by Mia Dymond
Several ringing tones later, a voice spoke on the other end.
“Dupree.”
“Good afternoon, Captain Dupree. Is this a good time?”
He released a low, husky chuckle. “You’re always a good time, Doc.”
“Obviously, your earlier head injury hasn’t impaired your thinking.”
“No. In fact, the lump is almost gone.”
“Good. You don’t have a headache?”
“Other than the ones I work with, no. How was lunch?”
“Interesting. You didn’t tell me Casey proposed to Annessa last night.”
“I couldn’t break the Bro Code. Casey threatened me with bodily harm if I told anyone beforehand.”
“Ah, the Bro Code.” She crossed her legs and swung the top one while she talked. “Sacred to mankind, I hear.”
“So did you girls plan a party?”
“Actually, yes. We’re going to have Annessa’s Bachelorette Party at my house tomorrow night.”
“Thank God,” he mumbled.
“My sentiments exactly. Everyone’s a whole lot safer this way.”
“Agreed. What’s on the agenda?”
“Wine and chocolate pecan pie, as far as I know.”
“Your favorite.”
“Yes. I can’t wait. Your sister’s desserts are fabulous.”
“Van has a talent, that’s for sure. Are you at the clinic?”
“Yes. I have a few charts to finish then I’m headed home.”
She heard Travis say something, but a loud banging on the front door kept her from concentrating on the words.
“Hang on Travis, someone’s at the front door.”
“Who?”
“Well, since I don’t have x-ray vision,” she drawled, “I don’t know. I’ll have to go open the door to see.”
“Stay on the line with me until you let them inside.”
Although she appreciated his concern, she couldn’t help but think he might be just a little overprotective.
“This is Seaside Point, Travis. I’m sure someone just needs medical attention. Sometimes tourists don’t take time to read the hours posted.”
“Humor me.”
“Your call,” she told him as she stood and walked to the front door and peeked around the curtain covering the glass. “It’s Lexi.”
She unlocked the door and gestured for her friend to enter, noticing the distinct limp in her step as she did.
“I’ll have to call you later,” she said into the phone.
“Understood.”
She quickly disconnected and grasped Lexi under her arm for support. “What on Earth happened?”
“I think I need a tetanus shot. The house I showed today is under construction and I stepped on a nail.”
“Let’s go back to the exam room so I can look at it under the light.”
She helped Lexi walk down the hallway and into the exam room and then onto the table.
“Take off your shoe.”
She smirked as Lexi toed off her two inch heel with the opposite foot. “Good grief, Lexi. You realize you’re killing your feet and your back in those things, right?”
“Yes,” her friend admitted. “But I like them.”
“Yeah, well maybe you need to wear steel toe boots from now on.” She lifted the foot up and under the light. “I can see a puncture mark and it’s a little red. I think we should go ahead and shoot you just in case.”
“I haven’t had a tetanus shot lately. I’m due anyway.”
Verity gently placed Lexi’s foot back on the table and then stepped to a nearby cabinet to load a syringe.
“I’m sorry I interrupted your phone call.”
“Not a problem, I can finish it later.” She sucked the liquid medication into a syringe and then thumped it. “Hold this while I swab your arm.”
She handed the vessel to Lexi, grabbed an alcohol pad from the counter, tore it open and swabbed her muscle. She then took the syringe from the other woman and pressed it into her skin.
“All done,” she said as she extracted the needle. “Watch it for swelling and tenderness. Your foot will be tender but I don’t see major injury.”
“Thanks, Verity.” Lexi slipped her shoe back onto her foot. “Hey, I heard something about a baseball game after the Festival. What’s that all about?”
“The annual baseball game between the firefighters and policemen of Seaside Point and Mourning Dove Harbour. It’s fun to watch and it’s usually a pretty good game. Travis and Casey take it pretty seriously.”
“Sounds like fun. Are you going to go?”
She nodded. “The twins will be there too. We’ll save you a seat.”
“Thanks again,” Lexi said as she hobbled back to the front door. “I think I’ll go back to the office for the rest of the afternoon.”
“Good idea. Take off those feet-killers and rest your poor feet.”
* * *
Sonuvabitch, Verity! Why in the hell did you have to make things so damn difficult?
He ground out his cigarette in frustration. Since when did she take time to socialize? This was not good and changing the plan in midstream really pissed him off. Sweat gathered on his brow as he dialed his phone.
“You didn’t mention she had friends,” he hissed over the line. “Is there anyone else you failed to tell me about?”
“You mean a man?”
“Yes, a man,” he spat.
“No. She’s a workaholic. Why does that matter, anyway?”
“It matters a whole helluva lot. More people make things more complicated.”
“So? Get rid of them. I don’t see the problem.”
“You wouldn’t,” he mumbled.
“My patience is wearing thin. If you don’t make a move soon, I will.”
“We will discuss it later. For now, just keep your eyes and ears open and your mouth shut.”
“She needs a good scare.”
“She knows I’m out; she’s scared.”
“From my position, she doesn’t appear to be bothered.”
“She’s an expert at hiding her emotions.” He released a long sigh. “Besides, I want to take it slow and easy.”
A momentary pause crossed the line and he wondered if he hadn’t pressed too far; the low, flat warning that came next confirmed his suspicion.
“If you screw this up, I’ll take matters into my own hands. I’ve given you all the information you need, now use it.”
CHAPTER THREE
In the comfort of her living room, Verity kicked off her shoes, picked up her wine glass, and leaned back into the plump pillows on her sofa, grateful that Annessa had chosen to have her bachelorette party here. “I vote we make this a regular activity.”
“I’m game.” Lexi took the chair opposite the sofa and tucked her feet under her body while she took a deep breath. “What’s that Heavenly smell?”
“Vanessa’s baking. I’ve been slobbering all over myself for the past half hour.”
“We’re all going to weigh five hundred pounds by the end of the summer.” Annessa entered the room and placed two plates on the coffee table. “Chocolate chip cookies and fudge brownies.”
“We’ll all get fat together,” Vanessa said from behind her sister while she laid a stack of napkins beside the plates. “Dig in while they’re hot and gooey. I just put a chocolate pecan pie in the oven.”
Verity’s mouth watered at the mention of her absolute favorite dessert.
“Ooohh, Van.” Annessa squeezed both eyes shut. “These brownies are some of your best.”
“You’re my best friend in the whole world.” Lexi pulled apart a cookie and then put half in her mouth, chocolate first.
Annessa finished her brownie, licked her fingers, and then reached for a napkin. “Let’s get this party started.”
Verity nodded in agreement. “Who was in charge of entertainment?”
“Me.” Annessa’s sly grin almost made her wish she hadn’t asked. “Any requests?”
“No. That’s what started the trouble last time.”
Lexi frowned. “I though Tequila was responsible.”
“That too,” Annessa mumbled. “This time, I planned a scavenger hunt.”
“That sounds fun!” Lexi sat forward in her chair, obviously intrigued. “Did you warn the neighbors?”
“No.” Annessa grabbed several cards from a table beside the sofa. “I highly doubt the neighbors will have the items on this list.”
Verity accepted her card from Annessa and then read the items she was supposed to collect: a badge, a helmet, a pair of men’s boxers or briefs, a baseball bat, a twenty dollar bill, and a slice of chocolate cake.
Severely competitive by nature, she knew without a doubt she could commandeer each and every item on her list in less than fifteen minutes. Explaining how to her friends, however, would take more than forty five. Time stood still as she attempted to wrap her brain around the minute possibility of giving up before the game began.
Finally, she cleared her throat. “How on Earth am I supposed to get number three?”
Annessa leaned down to read the list and then grinned while she straightened. “Surely you know someone who will hand over his boxers.”
No need to hand them over, there was an extra pair in her dresser drawer – a fact she refused to share with the other women. Instead, she attempted to turn the tables. “I see an unfair advantage here.”
“Don’t worry, Verity.” Lexi shrugged, obviously not as concerned about acquiring a pair of men’s underwear. “I’m in the same boat.”
Annessa raised an eyebrow. “Are you in or out?”
“I’m in as long as we agree that you and Vanessa have to ambush someone other than Dane and Casey.”
“Fine, but I have another stipulation. You can’t buy them, they have to come off a warm body.”
“You guys are always so much fun!” Lexi giggled and stood.
Annessa cocked her head to one side. “Travis hasn’t given you the steer clear of the Dupree twins warning?”
Verity laughed out loud and then immediately realized she’d given them a wealth of information. A shiver crossed her neck when Annessa moved her gaze directly into hers.
“He warned you, huh?”
“He might’ve mentioned something like that.”
“Oh, really? When?”
Vanessa swallowed hard and held her ground. “He carted me out of McGill’s the same time Casey did you, remember?”
“He did, didn’t he?” Her friend simply nodded. “Better you than me.”
“So, how long is this hunt going to take?” Vanessa gestured at the kitchen. “I don’t want the pie to burn.”
“We each have six items to collect,” Annessa explained. “I say we meet back here in an hour. The first one to return with all her booty wins.”
Still hesitant, Verity rubbed her card against her palm. “What’s the prize?”
“Well, if you’re lucky, you’ll find your own prize. But at far as the party is concerned, you win bragging rights.”
“For what?”
Annessa’s mischievous grin returned. “Talking a man out of his boxers.”
“I’m taking the pie out.” Vanessa headed for the kitchen. “I’ll finish cooking it when we’re done.”
Annessa lifted her wrist and glanced at her watch. “Synchronize your watches, ladies. As soon as Vanessa returns, the game begins.”
Less than ten minutes later, Verity stood at the edge of the largest engine bay inside the Seaside Point Fire Department and looked over her shoulder, hoping upon hope that none of her friends watched her enter. Suddenly, she wanted to kick her competitive spirit in the teeth. Too late now though, she reasoned, better to just get the items she needed and get the heck out of dodge.
She glanced around the garage, irritated she still stood alone. She’d called Travis as soon as she’d walked ten feet from the house and asked him to meet her. Luck had been on her side when he told her he’d volunteered to cover for a few hours for another crew member. Where in the world was he?
Extremely tempted to tuck her tail and return to the house empty-handed, she balled both fists. Who needed bragging rights anyway? And this list – seriously? Obviously Annessa had gone to great lengths to come up with a collection of items she thought would be difficult to obtain. Boxers. Right.
She shifted her weight from one hip to the other, contemplating throwing in the towel, when Travis descended the stairs, preventing her hasty retreat. What the heck? She might as well win if she were going to play.
“What’s the emergency?” He strolled across the garage and stopped in front of her.
“In your office.” She grabbed his hand, pulled him inside a nearby room, and then shut the door. Her explanation left her mouth at ninety miles a minute.
“I need your badge, helmet, boxers, and oh, you don’t happen to have a baseball bat, do you?”
In the several seconds of silence that followed, he folded his arms across his chest and raised an eyebrow. “That’s quite a list.”
“It is. Hurry up, I’m being timed.”
“Hold on a sec. You expect me to just hand over my boxers on demand?”
“Yes.” She moved her fingers to his fly and fumbled with the button that prevented access to the layer underneath. “I need them.”
Her fingers moved with precision around the barrier, momentarily stopped in their movement by a twitch beneath.
“Oh good grief!” She finally freed the button and popped open his pants. “Not now, Travis. I need to win.”
“You’re the one pawing me, Doc.”
His hips bucked as she yanked the clothing over his lean hips and down his legs. Desperately trying to ignore his arousal, she snapped the waistband of his black boxer-briefs.
“Off.”
“What am I supposed to replace them with?”
“You have a change of clothes in your locker.”
“My locker’s upstairs.”
“So? Go commando for ten seconds.”
“Can’t you just take the ones out of my locker?”
“Nope. They have to come off your hot-blooded body.”
With a smirk, he slid his underwear off his hips and down his body. “I guess it’s a little late to ask why you need them.”
“Oh, sorry. We’re on a scavenger hunt.”
“We?”
“The twins, Lexi, and I.”
He groaned as he stepped out of his boxer briefs, then yanked his pants up over his body and folded himself back inside. “I told you –“
“Don’t be ridiculous. You sisters are a blast.”
“Do they happen to know where you’re treasure hunting?”
“No. Is Maverick on duty tonight?”
“No.”
She released a sigh of relief. Since Dane had been eliminated from the game by default and Maverick was out of the running, there would be no chance of discovery.
“You know they set you up, right?”
“What are you talking about? Actually, I fixed them when I said they had to find men other than Casey and Dane to donate to their cause.”
“Exactly.”
“Huh?”
“You walked right into it. No way in hell are Dane or Casey going to let either twin ask another man for his underwear.”
“But they don’t know I’m here.”
“Sure about that?”
“Absolutely. Besides, Lexi’s in on it too. She headed toward McGill’s.”
“Maverick is there.”
“What does that have to do …?” Words stuck in her throat until she swallowed hard and pushed past the traffic jam. “Oh, my God. They set us up.”
“So, how do you plan to explain yourself?”
“Maybe you should just keep your boxers.”
“Hell no! I managed some fairly strategic maneuvers getting them off and then cramming myself back inside my pants
– naked. Serves you right, sweetheart.”
She groaned as he pulled her into his embrace and rested his chin atop her head. “Thanks for being so agreeable.”
A low chuckle rattled his chest. “I didn’t have much of a choice. You had my pants down before I could argue.”
“I still need your badge and helmet.”
“I’ll grab them on the way upstairs.”
She placed a kiss to the base of his neck and then stepped back, her gaze immediately drawn to the incredible bulge in his pants. Arousal pushed her to reach out and trace the shape with a fingernail.
“What do you plan to do with this?”
“Any suggestions?”
She lifted her gaze to his as she moved her hand between his legs and squeezed. “Several.”
“What about the scavenger hunt?”
She paused only a brief moment to consider his question. What about the scavenger hunt? Now that she realized the twins’ ulterior motives behind the game, winning wasn’t all that important. Besides, if she were the last to arrive, she wouldn’t win and then there would be no explanation necessary. Game? What game?
With a broad smile, she knelt and moved her hands to his thighs. “I just found my prize.”
Before he could answer, she leaned forward, opened her mouth over the bulge and released a hot breath.
* * *
Hidden behind a humongous, extremely thorny rose bush, he frowned as he watched Verity and her friends leave the house and scatter while they giggled like school girls. What the hell? Something was up with these women and he intended to discover exactly what.
He winced as several thorns tore his skin while he crawled from the thicket and stood, angered that he had been reduced to activities such as this just to grab her attention. If she would just listen to what he had to say, things would be so much easier.
In the evening dusk, he stood hidden in the shadows and planned his next move. Entering the house was not an option; she’d set the alarm before they left and the neighbors were way too nosy. Following her seemed to be the best choice. Perhaps he could corner her and take full advantage of her good mood.
