Chapter 128

I hugged Charles, pressing my cheek to his chest and drawing in a deep breath of his vetiver, letting it calm me before opening up the unpleasantness. While I had my arms around him, I stood on tiptoe and whispered in his ear.

“I have a lot to tell you, but not where we can be overheard.”

He took a deep breath of me and kissed the top of my head. “I love the smell of you,” he whispered, then tipped his head away from me. “I don’t know about you, but I could use a shower,” he said loudly enough so that if anyone were listening, they would definitely hear him.

“I guess I’ll join you,” I said, trying not to sound too awkward. And trying not to be too embarrassed at what I was implying.

But this way, if either of the others came looking for us, they wouldn’t look too hard. I really hoped they weren’t interested in overhearing that sort of activity.

Charles hung his coat on the rack and then headed for the bathroom, turning the water on. I crossed the main bedroom, and dropped my stuff on the bed, joining him in the bathroom.

He was starting to undress, and I put my hand on his arm, shaking my head. “I don’t need you distracted,” I said. “I need to talk to you where they can’t hear it. You just leave the water running. And if you really want to get in and wet your hair as an excuse, you can when we’re done.”

“It’s that serious?” he asked.

I nodded and proceeded to tell him about everything that had gone on at the watershed today and what I discovered. I pulled the website out of my bra where I’d stuck it so that it wouldn’t be seen.

“I don’t even know where to find a computer to start looking at the information,” I complained.

“But at least we know where to look,” Charles countered.

“And I said it’s possible once we get in there that maybe we can find an outlet for this story after I finish researching it and I’m ready to print. Because Mr. Dale was right. There’s no way that this can go through the Palace Press.”

I fidgeted. “Not only would they not publish it, but I might get us into deeper trouble.”

Charles gripped my shoulders just a little too hard, and the face expression on his face was deadly serious. “You need to be very careful,” he warned. “If anyone finds out that you’ve been told this or discover that you start poking around on the dark web, you could find yourself disappearing just like all of these other poor people.”

His face contorted. “I couldn’t stand to lose you.”

He drew me in and hugged me so tightly that I let out a squeak.

“Thank you,” I said. “I love you, too. But I feel obligated. I need to report this this. This sort of disregard for life can’t go on. And if this is what I found out when someone had to poison my bodyguard with something to upset his stomach and forced an opportunity, imagine what’s going on that no one has been able to get out?”

I shook my head. “This has got to stop. This story and the issues it’s uncovering are bigger than you, and it’s bigger than me or even us.”

He crooked a finger underneath my chin, tipping my face up and kissing me deeply. “I love you. You have such a good soul. Just don’t get yourself hurt in the process. You won’t do any good to anybody if you never get these stories out.”

“Better to go slowly and carefully and release a little bit of the information then try to work too fast and get caught. What good will you have done then?”

I nodded. “I’ll be careful,” I promised. “And I will keep you in the loop so you can help keep me safe.”

“Count on it,” he murmured through a gentle, loving kiss to my lips.

I turned to go, but he caught my arm and pulled me back into his chest. “Where do you think you’re going?”

He nibbled at my ear.

“I was going to head out.”

He grinned. “You said very loudly and very clearly that you would be in the shower with me. Your cover will be blown if you leave the bathroom with dry hair.”

He slapped my butt and pointed at the shower. “Get in there and fake at hiding. You need to be good and wet.”

“Why do I have a feeling that you mean more by ‘wet’ than just my hair in the shower?”

He grabbed me and pulled me into a tight hug, wiggling his hips so his erection ran across my lady mound. He spun me so that my back pressed against him and reached around the front of me.

He cupped both of my breasts in his hands, and he squeezed my nipples, standing them on end. I definitely mean that you need to be. Pressed against his chest. He reached his hands around and cut my breasts, tweaking my nipples so that they stood out.

“I definitely want you wet more than just your hair,” he said, his voice husky, his body still moving, rubbing against mine. “I want you wet all over.”

Charles slid his hands down my front and grabbed the edge of my skirt, pulling it up. He rubbed the front of my panties.

I found myself parting my legs and inviting him in.

“Take your clothes off,” he murmured and kissed my ear again.

He started undressing himself, so I slipped out of my crooked skirt and blouse, letting it all fall to the floor.

“Stop there,” he requested.

I paused, confused. “Why?”

“I’m just admiring your bra. I didn’t realize it matched your panties. Do you do that all the time? Or do I just usually not pay attention when I’m undressing you?”

I blushed. “I make sure they match most of the time,” I said. “Except maybe on the weekends. Then I just grab what’s comfortable.”

“Dressing up for anyone in particular?” he teased.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him deeply. “Just you,” I said between kisses. “Only you.”

He reached behind me and unhooked my bra, sliding it over my shoulders, and I let go of him so that the garment could fall to the floor. He bent his knees, taking my nipple in his mouth and running his tongue around the sensitive nub.

My body shuddered, and I slipped a hand behind his head, running my fingers through his hair, disturbing his natural scent. It turned me on, and just as he wished, I grew wet waiting for him.

He reached a hand up, slipping one finger between my lower lips, and let out a happy growl when he felt how wet I’d become.

“That’s a good girl,” he said. “Now, into the shower.” He smacked me on the rear one more time, smiling when it got a good slapping sound out of it. His erection twitched upward from half-cocked to fully up and stiff.

I stepped into the shower, glancing behind me, awaiting his arrival.