Dyson shook his head slowly. “No, baby, you’re not under arrest.”
She was taken aback at how sad they both looked.
Chewing the inside of her cheek, she gazed from one handsome face to the other. Something was clearly bothering them and she wracked her brain to figure what it was.
“You’re free to do whatever you want now, darlin’,” Matt explained softly. “You’re safe. That fuckwad—in fact, the whole gang of ‘em—is in jail and with your evidence they won’t be going anywhere in a long time.”
“Sheridan PD have asked me to make a note of any forwarding address for you, though.” Dyson sounded very formal as he spoke, but couldn’t hide a tiny tremor in his voice. “It’s just in case they have any more questions or need you to attend the trial.”
She suddenly felt sick. “Y-you think I might have to go there and face them?”
Dyson shook his head. “It’s possible, but we hope not. The way those fuckers were singing like jay birds, it looks like they’ll all have admitted to everything anyhow. It’s amazing what they’ll let slip when they’re trying to blame each other!”
Carla nodded.
“So you don’t have to stay in Cavern County if you’ve got other plans,” Matt told her gently.
She felt her stomach churn, wondering if he was trying to tell her to go in the nicest way he could find.
“Oh, right, I see.”
“Do you have any plans?” Dyson asked her warily.
“Well…no. Actually I thought I might be in jail by tonight so I didn’t really think about it,” she admitted.
Her mind whirled. She hadn’t considered her next move—everything had just happened so fast. And the cops seemed to have taken any decision-making away from her yesterday so she had been feeling like she was in a state of limbo. Last night had been magical though, and she felt a thud in her stomach as she wondered if it had really meant that much to them after all. They certainly seemed sincere, and they’d been lovely to her all day. She badly needed some thinking time.
“I just want to go and explain everything to Mr. and Mrs. Bellingham,” she told them. “I didn’t mean to leave them the way I did, and I really like them, you know? I don’t want them to think badly of me.”
“No one thinks badly of you, darlin’,” Matt assured her quietly. “Everyone around here knows what happened. Even Trevor Melrose. It’s like I said, word soon gets ‘round in a place like Cavern County.”
She stared up at his handsome face. His green eyes seemed to have paled and lost their twinkle.
“You are pleased that I wasn’t involved in the robbery, aren’t you?” she asked them.
“Yeah, of course,” Matt replied incredulously. “Not that we ever had any doubts on that score. We trusted you all along, you should know that.”
“Thanks.” She managed a weak smile, still pondering what was making them so miserable.
“Shop’s still open if you want to say good-bye to your friends,” Dyson told her, glancing at his watch.
Carla swallowed hard. “Okay.” She nodded. “I won’t be long.”
“Take as long as you like, darlin’,” Matt replied as both men turned to go back into the building.
Carla swallowed a hard lump which had lodged in her throat. Dyson told me to say goodbye. They want me to go.
She watched their gorgeous bodies disappear into the sheriff’s office before turning to head up the street. She had been dreading facing her employers again after being branded a thief, but she felt even worse about the two handsome hunks wanting her to leave town.
“There you are! Maisie said you were around here someplace!” Delores was sweeping the front step of the shop when she arrived at the little store. The older lady flung her arms around Carla, embracing her in a hug that almost knocked all the air from her lungs. Then she held her at arm’s length while she examined her.
“Looks like a nasty bump to me,” Delores frowned as she studied the large bruise on Carla’s forehead. “How ya feelin’, honey?”
The kindness of the woman was too much for Carla, who suddenly burst into tears. Delores took her in her soft, warm arms and held her for a few minutes while she sobbed.
“Come on, let’s get you inside.” Frank suddenly appeared in the doorway, ushering them both into the shop.
Luckily there were no customers just then, and Delores led her through to the back room.
“Here.” Frank offered Carla a cup of tea when she had finally recovered slightly and she took it gratefully.
“I’m sorry,” she blurted out.
“What on earth for?” Delores looked stunned.
“You must think I’m awful,” she replied, choking back more tears. “I’m not a thief. I didn’t steal the money. It was for Mr. Roberts.”
“We know all that, silly,” Delores threw her arms around her once more as she hugged her. “This is Cavern County, remember? Nothing escapes our nosiness!”
“Ain’t that right.” Frank laughed.
Carla managed a small laugh. They sure were lovely people around here.
“I th-thought you’d all believe Jerome,” she told them with a sniff.
“Him? Never told us a thing, honey. Just asked questions—too many of ’em for our liking. That’s why we called the sheriff. We knew something was wrong. Turns out we were right.” Delores squeezed her a little tighter.
“I’m so glad you did. They might never have…”
“Now don’t you go thinking like that, honey.” Delores admonished her kindly. “It worked out and that’s what counts. I hear they’ve picked him up and put him where he belongs—behind bars. Good riddance, I say. We were more worried about you. No one knew where you were and he was obviously looking for ya. I’ve never seen those Shearers so riled up in my whole life!”
“That’s for sure,” Frank agreed with a nod. “Never slept all night, they were out looking everywhere for ya. Whole town was out there, too.”
“Really?” Carla was stunned as she stared at him.
“Oh yeah. We don’t do nothin’ by halves ‘round here, honey.” Delores laughed. “Sheriff rounded up all the menfolk—some of the women, too—and arranged a complete search of the whole area. The Shearers never stopped looking. Scared to death they were about what the fuckwad would do to you if he found you, although no one knew what the hell was goin’ on. We kept getting snippets of intel but it was Aiden who pieced everything together for us.”
Carla nodded. “His brother didn’t mean to do anything wrong,” she told them. “He didn’t know anything about it, either.”
“Oh, we know all that,” Frank waved a dismissive hand to her.
“Aiden’s been a real help, too.” Carla sniffed.
“We know. He was the one that found you that night, wasn’t he? He’d re-traced your steps back from the Melrose, I hear. Got talking to some waitress at the café—Maggie, I think he said. Seems he’s pretty smitten with her.” Delores gave Carla a knowing look which made her smile.
“Maggie’s lovely,” Carla concurred. “She’s a good friend.”
“Yep, you’ve got lots of good friends around here, honey.” Delores smiled at her, offering her a plate of cookies.
Carla felt the knot twist in her stomach. “I know. I’m sure gonna miss everyone,” she said as another tear trickled down her cheek.
Delores frowned. “Why? You’re not leaving, are ya?”
Carla nodded sadly.
Frank sat down, stunned. “Sweetie-pie, those boys must be devastated.” He shook his head.
“I’ve never known them care for anyone the way they do for you, honey,” Delores added with a sigh. “You sure you have to go? There’s plenty folks ‘round here who’ll miss ya. And those Shearers must be beside themselves.”
Carla wiped her sleeve across her face. “They’re the ones
that want me to go,” she whispered. “Dyson just told me to come say goodbye to you.”
She placed her cup on the table as a torrent of tears burst down her cheeks, and Delores threw her arms around her once more.
Smothered in the warm softness of the woman, Carla let herself go, sobbing and crying herself out. Eventually she pulled away slightly and Frank handed her a large handkerchief.
“Why don’t you sit down and tell us exactly what he said, missy? From the way those guys have been talking about you lately there ain’t no way in hell they’ll want you to go. There must be some mistake.” Frank’s voice was soothing and Carla stared up at him.
“W-what did they say?” She hardly dared ask, and sat down at the little table as he urged.
Delores sat next to her with Frank opposite.
“You must know how much those guys love ya, honey?” Delores sounded incredulous. “I guess they never actually said as much, but, hey—they are guys after all.” She snickered.
Carla felt a tiny smolder of hope warm her stomach. She shook her head. “They never said anything,” she whispered.
Delores burst out laughing. “That sounds about right to me,” she chuckled.
“Just ’cause they don’t say it don’t mean they don’t feel it,” Frank told her sagely. “We men can’t always find the words, but we try to show how we feel by the things we do. Does that make any sense to you, sweetie?”
Carla stared at him, recalling the way those guys had treated her. They had been so kind and tender with her, and so passionate. Her stomach burned as she remembered the way they had made her feel, and she sniffed, wiping her face with the handkerchief. Even though she hadn’t confided in them about the trouble she was in they had spent all night trying to find her, to save her. They worried about her because they cared.
“I think you need to go and speak to them face to face, honey,” Delores told her with a smile. “’Cause there ain’t no way those guys would want you leaving town, ya hear?”
Carla nodded.
“And besides,” Delores added as they all stood up, “we need you back behind this here counter.”
Chapter Seventeen
Carla arrived back at the sheriff’s office with a bag full of groceries. Delores had insisted on paying her the wages she was due, and told her to just come back to work whenever she was up to it. Carla loved her employers—they must have been two of the kindest people to walk God’s earth.
“You’re back.” Matt was standing in the doorway to the office. He looked totally edible with his shirt partially undone, showing the chest hair which she just loved to run her hands through.
“Not interrupting anything, am I?” She smiled at him, glad that she had had a chance to wash her face and make herself look more presentable before she’d left the shop.
He smiled back, shaking his head. “Of course not, darlin’.” He put an arm around her, leading her into the office.
“Good.”
“I’ve got some news,” Dyson told her from his seat behind the desk.
“Turns out that old guy, Mr. Roberts, had put up a reward for information about the gang that robbed his store. He wants to give you ten thousand dollars.”
Carla stared at him. “I don’t want his money,” she said, astonished. “Have they given it all back to him, then?”
“They’re about to,” Dyson replied, consulting his computer. “They’ve already told him what happened and that his money’s on its way over to Sheridan. Seems he’s real happy about it. Wants to thank you for everything you did. If you’re headed that way you should call in on him.”
Carla fought the sickly feeling in her stomach. It sure sounded like Dyson felt that she had left town already, in her head anyhow. Wrong!
“Was everything all right over at the shop?” Dyson went on, hardly looking up from his PC.
“Yeah, it was fine.”
The sheriff narrowed his eyes at her, suddenly taking notice. “You sure?”
She nodded. “Why wouldn’t it be? Seems the whole town knows my business. Delores and Frank are quite happy I’m not a thief.”
“People talk a lot around here,” Matt told her, nodding.
“So I believe.” She smiled sweetly up at him and he looked a little wary.
“You sure everything’s all right, baby?” Dyson’s voice was soft and he wore a puzzled frown as he finally gave her his full attention.
“Everything’s just fine,” she told him, still smiling.
“So, have you said your goodbyes?” They all sat around Dyson’s desk as Matt spoke.
“No,” she said, studying their faces. They looked sad, resigned—and more than a little curious.
Dyson sighed. “So what are your plans now that you’re a free woman? You can go anywhere you want knowing you’ll be completely safe—well, from that fuckwad, anyhow.”
“What if I don’t want to go anywhere?” She stared into his confused—but gorgeous—face.
“Darlin’, there’s nothing to keep you here now,” Matt explained, his voice tight and strained.
“There’s you,” she told him, staring into those emerald eyes she loved so much.
She watched his face suddenly relax and his eyes got even larger as her words sunk in.
“And you.” She turned to face Dyson who was staring at her in amazement.
“Unless you don’t want me, of course?”
Suddenly they were all on their feet as the guy’s arms came around her, surrounding her in their warmth and affection.
“We thought you wouldn’t want us,” Dyson explained, breathlessly.
“What in hell gave you that idea?” She smiled up at him in astonishment. “I thought you didn’t want me—you did send me to say goodbye to everyone, after all.”
Matt gave his brother a little thump, “I told you, bro.”
“I know.” Dyson looked a little sheepish and Carla guessed his brother hadn’t been too happy with his suggestion either. “I didn’t mean that you had to go and say good-bye, I just thought that was what you had in mind. I didn’t think you’d want to stay around here now that you were safe from that shithead.”
“Why wouldn’t I want to stay here? The folks around here are so friendly, and I heard they all went looking for me the other night—even though I don’t even know half of them!” She shook her head incredulously as she stood wrapped in their arms.
“I guess it’s just the way we do things in Cavern County,” Dyson shrugged.
“Well, I love it!” she told them with a smile.
“And we love you, darlin’” Matt murmured in a deep voice.
Her heart must have stopped beating while she stared up at him.
“It’s true, baby. We should have told you before, but we love you.” Dyson looked almost apologetic as he looked down at her.
Carla felt her stomach burn as she looked up into the smoldering, pleading eyes of the two handsome guys.
“I love you,” she whispered.
Their faces immediately lit up and she felt their arms tighten around her as Matt leaned in for a lingering kiss. Then Dyson took her mouth once more in a kiss so sensual she felt her insides melt.
Matt’s erection dug into her from behind, while she felt Dyson’s excitement rub enticingly up and down her pussy.
“Lily went home early,” Dyson whispered into her ear when he finally came up for air.
Carla felt a burn in her stomach and an ache in her pussy. She suddenly wanted these guys with every fiber of her being. She longed to show them just how much she loved them—after all, they had shown her their love ever since they met, though she hadn’t realized it.
Slowly Dyson poked his tongue in and out of her mouth. At first she tried to rub her tongue around it, but his motions became faster and she felt a gush soak her panties. She could still feel M
att caressing her from behind, his cock hard and teasing her ass through her jeans.
She sucked hard on Dyson’s tongue as it tried to leave her hot mouth and he groaned his appreciation.
“Yeah, darlin’.” Matt had obviously seen them and egged her on. “Imagine that’s his dick right there in your luscious mouth. Lick it, suck it, that’s right. God, you’re making me even bigger just watching you.”
His voice was rasping and low as he urged her to continue. It was too much for Carla, though. Or rather, it wasn’t enough!
“I want your cocks,” she panted breathlessly, an excited panic overtaking her.
“What, here?” Dyson sounded a little unsure.
She nodded.
Matt didn’t ask questions. His member sprang free from his pants without any hesitation.
Kneeling on the hardwood floor of the office, Carla opened her mouth and engulfed Matt’s prize possession. He groaned as she laved her tongue up and down the shaft, and swirled all around it before taking the bulbous head right into her hot mouth.
“Jeez! Carla!” Matt gasped as she sucked on his rock-hard dick, her hands reaching out to touch Dyson’s.
Slowly she pulled her head back from Matt’s cock, holding it in one hand while she fed Dyson’s into her swollen lips. Her tongue lapped at the juices which were already escaping and she drank them down eagerly.
“That’s it, baby, you can have me,” Dyson murmured as she took him deeper into her throat. “Oh yeah, baby, that’s fantastic!”
She could hear them both breathing hard, as she tugged on Matt’s member while devouring his brother’s.
Dyson was close to the edge when she slipped his cock out of her mouth to take Matt’s.
The guy’s continued to moan and whisper their satisfaction and encouragement as she fed them, in turn, into her red-hot mouth. With her other hand she would yank on the other cock, relishing the sticky juices that ran over her hand.
Both guys were massive and hard as a rod of iron when she widened her mouth and took both in at once.
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