she entered. He had abandoned the tie and jacket but still wore his gray pants and white dress shirt, unbuttoned at the neck.

Flicking off the TV, he tossed the remote on the bed behind him. "Hey."

"Hey yourself," Alex replied with a smile, leaning her suitcase against the wall. She didn't realize how tightly she had been clutching the handle until the muscles in her hand protested when she released it.

He walked over to her, his eyes roaming over her body slowly. "Can I . . . uh . . . take your jacket?"

She nodded and wordlessly he helped her shrug out of the jacket, the warm skin of his fingers trailing the length of her arms. Her legs suddenly felt weak and the spindly heels of her shoes did little to support her weight in the carpet, but she elected not to remove them, fearing an inelegant struggle would douse the pleasant sexual anticipation rising in the room.

He hung her jacket on an ornate hanger behind the door and, placing a warm hand low on her back, guided her out of the entranceway. "Would you like . . . uh . . . something to drink?"

Fuck yes. I need something to calm the nerves.

"That would be great, thanks."

As Bobby walked over to the bar to open the bottle of wine, she wandered over to the huge windows and gazed out at the lights of Denver, still bright and vibrant despite the late hour. Behind them, mountains loomed like a watchful parent.

"You look so amazing in that dress."

He came up behind her and handed her a glass of red wine that she accepted gratefully, careful not to slosh it all over the gorgeous carpet. Even though he stood out of her direct line of sight, she could feel the heat of his eyes. When his body brushed against hers, she was mildly surprised the ensuing spark wasn't visible.

"How many men tried to take you home tonight?"

Biting her lip pseudo-thoughtfully, Alex glanced at him over her shoulder. "Some, but not the one I really wanted to."

His chuckle was soft and low. "You had to know how crazy you were making me all night. Such a tease."

"Yeah, well, you've been making me crazy for over a month now. Fair's fair."

"Mmm." Pulling back her hair, he kissed the nape of her neck gently and then moved his mouth along the line of her shoulders, nibbling and licking softly. Closing her eyes with a quiet moan, she tilted her head to the side and gave in entirely to the sensation.

Seizing the opportunity, he worked his way up the side of her neck as she ran her hand through his hair encouragingly. His dexterous fingers found the knot on her halter dress and with a few expert tugs he had it undone. As the upper half of the dress loosened, arousal curled low in her belly. That mission accomplished, he slid the same hand down her back, leaving a trail of fire in its wake. The rasp of the dress zipper lowering was loud in the quiet of the room.

Lowering her untouched glass of wine to the desk, Alex turned to face him. His cheeks were flushed and his eyes were darker than she had ever seen them. She held his gaze as she reached behind her neck and separated the halter straps, allowing the dress to slide down her body and pool on the floor around her feet. As she stepped out of it carefully, his eyes traced every contour of her body.

"Wow," Bobby breathed, absorbing her strappy high heels and black lace panties. "Uh . . . wow."

"At a loss for words, Goren? Never thought I would see that day," Alex teased lightly, her fingers moving to the buttons on his dress shirt. "You are wearing way too many clothes."

She started at the top and he started at the bottom and together they made record time getting his shirt unbuttoned and off. His eyes were still on her as he reached over his shoulder and pulled his white T-shirt off over his head, tossing it on the floor. His pants followed quickly, leaving him clad in only a tented pair of boxers.

"Better?" Cupping both her breasts, he gently stroked the nipples with his thumbs. They hardened instantly as she moaned and pressed into his hands. After months of caressing through clothing, the intimate touch was nearly enough to drive her to orgasm.

"Much," she replied breathlessly, gently backing him up until his legs bumped against the bed. He sat down on it heavily and she straddled him, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him hard. His hands stroked up and down her back and she couldn't help but whimper into his mouth when his tongue found hers. She could feel his erection pressing insistently against her and she drew away just slightly to look down at it.

"You're so hard," she whispered, slipping a hand into his boxers and caressing him. He gasped at the contact and thrust helplessly into her palm. "Does it hurt?"

"Only a little." His breathing was heavy, erratic. "I can't help it. I want to be inside you so badly."

His admission sent a cascade of arousal between her legs.

"So what are you waiting for?" Freeing him from his boxers, she wiggled over top of him, pulling her panties to one side and positioning him at her opening. "Touch me and you'll know that I'm ready."

He did, and she cried out as the contact had her burying her face desperately into his neck. His thick fingers knew exactly what to do and he had her on the verge almost instantly. She nearly cried in frustration when he pulled his hand out of her panties and flipped her so that he was on top and she was on her back in the cloud-soft duvet.

"We need to slow down." Reaching over her, he fumbled noisily in the nightstand. "I don't want to hurt you."

"This isn't my first rodeo, Bobby," Alex muttered desperately, running her hands over his chest as he leaned over her. One of her heels had snagged in a fold of the duvet and she kicked it loose impatiently. "You're big, but I can take it. I don't want to slow down, dammit."

He didn't respond to that as he settled back onto the comfortable bed, placing three boxes between them. When she raised her head slightly, she saw that each box was a different type of condom. "I wasn't sure if you had a preference, so I got a selection."

Her impatience vanished instantly at his thoughtfulness. "You're too sweet, Bobby."

Although at that moment she had no preference other than having him inside her, she made a quick show of reviewing the options, settling on one that advertised maximum stimulation. Ripping open the package, he tossed a packet on the bedside table and the rest of the boxes on the floor before crawling between her legs.

"Ever since I found out you were wearing these, I've been imagining how amazing it would be to take them off," Bobby muttered roughly as he grabbed the waistband of her black lace panties and slowly drew them down her legs, over her heels, and off. She reached for him greedily but he avoided her grasp, trailing a line of kisses down her inner thighs and over her sex. She cried out at the unexpected caress of his warm tongue.

"Bobby, you don't have to," she panted, squirming desperately. "I-"

He shushed her with a finger to his lips as he stretched out. "You promised me you would make it up to me any way I wanted, remember? Well, this is how I want it."

When he dipped his head back down between her thighs, she lost all desire to argue.

It shouldn't have surprised her he was good at it, because he was good at pretty much everything he did, but he was damn good at this. He demonstrated an awareness and sensitivity to every noise, every movement, every trembling muscle, and he used that information to bring her to the brink, calm her down again, and then lift her back up. She moaned encouragingly and let her hand slip down into his hair, tangling in his curls and watching as he enjoyed her, his eyes never leaving her face. Then, with one movement of his mouth, he pushed her over the edge and she cried out as warmth raced from her toes all the way up her body and blurred her vision.

Things were hazy as she came down gradually, her body still throbbing. She could barely make out his form as he lifted his face from between her legs and her knees drifted closed. From what sounded like miles away, she heard the squeak of the bed and the foil of the condom wrapper being ripped open. She felt more than saw him unbuckling and slipping off her shoes.

When he finally lay back down beside her and nuzzled her ear, she turned her head to him almost sleepily. "I don't even want to think about how you got so good at that."

He smiled lightly, letting his fingers play across her belly. "If it's any consolation, that was by far the most fun I've ever had doing it."

When her head cleared a little more, she slipped her hand between them and stroked him. The latex of the condom was warm against her hand and she touched him exactly the way he taught her. Despite the barrier between them, she could feel him throbbing as he groaned into her ear and whispered how good she made him feel. He allowed her to continue the caress for almost a minute before he pulled away and gently pushed her knees apart, positioning himself between them.

"I can't wait any longer," Bobby murmured quietly, and without further ado he pressed into her. "Let me know if I'm hurting you."

He was definitely big, larger than any man she had ever had before, and her body may have resisted more if it wasn't so completely relaxed at that moment. Instead, the only discomfort was a mild burn as her body stretched to admit him. Their height differential was a slight inconvenience, forcing him to hold the majority of his weight above her. When he was finally completely sheathed inside her, a drip of sweat ran down the side of his face.

"You feel incredible. Are you sure I'm not hurting you?"

"Positive," she replied softly, cupping his face and reaching up to kiss his chest. That was all the convincing he needed. Reaching down, he drew her legs up around his waist and slowly began to thrust.

He was every bit as skilled at intercourse as he was oral sex, and in no time she felt her body respond to him again. The heat started to build between her legs and made her extremities tingle. The smell of sex filled the room and increased both of their arousal. His thrusts became harder, deeper and more insistent, and her own soft cries matched his grunts as she gripped his shoulders.

Then in one sudden, smooth move he flipped her on top. Straightening above him, she brushed her hair out of her face as he gripped her backside and guided her into a fast rhythm. She knew he was getting close when his eyes fluttered shut and his back began to arch. Her own climax was also close and she moved with increased gusto.

With one final thrust, he was there and she could feel him pulse inside her, over and over again. In her desire to draw out his pleasure, she kept up her quick movement and sent herself over the edge just after he had finally stilled beneath her. He grunted when she tightened around him again, the muscles in his stomach contracting as he pushed up into her one final time and savored the sensation.

She collapsed on top of him, ear pressed against his chest, listening to the thundering of his heart as it slowly settled into a more normal rhythm. His hands stroked her back and her hair, lulling her into a light doze. She only stirred when he gently rolled them over again and slipped out of her. She heard him pad into the bathroom to clean up while she burrowed down into the duvet with a contented sigh. The bed dipped under his weight when he crawled back in beside her, drawing a spare blanket over them both.

He dropped a kiss on the top of her head as his hand trailed lazily up and down her spine. "So, was it worth the wait?"

She chuckled lightly against his chest. "I'm pretty sure you already know the answer to that question."

He smiled into her hair. "For me too."

Placing a gentle kiss on his chest, Alex tightened the arm that was draped across his waist. "It's all been worth it, Bobby. All the anxiety about getting caught, every risk we've taken after hours. Being with you, it's worth it. It will never be easy, but I can safely say it will always be worth it. You will always be worth it. I love you."

With a wide, gleeful smile, Bobby rolled on top of her and brushed a damp strand of hair out of her eyes. "Here's to after hours."

And then he kissed her and they didn't talk again for a long time.

A/N – To those who have read, thank you for taking the time. I hope you enjoyed!

To those who have reviewed, thank you for your kind words and encouragement. You kept me writing and striving to make this story all it could be.

Thank you, thank you, thank you all!

Maddie