“Jealous of what? Actually, don’t answer that. I already regret asking.” He gave her his signature resigned head shake and sigh but with an undeniable hint of a smile.
“It’s late. Can we save the questions for another time?” she said.
“If you’d prefer, we could do this properly, at the station.”
“As much as I’d love you to cuff me, I’m more helpful if I’m not seen talking to cops.”
“If you meddle with my investigation, I’ll bring you in, I don’t care who sees,” he said.
“I’m not sure I believe you.”
“You know, you—”
Sterling pressed a finger to his lips. Heels clicked on the cobblestones, coming around the corner. The giggling accompanying them belonged to Verena.
Sterling and Andreas were by the recessed entry of a closed store. She pushed him backward into the shadows, escaping the prying eyes of the streetlamps. She shook her head, warning him not to speak. Verena’s footsteps neared. Sterling stood on her toes and wrapped her arms around Andreas’s neck. Before he could protest, she pressed her lips to his, running her fingers through his hair, obscuring his face with her hands.
He didn’t respond, but he didn’t resist either. His hands hovered at her waist. Sterling caressed his temples and spread her fingers in his dark waves while she kissed him. They each had one eye open. Her breath fogged his glasses. Keeping her lips on his, she gently cocked her head towards the approaching lady of the evening. Andreas gave a slow blink to convey his understanding.
He grabbed her waist and pulled her farther into the darkness. She followed his lead, and in the dim, his closed-mouth pucker softened. His lips parted.
Verena rounded the corner, shoes skidding on ice, her arm hooked through her date’s. She immediately spotted Sterling, who focused on hiding Detective Wolke. His piney soap mixed with the scent of bourbon. His breath was sweet, his skin a warm shield from the winter cold. She leaned into the kiss, and he responded.
He slipped his hands around her coat, ran them up her spine, and pulled her in. His lips fit well with hers.
“Play it safe, kids!” teased Verena, slapping Sterling’s ass before skipping to catch up to her date.
Andreas slid his hands over her hips, where Verena had slapped her. She ground her hips forward and a slight grunt escaped his mouth, his tongue soft against hers. He embraced her tight enough to lift her feet off the sidewalk. She tried not to moan. She failed.
They kissed until Verena had gone around the corner. Once the click of her shoes faded into the distance, he pulled away, still lifting Sterling up on her toes. She looked up at him, her parted lips begging for more.
Distant bar music mingled with their heavy breaths.
“Sorry, I interrupted you. You were saying something?” she said.
Andreas’s gaze darted between her eyes and her lips as he fumbled for words. “I’m sure whatever it was, it was important, and you should have listened to it.”
“Absolutely, sir.”
Andreas flinched. He lowered her to the ground, one arm still around her waist. He caressed her cheek. She parted her lips. He blew something off his finger.
“You had something on your face,” he said, his tone icy. He let her go, gently pressing her out of his way.
The chilly air was more noticeable now. She put on her gloves, staring at the sidewalk.
“Your countersurveillance technique, while intriguing, isn’t up to official standards,” he said.
“Sometimes the best way to hide is to be seen. Listen, we can’t chat here. I’ll call you or Beate once I have a lead. For now, I have to go,” she said, walking away. She looked back. “By the way, your lipstick’s smudged.”
“My what?” He swiped his fingers over his lips, revealing a red stain in Sterling’s signature crimson. He eyed his dim reflection in the window, rubbing his face. Of course, her makeup was still perfect.
“Sweet dreams,baby,” she said.
Once Sterling was certain she’d put a few city blocks between them, she reached into her pocket for the wallet. It was gone.
“Son of a bitch!” she shouted, kicking the base of a lamppost.
That damned detective was smooth. She checked her breast pocket, relieved to find the coin still there. The lighter too. At least she had something, even if she’d lost the upper hand.
