Page 3 of Falling for Her

The potential consequences of my actions were swiftly cast aside as I lived in the moment. I thought it could just be once, just something I need to try. To get out of my system.

What defines cheating anyway? Illicit thoughts about her? Meeting up with her? Kissing her? Fucking her? Where is the line?

I went home with her.

Lyra.

In the elevator together, not knowing where to look. The mirrors and harsh lighting reflecting the intensity between us.

Her apartment was on the top floor of the Loxley building, a renovated old lace factory and it was contemporary minimalist beauty inside. I felt heady on lust and cocktails and the adrenaline buzz that came from living for now. She took my hand in hers and led me out onto her roof terrace, the cool night air fresh in my face, the lights of the city stretching far below us. She didn’t speak. I felt frozen like a deer in the headlights, waiting for the inevitable impact.

Without speaking she undressed me slowly and carefully. My top pulled over my head. I flinched

as her cool fingers touched my flesh as she unbuttoned my jeans and rolled them down and off. Then her arms around my body as she unhooked my bra. I quivered. I was exposed and so vulnerable to her. Then she removed the last of my underwear and I stood naked and afraid, the night air felt cold against my skin. So far out of my comfort zone, no idea what would happen next.

She guided me forward against the railings so I looked out across the city, the metal cold on my stomach and she pressed herself into my back. Taller than me. Stronger than me. Fully clothed against my nudity. She ran her hands over me, her every touch electric. Her fingers all over my body and inside. Making me feel things I had never imagined were possible. Emotion. Thrills. Passion. So much passion. Making me wonder why sex had never felt like this before. Her fingers brought me to the highest of highs and I rode a wave I never wanted to end.

I finally collapsed shaking and emotional into her strong arms and she took me to her bed. She undressed and I looked at her naked body in the moonlight. She is made to be looked at and I wondered if she knew the power her face and body gave her? She got in next to me and her heat and smooth skin against my own was intoxicating. Her scent immediately overpowering and seductive and we kissed. Arms and legs tangled. I wanted to bury myself in her, I couldn’t get enough. And I didn’t have to. We had hours. We lost ourselves in each other’s magic.

She got up to get us drinks and came back with my work phone.

“Your phone has been flashing. Maybe it is important?”

I was dazed from all the sex and the bright light of my screen was an unwelcome intrusion. But unfortunately detective life isn’t 9-5. The criminals work all hours.

‘New intel on Lorenzo. Bringing the dawn raid for 34 Highbury Road forward. Be at the station 5am for briefing.’ the text read.

I gazed in disbelief at the screen as Lyra got in next to me, pushed her face up next to mine and kissed my shoulder, running her hands down over my body sending shivers of desire through me.

“Your husband?” she asked, kissing my neck.

“No, it is work. I’ve got to be in at 5am for a raid.” I tried to focus on my iPhone screen.

4.34am

“Fuck. I’m going to be late. I have to go,” I started trying to sit up, trying to leave the warm cocoon of her. I finally managed to get up and went searching for my clothes dragging them on as I moved through her living room.

She walked out of the bedroom naked and exquisite.

“Jen,” she said, “I had a great evening. Hope work goes well.” She smiled. Still dazzling.

I felt dizzy with lust, but I smiled back, turned and left.

As I drove to the station I felt actually insane. What the fuck was I doing? I picked up my personal phone to find a text from Simon.

‘Love you darling, don’t work too hard, let’s catch up on The Apprentice if you get home in decent time tomorrow.’

I was an unfaithful, lying cheater and I deserved to feel this guilt. What was I doing? I had a husband who loved me and did nice things for me. I had told him a pack of lies about having to work last night. My marriage should be worth more than these cheap thrills. But it wasn’t. I’d never even considered myself interested in women. Not seriously. But I could still smell her perfume on me and I was dizzy with the thought of her.

5

Two hours later, it was only 7am, the lazy autumn sun was finally up and the raid on the Highbury Road house came up with absolutely nothing. I’d had zero sleep and the raid found nothing. No drugs. No cash. No sign of Daniel Lorenzo’s nefarious activities. All surfaces cleaned down so we couldn’t take prints and see who else had been there. They had been tipped off. They knew we were going to raid them. Unless Lorenzo had noticed us following him and guessed a raid was coming, the only explanation was that we had a mole on our team. I hate nothing more than lack of integrity and following the de-brief with the Detective Chief Inspector, I had a strong word with the Detective Constables beneath me. If there was a suspicion that one of our officers was working for Lorenzo, I would make it my job to find out who it was and make sure they paid for it.

I was scheduled to be on surveillance on Lorenzo for the afternoon and evening. It was Saturday. I have always hated surveillance shifts. People think they will be exciting, following criminals around seeing what they are up to, but the majority of the time they are so boring. Depending who you get partnered with, they can be bad or worse. Operation Phoenix was proving to be the most frustrating case I had been involved in. One step forward always seemed to be followed by two steps back. This gang were smart. They always seemed to be ahead of the game and Lorenzo always at the top of the tree keeping his hands scrupulously clean. He was bringing huge quantities of drugs into the city regularly but we couldn’t pin down who he had bringing it in for him and where they were storing them when they arrived.

I leant back against my desk and looked up at the investigation board we had going. Lorenzo and the centre of a spider web and all the men working for him linked up and spanning out from him. He had to be at the heart of everything. But which of these men was the main link? Which one of them was bringing drugs in and storing them?

It was so busy early on that I barely had a chance to think about what had happened the night before. I’d somehow blocked Lyra from my brain because I knew I needed to focus. I wanted a good result and was so frustrated at our failure on this case. Again. My colleague DC Alice Jackson was going to be my partner on surveillance this afternoon and I went over to her desk to brief her on our plan. I liked Alice, out of all of them. She was a diligent and dedicated detective. Young and still keen, before the years in the job have had chance to erode her. She reminded me of myself ten years ago.

---