Hot Property

Anna desperately tried to steady her breathing as she leant against the locked bathroom door and listened carefully. With a trembling hand, she continued to hold the mobile phone to her other ear as she listened to the soothing tones of the call handler. The lady on the other end of the line had actually done a very admirable job, for although Anna knew her body was still buzzing with adrenaline, she felt much calmer now than when she had first seen the intruder. Long gone was the noisy pulse in her eardrums, the lightheadedness and a general feeling of nausea. Now, Anna felt remarkably calm and ready for the next stage.

'I've just been informed that we are now on site,' explained those soothing tones in her ear. 'Are you still with me, Miss Henderson?'

'Yes...sorry...yes of course,' confirmed Anna.

'So, at any moment, you will hear a knock at the door. Don't be alarmed because that should be one of our police officers.'

'Thank you for your help. Genuinely. Thank you.'

'You're welcome. I'll remain on the line until I know you're in safe hands.'

Seconds later, Anna thought she heard movement at the exterior of the property, followed by a confident knock on the front door. Yet, even though she'd been expecting it, the sound still made her jump.

'This is the police,' called a deep, self-assured voice. 'My name is Detective Sergeant Conway. If you are able to open the door, please can you do so?'

Instantly, relief flooded through her. Anna's only concern now was whether the unexpected intruder she'd encountered some fifteen minutes earlier remained in the property, or had since fled. Once again, she listened carefully, anxious to pick up any signs of movement inside the flat, but there were none. Whoever the intruder had been, she could only hope that he'd done the sensible thing and made a run for it.

Steeling her nerves, Anna tucked the mobile phone under her ear and placed her hands on the door handle and lock.

'Are you still with me?' she asked the operator.

'I'm right here,' the voice confirmed. Anna took a deep breath.

'In that case, I'm going to unlock the bathroom door and attempt to let the police officer in.'

Swallowing hard, Anna took one final breath before very slowly twisting the lock. Then, making as little noise as physically possible, she pulled the door open, hoping the hinges weren't just about to emit a loud squeak and announce her presence to anybody who might be lying in wait. Peeking into the adjacent room, Anna noted nothing out of the ordinary. From her location, she had good visibility of the long hallway, at the end of which was her target; the front door, behind which the police were waiting. In all probability, the intruder had vacated. She just had to be brave now.

'I'm heading towards the front door,' Anna muttered as quietly as possible into her phone, as she took her first tentative steps out of the bathroom. Within seconds, Anna was marching with such indecent haste towards the front door that she was practically jogging. Continuously glancing left and right to survey the environment, she was singularly determined to reach her destination against all odds. En route, she grabbed a heavy, ornate candlestick from a nearby table to act as an impromptu weapon if required. In all honesty, it wasn't much of a weapon but it gave Anna a modicum of comfort.

It was with a significant sense of achievement that she finally reached the front door, aware of her breaths now flowing fast and shallow. The dangling chain vibrated against the door frame as her fingers fumbled with the Yale lock and she yanked open the door. To her immense relief, there on the threshold stood a tall, powerful man, holding out a warrant card. Anna wasn't in the best state of mind to take any of the information being displayed in. At first, the only thing she was aware of was that he had the most intensely blue eyes she had ever seen.

'Detective Sergeant Conway, Ma'am,' he announced calmly.

Anna nodded, her attention flicking between the man and his identification, quite overwhelmed by his sheer physical presence. The guy was gorgeous. Suddenly, the female voice in Anna's ear broke her dangerously wandering thoughts.

'Well done, Miss Henderson. It sounds as though you're in safe hands now, so I'll leave you to it.'

'Thank you once again,' said Anna, meaning every word, before also hanging up. That woman, not that she would probably ever know it, had kept her sane over the past quarter of an hour.

Anna took another glance at her rescuer. He wasn't dressed in a police uniform, but then she'd watched enough television dramas to know that detectives were often in plain clothes. All the same, a sense of self-preservation ensured that she took the time to study his credentials carefully, before accepting him as the genuine article.

'There's only one of you,' Anna observed, daring to look directly into those amazing eyes again.

'There's only one of me,' the man confirmed with a gentle smile. It lit up his features and made Anna's tummy unexpectedly twist with desire. It felt as though she'd just misjudged the final step on a staircase and was falling into the unknown. 'I'd just clocked off from conducting an operation nearby. I heard your call on the radio and because I was so close and there were apparently no other available units, I offered to take it.'

'I'm very grateful you did,' she admitted.

'It's no problem. It's my job,' he explained simply. 'Now, do you suspect the intruder is still here?'

'I honestly don't know.'

'And where have you been located since you phoned us?'

'I've been hiding out in the bathroom,' admitted Anna, pointing straight down the corridor, towards the white door at the end. The detective pulled a baton out, extended it and raised it high.

'In which case, I'd like you to return there and lock yourself in, while I conduct a thorough sweep of the property,' he explained. 'Now, if you'll stay behind me, we'll walk there together now.'

With a nod, Anna did as she'd been requested, hyper-aware of the breadth of his shoulders and general power of the man, as she walked close behind him. There was a faint but delicious aroma too, which made Anna's mind drift towards long, warm, relaxing summer days and even longer, hotter nights. The guy was beyond tempting.

Not expecting to be locked back in the bathroom again, fortunately this time, her incarceration didn't last long. During the time she waited, Anna dared to glance at her appearance in the mirror over the sink, instantly feeling aghast at what she saw. Good God! Relocating the candlestick on the counter, she made some desperate attempts to repair the damage. Calmly, she tried to silently reassure herself that a flushed face and wild hair was acceptable, when one had suffered a frightening ordeal. Within a very short time, there was a gentle knock at the door.

'You're safe to come out now,' said those deep, dreamy tones that she was already becoming addicted to. One thing Anna knew for sure was that she wanted to see this detective again, by fair means or foul. 'Your home is quite safe,' he added with a small nod, when Anna opened the bathroom door again.

'Oh, thank you. But it's not actually my home,' smiled Anna, starting to feel her normal self once more, now she knew she was safe.

'It isn't?' he asked, a set of adorable lines appearing across his wrinkled brow.

'No. I'm just trying to sell it on behalf of the owner...I'm an estate agent.'

'Ah. Got it.'

'You said you were off duty? Might I offer you a drink? A cup of tea, perhaps?' suggested Anna, deciding to make the most of the situation which had presented itself. The worst he could do was say no. But, to her great surprise and delight, that wasn't the officer's response.

'Actually, that would be great, thanks,' he smiled. 'Let me just radio in, to confirm everything's okay here, to stop the masses descending.'

While her handsome guest walked back up the hallway to undertake his duties, Anna scuttled into the kitchen. Having boiled the kettle, she placed a number of extra-chocolatey biscuits onto a plate. Strictly, they were supposed to be for clients, but the two of them more than deserved one, after recent events. Indeed, if she had access to a bottle of wine, that would be opened right now instead. Within a few minutes, the detective had joined Anna in the sitting room, to enjoy a well-earned brew. Having consumed a biscuit and a sip of steaming tea, Anna once again found herself the focus of a certain blue-eyed man's sexy gaze.

'I'm afraid I do need to take a few details from you,' he explained, pulling a notepad and pen out of his jacket pocket.

'No problem at all.'

Anna then found herself being run through a set of standard questions; name, address, date of birth, company of employment, name of the property owner. Fairly mundane stuff.

'And do you know if this property has CCTV?' he enquired.

'I don't believe so,' replied Anna thoughtfully. 'But just to be clear, I'm not looking to try and pursue this guy or press charges. It's not like he did anything other than scare the shit out of me! In fact, I got the impression he was probably homeless. I called the police because I just needed to be safe.'

'Well, not pressing charges is your prerogative, Ma'am,' explained the detective.

'Anna...please,' she replied, softly.

'Anna,' he repeated, as they looked intently at each other for longer than was strictly necessary.

'And what should I call you?' she asked. Her pulse was beating in her ears once again, but this time, for entirely different reasons.

'Detective Sergeant Conway?' he suggested, his lips twitching in amusement.

'Ah, it's like that, is it?' chuckled Anna. 'Fair enough.' Following another long eye meet, the officer finally relented.

'James,' he admitted simply. 'Jamie to my friends.'

'Jamie it is then,' she grinned, very purposefully attempting to place herself into the friends category.

'Actually, this meeting is rather fortuitous,' he explained. 'I'm looking to buy a place myself, but thanks to work keeping me busy, I haven't had time to make any enquiries yet.'

'Perhaps I can assist you?'

'Perhaps you can,' he agreed, returning her smile.

'My turn to take a few details now, then?' she suggested, grabbing her own notepad. 'What did you have in mind?'

'Something that makes me feel comforted, happy and secure,' he sighed, placing his cup onto the coffee table and relaxing back into the sofa. 'But it still needs to be hot.'

'We're talking about a residence here, right?' laughed Anna, aware that this conversation had the potential to swiftly become risqué. She could hardly wait.

'Perhaps,' he admitted. 'Fine, I'll be serious. A three-bed detached house with a small garden, within ten miles of this area would be ideal.'

'Three-bed?' she repeated. 'Are you married?'

'No,' he confirmed, amusement evident in his tone. 'Why? Is there some unwritten rule I'm not aware of, that limits the amount of bedrooms a single man can own?'

'Not at all,' replied Anna, delighted at the shift in their conversation and very willing to join in with any frivolity. 'You're allowed as many bedrooms as you wish!'

'How about you? Are you single?' Jamie asked, once again fixing her with that killer stare which Anna knew would have her signing up to just about anything he requested.

'Is that question pertinent to the inquiry, Officer?' she teased.

'Perhaps not the inquiry,' he conceded. 'But it's certainly a pertinent question.'

'I'm single,' laughed Anna, feeling a flood of adrenaline rock her body.

'Mmmmm, good.'

'How is that possibly good?'

'You know exactly why that's good,' Jamie replied, his voice suddenly sounding very authoritative. 'Don't play games with me.'

Anna rolled her lower lip between her teeth, feeling like a reprimanded child. As they looked deep into each other's souls, no words were exchanged. But equally, no words were required either; their joint hunger was quite evident. At last, Anna could bear the intensity no longer; the first to drop her eyes, she quickly became aware of a red flush spreading across her face. But, as she recovered, a spark of inspiration hit her. Looking thoughtful, she dared to glance back at Jamie, a smile spreading across her features.

'You know, I might have just the property for you!'

'Yeah?'

'Yeah,' she nodded, starting to scribble down an address. 'Are you available tonight for a viewing?'

'I could certainly make myself available,' he admitted. 'If it's worth my while?'

'I guarantee it will be worth your while,' retorted Anna impishly. She was highly aware that their conversation had taken another sexual turn, but decided to blame it on the adrenaline which was making her act that way. She wasn't normally this provocative in real life.

'The property would have to be a hot one, though,' he added, pressing the point.

'I don't think you'll be disappointed,' she confirmed. 'Alas, in the meantime, I unfortunately have to get back to work. I have another viewing.'

'No rest for the wicked, huh?' observed Jamie, the glint in his eye suggesting that Anna wasn't the only one of them who had the potential to be wicked.

'Something like that,' she agreed. 'Until tonight?'

'Until tonight,' he confirmed, before exiting the property with a nod of his head.

***

Anna honestly did try her best to concentrate on work for the remainder of that day, but it proved very difficult. All she could think about was her tall, handsome God of a police officer whom she was due to see again later that same day. Her panic moved up an additional notch by the time she returned home, as she anxiously scurried around, trying to ensure that both she and her property looked good enough to catch the gorgeous detective's attention. When the doorbell eventually rang, Anna honestly thought her heart might fail her. Taking a steadying breath which was so deep, it made her even more lightheaded, she glanced at her watch as she approached the front door. He was right on time, thank God. She honestly didn't think her nerves could have held out much longer.

Pulling open the front door, the breath was ripped from Anna's lungs, as she gazed into the wicked blue eyes of her visitor. Dressed in a casual shirt and chinos, the man looked even better than he had earlier that day, if that were even possible. And he smelt divine. For far too long, they simply gazed at each other across the threshold, greedily drinking in the sights.

'G...good evening,' Anna stuttered slightly, holding out her hand. Apparently, extreme arousal mixed with a huge dollop of apprehension turned her into an ultra-formal host.

'Good evening,' Jamie grinned, taking her hand confidently to shake it. The instant skin touched skin for the first time, an explosion of sensation erupted in Anna's body, emptying her mind of all thoughts and making her pussy clench hard. Although, going by the subtle shifts in Jamie's demeanour, she wasn't the only one impacted.

'Please do come in,' offered Anna, unwillingly releasing Jamie's hand and stepping back to allow him access.

'Thank you. Mmmm, something smells delicious,' he observed, sniffing the air appreciatively. Anna assumed he was referring to the scent of beef bourguignon currently filtering its way through the house, but from the way he was gazing hungrily at her, she couldn't be entirely sure. Although, in all honesty, she was happy with either eventuality.

'It's your dinner...if you want it?' she replied, a light blush spreading across her face when she realised how her offer could be misinterpreted.

'I want it,' he confirmed assuredly, before Anna had a chance to backtrack. 'So, this is your place, huh?' Jamie observed, a teasing note in his deep timbre. 'Have you dared to lull me here under false pretences?'

'Not at all!' objected Anna, never afraid to stand up for herself. 'My neighbour's property is for sale, but I couldn't get you a viewing tonight. However, my home is exactly the same spec and location. So I thought you could get an idea as to whether you're interested and, if so, we can organise to see next door another time.

'Oh, I'm interested,' Jamie confirmed with a smirk. 'I can assure you of that.'

'Right, um, good,' murmured Anna, feeling a little overwhelmed. You could already cut the sexual tension between them with a knife. 'Would you like a drink?'

'Sure. What have you got there?' he asked, nodding towards her glass which was sitting on an adjacent table.

'Gin and tonic...for the nerves,' she admitted with a resigned shrug.

'My favourite,' he enthused. 'I'd love one. And there's no need to be nervous. I don't bite,' Jamie explained. 'Unless you want me to, of course?'

With a gasp, Anna instantly turned away, this time aware of a deep flush spreading across her neck and face. With shaking hands she fixed his drink, not rushing, in order to afford herself ample time to recover. The guy was dynamite and she certainly wasn't afraid of causing some fireworks tonight.

'So, you wouldn't mind me becoming your next-door neighbour then?' enquired Jamie in a faux innocent voice. 'Popping around to borrow a cup of sugar once in a while, perhaps?'

'I could think of worse things,' admitted Anna with a smile. Recovered enough, she turned to face him, handing his drink over as she did.

'Me too,' he agreed. 'And this is certainly a very pleasant property.'

'Thank you,' breathed Anna, pleased to navigate their conversation onto more solid ground. 'In which case, let me show you around.'

***

Having toured the ground floor of her home, Anna opened the back door and led Jamie out onto the back lawn. Her garden wasn't enormous, but quite large enough to enjoy during the warmer months and ignore during the winter. To one side, the house which was actually up for sale was just visible. Jamie glanced up at it, studying carefully.

'Are you sure you wouldn't mind if I became your neighbour?' he murmured, his eyes focussed on the roof, as he tried to ascertain its quality.

'Well, the neighbourhood has been going downhill recently, so why not compound the problem?' Anna joked. Such a daring comment caused Jamie's full attention to be directed back onto her.

'Cheeky,' he observed, a single eyebrow rising. The sight made Anna want to reach out and touch him; the guy was utterly addictive, and make no mistake about it.

'Always,' she shrugged, trying to pretend she was equally confident, but actually trembling inside. The sexual tension between them seemed set on a endlessly upward trajectory, with no sign that it might slow down soon. Quite unexpectedly, Jamie stepped closer until his mouth was just inches from her ear.

'I know an excellent remedy for that,' he whispered, before strolling back inside the house, Anna hot on his heels.

'Would you like me to show you upstairs now?' she asked, as he stood in the kitchen, regarding her closely. 'Or shall we eat first?' In all honesty, she hoped he chose the latter option because given the way various pots and pans were furiously bubbling, dinner was ready right now.

'My appetite is certainly building,' he smiled. 'So I'm quite happy to eat now.'

***

'You know, it's very lucky this meeting wasn't arranged under false pretences,' observed Jamie, as he helped clear away their plates after a delicious meal. 'I wouldn't want to have to arrest you for a crime...not when we're enjoying such a pleasant evening.'

'I...um...' stuttered Anna, quite overwhelmed by the thought of being placed in handcuffs by the delectable detective. Purposefully, she pushed such an incendiary thought from her head. 'Are you ready for a tour of the upstairs now?'

With a smile, Jamie nodded, causing the butterflies which had previously been quite active enough in her tummy, to act as though they were suddenly attending a drug-induced rave.