No Strings Attached

Chapter Seventeen

The next few days were harder than Alex had anticipated. Ignoring Norma's calls and texts left a hollow ache in his chest, but he told himself this was for the best. They'd been toeing the line for far too long, and he knew he didn't have the strength to keep it up. One look, one word, and he'd walk across it without hesitation.
And he couldn't put Norma in danger like that.
So he ignored her. He let his phone buzz in his pocket, forced himself not to look at her messages. He'd hoped she would eventually stop calling, stop caring, but instead, his silence cut Norma deeper than she was willing to admit.
Every unanswered call, every ignored text made her stomach twist and she hated how much it hurt.
She'd spend hours replaying every interaction they'd shared, searching for the moment she might've imagined it all. His interest, his care. But it didn't make sense.
The way he'd kissed her cheek after dancing with her, the softness in his eyes, it wasn't something she could've fabricated. And yet, now, he was acting as if none of it had happened. The inconsistency gnawed at her, his indecisiveness giving her whiplash, until she couldn't take it anymore.
That's why she found herself standing outside his door, her heart pounding with a mix of anger and hurt as she knocked sharply.
Alex answered, still in his uniform, his expression cautious. But before he could say a word, she pushed her way inside.
"Why haven't you been answering my calls or texts, Alex?" she demanded, turning to face him with her arms crossed tightly over her chest.
He stared at her in shock, his jaw flexing as he tried to find the words. Finally, he simply said, "Because I didn't want to talk to you."
The words cut, and Norma could feel the sting of them like a slap. Alex saw the brief flash of hurt in her eyes before she quickly masked it with a scoff. "You know what, Alex? Fine. I'm done trying to make you like me. I just need the stupid flash drive."
That's when he noticed the faint tremble in her hands, the way her voice wavered despite her anger. She wasn't just upset, she was distressed. Something had happened.
"Why do you need the flash drive?" he asked, his voice softening as he tried to read her expression. "What happened?"
Norma rolled her eyes and let out a bitter laugh. "Stop acting like you care-"
"I do care," he said, taking a step closer to her, as if he couldn't help it.
Her eyes snapped up to meet his, and for a moment, the tension between them softened into something raw and vulnerable. "Then why did you stop answering my calls?"
He looked away, his throat tightening as he tried to summon his usual excuses. "It's not safe for us to be seen together," he said, his tone low but firm.
Norma wasn't having it. She stepped closer, her jaw tightening. "No," she said, cutting him off. "I think you're scared."
His brow burrowed, his mouth opening to object but she didn't let him.
"I'm not talking about Bob," she said, her voice softer now but no less insistent as she took a step closer to him, staring him down. "I think you're scared of how I make you feel."
Alex froze, his shoulders tensing as her words hung in the air for a moment. The intensity in his gaze made her heart flutter but she held steadfast to her composure.
"Fine," he said, his voice rough. "You want me to say it? Yeah, I'm scared. But it has nothing to do with how you make me feel."
She stared at him in confusion, suddenly fearing some part of it had been in her head, something she'd fabricated. But then he continued.
"I..I care about you a lot, Norma. I can't get work done, I can't sleep, you consume my every thought."
Norma's breath caught in her chest her heart pounding at his confession.
"But we can't-"
She rolled her eyes, masking the swirl of emotions rising within her. "Alex, if this is about the rules we set-"
"It's not about the damn rules," he interrupted, his voice cutting through the room like a blade. "It's for your own good, Norma."
Their faces were inches apart now, the air between them electric, charged with everything unsaid.
"You don't get to decide what's good for me," she throws back, still trying to decipher how she could feel so enraged and so turned on by someone all at once.
"It's dangerous," Alex said, his tone softening, though his eyes still burned with intensity. But even as he spoke, his gaze flickered to her lips, betraying the battle raging within him.
She could see, all too well, the cracks forming in his strength, the way his resolve was beginning to crumble.
"I don't care if it's dangerous," she whispered, her voice steady despite the storm brewing inside of her.
For a moment, Alex said nothing, his jaw flexing as he fought to keep himself together. He had to remind himself what the cost would be if things went badly. Bob was never one to back down from a fight, and he knew no limits. If anything ever happened to Norma, he knew he wouldn't be able to live with himself.
"You need to leave, Norma," he said, taking a step back, his eyes falling to the ground to avoid her gaze.
"No." Her tone was firm, immediately telling him this isn't going to be an easy fight.
"Norma," he said, his tone low, almost a warning.
"No," she repeated, stepping closer this time. "Alex, if this is about Bob, it's fine. I just need the flash drive-"
"You don't know what you're talking about, Norma. It's bigger than just you," he snapped, his voice rising as he tried to take another step back but found himself pressed against the threshold separating the living room and kitchen.
"What does that mean?" she asks, her brows furrowed with concern.
"Don't worry about it. I'm handling it. I'll handle it-" he said, but she takes another step towards him, his words only infuriating her more.
"No, you don't get to do that, Alex. You don't get to make me feel...You acted like...You don't get to not tell me shit," she stammered, her mind swirling with everything she wanted to say but her tone remained sharp.
"I'm protecting you," he snapped, his voice rising. As soon as the words hit her ears, he knew it was the wrong thing to say.
"That's bullshit, Alex," she shot back, stepping even closer, until their faces just inches apart. She could feel the heat radiating off him, the barely contained storm in his dark eyes. "Stop lying to yourself."
He let out a frustrated huff, turning to step away from her as if he couldn't bear to look at her anymore. "Norma," he warned again, his voice low and tight. "Please, just go."
"No," she said firmly, refusing to back down. "Arrest me if you have to, Alex, but I'm not leaving."
Her words brought him to a standstill, his shoulders tense as he turned back to her, his eyes burning in a way she'd only seen once before. "Is that what you want?" he asked, his voice dark and rough.
Her lips parted, her mind racing as she tried to think of something, anything, to throw back at him. She could only manage a small nod.
To her surprise, his lips curved into something that wasn't quite a smile, wasn't quite a smirk. Before she could react, his hand moved to his belt, unhooking the handcuffs in one swift motion.
"Turn around," Alex ordered, his voice a low, dangerous growl.
Norma froze, her breath hitching, but something in his gaze made her comply. Slowly, she turned her back to him, and she felt her heart pounding rapidly as she felt him step closer, the warmth of his body pressing against her spine.
He didn't move to cuff her immediately. Instead, she felt the tip of his nose graze her cheek, his breath warm against her skin, making her bite back a gasp as her eyes fluttered shut.
"Are you going to be good?" he murmured as he pulled her hands behind her back, his voice so close, so low, that it sent a shiver down her spine.
Her lips parted, but no sound came out at first. Finally, she managed a shaky, "Yes."
The word barely left her lips before she felt the cold metal of the cuffs snap around her wrists.
When Alex turned her back to face him, his touch lingered on her arm, his eyes were dark and unreadable.
"I'm going to search you," he said, his voice calm but laced with something dangerous. "Don't try anything."
Her breath caught in her throat at his words, her cheeks flushing despite herself. "I'll be good," she said quietly, though her voice wavered against her will. She didn't know why she was suddenly feeling so nervous, like they hadn't been intimate before. There was just something about this that felt entirely different from the first time.
Alex's eyes darkened even further as he studied her, the cuffs on her wrists a silent reminder of how far the two of them had gone past their usual boundaries. He let out a slow breath, his gaze sharp, but unreadable.
"Hold still," he said, his tone clipped, though it wavered slightly at the edges.
His initial touches were professional and precise, the kind of methodic care you would expect from a sheriff. But as his hands slid down her sides, there was a pause. A hesitation.
His touch began to linger, his fingers caressing her through the fabric of her dress before continuing their path. He knelt slightly, a soft gasp escaping her lips as his hands pressed against her thighs, slowly moving down her leg, his touch igniting her in every way as he removed her heels from her feet.
Alex's breathing was heavier now, matching her own, as he stood back up, his hands resting briefly on her waist. For a moment, they just stared at each other, the air thick with tension, before he spoke again.
"Turn around," he murmured, his voice rough, almost hoarse.
Norma obeyed, her breath catching as she felt his hands already sliding down her sides.
"Alex," she whispered, unsure if it was a plea or a question.
He didn't respond, though she felt the press of his palm against her back, urging her to bend slightly over the kitchen table. She shivered at the weight of his hand as it roamed the curve of her spine, his touch both firm and deliberate. When he got to her cuffed wrists, she felt his fingers graze the sensitive skin at the inside of her wrists, before tightening them slightly and moving to continue down her back.
His touch paused at the hem of her dress, his fingers grazing the fabric as if testing a line he wasn't sure he should cross. Norma seemed to sense his hesitation as she turned back slightly to look at him, her eyes burning with desire as she gave him a soft nod to continue.
Without another thought, his hands finally dipped under the material, his touch tentative at first, almost cautious. But as his fingers moved along her already wet panties, she couldn't suppress the soft gasp that escaped her lips.
Alex leaned closer, his lips barely brushing against her ear. "Is this what you wanted?" he asked, his voice a low rumble that left her entire body buzzing as he pressed two fingers against her through the fabric.
Norma's eyes fluttered shut, her cheek falling against the cool table as her body instinctively reacted to his touch. "Yes," she gasped, the word escaping her before she could stop it.
That one word undid him.
His hands, no longer tentative, removed her underwear in one quick movement, eliciting another gasp from Norma's lips. When his fingers found her, they weren't gentle like the first time. It was deliberate, a culmination of everything he'd been holding back. 
Another moan escaped her lips as her body reacted to his touch. Alex leaned over her, his chest pressing against her back, her hands still trapped between them, as his lips found the curve of her neck. He kissed her there, slow and deliberate, his stubble grazing her skin.
Her breath hitched, her eyes slipping shut as his touch deepened, sending another wave of pleasure through her.
"Alex," she gasped again, though this time there was no question in her voice, just raw need. "Please."
That was all the permission he needed as he grabbed her hips and spun her around to face him. Her wrists still bound behind her back, she couldn't stop herself from leaning into him as he quickly removed his belt. Her lips began kissing his neck, her actions desperate, fervent, as he pulled his pants and boxers down just enough. 
His hands are firm and grounding as he picks her up by her waist, setting her back down on the table. He takes a moment to stare at her, watching her reaction as he slides her dress down her chest, the fabric settling around her waist.
And then, without another word, he slides into her, her back arching at the sensation, her breasts pressing against his uniform.
His motions were rough and fast, all of the frustration and unspoken feelings spilling out all at once with each thrust as his hands grip her waist and thighs. Norma pressed her bound palms against the cool table behind her, supporting every thrust, her head falling back with a loud moan as his lips began licking and sucking her nipples.
"Fuck, Alex!" Norma cried out, her legs hooking around his waist, pulling him impossibly closer. Those words falling from her lips undid him, pushing his movements even faster, turning her moans into cries as her hips lift off the table, meeting his every movement.
Norma had forgotten how this felt, the high of seeing him like this. So raw, so primal. His lips moved to her neck as she reached her pinnacle, his own moans muffled against her skin.
His movements began to slow as he helped her ride out her orgasm, his forehead falling to rest against hers. He held her gaze as he continued his slow movements, his thumb running along her bottom lip as he watched her twitch with another aftershock.
"You're so beautiful," he whispered. Another soft moan escaped her lips at his words before she could stop it, her body still coming down from her high.
She found her gaze lingering on his lips, so close to hers that she could almost taste him. She slowly moved closer to him, as if testing the waters, and to her surprise, he didn't move an inch. Another gasp escaped her lips as she felt her handcuffs falling from her wrist, her eyes widening at him with shock, as she hadn't even felt him uncuff her.
But as soon as her hands were free, she pulled him to her, closing the distance between them as her lips capture his. It wasn't soft or hesitant, it was raw, desperate, as though all the time they had spent denying themselves this simple pleasure had only made the need stronger. Her hands tangled in his shirt, pulling him closer as if she feared he might pull away.
But he didn't. He deepened the kiss, his hands cradling her face as he poured everything he couldn't say into it. The frustration, the longing, the passion he'd tried to hide for so long.
It wasn't just a kiss. It was a breaking point, a confession, a surrender. As their problems faded away beneath the passion of this moment, all that mattered was the taste of him, the feel of him, and the realization that there was no going back now.