Chapter 12

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Sam sat at the table reading files, idly listening to the two agents Frasier assigned to help them with the case were chatting about their plans for the weekend. She glanced over at Martin. He was deep in concentration, rubbing his chin as he read through some background checks, flipping pages slowly so there was no pause in his reading. She took a minute to watch him, to consider how different he looked to her now. He was both remarkably familiar but new and she felt drawn to him like a moth to the flame. He tilted his head up and caught her watching him so she quickly turned away, focusing her attention back to her own file. She wanted to look up again, to see if he was watching her now but she was too afraid that he wouldn't be. Thankfully she didn't have to dwell on it too long because her cell phone rang.

She reached over and picked her cell up off the table, catching Martin in her line of sight. "Spade," she answered.

"Hey, its me," Danny greeted her.

"Hey Danny," she replied, looking up to check to see if Martin heard. He had and leaned on the table, listening in. "How did things go over at Pegasus?"

"Not well," he replied. "Not a single employee would talk to us without a warrant or subpoena. The CEO agreed to talk to us but only with his team of lawyers present. The most comprehensive answer we got was, 'they cannot comment right now.' I can say that whatever is going on they are keeping it as hushed up as possible."

"Great, so we're back to square one," she replied with a heavy sigh.

"Not quite, we decided to linger around and we saw one of the VP's rushing off to his car as soon as we exited the office building," Danny replied. "The veeps name is Niles Kramer. We tailed him out to his yacht parked down at the marina."

"Are you thinking that he might have something to do with all of this?" she asked as she jotted down the VP's name on a piece of paper and slid it over towards Martin. He took the paper and started researching the name on his laptop.

She heard Chao say something in the background and Danny muttered a reply. A beat later Danny said, "We did notice that when we asked about the anthrax the CEO got really nervous, too nervous. I honestly don't think this guy is cool enough to coordinate something as complex as a kidnapping of doctors and a little boy."

"But if he has someone on his staff looking to make some money by stealing from the company that might explain his nervousness as well as the quick escape of the VP," Sam speculated.

"Yup," Danny agreed. "Chao and I will hang out here and keep an eye on this Kramer guy but arrange for someone to relieve us in a few hours."

"You got it," she glanced up at the clock, mentally calculating how long it would take to arrange two shifts of surveillance teams. "Well have a unit replace you around nine."

"Thanks," he replied before hanging up.

She closed her phone and looked up to face Martin. "Danny and Chao are staking out Kramer until we can get another unit to cover him." She pushed her chair out and stood up. "I'll go talk to Frasier and see who he can send."

Martin looked up at her and nodded. As she turned and started out she could still feel his eyes on her and it gave her a heady feeling as she exited the room.

It took her a little longer than she thought to arrange surveillance of Kramer. They bureau was still taking heavy fire from the scandal a few years ago that certain divisions had used the Patriot Act illegally so any type of speculative surveillance had to have lots of supporting paperwork. By the time she and Frasier were done making arrangements it was almost ten o'clock. As she headed back to the conference room she called Danny to let him know the next shift was on their way. He grumbled that it was about time and let her know that Kramer was still holed up in his yacht. Before hanging up, he also told her that he had already checked in with Jack to update him on their progress on the case.

She clicked off the phone as she entered the conference room. She pushed the wooden door open and found that all of the other agents were gone, leaving Martin alone at the far end. He looked up as she entered and gave her a sheepish smile. "I was beginning to think I was going to have to file a missing person report on you."

Her lips twitched up into a grin as she walked towards where he sat. "Remember the good old days when all you needed to get some agents sent out to watch a suspect was make a phone call."

He laughed and replied, "Just wait until you are promoted to SAC. There are so many forms to be filled out you'll wonder when the bureau thinks we have time to do any actual work."

She pulled out the seat next to him and sat down. "So, what about you? Did you find anything about Kramer?"

Martin shook his head. "I found a lot of stuff about his professional image: successful VP, photos from conferences, the company newsletter, etc. but so far what I could find on his personal life is really limited." He leaned back in his chair and finished, "He looks squeaky clean."

"What about his bank records?"

"The warrant just got processed," he replied, checking the time on his watch. "The bank said they'll fax the records in another hour," he reached over and shut his laptop closed. "I don't know about you but I am exhausted so I say we head back to the hotel. I'll check on his bank records from there."

"Sounds good to me," she replied, already dreaming about taking a long hot shower and crawling into bed. As she watched Martin gathering his things, an unbidden memory of him lathered up in the shower appeared in her mind. The recollection was so strong she could almost smell the scent of shampoo and the feel of his chest beneath her soapy hands. She felt a flush of heat flow through her, hitting her at her very core.

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She crept into the bathroom, the steam billowing all around her. Through the glass shower door she could see his silhouette as he stood there lathering soap over his torso. She felt herself get aroused at the sight of his lean, muscular body slick with body wash and bubbles. She could stand here all day watching him. But then she reminded herself why watch when she could participate?

She pulled off her tank-top and underwear as she stepped up to the shower stall. She pulled the door open and asked, "Need any help?"

He turned around and smiled. "I'm almost done but I'd be more than happy to wash your back," his eyes darted to her chest and he added, "Or your front."

She laughed and stepped inside the cramped space as he pulled her close, kissing her softly on the lips. Her body shivered as the warm spray cascading down on her. She slowly wrapped her arms around his waist, pressing her small frame up against him. He gently maneuvered there entwined bodies around so that now her back was facing the shower stream, their lips still locked. She gently reached up, her hands massaging his taut back muscles, still slippery and wet.

He ran his hands up her back and gave her hair a gentle tug whispering, "Lean your head back."

She did as he instructed and soon her head and hair were caught under the shower stream, soaking wet. She titled her head back up and watched as he reached behind her for the bottle of shampoo. He unscrewed the cap, the fragrant aroma of lilacs and green tea assaulting her senses. He poured a small amount into the palm of his hand before capping the bottle and putting it back. He reached for her hair and wordlessly slowly began massaging the product into her scalp.

As he lathered up the shampoo into her hair she watched his face as he did so. His expression was soft as he concentrated on what he was doing with concern and care. She could feel his fingers wipe her forehead, cautious that no errant drops of soap would roll down and sting her eyes. It amazed her that while they were enclosed in such close proximity, completely nude, he was touching her in a way that wasn't sexual but sensual…and achingly intimate. His hands gently caressed her head and hair so tenderly, so lovingly that it made something in her want to break.

But she wasn't supposed to be broken she reminded herself. She was Samantha Spade and she was hard. She wasn't supposed to let anyone like Martin so close to her heart. He was light and she was dark, they weren't supposed to occupy the same place for too long. And she was certain that if he knew her deepest, darkest secret he wouldn't want to be with her anymore so she had to keep hiding that part of herself. Not let him see the real her, fearing that he would see it all and hate her for who she really is. So she lifted her head up to face him and pressed her lips up against his, kissing him hard.

He seemed startled by her actions, by her sudden urgent need. She kissed him harder, not giving him a chance to pull away, but he tensed up under her touch. She knew that she was being too aggressive but she felt an aching need to have him right then and there, to hold him so tightly to her. She was supposed to only offer up her body, no more, no less.

"Sam, slow down," he said, gasping out between her hard, consuming kisses. "We have time."

She dug her nails into his lower back, almost cutting into the flesh. "I want you right now," she demanded as he moved her hand down to his firm ass and squeezed it hard, pressing his crotch to her. She could feel despite his spoken protest the action was having the desired effect on his member. It was hard and willing as she moved on hand around to stoke it. She moved her mouth to Martin's ears and with aching need she said, "I want you in me."

She could feel him hesitate for a brief second before his primal instincts took over. He lifted up one of her legs, wrapping it around his waist, pressing her back up against the cold, hard tiles of the shower wall. In one swift motion he was in her, their hips rocking in time. This was what she knew, what she was most willing to give.

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"Sam?"

She almost jumped back, startled by the sound of Martin's even keeled voice. "Um, oh, sorry, what?"

He studied her face, wonderingly. She felt a blush rise up in her before he finally said, "I just asked if you were ready to go."

"Yeah," she murmured, still feeling flustered. "Yeah, I'm ready." She turned and grabbed her things off the table, adding, "Let's get out of here."