Read Witches of Three: Charlene for Free Online Page A

He was gone, and her life seemed colorless without him. What had she gotten herself into? She’d never be a fully realized woman without Nick at her side. Life had been so simple before, now it seemed enormously complicated. She could go back in time, she reminded herself and knew she wouldn’t. She couldn’t give up knowing Nick, of having him make love to her, of finding what the future held with him, or without him, but she refused to think about that now.

 
    Chapter Four
     
     
     
    She was late getting to the station, something she’d never done before. She’d always striven to be perfect—now she frowned at her lapse. She hoped Nick didn’t think she was taking advantage of what had happened between them. That brought her to the image of the two of them wrapped in each other’s arms and all the sensations that had awakened between. Her cheeks grew hot, and she looked around guiltily to see if anyone had noticed. Of course, Ralph Latimer was watching her. She forced herself to meet his gaze and hold it until he looked away first.
    “I think the lady got laid last night,” he said loudly. “She’s looking kind of peaked this morning.”
    The men around him laughed. She knew it was part of the banter between them all, and the fact that they were no longer walking around her as if on egg shells signified an acceptance unqualified by sexism that was gratifying if a little disturbing.
    “So who’s your new love interest, Spencer?” Ray Somnes, Ralph’s partner, called. His dark gaze raked over her figure, then veered away. She knew, like Ralph, Ray had an interest in fucking her, but unlike his partner, he didn’t press it.
    “You wouldn’t know him,” she answered in the same kidding tone Ray had used. “He’s a gentleman.”
    “Ohhh, Ray, she thinks you’re not a gentleman,” one of the other guys called.
    “Charlie’s right,” another officer commented. “I wouldn’t let my sister date either you or Ralph. You’re too lowdown for her.”
    “We know how to please a lady just fine,” Ralph answered, but somehow his words didn’t carry the same good-natured tease of the other guys. To emphasize his meaning, he grabbed his crotch and pumped it a couple of times with his hand. The laughter died away as the guys glanced at Charlie to see how she was taking the rough by-play.
    “So you say,” she said so all could hear her. “What do the ladies say about that?”
    “Just come on, baby. I’ll show you,” Ralph snarled, grabbing his crotch again and advancing.
    Nick entered the squad room and looked around. Ralph backed off, and the noisy teasing died away.
    “Morning, everyone,” Nick said, nodding at them all.
    His gaze skipped right over Charlie without a pause. She might have been miffed, but she remembered all the things he’d done to her during the night. She knew his cries of passions and the feel of his body as he climaxed. She knew so many intimate things about Nick Hilliard that she hadn’t known before. She didn’t know she was smiling until Ralph leaned over and sneered at her.
    “Yeah, she got laid last night,” he said in a low voice so only she heard him. “And from the smirk on your face, I’d guess the captain did it.”
    Shock rippled through her, and she turned and stared at her tormentor. She could feel color washing over her cheeks. How best to deny his words without giving herself away?
    Don’t deny!
    “You have a brain the size of a pea,” she muttered back to him.
    His expression darkened, and his face grew red. His eyes glared at her balefully. She smiled at him sweetly. By that time, Nick had headed for his office, and she was glad not to have to confront him. She wasn’t sure she could pull this off. She was bound to give herself away every time she looked at Nick.
    Geronimo headed her way, a clutch of papers in his hand.
    “What have we got?” Charlie asked.
    “New drugs on the street,” he answered. “One of the narcs bought a hit from a dealer