Veronica was on her side, watching him sleep when he woke up. It was obvious he knew she was watching him. Years of some sort of training at work, she supposed.

"Morning," she whispered.

"Morning," he replied.

"I take it my bed is occupied?"

"Yes."

"I kind of figured when I went to bed that would be the case."

"You're not upset?"

She shrugged. "No."

"Good."

"Did you learn anything?"

"Not really." He exhaled and she could see the frustration in his eyes. "It shouldn't be that difficult. Someone is skimming and it's obvious by the books that's the case. A hundred dollars a night here or there. It's not a lot, not going to make or break the club."

"But that's not the point. If one can get away with it…"

"Exactly. Maybe it's time for you to try the girls night out routine since Paul netted me nothing while I work on coming up with a backup plan as to who will garner me the most information without realizing that's what they're doing."

She heard footsteps on the stairs and shook her head. It was late, after ten. She'd been kind of surprised she was the first one awake. Clarence was an early riser. Not today, though, so it seemed alcohol affected him. Good to know something did. She also couldn't help but notice that Clarence Wiedman was buff. Better than buff. He looked very nice without a shirt on.

Once she heard the footsteps headed in the direction of their room, she acted quickly.

"What are you…"

She slinked out of her sweats and tossed them into a ball on the floor in no time before moving to straddle him. She was still wearing her panties, but with the blanket drawn right, Paul wouldn't see them.

"Just completing the picture," she whispered. She took a deep breath and slid the tank top up and off, tossing it aside with the sweats. He'd seen her topless several times by now, but this was different. Evidently, by the feel of him growing hard under her, it was different to him, too.

She tried to stay still, but feeling him growing harder was just too tempting. Perhaps it was after effects of the whisky or she wasn't completely awake yet. Or maybe it was that she was realizing just how much harder he got.

It didn't matter and she didn't hear him complain when she gripped him through the slit in his boxers. Her eyes remained focused on his as she stroked him, glad to find he was as large as he'd seemed and it hadn't been her imagination. He touched her breast almost tentatively as if he wasn't sure what the rules were here. She wasn't either for that matter. She bit off a groan as he found a nipple with the pad of his thumb.

She slid the crotch of her panties aside and brought him to her slick entrance. She wasn't as wet as she could have been, but it was a start. She had just guided the head inside of her when the door was pushed open.

She gave a soft groan, having forgotten just what had brought her on top of Clarence practically naked to begin with. Couple that with the fact it was her own fault the door wasn't closed all the way. She'd gotten up earlier to use the bathroom and hadn't thought to do that.

Clarence opened his eyes about the time she froze, giving her a look that said it was a little late for second thoughts now. She supposed he was right. He was bigger than she thought, wider anyway, so wasn't easing in real quick.

"Sorry," he whispered, settling both hands at her hips and putting an end to the not real quick problem. In one deep and powerful thrust there he was, all the way inside of her. And that was the sight Paul witnessed.

"Hey, sorry, didn't hear anything. I'll, uh, just grab coffee," he stammered, backing up as he spoke.

"He likes you," Clarence whispered.

"Yeah, I got that last night, too."

"We cannot have that."

"Well, I think we just put any thoughts to rest about him having a chance."

"Why's that?"

"I've seen Paul's, um, equipment and let's just say it doesn't compare."

He chuckled, stifling it when she rotated her hips a little.

"You going to finish what you've started here or was it all for show?"

"Do you want me to finish?" she asked.

He pulled out of her long enough to move them so he was on top of her. "Your father will kill me," he said.

"You think he knows what I do on my own time?"

"I'm not marriage material."

"I don't think I am either. At least not yet," she said, scrunching her nose. "Too much to do with my life before that happens."

He slid back inside of her then, apparently satisfied with her answers. She was ready for him now and he went in much easier. She locked her legs around his, bringing herself higher and opening herself up to him. She gave a soft groan, gripping his forearms once he'd gotten all the way inside of her again.

"You're so…"

"Yeah," she said softly, knowing what he was going to say. She felt how tight he fit inside of her. It wasn't painful, at least not in a bad way. "Is that bad?"

He laughed then, deep and throaty. She wasn't sure what was funny about her question. "Bad? No."

They were quiet after that. He was a good lover. Despite there being nothing akin to love, or even friendship between them, he was good to her. Gentle even. And thorough. Very thorough.

She'd expected him to be quick about it, especially knowing that Paul was awake and in the other room. Quick apparently wasn't a word he knew anything about when it came to this, because he was anything but that.

Between his hands and his mouth, he'd brought her a couple of times before finishing inside of her. He didn't stop touching her then, though it changed from the type of touch intent on bringing her off to more of a curious, exploratory one.

"Why did you say sorry before?" she asked.

"Because I knew you weren't ready for me completely, but thought the Band-Aid approach was the best way to go about it."

"And you've seen the way Paul's looked at me?"

"That, too, and I promised your father to protect you."

She laughed then, sliding a hand over his shoulder to his back. "I'll be sure and tell him you take your promises very seriously."

"Yes, I'll be prepared for the retaliation." He said, covering his face with his arm. She wondered what he thought her father would do to him.

"Speaking of Paul…" he said.

"I suppose one of us should go see what he needed?"

"Probably a ride back to the club to get his car."

"Oh, he didn’t drive here?"

"No," he said simply.

"You planned on him staying here all along."

"I kind of figured he'd take the couch, but yeah. And I was kind of hoping you'd be able to go back to his place and see what was there."

"It wasn't some nefarious plot to have sex with me?"

"No," he said. "I admit the thought never occurred to me you'd be receptive. I had planned to talk to you about setting something up at the club like what just happened, but not for real."

"Well then."

"I can keep him busy for the morning if you want to take a look through his place."

"Sure," she said. "You have the address."

"I'll text it to you."

"Okay."

He gave her a quick kiss and moved from on top of her. "It's been sometime since I've had the pleasure of sex in the morning."

She turned onto her side, regarding him. "Oh?"

"I don't typically have someone with me in the morning to engage in it."

"Ah," she whispered.

She hadn't thought of that. She hadn't really given Clarence much thought to be honest. He was a bad guy, but she wasn't sure anymore he was a bad guy. Or just someone who got caught in a job that required them to have questionable morals. Or no morals. There was more to him than head security for Jake Kane's company.

"Don't you dare feel sorry for me. I don't regret how I've lived my life."

"All right," she said, not bothering to deny that was where her thoughts had been going. "I won't."

"Are you hungry?"

"Famished," she admitted.

"You didn't eat much of the pizza last night."

"You two didn't give me much of a chance."

"Sorry," he said."

"It's okay. It was kind of fun watching you be out of control for a change."

"Twice in twenty-four hours."

"Is that a record?"

"I'm pretty sure it is."

"Somehow I don't think you're teasing."

"Not so much," he said, getting out of bed and sliding a pair of pants on over his boxers. "I'll make sure he doesn't go back up to your room so you can get ready."

"Thanks," she said, following suit. Since the stairs were right by the bedroom, she just slid her tank top back on. She followed him out of the room, scurrying up the stairs before Paul could catch any more of a glimpse than he'd already gotten.

She tried to feel something - guilt? - while showering about having sex with Clarence and enjoying it. She wasn't a casual sex girl. She could count on one hand how many guys she'd had sex with, take away the thumb when she didn't count Cassidy (which she didn't). So, it wasn't something she just randomly did. She supposed that was where the guilt was coming from. It should mean something, be important to her. And she certainly shouldn't have enjoyed it with someone who until recently would have probably put a bullet into her before sticking parts of his body into her.

She gave a soft groan when she washed between her legs. She was still sensitive. And if she wanted to be honest, a little sore.

She dressed somewhat conservatively for Sin, needing to be covered up for some reason and made her way downstairs. She smelled breakfast. Pancakes if she wasn't mistaken. And eggs and…

"Oh God, it smells delicious," she said, stepping into the kitchen to see Clarence at the stove. She wasn't surprised he was the source of the good smells rather than Paul.

"Hey, Sin," Paul said, eyes taking her in. She was very glad she wore the extra clothes.

"Morning," she said, stopping at the cupboard for a glass before going to the fridge to get orange juice.

"Sorry about…"

"Don't worry about it. It happens, and I should have shut the door when I came back from the bathroom."

"I won't tell anyone."

"Tell anyone what? That you walked in on me and the boyfriend I live with having sex? I think people can put two and two together and assume we're already doing that without your help."

Clarence stifled a laugh, only because she was close to him did she hear it.

"Anyway," she said. "I've got some things to do today."

Paul scoffed. "An appointment with your plastic surgeon?"

"Uh no," Veronica said with a frown. "My nails, one of my acrylic's came off yesterday," she said, holding up the finger to show off the offending nail. "Anyway, I'll call you later if I'm taking too long."

"You're not going to eat?"

"Nah," she said. "You two enjoy it. You need it more than I do anyway." She gave him a kiss, grabbing onto his arms to deepen it just a little. "Bye, honey," she said.

"Bye."

"See ya, Paul," she said, grabbing her purse from the hook the strap was hung over.

"Bye, Sin, see ya tonight."

"I'll be there."

Icon used for background courtesy of:
tough_c0okie

Story ©Susan Falk/APCKRFAN/PhantomRoses.com