Being Tempted

By AnitaB

Author's Notes: I still own nothing and nothing I do own would be worth getting in a lawsuit. This is just another day working with Charlie Crews, at least until he starts pulling out the fruit. Poor Dani wants that apple more than she wants to admit… and the man holding it.

Being Tempted

By AnitaB

Chapter one: Forbidden Fruit

//Forbidden fruit tastes the sweetest.\\ At least that was what everybody said. And until she'd met Charlie Crews, that was the most Dani Reese had ever really thought about it.

Until Charlie…

Now Dani could sympathize with poor Eve in the garden. //Not that I have faith.\\ Dani told the little imitation Charlie voice in her head. You didn't have to believe in anything to feel Eve's pain at being tempted.

Because she was staring down her own personal serpent in a blue pin-stripe suit. Charlie fucking Crews sat across the desk from her doing truly sinful things to the apple in his hand. Appropriately enough, it was a pink lady cupped in those long, pale fingers.

And Dani was tempted. She wanted that apple. She wanted the mouth and hands involved in eating that apple. She wanted to be the apple for just the stroke of those fingers on her skin and the slide of that tongue against hers. She'd never in her life been so tempted.

Charlie had no idea how much she wanted it. And he never would if she had anything to do with it. "No, Charlie, I don't want a pink lady apple. And no, I don't care how they're different from Granny, Gala, or Fiji." Dani moved her empty coffee cup into the clear space of his desk on purpose. Might as well share her annoyance. "Now get your head back on the case before I empty your fruit drawer into the paper shredder."

Charlie dropped his eyes to that cup, a piece of trash on his otherwise spotless desk. She felt herself start to smile at the irritation on his face. Then he smiled and she just knew something was coming. Something that would so going to kill her mood. "Well, Dani, studies have shown that eating different kinds of fruit helps that brain balance a person's mood and emotional state. Something biochemical. Funny, isn't it, Reese, that something like this pink lady apple can brighten your day?"

Climbing into that chair with him to shut him up with a kiss would brighten her day. Shooting him with his own gun might brighten her day. Watching his face as she tossed all his fruit out the window of a moving car might even do it.

But that apple… nah. That wasn't cutting it at all. "Charlie," Dani hated the way that came out. It was his first name, for one. And it wasn't the scolding tone she'd been aiming for. It almost sounded pleading. Deliberately filling her hands with case files. Dani managed an angry glance and a straight back for the stalk to the evidence room. She couldn't help the way her hips swayed, really. That's just how high heels made her walk.

The door clicking shut behind her let a first layer of tension slip off her skin. //Damn you, Charlie Crews. And your damn power over me.\\ Dani thunked the files down on the closest empty shelf. Dragging both hands through her hair, she glared back at the door like she could still see the quirk of his lips.

Dani loved and hated what that man could do to her. He could push her out of control harder and faster than anyone she'd ever known. And Damnit he knew it. Dani had watched those tempting lips quirk in a dark little smile in perfect time with the change he caused in her blood pressure.

A click sound behind her put a twitch up her back. "Reese,"

//Nope. Hell no, Charlie.\\ She wasn't about to turn around. The files in front of her needed to be sorted and put into storage… like right now. Dani shook her head and reached for an evidence box, not caring which one it was.

"Dani," Damn bastard didn't play fair, using her first name in that tone. His voice had gone low and just a little rough. Just like the hand that he put on her back. Long fingers spread wide across her lower back and even through her shirt she could feel the heat and calluses of his skin. His long, lean body pressed close along her side, nearly pinning her body between his and the shelf in front of them. Her every traitorous little nerve felt and responded to his nearness. "Dani, look at me."

"Why, Charlie? So you can gloat?" Dani forced her body to pull away, forced her feet to manage a few steps towards the door. Now their desks, in full view of dozens of other detectives, seemed like the safer place to be.

His hands moved too, catching her by the arm and spinning her to face him. "Because I want to watch those gorgeous brown eyes when you ask for it."

His body was now so much closer, pressing hers hard between his chest and the door. His hands pinned hers above her head. And every nerve in her body felt the heated pleasure start to soak into her skin. "And what am I going to be asking for, Charlie?"

He licked his lips before he answered. Dani hated the little moan she heard coming from her own throat. But she loved the way his grip tightened and his eyes dropped to her lips. It was good to know that someone else here was tempted too. "You'll be asking for me." He leaned closer, eyes locked on her lips and his arms guiding her body tighter against his own. "You've been a good girl, Dani, resisting temptation. Now be my bad girl."

If a perfect woman couldn't resist, what chance did Charlie's bad girl have? None, none at all. Not when those gorgeous blue eyes and tempting damn lips were so close. Not when he wanted her almost as much as she wanted him every single day. "Kiss me, Charlie, now, Damnit."

"As my lady wishes." A beautiful smile curved his lips before they opened over her own, giving her the sweet taste of his apple and the hot dance of his tongue. Getting lost in the familiar warmth of his kiss, Dani groaned at the hot stroke of his hands down her back to her hips. Freed fingers fisted in his red hair, dragging him even closer to take over the kiss herself. He'd started this, but by god, she was going to finish it. And him. Plunging her tongue past his lips, Dani tried to show him what he'd been doing to her since they'd climbed out of bed this morning, tried to melt him into the same desperate, needy puddle of hungry nerves he'd made her into with his teasing and tempting. Hooking a knee around his waist, Dani arched and rocked her hips into his with a groan. He was hard against her, the length of his erection pressing hot and stiff against her stomach. Every inch of both their bodies strained to get just a little closer. "Dani,"

She loved the sound of his voice growling her name in time with the twitch and thrust of his hips. She remembered exactly what this felt like when they didn't have so much clothing in the way. Dani loved how he felt when he was inside her, missed it when he wasn't there. She loved him and he knew it. There really was no resisting something this perfect, this necessary, this damn tempting. And if she didn't manage to pull back right now, she would get him where she needed him, right up against this door.

Strong hands gripped her thighs, lifting her against the door and wrapping her legs around his waist. It felt so good her back arched and her breath caught in a low rasp of a groan. It broke the kiss for a moment. Dani took that moment to act. "Charlie, if we don't get the hell out of here and quick, we're gonna get caught having sex at work." His body trembled in her arms, his hips giving one last rock and arch before going still. His breath rushed against the skin of her throat in a shuddering groan. He nodded against her pulse before slowly lowering her to the floor.

Luckily, Charlie kept her tight against his body for another moment, because her legs wouldn't have held her up just yet. He brushed his lips over hers and murmured. "Then let's go home, Dani. I'm nowhere near done with this." This was accented with the tightening of his arms and the rocking of his hips.

There was absolutely nothing she wanted more. "Let's go home, Charlie, and bring the pink lady apples." Dani leaned up for a quick kiss and a nibble at his lower lip before dragging herself out of his arms and heading back to their desks.

Behind her, she could feel the heat of his eyes on her back and hear a sweet groan. Yup, she so wasn't the only one tempted here.

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