Pop Goes the Weasel (Alex Cross 5)

“You hungry? Want to go to a table?” I asked after we had hugged as if we’d been separated for many years and thousands of miles.

“Let’s just sit here at the bar for a few minutes. You mind?” she asked. Her breath smelled slightly of spearmint. Her face was so soft and smooth that I had to lightly cup it in both my hands.

“Nothing I’d rather do in the whole wide world,” I said.

Christine ordered a Harvey’s Bristol Cream and I had a mug of beer, and we talked as the music flowed over, around, and right through our bodies. It had been a long day, and I needed this.

“I’ve been waiting for this all day long. I couldn’t wait. Am I being too corny and romantic again?” I said, and grinned.

“Not for me. Never too corny, never too romantic. That won’t happen, Alex.” Christine smiled. I loved to see her like this. Her eyes twinkled and danced. I sometimes get lost in her eyes, fall into the deep pools, all that good stuff that people yearn for but few seem to get nowadays, which is sad.

She stared back, and my fingers lightly caressed her cheek. Then I held her under her chin. “Stardust” was playing. It’s one of my favorite songs, even under ordinary circumstances. I wondered if Hilton and Ephrain were playing the tune for us, and when I looked at him, Hilton gave me a sly wink.

We moved closer together and danced in place. I could feel her heart beating, feel it right up against my chest. We must have stayed like that for ten or fifteen minutes. No one at the bar seemed to notice; no one bothered us, offered to refill our drinks or escort us to our table. I guess they understood.

“I really like Kinkead’s,” Christine whispered. “But you know what? I’d rather be home with you tonight. Someplace a little more private. I’ll make you eggs, whatever you’d like. Is that all right? Do you mind?”

“No, I don’t mind at all. That’s a perfect idea. Let’s go.”

I paid our bar bill and made my regrets about the dinner reservation. Then we went to Christine’s.

“We’ll start with dessert,” she said, and smiled wickedly. I liked that about her, too.

Chapter 39

I HAD BEEN WAITING A LONG TIME to be in love again, but this was worth it and then some. I grabbed hold of Christine as soon as we were inside her house. My hands began to trace her waist, her hips; they played over her breasts, her shoulders, then touched the delicate bones of her face. We liked to do this slowly, no need to rush. I kissed her lips, then gently scratched her back and shoulders. I pulled her closer, closer.

“You have the gentlest touch,” she whispered against my cheek. “I could do this all night. Be just like this. You want some wine? Anything? I’ll give you anything I have.”

“I love you,” I told her, still lovingly scratching her lower back. “We will do this forever. I have no doubt of it.”

“I love you so much,” she said, then I heard her breath softly catch. “So please try to be careful, Alex. At work.”

“Okay, I will. But not tonight,” I said.

Christine smiled. “Not tonight. Tonight you can live dangerously. We both will. You are handsome, and debonair for a policeman.”

“Or even for an international jewel thief.”

I swept her up and carried her down the hallway to the bedroom. “Mmm. Strong, too,” she said. She flicked on a hall lamp as we passed. It was just enough light to see where we were going.

“How about a trip somewhere?” I said. “I need to get away.”

“That sounds good. Yes—before school starts. Anywhere. Take me away from all this.”

Her room smelled of fresh flowers. There were pink and red roses on the nightstand. She has a passion for flowers and gardening.

“You planned this all along, didn’t you?” I said. “You did. This is entrapment. You sly girl.”

“I was thinking about it all day,” she confessed, and sighed contentedly. “I thought about being with you all day, in my office, in the hallways, the schoolyard, and then in my car on the way to the restaurant. I’ve been having erotic daydreams about you all day.”

“I hope I can live up to them.”

“You will. No doubt about it.”

I took off her black silk blouse in one sweeping motion. I put my mouth to a breast, pulling at it through her demi-bra. She was wearing a brushed leather skirt, and I didn’t take it off, just slowly pushed it up. I knelt and kissed her ankles, the tops of her feet, then slowly came up her long legs. She massaged my neck, my back and shoulders.

“You are dangerous tonight,” she said. “That’s a good thing.”