Chapter 14
Steve was having trouble keeping his eyes off Millie and on the road. He knew she was pretty, and always thought she was cute, but right now she was flat-out sexy. She was radiating nervousness, as evident by the quick, shy smile she gave him when she caught him looking at her.
"Are you okay?" he asked.
"Nervous. I've never played this game before and I don't know the rules," she admitted.
"Stay close to me, take your cues from me, and Kono and Danny will be listening in and will come running if we need back-up," he assured her.
"Okay. Should we order a drink when we get there? It would look kind of odd if we didn't," she said.
"We will, but keep it to a minimum. Is there anything you like to drink?"
"I prefer a rum and coke, but somehow I don't think that's going to cut it there," she admitted.
"It won't. Have you ever tried a Cosmo?"
"No. What does it use?"
"I think it uses vodka and cranberry juice."
"Yuck. Got anything fancy that uses rum?"
"Guys?" Steve asked over the com set.
"You might like a piña colada," Kono offered. "It's basically rum with pineapple and coconut juice. There's also something called a Fuzzy Charlie, if the bartender knows what that is."
"Or you could always stick to a simple rum and soda," Danny suggested.
"I'll try the Fuzzy Charlie next time, but keep it to a rum and soda for now. I want to help, not get drunk," Millie replied.
"Have you ever been drunk?" Steve asked.
"Tipsy, yes. Drunk, no. It seems when I get tipsy, I get giggly, so I'm very reluctant to get drunk, because I really don't want to find out what would happen if I did get drunk," Millie admitted. "Probably embarrass the hell out of myself."
They pulled up to the club and the valet took the car. Steve watched as a slight change came over Millie, who unfolded herself sensually from the car and accepted his hand. He also noticed the bouncer watching her and smirked mentally. Yup, the girl had game.
As they headed inside, with Steve's arm around Millie's waist, the bouncer nodded and let them past.
"We've got the cameras," Kono said.
"This place is going to make seeing things a nightmare," Millie mumbled.
"Thought you said you'd been here before," Steve said.
"Been here yes, liked it, no. I'm not much of a social butterfly," she admitted. "I also like being able to hear the person I'm with."
Steve smirked and leaned closer, guiding her to a table that let him keep an eye on the bar and their general surroundings. "This is the point. Do you dance?"
Millie stared at him in horror. "You're kidding me, right?"
"I've seen you move pretty good."
"What I do in private and what I do in public are two very different things, brah!"
"Then pretend, for both our sakes, or nobody is going to talk to us," he coaxed, gesturing at a waitress, who came over.
"Welcome to Nightshade. What can I get you tonight?" the waitress asked.
"Vodka on the rocks, please. You, darling?" Steve asked.
"Rum and soda, please," Millie replied, trying to hide her shaking hands.
"Sounds good. I'll be right back with your drinks," the waitress said, nodding, and walking away.
"Hey boss, we've been running names and we've got a few hits," Kono said.
"Go ahead," Steve said, putting his arm around Millie's shoulder, who slid closer and leaned her head against his, trying to ignore the heat rushing through her, especially when he started running his fingers up and down her arm.
"One of the bouncers has a history of assault, especially against women," Kono said.
"Cute," Millie said. "Name?"
"Milos Stiller," Kono said.
"Look for a guy over six feet, built like a line-backer, with black hair," Danny said.
"Which fits the description of half the bouncers here," Steve shot back.
"We could ask the waitress," Millie suggested. "I'm very good at making friends."
The waitress came back with their drinks, and Steve paid her with a tip. Then he flashed the waitress his cellphone, showing her a picture of Patricia when she was alive.
"You ever seen her before? A mutual friend suggested she would be up for a good time," he said.
"Seen her around a time or two, but not recently," the waitress said.
"Do you know who she might have come in with, maybe might be friends with here? We would love to have her join us," Millie said, offering a seductive smile. "Thought we caught the name Milos?"
"Milos is one of our bouncers, but I don't think he's due in for another hour. I could let him know you want to talk to him when he comes in," the waitress offered.
"Do so, and you'll get another tip," Millie said, running her tongue across her lips the way she'd seen some actresses done in the movies.
Yikes, Steve thought, taking a mouthful of his drink.
"So you guys have to kill time for an hour," said Danny. "That's going to be fun."
"Floor," Steve said, watching Millie down nearly half her drink. He ignored her groan of protestation, but she followed him on to the floor. Fortunately it was a fast-beat song that was playing and she was able to reasonably keep up with him, heeding his advice about how to move and where to place her hands and arms. In her heels, she came up to his shoulder, and Steve thought she fit very nicely against him.
"I am never wearing these damn things again," she hissed at one point, trying not to stumble against him.
"Would it help if I said you look good in them?" he asked, grinning at her.
"I know I look good; they still hurt," she shot back.
"De agony of de feet," Kono teased.
"And a few other things," Millie said. As they danced, Steve had his hands on her in ways she'd only dreamed of late at night, and she was fighting the urge to take things to a more personal level. He was her boss, and the last time she'd tangled with a cop was the last time.
But he's not a cop; he's a SEAL, a little voice in her head reminded her.
It felt like they were playing a very sensual game, but it wasn't a game. Wasn't it? Especially since Millie wasn't so sure Steve wasn't playing, not with the way he kept looking at her, touching her, or with the heat that was building in her.
Steve had a problem, and her name was Millie. Despite her initial hesitation and reluctance, she was proving to be a capable dancer. She had curves in all the right places and she was wearing some kind of perfume or body spray that made him think of hot nights and satin sheets.
He hadn't done this kind of sexual foreplay dance in some time, not since Catherine, and even then he couldn't remember doing this with her. But the problem was, this whole thing was supposed to be an act, an undercover thing. If so, why did it feel so good and so real?
After the second set, they headed back to their table, but Millie excused herself to use the Ladies Room.
"Map," she said.
"Ladies Room on your left, staff area on your right," said Danny.
"Uh-oh," said Kono. "You need to head out the back door; it looks like one of the waitresses is having problems."
"Steve?" Millie asked, heading for the staff room and the kitchen.
"Right behind you," Steve said.
"Please, let me go!" Millie heard a female voice whimpering.
Not again, she thought, flashing back to high school. Sure enough, right behind one of the garbage bins, was a large man in a cheap suit, groping a frightened waitress, who had tears rolling down her face.
"Let her go," Millie said, putting her hand in her purse for her gun.
"Buzz off," the man said, reeking of alcohol.
Then Steve was there. "Seriously?" he asked Millie, who shrugged. He tapped the man's shoulder. The man turned to swear at him and Steve introduced his fist to his face. The man went down without a sound. "Come and get him, guys," Steve said. "Did we get that on video?"
"Nice and clearly," Kono said. "Danny's on his way and we'll have him booked and charged."
"Good," Steve said. He glanced at Millie, who was comforting the sobbing waitress.
"I'm Millie, and this is Steve. Are you okay?" Millie asked.
The waitress nodded, trying to fix her uniform. "He must've been waiting for me for when I got my smoke," she said. "Thank you so much."
"He'll be booked and charged, and if you talk to HPD, you can add your own charges," Steve said. He took out his badge and showed it to her. "Five-0 Taskforce. We're trying to figure out who might have made a phone call to this girl," he said, showing her Patricia's picture.
"I recognize her," the waitress, who's tag read Sasha, watching as Danny cuffed the unconscious would-be rapist. "When did the call come in?"
"About ten last night," Steve said.
"I think Milos took the call; he's one of our bouncers and he makes my skin crawl," Sasha said.
"We're looking for him; he has a record of assault against women," Millie admitted. "Do you know if she was seen with anyone else? Maybe talked to someone else here?"
"What happened to her?" Sasha asked.
"She was murdered, and she may have gotten her hands on a very important file she had no business getting her hands on," Millie said. "Show him the shmuck who's the head of the company," she said to Steve, who did so.
"Yeah, yeah, I've seen him with her. He always leaves a nice big tip with the girls," Sasha said, studying Ric Landrex's photo.
"And the fact that Patricia's a prostitute?" Millie asked.
"Can't do anything about that," Sasha admitted. "We don't like them here, but as long as the drinks are paid and they don't do anything illegal on the premises, there's not much we can really do about it."
"But you've seen her with Milos?" Steve asked.
"Yeah, and I think he was the one that took that call, because I remember hearing him get called to the phone," Sasha said. "When he came back to the door, he looked pretty pissed."
Millie glanced at Steve, who looked at her. "Maybe pissed enough to kill," he said.
"Speaking of which, our resident bad boy is on his way in," said Kono.
Danny finally managed to get the cuffed man up off the ground. "You good?" he asked.
"We're good," Steve said.
"C'mon, you loser. Let's go, let's go," Danny said, prodding the man, who groaned. "You puke and you're cleaning it up."
"Think you can do an introduction?" Millie asked Sasha. Sasha nodded eagerly. "Introduce us as someone looking for Patricia and heard he was the guy to talk to, especially as we were looking to party with her later, the kind of partying that be well worth her time. Then you get the hell out of the area in case he decides to fight. Clear?"
"Clear, but I could ask Jason to help you. He's real sweet and he's studying entrance exams for the HPD," Sasha offered.
"Name?" Steve asked.
"Jason Kaspersky," Sasha said.
"Running," said Kono. A moment later, she said, "He's good and clean."
"Get him, and show him to our table," Steve said, heading back inside. He nuzzled Mille's neck, causing her to shiver and giggle, before flashing him a naughty look and biting her lip sensually.
It didn't take long for Milos to show up at their table, with Millie working on her second drink, a Fuzzy Charlie that the bartender did actually know how to make.
"More sugar than alcohol, but not bad," she said for Kono's benefit.
"I hear you're looking for me," said Milos.
"Actually, we're looking for Patricia, darling," said Millie, giving the bouncer a slow, sexual once-over. "But we were told you would know where to find her. We've heard that she can be quite a lot of fun, the kind of fun we're into."
"I know her, but I haven't seen her lately," Milos said.
An idea came to Millie. She slid out of her seat and approached Milos. "Although, if Darling doesn't mind, I wouldn't mind having a party with you," she said, running a finger along his shirt collar and smiling invitingly at him, before running her hand up his chest.
"Anything to make you happy, darling," Steve said, ignoring the whoop of laughter from Kono and Danny over the com.
"Baby got game!" Kono chortled.
"I have to work, ma'am," said Milos, trying not to stare at Millie's bust.
"You are, trust me, you are," she whispered in his ear. She named a price. "And that's just for one night. Wanna play?"
Milos gulped.
"Five, four, three, two..." Danny began.
"Meet me in the back; I'll make some excuse to my boss," Milos said.
In the end, Milos was down on the ground with Millie's heel perched dangerously close to his crotch.
She glanced at Steve and said, "If this is your version of a date, I'd like to see what your version of a hook-up is."
"Wouldn't you like to know?" he shot back, teasingly, causing her face to turn scarlet.
It took a little bit of work, but Danny and Steve managed to break Milos.
"I had a contact waiting for me for that specific file; it was worth a lot of money to this guy and I was going to give Patty a fair cut, but then she called me and demanded more money. Greedy bitch," Milos said.
"So you met up with her and beat her to death," Danny said. "Real smart."
"I didn't plan to, but the bitch wouldn't tell me where the file was. Thanks to her, I'm out five grand."
"That's not all you're out of," Steve said.
Chin and Lou's lead proved somewhat fruitful. "We spoke to Chris Pride, who is Ric Landrex's biggest competitor," Chin said. "He admitted to making Milos an offer, but Patricia came to him and asked for eight grand. Seems she even sweetened the deal with a little lap dance and promised more if he was willing to pay more."
"Did he?" Danny asked.
"Happily," said Lou. "Apparently that was the most action he'd gotten in months."
"So she got eight grand out of Chris Pride and tried to get more money out of Milos?" Kono asked. "Yikes. What was she going to do when Milos discovered she didn't have the file anymore?"
"With over ten grand, she could run like hell," Millie said. "Not hard to do around here, especially if you're trying to leave your past behind."
Later that night, Steve was still in his office, catching up on his paperwork.
"Hey," Millie said, coming into Steve's office.
"Hey. You did good tonight," he said, noting she wasn't wearing her shoes, not that he could blame her.
She smiled. "Thank you. Could I get a ride home? I don't trust the boneheads around here to start getting ideas and I really don't want to call for a cab."
He smiled. "Sure. Let me know when you're ready to go."
"Any time you are."
Steve glanced down at the paperwork he was dealing with and decided it could wait until the morning. "I am now."
"In that case, let me grab my shawl, shoes, and purse."
Her shawl turned out to be a lightweight black wool shawl, perfect for the cool evening air. Steve suspected it was also to stop half the HPD officers from staring at her as they made their way through the building.
The ride to Millie's apartment was in comfortable silence, but there was something on Steve's mind. That dance weighed heavily on him, leaving him wondering.
He pulled up to her apartment and before she could get out, he came around and lifted her out, then escorted her to her door.
"Something is happening between us," he said, leaning against her doorframe, watching as she unlocked her door.
She froze. It was a statement of fact, one Millie couldn't deny.
"I know. And it scares the hell out of me," she admitted, turning to look at him. "I don't know what to do."
"We could enjoy it, take it slowly, see what happens between us," he said, coming closer and watching her eyes go wide and her lips part. "I'm not in any hurry. We don't have to date, but we could enjoy each other's company, yet give ourselves the freedom to date others. That way, if we decide not to take things further, neither of us gets hurt, and our jobs aren't affected." Steve didn't particularly care for the idea of Millie dating someone else, but knew she was still a bit skittish around him, and wanted her to come to him when she was ready.
"I can do that. I know about Catherine, and I know how she hurt you, and what she did for a living, but I'm not her. I don't know how to fight or shoot like she does, I don't run, and I have no contacts in any of the armed forces or intelligence branches," she said after a moment, thinking fast. Maybe the whole dating someone else thing wasn't such a bad idea; that way if Steve decided he wasn't really in to her, it wouldn't hurt so much.
"I know, and maybe that's not such a bad thing," he said.
"How so?"
"Maybe we both have things we could teach each other. When was the last time you did something as simple as going hiking with someone?"
"Never, and I've been wanting to, especially with what I've seen of some of the parks and the waterfalls."
"Then come with me this weekend, and we'll go hiking together. Go off-grid for the day, maybe make it an overnight camping trip, just you and me."
"And if you're needed back here?"
"Unless it's an extreme emergency, we won't be," he assured her. "It won't be the first time one of us has done that."
"From what I heard, the last time one of you went off the grid, Danny got a knife in his gut."
Steve smiled. "You know why that happened, right?"
"Yeah, Melissa's very possessive, very dead ex-husband." She bit her lip but tried not to swallow when she saw his eyes zero in on her mouth. "Okay. Tell me what I need and when and where, and we'll go."
"I can do that." He reached up and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear, liking the way her hair felt.
Then she surprised him by reaching up and kissing him on the cheek.
"Thanks for the date, even if it was a bit interesting. Next date, no guns, okay?"
"Agreed; next date, no guns." And as Millie went inside, he couldn't help but wish that kiss on the cheek was a little more down and to the left...