by Terry Spear
Chapter 11
Lewis shook his head as he stared at the pool water shimmering outside his living room window. “We have one of our men picking up Nicole’s car, right?”
Ralph nodded. “Yes, sir. Gabriel is posing as the tow truck driver. Nicole released the car. The police won’t see the vehicle again once we’re through with it.”
“And nobody’s located Boris?”
Ralph shoved his hands in his pockets. “No, sir. We thought he might have tried to get into the woman’s apartment or get in touch with her. He left a note for her, telling her we were coming for her, in his way. And he referred to venison. I have no idea what the hell he was talking about. There wasn’t a bit of deer meat in her fridge.”
Lewis tapped his fingers on the glass and studied his new babe, lying face down on a chaise lounge, sun tanning her topless body. He turned to Ralph. “Are you sure Boris sent nothing to the woman after her parents died?”
“Yeah, boss. She sent him a card. It was returned by the post office unopened. We found it in the desk drawer.”
“What about the new guy she’s hooked up with?”
“Captain Scott Weekum, finance officer out of Fort Hood.”
“And you’ve lost them?”
“We’ve got men on their trail.”
“And they’re headed?”
“Home.” Ralph smiled. “The guy’s got a girlfriend living at his house. I wonder what Nicole will think. She doesn’t seem like the type that’s into threesomes.”
“You got someone watching the place?”
“Yeah, got a man on it.”
“No more screw-ups. I mean it, Ralph. I want that thumb drive.”
He yanked the patio door open. Damn, this Nicole bitch was costing him in men. If he had anything to say about it, she’d live only long enough to regret it.
Scott couldn’t stand being this near to Nicole without showing how he really felt about her. Calling her his wife was the easiest thing he’d ever done. With his old girlfriend, Bernadette, he never could have said such a thing without his stomach souring in response. He just felt a real connection to Nicole.
With her, despite all the craziness they’d had to deal with, he had been happier than he’d been in a good long while. He only wanted her to feel the same for him. Someday maybe he could make his claim legitimate. Was he crazy? He’d just met her.
She parted her lips for him, willing to take him on, and he felt he’d made a breakthrough. Still, he remained cautious. Though he wanted to make love to her, he wasn’t sure she was ready.
Her light breath made his heart charge with renewed interest as her tongue played with his in gentle sweeps, tentative, unsure. Her playful touch sparked his desire even further.
Her fingers touched his shoulders again with the same kind of gentleness as if she wasn’t sure whether to pull him closer or push him away. She seemed to be struggling with giving in to him or keeping him at bay.
He kissed her mouth and then she sucked on his lower lip nearly sending him over the edge. His fingers quickly moved to her blouse and touched the tips of her breasts through the silk material. He felt her lacy bra underneath the fabric. His fingers moved to the tips of her breasts, firm and peaked fully.
Her eyes were hidden under blue-shadowed lids and her breath was nearly still as she gave in to the sensation. She didn’t make a sound as her hands touched his shoulders so lightly now, he barely felt her fingertips. She wasn’t stopping him, but she wasn’t encouraging him either. She appeared totally lost under his spell.
He wanted to feel her skin beneath his fingertips, not just her breasts under layers of feminine fabric. He wanted to touch her naked nipples.
With as slight a maneuver as he could make, he moved his legs between hers. As long as they kept their clothes on, he rationalized, everything would be okay. But as soon as he reached for the buttons on her blouse, he forgot the plan.
And then she tugged at his shirt buttons. Okay, she was fine with it.
Was the stress of the situation they were under, making her behave differently than she would otherwise? Was it because she felt something special for him too? Or had the circumstances that brought them together been the only reason for the intimacy?
Hell, she’d just broken up with Major Tom. Was this a case of rebound?
Maybe with Scott too, and Bernadette.
“Maybe, we need to take this a little slower,” Scott said when she pulled off her blouse.
The crinkle returned to her brow. “You, oh, I’m sorry. I’m being too—”
Immediately regretting his words, he said, “No.” He gathered her up in his arms and carried her to the canopied bed and sat her down on the mattress. “I just want you to know if you change your mind, I’ll understand.”
“I don’t want you to think—”
He smiled. “I only worry you’re under a lot of stress and—”
“Oh.” She stared up at him.
He couldn’t tell by the look on her face what she was thinking.
He touched her hair, hoping he hadn’t upset her. “Nicole?”
She reached for his buttons. “I’ve heard this can be good for stress.”
He chuckled. She was so good for him.
He about ripped off his shirt, then dropped it to the floor.
She smiled. “I take it you didn’t want to wait.”
“Hell, no, I’m too stressed also.”
She reached for his belt. Her slender fingers undoing the leather sent another surge of interest into his cock. He had every intention of taking it nice and slow with her, but right now, he wanted her to tear his clothes off with her teeth, and he’d reciprocate in a flash.
He caressed her soft shoulders, trying to contain his growing libido.
When she tugged the belt free, he touched her bra clasp in front, but she shook her head.
“Me, first, just in case I change my mind.”
He chuckled. “In case the goods don’t measure up?”
“From what I’ve seen, you’re darned well-equipped, if they’re any indication.” She pointed at his big feet and he was reminded of how she’d tripped over them.
He couldn’t help the deep chuckle that emanated from his gut.
She ran her finger over the bulge in his shorts and his erection reacted. She smiled.
As much as he wanted her to have her way, he couldn’t stand it. He reached for his zipper. She brushed his hand away, her eyes full of the devil.
Tease.
Again, she smiled. Then she pulled his zipper down, painfully slow.
“Oh, baby, you’re killing me.”
She leaned forward and kissed his abdomen with her warm, soft velvet mouth. When her tongue tantalized his skin, he groaned.
Bernadette had left him three months ago. Since then, there’d been no one else. Too much field duty and no one he’d met who had piqued his interest. Certainly, no other cougar females. Now, he could barely contain himself.
“Nicole,” he moaned under his breath and raked his fingers through her hair, fanning the thick satiny strands over her bare shoulders.
He couldn’t help the anger that suddenly seeped into his veins that Tom, the major turd, had dated such a lovely woman and had been such a cad with her.
Nicole slid Scott’s shorts down. He immediately kicked off his sandals. She chuckled and the husky, sensual tone sent his adrenaline racing through his system.
His thumbs rubbed her nipples through the lacy bra, and she traced his erection underneath his boxer briefs. Damn, woman, did she know how to make him suffer. If she decided she wanted to wait after all, he’d die.
He hadn’t been this close to coming with just a simple touch in he didn’t know how long.
She stood and walked behind him. Now what?
Her lips kissed his back, sending need roaring through his body. Then her hands slipped around his chest, caressing, touching his muscles as they tightened in expectation.
“Hmm, for being a sof
t finance officer, you sure are hard.” She ran her fingers down his chest, lower and lower. Her tongue traced his spine south until her hands slipped under his waistband.
Though his hands caressed her arms, he wanted more than the tactile pleasure of her touching him.
“Nicole,” he groaned as she rubbed her body against his back.
She slipped a hand inside his boxer briefs and ran her fingers down his length.
Enough! He turned and held her face, kissing her like there was no tomorrow before he embarrassed himself by coming too quickly.
She licked his lower lip and he reached down to unfasten her bra. This time she didn’t object. This time he unbound her breasts from the lace and slipped the bra off.
He pulled her close, pressing his chest against her breasts, enjoying the feel of her soft mounds against him, envisioning they were still on the beach.
He kissed the hollow of her neck and ran his tongue over her skin, down to her breast, the darker pink nipple peaked and willing him on.
He suckled her nipple and she moaned with pleasure. His erection reacted, throbbing to join her and he couldn’t wait any longer. He unzipped her shorts while she slipped out of her sandals.
He reached down and felt between her legs, felt the wetness of her panties and smiled. She returned the smile, acknowledging she was ready.
She pulled his boxer briefs down and he kicked them off, then he slid her panties down her legs and pulled them the rest of the way off. She traced his nipples with her fingers, and he turned her back toward the mattress.
“You’re beautiful,” he said, and he meant every bit of it. From her creamy ivory skin, to the patch of blond hair at the ‘v’ between her legs, to the satiny golden curls that caressed her shoulders, and her beautiful eyes. “I think I’m in love.”
She snorted.
He smiled. Yeah, he sounded like a major sap. Have sex with the woman but be sure to say all the right things. But he really felt what he said.
He leaned her back on the mattress. Wedging his leg between hers, he rubbed against her thigh, tantalizing her with his erection as he kissed her lips. Their tongues danced with renewed gusto. Her hand swept down his backside, stirring him on.
He wanted to be deep inside her, thrusting with all the pent-up passion that was driving him crazy, but he forced himself to prolong the moment. The glorious, wonderful moment.
She moved her legs apart, willing him to enter her. He stroked her between her legs and her nub swelled with excitement. “Oh, Nicole,” he moaned against her mouth. “I’ve got to get some protection.”
“I’m on birth control.”
The magic words.
He rubbed her harder and she responded, moving against his fingers, purring her pleasure. And then she moaned, the sound nearly toppling him. As the ripples of contractions swept through her, he thrust deep inside her, his erection full to bursting.
He groaned as her hands slid down his back and cupped his ass.
“Scott,” Nicole managed to say, her eyes shut as she enjoyed his driving thrusts, tilting her hips just so to maximize the penetration.
He groaned in response.
“Oh,” she moaned, “you feel so…” Good was what she meant to say, but the word vanished as he flooded her with his warm seed.
“Oh, God, Nicole,” Scott said, and thrust his tongue between her parted lips, his erection still pumping into her with enthusiasm.
He wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly against his hard chest and chuckled. “Hot damn, woman.”
She ran her fingers through his hair. “I sure was lucky when I ran into you.”
“To think I’d even considered not going to Galveston Island because of the weather conditions.”
“You had the premonition where you were supposed to save me.”
“Uh, yeah, I did.” His look turned serious as he fingered her hair. “We need to talk.” Before he could say another word, a muffled ringing caught her ear.
She squirmed underneath him.
He didn’t release her at once. Enjoying her too much? Like she was enjoying him? She liked the feeling.
Finally, he rolled off her, but his grimace showed the caller’s interruption totally annoyed him.
She sat upright and stared at her leather purse, sitting on the desk. “My cell phone,” she whispered, finally realizing it was for her, not for Scott. A shiver trailed down her spine.
Scott noticed the terror in Nicole’s voice all at once. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder, trying to comfort her. He hadn’t considered the caller could be dangerous. “Who has your cell phone number?”
“Work. Tom.” She swallowed hard. “Jackie did.”
“Don’t answer it.”
“But what if it’s important?” she asked.
“Like what? If it’s work, maybe they want you to return. If so, I couldn’t protect you.”
Nicole pulled the phone from her purse. “Work.”
After six rings, the caller gave up.
“I feel guilty. What if I get a bad evaluation or something? You know we’re always supposed to be available in the event of an emergency. They can cancel our leave and—”
He joined her and touched his fingers to her lips. “You’re on vacation. You could be swimming in the hotel pool or ducking the waves in the Gulf right about now, for all they know.”
The phone started ringing again.
Scott took the phone from her and set it on the desk. He took her hand. “Come on. You wanted to wade in the creek. Let’s go have some fun while we’re still on vacation. Just be sure to leave the phone here.”
“All right.” She lifted the phone and nearly dropped it when it began ringing again.
“Okay, on second thought, we’re going to leave it in my car. If they keep calling, we’ll never get any sleep tonight.”
“We could put it on mute.”
“Okay, put it on mute or turn it off, but we still leave it in the car.” There was no way he wanted her to return to work. Not with Major Tom there to harass her further. And what if he had something to do with this whole mess they were in? If he did, the calls could signal they’d lost track of her. Scott was afraid she’d answer it due to her sense of obligation to work if she had the opportunity. No matter what, he didn’t want her to leave him. For now, they were on vacation together, and that’s just the way he wanted it.
Then his phone rang. He couldn’t believe it. He looked at the caller ID. His home phone number? Who the hell would be calling from his home? It had to be a spoof call.
He answered it. “Hello?”
“Hey, buster, how’s it hanging?”
“Bernadette?” His skin instantly chilled. What the hell was she doing at his house? Then he remembered the nightmare he’d had. Only it hadn’t been a nightmare. It had been a future vision.
He glanced at Nicole.
Her eyes were round, and her well-kissed mouth hung open slightly.
Shit. Now what?
Chapter 12
Nicole couldn’t believe it. She was staying in a room of a bed-and-breakfast mansion with a man she barely knew, no matter that he’d been so protective of her and was a hot, sexy cougar who seemed really into her. But his girlfriend calls…or ex…or whatever she was and then what? At least Nicole assumed it had to be the girlfriend as white as his face turned and the way he’d looked at Nicole to see her reaction to the call.
“Just a sec,” he said to Bernadette, then tugged on his boxer briefs. He walked onto the veranda and pulled the patio door closed behind him.
That said it all. Nicole quickly dressed and headed out the door to the room. Men were all the same. For now, she was going to play in the creek. After that, she had to find some other kind of sleeping arrangement. This one wasn’t going to work at all.
She hurried down the stairs and headed out the front door of the house. It was one thing to convince herself that staying with Scott for protection was for her own good and he was content with
the notion, but it was another to stay with a man attached to some other woman still. She’d never been in the business of breaking up relationships.
After following the quaint redbrick path that led down to the creek, she soon reached the rocky beach. She kicked off her sandals and strode into the rushing waters, normally only a trickle. In the hot afternoon sun, the cold, underground spring-fed waters refreshed her skin. She walked further into the water, but her feet slipped on the moss-covered stones. Before she could stop herself, she fell.
Sitting waist deep in the water, she laughed. Kind of hysterically. She couldn’t believe all that had happened. The men who had come after her. Running into a sexy cougar who was still in a relationship. Nicole could just imagine the cat fight that could occur between her and the other woman if she learned Nicole was in the picture. What if he was glad the ex-girlfriend had reached out to him?
Then the nightmare Scott had last night came back to haunt her. It hadn’t been a nightmare at all. He’d had a premonition. So the woman was at his house?
Behind her, the mansion loomed in the distance. But there was no sign of anyone. She sighed deeply. Good. She hadn’t wanted anyone to see her sitting in her shorts in the middle of the swollen creek. Looking north, the breeze ruffled the leaves of the elm and oaks on the other side of the creek, wild and natural as when the Tawakoni Indians first roamed the area. Though Paleo-Indian tribes had been in the area for thousands of years before that, using the same water from the creek.
What was she to do about the predicament she was in? She had no car, no way to get back to Killeen. And then what? She could rent a car. Maybe an SUV so she had a fighting chance with the bad guys. Or a pickup truck with a heavy-duty, cattleguard on front.
“Nicole!”
Scott’s frantic voice startled her. She stiffened her back. Her stomach knotted with anxiety. She had to end this situation with him now. After Tom picked up his new girlfriend, she didn’t want to have to experience that with someone she really cared about if Scott wanted to get back with Bernadette.
