Author's Note: Hey guys and dolls, sorry I know it's been months since I updated this one! My muse has eluded me on this one for a while, but thank you for all of you that were pushing me to keep at it.

I also apologize that after such a long wait you're rewarded with such a short chapter, but I promise to try to not take another two months before I post the next chapter.

Thanks for reading.

Chapter 3

I went to see her that night at the club, the next night too. I was like a moth draw to a flame, and Lauren Lewis flickered with dangerous desire. Still I knew that if I got too close I'd get burnt, but suddenly it didn't matter anymore.

I tried to stick to the back of the bar, tried to hide my face behind a glass of something strong, but it didn't work. Both night's she picked me out of the crowd, and I couldn't help but stare, completely mesmerized by every subtle movement she made.

Damn. Why does she have to be so damn enticing? I watched green with envy as men would watch her, practically drooling over her. They'd confidently saunter up to Bruce, the bald, muscle clad beefcake that stood security over the velvet roped off area of the club that led to the dressing rooms, and back offices, only to be turned away.

By the third evening I couldn't take it anymore. I'd had enough of hiding in the shadows. Maybe it was something about the way the fella next to me at the bar that leaned across to the bar keep and whistled "get a load of that kisser" and nodded in her direction, maybe it was the way that she looked at me from across the stage, like somehow she knew I'd be there, making me feel like I was the only one in the room. Either way I was falling, and I was falling fast.

During the day Kenzi and I had kept our ears to the ground and hit the pavement, looking to any of our contacts who could give us the dirt on this Lachlan joker, but we kept turning up empty. I'd never had such a frustrating case before. It was frustrating for all the right and the wrong reasons. This case was nothin' but dead ends in a dead end town, and it didn't suit me at all.

But I had other things on my mind tonight, and with a belly full of courage I watched Ms. Lewis leave the stage and made my way over to Bruce to try my luck. To my amazement he gave me a faint smile and lifted the velvet rope inviting me in.

I made my way quickly down the hall and passed the few closed office doors on the way to Lauren's dressing room. If I'd have known that it'd be that easy to get back here I would have made to case these offices days ago. Then again, hindsight is twenty-twenty ain't it?

I wrapped softly on the closed wooden door before I heard that deep melodic voice that seemed to put my mind in a haze call out for me to come in. I remove my hat, shoving it under my arm and turned the door handle swinging the door wide open, I moved swiftly into the room and shut the door, making sure it was locked behind me.

"I was wondering when you'd finally come detective." Her voice was deep and suggestive as I turned to see the gorgeous woman in front of me only half dressed in a silk white slip, and an emerald robe with gold trim hanging wide open.

I moved forward, grabbing her face in my hands, I couldn't take her game any longer it was time to just give in.

I leaned in a kissed her, I kissed her hard, and I kissed her breathless. When I finally let her go I half expected her slap me, but she never did. Instead she grabbed me, her warm palms on either side of my face, and pulled me back into her, returning the searing kiss.

After a minute she pulled away from me, leaving me gasping for air.

"You know, I've been waiting for you to do that too." She said with a mischievous grin.

"What'd ya' mean? How'd you know?" I ask furrowing my brow, "and why do you look like the cat who just ate the canary?"

She grinned at me, and tapped the side of her nose.

"Let's just say I have a nose for these things detective." She smirked at me.

Normally a dame acting so damn coy would piss me off, but there was something about this one, it only made me want her more.

"What'd ya' say we get out of here kid?" I ask looking back at the locked door. She smiled at me again and ran a hand down my cheek.

"You got it beautiful. Give me a minute and we'll slip out the back." She caressed my cheek one more time before heading behind a folding screen that had images from the east painted on it decoratively. A minute or two later she reappeared fully clothed, which I must admit was somewhat to my dismay.

I picked my hat up off the ground where it had fallen in the heat of the moment, and after placing it back on my head I offered my arm for Ms. Lewis to take. She smiled and shook her head but did take it as I let her lead me out of the club and to the street where we hailed a taxi.

I gave the cabby my address, and did my best to keep my hands off the blonde next to me on the cab ride home.

As we pulled up and I paid the man I only hoped Kenzi had decided to take the night and hit up the Dal, or maybe go out with one of her sailor boys she had met the other night, I didn't dare peak into the bar windows as we passed to the side entry way that lead up to the apartments above the bar.

When we finally got into my apartment I made sure that the coast was clear, not that it would have deterred me in that moment if Kenzi had been home, it just would have left more explaining for the morning.

"It's a nice place you got here." The blonde said as she looked around the small living area. There was the kitchen, a small table and chairs in one corner of the living room, along with a couch and our old Victrola, records scattered around it, and of course on the wall beside the bathroom and kitty corner to the door leading to my room was the Murphy bed Kenzi slept on, though she rarely bothered to put it away anymore, and sheets and blankets were draped half hazard over the mattress, half gathering on the floor; It wasn't like we frequently entertained guests… well, not the kind of guests who'd care anyhow about the state of a messy bed, they'd rather just be in it.

"Thanks, it's not much, but we don't need much anyway." I replied moving into the kitchen and staring into our bare fridge. "I'd like to offer you something, but it looks like all we've got is coffee and Scotch." I said. I was trying to be hospitable, but in truth I really only had one thing on my mind, and that was what that blonde would look like wrapped up in my sheets.

"Thank you I'm fine." She said in that low voice of hers, and I looked up to see her removing her long cream colored gloves. "So, whom do you live with?" She asked looking from the door to my room to the hide away bed.

I placed my hat on the counter in the kitchen and shrugged off my coat laying it over one of the chairs next to the dinning table.

"Kenzi, you met her, my secretary. Well actually she's more of my partner." I looked over to see intent cool brown eyes silently appraising me.

"Ah, and where is she now? Expecting her home anytime soon?" She asked as I glided across the room to her.

"I don't know and frankly I don't care." I breathed sternly. "What I do care about is getting you out of this coat, and making you a little more… comfortable." With that I hastily tugged at the belt holding her coat closed and snapped open the large buttons that aided in protecting her from the forsaken cold that lingered over this city nine months out of the year. Opening the coat I pushed it off her shoulders allowing it to fall to the floor as I attacked her neck in a frenzy of hungry kisses. What was this woman doing to me? She made me throw all caution to the wind. I heard her gasp under my lips as she tugged at the back of my shirt.

"It was the throb in your voice detective." She said suddenly pulling my focus slightly away from my attack on her long, slender neck.

"Hmm?" I mumbled as I continued my decent down her neck and to the front of her collar.

"What gave you away. It was the throb in your voice, and that untamed look of desire in your eyes."

I pulled back from her cool delicious skin, and took her hand pulling her with me into my bedroom as I slammed the door closed behind us.

The moment the door banged shut I spun the blonde around attacking her neck again only this time from behind, as I pulled the zipper to her dress down antagonizing slowly. When the zipper finally hit its base I reached up and massaged the dress off her shoulders, allowing my hands to linger on her smooth skin, bare with the exception of the thin silk straps to her slip. My desire growing by the second as I realized that she wasn't wearing a brassiere.

Suddenly I found myself being pushed backwards as the blonde spun around and stepping out of her fallen dress shoved me back into my dresser drawers as she hungrily attacked my lips with her own. Her nimble fingers making quick work of shirt buttons as she pushed my shirt off my body and set to work unhinging my bra.

I moaned into the kiss as she slid my bra down my arms and rested her hands on my ample breasts. It was her turn to groan as she teased me while our tongues fought for ascendancy in one another's mouths. Damn could that dame kiss.

When I felt one of her hands slip into the waste band of my trousers I pushed her back onto my bed, unable to wait any longer.

We spent the next several glorious hours repeatedly making love until we were both too tired to carry on. I held her close as she buried her face in my chest, falling asleep almost instantly. I however sat for a moment, stroking her long blonde hair, and just admiring her beautiful, peaceful sleeping form as her head rose and fell in rhythm with my breaths.

I finally drifted off into the best sleep I'd had in years thinking that I would do anything I could for the woman in my arms, no matter the consequences.

I'd get her out of her contract and I'd take her far away from this world, even if it were to be the last thing I do.