Page 14 of Sticks and Stones (FBI Romance/Thriller #65)

Washington D.C.

The Leonard Residence

Saturday

Mid-Morning

W hat Elizabeth really liked was Saturdays not working where she could lounge around and enjoy the day off from chasing killers. For her, that was like a little reward for all of the hard work.

Honestly, time off combined with Saturdays were few and far between in her world, but once in a while, she got damn lucky to have a weekend off.

And when she got lucky, that meant one important thing.

Chris got lucky too.

Since he’d snuck away that morning to take care of some of his other business, his literal businesses, she knew where she’d find him.

At that very moment, she’d bet he was in his office, toiling away at work like a diligent CEO.

Someone was working hard, so she was going to do something romantic.

For.

A.

Change.

Chris was always doing nice things for her, and it was about time she shared in the work.

Since coming back from their Christmas break in Tahiti, they’d been working back-to-back cases. They were grinding them out as they took on the world.

Elizabeth was proving that she was climbing the ladder the hard way—by earning it, and he was doing the same by writing countless papers to be published.

There were symposiums, and conferences that he attended, getting speaking gigs to progress his career in forensics.

All the while, holding up the forensic unit for the FBI. Yeah, Doctor Christopher Leonard was making a name for himself.

And Elizabeth couldn’t be prouder.

That was for damn sure.

Now, she wanted to do something special for him, so she was going to surprise her man.

Getting changed, she put on a dress that she knew made his mouth water. Once it was on, Elizabeth looked innocent and sweet in it, and that was one of the things that always got his juices flowing.

Then, she snuck downstairs and rooted around in their kitchen for some treats.

Tasty ones other than herself.

She fed Babylon, let him out so he could have a bathroom break as he ran around in the snow, and then made sure he had a chewy to work on to keep him busy when she let him back inside to rest.

When the daily chores were done, she packed a picnic basket with the goodies she’d snagged.

This should surprise him.

It had been a while since they had one, and she knew she wouldn’t be able to keep him from his other duties for long.

If she was lucky, they’d have a quickie, and make some memories.

Today, Sam and Charlie were having a day to themselves, seeing some sights in DC. That was code for ‘we need some privacy because you two are up in our secret business’ . They were likely seeing each other naked.

In a bedroom.

Elizabeth was no fool.

When they took time away, she and Chris got some too. With Tony working on papers of his own, and likely recouping from some debauchery he procured last night with some tawdry one-night stand, they were on their own.

Yeah, she loved a Saturday off from work.

When the basket was packed, she headed back upstairs, a blanket on her arm, and dirty intentions in mind.

Sue her.

She liked her ME.

A LOT.

At his office door, she didn’t even knock. Instead, she walked right in, catching him off guard as he was taking a call. It was a video call, and he was a captive audience.

He was facing the laptop, and that meant whoever he was talking to couldn’t see her.

As he tracked her around the room, Elizabeth got down to business.

Laying the blanket down, she knew he was invested as to what she was doing, all while he talked to his secretary in California.

“Yes, I’ll have everything signed and back to you,” Chris said, checking out his woman in the pretty blue dress and bare feet.

He could see the red painted toes, and the fingers that matched. What really intrigued him was that she had a picnic basket.

When she bent over, he got a nice view down the top of the dress, and someone had opted to skip a bra under the innocent-looking outfit.

The contrast was wicked and wild.

And he loved it.

There was no doubt in his mind that this was intentional and to tease him.

Well, he had news for her.

Bring.

It.

On.

“Yes, fax everything over, and I’ll upload it for you,” he stated. “I’m going offline for a little while. Something came up.”

Yeah, his erection.

When his secretary was surprised that he was signing off already, she asked why.

“I thought you wanted to get through some business things,” she said.

Chris knew he scheduled this time for Leonard Industries, but honestly…

Elizabeth had packed them a picnic lunch, and there was no way in hell he was picking paperwork over her—especially while she was undergarment-less.

PASS.

Someone was in the mood for some attention, and a happy wife was a damn happy life.

Chris clued her in.

“I’m aware, but my wife just came in and she needs my attention,” he said.

From where she was, Elizabeth grinned at him, and undid the top button on the dress she was wearing.

It showed off creamy swells of breast, and that was what was on the agenda now.

It was time to pivot.

Work could wait.

Wife could not.

At his explanation, his secretary laughed. She’d met her boss’ wife not that long ago, and she got it. Christopher Leonard was infatuated.

“Tell Mrs. Leonard I send my regards, and buzz me when you’re done with her.”

Oh, Chris knew exactly what he was going to be doing with his wife.

He’d been up since before dawn, getting a paper done for publication in a journal. It was on a new technique he’d perfected.

Then, he was signing paperwork and taking care of other issues with the company headquarters on the West Coast. They were now open, and duty called.

The other person responsible was MIA.

Janet, his mother, was off with boy-toy husband number whatever, so she wasn’t carrying her part of the weight.

Honestly, Chris didn’t mind.

It didn’t bother him to do this solo. He enjoyed making sure that the companies stayed afloat.

They were his family’s security net down the road if he and Elizabeth ever decided on children.

Or they retired.

“Thank you,” he said, hanging up. Then, his wife had his full attention. “To what do I owe this?” he asked, as she headed his way.

When he pushed back in his chair, so she would have room to sit in his lap, she took the offering and ran with it.

Immediately, Chris wrapped his arms around her waist and was assaulted with the scent of his deliciously wicked woman.

She smelled like spicy cookies, and that made him hungry.

Elizabeth was honest.

“Well, someone was out of bed early, and from the half-consumed yogurt and cold cup of coffee sitting on your desk, I deduced that you skipped breakfast. There’s not a bran flake to be found.”

He was amused.

Apparently, he was predictable.

“Oh, look. My investigator wife is profiling my behavior on her day off. Should I be worried?” he asked, his dick now awake since she was perched on it in his lap.

She ran her fingers down his cheek, enjoying the scruff. Someone hadn’t shaved, and that was a rarity. Normally, it was his routine.

Shower.

Shave.

Work.

In that order.

Well, she’d take advantage of that too.

“Hardly. Unless you’re doing felonious things, Mr. Leonard, consider this as your wife misses you. I thought we’d have a picnic,” she said, as his hands wandered into her hair, and he pulled her mouth closer to his.

“Oh, well, there’s something else I’d love to dine on, Bethe, and it’s not food.”

When their lips touched that customary heat erupted. There was no doubt in her mind that he was the only man in her world that could ever get her panties this wet.

If she was wearing them.

Now, she was not.

As per usual, the kiss was nuclear, and Elizabeth let him lead, taking a break from being in charge. After back-to-back cases, it was nice to just be…Bethe.

She didn’t want to think.

What she wanted was to feel.

After walking through bowels and blood for days, it was nice to come home, sit in her man’s lap, and play wife for a change.

She’d even put her rings back on because she knew it made Chris crazy to see them on her finger.

At work, she had to play investigator, but at home, in their new brownstone, all she had to do was be herself.

And she was his woman.

First.

And.

Foremost.

As Chris slowly broke the kiss, his body sung with need, and his erection told the tale. His woman always made his body react, and it always would.

Thank God for that.

“Mmmmm, Christopher,” she said, opening her icy-blue eyes and staring into his baby blue ones.

He grinned.

“I would love to spend some time with you having an office picnic,” he admitted. “When spring gets here, we’ll enjoy the cherry blossoms at the Mall.”

That sounded perfect.

Only, she needed to know.

“Can you spare the time? I know you’re working, and I don’t want to bother you.”

That amused him.

“Sweetness, if I ever pick signing paperwork over sneaking glimpses of your truly spectacular breasts, know that something is seriously wrong and get me medical intervention,” he said.

That made her laugh.

“Duly noted, Doctor,” she said. “Speaking of which, is this your paper?” she asked, picking up the binder that had the neatly printed out article for the forensic medical journal.

“It is,” he said, kissing her neck, and enjoying how her bottom was over his erection.

God.

He loved his life. Had someone told him that one day, he’d have a drop-dead gorgeous woman, a big fluffy German Shepherd, and a perpetual erection that always got his woman’s attention, he would have called bullshit.

But here he was.

Reaping the rewards of just that.

Work was brutal, but coming home and being a couple was a priority that they’d made to keep their relationship happy and fulfilled.

And it was working.

Work stayed at work, and at home, Chris got to spread his wings and be the man. At work, she ran the show, but at home…

She was his.

Checking out his paper, she flipped the cover open, and saw his name.

Well, holy shit.

There were some letters after his name. Why the hell didn’t she know that before?