Exposed Read online

  EXPOSED

  An Ellora’s Cave Publication, March 2005

  Ellora’s Cave Publishing, Inc.

  1337 Commerce Drive, #13

  Stow, OH 44224

  ISBN MS Reader (LIT) ISBN # 1-4199-0175-3

  Other available formats (no ISBNs are assigned):

  Adobe (PDF), Rocketbook (RB), Mobipocket (PRC) & HTML

  EXPOSED Copyright © 2005 ELIZABETH WRIGHT

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. This book may not be reproduced in whole or in part without permission.

  This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. They are productions of the authors’ imagination and used fictitiously.

  Edited by Pamela Cohen.

  Cover art by Syneca.

  Warning:

  The following material contains graphic sexual content meant for mature readers. Exposed has been rated S-ensuous by a minimum of three independent reviewers.

  Ellora’s Cave Publishing offers three levels of Romantica™ reading entertainment: S (S-ensuous), E (E-rotic), and X (X-treme).

  S-ensuous love scenes are explicit and leave nothing to the imagination.

  E-rotic love scenes are explicit, leave nothing to the imagination, and are high in volume per the overall word count. In addition, some E-rated titles might contain fantasy material that some readers find objectionable, such as bondage, submission, same sex encounters, forced seductions, and so forth. E-rated titles are the most graphic titles we carry; it is common, for instance, for an author to use words such as “fucking”, “cock”, “pussy”, and such within their work of literature.

  X-treme titles differ from E-rated titles only in plot premise and storyline execution. Unlike E-rated titles, stories designated with the letter X tend to contain controversial subject matter not for the faint of heart.

  Exposed

  Elizabeth Wright

  Trademark Acknowledgements

  The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of the following wordmarks mentioned in this work of fiction:

  Honda: American Honda Motor Co., Inc.

  Marriott: Marriott International, Inc.

  Mercedes-Benz: DaimlerChrysler AG.

  Prologue

  Sitting at a table in the corner, Nicky watched the woman at the hotel bar toy nonchalantly with her drink. It was difficult to tell if she was waiting for a special someone, or just anyone at all. She certainly looked dressed to be noticed. And judging by the attention she was getting, it was working. Her slender figure was draped in a slinky blue full-length gown. The slit that stopped just short of her hip had not gone unobserved by the half dozen or so male patrons scattered indiscriminately around the lounge area of the Marriott hotel’s poolside bar.

  The woman took a slow sip of her drink and passed a hand through her short, wavy blonde hair. She hooked one stiletto heel on the rung of her barstool and stretched her other leg teasingly in the general direction of the two businessmen in the corner booth. They continued in earnest conversation, though their eyes seemed to be drawn irresistibly across the room, as if by a magnetic force, to the siren perched on the stool.

  And then he entered the bar. His dark green eyes swept the lounge until they rested on the shapely blonde at the bar. He strode confidently in her direction, placing himself on the seat next to her. He whipped out a gold case from the inner breast pocket of his suit jacket, clicked it open, and removed a cigarette. His movements were quick and sure, almost arrogant in their precision. He placed the cigarette to his lips and lit it with the lighter he had taken out of his pants pocket.

  She didn’t acknowledge his presence, but continued sipping on her drink.

  “Buy you another round?”

  “That’s original,” she snickered derisively, without so much as offering a glance his way.

  After taking a long drag of his cigarette, he called out to the bartender, “Gin and tonic with a twist of lime.” He squinted for a second at the drink she held in her hand, then added, “and a Mai Tai.”

  “Impressive.” She looked up at him as though noticing his presence for the first time. “You certainly know your drinks.”

  “Well, I certainly know yours,” he returned.

  “Aren’t you being a little presumptuous?” She watched his eyes carefully.

  “Why? It is a Mai Tai, isn’t it?”

  “I mean buying me a drink.” She ran a manicured hand down the length of her gown. “What makes you think I’d want you to do that?”

  He smiled but said nothing.

  “I mean I’m not in the habit of accepting drinks from strangers,” she said as she reached for the drink the bartender had just deposited in front of her. “Especially from married men.” Her sherry-colored eyes lingered on the band wrapped around the ring finger of his left hand. Then she took a sip of the drink.

  The man ignored her comment and downed his drink. He threw some bills onto the bar and got up from his stool. His eyes barely graced hers as he turned to go. “Nice talking to you.”

  The woman went back to her drink.

  Nicky turned to her notepad and wrote a summary of what had just taken place. The woman was good—you’d never know she was intimate with the man who’d just gone upstairs to the room they shared once a week. Always the same room, which was lucky for her. The routine had allowed her to get a hidden video camera set up in time for their little rendezvous this week. James the bellboy had, as usual, been very accommodating. Ten Abraham Lincolns slipped discreetly into the palm of his hand secured his loyalty, and ensured that the camera remained a secret.

  Five minutes later, the woman left the bar, her drink only half finished.

  In a hurry, Nicky thought. A slow hurry…

  She waited five minutes herself before slipping out of the hotel to the rust-covered company van. Inside was an array of surveillance equipment, including a small screen that displayed the man in the hotel room waiting on the bed. Another cigarette dangled from his lips, one polished Italian leather oxford tapping impatiently on the plush carpet.

  Nicky adjusted the headset and sat down on the small stool in front of the screen. Before long, she heard the distinctive, rhythmic knock, obviously a secret knock they shared, and the man got up.

  He took off his tie, then unlocked the door, positioning himself behind it.

  The woman entered the room and looked around at the vacant suite. Then, from behind the door, the man suddenly emerged, slipping the tie over her eyes before she was able to catch a glimpse of him.

  The woman twisted against him and tried to turn to face him, but he forced her against the nearest wall. “Don’t you dare turn around,” he growled.

  She struggled, her body wriggling as he secured the tie at the back of her head with a knot. Then, holding her tight, with one arm around her waist, he proceeded to unzip his trousers.

  “Please don’t hurt me,” she cried. “I’ll give you money, jewelry…anything you want.”

  He sniggered. “Don’t do me any favors, lady. I’ll just take what I want.”

  Nicky switched to the second camera she had installed behind the TV. Now she could see the protrusion of his erection through his boxers.

  Slipping his hand up along the slit in her dress, he pulled the smooth material away to reveal a lacy black thong. He paused to admire her high, round buttocks, his gaze hungry and wild. Then he pushed his broad chest harder against her back and yanked down her panties. She gasped.

  “I’ll scream for help.” She was breathing heavily, her face half-turned toward him. Her cheeks were flushed, which only served to heighten her beauty.

  “Go ahead and try. See what I’ll do to you then.”

  The woman shrieked at his words an
d the warning they contained.

  Nicky frowned. She needed evidence that the woman was a willing participant in the affair, not a rape victim.

  Still behind the woman, the man held her captive with one hand while the other worked at parting her thighs. She caught his left arm and tried to reach for his right, but he was too quick for her. With a quick jerk he freed himself and grabbed her wrists instead, pinning them against the wall above her head. He was strong, the muscles of his arms straining through the sleeves of his white dress shirt. Strong and fit and sexy, his ample erection still straining to be released.

  With his left hand, he continued holding her wrists tightly over her head. He used his free hand to pull her dress down off her shoulder, taking her black lace bra with it. Her breasts fell free of their trappings and bobbed in the air, nipples erect.

  Immediately he reached greedily for her plump left breast. As he fondled her, he pushed his boxers and trousers down until they fell to the floor. Then he wedged his right knee between her thighs, keeping them open and ready for him. Slowing, he braced himself to enter her. His naked erection was impressive, a long, thick phallus.

  Nicky swallowed hard and turned her eyes toward the woman. Her body was heaving with desperate breaths as he fondled her breasts, as the head of his penis slowly slipped under her.

  When at last he thrust into her, the woman threw back her head and moaned with deep, unreserved pleasure.

  “You want me, don’t you?” he breathed hoarsely into her ear. When she said nothing, he withdrew and entered her again.

  “Yes,” she whimpered belatedly.

  Nicky breathed a sigh of relief. Nobody could possibly mistake this for a rape.

  She could see the firm contours of his buttocks and had to admit he was tempting material. No wonder the woman had fallen for him.

  The woman started to pant. She placed her left cheek flush against the wall, and, even blindfolded, it was clear from her expression that she was in the throes of ecstasy. Her red lips were parted, the corners of her mouth quivering upward—almost a smile. The fact that he was married didn’t seem to bother the woman. Judging from the amount of pleasure she was receiving, she probably felt he was worth sharing.

  Or perhaps she enjoyed that part of it too. The lure of forbidden fruit.

  Nicky felt her own body responding, wet heat gathering between her legs as she watched the man reach one hand around to fondle the woman from the front. He teased her clitoris while continuing to enter her from behind. Gradually, he slowed his pace and stroked her in an even rhythm, never seeming to tire.

  “Yes, baby, that’s it,” the woman said hoarsely.

  The man let go of the woman’s wrists and planted his hands firmly on her hips. He began thrusting faster as she tried to grip the smooth wallpaper, her long nails grasping in vain. Her groans grew louder, her breathing faster.

  “Oh baby, oh God!” she breathed. Then, suddenly, she let out a piercing scream that filled the headphones.

  Nicky replied with a scream of her own and tore the headphones off her ears. The woman’s cry of pleasure rang in Nicky’s ears, but her eyes were still glued to the screen.

  The man pulled the woman away from the wall and, remaining behind her, directed her toward the king-size bed. With his tie still covering her eyes, she groped as he pushed her onto the edge of the mattress. Her dress hung around her waist now, revealing two generous breasts, nipples perfectly erect. She made a move to escape while he tore off his own shirt and threw it aside.

  But he immediately grabbed her, stopping her from scurrying away. He picked her up as if she were light as a doll, forcing her to remain on all fours but bringing her to the edge of the bed. Then he stood behind her, his penis arrow-straight. “Are you ready for me?” he whispered just loud enough for Nicky to hear.

  The woman’s answer was a soft cry, and nod of her head.

  Holding onto her waist, his hands wrapped tightly around her, he pushed himself against her. His phallus entered her by itself, without any need for guidance. The man sighed deeply and started up at a fast rhythm, exerting more power and speed than ever.

  Sweat glistened over his skin, defining his sculpted biceps. His hands slipped away from her waist and skimmed over her hips to her buttocks, clamping them firmly. The woman braced herself against the mattress as the rhythm accelerated.

  Then the man’s entire body grew tight and hard. With one final thrust, he let out a savage moan from deep in his chest.

  Nicky breathed a heavy sigh, half-ashamed of the sexual response her body was making to the images she was witnessing. Her skin was on fire, and a pool of moisture lay trapped between her mound and her underwear.

  Ignoring her own need for release, she continued watching. She wanted to see if the couple was in love or if it was just sexual attraction that kept them coming together week after week. She was already betting which one it would be.

  For once, she lost the wager. With surprising tenderness after such a savage scene, the man untied the knot and removed the blindfold from the woman’s eyes. Then he pulled her into his arms and took her down with him onto the bed. She collapsed against his chest while he stroked her hair with the back of his hand. Gently, dreamily…

  Nicky removed the headset and switched off the equipment. Okay, so they appeared in love, but were they really? She already knew they wouldn’t spend the night together, after all, he had a wife to go home to. And if he did spend the night, then this piece of evidence was hardly necessary to prove to his wife that the man was having an affair.

  Ignoring her own physical need for release, Nicky drove back to her apartment. But there was something else she couldn’t ignore. She couldn’t shake an inexplicable but poignant sense of dismay rising within her. And by the time she pulled up to the front of her building, she knew her next assignment had to be different. She needed a break.

  There was one she’d had her eye on for quite a while, a job south of the border that required some in-depth investigation—something she could really sink her teeth into. Her boss had mentioned it to her a few weeks ago, and she’d quickly let him know she was interested.

  Yes, a little time away would lift her spirits. Hopefully, with the superb work she’d done on the present assignment, her boss would agree that she deserved some time in the sun. And a little adventure all her own.

  Chapter One

  “What?” Nicky shrieked, bringing the office chatter of computer keys and telephone conversations to an abrupt halt.

  Dammit. She’d forgotten to shut the door behind her before letting loose. And now it wasn’t just her boss staring her down—she could feel the eyes of her colleagues on her back. She let out an infuriated huff, adjusted the body-hugging dress over her sleek form, and crossed her arms in defense. A fine day this was turning out to be.

  “You heard me, Nick,” Smith answered firmly, ignoring the faces straining to peer into his office. Howard Smith was a gruff, fifty-something private investigator who, after years of snooping into people’s personal lives, no longer cared what others thought. “I said you’re not going to Mexico. That story’s already being covered.”

  Nicky resolutely marched over to the door, leaning against the knob until it closed. Smith certainly looked earnest, glaring at her with his sharp gray-blue eyes, a cigar dangling from his bottom lip. “But, you said—”

  “Doesn’t matter what I said. You’ve had more than your share of foreign assignments over the past year. Of course, you’re doing one hell of a job…”

  “My point exactly,” she snapped, stepping towards him. “Which is why I deserve this case. Oh, come on, Smithy. Please!” She tossed back her long red waves over her shoulders so he could see her pleading green eyes. Normally she didn’t resort to begging, but this was getting critical. She could lose the one assignment she felt she needed—trailing around a handsome young movie star that was having an intense sexual relationship with the daughter of a dangerous Latino mobster.

  “Sorry,
Nick.”

  She kept on staring at him until at last he was forced to take the cigar from his mouth, making his words unmistakably clear.

  “I told you, N-O, no!”

  Nicky threw up her hands and spun around to the window. “I only wanted that assignment because it sounds like there might be some real investigation work involved,” she said sulkily, staring out at the downtown Boston cityscape. Just below, a man was watering masses of bright pink petunias spilling over the edges of large terracotta pots, punctuating the dry sidewalk with infusions of color. “I need to get more experience, Smithy.”

  “Yeah, I know,” he groaned. “You still have your heart set on photojournalism. But how many times have I told you? The kind of work we do here is better than any newspaper. It’s less gore and more sparks.”

  She turned around to see Smith wink at her as he shoved the cigar back into his mouth.

  “The only sparks I ever see in this business are between spouses who cheat on each other. And I have to catch them at it,” she complained, rubbing her forehead.

  Smith frowned at her. “That’s reality, Nick. You should know the stats by now, nearly half of all marriages end in divorce. And those divorces would happen whether our little company helped them along or not. Anyway, your next assignment is different. In fact, I’m sure you’re going to enjoy it.”

  “Go ahead then. Try to convince me,” she replied, knowing she’d already lost the battle.

  Smith smiled long and slowly, as if he were enjoying his own private joke. “You’d better sit down first.” He waited until she was safely seated before continuing. “It’s one of those rich, high-society types,” he began slowly.

  “A man, no doubt.”

  Smith shook his head. “No, it’s a woman.”