by Em Petrova
She sighed as she scanned her shop. The place didn’t look as cute as it had a few weeks ago, and with each time her things were destroyed, she lost a little more heart for setting it up nicely.
The latest break-in, her mirrors had been smashed and the ones the hardware store had in stock weren’t appealing as far as décor went, but they did the job. She set down her steaming coffee and the bag on her desk and went to stand behind the chair that had been slashed with scissors and recently patched with duct tape. Thank goodness the stuff came in many colors these days—she’d been able to match the aqua blue almost perfectly.
But it wasn’t the same.
She looked at her reflection. She no longer saw a woman who was eager to begin a new chapter of life. Rings of fatigue around her eyes and a matching crease on her forehead glared back at her.
She rubbed at the line hard. Great—now she was prematurely aging. Maybe she still had a mask left for that.
After digging in a drawer, she located the mask packet and settled in front of the mirror to smear the chamomile with collagen infusers on her face. With the cooling effects taking place, she grabbed a magazine and began to flip through it. If she didn’t have any customers, she could at least work on her own appearance.
When the bell jingled, she jerked her head up to see her very first, and very loyal customer, Audrey, standing there.
Cecily jumped up and tossed the magazine onto a nearby table in the waiting area. “Hi! I wasn’t expecting to see you today.”
Audrey looked at her face and giggled. “I can see that.”
Remembering the mask, Cecily grinned. “I look a mess, but I hope you don’t mind if I leave this on a few more minutes. I really feel it working. In fact, I have one more pack. Maybe I could give you a treatment too.”
“That sounds perfect. I’ve had a stressful week.” Audrey sighed and came forward to sink into the chair Cecily had just abandoned. She ran her hand over the duct tape on the arm. “What happened here?”
“Just a little slice in the vinyl. If it bothers you, I can drape a towel over it.”
“No, no. It’s fine. You got some new mirrors too.”
“Yep.” Cecily didn’t want to discuss what had happened here recently. She’d spoken to Judd enough about it, hashed it around in her mind so many times that she was fed up with the whole thing. “Let me grab that mask and we’ll get started. What else did you have in mind today?”
Audrey flipped a tendril of hair. “I have a date tonight and I was hoping for some curls. Will you be able to make them hold all day?”
Cecily bobbed her head. “Definitely.” She’d seen Audrey with curls that day she’d passed the coffee shop and they’d waved to each other. The woman could obviously curl her own hair, but Cecily wasn’t going to kick a paying customer out of her chair.
“I have time to give you a coat of the latest shade of nail polish too. If you’d like.” Part of selling her services was offering more menu items, and Cecily could definitely use the cash.
Audrey extended her hands to examine her nude-colored polish. “That would be perfect. Can I see the options? I’m wearing a blue dress tonight.”
“Oh! I have just the one for you then.” She whirled away to the bookcase and a line of polishes she’d placed there and selected the perfect subtle, glittery blue for a date.
When Audrey saw it, she bobbed her head emphatically, and they set to work. First on the mask. While the customer sat back and relaxed with the soothing treatment, Cecily washed her own face and applied moisturizer.
The postman showed up with a couple packages and a few envelopes. “I’ll set these on your desk,” he called cheerily.
She waved. “Thank you!” The envelopes would be bills she barely had funds to cover. But she didn’t recall having anything on order, so the boxes were a mystery.
She shot a glance at Audrey. The woman was sunk deep in the chair, head back on the adjustable headrest and her eyes closed as the mask worked its wonders. Cecily looked at the first box on her desk. Small and unmarked. She took out a box cutter and slit it open. A fat wad of bubble wrap covered a tiny black box displaying an item on the front that made her eyes bulge.
A… butt plug?
Frantically, she dug into the bottom of the box for the packing slip, but there was only a slip of paper folded in half. She didn’t have to read the signature to recognize Judd’s writing.
Her heart skipped. Holy shit. He wanted her to wear a butt plug? The thought made her body tense and that forbidden spot throb with awareness.
She’d seen hints of Judd’s kinky side, but he seemed reluctant to let it out. She’d had to urge him to let it run wild, like in the SUV with the rope. Now he was freely showing her what he wanted with her. Did that mean he was beginning to trust her?
“Um, Cecily?” Audrey’s voice sounded strange.
Cecily snapped her head up, simultaneously stuffing the bubble wrap back over the butt plug. She stood and went over to the chair, where Audrey was sitting bolt upright, her hands hovering over her face.
“I think something’s the matter. My face is burning suddenly.”
Cecily looked closer. Beneath the thick white paste, she saw red splotches. Not just discoloration but rising welts.
“Oh no. You might be allergic to one of the ingredients. Let’s get the mask off.” She grabbed warm, wet towels and began to wipe away the concoction. By the time she got a bit off her cheek, Cecily wanted to cry. Audrey’s skin was inflamed, welted. There was no way she was going on a date tonight without a big injection of Benadryl, and then she’d be too knocked out from the drug to stay awake for any fun.
Crap, crap, crap. It was always a risk that someone would be allergic to one ingredient of a treatment, but it had never happened to Cecily.
“It’s really burning. Let me see in the mirror.” Audrey’s voice sounded with hysteria now.
Cecily reluctantly stepped to the side to allow the woman to look into the junky mirror at her ruined skin.
“Oh my God!” Audrey plastered her hands to her face, feeling the lumps. She looked like she had a case of measles. “You ruined my face!”
“I’m so sorry, Audrey! I didn’t know you’d be allergic. I’ve been using this mask for years on a variety of skin types, but I couldn’t know—”
Audrey shot out of the chair. “I have to go to the doctor and you’ve ruined my date night! I hope you’re satisfied!”
“Of course, I’m not satisfied.” Cecily’s voice broke on her own rising tears. “I’m really sorry. I’ll pay the doctor bill.”
“Damn right you will,” Audrey shot as she grabbed her purse and stomped out the door.
Cecily stared at the door as it slammed, the bell rattling like an echo of Audrey’s fury. Sinking to the chair, Cecily shook her head. She couldn’t win, no matter what she did. This entire dream was a disaster. The break-ins, the lack of customers, her dwindling bank account.
All she had going for her in Bracken, Wyoming was Judd. But it was only a matter of time before she screwed that up too. She’d probably look bad in a butt plug and he’d dump her.
A groan left her, and she dropped her face into her hands.
* * * * *
Judd strolled around the rack of tools in the middle of the auto repair shop. A man was half under a car and looked up, his face freezing when he saw who was coming to call.
Judd had a way of doing that to people—some got nervous just by being in the presence of the law. Especially if they’d had a brush with it, as this man did.
“I’m Sheriff Roshannon. I’d like to speak with you if you’ve got a minute.”
“I didn’t do nothin’, Sheriff. I swear I’m clean. Haven’t broken parole even by having a toke of my girlfriend’s joint.”
“That’s good to hear. I’d still like to ask you some questions.”
The man had a record of breaking and entering, with a side of arson. He definitely wasn’t the most upstanding of citizens, but Judd h
ad no problem with him being in Bracken as long as he wasn’t causing trouble. People did change, after all.
He just needed to see where the guy may have been on the dates Cecily’s spa was broken into. Someone had mentioned this man’s name in connection with the crimes.
The mechanic pushed to his feet and faced Judd, expression wary. “I swear I haven’t crossed any lines of the law.”
“I’m glad. I just need to see what you know about the Drift Away Massage and Spa.”
He blinked. “That the new place on the corner? Not much. My girlfriend mentioned getting a couples’ massage, but that’s all.”
“You’ve never been to the spa?”
The guy held up his grimy, grease-coated fingers. “Oh yeah, I just got a mani the other day.”
“Don’t be a smart ass.” Judd kept his voice controlled. “Just answer the question.”
“No, I haven’t been there. I work fifty hours a week here and when I’m not working, I’m driving two towns over to see my little girl for visitation.”
“Do you know the spa has been broken into several times in the past month?”
He shook his head hard. “That ain’t me, I swear. I’ll swear in court!”
“Okay, calm down. I’m not accusing you of anything, just hearing your thoughts. Do you run with any friends who may know anything about the break-ins at the Drift Away Massage and Spa?” Judd eyed him. Often a man could be pressured enough to rat on his buddies, especially if he wanted to keep his own nose clean.
The mechanic shook his head again. “Nope, I haven’t been hanging with anybody but my girlfriend’s brother, and he only likes to tie one on a Saturday night then get up for church on Sunday.”
“All right then. Thanks for answering my questions. I’ll let you get back to work. Fixin’ a power steering hose?” Judd gestured to the car.
“Yeah. Okay, thanks, Sheriff.”
Judd walked out, his mind working over every detail of their exchange but nothing stuck out of him as off. He had a few more people to question on his list.
After an hour, and no closer to answers than he’d been early that morning, he walked into the Slug and Chug and took up his regular barstool.
The bartender pivoted to him with a broad smile. “Haven’t seen you in your spot in weeks, Sheriff.”
He tried to place the girl. She wasn’t a regular employee here, but he’d seen her tending bar before. “Been busy.”
“I figured you must be. Last time I saw you here, you were escorting Jake out and helping that poor newcomer lady.”
So that was when he’d seen her last. She was the daughter of a man who believed himself to be more influential than he was. Funny that his daughter was slinging drinks on a weekday for lousy tips while her daddy bragged about all his investments.
Judd cocked his head. He prided himself on staying open to every possibility for a case, but he’d plum forgotten about Jake. The guy who’d insisted Cecily was dancing with him and then trying to have a go at Judd when he put a stop to it.
“Gimme a sweet tea,” Judd said to her. “You seen Jake here lately?”
She shook her head. “Not after you banned him.”
“Heard any talk about him?”
“No. Why, Judd Roshannon, am I helping you investigate some crime?”
“Nope. Just wondered.” He lifted the glass of tea to his lips and sipped. The cold liquid quenched his thirst and hit the spot. Actually, the added mint made him think of his momma’s sweet tea, which had him thinking of Eagle Crest.
And his mother riding him about getting a girlfriend.
He’d been thinking of taking Cecily to his own place this weekend. Not because he had a headboard to tie her to—no, that thought wasn’t in his head at all.
He sipped. He couldn’t lie to himself.
By now she would have gotten the package. If she’d opened it, she would have texted him, right? Maybe not. Judd pushed out a sigh, second-thinking his actions.
Sending the butt plug was his way of being playful, but was it a gift from a normal vanilla boyfriend?
He paused with the glass midway to his lips. Fuck, it wasn’t.
He pinched the bridge of his nose and bit back a curse. He hadn’t given a thought to what the gift would say to Cecily about him.
That I’m a depraved sex junkie.
He’d only envisioned her round ass high in the air, stretched around that bit of pink rubber as he fucked her pussy from behind.
Great, now he was hard. He shifted on the stool and sipped his tea, putting Cecily’s behind from his mind and concentrating on the findings of the day. No leads on Cecily’s case, but he’d gotten some good info on another.
His phone vibrated, and he pulled it from his back pocket. His brother calling. He swiped the screen and brought the phone to his ear.
“Yeah?”
“Hey, Amaryllis and I are a few miles away from you and thought you might like to grab lunch with us.”
Judd stared at the polished wood of the bar top and the ring of wetness from his glass. “Got a pretty full schedule.”
“So clear it.” Aiden didn’t often come this way—they must be investigating some cattle theft.
“Fine, where you want to meet?”
“Amaryllis remembers that coffee shop and has been bugging me to take her back. Says they make the best chocolate chip cake?”
“That’s right. It is pretty good.”
“Well they’d better have some of that cake today or Amaryllis will be unbearable. She’s touchy about her cravings these days.”
Judd zeroed in on that word—cravings. “Dude, you knock her up?”
“We’re married, Judd. It’s called expecting when you’re married.”
“So, you expecting?”
He could almost hear the grin in Aiden’s voice. “Yep, two months along. But don’t tell momma yet. We’re going to surprise her next family dinner.”
Judd’s smile stretched over his face. His twin would be a dad. Judd could only see his brother as a grubby kid, ankle deep in mud and wearing stripes of war paint as they played cowboys and Indians.
“In that case, I’ll treat,” Judd said.
“Good—they’ll give you a discount. Don’t you own part of the coffee shop?”
“Naw, lost it in the divorce. See you in half hour?”
“Yup.” Aiden ended the call and Judd finished his sweet tea. He sat there for a few more minutes staring at the news on TV in the corner of the bar and letting his thoughts come to order.
He got a text and glanced at the screen. It was a message from the security company he’d hired along with a link. He clicked it and it took him to an invoice for the cameras installed at the front and back doors of Cecily’s shop. Later he’d give her the details about how to check the footage, but he didn’t want to shock her with an expensive system and a butt plug in the same day.
The spa was a few steps from the coffee shop. For a moment, he considered inviting her to meet his brother and sister-in-law. Though he couldn’t ask her to leave in the middle of the day when she was finally open for business. She needed the money.
But he wanted to see her, to sit across from her and find out if she enjoyed the chocolate chip cake as much as Amaryllis did.
He shook himself. Pampering a woman was a natural thing for Judd to do, but look where it had gotten him with his ex. Not having as much money as he used to, living in a rental.
Cecily was different, though. Or at least she seemed to be. At first Cassie had been happy with his gestures. Soon she’d told him he felt too controlling—highhanded. That word seemed interconnected with him like it was his middle name.
Maybe he wouldn’t tell Cecily about the security system quite yet.
He was happy to think that her place was a measure safer than before. If she was broken into, alarms would be tripped and hopefully scare off the perpetrator as well as get a good recording of his face since the cam was pointed at the front door.
&n
bsp; “Thanks for the sweet tea,” he said to the bartender, tossing down a couple bills for the drink and her tip.
She gave her sweetest smile. “Don’t be a stranger, Sheriff.”
He thumbed his hat and went outside. The street was quiet at this time of day, everybody in work and school. His deputies were spread out on cases, one working as the repo man and another investigating a fire.
Winter was in the air, the icier pine scents carried in on the light mountain breeze. He sure as hell wasn’t looking forward to winter, and the way Echo was shedding lately, getting his winter coat early, the season would be a harsh one.
Which could play to his advantage. Being snowed in with Cecily sounded mighty good.
He could easily walk to the coffee shop to meet Aiden, but he needed a vehicle handy in case a call came in. He moved the SUV a few blocks down and parked it on the street. Then he glanced into the rearview mirror to see Aiden’s truck turning the corner. Judd got out and waited on the sidewalk for them.
Happy to see his twin, he stood there grinning as Aiden circled the truck to let his wife out. But she hopped out before he reached the door, which caused an argument. The pair came toward him bickering. From stories he’d heard, this was what had brought the two together.
Judd and Cecily got along. Was that a good thing or not? He couldn’t gauge a relationship off his past one—in his eyes Cassie had been too fucked up.
Or he was.
As they approached Judd, he caught movement from the corner of his eye. The coffee shop door opened and a beautiful brunette walked out, a huge cup of coffee in hand.
He whirled. “Cecily.”
She stopped in her tracks and threw him a look before fixing her stare somewhere around his ankles. “Hi, Judd.”
Fuck, she’d opened the butt plug and now she couldn’t meet his eyes.
He heard his twin call his name, but he ignored him. Stepping closer to Cecily and staring at her bowed head. “You okay?”
“Yeah. Just getting a coffee.”
“That’s a big coffee. You need the energy?”
“No, I’ve got a headache that pain pills aren’t touching. I figured the caffeine might help.”
Something else was wrong. Using his knuckle under her chin, he lifted her head to meet his gaze.
