Laurel could not believe she was here. She stood on the balcony of the penthouse suit at the Hotel Metropol in Monte Carlo, Monaco, overlooking the Mediterranean Sea on a cloudless night. The warm ocean breeze was making her golden hair undulate slowly. Staring at the stars as the ocean crashed on the white sand below, she reflected on her luck at being able to stand in this place at this time.
She was an investigator in the prosecutor's office working for Ike, the up and coming star at the office. Through her investigations Ike managed to win a case that some called the "Mother of all Murder cases" Then there was the invitation to speak at the INTERPOL conference, the international police agency, in Monte Carlo. Ike had insisted that Laurel accompany him, as it was her leg work that had gotten the evidence that he had used so effectively to gain a guilty verdict. The gala banquet in their honor was as luxurious and splendid as Laurel had always dreamed them to be.
Curling her fingers through the gold neckless she wore, Laurel closed her eyes and breathed the ocean breeze. She sensed him standing behind her. Turning slowly, she saw Ike staring at her. Ike, a former police officer, now outstanding prosecutor, was wearing a dark blue Savile Row suit with fire engine red power tie. His light brown hair was cut almost military style. He had just a hint of grey at the temples. Laurel noticed, for the first time she thought, his ice blue eyes. She felt a little quiver deep in her stomach. Maybe it was the champagne she had drunk or the atmosphere of Monte Carlo at night, but she felt a stirring in her that she had not felt in a while. She licked delicately at her cherry red lips.
"That was a good evening, wasn't it?" He said.
" It was absolutely splendid, thank you so much, Ike, for inviting me."
"It was the least I could do." Laurel noticed his jaws clench. Ike closed his eyes and inhaled deeply.
"Laurel, I think splendid better describes you right now. What is that scent you are wearing?"
"Its called 'Pink', I picked it up shopping today."
"Isn't that the expensive, new stuff.....what did that cost you, 200...250 a bottle?"
"Actually, I got it on sale for $220....I may be an investigator but I am still a woman."
Almost in a whisper, Ike said, "Yes...you are"
Laurel again felt weak in the knees and quickly turned around to face the ocean again. Unable to stop her self, she swept her hair to her left shoulder and tilted her chin down toward her breast. Oh my God, I can't believe I am doing this she thought.
Ike had moved up directly behind her....she had not heard him move. Ike had this way of moving that had grown from years on the police force. Moving silently, undetected and without a lot of unnecessary motion. Laurel knew he was behind her when she felt his goatee lightly brush her neck. He then softly began kissing her neck. She let out a soft sigh and thought to herself, "I'm going to make love to him tonight."
Laurel melted into him. His left hand grabbed her lightly around the throat, while he delicately traced his tongue up to her right ear. Laurel turned to face him; she placed her lips on his and began to hungrily kiss his mouth. Laurel felt his tongue press against hers....she moaned as he grabbed her hair and pulled her head back, exposing her throat.
Ike broke the kiss and began leaving butterfly kisses along her throat. Ike felt her tremble slightly and he moved his right hand to her left breast. The nipple came to attention immediately and Ike ran his finger tips over it. Suddenly Ike stopped his ministrations and stepped away. Laurel opened her eyes and instinctively crossed her arms over her breasts. She had a look of concern in her eyes.
"You know, this might become.... complicated" Ike said
"Yes, I know. But I want this.....Do you want this?" She asked
"Laurel, I have wanted to make love to you since the first time I saw you. You have been driving me crazy for six months now, but, I just want to make sure you are good with this happening."
She turned her head to the right, as though contemplating some happy memory. A thin smile appeared on her lips. "Its funny...I have wanted you for so long....I just did not think you were approachable. Now we are here, in this beautiful place, and we are concerned about something?" Laurel stepped away from the balcony and began to slide the strap of her black party dress from her left shoulder.
"Fuck all those people in the office." Laurel said
Ike threw off his suit coat and removed his tie, both landing in a pile inside the sliding glass door. Ike then stepped up to Laurel, and slid the other strap from her right shoulder. The dress slid to her ankles. Ike saw now that Laurel was wearing black silk stockings with a garter belt. A wry smile crossed his face. Laurel stepped from the fifteen hundred dollar dress now piled on the balcony, and then stepped from her black high heel pumps. Ike removed his shirt, exposing his chest, his pectorals prominent but not huge. He dropped his trousers and walked to Laurel.