Sorry this has take so long to be published. Life has been a little hectic. Replacing my phone and losing some of my ideas for this storyline and starting a new job being the most hectic parts. But I hope everyone enjoys this next chapter...


Chapter 9


Steph POV:

I sat in one of the back booths of the bar, waiting for Carrara. I arrived ten minutes ago, which put me ten minutes early. She arrived right on time. She surveyed the bar and saw me. Walking over, she slid in across from me. I waited for her to start; she let out a breath and sighed.

"Remember I mentioned that there might be a few dirty cops floating around in Vice?" she asked. I nodded.

"Well, I'm thinking Johnson is one of them."

"He was giving me weird vibes earlier when I brought Brooke in. Made my Spidey-sense tingle."

She nodded. "He looked like he was creeping on you, but you seemed to have it handled."

"He wanted to go out with me."

She sat back and looked at me for a moment. "How would you feel about doing some undercover work for the PPD?"

XXXXXX

I let Blake into my apartment with a smile. He carried pizza, an expensive bottle of wine, and a red box case. This was only the second time he had been here, but he seemed right at home. He kicked his shoes off by the door and I took the pizza and wine so he could shrug off his jacket.

I set the pizza and wine on the coffee table and walked into the kitchen to get two glasses. "You know you're one of the only people I know that still has a DVD player," Blake called from the living room.

"DVDs are nostalgic!" I called back. "Nowadays everything is streamed and on demand. Every now and then I like to watch the previews."

"Which is a surprise because you have almost no patience," he said as I walked into the living room.

"Bite me."

He laughed and sat on the couch. After he wrestled the bottle open, he poured us both a glass as we sat back on the couch. "What's the movie?"

He went into a deep description of the movie that lasted through the previews. I found myself not minding. Whenever Joe had talked through the previews, I had always wanted to stuff a sock in his mouth. Then again, I wanted to do that any time he opened his mouth.

Blake and I ended up talking most of the night. Around one in the morning he groaned softly. "I have to be up in four hours."

I laughed. "It seems like anytime either of us end up at the other's apartment we don't get any sleep."

"No, we end up talking all night." He smiled. He stood, stretching. "I should get going."

"You're not going to drive, right?" I asked.

"No, I'll call a car service."

I nodded. "Let me know when you get home."

"I promise," he said.

I smiled and walked him to the door. "Do you wanna come over this weekend?" I asked him. "I've got a recipe I've been wanting to try out."

"I've never seen you cook." He paused. "Are you trying to kill me?"

"No, but you haven't made me want to. Yet. Besides, it's super simple. You always cook for me when I come over, so I wanted to return the favor."

"No, you wanted to see if someone would get food poisoning from the recipe and I'm happy to be your test dummy." He smiled.

"Great. Then I'll see you on Saturday."

He nodded and I let him out. I locked it behind him and started shutting off the lights and putting the wine glasses in the sink. I made my way to bed and slid under the covers. I stared at the ceiling waiting for Blake to text when he got home.

That text came fifteen minutes later. With a quick exchange of goodnights, I shut off the lamp next to my bed and rolled onto my side.

The rest of the week flew by quickly. Friday morning after I finished my shower, there was a knock at my door. I had just finished getting dressed. Almost nobody knew where I lived, and I wasn't expecting anyone until this afternoon. I grabbed the gun from my bedside and walked towards the door, treading lightly.

Glancing through the peephole I rolled my eyes. Unlocking the door, I opened it. "What are you doing here?" I asked.

"Figured I'd surprise you." Jay smiled.

"It's seven in the morning," I said.

"Just more time you get to spend with me."

"You're lucky I like you," I grumbled before it hit me. A smile spread across my face and Jay had the sense to look worried.

"I don't like that smile."

"You shouldn't. Since you're early, you can help me with something today."

Two hours later Jay was groaning. "I knew I didn't like that smile."

I laughed softly. "You'll learn not to surprise me," I said.

"So, what are we doing stalking a cop?"

"He might be dirty."

"What does that have to do with you?" he asked.

"Nothing really, but I've got an in, in Vice. I would prefer to not lose that. If I'm going to look into this for her since she's bound by law, she'll do me favors when I need them." I shrugged, sitting back in my seat and taking a sip from my water bottle. I had learned after one too many steak outs with a full bladder to go to the bathroom before you left home and don't drink too much water or eat too much food.

"A really big favor for her favors," he said.

I shrugged. "If that's how I have to do it, that's how I have to do it. I'm not related to anyone here, I didn't go to school with them, and I didn't date any of them."

"A blessing and a curse," he said. I nodded. "So do you plan to make inroads with someone in each team?"

I shrugged. "If I can get a few detectives and captains on my side, I might be able to get some of the other higher ups on my side too. At least get a few of them to owe me favors."

He studied me for a moment. "You've been strategizing," he observed.

"Only way to survive." I shrugged. "Strange city. I've had to restart. Need to form a new network."

"You know when I met you, you would have never done this. Any of it. All of this strategizing, planning, networking."

"No, I wouldn't have. I've learned, thankfully, from my mistakes. I'll never be perfect, but I can get damn close by getting better."

He grinned. "I love this confidence. Alright, I guess we can trail this cop around all day, but you promised me the best Philly Cheesesteak in the city."

"And you'll get it," I said. "We just have to do this first."

"So, do you have any new men in your life?" he asked me.

"No."

He grinned. "Who is he?"

"A friend."

"A friend?"

"Just a friend," I answered. "We ran into each other, literally a while back. He got my number, and we went out to drink and became friends."

"Are there feelings there?"

I shrugged. "There's a spark. Sexual tension, a lot of it."

"But not a relationship?"

"I just came out two rough ones. I haven't had a social orgasm in almost five months, Jay."

"Two. So, you're finally admitting you had a relationship with Ranger."

"I've admitted that for a while now. At least to myself." I shrugged. "I've moved past it."

"Good for you." Jay smiled. "So, we need to get you back out there. Is this dude you met interested in you?"

"I don't know. He backed off after I friend zoned him."

"When's the last time I saw him?"

"Last night."

"Your place or his?"

"Mine."

"Did you invite him over or did he contact you first?"

"He texted me."

"When did he go home?"

"Around one."

"What did he come over to do?"

"Watch a movie."

"Oh, he's so into you!"

"What? How does that line of questioning make you think he's into me?" I asked, turning slightly to look at him.

"He made an excuse to see you, made sure you were in a comfortable place. Steph, he likes you."

"Hmm."

"Don't believe me? I bet you two hundred dollars that if you make a move on him, he'll reciprocate. Give him a clear signal and he'll act on it. I'm never wrong about these things." He smiled. "That is, if you want to."

I bit my lip. "I do, I just don't want to lose him as a friend. I don't have very many to begin with."

"Then make it clear to him, you're not looking for a relationship. Just companionship." Jay shrugged.

I turned to study him. "You've done this before," I observed.

He nodded. "I have. When I was in the Marines I had a hard time keeping a relationship and having the trust to leave a woman at home. I'd seen what those relationships had done to my brothers, and I didn't want it for myself. So, when I was on base, I had a casual companion relationship with a woman."

"How'd that work out?"

"They all ended amicably. I never ended up with any stalker-obsessed women, or tearful break ups. You just have to find the right person to have that type of relationship with."

"The one time it was proposed to me it didn't work out."

"You already had feelings for Ranger before he slept with you. Do you have those kinds of feelings towards this dude?"

"Let's stop calling him dude; his name is Blake. And to answer your question, no, I don't think I do. Sure, there's lust, desire, affection maybe, but I don't feel like I could fall in love with him."

"Do you think he'll fall in love with you?"

"No, I'm pretty sure he's attracted to me, but I don't think he's the type to settle down."

"Then if you want to, go for it."

As he finished up his sentence, Johnson walked out of the department with his partner in tow. I started the car as he slid into the driver's seat. "Do you think his partner is in on it?" Jay asked. I shrugged.

"Carrara didn't mention the partner, just him. I haven't met the partner, but I know Johnson makes my Spidey-sense tingle."

"Hmm," Jay hummed. We waited until the patrol car got to the end of the block before pulling out. I received a text and I handed Jay my phone to read it.

"Are we still on for tomorrow? It's from Blake," he said.

"Tell him yes."

"So, what are you doing with him tomorrow?" He grinned typing the response.

"I needed a test subject for one of the recipes I found online." He put the phone down and raised an eyebrow.

"Really?"

"Yes. I want to make sure it's actually good and it's not just my weird taste buds."

"Hmmm." I rolled my eyes at him.

For the next four hours we trailed after Johnson. When they stopped for lunch, I decided to pick it up after he got off of work. "So…" Jay started.

"Yes, we're going to get Philly Cheesesteaks." I rolled my eyes as I turned onto the next street. He grinned.

"So, like how good are they?" he asked. I raised an eyebrow.

"I've tried thirty places since moving here. This one is by far the best."

"Is it usually busy?" he asked.

I shrugged. "I've only been once."

He frowned. "You're telling me you might have found the holy grail of Philly Cheesesteaks and you've only had one?"

I rolled my eyes at him. "You're going to end up visiting often just to get these aren't you?"

He smiled but didn't answer; the smile was answer enough. I shook my head and parked down the street from the little hole in the wall restaurant. He seemed to be bouncing in his seat, and his excitement was contagious. I shook my head and slid out. He followed me, his eyes finding the sign and studying the restaurant.

"Are we just going to stand out here all day or are we going to go inside?" he asked, impatient. I rolled my eyes as he opened the door.

Fifteen minutes later, Jay, the big bad Marine that he was, was sitting across from me in the booth moaning with every bite. I rolled my eyes at him and laughed. "You're ridiculous," I told him.

He didn't even pause to say anything back, just proceeded to eat his sandwich. He gazed longingly at the counter when he finished. "Go get another if you want one." He smiled and bounded to the counter.

He came back with two a few minutes later. "One for dinner and one for lunch."

I laughed softly and stood. We walked back to the SUV, and I drove us back to my apartment. "What do you want to do for the rest of the day?" I asked him as I parked.

He shrugged. "I dunno."

"Did you have any plans when you came down today?" I asked him.

"No, I figured you would come up with something. You've been living here for how long?"

"Yes, because I go out and do so many things."

"Then, we can go sightseeing." He smiled.

I shrugged. "I'm sure there's lots to see, but I'm not sure I want to."

"Then we can talk about this guy you're crushing on. Blake…"

I slid out of the SUV ignoring him. "What is your obsession with my sex life?" I asked him.

"I don't have an obsession with it, but let's be honest… It's been how long since that douche canoe walked out of your life?" he said, shooting me a look.

"It's not that big of a deal."

"Isn't it? Humans need intimacy, companionship. We aren't meant to be alone," he said.

I stopped walking to look at him. "Since when are you so philosophical?"

He just smiled and continued walking. I just narrowed my eyes and shook my head at his back. Jay was a complicated man; I never knew what to expect from him, but it was in a good way.

XXXXXX

I laid in bed, soft light streaming in through the blinds. Butterflies fluttered in my stomach. I didn't want to think too much about this evening. I was going to try and keep my mind as occupied as possible. I slipped from bed and walked to my dresser.

After slipping into a pair of leggings, sports bra, and a tank top, I tied my hair up into a ponytail and slipped on a pair of tennis shoes. I grabbed the necessities, shoving them along with a spare change of clothes into my gym bag before taking off.

I walked the block and a half to my gym. Stepping inside, I sighed, walking towards the locker room to drop off my bag. My kickboxing class started in ten minutes, so I had time.

I made my way to the back, towards the classrooms. The other seven students were already there, warming up. The instructor was at the front of the room, doing the same.

I found my normal spot in the back, warming myself up at my own speed. When the class began, I shoved everything to the back of my mind and focused on the instructor and my activities.

When the class was over, I felt refreshed. I used my towel to wipe the dripping sweat off my face. I made my way into the main gym, deciding to hit the treadmill instead of going for a run.

After five miles I climbed off, my mind and body refreshed. I used the walk home as my cool down. Showering and changing were autopilot actions. Once I was finished, I stood in the kitchen drinking my coffee. I had nothing to do today at all. Nothing.

I could go follow Johnson around, but last night's surveillance yielded nothing. I sighed and finished my cup, setting it in the sink. Carrara had gotten me Johnson's schedule, and he was working a double shift today. If he was up to any nefarious activities, he didn't seem to be doing them on the city's dime.

It might have been worth it to put a tracker on his car, but I didn't want to go that direction yet. Not until I knew something was actually happening. Right now, he was as clean as a whistle; the only thing that I had was a bad feeling about him.

I sighed; maybe I should get my PI license. It wouldn't be too hard. It would basically be the same thing I was doing now. Skip tracing paid the bills now and allowed me to keep money put back, more money than I had ever thought I would have. Investigation work would give me something to do on the slower days and weeks. I checked the fridge and my cabinets, deciding to run to the store since they were looking a little bare.

I drove the SUV a few blocks over and managed to grab a parking spot at the front of the lot. Maybe I was getting some good parking karma of my own. I picked up a basket at the entrance and started wandering through the store. I picked up my normal stuff, and every now and then picked up something I hadn't tried but looked good.

In the second to last aisle I had plans to visit, I looked up to see a familiar face. Matt Johnson stood at the end of the aisle, basket in hand, wearing jeans and a leather jacket with a black shirt underneath.

I didn't know whether to keep him from seeing me or ignore him. I picked up the sauce I needed off the shelf and put it in my basket. I could feel Johnson approaching me. He was supposed to be working today, not shopping. I cursed Carrara in my head.

"Stephanie?" he asked.

I turned, affecting a slightly surprised look. "Matt." I smiled slightly with a nod.

"What're you doing here?" he asked before looking down at my basket. He shot me a sheepish smile. "Shopping, of course. That was a stupid question."

"I didn't know you lived around here," I said.

He nodded. "Yeah, it's close enough to the precinct that a lot of the single cops live around here. Our favorite cop bar is pretty close, too." He smiled easily. His eyes slid over me, taking in my curve hugging clothes.

Any other time I would welcome a man's gaze on my newly toned body, but this time it sent chills down my spine. Yep, there was definitely something wrong with this guy. My Spidey-senses were doing more than just tingling, they were screaming.

"Maybe one of these days you could come out to the bar?" He smiled.

"I'm not much of a drinker these days," I deflected.

"What will it take for you to go out on a date with me?" He sighed.

I smiled softly, not wanting to offend him but not wanting to encourage him. "I've been out of the dating scene for too long." I shrugged. "I need some time to settle here in Philly. Besides, I just got out of a toxic relationship."

He raised an eyebrow. "I can deal with that," he said. "I don't like waiting but I think you're the kind of girl that might be worth it."

He did not just say that, I thought. I held back a sigh. "It was nice seeing you again. I'm just about finished shopping." I smiled, trying to look natural but I was pretty sure I was failing.

He nodded and let me walk away, but I felt his eyes on me until I turned into the next aisle. I suppressed another shiver.

I walked towards the front of the store, catching another glimpse of Johnson as I stood waiting for the cashier to scan all of my items.

When she was finished, Johnson was standing in line at the next cashier. He smiled and waved at me. I gave a small wave back before walking out of the door. I shoved everything into the back of my SUV and left before Johnson could see my car.

I sighed when I pulled into the garage and laid my forehead against the steering wheel. My phone buzzed with a text. I wasn't sure I wanted to open it.

Picking it up, it was from Blake. Should I bring anything tonight?

I smiled softly. Nope I picked everything up already! Just bring your appetite.

I watched the dots appear on the screen, bouncing as he texted me back. I felt butterflies in my stomach as I waited. Will do, can't wait to taste what's on the menu =)

I slid out of the SUV and gathered the bags. I struggled to unlock the front door holding the bags, but I managed. Carrying them up the stairs wasn't much easier.

I locked my apartment door behind me and carried the bags into my galley kitchen. Flicking on the light, I smiled. I had successfully cooked a handful of meals since moving here and burned some, too. Hopefully tonight's meal would be one of the ones to join the successful list.

XXXXXX

The buzzer went off, telling me Blake was downstairs. I stripped the potholders from my hands and rushed to the door to buzz him in. "Who is it?" I asked.

"Your friendly neighborhood teacher," Blake answered with what was no doubt a cheeky grin on the other side.

I grinned and buzzed him up, unlocking and waiting at the door for him. He bounded up the steps with a grin. "Smells good." He smiled as he hit the landing.

He held a bouquet of flowers in hand. He grinned at me. "I couldn't show up empty handed." He shrugged.

I took them from him and walked into the kitchen to get a vase. He followed me, standing in the entrance with a smile. "I repeat, smells good."

"Let's hope it tastes good too," I replied.

He chuckled. "I'm sure it will. What's it called?"

"I found it online. It's Tuscan Chicken Skillet." I reached up to grab the plates before setting them on the counter. I started plating and looked at Blake. "Would you mind grabbing the wine glasses?"

"Sure." He smiled, walking over to the cabinet to grab them. He was familiar enough with my kitchen to not have to ask where they were. He found the chilled bottle of wine in the fridge and poured both of us glasses as I finished putting the food on the plates.

I carried them to the dining room and Blake followed with the wine. "Alright, I want the honest truth," I told him. "Don't spare my feelings."

"Never." He grinned. I watched him gather a mouth full before taking a bite. I watched as his expression went from excited to sour, before he hid the look with a smile.

"It's bad, isn't it?"

"No, it's great," he said.

"Liar," I said, taking a bite. I felt my lip curl and I wiped my mouth with a napkin, spitting out the food. It was way, way too salty. Like someone had poured a saltshaker into my mouth.

"Takeout?" I asked.

He chuckled. "I'll call, what do you feel like?"

Twenty minutes later, we were sitting at the cleared table with our takeout. "I don't even understand how I fucked that up. I followed the directions exactly."

"What's the recipe?"

I retrieved my tablet from the counter and handed it to him. He glanced at it. "If you want to try and cook it again, I can help you."

"I might have to take you up on that, but right now I'm not brave enough to reattempt it."

He chuckled but nodded, setting aside the tablet and digging into our fried chicken. "At least we still ended up having chicken for dinner." He grinned, taking a sip of his wine.

I barked out a laugh, almost choking on my chicken. Blake chuckled and handed me a napkin. We joked about my wreck of a meal during dinner, and again while putting away the whole bottle of wine.

I moved into the kitchen to start on the dishes. He joined me and rolled up the sleeves on his blue button up. He grabbed a dish cloth from the drawer and started drying and putting away the dishes.

"Isn't this domesticated?" Blake chuckled. I rolled my eyes at him. I turned slightly and looked at him, misjudging the distance between us.

Blake's mouth wasn't far from mine, our breath mingling. His green eyes flicked up to mine, uncertain. Whatever he saw on my face must have told him what he needed to know. His lips met mine, softer than I expected. At first his lips were soft against mine. The kiss was tentative and exploring as though he was trying not to spook me.

He pulled back slightly, before his eyes widened. "Shit, I'm sorry. I didn't mean too…"

I shook my head. "Blake you're my friend but…. I like you, but I'm not looking for a relationship."

"I like you Steph. I've liked you since I ran into you at the coffee shop. I'm not looking for a relationship, either. That doesn't mean I'm not attracted to you, though." He sighed softly.

I bit my lip. "But that doesn't mean we can't…."

He raised an eyebrow. "Friend with benefits?" he asked.

I felt a blush spread across my cheeks. His hand cupped my cheek, raising my head. "If you want this, then you need to tell me. I won't do anything you don't want. If we do this, you can end it whenever you want to. No hard feelings."

I nodded and wrapped my arms around his neck. I claimed his lips in a hard kiss, pulling him down towards me. His hands found my hips as my mouth opened to his. I started walking backwards, working my way towards the bedroom. He lifted me, and my legs wrapped around his waist.

Blake was a lean muscled man, and I almost protested him picking me up, but the feeling of his hard body pressed hard against mine made me moan.

He turned, sitting on my bed with me in his lap. I pulled away, my hands finding the buttons of his shirt. His lips found my neck, hands exploring.

I yanked his shirt from his slacks as his hands found the hem of my shirt. He pulled it over my head, sending it across the room. One hand tangled in my hair, guiding my lips back to his.

He stood, pulling me up with him. He laid me back against the bed, his body hovering over mine. He kissed me again as my hands pushed his button up off his shoulders.

His hands found my sides, roaming. For a teacher, his hands were calloused, like he worked with them regularly. As they slid over my skin, shivers spread deliciously up my spine. It had been a long time since I had a social orgasm, and I hoped tonight Blake would give me more than one.


Ya'll didn't think I was about to write a whole intimate scene of Steph with another man did ya'll? Strictly Babe smut here... well maybe some tart in the future.