"Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep"
By: Kasey
(c) 1999/2000
Steal, die, steal die...understand the concept?

Chapter 5

	The ride back to Kaseys house was silent and
strained. He knew she wasn't happy with having a
policeman in her home. Or maybe it was that she wasn't
happy about having to be protected. Hell, it could
even be unhappiness that Brooks and Linus didn't
believe a word she had said. They had taken the
description she had given them with a grain of salt
and Howie knew that had not only hurt her, but also
terrified her. And Howie knew that this man was the
one they were looking for. He was the murderer and
unless Brooks and Linus climbed down from their ivory
towers, Kasey would be the killers next target.
	" Why dont they believe me?" they were the first
words she had spoken since Howie had told her about
the protection.	
	" Because they're high and mighty and they think
you're a prostitute who was only making the story up
so you wouldn't get sent to jail," Howie said wearily,
running a hand through his hair.
	" I dont lie. I am not a whore. I saw what I saw. A
man killed a woman in front of me and then came after
me. Why would I make that up?" she asked.
	" Look, I believe you. Cap believes you. I'll protect
you..."
	" Yeah but you're not the detectives on the case, are
you? Those two neanderthals are instead," she said
miserably. Howie smiled. Neanderthals was right.
	" But I'm the one protecting you, remember? Now dont
worry about those two. If worse comes to worse, I'll
see about getting another detective to work on the
case," Howie said as he pulled up in the driveway of
Kaseys home. He turned off the ignition and unbuckled
his seatbelt," You stay in here. I want to make sure
that your house so okay before I let you go inside.
Lock the doors, and if you need me, honk the horn. Do
not get out of the car okay?"
	" Okay. But are you sure you'll be okay alone?"
	" I'll be fine," he reassured her. He was touched
that she cared enough to ask," Remember what I said?"
	" Sure. Keep the doors locked, honk on the horn.
Understood," she said and he nodded, shutting the door
as he got out. He heard the click orf the locks and
started up the drive, his gun drawn, all his senses
tuned. The likelihood of anyone ever being here was
slim but he never took anyones life jokingly. He
walked slowly up the stairs, the keys to the house
ready in his hand and unlocked the front door. Pushing
it open, he entered the house the way he had been
trained. All the lights were on, something Kasey had
said she continuosly did whenever going out at night.
The search of the house took no longer than ten
minutes. No one was here, no evidence of anyone ever
being here so Howie breathed easily. He stepped back
out onto the porch and indicated to Kasey tahts he
could come inside. He stood there, watching her
carefully as she got out of the car and walked up the
drive, almost running to him. She took the stairs two
at a time and reached him in no time flat.
	" Okay?" he asked, wrapping his arms around her and
walking inside with her. She nodded as she shut and
bolted the door behind them.
	" Better now," she said and he smiled as he placed
his gun on the coffee table, within easy reach. He
glanced around her living room and smiled. It was very
homey, very lived in. She was obviously a big reader
because there were piles of books stacked up all
around the room," Would you like a cup of coffee?"
	" I think its kind of late for that. Maybe I should
just get some sleep. We can sit down and organise
everything after a good nights sleep," Howie said. He
had to get away from her, get away from her
vulnerability, before he did something that they would
both regret, him more so.
	" Oh. Okay. Well, um, my spare bedroom isn't ready,
it still has boxes and stuff stacked away in there.
Would you mind sleeping out here tonight? It'll only
be for one night," Kasey asked nervously.
	" Kasey, calm down okay? It'll be fine. The lounge
wont kill me for one night," he said, and Kasey
laughed nervously, biting her nails.
	" Okay. Well...I'll leave you...my room is right
there," she said, pointing to a room where the door
was partially open," And the phone is right there, on
the desk."
	" Great. Go to bed Kasey. Go and have that shower you
want and try to get some sleep okay? I'll be right
here if you need me," he said and Kasey nodded,
walking slowly towards the bathroom. She came back
only a couple of minutes later, a couple of pillows
and blankets in her hands.
	" Here's what you'll need for tonight. I am sorry
about this but I wasn't expecting anyone..." her voice
trailed off as she fiddled with the zipper on his
jacket. Howie took the linen off her and placed it on
the lounge, then wrapped his arms around her and
hugged her quickly.
	" Stop worrying. Everything will work out okay? You
dont have to worry about anything while I'm here with
you," he said and she smiled at him through a fine
sheen of tears. 
	" I appreciate this, I really do. No one has ever
really cared this much about me. And for you, a police
officer to believe everything I say, well its kind of
overwhelming," she said and left him standing in the
middle of the room, stunned at the intensity of
emotions that overwhelmed him.

*****

	He didn't know what had woken him, except that he was
keenly aware whatever is was wasn't normal. It was a
high pitched sound, almost like...Howie threw back the
covers and grabbed his gun, rushing into Kaseys
bedroom as she screamed again. She was sitting
straight up in bed, her long hair curling around her
shoulders, terror all over her face. He put the gun
down on her bedside table and gathered her up in his
arms, his heart pounding in fear as he felt her
stiffen and try to struggle. But his soft words and
gentle touches placated her enough so he could bring
her close to his body.
	" I'm right here Kasey. I swear I'm not going to let
anything happen to you," Howie whispered in her ear,
rocking her gently, brushing her hair away from her
face as she looked at him with fear filled eyes. His
heart turned over at such a vulnerable look. His arms
tightened involuntarily around her and drew her closer
to his body, feeling the tiny shivers that wracked her
body. 
	" It was so real," she said huskily and he nodded,
running his hands over her back in an attempt to
comfort her. She smelled so good, like roses and
champagne. And she felt so good. Like she belonged
here in his arms, like they were made for each other. 
	" It'll be okay," he said again. That was all he
could think of saying. The way in which his body was
reacting to her closeness made it almost impossible
for him to breathe, let alone think.
	" Are you sure? You're going back out there to sleep.
I dont want to sleep alone, I really dont. I dont
think that I can handle being in here by myself,"
Kasey said, shuddering as she threw a look at the
windows. Howie was torn. What should he do? He was a
policeman, on duty, protecting a witness. Thoughts of
seducing her should not be in his mind, but they were,
and as much as he had tried to remove them during the
day, it had been impossible. 
	" Would you like me to stay in here?" he asked. God
curse him for hoping she would say yes.
	" You would? Isn't that going a bit far to protect
me?" she asked, looking up at him, in the process,
rubbing her breasts against his bare chest
unconsciously. The reaction his body gave to that was
almost impossible to hide. 
	" Well it may be but you're obviously scared. I can
stay in here, on the floor, just so you can get some
sleep," he said. Kasey nodded slowly and he moved away
from her, slowly, trying to hide his very obvious
arousal.
	" Thank you," she said and he smiled, weakly, but
smiled none the less. It wasn't as though he was going
to get any sleep tonight anyway, he thought. He moved
off the bed and started to walk away from her, back
out to the living room to get the pillows and blankets
he had been using when a loud crash sounded outside.
Kasey screamed and he whirled around, racing over to
the window and peering out. He saw a broken branch
leaning against the house and sighed in relief.
	" Its okay Kasey. Just a branch. Thats all it was,"
he said and turned back to her. She looked frightened,
the sheet held protectively up against her silk
covered breasts. 
	" Are you sure he's not out there?" she asked as he
walked over to her and sat on the bed with her again.
	" Just a branch. He's not out there, I swear," he
said and she nodded.
	" Stay with me in here. Please. You can sleep in the
bed, much more comfortable than the floor," she said
and when he hesitated, she placed a hand on his arm in
an attempt to convince him," Please Howie. I'd feel
much better if you were here with me. I know I wont
sleep otherwise."
	" All right," he said reluctantly and moved onto the
bed more fully, waiting until she lay down then laying
down behind her, placing his hands on her stomach as
he held her close. He closed his eyes at this newest
torture. He didn't know if he could handle sleeping
this close to her. It was too much for an ordinary man
to bear.
	" Relax Howie. I'm not going to seduce you," she said
softly.
	" No but I'd like to do that to you," he said before
he could stop himself. He felt Kasey stiffen and then
relax.
	" Then why have you waited this long?" she asked
huskily and he groaned, leaning over her and kissing
her gently on the lips. She tasted as good as he had
expected, maybe even better. Kasey sighed into his
mouth and relaxed more fully against him.
	Just the mere touch of his hand on her bare skin was
enough to cause her to gasp. Howie smiled against her
hair as he ran his fingers lightly up her thigh,
stopping at her panties, then running it back down her
thigh again. Kasey held her breath as he slid his
other hand up under her shirt, not knowing what he was
going to do. When his hand covered one breast, she let
the breath out, slowly and shakily. He was being so
gentle, so loving. His hand kneaded her breast, his
fingers plucking at her nipple until it was standing
at painful attention, rubbing against the silk of the
shirt. His other hand was still running up and down
her thigh, moving in between her legs occasionally,
making her spread her legs a little to allow him
access. But the one part she was longing for him to
touch, he wouldn't. He just seemed to be enjoying
teasing her. She moved back against him, grinding her
ass against his arousal, making him groan a little at
the sensations. She smiled slightly. Hell if he could
tease her, then she could give as good as she got. She
turned over onto her back and looked at him, as he
still lay on his side, his chest glistening in the
moonlight, a small smile on his face as his hands
worked their magic on her body. She ran a hand down
his chest, stopping at the nipples, running her
fingernail over each of them, his eyes closing at the
exquisite sensations that caused. Then her hands were
gone, moving down his stomach, over his abs and
resting at the waist band of his boxer shorts. She ran
a finger lightly over his heat, feeling it jerk and
twitch under that tiny touch and knew he wasn't immune
to her. She moved her hand up to the waist band and
slipped her hand underneath, wrapping her hand around
his arousal gently, feeling its hardness, feeling the
satiny smoothness of it. With her free hand she slowly
slid the shorts off him, pulling them as far down as
she could reach, leaving him to kick them off at the
end. She pushed him onto his back and kneeled down in
front of him, just by his hips and started moving her
hand up and down his manhood, making his hips arch at
every stroke. His hands were under her shirt, and,
having no other way to remove it, ripped it straight
down the middle. He tore away the pieces and placed
his hands over her breasts, squeezing and kneading the
soft flesh under his hands, pinching her nipples
softly, making her moan and grasp harder on his
arousal. He lifted his head and ran his tongue around
and over one nipple, drawing it into his mouth and
raking his teeth over it, biting down on it gently. He
couldn't stand this, he needed to taste her. And her
breasts weren't what he wanted. So he placed his hand
on her hips and pushed her back onto the bed, removing
her hands from his arousal, smiling a little at the
look of disappointment on her face. He leaned over and
kissed her, running his tongue along her bottom lip,
sucking on it, capturing her moan in his mouth. Then
he moved his attentions from her mouth down to her
neck, sucking and biting her skin gently, his hands
all the while removing her panties, until she lay
naked underneath him. It was then that he started
kissing his way down her body, stopping at the
nipples, running his tongue around her breasts,
leaving a trail of moisture behind as he moved from
her breasts to her stomach and belly button. Paying
particular attention to this tiny hole made her wonder
what he would be like with another entrance to her
body. His tongue dipped into the hole, as he bit her
skin gently, sucking the skin gently, causing her hips
to arch up and a cry to leave her mouth. He laughed
against her stomach and the tremors from that spread
like wildfire, spreading through her stomach and down
between her legs. His hands parted her legs gently,
bending them at the knees so he could have access to
her and he kissed his way down, pausing at the hair
that covered her most intimate place. He looked up at
her then, just as he teased her thighs open with slow
hands so that he can take her with his fingers. She
arched up against him as he touched her clit, rubbing
it slowly, sending sharp spears of pleasure racing
through her body, spreading out from her womb to her
stomach and beyond. Her arms and legs felt heavy, as
though she was tied down, her breathing becoming more
and more erratic. He moved his fingers from her clit
and started testing her readiness, entering finger
after finger slowly until he had as many fingers
inside her that he could manage. Stroking the inside
of her with one hand and using his other hand to
circle her clit, he had her arching and grasping the
sheets under her tightly as she called out his name as
an explosive orgasm over took her body, leaving
nothing but a trembling body and a lingering pleasure.
He didn't even give her any time before he removed his
hands and replaced them with his tongue. Licking her
with slow, even strokes, making her feel every inch of
his tongue. He entered his tongue inside her, then ran
it up to her clit, taking it into his mouth, sucking
on it gently, running his teeth over it, causing her
body to buckle under another orgasm. It was then that
he moved over her, and as he entered her, he lifted
his face up and their eyes met. He thrust into her,
deep and hard, then withdrew briefly, laughing softly
at her cry of loss, then lifted her hand to hold his
arousal now moistened with her own wetness. He guided
her hand with his own, first up and down the
shuddering silky shaft, and then slowly allowing her
to slide him back inside her. His fingers on her lips
gave her a taste of her own salty excitement. His
thrusts were slow and smooth, the tip of him reaching
deep inside her. In his eyes she saw her own
reflection lose focus and heard the catch of her
breath when he thrust deep within her, grazing the
tender flesh still singing from the earlier pleasuring
by his mouth. As he moved in and out of her and moaned
deeply with the pleasure over her, she could feel her
climax start, right at the very point where he was
inside her and spread upwards and outwards, reaching
her breasts and brain, causing her to cry out his name
as the most powerful feeling overtook her body, flung
her up into the sky and shattered, like fireworks
against the midnight black sky. As she slowly drifted
back to earth, she faintly heard him call out and pour
his seed deep inside her, collapsing heavily onto her
breasts, both of them breathing heavily.