On the set of her first film, a fire had started in her to try for something better than what her father and his friends had used her for. No matter what it took, Dallas didn’t want to spend the rest of her life on her back letting others take what they wanted whether she wanted to give it to them or not. Dallas and Kristen Montgomery were born that day, and they started running from a past that Bob could reveal with one phone call. He was a fellow Tennessean and had started his porn-film career as a cameraman who often bragged he could do wonders for your career if you would spend some time alone with him “rehearsing” for the next shoot.
Dallas put the morose memories back in their cage for the night and set her mind to what came next. After drying her hair and putting on a little makeup, she slipped into a different dress from the one lying on the bed. “God, I wish they’d make these things so that every so often you could actually put on underwear.” Dallas checked the fit in the closet-door mirror, finding it satisfactory. She slipped on a pair of black pumps, and with one last glance in the mirror she was ready to face the evening.
*
“You’re early,” Shelby Philips said, making her remark sound like an accusation.
“From where I’m standing I’d have to say I’m late,” Muriel said.
“How do you figure?”
“Two minutes earlier and I would’ve caught you in the shower. The robe and wet hair mean I’m late.” She took a step back and nodded in the direction of the car. “I can come back if you want.”
“That doesn’t sound like the cocky Muriel Casey I know. Running away doesn’t suit you.”
“True, but I’ve never dated a girl who carries handcuffs as part of her job description,” Muriel said, taking another step back. The space gave her the opportunity to really admire Shelby.
“Just my luck.” The door creaked as Shelby leaned against it. “I finally decide to take a walk on the dark side and date the bad girl, and she turns out to be a Girl Scout.”
Muriel surged forward and grabbed Shelby by the waist, lifted her off her feet, and slammed the door closed with her hip. She made Shelby stop laughing by kissing her with so much passion that she moaned and pulled Muriel’s hair. “Girl Scout, huh?”
“Let’s say you’re making a good comeback.”
“Are you encouraging me to be bad?” She laughed when Shelby bit down on her neck. “I’ll take that as a yes.” Their next kiss was slower, and Muriel walked to the sofa and sat down with Shelby still in her arms. “This is going to look bad on your performance review at work.”
“My fallback is that you aren’t a criminal. You aren’t, are you?”
“Like you said before, I’m a regular Girl Scout.”
“Uh-huh.” Shelby caught Muriel’s hand inside her robe. “I don’t think there’s a badge for this.”
“Sure there is. You weren’t looking in the right manuals. A little more research and you’d have found all the interesting badge requirements.” Muriel moved her hand up and cupped Shelby’s right breast.
“I think you just found something interesting.”
“Nah, just checking for bugs,” Muriel teased as she moved her other hand under the robe so Shelby’s left breast wouldn’t feel neglected. “Is that a pair of listening devices or are you just happy to see me?” Muriel asked as she pinched Shelby’s nipples.
“If you don’t stop trying to be funny, I’m going to make you drive around the block until it’s time to go.” Shelby put her knees on the sofa and pulled herself up until she could strip the robe off. “Want to prove to me that you missed me, since I haven’t seen you in days.”
“I did miss you, but it feels like you’re never very far away,” Muriel said, referring to the constant surveillance.
“No business, not now.” Shelby pulled Muriel’s bow tie off and worked her way down the studs of her pleated shirt until she reached the cummerbund. “Right now it’s just you and me.” She threw the long piece of silk behind her and unfastened the pants. “Take your own advice.”
When Shelby pinched her clitoris between her fingers and tugged, Muriel let out a stream of air. “What…ah.” Shelby tugged again. “What advice?”
“For a little while let’s forget the three letters that represent my job, and let’s forget your last name. All I want to think about is you lying over me making love to me.”
Muriel’s pants pooled around her ankles when she stood up, and she laughed when Shelby took the time to fold them over a chair before leading her to the bedroom. Coots, Shelby’s cat, stretched before jumping off the bed and pranced down the hall after weaving through Muriel’s legs.
“Did you really miss me?” Shelby asked.
“I did,” Muriel said, letting Shelby take the lead for the moment and lying on her back so Shelby could sit on her. Shelby was so turned on, Muriel felt her stomach getting wet. “How about you?”
“Can’t you tell?”
“I’d rather you showed me,” Muriel said.
Shelby never lost eye contact as she positioned herself, then reached down and spread herself open. She brought her hand up and offered Muriel her wet fingers before reaching down again and repeating the action with Muriel. She started slowly pumping her hips, and Muriel jerked whenever Shelby’s hard clitoris passed over hers.
She was squeezing Shelby’s ass so hard she was sure she would leave fingerprints when they were done, but she wanted to hold out and let Shelby set their pace.
“Now, baby, give me what I want,” Shelby said.
Muriel rolled her over and lifted herself up a little so she could move her hips more freely. When she felt Shelby’s nails dig into her shoulders, she pumped harder and watched her breasts bounce from the force of her thrusts. All the stimulation brought her to the brink where she couldn’t stop, but Shelby begged for more.
The headboard was starting to thump against the wall, and Shelby spread her legs farther apart in encouragement. Somewhere in the house a cell phone started ringing but went unanswered as Muriel felt her orgasm wash through her. She held on long enough to feel Shelby meet her thrust for thrust before she arched her back and said her name. Once she heard it, Muriel slumped down, pinning Shelby to the bed with the length of her body.
“My boss warned me about you today,” Shelby said, the tips of her fingers skimming over Muriel’s skin from her neck to her butt in a way that soothed rather than excited.
“Funny, my cousin warned me about you too.” Muriel rolled off so they could change positions. “What’d you tell the esteemed Agent Annabel?”
“The woman is an accomplished and decorated agent, but why is it every time you say her name you make her sound like a hick?” In their new position Shelby found new territory to trace and moved to Muriel’s forehead.
“The name Annabel opens you up to a certain amount of witty sarcasm, unless you’re the mascot for a milk company. Then it’s perfectly acceptable.” Muriel had to move quickly to capture Shelby’s hands when she reached down and pinched her.
“Behave and answer my question.”
“I told her what I’m sure you told Cain—we’re just friends.”
“You mean you didn’t say friends with benefits?” Muriel joked, then hissed when Shelby pinched her with a lot more force. “You’re going to bruise me.”
“I’m going to beat the crap out of you if you’re paying out benefits to anyone else.”
Muriel laughed and rolled over again so she could kiss her. “As if,” she said when their lips parted. “I’m sleeping with an FBI agent who follows me around all day. Pretty stupid of me to break the rules, don’t you think?”
“You’re a Casey, honey. You’re programmed to break the rules.”
“Touché, but being a Casey means I’m as loyal as they come.”
Shelby reached up and ran her fingers through her hair. “That’s the only reason you got into my skirt. My problem now is that I happen to really like having you there.”