The Writers' Circle

Same song and dance. lol
If steamy romance and humor aren't your thing, please stop now. If anyone has any idea how to get italics to show for inner thoughts please share! It's killin' me to post without them to show character voice. All work is copyrighted. Pleaase enjoy only. :)
Okay. Elanor has advised I try using periods or "stops" in place of my italics. So, I think it helps. Anywhere there is a set of 3 stops, they are direct character voice. 4 are in place of stopping in thought.

CHAPTER 3

Eighteen months later

Grayson raised her hand to her face. Ran her fingertips slowly across her cheek. The woman in the mirror mimicked her actions. The high cheekbones, the smaller nose, the slant added to the corner of her eyes--would she ever get used to them? Get used to.this face?...

She had never allowed herself to contemplate the consequences of having her cover blown when a sting went bad. If she had, and had known the severity of its repercussions, she would have done it anyway. She'd had nothing to loose. Still didn't. Not unless she counted Sadie, her irascible, but pitifully devoted parrot.

The last assignment, the one that had blown her cover sky high, had been the most challenging assignment she'd ever undertaken. But posing as a dancer month after month in a "high class" Gentlemen's Club--if there was such a thing--now looked a lot like nirvana. At least next to the current freakish life she was being forced to live as an American who had resigned from the human race. Or more commonly known as "The Witness Protection Program."

Mia strolled in from the balcony, her glass of zinfandel a distant memory. "What. Admiring your gorgeous face? Leave that to every man who gets within twenty feet of you."

Mia. Her only friend...and forbidden fruit. Without her, Grayson was convinced she would have already passed through the pearly gates, her death an insidious combustion of mind numbing boredom and sensory deprivation.

Female amusement lazed in Mia's eyes as Grayson refilled her glass. It was an outrageous, but fun idea Mia had offered up for the evening's entertainment.

"Well. Have you decided?"

"Let me get this straight. You want me to sneak into your brother's hotel suite and leave a picture of my breasts on his bathroom counter." Grayson shook her head, but couldn't stop the grin that sailed across her lips. It totally mitigated her negative head nod.

Mia winked, laughed. "It's just a little dare, Grayson. You promised me one if I booked you a big dive group. And I did. You haven't lost your flare for fun have you?"

Mia strolled to the hotel window, stared at the Caribbean Sea. "When was the last time you got laid anyway? You need a living, breathing man."

Grayson brought her wine glass to her lips, took a long drink. Closed her eyes for a moment. Pretended to savor the wine's bouquet. If only she could share with Mia the relationship she'd had with a living, breathing man.

She walked over, stood next to Mia. Stared into the night, into the sea, its waves a vast wilderness under the moon. The Chicago Police Chief's final words rolled through her mind like a ball slamming into the gutter guard in a bowling alley. "Liberty. Hell, I can't get used to your new identity," he'd said with a shake of his head. "Grayson, for God's sake, keep your ass out of trouble. Low profile, no close relationships. None. Your job--be invisible and stay alive. Got it?"

Grayson had gotten it alright. No friends. No sex. And to add to her damning exile, her mind had taken to dreaming about him again. .Every. ..Freaking. Night.

Mia taped on her shoulder. "Hello? Anyone home?"

Grayson shook off her unsettling thoughts, met Mia's questioning eyes. "Are you offering up your brother--whom I've never even met? Because that logic is beyond my comprehension. How did we get from your dare to my sex life anyway?"

Grayson walked over to the sink, finished the final touches of her makeup. Poured another glass of wine. At least she'd had her scuba diving to fall back on when she'd been sent to this forsaken island. Certified to take divers to the breathtaking world beneath the Caribbean Sea, life on St. Martin should be a scuba diver's paradise. But when you couldn't leave paradise.

"So when did you last get laid? It's not something we've talked about.."

"..and we're not going to now," Grayson warned. It wasn't Mia's fault she couldn't share any details of her life.

She tried to lighten her response. "Look Mia, my lovers are always ready when I want them. I never allow myself to run low on batteries," Grayson said with a twist of mockery. "And besides that, it avoids the awkward moments before and after a hookup."

She'd had sex with a few guys since she'd gone undercover, but only those who could stay, "friends with benefits." That had been before her cover was blown, her face altered to keep her alive, and of course, available to testify in court when the trial came to pass. God only knew when that would be. Mia's voice broke into her private diatribe.

"It's just a little harmless fun. I'm not asking you to do him."

"Glad to hear it, because I'd find your attempts to get your brother laid rather pathetic." She met eyes Mia's in the mirror. "Is he that lame that you have to scout women for him?"

Mia burst out laughing. "If you'd seen him before, you'd know how ridiculous that question sounds," she said. "Besides, you couldn't do better. He's honest, successful, and I've heard, against my will mind you, that he's 'Satan on cocaine' in the sack." She grimaced. "Not something you ever want to know about your brother."

Grayson squirmed. Her nipples beaded at the thought of the one man she knew who met that criteria. She shut down those thoughts pronto. The last thing she needed was to walk around the hotel with her lights on high beam, her thong performing a lap dance between her lips.

"Does he have any idea what an evil sister you are? Why is he here?"

"He deserves it. He's not sure he likes Kurt. What's not to like? He's hot, horny and fun." She paused. "He's here for a week of R and R. His job is stressful."

Grayson pulled her hair back in a ponytail. "Yah, mine is too," she said dryly. "But somebody has to do it." She reserved her thoughts on Kurt since he was on the island to watch her back. Mistress of secrets, that was her.

Mia glared at her. "Where's that rebel I catch glimpses of once in a while? On a challenge scale of ten, this is a one. I already know he'll be out until at least eleven."

.God, she was tired of playing it safe. No Grayson. Bad girl. Must maintain invisible status..

"Just where am I supposed to get this picture?"

Mia clapped her hands. "You mean you'll do it? Oh, this is going to be so fun."

Warning bells alarmed in Grayson's head. She studiously ignored them. What could possibly go wrong? In and out in fifteen minutes. Curiosity sunk its claws into her adventurous nature. She'd check out his crib.nothing more.

Mischievous blue eyes challenged her.

"I didn't say that. I asked how we could get a good picture of my breasts. After all, if I decide to do this, I want to look hot." She hoped she'd never have to acquire "the dancer" persona again. Provided, of course, she ever got the opportunity to go back undercover.

Mia stopped laughing, stared at her. "You're kidding, right? You always look hot. I want to taunt my brother with something he'll never get to taste."

"Bitch," Grayson teased, a wide smile plastered across her face.

Sibling rivalry. How she'd yearned for it growing up. Maybe her dad would have found her easier to love if she'd had a brother. And maybe, just maybe, her mom would still be alive.

Mia waved her hand in front of her face. "I've never seen you so spaced out. Are you okay?"

Genuine concern shown on Mia's face. "Just took a trip down memory lane," Grayson returned with a forced smile. .A bad trip. Like an LSD bad.

She pulled herself out of her musing to examine Mia's expression. "So what's your plan to get this picture?"

"I've already talked to Patrick who works behind the front desk downstairs. I've got a great camera and there's a high resolution printer in the hotel office."

"You've got this all planned out, don't you?"

"Maybe.you did say I could dare you just about anything. You gave me a pretty long rope to play with."

"Hang me with is more like it."

Butterflies flew in chaotic circles in Grayson's belly, fluttered with anticipation. It'd been too long since she'd fun of a dangerous, sexy nature. Not that this came close to dangerous, or even sexual. It merely showed how hard up she was to keep the grim reaper of boredom from pulling her feet first out the door.

Grayson stretched out on the bed, and propped her arms behind her head. Mia dropped down next to her. Couldn't hide the laughter in her eyes.

"What aren't you telling me Mia?" she demanded.

"Nothing."

The innocence on her face pointed to the contrary. But the outrageous titillation of her idea provoked Grayson's nipples to bead, beg.

"He's quite good looking and he owns the suite," Mia said. She rolled off the bed, dug with ferocious intensity through her purse.

"Owns it? You never mentioned you were raised a princess. Family money? What does he do for a living?" Liberty queried.

"Well, he doesn't really own it, but he leased it for five years. So he might as well own it," she said, shrugging her shoulders.

Grayson repeated her unanswered question. "What does he do for a living?"

Mia avoided eye contact. "He invests in the stock market."

.She was lying. "How do I know for sure he won't come back while I'm stripping?"

"Stripping?" Mia asked, her face a question mark.

Grayson picked up the Burberry cologne from the bedside table, sprayed a mist across her breasts. "Oh yeah, I want to get into it."

Mia's eyebrows shot up. "That's an awesome plan. He's having dinner with Kurt and me. Late. Ninish." She turned away, continued to dig through her bag.

"I'll need a picture to prove you striped and left the note. Leave the note in the other bra cup."

Deliberate, casual. "What note would that be Mia?"

Sarcasm hung in the air. "Oh yeah, the one you haven't mentioned. That note."

"Oh, it's nothing," Mia declared airily. "Just a note warning the picture might be ruined by.fluids."

"You've lost your mind Mia." And it's making me wet with longing.

"Please. You said you'd do something daring."

Grayson sat up from her reclining position on the bed and stared at Mia. "I'll do it Mia. Under one condition."

"Anything."

"I get the memory card from the camera. I show you the picture."

Mia nodded. "Done."

Anticipation shot through Grayson with the power of a lost sensuous touch.

Mia still dug through her purse. Finally held a camera in the air. "Twelve megapixel."

"You could carry a dead body in that bag, no one would notice." Except me.

Mia stuck her tongue out. Slid a sexy smile across her face. "Strip for me, baby."

"My pleasure master," Grayson shot back in a false falsetto. Shed her t-shirt and bra.

Mia angled her head, stared at her bared breasts. "You have nice breasts you know."

And handed Liberty a bra that could induce an orgasm in any guy who owned a set. "Victoria's?"

Mia nodded. "It further enhances your gorgeous breasts. You have the kind of cleavage men dream about. And masturbate on," she added, a wicked glint in her eye.

Grayson laughed and pinched her nipples, hard, so they'd be long as well as stiff for the picture. "God Mia, you sure know how to wine and dine a girl."

"I give Kurt.."

"Stop. I'm sure Kurt is appreciative of everything you do. But if you tell me, I'm gonna have to kill you," she finished with dark humor.

.I so don't want to know his physical attributes.

Mia laughed. "Oh he's verrry appreciative."

She could be a real pain in the ass about getting laid. "Seriously, why do you want to do this?"

"He's changed over the past year or so. Still goes with his buddies, but I've heard them tease him about being a monk." She shrugged her shoulders. "He doesn't do emotions, won't talk. I want to shock him, make him laugh even if I can't be there to see it," she finished softly.

Disquiet sat on Mia's face. "How'd you get Patrick to let us use the printer?" Grayson asked, changing the subject. Squishy feelings. Not her specialty either.

"Told him I'd buy him a beer in the hotel bar later."

"Better you than me." Grayson struck a pose, angled forward to amplify her gifts.

Mia took multiple shoots, downloaded the pictures into her laptop. Patrick wanted to help when Mia asked to use the printer. The look on his face told Grayson he wasn't privy to the pictures content.

"Thanks Patrick, but we've it under control," Mia said. "Text when you get off work tonight and I'll buy you that beer."

His face split in a wide grin. "You got it."

Grayson showered, shaved her legs like she was going on a date. A date? She couldn't remember when she'd been on a date.

She grabbed a temporary shampoo dye she still had from Vice. Purple was a good shade on her. Tossed in blue contacts to diminish the impact of her green eyes. Voila. A stranger was born. Or, Grayson thought drolly, another stranger was born. She still jumped once in a while when she glanced in the mirror in the morning, before full awareness kicked in that the face in the mirror was hers.

She slipped a black cape over her bra and thong, added a masquerade mask over her eyes. Grayson watched Mia jerk in surprise when she opened the door to her knock.

"You have a definite knack for disguises. I would never recognize you."

.She had staked her life on her gift for disguises on more than one occasion.

Mia giggled. "I wish I could be there to see the initial look of surprise on Jack's face. I guess a picture that you did the deed will have to suffice," she said.

.Her brother's name was Jack? Irony could be a real drag when he wanted to be...

Grayson closed her door, gave the access card to Mia. "I'll get it later. I don't have anyplace to carry it," she added with a grin. Once she shed the bra and thong, she'd be nude underneath the cape.

The lure of fantasy sex made itself at home in her mind, sipped on a margarita. Sloshed a little on her inner thighs. God, this made her think of her Jack. The games they had played together..

She got off the elevator, slid the passkey through the security panel. Red. Tried again. Green.

Wow. What a breathtaking place to live. The soaring ceilings with their sleek wooden beams. The tile floors, the simple white walls complemented by paintings that portrayed the serenity of the Caribbean Sea. Grayson strolled to the door that led to a small private balcony. Floor to ceiling windows framed the natural beauty of the sand and water visible over the private beach.

To have a warm welcoming place to come home too.a family.

Never gonna happen, babe. Not to you.

She shook her head. Slapped the hand of curiosity that pleaded with her to wander through every room. Instead, made her way to the master suite. It was a large room, but in no way uninviting. Must be the vast mirror on the ceiling over the bed that made it look so hot, she decided.

She studied the paintings on the walls. Each depicted a sexual position. The room wasn't hot. It was an erotic playground. And Grayson wanted a play date. Right here, right now.. It had been so long.it'd just be hot, scratch the itch sex..

No, no, no. That would mean sleeping with Mia's brother. That would be dangerous, change the dynamics of her friendship with Mia. Totally taboo Grayson, and on more than one level.

She continued on her journey, made her way to the door of the bathroom. Her jaw dropped, stayed there. It was a bathroom she would kill for. Or at least cause serious bodily injury.

You could have an open ticket party in the shower. Eight shower heads. The guy liked his shower, he liked to be touched. All adjustable heads accept one. An idea popped in her mind. A crazy one. But hell, he wouldn't be back until after eleven. She glanced at the clock. It was only nine thirty now..

The water felt incredible. She adjusted the shower heads to give her body the most sensual pleasure, moaning at the sensation of all that heat hitting her from so many different angles.

She took the handheld showerhead from the hook on the wall before she could change her mind. Sat on the built in seat, opened her thighs. Adjusted the force, the pattern of the water spray. Leaned against the tile, and closed her eyes.

Tried to bit back her scream, heard it echo off the bathroom walls. The orgasm had slammed into her so fast, so hard..

Grayson stood, let the warm water cascade over her body. She knew the supply of hot water was unlimited in the hotel. Not like on her boat. She glanced at the wall clock. Twenty past ten. She needed to get her butt in gear. Get out.

The natural scent of Mia's brother shrouded the layers of the plush towel she used to dry her body. She rubbed her face in its softness, pulled his cologne, his scent, deep inside her. The towel smelled like her Jack. Grayson shook her head in denial. Flat-out hallucinating. Would she ever be free from the memories of their time together?

She tilted the picture of her breasts in one cup of the bra, dropped the note in the other. Laid her thong below the bra. The crotch was damp to her fingers and she lifted it to her face. Inhaled. The sensual aroma of her own desire hit her square in the chest. She closed her eyes, evoked the sensual smell of Jack's arousal. Moisture gathered between her thighs. When she opened her eyes, she still had to shake her head to escape.

She posed next to the scene she'd created on his bathroom counter. Took the pictures by holding the camera at arms length. Some of them were the erotic scene on the bathroom counter, others of her next to the bra, nude, smiling seductively for the camera.

Just as she put on her cape and mask, she heard the door close with a resounding thud. The murmur of voices drifted to her. Her heart slammed against her chest, ran like a felon with a K-9 on his ass. Jack was home. And he'd brought a woman with him.

Busted breaking and entering..
Low profile.Right Grayson.