“All right, this will be here in the morning.” Alex was brought out of the haze that had been her thoughts by the sound of her partner’s voice. Before she could fully react, the pen she’d been tapping on her notepad had been stripped from her grasp, replaced by his hand pulling her to her feet.
“Bobby, what?” He loved catching her off guard, but this was truly priceless. He couldn’t have asked for better. She was a bit mentally exhausted after that last case and needed distraction, and that was perfect considering what he had planned for tonight.
“Come on. We need dinner and a movie. Right now.”
“Seriously, I’m not-” Not that he was going to be swayed, she knew. He had that look, that rare smile that said he wanted to break away for a minute. What could have brought this on? “Now?”
“You are, and right now.” His eyes sparkled with something that on any other person could only constitute mischief. That tore it for her. She had her coat in hand before he got back to his side of the desk. Out of character, out of line, and slightly out of his mind. This was going to be an evening not to be missed.
“All right, who are you and what have you done with my partner?”
“Don’t you know?” He said with all the innocence he could muster. He even managed an almost petulant pout. “Gypsies came and took your real partner. I’m his evening replacement.”
“Ah. So what should I expect from my new partner for the evening?” Games? Since when did Bobby Goren play games, outside of the interrogation room? This was a day to get reacquainted with her diary, of that Alex was becoming very certain.
“Not much different from the usual. Just dinner, a movie, and maybe an evening of actual relaxation as opposed to just taking your work home and doing it there as opposed to at the office.” He held open the elevator door for her like a true knight in shining armor. So why did that last comment sting so much?
“Ok, sometimes it’s a little scary how well you know me.” If you only knew, sweet one, he thought as he pressed the button for the basement parking garage.
“You’d be surprised all the things I know about you, Alex.” She doubted that highly, but this was his night. Let him think what he wanted. Besides, she was far more interested in what he would do next.
“I swear, what is it with women and enormous purses?” It was the only thing that wanted to come out of his mouth as he opened the door to his apartment. Alex had insisted on bringing this ginormous duffel with her upstairs, mumbling something about ‘needing it’. He half-wondered if it was ‘that time of the month’, but considering how close he’d been in tagging her cycle the past six months (it gave him something to do to keep his mind off the rest of her inhumanly gorgeous body), he figured 3 to 1 that all was clear and safe. So, why the bag?
“Something for every occasion, I guess.” As she moved past him and set down the bag that could double as a carry-on, he turned away to hide his smile and lock all three locks on his front door. All things to plan, he was quite certain it wouldn’t be opening again anytime this evening. Or half the morning, if he was lucky.
He dropped the bags of dinner on the coffee table and retrieved two beers and two plates from the kitchen. Upon returning, he found Alex in her customary spot on the couch, passing out white boxes as she went. He settled in next to her and turned on the TV right on time. Familiar music and one man’s voice filled the quiet living room.
“Red Shoe Diaries? You actually watch this?” Alex broke apart her chopsticks and all but stared at the TV, trying to figure out if this was an episode she’d seen before.
“Of course. It’s a very interesting study in human sexual psychology and mating practices.” He all but dove into his beef and broccoli, knowing he would need all the strength he could get together for tonight.
“Research. Everything with you is research.” The same tolerant exasperation he’d come to love in her. As she threw her hair back and sat back to enjoy the meal, he hoped she wouldn’t see the VCR running.
“Well, this is a treat, really. It shows the more primal, baser needs and desires, much like we see in our cases. But while the cases we see are more toward the violent, vindictive, dominating side of the mind, this is more the emotional and physically fulfilling side.” Alex licked a single chopstick as she pondered, and Bobby had to consciously keep from staring and from being jealous of a piece of wood. He had his own to deal with, after all. A problem he could thankfully hide with a single, well-played bent leg.
“I don’t think they intended it that way, Bobby.” She looked over at him. He looked comfortable, for once. This truly was a new side of her partner. Mildly carefree, relaxed, enjoying a meal and a study in human sexual customs. Sometimes she had to remind herself that he had a sex, let alone that he participated in the act. Then again, the parade of brunettes he’d seen him go through over their partnership, not to mention the looks he doesn’t mind getting when they have to work undercover and he wears that jeans that make his ass look positively delicious, made it difficult to forget. “You do know this show is scripted right?”
“Yes.”
“Ok, just checking.”
“What, you wondered? You thought I actually believed this was real on some level?” Before she could answer, a fortune cookie struck her soundly in the shoulder. She looked down at the offending object, wanting nothing more than to retaliate with a soy sauce packet, unopened of course. And she would have, if she hadn’t looked up to see him poised with a crab Rangoon ready to fly. She could only smile.
“Do it and die, Poncho Via.”
“Promises, promises,” he moaned as he popped half of his artillery piece into his mouth. Again, he was simply relaxed. She wondered how often this truly happened. It had always bothered her that he got so wrapped up in his work that he would actually be caught sleeping at his desk because he didn’t bother to go home. Rumor had it that he kept a second suit in his locker downstairs in the basement just to make sure he didn’t have to go home if he’d pulled another all-night at the office. Now he seemed calm, even peaceful as he watched… a show about sex. A man after all. And a handsome one, too. She wondered how much ‘relaxation’ it would take her this weekend to make up for having to be so close to him when he was this… stimulating.
Alex shook her head slightly, rounding her thoughts up and out of the realm of…that. Wow, that wasn’t quite the road she wanted to take that particular thought down…
Her mental ramblings were suddenly refocused at the sound of a rather hoarse cry. The TV glowed against the unlit wall as she watched a tall, curvy redhead stretched out on a thickly linened bed. She was handcuffed to the bedposts, looked like a four-poster, and she was being stared at by a man wearing nothing but his birthday suit. He stood over her, appreciating her, and suddenly the scene struck home. Alex knew this episode! She loved this episode! She had it taped at home, as a matter of fact…
“And for the sake of argument, the violent and the fulfilling can be much more closely tied in certain situations.” There it is, he thought with a smile he could barely suppress. He knew that TV guide was going to come in handy someday. Not to mention keeping cable even though he was never home enough to enjoy it.
“Example?” A well-muscled hand came down the throat of the woman moaning on the other side of the coffee table.
“Watch. Even though she’s tied to the bedposts, she’s still very actively participating in what’s happening. Not to mention that she’s liking it.” The young woman writhed shamelessly, moving against the hand that touched her, begging for more without words.
“You know she’s an actress being paid for this, right?”
“Hollywood or your own backyard, this kind of thing happens in real like too.” The dim light gave way to a moving light source. A candle. Alex liked this part. She’d had to tape this episode again because she enjoyed this part so much she’d worn out the first taping. “Also, there’s very little pain involved. See, like this.” A single drop landed on her skin, and she writhed like her life depended on it. Across her stomach, down to the joining of her legs, and across her silky panties, wax dripped a trail down her body. “The dropping of candle wax is a very good way to pinpoint a location on the body for concentrated sensation.”
“Sounds messy.” Not that he wouldn’t love to try it, he thought as he finished off the last of the almond cookie he’d been nursing since he’d finished his meal. Maybe this TV thing wasn’t such a great opener. He was having mild difficulty keeping his body at bay. And her damnable perfume wasn’t helping!
“So is sex, when you think about it.”
“Point taken.” And with that she went back to watching the scene before them.
Dead end. Ouch. Well, Casanova, are you planning on moving this along or what? He had to do something to start this damned thing. Too bad he wasn’t coming up with… oh, now that’s just too good. Down came a single hand to skin, and the woman groaned in perfect pleasure. Fabric swished across fabric as the weight n the couch changed slightly. Did Alex just shift? Was she liking this? Then now’s as good a time as any.
“Sorry. I just can’t see how tying someone down and doing things against their will would give someone pleasure of any kind.” Alex reeled in her seat, almost turning completely towards him. Had he been too forward? He gestured as he usually did, trying to make it seem conversational. “And referring to someone as ‘Master’ or ‘Mistress’? Don’t you think it’s a little degrading?”
“A bit closed-minded, aren’t you?” Uh oh, better cover that.
“Not at all, I just have a hard time wrapping my mind around the concept of pain being pleasurable.” He turned slightly in his seat, much more interested in the beauty next to him than the nameless face on TV.
“I swear, Bobby, sometimes you are the most straight laced person on the planet.” If by ‘straight’ she meant he liked girls, and by ‘laced’ he liked her, a girl, and the thought of lace, then she’d hit her mark square on. Was she ever in for a surprise!
“Besides,” she went on, “who said anything about pain? Other things can be used in these types of situations that truly are…stimulating.” Bobby had to bite his cheek to keep from biting his lip or letting his tongue grace across them. Did she have to be so gorgeous when she’s defensive?
“Tying someone down seems way too much like forcing to seem consensual.” She faced him fully now, the TV long forgotten.
“Not only is it consensual, some people really love it.” Something tingled along that voice, and for just a moment his conscious, rational mind decided to take a short hike.
“Would you be willing to test that theory, Alex?” Alex eyes popped before shifting back down to being practically scandalized.
“I beg your pardon?” And it’s a line drive out to deep left field, folks! Can Goren get under it? Yes, it’s going…going…
“Well, you seem so bent on your thinking, and I just can’t get my head around it. You’d really have to convince me as to the validity of this kind of theory, Alex.” He watched her through heavily lidded eyes, masking desire in contemplation, and half hoping half fearing she would see right through it.
“Very well.” And he caught it! Oh yes! How the heck did he manage to get this lucky? Ok, he had to calm down; he had to keep it together.
“All right,” he said getting more comfortable and making sure to hide his still very present erection, “explain to me the thinking behind willingly going through pain for the pleasure of a partner and you yourself finding that same act pleasurable.”
“I can explain that easily enough.” She rose slowly from her seat and faced him, a true look of defiance on her face. She switched off the TV by remote, thankfully ignoring the VCR. Oh, this was going to be so much fun.
“Oh, but before I begin, one thing?” He lifted a single eyebrow, believing himself ready for anything. Her soft smile sent shivers down his spine that he was quite pleased he was able to hide.
“Bobby,” she started, her voice dropping down to what could only be described as a purr dipped in warm chocolate to obviously begin a lengthy- “exactly when did you think I wrote those essays you read about myself?”
Disclaimer: The charactors, names, and references made herein belong to NBC, inc, Wolf Productions, etc. No copyright infringement intended. For fun, not profit.
