Thank you again for the lovely reviews to the last chapter! I'm glad you're all so invested in the story, and I truly wish I could update more frequently but you know how real life has this annoying tendency to get in the way of doing the extra stuff! The days manage to slide away from you before you know it!

And so here we are again, with our favorite couple still evading real conversation in favor of seduction...but then that's not always a bad thing is it? Still, they may find that they're getting in deeper than they first realized! Meanwhile, unbeknownst to them, Hunt has received some news that could cause trouble.

Chapter Nine
Like Sugar

I'm starting to want you
More than I want to
This ain't my finest hour
There's something about you
That I could get into
Something that's deep inside you

I just wanna make you go away
But you taste like sugar
Yeah you taste like sugar

Meredith turned away from the expanse of windows that overlooked Elliot Bay, an expression of wonder on her face. It was late in the evening, after finishing their wine and the wonderful meal. Derek had whisked her away from the restaurant in his Porsche, evading the last of the reporters that lingered around the building hoping to get a comment or two. She'd felt exhilarated from the combination of the expert way he handled the car to the feel of the butter soft leather surrounding her to the anticipation of what the rest of the night would bring. Now here in his magnificent home, it was enough to take her breath away. "You're so lucky to have this view, it's amazing," she said, seeing him heading towards her.

Derek crossed the floor, his steps quiet as a cat on the tiles. He had discarded his jacket and tie, leaving a few buttons on his shirt undone. Soft jazzy music was playing the background, and a few lamps were casting warm pools of light. If he was doing his best to set the scene for seduction, he was doing a damn good job she realized. Then he was there next to her, placing his hands on her shoulders, to turn her towards the windows again. "I have to agree with you about the view. All it takes is money."

Acutely aware of the warmth of his body behind her, and the touch of his fingers on her bare shoulders, Meredith fought to keep her voice steady. "Does everything have a price then?"

"Hmmm, money is just a means to an end, but I do like to be comfortable." His lips grazed the back of her neck where he'd swept her hair aside. "But I don't believe we came here to discuss the view or the price of having that view…" His hands slid down her body, coming to rest at her hips. "I thought we had mutual desires to satisfy."

"So we're not talking, then?" she breathed. "Just having sex?"

"Talking is over rated, don't you think?" Derek could see her reflection in the darkened glass, her head tilted back against him as his hands moved over the material of her dress. He cupped her breasts, and heard the little intake of breath as she responded. "Just relax and enjoy the moment, let yourself feel, don't think about what you should or shouldn't do…"

Meredith was caught in the seductive sound of his voice, his mouth at her ear. The slow beat of the music made her hips sway as she was definitely caught up in the moment. As if sensing her decision, his touch on her breasts grew more insistent, so that her nipples responded under his palms. Her body quivered and she sighed softly before he spun her around and pushed her backwards against the cool glass. His mouth ravaged hers then, tongue demanding her response. He held her hands up over her head, keeping her captive and she moaned in appreciation. Her hips bucked upwards against his, her breathing hitching. Her core throbbed, each push against his cock made her even more aroused.

He lifted his head, and looked at her, seeing her hazy eyes and flushed skin. "I've been a little obsessed with thinking about this since the last time." He kissed her again, needing to taste her mouth, just as much as she needed him. This time the kiss went on longer, as he took his time to tease and arouse her. Then his hands were easing her dress up her hips, making contact with her skin. "Aha…naked skin under silk again…you do love to torment me, don't you?" he asked softly, leaning closer, his breath fanning her cheek. She could hear the amusement in his voice, along with heat and seduction.

"I suppose I was a little obsessed with you too," she confessed. "I must have let my dirty subconscious take over." Her legs spread slightly, as his fingers inched higher; seeking the wetness he knew was there. His thumb grazed her clit, and she whimpered slightly at the sudden pleasure that flooded her.

"Teasing me will only get you into trouble," he grinned, taking her hand. "Come with me."

"What…?" Meredith blinked at him, a little dazed at the sudden movement. She fully expected him to take her to the bedroom, but he directed her to the French doors that opened onto the patio that wrapped around the side of the house. "Outside?"

"Feeling adventurous?" he countered, winking at her.

The air was warm and humid outside, wrapping them in a damp blanket. There was no rain, only a little mist, and the moon was peeking out from behind scattered clouds. The patio was just as luxurious as the rest of the house, with several chairs and lounges grouped together. But her attention was caught by the pots of flowers arranged there as well. Several groupings of white roses in pots, along with topiary trees, masses of lilies and myriads of tiny white blossoms she couldn't even begin to identify. It all seemed to float in the darkness, and perfume the air with their heady scent.

"The flowers are stunning, I never pictured you as a gardener," she murmured, touching her fingertip to one velvety rose petal.

"I give credit to Lucinda, my housekeeper, she's the one who looks after it for me. But I enjoy having it here. It appeals to my sense of artistry," he said.

"Oh, you like art? Because of your mother?"

"More than you can imagine," he replied mysteriously, as he plucked one of the roses to give her.

She inhaled its scent as he led her towards one of the lounge chairs, pulling her down to his lap. "You're just full of secrets, aren't you?"

"We all have secrets, Meredith," he told her, before pressing his lips to her throat. His hands pushed her dress high up on her hips, to expose her to his appreciative gaze. "No one can see us out here. Do you trust me about this?"

Meredith bit her lip, as she considered his question. "We might have trust issues, Derek, but right now I'm here, and I'm not going anywhere," she replied softly, trailing the rose over his chest.

"Good answer." He took the rose from her fingers and used it to caress her inner thighs, and she quivered in surprise at the feel of it. Then the petals brushed her damp folds, soft and slow, and her pulse jumped in response. The petals trailed lower, as his mouth grazed her nipples through the fabric of her dress. She was lost in the intoxicating scent of the rose, and the fiery desire that was building between them. She reached for the buttons on his shirt, needing to feel his skin as well.

Once again, she was intrigued by the tattoo on his chest and she took a moment to run her fingers over it. "Is this something symbolic?" she asked.

"More of a youthful moment of insanity," he replied, recalling the circumstances that led to it. Too much alcohol and bravado after pulling off a particularly tricky heist, celebrating with Gareth in some hole in the wall bar before stumbling into the tattoo shop was something he'd regretted the morning after. Still, he'd kept it, to remind himself not to be reckless like that again.

Meredith waited for him to explain, but instead, he wrapped his arms around her to press her against him, the rose abandoned and crushed between them. He kissed her, his tongue raiding her mouth, demanding her complete surrender. All thoughts of his tattoo were scattered from her conscious thought process. His hips lifted, his cock hard through the fabric of his pants, rubbing against her in a heated frenzy. "More..." she managed to whisper, before he smoothly lifted her dress over her head.

"I can't get enough of you like this," he muttered. His hands were shaking, as he quickly undid the belt and zipper on his pants, freeing himself for her. "I just need to have my hands on you, I want to be inside of you, and I want all of you so damn much." His voice was rough as he told her how badly he wanted her, that he was consumed with her. As he spoke, he struggled to get the condom in place, and he nearly groaned in his frustration.

"Let me..." she whispered, putting her fingers over his, helping him with it. Then she shifted over him, to take him into her in one slow sweet slide. "I want you just as badly, Derek. There's no denying that."

Derek pulled her towards him, his eyes mysteriously dark in the moonlight so that he looked like a sinful apparition. His hands cupped and stroked her breasts, up and around the soft skin, while her gaze met his. Then she brought her mouth to his, teasingly at first, and then with more urgency while his hands moved to pull her even closer. The air was scented with the heat of their passion, and the perfume of the flowers, and it almost seemed too perfect. At that point, neither of them had the ability to control the moment, as the tension built and his hips drove upwards and the release took them both over the edge.

Meanwhile, in another part of the city, Owen was sitting at his desk in the squad room at the Seattle police department. He had the book on Gareth's case open in front of him, a cup of stale coffee in his hand. He was getting frustrated with the lack of progress in the investigation, just as his boss was. If something didn't turn up soon, he would be forced to put it aside and deal with more pressing cases. It made no sense that the victim had been left for dead, nothing missing from his pockets other than a cell phone. The kid obviously hadn't been carrying a lot of cash, he didn't run in the same circles as his brother, so was it just a crime of opportunity? Some sick bastard that just wanted to kill for the kicks? Owen scrubbed a hand over his face at that thought – those were the most difficult to solve. Still, his sixth sense told him it had something to do with Derek, something wasn't sitting right with the facts so far.

He looked at the photos again from the funeral, and the notes he'd made on Callie Torres. She was a local girl, currently unemployed, but she'd been involved in some petty thefts at one time as well. Similar to Gareth, nothing major, but it was obvious they shared a common thread there. If she was telling the truth about their relationship, it might have been something they were planning together that was behind this. Maybe they'd planned to rob Derek, and it went sour, ending with Derek killing Gareth? Stranger things had happened. Owen had spoken with her, of course, and she only admitted to dating Gareth, and swore she knew nothing about his criminal record.

The phone on his desk rang then, interrupting his thoughts, and he grabbed it quickly. He listened for a moment, before a smile lifted his lips. "That's the best news I've had in days. Keep the area secure, I'm on my way." Setting the phone aside, he grabbed his jacket and headed towards the door, calling out to his boss who was just leaving for the night. "Just got a break in the Shepherd case – they found the kid's car. I'm heading over there now."

"Good. Keep me informed, Hunt. "

"Yessir!"

Owen drove away from the station into the late night traffic, hoping there would be some kind of evidence in the vehicle to point him in the right direction. He hated being unable to figure out who did the crime, but he was certain that sooner or later, something would come to light. It always did; criminals were never as smart as they thought they were after all.

Meredith opened her eyes, blinking at the unfamiliar surroundings for a moment. The bed was distinctly larger than her own, the sheets definitely a higher thread count than hers, and there was a decidedly male body next to her. Then she remembered where she was, and that it was Derek sleeping beside her. He had his leg over hers, and one arm around her waist, while his head was buried in the pillows. She hadn't expected to stay like this, but after the enthusiastic round of passion outside Derek had carried her into the bedroom where they continued until sleep finally overtook them. Now a glance at the clock indicated it was nearly 3:00 a.m.

There was a small lamp still glowing on the nightstand, and she took the opportunity to look around at Derek's bedroom. She wondered if he brought many of his girlfriends here, but it seemed like a distinctly masculine space. She felt a little surprised at the fact he hadn't hustled her out of here.

Feeling a little restless suddenly, she eased away from him, trying not to wake him up. He seemed to be in a sound sleep, and only rolled over onto his back. She paused briefly to admire how sexy he looked, even sleeping, his hair a tousled mess. The sheets had slid low on his hips, and she appreciated the opportunity to study him. The thought of having had her hands on all of that delicious male skin and muscle sent her own body into a fever all over again.

"Get a grip, Grey, quit ogling," she muttered, padding away towards the bathroom. She closed the door softly, and stared at her reflection under the soft lights of the vanity. "You look way too satisfied with yourself..." she murmured, examining the slight bruise on her throat, and the pink tinge on her skin from the scratch of the stubble along his jaw in the myriad of places he'd kissed and licked her. No doubt about it, Derek was a very dangerous and passionate man, who was willing to make sure the woman he was with knew that as well. He had taken her to heights of pleasure she never realized she wanted, holding off with his own release until he was sure she was utterly sated. Their brief encounter at his restaurant hadn't prepared her for this. It was all a little dizzying, but she wasn't complaining. Whatever he'd demanded of her, she'd gave him willingly, and her body ached in that pleasurable way that only happened after great physical satisfaction.

She splashed some water on her face, and wrapped a towel around her before slipping back into the bedroom. For a moment, she hesitated, and then her reporter's curiosity got the best of her, and she made a quick tour around the room. Nothing was out of place, aside from the clothing scattered on the floor, but then what did she expect to find? A quick glance at the bed told her that Derek was still sleeping, and she took the opportunity to wander out into the quiet corridor.

On the main floor, she discovered a combination office/library, with shelves of leather bound books that looked quite authentic. There were a couple of large paintings on the walls, and she glanced at them curiously. She was hardly an expert, and she had no idea if they were real or not, but to her untrained eye they were gorgeous. He had mentioned he liked art, so it was quite possible they were original works since he obviously had the money to invest in them. But her attention was taken by a large desk that was bare of anything but a lamp and a crystal paperweight. "Gee, minimalist much, Derek?" she murmured, before trying the desk drawers. The first one slid open smoothly, but only contained the usual assortment of pens and notepads. Her fingers were on the handle of the next one, when she heard a sound.

"Looking for incriminating evidence, Meredith?" Derek asked, leaning one shoulder against the door frame.

"What?" She jerked her hand back quickly, then nearly smacked her toe on the edge of the desk in her haste to move. "I, uh..." she was at a loss for words, looking at him standing here, all sleep tousled, his pants pulled on but still partially undone, his arms crossed over his chest. He pushed away from the doorway, and stalked towards her, and she found herself backing away, unnerved by the look in his eyes.

"I'm disappointed, Meredith. I thought you would be too exhausted to go poking around where you don't belong," he told her softly, once he had her cornered against the bookcase. "I guess this is why I don't usually have anyone stay the night."

"I was looking for the kitchen, I needed some water..." she said weakly. "I got lost..."

"Mmhmm..." he said thoughtfully, reaching for the towel knotted between her breasts. "Then what were you looking for in my desk? Does it look like it dispenses water?" He gave the towel a slight tug and it started to come loose.

Meredith put her hands up to prevent him from exposing her completely. "No, of course not, Derek. I admit, you caught me…I was snooping. I can't help it, all right?" She lifted her chin defiantly, and glared at him as best as she could under the circumstances. It was difficult to maintain an air of indignation wearing only a towel that could be removed easily.

"Maybe you need to learn to restrain your curiosity," he told her, moving closer to her, and wrapping one hand around her neck, rubbing his thumb over her pulse point. "What if I'm really the dangerous man I'm being painted as? What if I put my hands around Gareth's neck like this…and squeezed, until he couldn't take it any longer…? You think I'm capable of it, don't you?"

Her breathing quickened, and she forced herself to be calm. "Honestly, Derek, I don't know what to think anymore. Maybe if you talk about it, I can portray you in a different light."

"I've been taking care of myself for a long time now, honey, I don't need your help," he said softly, as the pressure let up on her throat. He tried to pull the towel away from her further, but she backed away slightly. "You don't know what you're getting into if you keep digging into my past."

"You're so damn mysterious!" Meredith said heatedly. "Don't you understand, it just makes me more determined to figure you out?"

"You're thinking about this too much." Derek reached for her again, making her lose hold of the towel so that it slid away to the floor. He moved in to lower his mouth over hers, kissing her in a way to distract her, and all of her thoughts seemed to coalesce into the heat that flared between them.

"Damn you, Derek...you keep doing this..." she sighed.

"Doing what...?" he asked, easing her backwards gently. "I thought you liked when I did this...?"

"Yes, but..." Meredith surrendered under his glittering gaze, as he spread her legs wider. Then his mouth was on her inner thighs, his tongue dancing along her skin until he reached where she was open and wet. His tongue found her clit and she bucked upwards, responding to the instant pleasure that raced through her. As if she wasn't aware of just how well he could arouse her - it was like a magical thrill that she couldn't resist.

Derek continued his erotic quest, giving her one small climax after another, until she was shaking with need. Whatever else she'd had on her mind, it was completely wiped out of her thoughts. She was completely focused on how good he made her feel, his tongue moving over her clit and away, until she was mindless. "I want you inside me…" she begged, breathlessly, managing to look at him where he was bent over her.

At that, he looked up at her, a devilish glint in his eyes. "Just the place I want to be," he muttered. "Don't move…" He managed to find his focus briefly, realizing that he hadn't planned on doing this here. "I need to get…"

"It's okay…" she interrupted him, sensing his thought. "I'm on the pill, and there's nothing else to worry about."

"Good, you have nothing to worry about with me either," he assured her, pushing his pants away from his hips. His cock rose up, hard and demanding, as he moved between her legs. "Trust me?"

"You keep asking me that!" she laughed, but her body was too primed and wanting to think straight. "Yes…I trust you, Derek. I just want you to trust me too…" she moaned, as he fit himself against her. "Just do it…" Her eyes closed as he pushed into her, deep and hard, giving her a slight quiver of release from the sensation. Her legs went around his body, pulling him in tighter, just as he leaned in to kiss her. Whatever else happened, being with him just felt right somehow.

It was a fast and erotic encounter, here in the office that he had always kept to himself. Somehow he knew that she would be forever on his mind when he sat at the desk from now on. It was not something he'd imagined doing, but he focused on how good it felt to be inside of her, without the barrier of latex between them. She clenched around him, tight and wet, like a glove that fit perfectly. "God, you feel so good like this…" he murmured, lifting her upwards, so that the angle of his thrust changed. She wrapped her arms around him, kissing him deeply. The climax hit him like a freight train, taking him unaware, as he lost himself into her, something he hadn't done with any other woman. Her body responded, quivering in release, as they rocked together.

Derek lifted his head and their eyes met in a way that was part lustful satisfaction, and part amusement at just how quickly they had managed to get to this point again. He kissed her again, still reeling from the intensity of their encounter. This was spinning out of control in ways he didn't expect; they were sharing intimacies and he couldn't deny the way she got past his usual defenses. He just wasn't sure how much was personal and how much was business on her part. For the moment, he pushed his doubts aside, and eased away from her gently. "Come on, let's go back to bed. There are a few hours till morning, and we can use the sleep," he said, helping her off the edge of the desk.

Meredith smiled a little sleepily. "I thought you were going to make me leave once you found me snooping," she laughed softly, picking up the towel.

Derek shook his head. "Somehow against my better judgment I'm going to overlook that indiscretion," he admitted.

"Does this mean you're going to tell me what's going on?"

"Don't push it, honey," he warned her, propelling her towards the corridor again. "Right now I'm tired and we need to sleep."

"Can't blame me for trying," Meredith said sweetly, "...honey..."

Outside in the rain that had started to fall, Owen watched intently while the crime scene technicians secured Gareth's car to the tow truck in preparation to haul it away to the station. Since arriving on the scene at the marina parking lot, the techs had done their initial search and came up with the usual trace evidence that was common to all vehicles. They would go over it in more detail inside their building, checking for fingerprints or blood or anything that might prove useful. For now, one of them walked over to Owen and handed over a small plastic bag. "We found this wedged under the front seat, sir. Nothing else so far that looks unusual."

"Thank you. I'll make sure to log it into evidence," Owen said, looking at it curiously. He held it up under his flashlight, squinting to see what it was. In the harsh halogen light, a single black onyx cufflink glittered ominously beneath the plastic.

Song lyrics from "Like Sugar" by Matchbox Twenty