Chapter Eleven
Derek took Ginger’s shawl and handed it to the coat-check attendant, grimacing when the black dress revealed itself once more. It was going to be one bitch of a long night.
The black, silky material displayed every curve and nuance of her body to perfection, exposing just the right amount of cleavage to keep a man watching and begging for her to lean forward a little too far. Her skin glowed against the dark material of the dress, making his hands itch to touch.
How could he have been so close earlier and not tasted her?
An irritated sound drew his attention back to Ginger’s stunning face to reveal those plump lips pressed together in displeasure. “I don’t care if I’m wearing four-inch heels, I will walk home if you’re determined to frown at me all night, Derek.”
God, she’d just had to remind him of the damn shoes. Each of her legs looked a mile long in them. He wanted to rip off the dress and wrap those legs around his waist.
He needed to get a hold of himself. The fact that she’d still agreed to come with him tonight after his earlier behavior blew his mind. He’d spanked her. Hard. Something he’d wanted to do since that night on the roof, but never dreamed he’d act on. In every one of his fantasies about Ginger, permission was never required, but this hadn’t been a fantasy and he’d acted on impulse. Seeing her walk out in that dress nearly brought him to his knees, but her lack of panties had pushed him hurtling over the edge.
For as long as Derek lived, he would never forget the vision of Ginger bent over his kitchen counter to receive her spanking. She’d been the perfect combination of defiant and vulnerable. He could still hear the slap of his hand against her bare flesh ringing in his head.
Every day, the need within him grew greater, more painful. His actions tonight proved just how little restraint he had left. The fact that she didn’t reprimand him for his actions, and in fact enjoyed if not craved his ministrations, only made him want to push her further.
Even now, as the young coat-check attendant’s eyes roamed over Ginger, Derek had to resist the compulsion to haul her over his shoulder and take her home.
Which certainly wouldn’t earn him any points with the woman in question.
Get your shit together, Tyler.
He composed his features and offered Ginger his arm. “Come on. Let’s see if we can hunt you up some of that cheap red wine you’re so fond of.”
“Oh no, Lieutenant. Tonight I’m drinking the good stuff.”
Derek led Ginger through the gilded double doors leading into the banquet hall, and immediately spotted a group of homicide detectives from his station. Wanting to avoid that mess for as long as possible, he steered Ginger in the opposite direction, toward the bar, where he ordered her a glass of wine and a whiskey for himself. Since he’d be driving, he’d only allow himself the one drink. If he was spending the evening with Ginger, he’d damn well need it.
Soft music drifted through the room. Big band combined with the healthy dose of Sinatra required at all political events. One end of the room held a candlelit dining area with thirty-odd tables, a stage, and a podium located toward the front. A currently half-empty dance floor took up the other half of the room. Uniformed servers in black and white rushed through the packed cocktail and dining area offering champagne flutes and hors d’oeuvres to guests.
Derek spotted the mayor and several prominent councilmen rubbing elbows with local law enforcement and shook his head, wondering how many of them were on one another’s payroll. Since making lieutenant two years ago, he’d been approached several times and propositioned about dropping charges for a friend of a friend, or looking the other way when the governor’s son was present at the scene of a crime, but Derek refused to compromise himself to retain his position. Small favors often turned into full-time obligations, and he had no ambitions of being a political lackey.
He looked down at Ginger, who sipped her wine and observed the room through wide eyes. It felt wrong, bringing her to this place where criminals posed as saviors to the city. Although she’d undoubtedly come across her share of unsavory characters in her past, here they posed as something else entirely. Once again, Derek tamped down the need to whisk her home, away from this place. Where he could have her to himself.
“We don’t have to stay all night, you know. An hour should do it.”
Ginger looked surprised, her wineglass pausing halfway to her lips. “We just got here.”
Her expression turned unsure, as if worried she might be the reason he wanted to leave. He hurried to clarify. “These events are exhausting. Too much grinning and bullshitting.”
Her face spread into a slow smile. “Well, you’re in luck, sweetheart. I grin and bullshit for a living.”
Derek sipped his whiskey. “These aren’t the type of men who frequent Sensation.”
“Maybe not now, but they all were at one time or another.” Something over his shoulder caught her attention. “And I’m fairly certain this group of gentlemen headed our way came to see me in Sensation just this week.”
Inwardly wincing, Derek turned to see Barker, Alvarez, and two other detectives heading in their direction. Taking a step closer to Ginger, he nodded in acknowledgment.
“Lieutenant Tyler,” Alvarez greeted him, raising an approving eyebrow at Ginger. Alvarez had been a detective long before Derek joined the force and tended to get away with more than the other men due to seniority. There’d been a few months of tension when the higher-ups passed him over for the lieutenant position in favor of Derek, but it eventually passed and Derek considered him his best detective.
“Alvarez.”
He leaned past Derek to address Ginger. “I don’t think we’ve formally met, but I recall you make one hell of a vodka gimlet.”
She flashed him a blinding smile. “I’m Ginger. Next time, I’ll make you one of my famous mojitos if you promise not to scare off the rest of my customers.”
The other three men looked uncomfortably at Derek, but Alvarez just laughed. “Just following up on a hot tip that Sensation is where all the cool kids hang out. Besides, I can’t help how someone interprets my looks.”
“That sounds like typical cop logic.”
Alvarez tried to get around Derek to continue his conversation with Ginger, but stopped when he saw his lieutenant’s expression. “And I’m interpreting the boss’s look to say back off.”
If Derek didn’t know for a fact that Alvarez was happily married with two children, he would have passed on the message sooner. However, he didn’t know the marital status of the other three men, nor did he care. Ginger belonged to him.
She nudged him with her elbow, a subtle reminder of her earlier threat to walk home. “Mr. Alvarez, maybe you can tell me what this event is being held for. Derek hasn’t had time to tell me yet.”
Alvarez sent Derek a look of censure, which he ignored. Pulling Barker forward, Alvarez explained. “This gentleman who hasn’t said two words since we came over here, and I can’t imagine why, is Councilman Barker’s nephew. We’re all here on his uncle’s dime. Normally, Lieutenant Tyler is the only one required to play dress-up and kiss politician ass. Thanks to Barker, we all have to pucker up tonight.”
Ginger laughed, reaching forward to shake Barker’s hand. Derek gave a mental eye roll when Barker’s eyes practically glazed over at the contact. “And tonight’s cause, Mr. Barker?”
The rookie puffed up a little. “My uncle is leading a committee to organize after-school programs in the city’s worst neighborhoods. To help keep local kids from joining gangs and get into sports or academic pursuits instead.”
“Damn, Barker. Did you rehearse that in the mirror?” Alvarez joked, signaling the bartender.
Barker flushed. “Anyway, you’ll hear more about it at dinner, Ginger.”
She smiled broadly at him. “I look forward to it.”
Derek had seen quite enough of Ginger smiling at other men for one evening. He couldn’t recall her ever smiling at him like that. Sliding an arm around her bare shoulders, he excused them and led her toward their assigned seats. Already seated at the round, ten-person table was Patty, the dispatch operator responsible for his bringing Ginger in the first place. Also waiting for dinner to start was Kenny, his ex-partner, and Lisa, Derek’s ex-girlfriend, still an item apparently. Thankfully, they were across the table, blocked by an obscenely large centerpiece, saving him from having to make introductions.
Patty, however, stood to greet him with a kiss on the cheek. “Derek, you brought a date!”
Wanting to roll his eyes at Patty’s false shock, Derek placed a hand on Ginger’s back and guided her forward. “Ginger, this is Patty. She works dispatch and is unfortunately leaving us soon to terrorize her husband full-time.”
The older woman laughed in delight, and Derek couldn’t help but grin in response. Despite being her favorite target for practical jokes, he liked Patty quite a lot and would be sad to see her go.
“Oh, Lieutenant. You know you’re going to miss me like hell.”
“I think I might, Patty.”
Trying to hide her pleasure over his words, she turned to Ginger with a sly smile. “And how do you know this a*shole, honey?”
Ginger nearly choked on her wine. “Oh, um, Derek and I are roommates.”
Her eyebrows shot up. “Roommates? Aren’t you a little old for a roommate, Derek?”
Ginger answered before he could. “It’s only temporary, actually. My apartment across the hall, where I live with my sister, flooded last night. Derek insisted we take his spare room. He was very heroic, actually.”
Patty snorted. “I’m sure it’s been a real hardship for him. But since you’re only roommates, maybe I can set Ginger up with my single nephew. He lives right here in Chicago.”
“I take it back, Patty,” Derek grumbled. “You can retire with my blessing.”
A man in a tuxedo approached the microphone and asked for the guests to take their seats. Derek held the chair next to Patty out for Ginger, then took the seat on the opposite side. Alvarez and a few other detectives joined them a minute later.
Dinner went smoothly, Ginger and Patty chatting happily while his and Alvarez’s discussion inevitably turned to work. His informant continued to balk about Modesto’s whereabouts, but Alvarez thought he’d found some leverage he could use.
His eyes continually met Ginger’s even though they didn’t speak during the meal. She’d quickly earned Patty’s admiration, and by the time dessert was brought out, Ginger had been inundated with pictures and stories about the woman’s grandson, which she smiled and cooed over dutifully. Derek marveled over how well she fit in among his peers. He usually found himself checking his watch obsessively during these functions, but watching Ginger giggle charmingly and sip wine made time move too quickly. He hadn’t expected tonight to feel so natural, even if he’d been forced to glare at a few passing suits ogling his date during the second course.
“Damn, Lieutenant. Do I have to put on a black dress and heels to keep your attention tonight?”
Derek dragged his eyes away from Ginger and turned back to Alvarez with a smirk. “I don’t think it comes in your size.”
“Ouch. I can’t help that I got a woman at home who can cook.”
“I hope you leave enough for the kids to eat.”
“Oh, he’s got jokes, does he? This girl is good for you, Lieutenant. I knew you had a sense of humor in there somewhere.”
The tuxedoed man approached the microphone once more, calling for the room’s attention. Conversation slowly came to a halt around them. “Ladies and gentlemen, I have the honor of bringing Councilman Barker to the stage. His charity, Chicago Takes the Lead, is the reason we are all here this evening. So without further ado, please welcome Councilman Leon Barker.”
As the audience clapped politely, the councilman, a distinguished-looking man in his early fifties, took the stage. A spotlight found him as he approached the podium, highlighting the silver streaks in his black hair. He surveyed the room winningly, like a man used to making speeches, and smiled his thanks for their applause. “Thank you for coming. I hope you’ll all remember how great that prime rib was come election time.”
The politicians laughed in response. “As you are aware, we began Chicago Takes the Lead thirteen years ago and have implemented several after-school programs throughout the inner city of Chicago, mainly in the district I’m honored to represent. What makes Chicago Takes the Lead unique is our boys in blue. In addition to teachers and social workers, Chicago’s finest have been kind enough to volunteer their time to become mentors to our youth. We couldn’t do it without them.”
When the applause died down once more, he went on to describe the inner workings of the charity and its day-to-day operations. He didn’t mention the fact that many of the youths they mentored went on to take the police department entrance exam, making the charity a glorified recruiting operation targeting inner-city children. Not only did it assist Chicago in strengthening police ranks year by year, but it also facilitated the early establishment of relationships between politicians and the police force—both facets of the system that didn’t sit well with Derek, and a sentiment he’d been sure to share with the councilman whenever he received an invitation to speak at a Takes the Lead event.
The lights dimmed and a slide show began, showing snapshots of youths playing soccer alongside local law enforcement or painting over graffiti in downtown Chicago. A series of shots depicted a Thanksgiving meal, catered by the councilman’s office no doubt, being served in a school gymnasium.
Glancing over to gauge Ginger’s reaction, he started in his seat at tears welling in her eyes. All at once the reason for her distress became apparent. Jesus. How could he have brought her here?