He started by giving Rosa his best smile, which was naturally not appreciated.
“Really, officer, public indecency?” he said with a deliberate, teasing tone. “I’m an artist; nothing I do is indecent.”
Rosa frowned. “It’s detective, not officer. And, It’s a public space. You had been clearly soliciting. Now, don’t waste my time. You should have done the smart thing and run away like her.”
He smirked as he put his hand to his heart. “You wound me, detective. I never had to pay for sex in my life. This is an insult that counts as police brutality.”
Rosa growled. “Shut up, or I’ll show you real police brutality,” she responded, even as she pulled handcuffs from her belt with the casual efficiency of someone who had performed this action many times. "Turn around. Hands behind your back."
"On our first date, kinky," he responded, pushing more. He knew that Rosa would react arrogance in a fun way.
Rosa growled as she grabbed him, and made him turn forcefully. Though for all her angry growl, he noticed that she was careful not to actually hurt him. Interesting.
Apparently, for all her claims of aggression and brutality, she knew what not to do as a police officer.
He suddenly realized that Rosa might be the only person that actually calmed down due to having a badge rather than acting aggressively. The cuffs clicked onto his wrists, professional and painless, just restrictive.
"There," she said. "Now, do you want to confess now, or should I drag you behind a dumpster to teach about lying to the police?"
He smirked, realizing that while she was very careful about not using violence, she was far too loose with threats of violence. An interesting line to walk.
He decided to do something stupid. His agility and magical talent meant that unlocking a standard handcuff was trivial for him. He popped the cuffs with a flick of his wrist.
Then, he turned, cuffs in hand, and in a single fluid motion, he stepped inside Rosa's reach and clicked one cuff onto her right wrist, the other to his own wrist.
Rosa Diaz stood still, frozen. “Are you stupid?” she said, her tone freezing. “You just resisted arrest and assaulted a detective."
“Did I? But I never saw a badge. Maybe I just assumed I was being propositioned by a sexy woman rocking the perfect leather jacket. And, do you even dare to arrest me?”
“If you start bragging about making a call—“
He smirked, interrupting her with a chuckle. “No. But, if you arrest me, I’ll brag loudly about how I managed to handcuff the badass sexy detective. I have a feeling you’re not going to enjoy it.”
Her expression stiffened, showing that the threat was effective. “I’m not a coward. I won’t yield to threats,” she said as she reached into her pocket, pulling out the key.
“How about a competition instead. I have a feeling you’re here at the shooting range for practice. We have a competition, and if you defeat me, you arrest me. I confess to indecency. I won't resist, I won't lawyer up, and I won't tell anyone about any handcuff incident that might or might not have happened."
"And if you win?" she asked, the question was delivered through clenched teeth.
"You owe me a date."
"I don't date scumbags."
He smirked. “That, I have trouble believing,” he teased. “I think you don’t date soft, spoiled men who brag about things that they can’t do.”
“You just described yourself,” she said.
“Only if I lose… If I win against a decorated detective, doesn’t it mean I’m different?”
Rosa scoffed. “There’s no way you can win. I’m a qualified sniper.”
"Then this should be easy for you to win," he whispered, bringing his charm to the surface. He could see that Rosa was getting interested, mostly because he wasn’t being intimidated by her scary facade.
"It will be easy."
"Perfect. It’s a deal, then," he replied, amused by Rosa’s expression. She was smart, but she had an anger problem, and riling her up was surprisingly easy … though only because he knew exactly which buttons to push safely and which to avoid.
And, Negotiation Excellence allowed him to adjust the small details like timing for maximum efficiency.
Cheating was fun.
Rosa's expression achieved a new configuration as she realized what exactly she had committed. He had no doubt that, if they were talking about something serious like drugs, she would have never accepted, but a little public indecency with no other witness was barely a misdemeanor.
“Fine,” Rosa said. Once she put the handcuffs away, they entered the range.
Thinking about the way it might end up, he deliberately booked the last line, one with a private room. Rosa set it to twenty-five yards, the standard distance.
“Chicken,” he said teasingly.
“What are you talking about?”
“I mean, twenty-five yards? What are we? Children learning how to shoot.”
“Fine, you set it,” Rosa said, looking exasperated, clearly revising her expectations down. He reached and set it to a hundred yards, curious about her reaction. Rosa sighed, looking disappointed, no doubt thinking of him as a braggart. “Fine. Let’s get this going, then.”
“Let’s see if you can keep up, detective,” he said.
He delivered ten shots, all with perfect posture. More importantly, since his encounter with Carina, he had improved. When they took back the paper, half of them were at the center, and the other half was eight and nine circles.
Rosa gaped at the paper. “This is…”
“I told you I’m good,” he said.
She looked at him. “Were you a Marine or something?”
“No, but I grew up on a farm in the middle of nowhere, with multiple bored veterans who decided to distract themselves by training me to the ground,” he said. “I’m good.”
“It’s where you learned that handcuff tricks.”
“Believe or not, no. That, I learned from an amateur magician,” he said. “Now, are you going to give a try, or admit defeat?”
“I’m no quitter,” she said, and made her attempt. She was better than he expected, actually beating Carina’s performance by a small margin; and Carina was a hotshot spy. No wonder she was that confident. He had expected Rosa to be impressive, but not this much. “I lost,” she said.
Rosa looked at the targets, side by side, the comparison decisive. Someone else might have read her expression as anger, which would have been an easy conclusion to reach. After all, her pupils were dilated. Her breathing was slightly elevated, and her posture shifted to aggression.
"So, about that date…" he teased.
Rosa looked at the door, firmly closed. “I don’t do dates,” she said. A stupider man would have responded something about chickening out on the bet. Then again, a stupider man would have read her posture as fury.
Rather than arousal.
She slammed him against the wall, far harder than she had done during her arrest … and kissed him.
Just as he suspected. Rosa the detective, facing the suspects, was careful, attentive, and measured. Rosa the civilian, facing a bad boy good enough to tickle her competency kink, was violent enough to make him glad Endurance came with pain resistance.
He let Rosa take the lead. She tightened her hold on his shirt, enough to ruin it completely, which was a worthy sacrifice as she kissed him with burning intensity, expressing her desire to dominate.
Aggression was her love language … and she was good with it.
He responded to the kiss, enjoying the way she delved at full commitment. It was different than any other kiss. Rosa was unusually domineering, different from the others he dealt with. The only exception would be Carina, who shared a lot of Rosa’s habits, but her approach had been different.
Carina treated domination as a game, almost like a chess match, replacing with softer seduction tricks just as easily. Rosa’s domination was pure aggression and hunger, no respite.
She expected the same in return. She pulled back from the kiss. “Start moving, you lazy bastard. I’m not going to do all the work,” she declared, the sharpness of her words contrasting greatly with her excited glow.
She was spectacular.
She kissed him again. This time harder, pressing him against the wall with her full weight. He responded this time, his tongue battling hers, his hands exploring her body steadily. Her leather jacked flew off, followed by her shirt, revealing her practical sports bra.
"I don't like you, bastard," she said between kisses.
"Shocker. I’m a likable bastard."
"You're arrogant, reckless, and smug."
"All true."
"But you're not a scumbag." She pulled back enough to look at him, and underneath the mask, underneath the armor, underneath layers of emotional detachment she had put as part of her personality, there was something that looked very much like surprise. "I thought you were a scumbag. I was wrong."
"Let me guess. That’s the most sincere apology you have ever delivered this year."
She growled. "Try this decade. I don’t do emotions."
He disagreed. Even without the show, he could see that she was a woman of intense emotions, only to reject more acceptable ways to show them. Not due to a catastrophic trauma, but due to a simple decision.
He guessed that somewhere between deciding not to be a ballerina and deciding to be a cop, she decided to create a persona to look badass … until the persona took over completely.
A complicated woman.
One with some potential body image issues, because when he pulled her sports bra free, he found her breasts were surprisingly large. It couldn’t be comfortable wearing a bra that tight, as evidenced by the subtle sigh of relief.
He didn’t say anything about it. Even without the extra knowledge, he knew that implying any weakness at this point would make Rosa retreat defensively. Instead, he responded to her with an appropriate level of aggression while still letting her take the lead, savoring the moment.
It was fun to let go of control occasionally; especially with a woman like Rosa, with her tight yet surprisingly soft body that proved her Latina blood was stronger than her obsessive exercise regimen. Once he pushed her pants down, he found his fingers caressing her ass, sculpted to perfection, yet just soft enough.
It was a miracle.
“What are you, an ass man?” Rosa muttered, but she wasn’t exactly angry.
“Not particularly, but it’s hard to ignore perfection,” he suddenly said as he flipped their position, and Rosa found herself pressed against the wall, wearing only panties. He got rid of his own pants, and pressed against the crack. She moaned happily, especially when he ripped her panties rather than removing them.
Strength once again proved useful.
Rosa moaned even louder as he rubbed against her, but her reaction was even sexier when he used a flick of his foot to send the handcuffs up to his hand. He could have used them to lock Rosa’s hands behind her, but instead, he deliberately delayed until Rosa saw them, took them from his hands, and twisted his arms behind and locked them.
“Rough,” he whispered.
“It’s my private time, and there are no laws to protect you,” Rosa whispered as she repositioned him so that he ended up sitting on the counter, with his arms behind him. Things got even better when she climbed onto his lap, and impaled herself.
There was no soft foreplay or teasing. She pushed herself down, her wetness already devouring him.
He kissed her in response, and while she dominated with her body, he dominated the kiss, his tongue taking over. She responded in the way he expected. Her body became more aggressive while she ceded control of the kiss.
It was an interesting moment, especially with her hands exploring his body desperately, showing she enjoyed his near-perfect body more than she would like to admit. Yet, he focused on the kiss, focusing it so that it added an intimacy she was not ready for…
She soon realized that the passionate sex was changing in a way she didn’t expect. There, she had two options. Stop, or lean into the passion even more in the hopes of distracting him from emotional intimacy.
Rosa was not a quitter.
Her breasts rubbed against his chest desperately in response as she picked up speed, showing she picked the second path, determined to distract him through sheer pleasure.
He had to admit, it was a good choice. Her dance training meant she had the fine control of movement he had only seen in Mia, but she wasn’t just elegant but actually merciless, slamming down repeatedly. The pleasure was intense enough to challenge his self-control.
Yet, he continued kissing her, enjoying her moans getting more intense, yet more frustrated at her perceived failure. It felt just dangerous enough to make it even more fun…
Rosa climaxed.
[Achievement complete. Give Rosa a climax in a way that left her satiated and defeated at the same time.
Challenge: Daring]
[+10 Strength
1 Random Gold Skill
1 Random Gold Reward]
He picked the stat, no longer particularly enthusiastic about Adept ones.
Then, he chuckled even as he unlocked the handcuffs once again and hugged her while she trembled. “It looks like someone failed again,” he whispered, even as he gently grabbed her chin, and started kissing her with a deliberate slowness.
“I don’t do that … soft shit,” she whispered, which would have been more effective if she hadn’t been trembling on his lap.
“Too bad. You lost, which means I have full control over you for the next hour. If I want to kiss you gently, you have no choice but to follow. Unless, of course, you’re going to be a little coward.”
“I’m no coward,” she growled in anger, which contrasted greatly with the gentle way she responded to his kiss.
“Then, stay in your seat, and accept your punishment,” he whispered as he started kissing her gently and tenderly, his hands just as gentle. However, he wasn’t doing that just to annoy Rosa … which, admittedly was a part of it.
The real aim was to actually let her relax and enjoy the moment, something she clearly wanted to despite everything else, and framing it as a challenge allowed her to do so.
He kissed her gently, his hands exploring her body with fleeting touches, slowly turning it into a masage. She closed her eyes, doing her best to act like she was hating it … she wasn’t a good actress.
“Tell me,” he whispered. “Why are you so tense?”
“Work stuff,” she muttered between kisses. “I’m leading a taskforce at work, and it’s stressful. No further questions,” she said.
He chuckled at her attitude, though he had already learned what he wanted. They were in the first half of the second season … meaning Amy was still dating Teddy. Tempting. Trying to seduce Amy from Jake would have been next to impossible … but from Lord Pilsner of the Kingdom of Boredom…
But that was a thought for later. Right now, he focused on kissing and massaging Rosa until she lost herself in the gentleness. She murmured and moaned, letting go of her instinct to control…
She played along as he rolled and she ended up with her back on the counter, missionary style, perfectly romantic except for the environment … but then, this was Rosa. A shooting range probably counted as romantic in her mind.
Sue moaned as he cupped her breasts with intentional gentleness, driving her deeper into her joy. Her eyes stayed closed, seeking to accept the ecstasy of gentle lovemaking as much as she wanted to run from it.
This time, he exploded as she climaxed, still kissing her tenderly…
[Achievement complete. Seduce Rosa Diaz.
Challenge: Daring]
[+25 Strength
1 Random Platinum Skill
1 Random Platinum Reward]
His eyes widened at the absurdity. Not that he had managed to seduce Rosa … that part he was confident. But, classifying as a daring challenge surprised him. But then, considering her personality, maybe not. Getting her to relax was far more difficult than simply convincing her to have some kinky sex after some physical seduction.
A complicated woman … but more fun for it.
He went with the skill even as she trembled underneath.
[Expert Dancing]
[Elite Skill: You are a great dancer capable of classical and modern styles. You’re capable enough to dance professionally even in the most prestigious locations.]
Getting dance skill wasn’t a surprise. It was one of her greatest skills. It was her first real passion, until her hateful teacher made her hate it…
He gently relaxed his hold on her and lay on his back, and she immediately put her head on his chest, hugging him. “I still hate this,” she said in a choked tone. “It’s only because of the bet.”
“Of course,” he said as he hugged her waist, enjoying the way her toned body melted against him, exploring her nude and flustered body with simple adoration. “Tell me why you are this distressed with this taskforce.”
“Politics,” she said. “We’re saddled with a big task force, and I’m leading it. If we can’t bust the distributor, the headquarters will ruin our lives.”
He sighed. “That’s why I always work alone,” he said. “Do you want me to help?”
Rosa tensed and looked at him. “Don’t tell me you’re a criminal. Damn it! I always get attracted to shady bastards!”
He chuckled. “I’m going to take that as a compliment, but no criminal business … or even shady. I’m currently in New York as a fashion photographer, and I’m sure no one will blink an eye if I say that I’m looking for some extra excitement in a club.”
That made Rosa tense. “You don’t use it, do you?”
He chuckled. “Rosa. My body is my temple. You have seen my aim. Do you think anyone who uses drugs can do what I did with a gun? The closest thing I have to drugs is a sexy Latina detective r with serious classical ballet training—“
That made her tighten her grip. “How?”
He chuckled. “I have ballerina ‘friends’. That spectacular hip movement is far too distinctive,” he added, amused at her alarm.
“I hate people invading my privacy,” she said.
“But I’m not invading. I’m playing detective. Don’t tell me irony isn’t amusing.”
She shifted, giving him her best angry expression, the kind that would have intimidated anyone else, but he could see the amusement dancing in her gaze. “Do I look amused?”
He smiled. “Actually, yes. You do look amused. You’re just doing a decent job to hide it behind your fake angry face.”
That made her eyes widen. “How can you tell?”
“One benefit of being a professional photographer,” he teased. “I’m good with faces, and that includes reading the way the light dances in your eyes whenever you are amused.”
She paused, then she got even angrier, poking his chest. “You know I can crush your head with my thighs, right?”
He laughed. “First, you do know I can see your embarrassment as easily as amusement. Second, you’re acting like that was a threat, and not a promise of a good time…”
She growled in frustration. “You’re not allowed to speak,” she said, then kissed him again. She reached for her leather jacket, pulled out a card, but wrote a number on the back. “Call me,” she said. “Don’t text. If you text, I’m blocking you.”
“If you block me, I’ll find you. I just need to ask for the scariest detective in New York…”
“And, don’t you forget it!” she added. She was silent as they dressed, but he let it be. Rosa was not a chatty person, and trying to fill the silence would just annoy her.
It wasn’t like silence was boring. Watching her dress while doing her best to hide her shy glances was fun on its own.
Then, the door closed, leaving him alone in the room.
[Achievement complete. Make Rosa blush.
Challenge: Hard]
[+10 Strength
1 Random Gold Skill
1 Random Gold Reward]
He picked stat once again.
Twenty more points until the next perk.
Nice.