“Honestly?”
“Yes.” Ezekiel brushed his lips across her nape. “You’re the first and you’ll be the last, baby.”
“First and last.” Yvonne smiled and let out a little sigh. “I like the sound of that.”
As did he. But Daniel still had one question. “Done running?”
“From myself,” she said sleepily as she closed her eyes. “And from the two of you.”
Chapter Seven
Ezekiel sipped his coffee as he watched Yvonne prepare her grandma’s basket. Before going to sleep last night she asked him to put all the contents into the refrigerator, which of course meant she had to rise extra early this morning to cook the soup and bake the cobbler. Her culinary expertise was made even more mouthwatering thanks to his long-sleeve blue shirt she wore as she cooked.
He and Daniel had voted for nothing, but they conceded to allow her to wear the shirt after she threatened to go home and cook. Ezekiel wasn’t sure who’d won in their battle of wills, but he definitely couldn’t consider himself a loser. Especially not when she bent over to open the oven. It was all win then.
Leaning back on the counter, he watched with a smile as his woman worked. Never before had he ever felt as satisfied as he did this morning. Waking up with Yvonne inches away from him made up for even having to listen to Daniel snore all night. Being with her in general made everything better.
Yvonne looked up, caught his smile and shook her head. “You’re enjoying me cooking in this shirt way too much.”
“No such thing.”
“Pervert,” she teased.
“And your point would be what?” Ezekiel watched her move with ease. Skillful, she transferred the chicken noodle soup from the pot to the thermos without burning herself or making a mess. Yvonne was as at home in the kitchen as he was in the woods. “You know, if the smile is bothering you, I’m sure I can think of a couple of ways to take the shirt off my mind.”
Yvonne set the pot back on the stove and turned to face him. “Such as?”
“I could always bend you over the counter and sink my dick inside you.”
“As lovely as that sounds…” Yvonne placed the lid on the container then set it in the basket next to the peach cobbler she’d put in there earlier, “…and it does sound lovely, I’m going to have to decline. I want to take this over to my grandmother’s house before it cools.”
“She has a microwave.” And if she didn’t, Ezekiel was more than happy to buy one for her.
“Yes, but it’s not the same. Besides, reheating in the microwave is terrible. It cooks the taste right out of the food.”
“Afraid you’re not going anywhere for awhile, Betty Crocker,” Daniel said as he came into the room with her garment bag slung over his arm. “You left your car door open last night. I tried to start the car but the battery wouldn’t turn over. It’s completely drained.”
Yvonne glanced over at Daniel and frowned. “Door open? That’s not like me.”
“You were in a hurry last night,” Ezekiel reminded her.
“I guess.”
“Looks as if you’re stuck here for a few more hours.” Daniel laid her garment bag over the back of one of the kitchen chairs and then rubbed his hands together gleefully. “However will we keep busy?”
“I have a couple of ideas,” Ezekiel offered, setting his coffee cup down.
“I’m sure you do.” She laughed. “But can’t one of you jump the car?”
Daniel was shaking his head before Yvonne even finished speaking. “If it’s truly drained, you need to charge it, not merely jump it. A jump will get it going, but a charge will keep it that way.”
“I can call a tow truck.”
Ezekiel frowned. He didn’t need another man taking care of her. One extra was already enough. “I have a charger in the garage. If you’re hell-bent on going…” and unfortunately it looked as if she was, “…you can take either my truck or Daniel’s SUV.”
“Or I can walk.” Yvonne glanced out the kitchen window and smiled. “It’s a nice day and a walk will do me some good.”
“You don’t have to walk,” Daniel argued.
“I know, but I want to. Besides, my grandmother lives fifteen minutes away.”
This conversation was not going the way Ezekiel would have preferred. “Only if you take the shortcut through the woods and we all know that’s not a good idea.”
“He has a point,” Daniel said.
“On his head. Sheesh.” She closed the lid to the basket. “You guys really need to let it go.”
Daniel looked pensively at her. “You were lost for hours.”
“Once, when I was a kid.”
“It wouldn’t have happened if you’d stayed on the path,” Ezekiel reminded her.
“A lesson I learned years ago. I won’t get lost again.”
“You may not get lost again, but you never stick to the path.” She was too stubborn to.
“That’s because the path is stupid and it takes longer. I can navigate the woods now. I’ve done it before.”
And he hadn’t liked it then either. Wolves weren’t the only dangerous things that wandered the woods. “If you wait twenty minutes, your car will be charged enough for you to drive it over there. Then you can leave it running while you’re inside visiting with your grandmother.”
“That’s five more minutes than it would take me to make it over there.” Yvonne walked around the island and picked up her garment bag. “Be right back.”
Before he could utter a word of protest she slipped out of the kitchen. Daniel crossed the room and opened the basket. Leaning down, he inhaled deeply. “Mmm, peach cobbler. My favorite. Think Granny will notice if I snag a small slice?”
“Her grandmother may not, but Yvonne will. She doesn’t miss a thing.”
Dejected, Daniel straightened and closed the lid. “True.”
“And she doesn’t listen worth a damn either,” Ezekiel grumbled.
“Did you think that was going to change because she agreed to be with us?”
“Think, no. Hope, yes.”
“Then you’re an idiot.”
He didn’t need Daniel to point out the obvious. “Just remember, we have to live together the rest of our lives. Insults are not going to endear you to me.”
“Better get used to it. I call ’em as I see ’em.”
“Oh boy, I can’t wait.” This was going to be fun. “Keep it up, chucklehead, and I’ll turn you into a chew toy.”
Daniel pretended to shiver. “I’m so scared, fur ball.”
“Not yet, but I—”
“So,” Yvonne said, breaking up their banter. “What do you two think?”
Ezekiel turned his attention to her and lost all ability to speak. He didn’t believe anything could top the way she looked in the shirt. Man was he wrong. The retro red and white sundress Yvonne was wearing put the shirt to shame. Blown away, Ezekiel let out a low wolf whistle. Yvonne smiled at his gesture and preened. She took hold of one side of the gingham dress and held it out, spinning for a quick moment to give them the full effect.
Daniel slowly applauded, speeding up his hands with every clap. “You look like a hot black version of June Cleaver.”
“Doesn’t surprise me. My grandmother made this dress. I’m wearing it to try and earn some brownie points.”
“And you succeeded. Points for all. That is officially my favorite outfit.”
“Ditto.” Ezekiel had never been one for role-playing, but the vintage outfit was giving him all kinds of dirty thoughts.
“You like?” she asked, tilting her head to the side in a flirty manner.
“I love it.”
“Me too,” Daniel said. “It’s very retro of you. All you need is a string of pearls and a bomb shelter nearby to make it more authentic.”
Laughing, Yvonne picked up the picnic basket. “I’m all out of bomb shelters, but I have a freshly baked cobbler and homemade chicken noodle soup. Will that do?”
“That
is so hot.” Daniel revved his eyebrows. “I so want to fuck you while you’re wearing that dress.”
“I’m sure we can work something out,” Yvonne promised with a smile as she grabbed her red shawl from the kitchen table. “But later. I have to go over to my grandmother’s house and kiss ass.”
“I have something you can kiss right here.”
“Kiss?” Yvonne arched an eyebrow.
“Suck, kiss.” Daniel waved his hand as if his words were of little importance. “You get my point.”
“I’ll suck, kiss you later. I promise. But now I have to go.”
Ezekiel opened the door and all three of them stepped outside onto the back porch. “Before you go…”
“Yes?”
“Take off your panties,” Ezekiel ordered.
Yvonne’s mouth dropped open. “Are…are you serious?”
“Haven’t you realized by now I’m a man of my word?”
“But…” Her disbelief was slightly amusing. “I’m going to visit my sick grandmother.”
“And maybe this will make you come back all the sooner.”
“Have I told you lately how much I like the way you think?” Daniel remarked to him. Smiling, Daniel took hold of the basket and the shawl. “Let me hold this for you, baby.”
“You’re too good to me.”
“I try.” Daniel leaned back against the porch railing. “Now take them off.”
“You two are perverted bastards,” she grumbled, as she raised the sides of her dress and hooked her fingers in the waistband of her panties.
“Yes, but we’re your perverted bastards,” Daniel teased.
“And you love it. You love us.” Ezekiel’s gaze was centered directly on her covered sex. Even after their busy and rigorous night, he was far from sated. He could have gone again, right then and there before God and country, but Ezekiel figured he was pushing her enough as it was with the underwear.
“You’re lucky I do.” With a frown pursing her lips, she pushed her panties to the floor then stepped out of them. “Here.” She tossed them at Ezekiel. “Happy now?”
Ezekiel caught them in midair and grinned. “Yes. Yes I am.”
“And you.” Yvonne held her hand out to Daniel. “Give it to me.”
“Is it me or did that sound extremely dirty?” Daniel asked, handing over the basket and shawl.
Ezekiel couldn’t agree more. “Oh no, it wasn’t just you.”
Yvonne broke into laughter. “You two are nuts. I need to leave before it rubs off on me.”
“Rubbing off,” Daniel teased. “Just as dirty.”
It appeared as if Ezekiel wasn’t the only one who was ready for another go around. “I think if you want to leave before next week, you should probably go. We’ll drop the car off when the battery has a semblance of a charge and leave it running so you don’t have to walk back.”
“What’s the chance of your grandmother inviting us in for cobbler?” Daniel asked.
“Slim to none, but I know her baker. I can put a good word in for you.”
Daniel smiled. “See that you do.”
“Will do.” With her shawl wrapped around her shoulders and the basket in her hand, Yvonne leaned over and pressed a quick kiss against Daniel’s lips before turning to Ezekiel and doing the same. With a parting smile, she made her way down the stairs.
The fullness of her skirt blew up slightly in the breeze, causing Daniel to groan good-naturedly. “Man, I really don’t like her grandmother right now.”
Daniel wasn’t the only one. “Little Red,” Ezekiel called out after her. “You be careful out there.”
Yvonne turned at his warning. “No need to be. I’m friends with all the wolves in the forest.”
“No excuse to stray from the path,” Daniel reminded her.
“I won’t.” Yvonne smiled and waved. “Love you guys. I’ll see you in a couple of hours.”
Even though he knew she wasn’t going far, Ezekiel didn’t like her going off alone. It may only be to her grandmother’s house, but he was counting the minutes until he would see her again.
As Yvonne traipsed through the woods her thoughts were not on her familial visit but rather her activities from the night before. She could feel herself flush, but it wasn’t from embarrassment. The remembrance of the feel of two mouths, four hands and two hard dicks had her body tingling. It had all felt so right, as if the three of them fit. There was no other way to describe it. And now that she’d made her commitment to her men she wanted to shout it from the rooftops. Before she did though, she had to break the news to her family.
Yvonne knew her mother was on team ménage, but her father and grandmother weren’t on board. With her mom’s help, she hoped they could eventually bring her dad around, but her grandmother was an entirely different ballgame. Even though the older woman was on the persnickety side, Yvonne loved her. It was just going to take time and a whole lot of cobbler to make her grandmother change her tune.
Before too long she was clearing the thicker woods and approaching the house her grandmother owned. The older woman had refused to move to town when Yvonne’s grandfather died, preferring the quietness of the remote location. As soon as she headed up the walkway, Yvonne automatically slipped her hand in her pocket to retrieve the key. Unfortunately she came up empty. Not only was she careless, she was keyless, which meant she had no way of entering the house without forcing her grandmother to get out of bed.
Knowing this wasn’t a good way to begin their visit, Yvonne pressed on the buzzer then waited a few seconds before doing it again. After a couple of minutes she pressed the buzzer again, holding the button down longer this time, but as before no one came to the door. Worried her grandmother may have fallen and injured herself, Yvonne tried the doorknob. To her surprise it turned in her hand. Cautiously, Yvonne pushed open the door slowly and called out. “Grandma?”
“Come in.”
The faint voice was too muffled to make out the direction. Concerned, she shut the door partially behind her and walked farther into the hall. “Gran?”
“Close but no cigar.” The deep male baritone startled her. With her hand over her heart Yvonne spun around and faced the living room. Instead of finding her sickly grandmother, Yvonne spotted the sheriff sitting in her grandmother’s rocker.
Her reaction seemed to amuse him, which only fueled her anger. The bastard had scared her on purpose, but she’d be damned if she let him know it. “My, Grandmother,” she said dryly. “What a big shiny badge you have.”
“I was wondering when you’d make it over.”
“You made yourself comfortable while you waited, I see.” Trying to appear calm, she walked farther into the room and set her basket on the table. She slipped off her shawl and laid it on top of the basket then took her time looking around the room. “I didn’t notice your car outside.”
“That’s because I parked it around the corner. I didn’t think you’d come in if you knew I was here.”
He knew her so well. “Where is my grandmother?”
“I have her tied up in the closet.”
Horrified, Yvonne glanced toward the coat closet then back to the sheriff.
Jasper made a sound of impatience and rolled his eyes. “It was a joke.”
“I’m laughing on the inside.”
“I can see.” Jasper rose and walked over to her side. His mere presence made her skin crawl, and it took everything inside her not to step back. Yvonne knew he would see her move as a sign of weakness and try to use it against her.
Instead, Yvonne raised her chin and forced herself to meet his gaze. She could do this. “Where is she really?”
“Over at your parents’ house. I drove her there myself.”
“Why?”
“Because your grandmother believes as I do that someone needs to talk with you about the choices you’re making. She agreed to give us some time to talk. Just the two of us.”
“Am I supposed to take your word?”
“Yo
u can call over there and confirm it if you want,” he offered. Yvonne glanced toward the kitchen where the phone was kept. Before she could make a move in that direction though, Jasper took hold of her hand. “Later. After we talk.”
Frowning, she snatched her hand back. “We don’t have anything to talk about.”
“How about the furry sickness poisoning our town, our community?” Jasper ran his gaze possessively over her. “Our women.”
Her spine stiffened. She’d had just about enough of him. “Maybe you need to consider running for Sheriff in another county. One less fur friendly.”
“With the way these people are popping up out of the woodwork I think I’d be stretched to find one.”
These people. Jasper’s ignorance knew no bounds. “I’m more than positive there are lots of places where you’ll find people with more of your mindset. Maybe somewhere a little more country and little less rock and roll.”
“I shouldn’t have to move.” The bitterness in his voice was chilling. “They should, somewhere more secure. Preferably somewhere with bars and feeding times.”
“Your prejudice is sickening.” She moved behind the rocking chair, no longer able to stomach being near him.
“As is the idea of you sleeping with him. With both of them. Daniel, I might be able to forgive. He’s at least human. But Ezekiel, I doubt he’s even housebroken.”
“What they are is none of your business. I didn’t ask you for your advice.”
“You’re damn well getting it.”
This was going nowhere. “Fine. You’ve given me your advice. Message received loud and clear. Can I go now?”
“Back to them?”
“Yes.”
“No,” he spit out, his face creased with determination. “Not until you see reason.”
“Reason, or your way?”
“Same thing.”
Yvonne snorted and crossed her arms over her chest. “Not hardly.”
“You think this a joke?”
“No, what I think is this is a crime. First you break into my grandmother’s house, then you force me to stay here against my will. You’re a man of the law. Tell me, how long does breaking and entering added to kidnapping get you?”
The Better to Eat You With: Urban Fairytales, Book 2 Page 12
